London (England) -- History; London (England) -- Social life and customs
Amess, and bound round in the manner of a woman, shall answer, "The
Sepulchre of Christ; the Angels are witnesses." Then he shall extend
and unfold a cloth from one part, instead of clothes, and throw it
before the great gate of the Choir. Afterwards he shall say, "Christ
is risen." The Choir shall sing two other verses, following, and
then the Master shall go within; a procession be made; and Vespers
be ended.[2]
There was also a Consecration of Pilgrims, as follows:
The Pilgrims first confessed all their sins, after which they lay
prostrate before the Altar. Particular prayers and psalms were then
said over them, and after every psalm (with manifest skilful
appropriation) the _Gloria Patri_; the Psalm, _Ad te, Domine,
levavi_; and the _Miserere_. At the end of these, the Pilgrims arose
from their prostrate position, and the Priest consecrated their
scrips and staves, saying, "The Lord be with you," and "let us
pray," etc. He next sprinkled holy water upon their scrips and
staves, and placed the scrip around the neck of each pilgrim, with
other religious services. Afterwards he delivered to them the staff
with similar prayers. If any of the Pilgrims were going to
Jerusalem, their garments were in readiness, marked with the cross,
and the crosses were consecrated, and holy water sprinkled over
them. The garments and crosses were then delivered to the Pilgrims,
accompanied by appropriate prayers. The service concluded with the
Mass _De Iter Agentibus_.[3]
[Illustration: SOUTH AMBULATORY, CHURCH OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW, FOUNDED
1123]
Rahere, therefore, among the rest, pilgrimized to Rome. Now it happened
that on the way, either going or returning, he fell grievously sick and
was like to die. As medical science in those days commanded but small
confidence, men naturally turned to the saints, and besieged them with
petitions for renewed health. Rahere betook himself to St. Bartholomew,
to whom he promised a hospital for poor men should he recover. Most
fortunately for London, St. Bartholomew graciously accepted the
proposal, and cured the pilgrim. Rahere therefore returned: he chose the
site, and was about to build the hospital, when the saint appeared to
him and ordered him to found, as well, a church. Rahere promised. He
even went beyond his promise: he founded his hospital of St.
Bartholomew, which still exists, a perennial fountain of life and
health, and, besides this, a priory for canons regular, and a church for
the priory. The church still stands, one of the most noble monuments in
London. One Alfune, who had founded the church of St. Giles Cripplegate,
became the first Hospitaller, going every day to the shambles to beg for
meat for the sick poor. Rahere became the first prior of his own
foundation, and now lies buried in his church within a splendid tomb
called after his name, but of fifteenth-century work.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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