These were to be offered at the high altar by Sir William and his descendants, and afterwards to be distributed among the Canons resident. This gift was in acknowledgment of a grant which they had made him of twenty-two acres of land adjoining his park in Essex. There was a grand ceremonial on each occasion, the Canons wore their best vestments and garlands of flowers, and there was a procession round the church, with the horns of the buck carried on a spear, and a great noise of horn-blowers. Camden describes it all, as an eye-witness. This festivity came to an end in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. [Illustration: BISHOP AND CANONS IN THE CHURCH OF ST. GREGORY-BY-ST. PAUL. _From a MS. of Lydgate's Life of St. Edmund. British Museum, Harl. 2278._] Our illustration, showing the costume of the clergy of St. Paul's, is taken from a MS. of Lydgate's _Life of St. Edmund_, written in the fifteenth century, and decorated with many miniatures. It represents the coffin of St. Edmund temporarily deposited in the church of St. Gregory-by-St. Paul's (having been brought up from Bury for safety during an incursion of the Danes), and an attempt by the Bishop and Canons to secure so precious a relic for the cathedral. Here is Lydgate's metrical version of the story, telling how the attempt was frustrated by the Saint himself. He cam to Londene toward eve late, At whos komyng blynde men kauhte syht. And whan he was entred Crepylgate They that were lame be grace they goon upryht, Thouhtful peeple were maad glad and lyht; And ther a woman contrauct al hir lyve, Crying for helpe, was maad hool as blyve. Thre yeer the martir heeld ther resydence, Tyl Ayllewyn be revelacion Took off the Bysshop upon a day licence To leede Kyng Edmund ageyn to Bury town. But by a maner symulacion The bysshop granteth, and under that gan werche Hym to translate into Powlys cherche; Upon a day took with hym clerkis thre, Entreth the cherche off seyn Gregory, In purpose fully, yiff it wolde be, To karye the martir fro thenys prevyly. But whan the bysshop was therto most besy With the body to Poulis forto gon, Yt stood as fyx as a gret hill off ston. Multitude ther myhte noon avayle, Al be they dyde ther fforce and besy peyne; For but in ydel they spent ther travayle. The peple lefte, the bysshop gan dysdeyne: Drauht off corde nor off no myhty chayne Halp lyte or nouht--this myracle is no fable-- For lik a mount it stood ylyche stable. Wherupon the bysshop gan mervaylle, Fully diffraudyd off his entencion. And whan ther power and fforce gan to faylle, Ayllewyn kam neer with humble affeccion, Meekly knelyng sayde his orysoun: The kyng requeryng lowly for Crystes sake His owyn contre he sholde not forsake.