The Cathedral Church of Canterbury [2nd ed.]: A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Archiepiscopal SeeWithers, Hartley
History
The Cathedral Church of Canterbury [2nd ed.]: A Description of Its Fabric and a Brief History of the Archiepiscopal See
Withers, Hartley
Canterbury Cathedral
The archbishop had given notice two years before, proclaiming the day of
the solemnity throughout Europe as well as England: the episcopal manors
had been bidden to furnish provisions for the huge concourse, not only in
the cathedral city, but along all the roads by which it was approached.
Hay and provisions were given to all who asked it between London and
Canterbury; at the gates of the city and in the four licensed cellars tuns
of wine were set up, that all who thirsted might drink freely, and wine
ran in the street channels on the day of the festival. During the night
before the ceremony the primate, together with the Bishop of Salisbury and
all the members of the brotherhood, who were headed by Walter the Prior,
solemnly, with psalms and hymns, entered the crypt in which the martyr's
body lay, and removed the stones which covered the tomb. Four priests,
specially conspicuous for their piety, were selected to take out the
relics, which were then placed in a strong coffer studded with iron nails
and fastened with iron hasps.
Next day a procession was formed, headed by the young king, Henry III.
After him came Pandulf, the Italian Bishop of Norwich and Papal Nuncio,
and Langton the archbishop, with whom was the Archbishop of Rheims,
Primate of France. The great Hubert de Burgh, Lord High Justiciary,
together with four other barons, completed the company, which was selected
to bear the chest to its resting-place. When this had been duly deposited,
a solemn mass was celebrated by the French archbishop. The anniversary of
this great festival was commemorated as the Feast of the Translation of
the Blessed St. Thomas, until it was suppressed by a royal injunction of
Henry VIII. in 1536.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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