Iron like Sockets which had lights set in them before day that every Monk might have the more light to see to reade upon their books at the said Nine Altars when they said Mass and also to give light to all others that came thither to hear and see the Divine Service The King of Scot's Ancient and his Banner with the Lord Nevil's Banner and divers other Noble-mens Ancients were all brought to St. Cuthbert's Feretory and there the said Lord Nevill did make his Petition to God and that holy man St. Cuthbert and did offer Jewels and Banners to the Shrine of the Holy and Blessed man St. Cuthbert within the Feretory And there the said Banners and Ancients stood and hung till the suppression of the House The Lord Nevil's Banner-staff was done about with Iron from the midst upward and did stand and was bound to the Irons on the North-end of the Feretory and the King of Scot's Banner was bound to the midst of the said Irons and did hang on the midst of the Alley of the Nine Altars and was fasten'd to a loop of Iron being in a Pillar under St. Catharine's Window in the East end of the Church And a little after the suppression of the House they were all taken down spoiled and defaced that the memory thereof should be clean taken away though a great honour to the Realm and decent Ornament to the Church The Quire In the East end of the Quire joyning upon St. Cuthbert's Feretory stood the high Altar the goodliest in all the Church being a very Rich thing with many precious and costly Ornaments appertaining to it as well for every principal day as for every of our Lady's dayes The said High Altar and St. Cuthbert's Feretory is all of the French Pierre curiously wrought both in-side and out-side with fair Images of Alabaster and gilt being called in the Ancient History the Lardose the said curious workmanship of the French Pierre or Lardose reaching in height almost to the middle Vault and containing the breadth of the Quire in length In the midst whereof right over the said High Altar were artificially plac'd in very fine Alabaster the Picture of our Lady standing in the midst and the Picture of St. Cuthbert on one side and the Picture of St. Oswald on the other all richly gilt And at either end of the said Altar was a wand of Iron fasten'd in the Wall whereon did hang Curtains or Hangings of white silk daily The daily Ornaments that were hung both before the Altar and above were of red Velvet with great flowers of gold in embroider'd work with many goodly Pictures besides very finely gilt but the Ornaments for the principal Feast which was the Assumption of our Lady were all white Damask all beset with Pearl and precious Stones which made the Ornaments more glorious to behold Within the Quire over the high Altar hung a rich and most sumptuous Canopy for the Blessed Sacrament to hang within it which had two Irons fasten'd in the French Pierre very finely gilt which held the Canopy over the midst of the said high Altar that the Pix did hang in that it could not stir nor move whereon did stand a Pelican all of Silver upon the height of the said Canopy finely gilt giving her blood to her young ones in token of Christ who gave his blood for the sins of the World and it was goodly to behold for the Blessed Sacrament to hang in And the Pix wherein the Blessed Sacrament did hang was of pure gold curiously wrought of Gold-smith's work and the white cloath that hung over the Pix was of very fine Lawn all embroidered and wrought about with gold and red silk and four great knobs of gold curiously wrought with great tassels of gold and red silk hanging at them and at the four corners of the white Lawn cloath And the Crock that did hang within the cloath on which the Pix hung was of gold and the cord that drew it up and down was made of fine strong white silk And when the Monks went to say or sing high Mass they put on their Vestments in the Revestry both the Epistlers and the Gospellers they were alwayes revested in the same place And when the Office of the Mass was begun to be sung the Epistlers came forth of the Revestry and the other two Monks following him all three arow at the South Quire door and there did stand to the Gloria Patri of the Office of the Mass begun to be sung And then with great Reverence and Devotion they went all three up to the high Altar and one of the Vergers that kept the Revestry did go before them with a tipt staff in his hand as it was his Office so to do bowing themselves most reverently to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar the one on the one side of him that said Mass and the other on the other Also the Gospeller did carry a marvellous fair Book which had the Gospels and Epistles in it and did lay it on the Altar which Book had on the out-side of the covering the Picture of our Saviour Christ all of Silver of Gold-smith's work all parcel-gilt very fine to behold which Book did serve for the Pax in the Mass The Epistler when he had sung the Epistle did lay the Book again upon the Altar and afterward when the Gospel was sung the Gospeller laid it down upon the Altar likewise untill the Mass was done Mass being ended they went all three into the Revestry from whence they came and carried the Book with them and one of the Vergers meeting them at the South Quire door after the same sort went before them into the Revestry There pertained also to the high Altar two goodly Chalices one of gold the other of silver double gilt and all the foot of it set full of precious stones That of gold was for principal dayes and the other to serve every day Likewise there were pertaining to the said high Altar two goodly great Basons of silver one for principal dayes double gilt a great large one and the other Bason for every day not so large being parcel-gilt and engraven all over and two great Crewets of silver containing quarts apiece parcel-gilt and graven all over and other two lesser Crewets for every day all of silver one pair of silver Censers for every day and two pair of silver Censers for every double Feast double gilt and two pair of silver Censers parcel-gilt and the Chains also for every principal day with two Ships of silver parcel-gilt for principal dayes and other two of silver ungilt for every day to carry Frankincense in and two silver double-gilt Candlesticks for two Tapers very finely wrought of three quarters height to be taken asunder with wrests other two silver Candlesticks for every dayes Service parcel-gilt with goodly and rich and sumptuous Furniture for every Festival day of changeable suits Divers of the Vestments were set all round about
the Frontsteed for which Fact she was complained upon and so she laid those stones without the door which before were made well fast within her House Thus were the godly things intended for God's Service in the Church converted to prophane uses There was in the Centry-garth under the South-end of the Church called the South-end of the Nine Altars betwixt two Pillars adjoyning to the Nine Altars door a Song-School built for six Children to be learnt to sing for the maintenance of Gods Divine Service in the Abbey-Church which Children had their meat and drink at the Housecharge amongst the Children of the Ambrie The said School was built time out of mind before the suppression of the House and was neatly boarded within round about a man's height above the Walls and a long Desk from one end of the School to the other to lay their Books upon and all the floor was boarded for warmness and long Forms about it set fast for the Children to sit on And the place where the Master did sit and teach was all close boarded both behind and on either side And the said Master was to teach those six Children to sing and to play on the Organs every principal day when the Monks did sing their high Mass and at Even-song And the said Master was bound to play on the Organs every principal day when the Monks did sing their high Mass and likewise at Even-song but the Monks when they were at Mattins and Service at Mid-night then one of the said Monks did play on the Organs so that the Master play'd only upon principal dayes in the high Mass time and at Even-song as aforesaid Also the said Master had his Chamber adjoyning to the said School where he lodg'd having his meat and drink in the Prior's Hall among the Prior's Gentlemen and all his other necessaries were found at the charge of the Prior and the House till such time as the House was suppress'd And shortly after because there was no teaching in that School any longer but in another place or School appointed for that purpose the aforesaid School in the Centry-garth fell to decay and was pull'd down so clearly that one cannot tell almost in what place it stood Of St. Cuthbert's Death and the Translation of his body to Durham The 20. of the Calends of March in the year of Christ 587. St. Cuthbert ended his Life and was buried in Holy Island where he was Bishop three years in St. Peter's Church by the Altar on the East-side in a Grave of stone purposely made for him Being thus buried in St. Peter's Church in Holy Island and having lain there for the space of eleven years he was taken out of the ground the 20. of the Calends of March in the same Calends he had dyed in entire lying like a man asleep being found safe uncorrupted flexible and leath-wake and all his Mass-cloaths safe and fresh as they were the first hour they were put on him at which time they enshrined him in a new Sepulchre or Feretory a little above the pavement of the Church and there he stood many a day she is said to be descended from the Blood-Royal of the Kings of Ireland being Son of one Muriardach and Sabina his Wife who was Daughter to a King there He was brought up in the Abbey of Mailrose first under his Predecessor Eata and afterwards under Boisil who succeeded Eata After the death of Boisil he was made Abbot of that Monastery which he govern'd with great care and sincerity He was Anchorite thirteen years He was Monk thirty seven years and Abbot fourteen years Also in the year 55. Eardulf was Bishop at which time certain Danes and Pagans Infidels of sundry other Nations invaded and destroyed the Realm of England in divers places And after a certain space Halden King of the Danes with a great part of the Navy and Army of the Infidels arrived in Tinmouth-Haven intending to sojourn there all the Winter following and the next Spring he meant with all his power to invade spoil and destroy the County of Northumberland Whereof when Eardulf the Bishop had intelligence with all his Clergy and people after long consultation had amongst themselves what course was to be taken in that extremity to prevent the barbarous cruelty of the Savage and merciless Infidels they in the end called to mind the words and monition deliver'd by St. Cuthbert to his Brethren The said Holy man before his departure out of this Life amongst other wholsom counsels and godly admonitions then delivered uttered these or the like words If you my Brethren shall be at any time hereafter urged or constrained unto one of the two extremitics following I do much rather choose and wish that you should take my Bones up and flye from those places and take your place of abode and stay wheresoever Almighty God shall provide for you then that you should by any means submit your selves to the yoak and servitude of wicked Schismaticks Which words he then spake by the spirit of Prophesie foreseeing the perillousness of the time to come Bishop Eardulf and Abbot Edred did take and carry away the Body of St. Cuthbert from Holy Island Southward and fled seven years from Town to Town by reason of the great Persecution and slaughter of the Painims and Danes And when the Inhabitants of the Island saw that St. Cuthbert's Body was gone they left their Lands and Goods and followed after him Whereupon the Bishop the Abbot and the rest being wearied with Travelling thought to have stollen away and carried St. Cuthbert's Body into Ireland for its better safety Being upon the Sea in a Ship three Waves were miraculously turned into blood and the Ship was driven back by tempest and forc'd upon the shore Nay the said Ship wherein they were by the greatness of the Storm and the rage of the Waves was turned on the one side and the Book of the Holy Evangelists fell out of the Ship into the bottom of the Sea The said Book was most curiously written and all adorned with gold and precious stones on the out-side Now while they were all troubled and in great perplexity for the loss of the said Book St. Cuthbert being loath to see his honourers in such sorrow did appear in a Vision to one Hundredus a Monk and commanded him that they should diligently seek for the Book upon the Coasts thereabouts where they did find it three miles from the Sea-shore cast as it seemed by the force of some Wave and carried thither by the violence of some happy gale of Wind or by some divine power They found the book much more beautiful than before both in Letters and Leaves and excelling in the outer beautifulness of the cover being nothing blemished by the salt water but polished rather by some Heavenly hand which did not a little increase their joy But being wearied with seeking the book and with carrying about St. Cllthbert's body he presented to
on the right hand as you go to the Cellar of Wainscot having divers Ambries within it finely wrought and varnished over with red varnish wherein lay Table-cloaths Salts and Mazers a Basin and Ewer of Latten with other things pertaining to the Frater-House and to the Loft where all the Monks did dine and sup And every Monk had his Mazer severally by himself to drink in and had all other things that served for the whole Convent and the Frater-House in their daily Service at their Dâ—â—t and at their Table And all the said Mazers were largely and finâ—ly edg'd with silver double-gilt and a fair Basâ—â—n and Ewer of Latten the Ewer pourtray d like a man on Horse-back as if he had been Riding a Hunting which served the Sub-Prior to wash at the foresaid Table where he sate as chief And within the said Frater-House the Prior and the whole Convent of Monks held their great Feast of St. Cuthbert in Lent having their Meat served out of the Dresser-Window of the great Kitchin into the Frater-House and their Drink out of the great Cellar And in the East-end being the highest end of the Frater-House and adjoyning to the Dean's House the high Roof of Lead was taken by Dean Whittingham and inclosed to his House and use and he made it a flat Roof of Lead whereby he gained at least twenty pounds Also in the East-end of the Frater-House stood a fair Table with a Shrine of Wainscot upon it being kept all the rest of the year for the Master of the Novices of the Elects and the Novices to Dine and Sup at having their Meat served in to them at a Dresser-Window from the great Kitchin and their Drink out of the great Cellar At which time the Master observed these wholesome and godly orders for the continual instructing of their Youth in Virtue and Learning That is One of the Novices at the Election and appointment of the Master did reade some part of the Old and New Testament in Latine at Dinner time having a convenient place at the South-end of the high Table within a fair glass-window compass'd with Iron and certain steps of stone with Iron Rails on the one side to go up to it to an Iron Desk there on which lay the Holy Bible Which reading being ended the Master did towl a gilt Bell hanging over his head thereby giving warning to one of the Novices to come to the high Table and say Grace which done they departed to their Books Within the Cloister-garth over the Frater-House-door was a fair Laver or Conduit for the Monks to wash their hands and faces being round cover'd with Lead and all of Marble saving the outermost walls within which they might walk round about the Laver. It had many Spouts of Brass with twenty four Brass Cocks round about it having in it seven fair Windows of stone-work and over it a Dove-coat cover'd with Lead finely wrought as appears to this day Adjoyning to the East-side of the Conduitdoor hung a Bell to call the Monks at eleven of the Clock to come and wash before dinner having their Closets or Ambries on either side of the Frater-House-door on the out-side within the Cloister kept alwayes with clean Towels to dry their hands The North-Alley of the Cloisters In the North-side of the Cloisters from the corner over against the Church-door to the corner over against the Dorter-door was from the height of the sole within a little of the ground unto the Cloister-garth all finely glazed and in every Window three Pews or Carrels where every one of the Old Monks had his Carrel several by himself to which having dined they did resort and there study their Books every one in his Carrel all the Afternoon till Even-songtime And this was their exercise every day Their Pews or Carrels were finely Wainscoted and very close the fore-side having carved work of Wainscot to let in light to their Carrels and in every Carrel was a Desk to lay their Books on And the Carrels were no greater than from one Stanchel to another of the Window Opposite to the Carrel against the Church-wall stood certain great Ambries of Wainscot full of Books as well the Ancient written Doctors of the Church as other prophane Authors with divers other holy mens works So that every one studied what Doctor he pleas'd having the Library at all times open to go and study in besides their Carrels The West-Alley of the Cloisters In the West-side of the Cloister South of the Dorter-door a little distant from the said door there is a strong House called the Treasury where all the Treasure of the House while it was a Religious House did lye having a strong door and two strong Locks Within the said Treasury was a strong Iron grate set fast in the ground-work in the Roof and in either Wall the breadth of the House so fast as not to be broken and in the midst of the Grate a door of Iron according to the Workmanship of the Grate with a strong lock upon it and two great shuts of Iron for the said door And within the said Grate was a four-square Table cover'd with green cloath for the telling of their Mony Within this Treasury were likewise the Evidences of the House and the Chapter-Seal as also the Evidences of several Gentlemens Lands in the Countrey who thought them safer there than in their own Custody Over against the said Treasury-door was a fair Stall of Wainscot were the Novices were taught And the Master of the Novices had a pretty Seat of Wainscot adjoyning to the South-side of the Treasury-Door over against the stall where the Novices sate And there he taught the said Novices both Forenoon and Afternoon No Strangers or other Persons were suffered to molest or trouble the said Novices or Monks in their Carrels while they were at their Books within the Cloister For to that purpose there was a Porter appointed to keep the Cloister-door The Dorter Dortoir or Dormitory On the West-side of the Cloister there was a large House called the Dorter where the Monks and Novices lay every Monk having a little Chamber of Wainscot very close to himself and their Windows towards the Cloister every Chamber a window by reason the partit on betwixt every Chamber was close Wainscoted and in every of their Chambers was a Desk for their Books On the West-side of the Dorter were the like Chambers with Desks and Windows toward the Infirmary and the Water The Novices had their Chambers in the South-end of the said Dorter adjoyning to the foresaid Chambers having eight Chambers on either side every Novice his Chamber to himself not so cloâ—â— nor so warm as the other Chambers nor having any light but what came in at the fore-side of their Chambers being all close else both above and on either side At either end of the said Dorter was a fair square stone wherein were a dozen Crossets wrought in the stone being alwayes fill'd and
and four of the Clock in the morning in honour of the Resurrection where two of the Eldest Monks of the Quire came to the Sepulchre set up upon Good-Fryday after the Passion all cover'd with red Velvet and embroider'd with gold and then did Cense it either of the Monks with a pair of silver Censers sitting on their knees before the Sepulchre Then they both rising came to the Sepulchre out of which with great reverence they took a marvellous beautiful Image of our Saviour representing the Resurrection with a Cross in his hand in the breast whereof was enclosed in most bright Chrystal the holy Sacrament of the Altar through the which Chrystal the Blessed Host was conspicuous to the beholders Then after the Elevation of the said Picture carried by the said two Monks upon a fair Velvet Cushion all embroider'd singing the Antheme of Christus Resurgens they brought it to the high Altar setting it on the midst thereof the two Monks kneeling before the Altar and Censing it all the time that the rest of the whole Quire were singing the foresaid Antheme of Christus Resurgens Which Antheme being ended the two Monks took up the Cushion and Picture from the Altar supporting it betwixt them and proceeding in procession from the high Altar to the South Quire door where there were four Ancient Gentlemen belonging to the Prior appointed to attend their coming holding up a most rich Canopy of purple Velvet tassell'd round about with red silk and a goodly gold fringe and at every corner of the Canopy did stand one of these Ancient Gentlemen to bear it over the said Images with the holy Sacrament carried by the two Monks round about the Church the whole Quire waiting upon it with goodly Torches and great store of other lights all singing rejoycing and praying to God most devoutly till they came to the high Altar again upon which they placed the said Images there to remain till Ascention-day Lodovic de bello Monte Bishop of Durham lieth buried before the high Altar in the Quire under a most curious and sumptuous Marble stone which he prepar'd for himself before he died being adorned with most excellent workmanship of Brass wherein he was most excellently and lively Pictur'd as he was accustomed to sing or say Mass with his Mitre on his head and his crosier-staff in his hand with two Angels finely pictur'd one on the one side of his head and the other on the other side with Censers in their hands Censing him and containing also most exquisite Pictures and Images of the twelve Apostles divided and bordered on either side of him and next them are border'd on either side of the twelve Apostles in another border the Pictures of his Ancestors in their Coats of Arms being of the Blood-Royal of France and his own Arms of France being a white Lyon placed upon the breast of his Vestment underneath the verses of his breast with Flower-de-luces about the Lyon the two Lyons pictur'd one under the one foot of him and another under the other foot supporting and holding up his Crosier-staff his feet adjoyning and standing upon the said Lyons and other two Lyons under them in the nethermost border of all being most artificially wrought and set forth all in Brass most curiously and beautifully in the said Through of Marble wherein was graven in Brass such Divine and Coelestial sayings of the Holy Scripture which he had peculiarly selected for his spiritual consolation at such time as it should please Almighty God to call him out of this Mortality whereof some of them are legible to these dayes as these that follow Epitaphium In Gallia natus De bello Monte jacet hic Lodovicus humatus Nobilis ex fonte Regum Comitumque creatus Praesul in hâc Sede Coeli laetetur in aede Praeteriens siste memorans quantus fuit iste Coelo quà m dignus justus pius atque benignus Dapsilis ac hilaris inimicus semper amaris Super Caput Credo quod Redemptor meus vivit qui in novissimo die me resuscitabit ad vitam aeternam et in carne meâ videbo Deum Salvatorem meum In Pectore Reposita est haec spes mea in sinu meo Domine miserere Ad Dextram Consors sit Sanctis Lodovicus in arce Tonantis Ad Sinistram Spiritus ad Christum qui sanguine liberat ipsum There were three pair of Organs belonging to the said Quire for maintenance of Gods Service and the better celebrating thereof One of the fairest pair of the three stood over the Quire door only opened and play'd upon on principal Feasts the pipes being all of most fine wood and workmanship very fair partly gilt upon the in-side and the out-side of the leaves and covers up to the top with branches and flowers finely gilt with the name of Jesus gilt with Gold There were but two pair more of them in all England of the same making one in York and another in Pauls Also there was a Lantern of wood like unto a Pulpit standing and adjoyning to the Wood Organs over the Quire door where they had wont to sing the nine Lessons in the old time on principal dayes standing with their faces towards the high Altar The second pair stood on the North side of the Quire being never play'd upon but when the four Doctors of the Church were read viz. Augustine Ambrose Gregory and Jerome being a pair of fair large Organs called the Cryers The third pair were daily used at ordinary Service There did lye on the high Altar an excellent fine Book very richly covered with gold and silver containing the names of all the Benefactors towards St. Cuthbert's Church from the first Original Foundation thereof the very Letters of the Book being for the most part all gilt as is apparent in the said Book till this day The laying that Book on the high Altar did shew how highly they esteemed their Founders and Benefactors and the Quotidian remembrance they had of them in the time of Mass and divine Service And this did argue not only their gratitude but also a most divine and charitable affection to the souls of their Benefactors as well dead as living which Book is as yet extant declaring the said use in the Inscription thereof There is also another famous Book as yet extant containing the Reliques Jewels Ornaments and Vestments that were given to the Church by all those Founders for the further adorning of Gods service whose names were on Record in the said Book that did lye upon the high Altar And they were also Recorded in this Book of the aforesaid Reliques and Jewels to the everlasting praise and memory of the Givers and Benefactors thereof The North Alley of the Quire At the East end of the North-Alley of the Quire betwixt two Pillars opposite one to the other was the goodly fair Porch which was called the Anchoridge having in it a marvellous fair Rood with the most exquisite Pictures of Mary
a lock on it to be lock'd day and night Also there was standing on the Altar against the said Wall a most curious and fine Table with two leaves to open and shut again all comprehending the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ most curiously and richly set forth in most fine and lively Colours all like the burning gold as he was tormented and as he hung on the Cross which was a most lamentable sight to behold This Table was alwayes lock'd up but only on principal dayes Also the fore-part of the said Porch from the utmost corner of the Porch to the other there was a door with two broad leaves to open from side to side all of fine-joyned and through-carved work the height of it was somewhat above a man's breast and the upper part of the said door was stricken full of Iron pricks that no man should climb over which door did hang all in gimmes and clasps in the in-side to clasp them And on the principal dayes when any of the Monks said Mass at the Altar then the Table was opened which did stand on the Altar and the doors with two leaves which stood in the fore-part of the said Closet or Porch were set open also that every man might come in and see the said Table in manner and form as is aforesaid There was also in the height of the said Wall from Pillar to Pillar the whole story and Passion of our Lord wrought in stone most curiously and most finely gilt And also above the said Story and Passion there was the whole story and the Pictures of the twelve Apostles very artificially set forth and very finely gilt containing from the one Pillar to the other wrought very curiously and artificially in the side-stone And on the height above all the foresaid story from Pillar to Pillar was set up a border very artificially wrought in stone with marvellous fine colours very finely gilt with branches and flowers insomuch that the more a man look'd on it the more desires he had and the greater was his affection to behold it the work was so rarely curiously and finely wrought in the said stone that it could not have been finelier wrought in any kind of Metal And also above the height of all upon the Wall did stand the goodliest and most famous Rood that was in all this Land with the Picture of Mary on the one side of our Saviour and the Picture of John on the other with two splendent and glistering Arch-Angels one on the one side of Mary and the other on the other side of John So that what for the fairness of the Wall and stateliness of the Pictures and the liveliness of the painting it was thought to be one of the goodliest Monuments in the Church Also on the back-side of the said Rood before the Quire door there was a Loft and in the South end of the said Loft the Clock did stand and underneath the said Loft there was a long Form which did reach from the one Rood door to the other where men did sit to rest themselves and say their prayers and hear Divine Service Also every Friday at night after the Even-song was done in the Quire there was an Antheme sung in the Body of the Church before the Altar of St. John called Jesus-Antheme which was sung every Friday at night throughout the whole year by the Masters of the Quiristers and Deacons of the said Church and when it was done the Quiristers did sing another Antheme by themselves sitting on their knees all the time that their Antheme was singing before the said Jesus-Altar which was very devoutly sung every Friday night by the knelling of one of the Galilee Bells Thomas Castell Prior of Durham lyeth buried under a fair Marble stone in the Body of the Church being pictur'd from the waste up in Brass in the midst of the stone with his Verses or Epitaph upon it before Jesus-Altar where there was on the North-side betwixt two Pillars a Loft for the Masters and Quiristers to sing Jesus-Mass every Friday containing a pair of Organs to play on and a fair Desk to lay the Books on in time of Divine Service John Aukland Prior lyeth buried within the Abbey-Church of Durham John Burnby Prior of Durham lyeth buried under a fair Marble stone pictur'd in Brass from the waste up beneath the North door in the midst of the Church not much distant from the Marble Cross with his Verses or Epitaph adjoyning thereto There is betwixt the Pillars on the North-side which the Holy water did stand in and the Pillar which standeth over against it on the South-side from the one of them to the other a Row of blue Marble and in the midst of the said Row there is a Cross of blue Marble in token that all Women who came to hear Divine Service should not be suffered to come above the said Cross and if it chanced that any Woman came above it within the Body of the Church then straitwayes she was taken and punished for certain dayes because there was never Woman came there where the holy man St. Cuthbert was for the Reverence they had to his sacred Body Also if any Woman chanc'd to come within the Abbey-Gates or within any Precincts of the House if she had been seen but her length within any place of the said House she was taken and set fast and punished to give example to all others for doing the like The Causes wherefore Women may not come to the Feretory of St. Cuthbert nor enter within the Precinct annexed to the Monastery There are divers Books written of the Life and Miracles of that holy Confessor St. Cuthbert partly written by the Irish partly by the English and partly by Scottish men being not able to comprehend the same in one work For as venerable Bede reported in the Prologue of his Book which he wrote of the Life and Miracles of St. Cuthbert that there were many other things nothing inferiour to those which he wrote of the Life of that virtuous blessed Man which were related unto him and were commanded to be had in perpetual memory Which works though they were perfectly and deliberately finished it was thought inconvenient to insert or add any new matter Of which Books there is one entituled Of the coming of St. Cuthbert into Scotland taken forth of the Scottish History where among other things is set down the solitary Conversation of the said Holy Man St. Cuthbert as followeth Blessed St. Cuthbert for a long time led a most solitary Life in the Borders of the Picts at which place great concourse of people daily used to visit him and from whom by the providence and grace of God never any returned without great comfort This caused both young and old to resort unto him taking great pleasure both to see him and hear him speak In the mean time it chanced that the King's Daughter of that Province was got with Child by some young man