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
and Frankincense together with the Picture of our Lady the Virgin Mary with Christ naked sitting on her knee in most fine colour'd glass In the Light towards the North is Pictur'd God Almighty having in his hand a Ball or Globe signifying the Heaven Earth and Sea and underneath that the Salutation of the Angel Gabriel made to the B. Virgin Mary and the picture of the Holy-Ghost appearing to her in the likeness of a Dove in fine colour'd glass also In the Light towards the South is the Picture of our B. Lady as she was assumed into Heaven ascended glorified and Crowned and underneath that the Picture of our B. Lady with Christ new-born naked sitting on her knee and sucking of her Breast very lively set forth all in fine colour'd glass In the second containing six fair Lights of glass sever'd by stone three above and three beneath The middle Light above hath the Picture of St. Cuthbert most lively colour'd in glass in his ordinary Episcopal Vestments to say Mass with his Mitre on his head and a Crosier or Pastoral-staff in his left hand having the Image of St. Oswald's Head painted on his Breast upholden with his right hand all in fine colour'd glass and under his feet at the lowest part of his Picture is written in the glass Sanctus Cuthbertus quondam Lindisfarnensis Episcopus hujus Ecclesiae et Patriae maximas Patronus The Light on the North-side of St. Cuthbert hath the Picture of St. Bede in his blew Habit in fine colour'd glass under the feet of whose Picture is in glass written Sanctus Beda qui vitam Sancti Cuthberti et mulla alia ab Ecclesia approbata conscripsit cujus ossa in hac Capella in feretro contenta The Light on the South-side of St. Cuthbert hath the Picture of Aidanus the Bishop most artificially set forth in fine colour'd glass as he was accustomed to say Mass with his Mitre on his head and a Crosier-staff in his left hand under whose feet this is written Sanctus Aidanus Episcopus Lindisfarnensis Ecclesiae primus primus in hâc Sanctissim â Dunelmensi Ecclesiá fuit Prioratus Under which three Lights by a partition are three more large Pictures in fine colour'd glass most curiously wrought containing the Images of Aldunus Edmundus and Eata three Bishops of Landisfarne in fine colour'd glass as they were accustomed to say Mass with their Mitres on their heads and their Crosier-staffs in their left hands Under the feet of Eata's Picture is written Sanctus Eata Lindisfarnensis Episcopus And above in the highest part of this Window are six little glaz'd Lights in Tower-manner in fine colour'd glass containing some part of the History of Christ's Nativity the Marriage in Galilee and his Miracles done upon the Earth In the third Window being most fair and sumptuous are also six Lights sever'd as before In the highest part thereof are three Pictures in fine colour'd glass the middle being the Image of the glorious and B. Virgin Mary with Christ in her Arms most excellently wrought in glass under whose feet is written SANCTA MARIA And on the North-side of her is the Picture of St. Oswald the King in fine colour'd glass very neatly set forth with a fair Cross in his hand under whose feet is written Sanctus Oswaldus Fundator Sedis Episcopalis Lindisfarnensis quae nunc est Dunelmensis cujus anima in Feretro Sancti Cuthberti est humata And on the South-side of her is the Picture of holy King Henry in fine colour'd glass with his Princely Scepter in his hand under whose feet is written REX HENRICUS Under those three there are other three fair large Lights oppositely and first to St. Mary is placed the Picture of Thomas Langley Bishop most curiously and worthily wrought in fine colour'd glass with his Mitre on his head and his Crosier-staff in his left hand as he was accustomed to say Mass having his Arms very excellently blazoned in fine colour'd glass above his head he being a most famous Benefactor in re-edifying this place called the Galilee as most truly and largely is recorded in the History of the Monastical Church of Durham under whom is written Thomas Langley Rector Ecclesiae ad honorem Dei Episcopus Dunelmensis et duas Cantarias in eadem fundavit et dotavit And under St. Oswald's is the Picture of Wilfridus Bishop in fine colour'd glass as he was accustomed to say Mass with a Mitre on his head and a Crosier-staff in his left hand under whose feet is written Sanctus Wilfridus primò Lindisfarnensis Monachus post Abbas Ripensis ultimò Archiepiscopus Eboracensis uno anno rexit Episcopatum Lindisfarnensem And under King Henry is the Picture of Bishop Cedda in fine colour'd glass as he was accustomed to say Mass with his Mitre on his head and his Crosier-staff in his left hand under whose feet is written Sanctus Cedda primò Lindisfarnensis Monachus post Abbas in Lestingham tribus annis rexit Archiepiscopatum Eboracensem et etiam rexit Episcopatum Lichfieldensem And in this Window above all are six little glazed Tower-Windows in fine colour'd glass representing the flight of Christ Joseph and Mary into Egypt being pursued by Herod and the most part of the story thereof In the fourth there be also six fair Lights sever'd as before containing three fair large Pictures in three Lights in the higher part most exactly fashioned being the Images of three holy Kings most goodly and beautifull to the Church and to St. Cuthbert viz. Alured Guthred and Elfrid most Princely deck'd and fram'd in their Royal Apparel with their Scepters in their hands in fine colour'd glass of whose Liberality and marvellous Magnificence the History of St. Bede doth make mention Under them are Pictur'd in large Pictures in fine colour'd glass three Bishops of Lindisfarne as they were accustomed to say Mass with their Mitres on their heads and the Crosier-staffs in their left hands Under their feet is to be seen Sanctus Egfridus Lindisfarnensis Sanctus Ethelwoldus Lindisfarnensis The third having no name to be seen saving Episcopus All which Pictures aforesaid are most largely and sumptuously set forth in their several formall Apparel as is before described In the highest part of which Window are six little Tower-windows finely colour'd and glazed containing most part of the story of Christ's Death Burial Resurrection and Ascension most excellently set forth pourtrayed and described in fine colour'd glass The Rite or Custom of the Church of Durham in the burying of Monks The Monk so soon as he sickneth is conveyed with all his Appurtenances or Furniture from his own Chamber in the Dortoir to another in the Farmery or Infirmary where he might have fire and more convenient keeping for that they were allow'd no fire in the Dortoir And at such time as it appeared to them that accompanied him in his sickness that he was not likely to live they sent for the Priors Chaplain who staid with him till
their eyes a Bridle hanging up in a Tree and a red Horse running towards them and offering himself to be Bridled to ease their pains in carrying the Chest wherein St. Cuthbert's body was lay'd Upon which Horse they carried him to Crake-Minster and rested them four Moneths from thence they brought him to Cuneagester now called Chester Anno Domini 1387. and there they remained with the body of St. Cuthbert 93. years during the rest of the time of the Danes Wars at the end whereof Aldwinus the Bishop fled with St. Cuthbert's body to Rippon to lye by the body of holy St. Wilfrid But four Moneths after their arriving at Rippon the Danes Wars did cease and then intending to bring him back again to Chester and coming with him on the East side of Durham to a place called Wardlaw they could not with all their force remove his body from thence which seemed to be fasten'd to the ground for that the Chariot wherein the holy Corps was carried miraculously stood unmoveable either by the strength of man or beast Which strange and unexpected accident wrought great Admiration in the hearts of the Bishop the Monks and their Associates Whereupon the Bishop fasted three dayes and pray'd to God with great reverence and devotion to know from God by Revelation what to do with him Which was accordingly granted them it being revealed unto Eadmer a virtuous man that he should be carried to Dunholme which is composed of the two Saxon words Dun signifying a Hill and Holme an Island in a River and there he should be received into a place of Rest But being again distressed because they were ignorant where Dunholme was as they were going a Woman that lacked her Cow did call aloud to her Companion to know if she had not seen her Cow who answer'd with a loud voice that her Cow was in Dunholme a happy and Heavenly eccho to the distressed Monks who by that means had intelligence that they were near their Journeys end where they should find a resting place for the Body of the Saint And thereupon with great joy and gladness they brought his Body to Dunholme in the year 1499. which was inculta tellus a barbarous and rude place replenished with nothing but Thorns and thick Woods save only in the midst where the Church now standeth which was plain and commodious for such a purpose Where they first built a little Church of Wands and Branches wherein they did lay his Body whence the said Church was afterwards called Bough-Church till they had built a more sumptuous Church wherein they might inshrine him which they assayed to do with all their power Uthred Earl of Northumberland aiding them and causing all the Countrey people to cut down all the wood and thorn-bushes which did molest them and so made all the place where the City now stands habitable and fit to erect Buildings upon which gave great encouragement to Aldwinus the Bishop to hasten the finishing of the Church Which accordingly being done he translated the Body of St. Cuthbert from the wanded or Bough-Church to the White-Chappel for so it was called which he had newly built which was a part of the great Church not yet finished where it lay four years But after the great Church was finished and consecrated upon the 20. of September he translated his Body out of the White-Chappel into the great Church which he made a Cathedral erecting his Bishop's seat at Durham where it still remaineth about 353. years after it was first Founded in the Holy-Island by St. Aidan and St. Oswald which was Anno Domini 637. and 306. years after the death of St. Cuthbert which was in the year 684. Bishop Aldwinus died thirty years after he had Founded his Bishop's See at Durham in finished his Cathedral Church in the year 1020. Which Church was famous for the Succession of six Bishops in it viz. Eadmundus Eadredus Egelrir Egelwin Waltherus whom William the Conquerour created Earl of Northumberland and William Carlipho or Carilef that magnificent Prelate who not being content with the smalness and homliness of the Edifice which Aldwinus built as being too little for so great a Saint did pull it all down 76. years after Alwinus had finish'd it and instead thereof did erect the magnificent and famous Structure which is now to be seen Malcolm King of Scotland Turgot then Prior of the Church and the Bishop himself lay'd the three first stones in the new Foundation upon the 30. of July as some say or on the 11. of August as others affirm in the year 1093. For which famous work Anthony Beak one of his Successors with a great sum of Money got him to be Canoniz'd This Bishop Carlipho caused the Monks to labour in the Holy work all the day long excepting meal-times and times of Prayer and Service King Malcolm being the chief Benefactor in the Building thereof The Bishop before the people ordained and appointed surgot then Prior to be his Arch-Deacon and Vicar-general within his Diocess and going to Rome two years before his death he obtained License of Popé Gregory the seventh to remove the Monks who were at Wermouth and Jarrow and were of the Order of St. Bennet to his Church at Durham where he placed them in the room of the Canons whom he expelled for their lewd and lazy lives But he did not live to see his Church finished for he dyed in the year 1095. two years after he had laid the Foundation Then Ranulph Flambard his immediate Successor favouring and with all his might furthering so good a work did in the 29. years that he was Bishop build the said Church from the Foundation almost to the Covering Yet was it not fully finished till the time that Nicholas Farnam or Fernham was Bishop and Thomas Melscome was Prior which two good men did Arch it over Anno 1242. viz. in the 26. year of King Henry the Third and they lye both buried under one stone in the Chapter-house But long before the Church was finished the Body of St. Cuthbert was by the said Bishop Ranulph translated again out of the Cloister-garth where the said Bishop Carlipho had made him a very sumptuous Tomb to lye in when he removed him out of the old Church which Aldwinus built for him which was then taken down that his fair Church now extant might be erected in the same place where that old Church was In which new Church was built a goodly fair and sumptuous Shrine called the Feretory or Fereter about three yards from the ground on the back-side of the great or high Altar which was at the East-end of the Quire where his Body was solemnly placed in an Iron Chest within the said Shrine and lay quietly without molestation till the Suppression of the Church as is above related And the said Book of the four Evangelists which fell into the Sea and was so miraculously brought to Land and found again was laid on the High Altar