Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	church_n	holy_a	relic_n	1,462	5	10.0599	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47112	A true and perfect narrative of the strange and unexpected finding the crucifix & gold-chain of that pious prince, St. Edward, the King and Confessor which was found after 620 years interment and presented to His Most Sacred Majesty, King James the Second / by Charles Taylour, Gent.	H. K. (Henry Keepe), 1652-1688.	1688 (1688)	Wing K128; ESTC R12288	13,373	40

with great Satisfaction seeing they found things so suitable to their desires and expectations In the Year 1163. Thomas of Beckett afterwards St. Thomas Arch-Bishop of Canterbury out of a peculiar devotion to this pious Princes memory by the Kings Intercession and at his own Expence procured of Pope Alexander the Third his Canonization which was Solemnized after this manner The Usuall Ceremonies having passed at Rome and the Apostolick Letters returned by those who were sent to procure them Laurentius who was then Abbot of Westminster received orders to convocate many reverend and venerable persons as well Bishops as Abbots Noblemen as others to his Church of Westminster and there publiquely to read the said Letters or Breves to the assembly he accordingly performed the same to the well liking and rejoycing of all those who were present at their publication But for as much as the Kings Affairs detained him at this time in Normandy and his presence thought extreamly necessary to the consummation of so grand a Ceremony as the Translation would be it was deferred 'till his arrivall in England almost two years after unto whom the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Abbot of Westminster with some others applying themselves to know his Royall Pleasure therein He at length wholly left the same to the Abbot of Westminster's disposal who being desirous as Gilbert his predecessor had done to see in what condition the Sacred Body lay before he would venture to expose it to the publique called together the Prior with a select number of the Monks who consulting thereon came to this resolution that no one should presume to be present at the sight thereof but those who had beforehand prepared themselves by Fasting Weeping and Prayer for such an occasion and that they only should meet in the Church on the Eve before the Translation with Tapers in their hands Albs on their Bodies and their feet to be all Naked and bare and from thence to proceed in the Search according to their desires which was done accordingly the doors being first shut and all others excluded from coming into the Church at that time they went by way of Procession to the Steps of the high Altar Singing of Psalms and reciting the Litanies with Prayers made on purpose for that Action The Abbot Prior and two of the Brethren leaving the rest at their devotions approched the Tomb and removing the upper Stone of the Coffin they beheld by the help of their lights a man lying in rich Vestments of Cloath of Gold having on his feet Baskins of Purple and Shoes of great price his Head and Face were covered with a Rich covering Interwoven and wrought with Gold with a Beard White and Long inclining to Curl and falling decently on his Breast which sight struck a profound reverence in the Spectators who called the rest of their Brethren whom they had left at the Altar to behold the same Their curiosity ended not here but led them further so that they began with great Piety and Devotion some to touch his Head others his feet and some his Hands which they found without any manner of Corruption or Putrefaction And such was the firmness of this Saints Body that all parts seemed to retain their former brightness and perfection notwithstanding the outward parts of those Vestments which lay next the lid of the Coffin were a little sullied and had lost some of their freshness by the contiguity and moldering of the cement and dust of the Stone which had fallen upon them all which they gently wiped away with a Linnen Cloth resolving to remove the whole Body from that Stone-repository to another of Wood which they had there before prepared for the same purpose so that some assisting at the Head others at the Arms and Legs they lifted it gently from thence and laid the Sacred Corps first on Tapestry spread on the floor and then wrapping the same in divers silken Cloaths of great value they put it into the Wooden Chest with all those things that were found in the former except the Gold Ring which was on the Kings Finger which the Abbot out of devotion retained and order'd it to be kept in the Treasury of the Abby as a commemoration thereof The next day viz. on the third of the Ides of October being Sunday and the appointed time for the more solemn translation of this Saints Body in the Morning Early the Holy Reliques were brought into the Quire of the Church and publickly exposed for all those who out of devotion or curiosity should come to see them The King himself assisted to support the Coffin at the time of Procession to whom were joyned Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Gilbert Bishop of London Henry Bishop of Winchester c. with many others The concourse of all sorts of people as well Nobles as Artificers and Soldiers being so great that the like had not been seen for many years After the Procession the King with his own hands helpt to deposite the holy Reliques in a Shrine which he had caus'd anew to be made for them all glittering with Gold and Silver This day of his Canonization was solemnly kept for some Ages after this by the Religious of those times and is not forgot at present by many pious and devout Catholiques who come annually on the 13th of October as they do on that of his deposition the 5th of January to perform some part of their Devotions here Once more this Sacred Body was removed from it's Old Habitation and Repose and that was about the Year of Grace 1226. When King Henry the Third pulled down the Old Church built by this Saint and Erected a most Stately Edifice in the room thereof causing a peculiar Chappel likewise to be set apart and Dedicated to him adorning it with several Carvings of Masons work wherein much of his Story History of his Life Miracles are curiously wrought some part thereof remaining on the Architrave on the back-side of the High Altar at this day In the midst of this Chappell there was likewise prepared a Noble and Magnificent Shrine the upper part covered with Plates of fine Gold so Artificially workt by the hands of the most cunning Goldsmiths and set about with Precious Stones all at the Kings cost that it amounted to an inestimable value but the under-part with the curious floor round about it was framed by the command and at the charge of Richard de Ware the then Abbot of Westminster with a part of those Stones and by the same Workmen who compos'd the Pavement before the High Altar and which he brought out of Italy in his way to England when he came to the Government of this Abby The King likewise commanded a Coffin to be made all of pure Gold wherein to inclose anew the Sacred Reliques And on the day of their deposition or placing them in this rich Feretory there was a Solemn Procession The King in Person being there with the Chief of the Bishops Abbots Priors and other Religious and Clergy who were then in Town Moreover further to grace the Action on that day the King made a most Royal Magnificent Feast at his Palace at Westminster where all comers and goers as well Rich as Poor were liberally treated or rewarded Which Royal Feast and grand Solemnity was performed in the Year of our Lord 1269. From this very time we have nothing on Record that takes notice of any other removall or disposall of these Holy Reliques And therefore may conclude they remained safe and undisturbed untill the days of King Henry the Eight when we find in that general Inundation which swept amay all things Sacred this Noble Feretory stript of all its costly furniture and the Body of its Golden-Case to be meanly inclosed in a course Wooden Coffin the same I presume I lately saw and from whence I drew the so often-mentioned Crucifix and Gold-Chain FINIS ☞ ☜ Mat. West Hor. Hist p. 202. Hen. Huntingd Hist Lib. 4. Ingulph Hist p. 961. Jo. Brompton Chro. p. 955. Mat. West Flor. Hist Flor. Wigorn. Gul. Malmsb. de Gest Ang. Reg. Lib. 2. Ailred Abbas Rieval de vita S. Edw. Mirac Gu. Lambard de priscis Angl. legibus edit per A. Whelock p. 136. Hen. Spelman Concil Tom. 1. p. 619. Nicol. Harpsfields Hist Angl. Eccles Pag. 218. Caes Baron Annal. Eccle. Tom. 11. p. 290. N. 9. Joh. Brompton Chron. p. 955. Monastic Angl. Tom 1. Chart. 1. Hen. Spelman Concil Tom. 1. pro Chart. 2. In Archivis West Chart 3 Mat. Paris p. 2 Hen. Huntingdon Hist Lib. 2. p. 367. Mat. Westin Flo. Hist p. 220. Flo. Wigorn. p. 633. Rog. Hov. Ann. pars prior p. 439. Ailred Abbas Rievallis de vita Mirac S Edw. Con. p. 402. Flo. Wigorn. Rog. Hoved. Ann. p. 439. Mat. Paris Hist Angl. p. 2. Jo. Brompton Chron. p. 950. Ailred Abbas Rieval ut supra p. 402. Now legend Angl. in vita S. Wulstani Lau. surius ad 19 Jan. in vita S. Wulstani auct per Jacob Mosandrum Nicol. Harpsfield Hist Angl. Eccles p. 219. Ailred Abbas Rieval de vita Mira. S. Edw. p. 40● Ibid. Ibid. W. Thorn. Chron. Aug. Cant. p. 2255. Mat. Paris p. 99. Laur. Surius in vit S. Ed. Confess cum Add. Limpomani L. Surius ut Supra Joh. Fleet. de fundat Abb. West Ms in Bib. Westm J. Weever Fun. Mon. p. 455. Nicol. Harpsfields Hist Angl. Eccles Pag. 457. Mat. Paris p. 1005.