{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_46800/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_46800","id":"gutenberg_46800","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46800","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - Religious","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Church of the Holy Trinity (Stratford-upon-Avon, England)","Holy Cross -- Legends -- Art","Incunabula -- Facsimiles"],"text":"[Transcriber's Notes: All spelling, capitalization, and punctuation\ninconsistencies retained with the exception of those few listed at the\nend of this text.\n\nThe following notations were used in the text:\n\n      = for bold\n      _ for italics\n      + for an Old English font\n      ^ for superscripted letters or numbers\n     {} for sequential superscripted letters or numbers]\n\n\n\n\n\n+The Legendary History of the Cross.+\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: This Copy is\n\n_No._..............]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n_The Legendary Hi\u017ftory of the Cro\u017fs_\n\n    A SERIES OF\n\n    Sixty-four Woodcuts\n\n    _From a Dutch book publi\u017fhed by_\n    VELDENER, A.D. 1483\n\n    WITH\n    _AN INTRODUCTION_\n\n\n    Written and Illu\u017ftrated\n    By JOHN ASHTON\n\n\n    _PREFACE_\n    By S. BARING GOULD, M.A.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n    +London+\n    T. FISHER UNWIN\n    M.D.CCC.LXXXVII\n\n\n\n\n    UNWIN BROTHERS,\n    _Old Style Printers_,\n    THE GRESHAM PRESS, LUDGATE HILL, E.C.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_PREFACE._\n\n\nTHE origin of the medi\u00e6val romance of the Cro\u017fs is hard to di\u017fcover.\nIt was very popular. It occurs in a good number of authors, and is\ndepicted in a good many churches in \u017ftained gla\u017fs.\n\nI may perhaps be allowed here to repeat what I have \u017faid in my article\non the Legend of the Cro\u017fs, in \u201cMyths of the Middle Ages:\u201d\u2014\n\n\u201cIn the churches of the city of Troyes alone it appears in the windows\nof four: S. Martin-\u00e8s-Vignes, S. Pantal\u00e9on, S. Madeleine, and S.\nNizier. It is fre\u017fcoed along the walls of the choir of S. Croce at\nFlorence, by the hand of Agnolo Gaddi. Pietro della France\u017fca al\u017fo\ndedicated his pencil to the hi\u017ftory of the Cro\u017fs in a \u017feries of\nfre\u017fcoes in the chapel of the Bacci, in the church of S. France\u017fco at\nArezzo. It occurs as a predella painting among the \u017fpecimens of early\nart at the Accademia delle Belle Arti at Venice, and is the \u017fubject\nof a picture by Beham, in the Munich Gallery. The Legend is told in\nfull in the \u2018Vita Chri\u017fti,\u2019 printed at Troyes in 1517; in the \u2018Legenda\nAurea\u2019 of Jacques de Voragine; in a French MS. of the thirteenth\ncentury, in the Briti\u017fh Mu\u017feum. Gerva\u017fe of Tilbury relates a portion\nof it in his \u2018Otia Imperalia,\u2019 quoting Peter Come\u017ftor; it appears in\nthe \u2018Speculum Hi\u017ftoriale\u2019 of Gottfried of Viterbo, in the \u2018Chronicon\nEngelhu\u017fii,\u2019 and el\u017fewhere.\u201d\n\nIn the very curious Creation window of S. Neot\u2019s Church, Cornwall, Seth\nis repre\u017fented putting three pips of the Tree of Life into the mouth\nand no\u017ftrils of dead Adam, as he buries him.\n\nOf the popularity of the \u017ftory of the Cro\u017fs there can be no doubt, but\nits origin is involved in ob\u017fcurity. It is generally po\u017f\u017fible to track\nmo\u017ft of the religious and popular folk tales and romances of the Middle\nAges to their origin, which is frequently Oriental, but it is not ea\u017fy\nto do \u017fo with the Legend of the Cro\u017fs. It would rather \u017feem that it was\nmade up by \u017fome romancer out of all kinds of pre-exi\u017fting material,\nwith no other object than to write a religious novel for pious readers,\nto di\u017fplace the \u017fen\u017fuous novels which were much in vogue.\n\nWe know that this was largely done after the third century, and a\nnumber of martyr legends, \u017fuch as tho\u017fe of S. Apollinaris Syncletica,\nSS. Cyprian and Ju\u017ftina, the \u017ftory of Duke Procopius, S. Euphro\u017fyne,\nSS. Zo\u017fimus and Mary, SS. Theophanes and Pan\u017femne, and many others\nwere compo\u017fed with this object. The earlie\u017ft of all is undoubtedly the\nClementine Recognitions, which dates from a remotely early period, and\ncarries us into the heart of Petrine Chri\u017ftianity, and in which many a\ncovert attack is made on S. Paul and his teaching. On the other hand,\nwe know that an Asiatic prie\u017ft, as Tertullian tells us, wrote a romance\non \u201cPaul and Thecla, out of love to Paul.\u201d S. Jerome \u017fays that a\nPauline zealot, when convicted before his bi\u017fhop of having written the\nromance, tried to exculpate him\u017felf by \u017faying that he had done it out\nof admiration for S. Paul, but the Bi\u017fhop would not accept the excu\u017fe,\nand deprived him. Unfortunately this romance has not come down to us,\nthough we have another on S. Paul and his relations to Thecla, who is\n\u017faid to have accompanied him on his apo\u017ftolic rambles, di\u017fgui\u017fed in\nmale attire.\n\nThe Greek romance literature was not whole\u017fome reading for Chri\u017ftians.\nSome of the writers of the\u017fe tales became Chri\u017ftian bi\u017fhops, and\nprobably devoted their facile pens to more edifying \u017fubjects than the\ndifficulties of parted lovers.\n\nHeliodorus, who wrote \u201cTheagenes and Charicheia,\u201d is \u017faid to have\nbecome Bi\u017fhop of Tricca, in The\u017f\u017faly. Socrates, in the fifth century,\nin \u017fpeaking of clerical celibacy, mentions the \u017feverity of the rule\nimpo\u017fed on his clergy by this Heliodorus, \u201cunder who\u017fe name there are\nlove-books extant, called Ethiopica, which he compo\u017fed in his youth.\u201d\n\nAchilles Tatius, author of the \u201cLoves of Clitophon and Leucippe,\u201d is\n\u017faid al\u017fo to have become a bi\u017fhop. So al\u017fo Eu\u017ftathius of The\u017f\u017falonica,\nauthor of the \u201cLives of Hy\u017femene and Hy\u017fmenias,\u201d but this is more than\ndoubtful.\n\nThree things conduced to the production of a Chri\u017ftian romance\nliterature in the early ages of the Church:\u2014(1) The nece\u017f\u017fity under\nwhich the Church lay of \u017fupplying a want in human nature; (2) The need\nthere was for producing \u017fome light whole\u017fome literature to \u017fupply the\nplace of the popular love-romances then largely read and circulated;\n(3) The fact that \u017fome bi\u017fhops and converts were experienced novel\nwriters, and therefore ready to lend their hands to \u017fome better purpo\u017fe\nthan amu\u017fing the lei\u017fure and flattering the pa\u017f\u017fions of the idle and\nyoung.\n\nMuch the \u017fame conditions exi\u017fted in the Middle Ages. There was an\ninflux of \u017fen\u017fuous literature from the Ea\u017ft, through the Arabs of Spain\nand Sicily; Oriental tales ea\u017fily took We\u017ftern garb, in which the\ncaliphs became kings of Chri\u017ftendom, and the fakirs and imauns were\nconverted into monks and Catholic prie\u017fts. To counteract the\u017fe \u017ftories,\ncollections of which may be found in Le Grand d\u2019Au\u017f\u017fi and Von der\nHagen, and in Boccaccio, the Ge\u017fta Romanorum was drawn up, a collection\nof moral tales, many of them of \u017fimilar Oriental parentage. But be\u017fide\nthe\u017fe \u017fhort \u017ftories, or novels, were long romances, \u017fome heroic, and\nfounded on early national traditions and ballads. To the\u017fe belong the\nNiebelungen Lied and Noth, the Gudrun, the Heldenbuch, the cycles of\nKarlovingian and of Arthurian romance.\n\nAs it happens, we have two authors in the Middle Ages, living much\nabout the \u017fame time, one inten\u017fely heathen in all his conceptions, the\nother as entirely Chri\u017ftian, each dealing with \u017fubjects from the \u017fame\ncycle, and the one writing in avowed oppo\u017fition to the tendency of\nthe other\u2019s book. I allude to Wolfram of Eschenbach and Gottfried of\nStra\u017f\u017fburg. The latter wrote the Tri\u017ftram, the former the Parzival. In\nGottfried, the moral \u017fen\u017fe \u017feems to be ab\u017folutely dead; there is no\nperception of the \u017facredne\u017fs of truth, of cha\u017ftity, of honour, none of\nreligion. Wolfram is his exact conver\u017fe. Wolfram gives us the hi\u017ftory\nof the Grail, but he did not invent the myth of the Grail, he derived\nit from pre-exi\u017fting material. The Grail myth is almo\u017ft certainly\nheathen in its origin, but it has been entirely Chri\u017ftiani\u017fed. The holy\nba\u017fin is that in which the Blood of Chri\u017ft is pre\u017ferved, and only the\npure of heart can \u017fee it; but the Grail was really the great cauldron\nof Nature, the ba\u017fin of Ceridwen, the earth godde\u017fs of the Kelts, or,\namong Teutonic nations, the \u017facrificial cauldron of Odin, in which was\nbrewed the \u017fpirit of poe\u017fy, of the blood of Mimer. The remembrance\nof the my\u017fterious ve\u017f\u017fel remained after Kelt and Teuton had become\nChri\u017ftian, and the poets and romanci\u017fts gave it a new \u017fpell of life by\nchri\u017ftening it. It was much the \u017fame with the \u017ftory of the Cro\u017fs. In\nthe Teutonic North, tree wor\u017fhip was widely \u017fpread; the tree was \u017facred\nto Odin, who him\u017felf, according to the my\u017fterious Havamal, hung nine\nnights wounded, as a \u017facrifice to him\u017felf, a voluntary \u017facrifice, in\n\u201cthe wind-rocked tree.\u201d\n\nThat tree was Yggdra\u017fill, the world tree, who\u017fe roots extended to hell,\nand who\u017fe branches \u017fpread to heaven.\n\nNorthern mythology is full of allu\u017fion to this tree, but we have,\nunfortunately, little of the hi\u017ftory of it pre\u017ferved to us; we know of\nit only through allu\u017fions. The Chri\u017ftmas tree is its repre\u017fentative; it\nhas been taken up out of pagani\u017fm, and rooted in Chri\u017ftian \u017foil, where\nit flouri\u017fhes to the annual delight of thou\u017fands of children.\n\nNow the medi\u00e6val romanci\u017fts laid hold of this tree, as they laid hold\nof the Grail ba\u017fin, and u\u017fed it for Chri\u017ftian purpo\u017fes. The Grail\ncup became the chalice of the Blood of Chri\u017ft, and the Tree of Odin\nbecame the Cro\u017fs of Calvary. They worked into the romance all kinds\nof material gathered from floating folk-tale of heathen ance\u017ftry, and\nthey pieced in with it every \u017fcrap of allu\u017fion to a tree they could\nfind in Scripture. It is built up of fragments taken from all kinds of\nold \u017ftructures, put together with \u017fome \u017fkill, and built into a goodly\nromance; but the tracing of every \u017ftone to its original quarry has not\nbeen done by anyone as yet. The Grail myth has had many \u017ftudents and\ninterpreters, but not the Cro\u017fs myth. That remains to be examined, and\nit will doubtle\u017fs prove a \u017ftudy rewarding the labour of inve\u017ftigation.\n\n                                                S. BARING-GOULD.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_The Legendary Hi\u017ftory of the Cro\u017fs._\n\n\n[Sidenote: 1 _A.D. 326._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Rufinus on the Invention._]\n\n[Sidenote: 2 _Hadrian is \u017faid to have done this._]\n\nTHE Cro\u017fs on which our Lord and Saviour \u017fuffered, would, naturally, if\nproperly authenticated, be an object of the deepe\u017ft veneration to all\nChri\u017ftian men, be their creed, or \u017fhade of opinion what it might; but,\nfor over 300 years it could not be found, and it was re\u017ferved for the\nEmpre\u017fs Helena in her old age (for \u017fhe was 79 years old) to di\u017fcover\nits place of concealment.[1] That this _Invention_, or finding of the\nCro\u017fs was believed in, at the time, there can be no manner of doubt,\nfor it is alluded to by St. Cyril, Patriarch of Jeru\u017falem (A.D. 350 to\n386), and by St. Ambro\u017fe. Rufinus of Aquila, a friend of St. Jerome,\nin his _Eccle\u017fia\u017ftical Hi\u017ftory_, gives an account of its finding,\nin the following words: \u201cAbout the \u017fame time, Helena, the mother of\nCon\u017ftantine, a woman of incomparable faith, who\u017fe \u017fincere piety was\nequalled by her rare munificence, warned by cele\u017ftial vi\u017fions, went to\nJeru\u017falem, and inquired of the inhabitants where was the place where\nthe Divine Body had been affixed and hung on a gibbet. This place was\ndifficult to find, for the per\u017fecutors of old had rai\u017fed a \u017ftatue to\nVenus,[2] in order that the Chri\u017ftians who might wi\u017fh to adore Chri\u017ft\nin that place, \u017fhould appear to addre\u017fs their homage to the godde\u017fs;\nand thus it was little frequented, and almo\u017ft forgotten. After clearing\naway the profane objects which defiled it, and the rubbi\u017fh that was\nthere heaped up, \u017fhe found three cro\u017f\u017fes placed in confu\u017fion. But the\njoy which this di\u017fcovery cau\u017fed her was tempered by the impo\u017f\u017fibility\nof di\u017ftingui\u017fhing to whom each of them had belonged. There, al\u017fo,\nwas found the title written by Pilate in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew\ncharacters; but \u017ftill there was nothing to indicate \u017fufficiently\nclearly the Cro\u017fs of our Lord. This uncertainty of man was \u017fettled by\nthe te\u017ftimoTny of heaven.\u201d And then follows the \u017ftory of the dead woman\nbeing rai\u017fed to life.\n\n[Sidenote: _Other Authorities._]\n\nNot only did Rufinus write thus, but Socrates, Theodoret, and Sozomen,\nall of whom lived within a century after the _Invention_, tell the \u017fame\n\u017ftory, \u017fo that it mu\u017ft have been of current belief.\n\n[Sidenote: _Puni\u017fhment of the Cro\u017fs._]\n\nThe puni\u017fhment of the Cro\u017fs was a very ordinary one, and of far wider\nextent than many are aware. It was common among the Scythians, the\nGreeks, the Carthaginians, the Germans, and the Romans, who, however,\nprincipally applied it to their \u017flaves, and rarely crucified free men,\nunle\u017fs they were robbers or a\u017f\u017fas\u017fins.\n\nAlexander the Great, after taking the city of Tyre, cau\u017fed two thou\u017fand\ninhabitants to be crucified.\n\n[Sidenote: _Puni\u017fhment of the Cro\u017fs._]\n\nFlavius Jo\u017fephus relates, in his _Antiquities of the Jews_, that\nAlexander, the King of the Jews, on the capture of the town of Betoma,\nordered eight hundred of the inhabitants to \u017fuffer the death of the\nCro\u017fs, and their wives and children to be ma\u017f\u017facred before their eyes,\nwhil\u017ft they were \u017ftill alive.\n\nAugu\u017ftus, after the Sicilian War, crucified \u017fix thou\u017fand \u017flaves who had\nnot been claimed by their ma\u017fters.\n\nTiberius crucified the prie\u017fts of Isis, and de\u017ftroyed their temple.\n\nTitus, during the \u017fiege of Jeru\u017falem, crucified all tho\u017fe unfortunates\nwho, to the number of five or \u017fix hundred daily, fled from the city to\ne\u017fcape the famine; and \u017fo numerous were the\u017fe executions, that cro\u017f\u017fes\nwere wanting, and the land all about \u017feemed like a hideous fore\u017ft.\n\n[Sidenote: _The different \u017forts of Cro\u017f\u017fes._]\n\nThe\u017fe in\u017ftances are \u017fufficient to \u017fhow that death by crucifixion was\na common puni\u017fhment; but, \u017fingularly enough, the \u017fhape of the Cro\u017fs\nhas never been \u017fati\u017ffactorily \u017fettled; practically, the que\u017ftion lies\nbetween the _Crux capitata_, or _immi\u017f\u017fa_, which is the ordinary form\nof the Latin Cro\u017fs, and the _Crux an\u017fata_, or _commi\u017f\u017fa_, frequently\ncalled the _Tau_ Cro\u017fs, from the Greek letter T. The _Tau_-shaped\nCro\u017fs is, undoubtedly, to be met with mo\u017ft frequently in the older\nrepre\u017fentations; and the more ancient authorities, \u017fuch as Tertullian,\nSt. Jerome, St. Paulinus, Sozomen, and Rufinus, are of opinion that\nthis was the \u017fhape of the Cro\u017fs. After the fifteenth century, our Lord\nis rarely depicted on the _Crux commi\u017f\u017fa_, it being re\u017ferved for the\ntwo thieves.\n\n[Sidenote: _Antiquity of the Tau Cro\u017fs._]\n\nM. Adolphe Napoleon Didron, in his _Iconographie Chretienne_, gives\na few illu\u017ftrations of the antiquity of the _Tau_ Cro\u017fs: \u201cThe Cro\u017fs\nis our crucified Lord in per\u017fon; \u2018Where the Cro\u017fs is, there is the\nmartyr,\u2019 \u017fays St. Paulinus. Con\u017fequently it works miracles, as does\nJe\u017fus Him\u017felf: and the li\u017ft of wonders operated by its power is in\ntruth immen\u017fe. By the \u017fimple \u017fign of the Cro\u017fs traced upon the forehead\nor the brea\u017ft, men have been delivered from the mo\u017ft imminent danger.\nIt has con\u017ftantly put demons to flight, protected the virginity of\nwomen, and the faith of believers; it has re\u017ftored men to life, or\nhealth, in\u017fpired them with hope or re\u017fignation.\n\n\u201cSuch is the virtue of the Cro\u017fs, that a mere allu\u017fion to that \u017facred\n\u017fign, made even in the Old Te\u017ftament, and long before the exi\u017ftence\nof the Cro\u017fs, \u017faved the youthful Isaac from death, redeemed from\nde\u017ftruction an entire people who\u017fe hou\u017fes were marked by that \u017fymbol,\nhealed the envenomed bites of tho\u017fe who looked at the \u017ferpent rai\u017fed in\nthe form of a _Tau_ upon a pole. It called back the \u017foul into the dead\nbody of the \u017fon of that poor widow who had given bread to the prophet.\n\n[Sidenote: _The Tau Cro\u017fs._]\n\n\u201cA beautiful painted window, belonging to the thirteenth century, in\nthe Cathedral of Bourges, has a repre\u017fentation of Isaac bearing on\nhis \u017fhoulders the wood that was to be u\u017fed in his \u017facrifice, arranged\nin the form of a Cro\u017fs; the Hebrews, too, marked the lintel of their\ndwellings with the blood of the Pa\u017fchal lamb, in the form of a _Tau_\nor Cro\u017fs without a \u017fummit. The widow of Sarepta picked up and held\ncro\u017f\u017fwi\u017fe two pieces of wood, with which \u017fhe intended to bake her\nbread. The\u017fe figures, to which others al\u017fo may be added, \u017ferve to exalt\nthe triumph of the Cro\u017fs, and \u017feem to flow from a grand central picture\nwhich forms their \u017fource, and exhibits Je\u017fus expiring on the Cro\u017fs.\nIt is from that real Cro\u017fs indeed, bearing the Saviour, that the\u017fe\n\u017fubjects from the Old Te\u017ftament derive all their virtue.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Wood of the Cro\u017fs._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Cro\u017fs made of pine._]\n\nThe wood of which it was made is as un\u017fettled as its \u017fhape. The\nVenerable Bede \u017fays that our Lord\u2019s Cro\u017fs was made of four kinds\nof wood: the in\u017fcription of box, the upright beam of cypre\u017fs, the\ntran\u017fver\u017fe of cedar, and the lower part of pine. John Cantacum\u00e9ne\navers that only three woods were employed: the upright, cedar; the\ntran\u017fver\u017fe, pine; and the head in cypre\u017fs. Others \u017fay that the upright\nwas cypre\u017fs, the tran\u017fver\u017fe in palm, and the head in olive; or cedar,\ncypre\u017fs, and olive. Mo\u017ft authorities \u017feem to concur that it was made of\n\u017feveral woods, but there is a legend that it was made from the a\u017fpen\ntree, who\u017fe leaves \u017ftill tremble at the awful u\u017fe the tree was put to;\nwhil\u017ft that veritable traveller, Sir John Maundeville, \u017fays: \u201cAnd al\u017fo\nin Iheru\u017falem toward the Wea\u017ft is a fayre church where the tree grew\nof the which the Cro\u017f\u017fe was made.\u201d Lip\u017fius \u017fays that it was made of\nbut one wood, and that was oak; but M. Rohault de Fleury (to who\u017fe\nwonderful and comprehen\u017five work, _M\u00e9moire \u017fur les In\u017ftruments de la\nPa\u017f\u017fion de notre Sauveur Je\u017fus Chri\u017ft_, I am deeply indebted, \u017fays, \u201cM.\nDecai\u017fne, member of the In\u017ftitut, and M. Pietro Savi, profe\u017f\u017for at the\nUniver\u017fity of Pi\u017fa, have \u017fhewn me by the micro\u017fcope that the pieces in\nthe Church of the Holy Cro\u017fs of Jeru\u017falem at Rome, in the Cathedral at\nPi\u017fa, in the Duomo at Florence, and in Notre Dame at Paris, were of\n_pine_.\u201d And he adds, in a footnote, \u201cIndependently of the experiments\nwhich M. Savi kindly made in my pre\u017fence, he wrote me the re\u017fults of\nother ob\u017fervations, which tended to confirm.\u201d\n\nStarting with the Invention of the Holy Cro\u017fs, the loving, but fervid,\nimaginations of the faithful \u017foon wove round it a covering of imagery,\nas we have ju\u017ft \u017feen in the ca\u017fe of the \u017feveral woods of the Cro\u017fs,\nand the \u017facred tree became the \u017fubject of a legend (for \u017fo it always\nwas only meant to be), which was incorporated in the _Legenda Aurea\nSanctorum_, or _Golden Legend of the Saints_, of Jacobus de Voragine,\na collection of legends connected with the \u017fervices of the Church.\nThis book was exceedingly popular, and, when Caxton \u017fet up his\nprinting-pre\u017fs at We\u017ftmin\u017fter, he produced a tran\u017flation, the hi\u017ftory\nof which he quaintly tells us in a preface.[A]\n\n[Sidenote: _Caxton\u2019s Golden Legend_]\n\nAs this Golden Legend is the \u017ftandard authority on the \u017fubject, and as\nit will much a\u017f\u017fi\u017ft the intelligent appreciation of the wood-blocks, I\nreproduce it, premi\u017fing that I have u\u017fed throughout the fir\u017ft edition,\n20 Nov., 1483:\u2014\n\n[Sidenote: 3 _Page 39._]\n\n[Sidenote: 4 _Laughed or \u017fmiled._]\n\n[Sidenote: 5 _Obtained true mercy._]\n\n[3] But alle the dayes of adam lyvynge here in erthe amounte to the\n\u017fomme of +ixCxxx+[B] yere / And in thende of his lyf whan he \u017fhold\ndye / it is \u017faid but of none auctoryte / that he \u017fente Seth his \u017fone in\nto paradys for to fetch the oyle of mercy / where he receyuyde certayn\ngraynes of the fruyt of the tree of mercy by an angel / And whan he\ncome agayn / he fonde his fader adam yet alyve and told hym what he had\ndon. And thenne Adam lawhed[4] fir\u017ft / and then deyed / and thenne he\nleyed the greynes or kernellis under his faders tonge and buryed hym\n/ in the vale of ebron / and out of his mouth grewe thre trees of the\nthre graynes / of which the cro\u017f\u017fe that our lord \u017fuffred his pa\u017f\u017fion on\n/ was made by vertue of which he gate[5] very mercy and was brought out\nof darknes in to veray light of heven / to the whiche he brynge us that\nlyveth and regneth god world with oute ende.\n\n[Illustration: +Of thynuencyon of tholy cro\u017f\u017fe / and fir\u017ft of thys woke\nInuencion+]\n\n[Sidenote: 6 _Page 167._]\n\n[Sidenote: 7 _Of old._]\n\nTHE[6] Invencion[C] of the holy cro\u017f\u017fe is \u017faid bycau\u017fe that this day\nthe holy cro\u017f\u017fe was founden / for to fore[7] it was founden of \u017feth\nin parady\u017fe tere\u017ftre / lyke as hit \u017fhal be \u017fayd here after / and al\u017fo\nit was founden of \u017falamon in the mounte of lybane and of the quene of\n\u017faba / in the temple of \u017falamon / And of the Iewes in the water of\npy\u017fcyne[D] / And on thys day it was founden of Helayne in the mounte of\nCalvarye/.\n\n\nOf the Holy Cro\u017f\u017fe.\n\n\n[Sidenote: 8 _Cured: French, guerir, to heal._]\n\n[Sidenote: 9 _Whole._]\n\n[Sidenote: 10 _Did \u017fo\u2014cau\u017fed to be: words of frequent occurrence._]\n\n[Sidenote: 11 _Kingdom: French, royaume._]\n\n[Sidenote: 12 _Cea\u017fe._]\n\n[Sidenote: 13 _Dug, p. part. of delve._]\n\n[Sidenote: 14 _Pond._]\n\n[Sidenote: 15 _The L\u0103b\u0103rum, or Sacred Banner of Con\u017ftantine._]\n\n[Sidenote: 16 _Cau\u017fed to be called together._]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Sidenote: 17 _Know._]\n\n[Sidenote: 18 _Grandfather._]\n\nThe holy cro\u017f\u017fe was founden two hondred yere after the re\u017furrexyon of\nour lord / It is redde in the go\u017fpel of nychodemus[E] / that whan adam\nwexyd \u017feck / Seth hys \u017fone wente to the gate of parady\u017fe tere\u017ftre, for\nto gete the oyle of mercy for to enoynte wythal hys faders body /\nThenne apperyd to hym \u017faynt mychel thaungel and \u017fayd to hym / travayle\nnot the in vayne / for thys oyle / for thou may\u017ft not have it till fyve\nthou\u017fand and fyve hondred yere been pa\u017f\u017fed / how be it that fro Adam\nunto the pa\u017f\u017fyon of our lord were but fyve +MC+ and +xxxiii+ yere / In\nanother place it is redde that the aungel broughte hym a braunche / and\ncommaunded hym to plante it in the mounte of lybanye Yet fynde we in\nanother place / that he gafe to hym of the tree that Adam ete of / And\n\u017fayd to hym that whan that bare fruyte he \u017fhould be guari\u017f\u017fhed[8] and\nalle hoole[9] /. whan \u017feth came ageyn he founde his fader deed / and\nplanted this tree upon his grave / And it endured there un to the tyme\nof Salomon / and bycau\u017fe he \u017fawe that it was fayre, he dyd[10] doo hewe\nit doun / and \u017fette it in his hows named \u017faltus / and whan the quene\nof \u017faba came to vy\u017fyte Salamon / She wor\u017fhypped this tre bycau\u017fe \u017fhe\n\u017fayd the \u017favyour of alle the world \u017fhold be hanged there on / by whome\nthe royame[11] of the Iewes that be defaced and \u017feace.[12] Salomon for\nthis cau\u017fe made hit to be taken up / & dolven[13] depe in the grounde.\nNow it happed after that they of Ieru\u017falem (dyd do make a grete pytte\nfor a py\u017fcyne[14] / where at the myny\u017fters of the temple \u017fholde we\u017f\u017fhe\ntheyre be\u017ftys / that they \u017fhold \u017facrefy\u017fe / and there founde thys tre\n/ and thys py\u017fcyne had \u017fuche vertue, that the aungels de\u017fcended and\nmevyd the water / and the fir\u017ft \u017feke man that de\u017fcendyd in to the water\nafter the mevyng / was made hole of what \u017fomever \u017fekene\u017f\u017fe he was \u017feek\nof. And whan the tyme approched of the pa\u017f\u017fyon of our lord / thys\ntree aroos out of the water and floted above the water / And of this\npyece of tymbre made the Iewes the cro\u017f\u017fe of our lord / Thenne after\nthis hy\u017ftorye / the cro\u017f\u017fe by which we been \u017faved / came of the tree\nby whiche we were dampned. And the water of that py\u017fcyne had not his\nvertue onely of the aungel / but of the tre/. With this tre wherof the\ncro\u017f\u017fe was maad / there was a tree that went over thwarte / on whiche\nthe armes of our lord were nayled/. And another pyece above which was\nthe table / wherin the tytle was wryten / and another pyece wherein the\n\u017fokette or mortys was maad that the body of the cro\u017f\u017fe \u017ftood in \u017foo\nthat there were foure manere of trees / That is of palme of cypres\n/ of cedre and of olyve. So eche of thy\u017fe foure pyeces was of one of\ntho\u017fe trees/. This ble\u017f\u017fed cro\u017f\u017fe was put in the erthe and hyd by the\n\u017fpace of on hondred yere and more / But the moder of themperour which\nwas named helayne[F] which founde it in thys manere / For Con\u017ftantyn\ncame wyth a grete multytude of barbaryns nygh unto the ryver of the\ndunoe / whyche wold have goon over for to have de\u017ftroyed alle the\ncontree / And whan con\u017ftantyn had a\u017f\u017fembled his hoo\u017ft / He went and\n\u017fette them ageyn\u017ft that other partye / But as \u017fone as he began to pa\u017f\u017fe\nthe ryver / he was moche aferde / by cau\u017fe he \u017fhold on the morne have\nbatayle / and in the nyght as he \u017flepte in his bedde / an aungel awoke\nhym / and \u017fhewed to hym the \u017fygne of the cro\u017f\u017fe in heven / and \u017fayd to\nhym / Beholde on hye on heven/. Thanne \u017fawe he the cro\u017f\u017fe made of ryght\nclere lyght / & was wryten there upon wyth lettres of golde / In this\n\u017fygne thou \u017fhalte over come the batayle/ Thenne was he alle comforted\nof thys vy\u017fion / And on the morne / he put in his banere the Cro\u017f\u017fe[15]\n/ and made it to be borne tofore hym and his hoo\u017ft / And after \u017fmote in\nthe hoo\u017ft of his enemyes / and \u017flewe and chaced grete plente / After\nthys he dyd doo[16] calle the by\u017f\u017fhoppes of the ydolles / and demaunded\nthem to what god the \u017fygne of the cro\u017f\u017fe apperteyned. And whan they\ncoude not an\u017fwere / \u017fome cri\u017ften men that were there tolde to hym the\nmy\u017fterye of the cro\u017f\u017fe / and enformed hym in the faythe of the trynyte\n/ Thenne anone he bylevyd parfytly (in) god / and dyd do bapty\u017fe hym /\nand after, it happed that con\u017ftantyn his \u017fone remembred the vyctorye\nof his fader / Sente to helayn his modre for to fynde the holy cro\u017f\u017fe\n/ Thenne helayne wente in to Iheru\u017falem / and dyd doo a\u017f\u017femble all\nthe wy\u017fe men of the contre / and whan they were a\u017f\u017fembled / they wold\nfayn knowe wherfore they were called / Thenne one Iudas \u017fayd to them\n/ I wote[17] wel that \u017fhe wyl knowe of us where the cro\u017f\u017fe of Ihe\u017fu\ncri\u017fte was leyed / but beware you al that none of you tell hyr / for\nI wote wel then \u017fhall our lawe be de\u017ftroyed / For zacheus my olde[18]\nfader \u017fayde to \u017fymon my fader / And my fader \u017fayde to me at his dethe\n/ be wel ware / that for no tormente that ye may \u017fuffre / telle not\nwhere the cro\u017f\u017fe of Ihe\u017fu cri\u017fte was leyde / for after that hit \u017fhal\nbe founden / the Iewes \u017fhal reygne no mour / But the cri\u017ften men that\nwor\u017fhypped the cro\u017f\u017fe \u017fhal then reygne / And verayly this Ihe\u017fus was\nthe \u017fone of god.\n\nThen demaunded I my fader / wherfore had they hanged hym on the cro\u017f\u017fe\n\u017fythe it was knowen that he was the \u017fone of god / thenne he \u017fayd to me\nfayre \u017fone I never accorded thereto / But gayn \u017faid it alwaye / But the\nPhari\u017fees dyd it bycau\u017fe he repreyvd theyr vyces / but he aroos on the\nthyrd day / and his dy\u017fciples \u017feeing / he a\u017fcended in to heven / Thenne\nby cau\u017fe that Stephen thy broder belevyd in him / the Iewes \u017ftoned hym\nto dethe.\n\n[Sidenote: 19 _Inform._]\n\n[Sidenote: 20 _Burn._]\n\nThen when Iudas had \u017fayd they\u017fe wordes to his \u017felawes / they an\u017fwerd\nwe never herde of \u017fuche thynges / never the le\u017f\u017fe kepe the wel if the\nquene demaunde the therof / that thou \u017fay no thynge to hyr / Whan\nthe quene had called them / and demaunded them the place where our\nlord Ihe\u017fu cri\u017fte had been crucefyed/ they wold never tell her nor\nen\u017fygne[19] her /. Then commaunded \u017fhe to brenne[20] them alle/. But\nthen they doubted and were aferde / & delyvered Iudas to hyr and \u017fayd\n/ lady thys man is the \u017fone of a prophete and of a ju\u017fte man / and\nknoweth right wel the lawe / & can telle to you al thynge that ye \u017fhal\ndemaunde hym/.\n\n[Sidenote: 21 _More ado._]\n\nThenne the quene lete al the other goo, and reteyned Iudas without\nmoo[21]/. Thenne \u017fhe \u017fhewed to hym his life & dethe & bade hym che\u017fe\nwhyche he wold. Shewe to me \u017fayd \u017fhe the place named golgota where our\nlord was crucefyed / by cau\u017fe and to the end that we may fynde the\ncro\u017f\u017fe/. Thenne \u017fayd Iudas, it is two hondred yere pa\u017f\u017fed & more / & I\nwas not thenne yet borne. Thenne \u017fayd to hym the lady / by him that was\ncrucyfyed / I \u017fhal make the peri\u017f\u017fe for hungre/ yf thou telle not to me\nthe trouthe.\n\nThenne made \u017fhe hym to be ca\u017fte into a drye pytte / and there tormented\nhym by hungre / and evyl re\u017fte / whan he had been \u017feuen dayes in that\npytte / thenne \u017fayd he yf I myght be drawen out / he \u017fhold \u017fay the\ntrouthe / Thenne he was drawen out / and whan he came to the place /\nanone the erthe moevyd and a fume of grete \u017fwettne\u017f\u017fe was felte in\n\u017fuche wy\u017fe that Iudas \u017fmote his hondes togyder for ioye / and \u017fayd / in\ntrouthe Ihe\u017fu cri\u017fte thou art the \u017favyour of the worlde.\n\n[Sidenote: 22 _Twenty Paces._]\n\nIt was \u017fo that adryan the Emperour had doo make in the \u017fame place where\nthe cro\u017f\u017fe laye a temple of a godde\u017f\u017fe by cau\u017fe that all they that\ncome in that place \u017fhold adoure that godde\u017f\u017fe/. But the quene did doo\nde\u017ftroy the temple / Thenne Iudas made hym redy and began to dygge /\nand whan he came to +xx+ paas[22] depe / he fonde three cro\u017f\u017fes and\nbroughte them to the quene / And bycau\u017fe he knewe not whiche was the\ncro\u017f\u017fe of our lord / he leyed them in the myddel of the cyte / and\nabode the demon\u017ftraunce of god / and aboute the houre of none / there\nwas the corps of a yonge man brought to be buryed / Iudas reteyned the\nbyere / and layed upon hit one of the cro\u017f\u017fes / and after the \u017fecond /\nand whan he leyed on hit the third / anone the body that was dede came\nageyn to lyf/.\n\n[Sidenote: 23 _Everla\u017fting._]\n\nThenne cryed the devyll in the eyre Iudas what ha\u017ft thou doon / thou\nha\u017ft doon the contrarye that thother Iudas dyd/. For by hym I have\nwonne many \u017fowles / and by the I \u017fhal lo\u017fe many / by hym I reygned on\nthe peple / And by the I have lo\u017ft my royame / never the le\u017f\u017fe I \u017fhal\nyelde to the this bountee/. For I \u017fhal \u017fend one that \u017fhal puny\u017f\u017fhe the\n/ and that was accomply\u017f\u017fhed by Iulian the apo\u017ftata / which tormented\nhym afterward whan he was by\u017f\u017fhop of Iheru\u017falem / and whan Iudas herde\nhym he cur\u017fed the devyl and \u017fayd to hym / Ihe\u017fu cry\u017fte dampne the in\nfyre pardurable[23]/. After this Iudas was baptyzed and was named\nquyryache[G]/. And after was made by\u017f\u017fhop of Iheru\u017falem/. Whan helayn\nhad the cro\u017f\u017fe of Ihe\u017fu cri\u017fte / and \u017faw \u017fhe had not the nayles /\nThenne he dyd dygge in therthe \u017fo longe / that he founde them \u017fhynyng\nas golde/. thenne bare he them to the quene / and anone as \u017fhe \u017fawe\nthem \u017fhe wor\u017fhypped them wyth grete reverence/.\n\nThenne gafe \u017faynt helayn a part of the cro\u017f\u017fe to hir \u017fone / And that\nother parte \u017fhe lefte in Iheru\u017falem clo\u017fyd in golde / \u017fylver and\nprecious \u017ftones/.\n\n[Sidenote: 24 _Eu\u017febius, Bi\u017fhop of Ce\u017far\u00e6a._]\n\n[Sidenote: 25 _Killed._]\n\nAnd hyr \u017fone bare the nayles to themperour / And the emperour dyd do\n\u017fette them in hys brydel and in hys helme whan he wente to batayle/.\nThis referreth Eu\u017febe whiche was by\u017f\u017fhop of Cezayr[24]/ how be it that\nother \u017fay otherwy\u017fe/. Now it happed that Iulyan the appo\u017ftate dyd\ndoo[25] \u017flee quyriache that was by\u017f\u017fhop of Iheru\u017falem / by cau\u017fe he had\nfounde the cro\u017f\u017fe / for he hated hit \u017foo mooche / that where \u017fomever he\nfounde the cro\u017f\u017fe / he dyd hit to be de\u017ftroyed / For whan he wente in\nbatayle ageyn\u017fte them of per\u017fe / he \u017fente and commaunded quyriache to\nmake \u017facrefy\u017fe to thydolles / and whan he wold not doo hit / he dyd do\n\u017fmyte of his right honde / and \u017fayd wyth this honde ha\u017ft thou wryten\nmany letters / by whyche thou repellyd moche folke fro doynge \u017facrefy\u017fe\nto our goddes/.\n\n[Sidenote: 26 _Mad dog._]\n\n[Sidenote: 27 _Since._]\n\n[Sidenote: 28 _Turn this evil_]\n\nQuyriache \u017fayd thou wood hounde[26] thou hi\u017ft doon to me grete\nprouffyte / For thou ha\u017ft cut of the hande / wyth whiche I have many\ntymes wreton to the \u017fynagoges that they \u017fhold not byleve in Ihe\u017fu\ncri\u017fte / and now \u017fythe[27] I am cri\u017ften / thou ha\u017ft taken from me that\nwhiche noyed me / thenne dyd Iulyan do melte leed, and ca\u017fte it in his\nmowthe / and after dyd doo brynge a bedde of yron / and made quyriache\nto be layed and \u017ftratched theron / and after leyed under brennyng\ncooles / and threwe therein grece and \u017falte / for to torment hym the\nmore / and whan quyriache moved not / Iulyan themperour \u017faid to hym /\nouther thou \u017fhalt \u017facrefy\u017fe (to) our goddes / or thou \u017fhalt \u017fay at the\nle\u017fte thou art not cri\u017ften/. And whan he \u017fawe he wolde not do never\nneyther / he dyd doo make a depe pytte ful of \u017ferpentes and venemous\nbe\u017ftys / and ca\u017fte hym therein / & whan he entred / anone the \u017ferpentes\nwere al deed/. Thenne Iulyan put hym in a cawdron ful of boylyng oyle /\nand whan he \u017fhold entre in to hit / he ble\u017f\u017fyd it & \u017fayd / Fayre lord\ntorne thys bane[28] to bapty\u017fm of marterdom / Thenne was Iulyan moche\nangry / and commaunded that he \u017fhould be ryven thorough his herte with\na \u017fwerde / and in this manere he fyny\u017f\u017fhed his lyff.\n\nThe vertue of the cro\u017f\u017fe is declared to us by many miracles / For it\nhapped on a tyme that one enchantour had dy\u017fceyved a notarye / and\nbrought hym to a place / where he had a\u017f\u017fembled a grete companye of\ndevylles / and promy\u017fed to hym to have muche ryche\u017f\u017fe / and whan he\ncame there / he \u017faw one per\u017fone blacke \u017fyttynge on a grete chayer\n/ And all aboute hym al ful of horyble people and blacke whiche\nhad \u017fperes and \u017fwerdes / Thenne demaunded thys grete devyll of the\nenchantour / who was that clerke / thenchantour \u017fayd to hym / Syr he is\noures / thenne \u017fayd the devyl to hym yf thou wylte wor\u017fhyp me and be my\n\u017fervaunte / and denye Ihe\u017fu cry\u017fte / thou \u017fhalt \u017fytte on my right \u017fyde\n/ The clerke anone ble\u017f\u017fyd hym wyth the \u017fygne of the cro\u017f\u017fe / and \u017fayd\nthat he was the \u017fervaunte of Ihe\u017fu cri\u017fte / his \u017favyour / And anone as\nhe had made the cro\u017f\u017fe / that grete multitude of devylles vany\u017f\u017fhed\naweye. It happed that this notarye after this on a tyme entryd with\nhys lord in the chyrche of \u017faynt \u017fophye / & knelyd doun on his knees\nto fore the ymage of the crucyfyxe / the which crucifyxe as it \u017femed\nloked moche openly and \u017fharpelye on hym/. Thenne his lord made hym to\ngo aparte on another \u017fyde / and alleweye the crucifixe torned his eyen\ntoward hym/. Thenne he made hym goo on the lefte \u017fyde / and yet the\ncrucifixe loked on hym / Thenne was the lord moche admerveyled / and\ncharged hym & commaunded hym that he \u017fhold telle hym wherof he had \u017fo\nde\u017ferved that the crucifyxe \u017fo behelde and loked on hym / Thenne \u017fayde\nthe notarye that he coude not remembre hym of no good thynge that\nhe had doon / \u017faufe that one tyme he wold not renye nor for\u017fake the\ncrucifixe tofore the devyl/.\n\nThenne late us \u017fo ble\u017f\u017fe us with the \u017fygne of the ble\u017f\u017fyd cro\u017f\u017fe that\nwe may therby be kepte fro the power of our ghoo\u017ftly and dedely enemye\nthe devyl / and by the glorious pa\u017f\u017fyon that our \u017faveour Ihe\u017fu cry\u017ft\n\u017fuffred on the cro\u017f\u017fe after this lyf we may come to his everla\u017ftyng\nbly\u017f\u017fe amen/.\n\nThus endeth thynvencion of the holy cro\u017f\u017fe.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: +Here foloweth the Exaltation of the holy Cro\u017f\u017fe.+]\n\n[Sidenote: 29 _The Roman and Engli\u017fh Churches celebrate this Fe\u017ftival\non February 14._]\n\n[Sidenote: 30 _Carrion._]\n\n[Sidenote: 31 _Vilene\u017fs._]\n\n[Sidenote: 32 _Re\u017fourced or repleni\u017fhed._]\n\nExaltation of the holy Cro\u017f\u017fe[29] is \u017fayd / bycau\u017fe that on this daye\nthe hooly cro\u017f\u017fe & faythe were gretely enhaunced/. And it is to be\nunder\u017ftonden that tofore the pa\u017f\u017fion of our lord Ihe\u017fu cry\u017fte / the\ntree of the cro\u017f\u017fe was a tree of fylthe / For the cro\u017f\u017fes were made\nof vyle trees, & of trees without fruyte / For al that was planted on\nthe Mount of Calvarye bare no fruyt. It was a fowle place / for hit\nwas the place of torment of thevys / It was derke / for it was in a\nderke place and without any beaute / It was the tree of deth / for men\nwere put there to dethe / It was al\u017fo the tree of \u017ftenche / for it was\nplanted amonge the caroynes[30] / & after the pa\u017f\u017fyon the Cro\u017f\u017fe was\nmoche enhaunced / For the Vylte[31] was tran\u017fported into preciou\u017fyte /\nOf the whiche the ble\u017f\u017fyd \u017faynt Andrewe \u017fayth / O precious holy Cro\u017f\u017fe\ngod \u017fave the / his bareynes was torned into fruyte / as it is \u017fayd in\nthe Cantyques / I \u017fhall a\u017fcende up in to a palme tree / et cetera /\nHis ignobylyte or unworthynes was tourned into \u017fublymyte and heyght\n/ The Cro\u017f\u017fe that was tormente of thevys is now born in the front of\nthemperours / his derkenes is torned into lyght and clerene\u017f\u017fe/ wherof\nChry\u017fo\u017ftom \u017fayth the Cro\u017f\u017fe and the Woundes \u017fhall be more \u017fhynyng than\nthe rayes of the Sonne at the jugement / his deth is converted into\nperdurabylyte of lyf / whereof it is \u017fayd in the preface / that fro\nhens the lyf re\u017fourded[32] / and the \u017ftenche is torned into \u017fwetenes\n/ canticorum /. This exaltacion of the hooly cro\u017f\u017fe is \u017folempny\u017fed\nand halowed \u017folempnly of the Chirche / For the faythe is in hit moche\nenhaunced /.\n\n[Sidenote: 33 _Cho\u017froes II., who reigned in the \u017feventh Century._]\n\nFor the yere of oure lord five honderd & +xv+ / our lord \u017fuffred\nhis people moche to be tormentyd by the cruelte of the paynyms /\nAnd Co\u017fdroe[33] Kynge of the Perceens \u017fubdued to his empyre all the\nRoyaumes of the world / And he cam into Iheru\u017falem and was aferd and\na dred of the \u017fepulcre of our lord & retorned / but he bare with hym\nthe parte of the hooly Cro\u017f\u017fe / that \u017faynte Helene had left ther. And\nthen he wold be wor\u017fhiped of alle the peple / as a god / & dyd do make\na tour of gold and of \u017fylver wherein precious \u017ftones \u017fhone / and made\ntherein the ymages of the \u017fonne and of the mone and of the \u017fterres /\nand made that by \u017fubtyle conduytes water to be hydde / and to come\ndoune in the maner of rayne / And in the la\u017fte \u017ftage he made hor\u017fes to\ndraw charyotes round aboute lyke as they had mevyd the toure / and made\nit to \u017feme as it had thondred / and delyvered his Royaume to his \u017fone.\nAnd thus this cur\u017fyd man abode in this Temple / and dyd doo \u017fette the\ncro\u017f\u017fe of our lord by hym and commaunded that he \u017fhold be callyd god\nof alle the peple / And as it is redde in libro de mitrali[H] officio\nthe \u017faid Co\u017fdroe re\u017fydent in his trone as a fader / \u017fette the tree of\nthe Cro\u017f\u017fe on his ryght \u017fyde in \u017ftede of the \u017fonne / and a cock in the\nlyft \u017fyde in \u017ftede of the hooly ghoo\u017ft / & commaunded / that he \u017fhold\nbe called fader /. And then Heracle[I] themperour a\u017f\u017fembled a grete\nhoo\u017ft / and cam for to fyght wyth the \u017fonne of Co\u017fdroe by the ryver of\ndanubie / & thenne hit plea\u017fyd to eyther prynce / that eche of them\n\u017fhold fyght one ageyn\u017fte that other upon the brydge / & he that \u017fhold\nvaynquy\u017f\u017fhe & overcome his adver\u017farye \u017fholde be prynce of thempyre\nwithoute hurtyng eyther of bothe ho\u017ftes / & \u017fo hit was ordeyned & \u017fworn\n/ & that who \u017fomever \u017fhold helpe his prynce \u017fhold have forthwith his\nlegges & armes cut of / & to be plonged / & ca\u017ft in to the Ryver.\n\n[Sidenote: 34 _Throne, or \u017feat; French, \u017fi\u00e8ge._]\n\n[Sidenote: 35 _Astoni\u017fhed._]\n\n[Sidenote: 36 _Shoen\u2014shoes._]\n\n[Sidenote: 37 _Be\u017fprinkled._]\n\n[Sidenote: 38 _Invited._]\n\n[Sidenote: 39 _Pacified, appea\u017fed._]\n\n[Sidenote: 40 _Ampull\u00e6, bottles or fla\u017fks._]\n\n[Sidenote: 41 _Con\u017fecrated._]\n\nAnd then Heracle commaunded hym all to god and to the hooly cro\u017f\u017fe wyth\nall the devocion that he myght. And thenne they fought longe / And at\nthe la\u017ft our lord gaf the vyctory to Heracle and \u017fubdued hym to his\nempyre / The hoo\u017ft that was contrary / and alle the peple of Co\u017fdroe\nobeyed them to the Cry\u017ften faythe / and receyved the hooly bapty\u017fme /\nAnd Co\u017fdroe knew not the end of the batayll / For he was adoured and\nwor\u017fhiped of alle the peple as a god / \u017fo that no man dur\u017ft \u017fay nay to\nhim / And thenne Heracle came to hym / and fonde hym \u017fyttinge in his\n\u017fyege[34] of golde / and \u017fayd to hym / For as moche as after the manere\nthou ha\u017ft honoured the Tree of the Cro\u017f\u017fe / yf thou wyld receyve baptym\nand the faythe of Ihe\u017fu Cry\u017ft / I \u017fhal gete it to the / and yet \u017fhalt\nthow holde thy crowne and Royamme with lytel ho\u017ftages / And I \u017fhall\nlete the have thy lyf / and yf thou wylt not / I \u017fhall flee the wyth\nmy \u017fwerde / and \u017fhalle \u017fmyte of thyne heed / and whanne he wold not\naccorde therto / he did anon do \u017fmyte of his hede / and commaunded\nthat he \u017fhold be buryed / by cau\u017fe he had be(en) a Kynge /. And he\nfonde with hym one his \u017fone of the age of ten yere / whome he dyd doo\nbapty\u017fe and lyft hym fro the fonte / and left to hym the Royaume of\nhis fader / and then he dyd doo breke that Toure / And gaf the \u017fylver\nto them of his hoo\u017fte / and gaf the gold and precious \u017ftones for to\nrepayre the chirches that the tyraunt had de\u017ftroyed / and tooke the\nhoole cro\u017f\u017fe / and brought it ageyne to Ieru\u017falem / and as he de\u017fcended\nfrom the mount of Olyvete / and wold have entryd by the gate by whiche\nour \u017favyour wente to his pa\u017f\u017fyon on hor\u017fbacke adourned as a Kynge /\n\u017fodenly the \u017ftones of the gates de\u017fcended / and ioyned them togyder in\nthe gate like a wall & all the peple was aba\u017fhed[35] / and thenne the\nAungel of oure lord appyeryd upon the gate holdyng the \u017figne of the\n\u017figne (_sic_) of the Cro\u017f\u017fe in his honde / and \u017fayd / Whanne the Kynge\nof heven went to his pa\u017f\u017fion by this gate / he was not arayed like\na Kynge / ne on hor\u017fbake / but cam humbly upon an a\u017f\u017fe / in \u017fhewynge\nthexample of humylite which he left to them that honoure hym. And when\nthis was \u017fayd / he departed and vany\u017f\u017fhed aweye / Thenne th\u2019emperour\ntook of his ho\u017fen and \u017fhone[36] him\u017felf in wepynge / and de\u017fpollyed\nhym\u017felfe of alle his clothes in to his \u017fherte / and tooke the cro\u017f\u017fe\nof oure lord / and bare it moche humbly into the gate / and anone the\nhardnes of the \u017ftones felte the cele\u017ftyalle commaundement / and remeved\nanone / and opened and gaf entree unto them that entred / Thenne the\n\u017fweete odour that was felt that day whanne the hooly Cro\u017f\u017fe was taken\nfro the Toure of Co\u017fdroe / and was brought ageyne to Iheru\u017falem fro \u017fo\nferre countre / and \u017fo grete \u017fpace of londe retourned in to Iheru\u017falem\nin that moment / and repleny\u017f\u017fhed it with al \u017fwetnes / Thenne the\nryght devoute Kyng beganne to \u017faye the pray\u017fynges of the Cro\u017f\u017fe in\nthis wy\u017fe / O Crux \u017fplendydior / et cetera / O Cro\u017f\u017fe more \u017fhynynge\nthan alle the Sterres / honoured of the world / right holy / and moche\namyable to alle men / whiche only were worthy to bere the raun\u017fon of\nthe world Swete tree / Swete nayles / Swete yron / Swete \u017fpere berynge\nthe \u017fwete burthens / Save thou this pre\u017fent company / that is this daye\na\u017f\u017fembled in thy lawe and pray\u017fynges /. And thus was the precious tree\nof the Cro\u017f\u017fe re e\u017ftably\u017f\u017fhed in his place / and the auncient myracles\nrenewed /. For a dede man was rey\u017fed to lyf / and foure men taken with\nthe pal\u017fey were cured and heled / +x+ lepres were made clene / and\nfyften blynde receyved theyr \u017fyghte ageyn / Devylles were put out of\nmen / and moche peple / and many / were delyvered of dyver\u017fe \u017fekenes\nand maladyes /. Thenne themperour dyd doo repayre the Chirches / and\ngaf to them grete geftes / And after retorned home to his Empyre / And\nhit is \u017faid in the Cronycles that this was done otherwi\u017fe / For they\n\u017fay that whanne Co\u017fdroe hadde taken many Royammes / he took Iheru\u017falem\n/ and Zacharye the patriarke / and bare aweye the tree of the Cro\u017f\u017fe\n/ And as Heracle wold make pees with hym / the Kyng Co\u017fdroe \u017fwore a\ngrete othe / that he wold never make pees with Cry\u017ften men and Romayns\n/ yf they denyed not hym that was crucyfyed / and adoured the \u017fonne\n/. And thenne Heracle / whiche was armed wythe faythe / brought his\nhoo\u017fte ageyn\u017ft hym / and de\u017ftroyed and wa\u017fted the Per\u017fyens with many\nbatayles that he made to them / and made Co\u017fdroe to flee unto the Cyte\nof thelyfonte /. And atte the la\u017fte Co\u017fdroe hadde the flyxe in his bely\n/ And wolde therefore crowne his \u017fone Kynge / which was named Menda\u017fa\n/. And whenne Syroys his olde\u017ft \u017fone herde thereof he made alyance with\nHeracle / And pur\u017fewed his fader with his noble peple / and \u017fet hym in\nbondes / And \u017fu\u017fteyned him with breede of trybulacion / and with water\nof anguy\u017f\u017fhe / And atte la\u017ft he made to \u017fhote arowes at him bycau\u017fe he\nwold not bileve in god & \u017fo deyde / & after this thynge he \u017fente to\nHeracle the patriarke the tree of the Cro\u017f\u017fe and all the pry\u017foners /\nAnd Heracle bare into Iheru\u017falem the precious tree of the Cro\u017f\u017fe /. And\nthus it is redde in many Cronycles al\u017fo/. Sybyle \u017fayth thus of the tre\nof the Cro\u017f\u017fe / that the ble\u017f\u017fyd tree of the Cro\u017f\u017fe was thre tymes with\nthe paynyms / as it is \u017fayd in thy\u017ftorie trypertyte O thry\u017fe ble\u017f\u017fyd\ntree on whiche god was \u017ftratched / This peradventure is \u017fayd for the\nlyf of Nature / of grace / and of glorye / which cam of the cro\u017f\u017fe /.\nAt Con\u017ftantynople a Iewe entyred in to the chirche of \u017feynt \u017fophye /\nand con\u017fydered that he was there allone / and \u017fawe an ymage of Ihe\u017fu\ncry\u017fte / and tooke his \u017fwerde and \u017fmote thymage in the throte / and\nanone the bloode guy\u017f\u017fhed oute / and \u017fprange in the face and on the\nhide of the Iewe / And he thenne was aferd and took thymage / and ca\u017ft\nit into a pytte / and anone fledde awey /. And it happed that a Cry\u017ften\nman mett hym / and \u017fawe hym al blody / and \u017fayd to hym / fro whens\ncome\u017ft thou / thou ha\u017ft \u017flayne \u017foume man / And he \u017fayd I have not / the\ncry\u017ften man \u017fayd Veryly thou has commy\u017fed \u017fomme homycyde / for thou art\nall be\u017fprongen[37] with the blood. And the Jewe \u017faid / Veryly the god\nof Cry\u017ften men is grete and the faythe of hym is ferme and approved in\nall thynges / I have \u017fmyten no man / but I have \u017fmyten thymage of Ihe\u017fu\nCry\u017fte / and anone y\u017f\u017fued blood of his throte /. And thenne the Jewe\nbrought the Cry\u017ften man to the pytte / and then they drewe oute that\nhooly ymage /. And yet is \u017fene on this daye the wounde in the throte of\nthymage / And the Iewe anone bycam a good Cry\u017ften man, & was bapty\u017fed\n/ In Syre in the cyte of baruth there was a cri\u017ften man / which had\nhyred an hous for a yere / & he had \u017fet thymage of the crucifixe by\nhis bedde to whiche he made dayly his prayers and \u017faid his devocions\n/ & at the yeres ende he remeved and tooke another hous / & forgate &\nlefte thymage behynde hym / and it happed that a Iewe hyred that \u017fame\nhows / & on a daye he had another Iewe one of his neyghbours to dyne\n/ & as they were at mete it happed hym that was boden[38] in lookyng\non the walle to e\u017fpye this ymage whiche was fyxed to the walle and\nbeganne to grenne at it for de\u017fpyte / and ageyn\u017ft hym that bad hym / &\nal\u017fo thretned & menaced hym bycau\u017fe he dur\u017ft kepe in his hous thymage\nof Ihe\u017fu of nazareth / & that other Iewe \u017fware as moche as he myght /\nthat he had never \u017fene it / ne knewe not that it was there / & thenne\nthe Iewe fayned as he had been pea\u017fyd[39]. / & after went \u017ftrayt to\nthe prynce of the Iewes / & accu\u017fed that Iewe of that whiche he hadde\n\u017fene in his hous / thenne the Iewes a\u017f\u017fembleden & cam to the hous of\nhym / & \u017fawe thymage of Ihe\u017fu Cry\u017ft / and they took that Iewe and bete\nhym / & did to hym many iniuryes / & ca\u017fte hym out half dede of their\n\u017fynagoge / & anone they defowled thymage with their feet / & renewed\nin it all the tormentes of the pa\u017f\u017fion of oure lorde / & and when they\nperced his \u017fyde with the \u017fpere / blood and water y\u017f\u017fued haboundauntly /\nin \u017fo moche that they fylled a ve\u017f\u017fel / whiche they \u017fet therunder / And\nthenne the Iewes were aba\u017f\u017fhhed & bare this blood in to theyr \u017fynagoge\n& and alle the \u017feke men and malades that were enoynted therwyth / were\nanone guary\u017f\u017fhed & made hool / & thenne the Iewes told & recounted al\nthis thynge by ordre to the bi\u017fhop of the countre / & alle they with\none wyll receyved bapty\u017fm in the faythe of Ihe\u017fu Cry\u017ft / & the bi\u017f\u017fhop\nputt the blood in ampulles[40] of Cry\u017ftalle & of glas for to be kepte\n/ & thenne he called / the Cry\u017ften man that had lefte it in the hows\n/ & enquyred of hym / who had made \u017fo fayr an ymage / & he \u017faid that\nNychodemus had made it / And when he deyde / he lefte it to gamalyel\n/ And Gamalyel to Zachee and Zachee to Iaques / and Iaques to Symon\n/ and hadde ben thus in Ieru\u017falem unto the de\u017ftruction of the Cyte /\nand fro thennes hit was borne in to the Royamme of Agryppe of Cry\u017ften\nmen / and fro thennes hit was brought ageyne into my countreye / & it\nwas left to me by my parentes by rightful herytage / & this was done\nin y^e yere of our lord \u017feven honderd and fifty / and thenne alle the\nIewes halowed[41] their \u017fynagogues in to chirches and therof cometh the\ncu\u017ftoume that Chirches ben hallowed / For tofore that tyme the aultres\nwere but halowed only / and for this myracle the chirche hath ordeyned\n/ that the fyfte Kalendar of december / or as it is redde in another\nplace / the fyfthe ydus of Novembre \u017fhold be the memorye of the pa\u017f\u017fyon\nof oure lord / wherfor at Rome the chirche is halowed in thonoure of\nour \u017favyour whereas is kepte an ampulla with the \u017fame blood / And there\na \u017folempne fe\u017fte is kepte and done / and there is proved the ryght\ngrete vertue of the cro\u017f\u017fe unto the paynyms and to the my\u017fbylevyd men\nin alle thynges /.\n\n[Sidenote: 42 _Fiend._]\n\n[Sidenote: 43 _Power._]\n\n[Sidenote: 44 _Each or every one._]\n\n[Sidenote: 45 _Attendants._]\n\n[Sidenote: 46 _Drew._]\n\n[Sidenote: 47 _Je\u017ft._]\n\n[Sidenote: 48 _Ki\u017fs._]\n\n[Sidenote: 49 _In this wi\u017fe._]\n\nAnd \u017faynt Gregory recordeth in the thirdde booke of his dyalogues /\nthat whanne andrewe Bi\u017f\u017fhop of the Cyte of Fundane \u017fuffred an holy\nnoune to dwelle with him / the fende[42] thenemy beganne temprynte\nin his herte the beaulte of her / in \u017fuch wi\u017fe / that he thought in\nhys bedde wycked and cur\u017fyd thynges / and on a daye a Iewe cam to\nRome / and whanne he \u017fawe / that the day fayled / and myghte fynde no\nlodgynge / he wente that nyght / and abode in the Temple of appolyn /.\nAnd bycau\u017fe he doubted of the \u017facrylege of the place / how be hit /\nthat he hadde no faythe in the Cro\u017f\u017fe / yet he markyd and garny\u017f\u017fhed\nhym wyth the \u017figne of the Cro\u017f\u017fe / then at mydnyght whan he awoke /\nhe \u017fawe a companye of evylle \u017fprytes / whiche went to fore one / like\nas he hadde \u017fomme auctoryte puy\u017fiance[43] above thother by \u017fubiection\n/ and thenne he \u017fawe hym \u017fytte in the myddes among the others / and\nbeganne to enquyre the cau\u017fes and dedes of everyche[44] of the\u017fe evylle\n\u017fprytes / whyche obeyed hym / and he wold knowe / what evylle everyche\nhad doo / But Gregory pa\u017f\u017fyth the maner of this vy\u017fyon / bycau\u017fe of\n\u017fhortnes / But we fynde \u017femblable in the lyf of faders / That as a man\nentryd in a Temple of thydolles / he \u017fawe the devylle \u017fyttynge / and\nall his meyny[45] aboute hym. And one of the\u017fe wycked / \u017fprytes cam /\nand adouryd hym / and he demaunded of hym / Fro whens come\u017ft thow /\nand he \u017fayd / I have ben in \u017fuch a provynce / and have moeved grete\nwarres / and made many trybulacions and have \u017fhedde moche blood / and\nam come to telle it to the / and Sathan \u017fayd to hym / in what tyme\nhath thow done this / and he \u017fayd in thyrtty dayes and Sathan \u017fayd /\nwhy ha\u017ft thow be \u017foo longe there aboutes / and \u017fayd to them that \u017ftode\nby hym / goo ye and bete hym / and all to la\u017f\u017fhe hym / Thenne cam the\n\u017fecond and wor\u017f\u017fhiped hym / & \u017fayde Syre I have ben in the \u017fee / and\nhave moeved grete wyndes and tormentes / & drowned many \u017fhippes / &\n\u017flayn many men / and Sathan \u017fayde how longe ha\u017ft thow ben aboute thys /\n& he \u017fayd +vvii+ dayes / & Sathan \u017fayd ha\u017ft thou done no more in this\ntyme / & commanded that he \u017fhold be beten / and the third cam / & \u017faid\n/ I have ben in a Cyte & have mevyd \u017ftryves and debate in a weddynge /\nand have \u017fhed moche blood / & have \u017flayne the ho\u017fbond / & am come to\ntelle the / & \u017fathan \u017fayd / in what time ha\u017ft thou done this / & he\n\u017faid in ten dayes / & he \u017fayd ha\u017ft thou done no more in that time / &\ncommanded them that were aboute hym to bete hym al\u017fo / Thenne cam the\nfourth & \u017fayd / I have ben in the wylderne\u017fs fourty yere / and have\nlaboured aboute a monke / & unnethe at the la\u017fte I have throwen & made\nhym falle in the \u017fynne of the fle\u017f\u017fhe / & when \u017fatan herd that / he\naroos fro his \u017fete / & ky\u017f\u017fed hym / & tooke hys crowne of his hede /\n& \u017fet it on his hede / & made hym to \u017fytte with hym / & \u017fayde / thou\nha\u017ft done a grete thynge / & ha\u017ft laboured more / than all thother /\nand this may be the maner of the vy\u017fyon / that \u017faynt gregorye leveth /\nwhan eche had \u017fayd / one \u017fterte up in the myddle of them alle / & \u017feyd\nhe hadde mevid Andrewe ageyn\u017fte the name / & had mevyd the fourth part\nof his fle\u017fhe agen\u017ft her in temptacion / & therto / y^t ye\u017fterday he\ndrough[46] \u017fo moche his mynde on her / that in the hour of even\u017fonge he\ngaf to her in Iapping[47] a bu\u017f\u017fe[48] / & \u017feid pleynly y^t \u017fhe mu\u017ft\nhere it that he wold \u017fynne with her / thenne the may\u017fter commanded hym\nthat he \u017fhold perform y^t he had begonne / & for to make hym to \u017fynne\nhe \u017fhold have a \u017fyngular Vyctory and reward among alle the other /. And\nthenne commaunded he that they \u017fhold goo loke who that was that laye\nin the Temple / And they wente / & loked / And anone they were ware\n/ that he was marked with the \u017figne of the cro\u017f\u017fe / And they levynge\naferd e\u017fcaped / and \u017fayd / veryly this is an empty ve\u017f\u017fel / alas / alas\n/ he is marked /. And with[49] thus wys alle the company of the wykked\n\u017fprytes vany\u017f\u017fhed awaye / And thenne the Iewe al amoevyd cam to the\nbi\u017f\u017fhop / and told to hym all by ordere what was happend / And whan\nthe bi\u017f\u017fhoppe herd this / he wept \u017ftrongly / and made to voyde all the\nwymmen oute of his hows / And thenne he bapty\u017fed the Iewe.\n\n[Sidenote: 50 _Bit._]\n\nSeynt Gregory reherceth in his dyalogues that a nonne entryd into a\ngardyne / and \u017fawe a letu\u017fe / and coveyted that / and forgate to make\nthe \u017figne of the Cro\u017f\u017fe / and bote[50] it glotonou\u017fly / And anone\nfylle doune and was ravy\u017f\u017fhed of a devylle / And ther cam to her \u017faint\nEquycyon[J] / And the devylle beganne to crye and to \u017faye / What have I\ndoo / I \u017fatte uppon a lettu\u017fe / and \u017fhe cam / and bote me / and anone\nthe devylle y\u017f\u017fued oute by the commaundement of the holy man of god /.\nIt is redde in thy\u017ftorye Scola\u017ftyke / that the paynyms had peynted on a\nwalle the armes of Serapis / And Theodo\u017fyen dide doo putt them oute /\nand made to be paynted in the \u017fame place the \u017figne of the Cro\u017f\u017fe / And\nwhen the paynims & prie\u017ftes of thydolles \u017fawe that / anone they dyde\nthem to be bapty\u017fed / \u017fayenge / that it was gyven them to under\u017ftonde\nof their olders / that tho\u017fe armes \u017fhold endure tyll / that \u017fuche a\n\u017figne were made then / in whiche were lyf / And they have a lettre / of\nwhiche they u\u017fe / y^t they calle holy / & had a forme that they \u017faid it\nexpo\u017fed and \u017fignyfyed lyf perdurable.\n\nThus endeth the exaltacion of the holy Cro\u017f\u017fe.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nHaving read the\u017fe extracts from the Golden Legend, we \u017fhall be able to\nunder\u017ftand the accompanying illu\u017ftrations, which repre\u017fent \u017fome fre\u017fcos\nof the fifteenth century, which formerly adorned the walls of the /\nChapel of the Gild of the Holy Cro\u017fs, at Stratford-upon-Avon; which\n\u017ftands clo\u017fe by New Place, Shake\u017fpeare\u2019s hou\u017fe. The\u017fe fre\u017fcos, alas! no\nlonger exi\u017ft, for, in 1804, the Chapel underwent con\u017fiderable repair,\nduring which, under the whitewa\u017fh, were di\u017fcovered traces of paint, and\nthe\u017fe, being \u017fcraped, a \u017feries illu\u017ftrating the legend of the Cro\u017fs\nwas found in the chancel, which was built in 1450. In other parts of\nthe Chapel were found repre\u017fentations of the Re\u017f\u017furection, and the day\nof Judgment, St. George and the Dragon, and the death of St. Thomas a\nBecket, be\u017fides others.\n\nLuckily, a gentleman from London, a Mr. Fi\u017fher, was then \u017ftaying at\nStratford-on-Avon, and he drew, and painted them\u2014afterwards, in 1807,\npubli\u017fhing them\u2014and it is from his \u017fketches that the\u017fe illu\u017ftrations\nare taken. The barbarians of Stratford hacked the pla\u017fter on which the\nHoly Cro\u017fs \u017feries was painted to bits, and whitewa\u017fhed all the other\npaintings. It is pre\u017fumed they \u017ftill exi\u017ft, for, when the Chapel was\nthoroughly re\u017ftored in 1835, traces of the other pictures were vi\u017fible\nunder the whitewa\u017fh.\n\nThe\u017fe pictures of the Invention, and Exaltation, of the Holy Cro\u017fs are\ne\u017fpecially intere\u017fting, not only on account of their age and arti\u017ftic\nmerit, but from the fact that they are of Engli\u017fh work, and \u017fhow the\nEngli\u017fh idea of treating the \u017fubject. I have reproduced them all but\ntwo; one, the fight on the bridge over the Danube between Heraclius and\nthe \u017fon of Cho\u017froes, and the other repre\u017fenting Heraclius \u017fmiting off\nCho\u017froes\u2019 head.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration: A]\n\nPlate =A= repre\u017fents the vi\u017fit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon. Her\nname was Balkis, and, in her legendary hi\u017ftory, it is reported that\nSolomon, having heard of her riches and power, \u017fent her a peremptory\nme\u017f\u017fage to \u017fubmit her\u017felf to his rule. She, dreading war with \u017fo potent\na \u017fovereign, \u017fent an emba\u017f\u017fy to try and find out whether Solomon was\nas wi\u017fe as he was repre\u017fented to be. With this object \u017fhe dre\u017f\u017fed five\nhundred boys as girls, and a like number of girls as boys, and, among\nother pre\u017fents, \u017fent a pearl, a diamond cut through in zigzags, and a\ncry\u017ftal box; and \u017fhe \u017fhould be able to judge of his wi\u017fdom and power,\nif he could tell the boys from the girls, pierce the pearl, thread the\ndiamond, and fill the goblet with water that came neither from the\nearth nor the \u017fky.\n\nNeedle\u017fs to \u017fay, Solomon pa\u017f\u017fed through the ordeal triumphantly. He\nordered \u017filver ba\u017fins to be brought, \u017fo that the amba\u017f\u017fadors\u2019 \u017fuite\nmight wa\u017fh their hands after their long journey, and the boys were\nea\u017fily di\u017ftingui\u017fhed from the girls, for they dipped their hands only\nin the water, whil\u017ft the girls tucked up their \u017fleeves and wa\u017fhed\ntheir arms as well as their hands. Then he opened the box containing\nthe pearl, diamond, and goblet, and, taking out the pearl, he applied\nhis magic \u017ftone, Samur, or Schamir, which a raven had brought him,\nand which had the power of cleaving anything, and lo! the pearl was\npierced; then he examined the diamond, which was \u017fo pierced that no\nthread could be pa\u017f\u017fed through it; \u017fo he took a worm, and having\nplaced a piece of \u017filk in its mouth, it wriggled through, and the\ndiamond was threaded. The next ta\u017fk was to fill the goblet, which he\ngave to a negro \u017flave, and bade him mount a wild hor\u017fe and gallop it\ntill it \u017ftreamed with \u017fweat, and then to fill the goblet with it, thus\nfulfilling the impo\u017fed conditions. He then gave back the\u017fe pre\u017fents to\nthe amba\u017f\u017fadors, who \u017fpeedily returned to Queen Balkis. She at once \u017faw\nthat it would be u\u017fele\u017fs to oppo\u017fe the powerful will of Solomon, and\nimmediately \u017fet out on her journey to that monarch.\n\nIt is here that her connection with the holy Cro\u017fs comes in, for its\nwood, which Solomon had cut down in order to incorporate it into his\nTemple, and which had the inconvenient property of fitting in nowhere,\nbeing either too long or too \u017fhort for any purpo\u017fe, was in con\u017fequence\nthrown a\u017fide, and ultimately was u\u017fed as a foot-bridge acro\u017fs a brook.\nAcro\u017fs this plank the Queen had to pa\u017fs, but \u017fhe, recogni\u017fing its holy\nvirtue, refu\u017fed to walk acro\u017fs it, preferring to wade the brook, which,\nhaving done, \u017fhe expounded its value to Solomon, and prophe\u017fied that\nout of it \u017fhould be made the Cro\u017fs on which Je\u017fus \u017fhould \u017fuffer.\n\nShe afterwards became one of Solomon\u2019s wives, and bore him a \u017fon, and\nthen returned to her own land, and from this \u017fon are de\u017fcended the\nkings of Aby\u017f\u017fynia.\n\nThe legend on the label is, as far as is legible, REGINA SABA FAMA\nSALOMONIS (adduct) A VENIT (Iero)SOLUMA UBI LIGNUM IN ... ABATICA ...\nIT ... GENIS ... PERSOLVETUR.\n\n[Illustration: B]\n\nPlate =B= is, virtually, two; one \u017fhowing the angel appearing to\nCon\u017ftantine when, early in the fourth century, he was advancing towards\nRome again\u017ft Maxentius; but the legend of the miraculous in\u017fcription\nwhich appeared in the \u017fky, \u201cIN HOC SIGNO VINCES,\u201d does not appear. The\nother, and larger portion, repre\u017fents his victory over Maxentius, and\nhe is repre\u017fented as \u017fpearing and killing that monarch; but this is not\nhi\u017ftorically correct, for, after his defeat, as Maxentius fled towards\nRome, e\u017f\u017faying to cro\u017fs the Tiber over a rotten bridge, it gave way,\nand he was drowned. It is noticeable that the Chri\u017ftian flag bears the\nTau Cro\u017fs.\n\n[Illustration: C D]\n\n_The Plates_ =C= _and_ =D= _run into each other, although they portray\ndifferent \u017fubjects,_ =C= _being the departure of St. Helena for\nJeru\u017falem on her que\u017ft of the holy Cro\u017fs. The label in this fre\u017fco is\nutterly illegible._\n\nPlate =D= \u017fhows Judas (called Julius in the label) Cyryacus (the\nQuyryache of the Golden Legend) being relea\u017fed, after having been\nforced, through impri\u017fonment and \u017ftarvation, into confe\u017f\u017fing where the\nholy Cro\u017fs lay buried. In the upper part St. Helena is receiving the\nholy Cro\u017fs, whil\u017ft labourers are uncovering the Tau Cro\u017f\u017fes of the two\nthieves.\n\nThe legend is mutilated, but enough remains to make its meaning clear:\n\u201cHERE SEYNTE HELYNE EXAMY(neth) THE I(ews for) Y^E HOLY CROS.... IULIUS\nCYRYACUS (saith that he knew w)HERE HETE WAS.\u201d\n\n[Illustration: E F]\n\n_The legend in Plate_ =E= _is nearly perfect, and accurately de\u017fcribes\nthe painting_, \u201cHYT WAS PROVED EVIDENTLY BY MYRAKEL WHICH WAS Y^E VERY\nCROS THAT OURE SAVYOUR SUFFYRED.... IN RESYNGE A MADE FROM DETH TO\nLYFE.\u201d\n\nHere all the Cro\u017f\u017fes are of the Tau type, and the \u017fcene is laid in a\nfore\u017ft, where an old labourer, and a bill-man, and the deer nibbling\nthe trees, give a rural a\u017fpect, in\u017ftead of in the City of Jeru\u017falem, as\n\u017faith the Golden Legend.\n\nPlate =F= evidently con\u017fi\u017fts of two \u017feparate paintings\u2014one, where St.\nHelena is reverently carrying the Cro\u017fs into Jeru\u017falem, whil\u017ft the\nangels in heaven are di\u017fcour\u017fing cele\u017ftial mu\u017fic; and the other, its\nreception either in Jeru\u017falem or Byzantium, whither St. Helena \u017fent\na portion as a pre\u017fent to her \u017fon. And this latter \u017feems the more\nprobable, if we imagine the King, who, with St. Helena, is adoring the\nCrucifix, to be the emperor Con\u017ftantine, a fact which might have been\n\u017fettled had the label been legible.\n\nThe legend at the bottom is unfortunately mutilated, but that evidently\nrelates to that portion of the Cro\u017fs which remained at Jeru\u017falem,\nbecau\u017fe it \u017fpeaks of Cho\u017froes: \u201cHERE THE HOLE CROS WAS BROUGHTE\nSOLEMLY YN TO THE ... IN Y^E BYSSHOPS HANDS EASILY AND (remaynyd) UN TO\nTHE TYME OF (King Cod\u017fd)ROE.\n\n[Illustration: G H]\n\nPlates =G= and =H= repre\u017fent the \u017ftory told in the Golden Legend, of\nHeraclius bearing the Cro\u017fs into Jeru\u017falem, how the gate miraculou\u017fly\nclo\u017fed, and an angel appeared in the heavens and reproved Heraclius for\nriding in \u017ftate on the very \u017fpot where Je\u017fus had gone in all meekne\u017fs,\nand lowline\u017fs, to His pa\u017f\u017fion. The legend is era\u017fed in parts, the\nunmutilated portion reading, \u201cAS THE NOBUL KYNGE ERACLYUS COM RYDYNG\nTOWARDE Y^E CYTTE OF IERUSALEM BERYNG Y^E CROSSE SO GRETE PRYDE ...\nWHERE Y^E....\u201d\n\nNaturally, the po\u017f\u017fes\u017fion of a piece of the true Cro\u017fs would be\ne\u017fteemed as a mo\u017ft precious property. No matter how \u017fmall, it would\nbe reverentially enclo\u017fed in cry\u017ftal and gold, and was more than a\npre\u017fent fit for an emperor or king, and we cannot marvel that \u017fmall\npieces were di\u017ftributed all over Chri\u017ftendom. Po\u017f\u017fibly \u017fome of the\nrelics \u017fhown as pieces of the very Cro\u017fs might not have been what they\nwere \u017fuppo\u017fed to be, but it is hard to believe what John Calvin[K]\nwrote about it:\u2014\n\n\u201cAnd fyr\u017ft of all let us begynne to \u017fpeake of his cro\u017f\u017fe, whereupon\nhe was hanged. I know that it is holden for a certaintie that it was\nfounde of Heline the mother of Con\u017ftantine the Romaine Emperour. I\nknowe al\u017fo what certaine Doctours have written touching the approbation\nhereof, for to certifie that the cro\u017f\u017fe which \u017fhe found was without\ndoute the \u017felfe \u017fame on the whiche Ie\u017fus Chri\u017ft was hanged. Touchynge\nall this I reporte me to the thynge it \u017felfe, \u017fo much is there that\nit was but a foli\u017fh curio\u017fitie of her, or at the lea\u017ft a foli\u017fhe and\nuncon\u017fidered devotion. But yet put the ca\u017fe it had ben a worke worthy\nof pray\u017fe to her, for to have taken paynes to fynde the trewe cro\u017f\u017fe,\nand that our lord had then declared by myracle that it was his cro\u017f\u017fe\nwhich \u017fhe found; Yet let us onely con\u017fider that which is of our time.\nEvery one doeth holde that this cro\u017f\u017fe which Helene founde is yet at\nIeru\u017falem, and none doeth doute thereof. Although the Eccle\u017fia\u017fticall\nhi\u017ftory again\u017ft \u017fayeth the \u017fame notablye. For it is ther recited that\nHelene toke one part thereof to \u017fend to the Emperour her \u017fonne, who put\nthe \u017fame at Con\u017ftantinople upon a fyne pyller of Marble in the mydde\u017ft\nof the market. Of the other part, it is \u017fayde that \u017fhe did locke the\n\u017fame in a copher of \u017filver, and gave it to the Bi\u017fhop of Ieru\u017falem to\nkepe. So then eyther we \u017fhall augment the hi\u017ftorie of a lie or els that\nwhich is holden at this daye of the true Cro\u017f\u017fe, is but a vayne and\ntriflyng opinion.\n\n[Sidenote: 51 _Blocks\u2014billets_]\n\n\u201cLet us con\u017fider on the other part howe many peeces there are thereof\nthroug out the worlde. Yf I would onely recite that whiche I coulde \u017fay\nthere woulde be a regi\u017fter \u017fufficient to fyl a whole boke. There is not\n\u017fo little a town where there is not \u017fome peece thereof, and that not\nonelye in cathedrall churches, but al\u017fo in \u017fome pari\u017fhes. Likewi\u017fe ther\nis not \u017fo wicked an abbey where there is not of it to be \u017fhewed. And in\n\u017fome places ther are good great \u017fhydes:[51] as at the holye chappell of\nParis, and at Poitiers & at Rome, where there is a great crucifix made\nthereof as men \u017faye. To be \u017fhort, yf a man woulde gather together all\nthat hath bene founde of this cro\u017f\u017fe, there would be inough to fraighte\na great \u017fhip. The Go\u017fpell te\u017ftifieth that the cro\u017f\u017fe myght be caried of\none man. What audacitie then was this to fyll the earth with pieces of\nwod in \u017fuche quantitie, that thre hundred men can not cary them,\u201d &c.\n\nCalvin was full of zeal, and could not \u017ftoop to particulari\u017fe. Witne\u017fs\nhis a\u017f\u017fertion that the Cro\u017fs would freight a \u017fhip, and yet that three\nhundred men could carry it. M. Rohault de Fleury has gone very minutely\ninto this matter. Knowing, from micro\u017fcopical examination, that\n\u017feveral of the relics of the Cro\u017fs were of pine, he accepts this wood\nas his ba\u017fis, and, from its probable \u017fize, he deduces a weight of 100\nkilogrammes, equal to about 240 Engli\u017fh lbs.; and, taking the average\nden\u017fity of pine, he e\u017ftimates that this would give 178 millions of\ncubic millimetres. He then de\u017fcribes all the known pieces in Europe,\nJeru\u017falem, and Mount Athos, with their mea\u017furements, and he puts the\noutcome at 3,941,975 cubic millimetres; thus, according to his \u017fhewing,\nthere is but a very \u017fmall portion of the Holy Cro\u017fs in exi\u017ftence. I\n\u017fubjoin his li\u017ft of the places in which pieces of the Cro\u017fs are known\nto exi\u017ft, as it is mo\u017ft intere\u017fting, \u017fhowing the comparative bulk of\nthe pieces, in cubic millimetres:\u2014\n\n    Aix la Chapelle             150\n    Amiens                    4,500\n    Angers                    2,640\n    Angleterre               30,516\n    Arles                     8,000\n    Arras                    10,314\n    Athos (le Mont)         878,360\n    Autun                        50\n    Avignon                     220\n    Baug\u00e9                   104,000\n    Bernay                      375\n    Be\u017fan\u00e7on                  1,000\n    Bologne                  15,000\n    Bonifacio                47,960\n    Bordeaux                  3,420\n    Bourbon l\u2019Archambault    29,275\n    Bourges                  22,275\n    Bruxelles               516,090\n    Chalmarques                 \u201c\n    Ch\u00e2lons                    200\n    Chamirey                   605\n    Chatillon                   \u201d\n    Cheffes (Anjou)            100\n    Chelles                     \u201c\n    Compi\u00e8gne                1,896\n    Conques                    108\n    Cortone                  3,000\n    Courtrai                   200\n    Dijon                   33,091\n    Donawert                12,000\n    Faghine                     \u201d\n    Florence                37,640\n    Fumes                    5,250\n    Gand                   436,450\n    G\u00eanes                   26,458\n    Gramont                  5,000\n    Jancourt (Aube)          3,500\n    Jeru\u017falem                5,045\n    Langres                    200\n    Laon                        \u201c\n    Libourne                 3,000\n    Lille                   15,112\n    Limbourg               133,768\n    Longpont                 1,136\n    Lorris                      \u201d\n    Lyon                     1,696\n    M\u00e2con                    2,000\n    Mae\u017ftricht               10,000\n    Mar\u017feille                   150\n    Milan                    1,920\n    Montepulciano              500\n    Naples                  10,000\n    Nevers                     176\n    Nuremberg                   \u201c\n    Padoue                      64\n    Paris                  237,731\n    Pi\u017fa                      8,175\n    Poitiers                   870\n    Pontigny                12,000\n    Ragu\u017fe                  169,324\n    Riel les Eaux              671\n    Rome                   537,587\n    Royaumont                   \u201d\n    Saint Di\u00e9                   99\n    Saint Florent              400\n    Saint Quentin            5,000\n    Saint Sepolcro             200\n    Sens                    69,545\n    Sienne                   1,680\n    Tournai                  2,000\n    Tr\u00e8ves                  18,000\n    Troyes                     201\n    Turin                    6,500\n    Venice                 445,582\n    Venloo                      \u201c\n    Walcourt                 2,000\n    Wambach                     \u201d\n                              \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\n        TOTAL            3,941,975\n\nAccording to this table we are credited in England with 30,516 cubic\nmillimetres of the holy Cro\u017fs, and it is intere\u017fting to know where\nthey are \u017fituated. M. Rohault de Fleury, writing in 1870, \u017fays there\nwere pieces at Isleworth; St. Gregory, Down\u017fide, near Bath; in the\npo\u017f\u017fes\u017fion of Lord Petre; at Bergholt Ea\u017ft, in Suffolk; at Plowden;\nat the convent of St. Mary, York; at We\u017ft Grin\u017ftead; at St. George\u2019s,\nSouthwark; and Slindon, Su\u017f\u017fex.\n\nThe\u017fe pieces of the holy Cro\u017fs are not large, as the following table,\nin cubic millimetres, \u017fhows:\u2014\n\n    At Isleworth                              1,000\n     \u201c College of St. Gregory                 6,120\n    Lord Petre (two relics)                   8,287\n    At St. Mary, Bergholt Ea\u017ft                1,008\n     \u201d Plowden Hall, Salop                      262\n     \u201c St. Mary, York (two relics)            5,600\n     \u201d We\u017ft Grin\u017ftead      \u201c                      38\n     \u201d St. George\u2019s, Southwark (four relics)     63\n     \u201c St. Richard, Slindon                   8,100\n                                             \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\n              TOTAL                          30,516\n\nOne relic at St. Mary\u2019s Convent, York, is very fine; it is ornamented\nwith \u017fcroll-work of the tenth century, and bears three impre\u017f\u017fions of\nthe \u017feal of the Vicar Capitular of the dioce\u017fe of Saint Omer, 1657 to\n1662. It is a pectoral cro\u017fs that is \u017fuppo\u017fed to have belonged to the\npatriarch Arnulph, who was with Robert, Duke of Normandy.\n\nThe other is \u017fuppo\u017fed to have been attached to the above, and to have\nbelonged equally to Arnulph, patriarch of Jeru\u017falem. This is kept in a\n\u017filver reliquary, which al\u017fo contains relics of SS. Ignatius Loyola and\nFran\u00e7ois Xavier.\n\nWe \u017fee by the Golden Legend, that St. Helena, after finding the Cro\u017fs,\nfeeling certain that the nails were not far off, pro\u017fecuted a further\n\u017fearch for them, and they were di\u017fcovered \u201cshynyng as gold.\u201d As with\nthe fa\u017fhion of the Cro\u017fs, whether it was _immi\u017f\u017fa_ or _commi\u017f\u017fa_, there\nis, and was, a controver\u017fy with regard to the nails, whether three or\nfour.\n\nBo\u017fius in his learned and exhau\u017ftive book, _Crux Triumphans et\nGlorio\u017fa_,[L] gives \u017feveral authorities for three nails only\u2014foremo\u017ft,\nGregory Nazianzen; but he does not give the pa\u017f\u017fage where it may be\nfound; the quotation, however, is\n\n                \u0393\u03c5\u03bc\u03bd\u1f78\u03bd \u03c4\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03ae\u03bb\u1ff3 \u03ba\u03b5\u03af\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd \u03be\u03cd\u03bb\u1ff3 \u03bb\u03b1\u03d0\u03ce\u03bd,\n\n\u201chaving taken from the three-nailed wood the dead (or hanging) body.\u201d\nThus clearly \u017fhowing the number of nails he con\u017fidered right.\n\nBo\u017fius then goes on to quote Apollinaris Laodicenus, who, in his\ntragedy entitled _Chri\u017ftus patiens_, called the holy Cro\u017fs by the \u017fame\nwords, \u03c4\u03c3\u03b9\u03c3\u03b7\u03bb\u03bf\u03bd \u03be\u03c5\u03bb\u03c9, \u201cthree-nailed wood\u201d; and he al\u017fo quotes from the\n_Meditat. vit\u00e6 Chri\u017fti_ of Bonaventura, \u201c_Illi tres clavi \u017fu\u017ftinent\ntotius corporis pondus_.\u201d Nonnus, the Greek poet, writing in the fifth\ncentury, al\u017fo \u017fays that our Lord\u2019s feet overlapped each other, and\nwere fa\u017ftened by only one large nail. So that there is a very fair\namount of antiquity in favour of three nails.\n\nAgain\u017ft this theory may be quoted the authority of St. Cyprian,\nSt. Augu\u017ftine, St. Gregory of Tours, Pope Innocent III., Rufinus,\nTheodoret, and others, who \u017fay four nails were u\u017fed in the Crucifixion\nof our Saviour. The battle waged pictorially; but perhaps the earlie\u017ft\nknown repre\u017fentation of the Crucifixion, that found in the Cemetery of\nSt. Julian, Pope, or of St. Valentine in Via Flaminia at Rome, ought to\nbear mo\u017ft weight. Our Saviour is repre\u017fented as being clothed in a long\n\u017fleevele\u017fs robe, which reaches to His ankles; the feet are \u017feparate,\nand are each nailed. It is \u017faid that Cimabue was the fir\u017ft to paint\nthe feet overlapping, and one nail. His example, however, was much\nfollowed, and hence the controver\u017fy.\n\nOf the\u017fe nails, univer\u017fal tradition \u017fays that St. Helena \u017fent two to\nher \u017fon Con\u017ftantine, and, as the Golden Legend has it, \u201cthe emperour\ndyd do \u017fette them in hys brydel and in hys helme when he wente to\nbatayle.\u201d One can under\u017ftand one of the\u017fe \u017facred nails being worn\nin the Emperour\u2019s helmet as a pre\u017fage of victory and as a \u017fafeguard\nagain\u017ft danger, but the utility of incorporating one of \u017fuch pricele\u017fs\nrelics in a hor\u017fe\u2019s bridle is not \u017fo ea\u017fy to comprehend; but the\nfathers of the Church, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Ambro\u017fe, Theodoret,\nand St. Gregory of Tours, recogni\u017fe in it the fulfilment of the\nprophecy of Zecharius, chap. xiv. 20: \u201cIn that day \u017fhall be upon the\nbridles of the hor\u017fes, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD.\u201d\n\nThis bridle, or rather bit, is now \u017faid to be in exi\u017ftence in France\nat Carpentras, department of Vauclu\u017fe. How it got there is not clearly\nknown, but probably it was taken at the time of the Cru\u017fades\u2014as leaden\n\u017feals on which it is engraved exi\u017ft, attached to parchments of the\ndates 1226 and 1250, and it was mentioned in an inventory of relics in\nthe year 1322.\n\n[Illustration: ^1 The iron crown of Lombardy. ^2 The holy bridle\nat Carpentras. ^3 Nail at Venice. ^4 Nail at Rome in Sta. Maria in\nCampitelli. ^5 Nail at Arras. ^6 Nail at Colle. ^7 Nail in the Church\nof the Holy Cro\u017fs of Jeru\u017falem, at Rome. ^8 Portion of nail at Toul. ^9\nNail at Tr\u00e8ves.]\n\nI have reproduced it, as well as the Iron Crown of Lombardy and the\nnails, from M. Rohault de Fleury\u2019s work, and, as will be \u017feen, it is\nundoubtedly of great antiquity, clo\u017fely re\u017fembling the bits of the\nRomans.\n\nAccording to Bo\u017fius, who quotes Gregory Nazianzen, a third nail was\nthrown by St. Helena into the Adriatic Sea, in order to calm a tempe\u017ft;\nand the \u017fame authority \u017fays that the fourth was depo\u017fited in the head\nof a \u017ftatue of Con\u017ftantine, but this militates much again\u017ft the number\nof holy nails \u017faid to be in exi\u017ftence. Calvin notices this, and is down\nupon it with \u017fledge-hammer force:\u2014\n\n\u201cYet there is a greater combat of the nayles. I wyll recite them only\nthat are come to my knowledge. Thereupon there is not \u017fo lytle a childe\nbut wyll judge that the Devyll hath to much deluded the worlde in\ntakyng from it both under\u017ftandyng and rea\u017fon, that it coulde di\u017fcerne\nnothynge in this matter. If the auncient writers \u017faye trewe, and\nnamely Theodorite Hi\u017ftoriographer of the auncient churche, Helene\ncau\u017fed one to be nayled on her \u017fonne\u2019s helmet, the other two \u017fhe put\nin his hor\u017fe bitte. How be it Sainct Ambro\u017fe \u017fayeth not fully \u017fo. For\nhe \u017fayeth that one was put in Con\u017ftantine\u2019s crowne, of the other his\nhor\u017febit was made, and the thirde Helene kept. Wee \u017fe y^t already more\nthan twelve hundred yeres agone this hath bene in controver\u017fie, to wit,\nwhat was become of the nayles. What certentie can be had of them then\nat this pre\u017fent time?\n\n\u201cNow at Millan they bo\u017fte that thei have y nayle that was put in\nCon\u017ftantine\u2019s hor\u017fe bitte. To the whiche the towne of Carpentras\noppo\u017feth her\u017felfe, \u017fayinge that it is \u017fhe that hath it. Nowe S. Ambro\u017fe\ndoth not \u017faye that the nayle was knit to the bitte, but that the bitte\nwas made thereof. Whiche thynge can in no wy\u017fe be made to agre eyther\nw^t their \u017faying of Milan or w^t theirs of Carpentras.\n\n\u201cMoreover there is one in Rome at Sainct Helenes; another al\u017fo at\nSene, another at Veni\u017fe. In Germany two: at Collyne one, at the three\nMaries: another at Triers, one in Fraunce at the holy chappell of\nParis, another at y^e Carmes, one al\u017fo at Sainct Denis in France: one\nat Burges: one at Tenaill, one at Draguine.\n\n\u201cBeholde here fourteene, whereof account is made; in every place they\nalledge good approbation for them\u017felves, as they \u017fuppo\u017fe. And \u017fo it is\nthat everye one hath as good right as aunother. Wherefor there is no\nbetter way then to make them all pa\u017f\u017fe under one fidelium. That is to\n\u017faye, to repute all that they \u017faye hereof to be but lyes, \u017feying that\notherwi\u017fe a man \u017fhoulde never come to an ende.\u201d\n\nWhat would Calvin have \u017faid if he had \u017feen the formidable li\u017ft of holy\nnails enumerated by Gui\u017fto (or Ju\u017ftus) Fontanini, Archbi\u017fhop of Ancyra?\nwhich is as follows:\u2014\n\n     1. Aix la Chapelle.\n     2. Ancona, in the Cathedral.\n     3. Bamberg.\n     4. In Bavaria, Convent of Audech\u017fen.\n     5. Carpentras. The Holy Bit.\n     6. Catania, Sicily.\n     7. Colle, in Tu\u017fcany.\n     8. Cologne.\n     9. The Escurial in Spain.\n    10. Milan.\n    11. Monza. The Iron Crown.\n    12. Naples. Mona\u017ftery of S. Patricius.\n    13. Nuremberg. Church of the Holy Virgin.\n    14. Paris.\n    15. Rome. Two Nails. Church of the Holy Cro\u017fs of Jeru\u017falem;\n            Church of Santa Maria in Campitelli.\n    16. Sienna. Ho\u017fpital Sainte Marie de de l\u2019Echelle.\n    17. Spoleto.\n    18. Torcello, near Venice. Church of S. Anthony.\n    19. Torno, on the Lake of Como.\n    20. Toul.\n    21. Tr\u00e8ves.\n    22. Venice. Three nails.\n    23. Vienna.\n\nBut this li\u017ft is further \u017fupplemented by M. Rohault de Fleury, who\ngives \u017fix more:\u2014\n\n    1. Arras, according to M. le Chev. de Linas.\n    2. Compi\u00e8gne. A point.\n    3. Cracow, in Poland, according to M. Go\u017f\u017felin.\n    4. Florence.\n    5. Lagney.\n    6. Troyes.\n\nSo that no le\u017fs than twenty-nine towns claim the po\u017f\u017fes\u017fion of\nthirty-two nails, all differing in form, the number of which can only\nbe accounted for by the \u017fuppo\u017fition that only a portion of the holy\nnails has been incorporated into each of them.\n\n[Illustration: _The Title of the Cro\u017fs._]\n\nOne of the mo\u017ft intere\u017fting relics in connection with the holy nails is\nthe Iron Crown of Lombardy. This, as may be \u017feen by reference to the\nillu\u017ftration (Fig. 1), is a circlet of gold, ornamented with precious\n\u017ftones, and it is indebted for its name of \u201cIron\u201d to a thin band (=A=)\nof that metal, which is in\u017fide the gold circlet. The Crown it\u017felf is of\nvery antique form, being even devoid of rays, and is too \u017fmall to go on\nthe head. Charlemagne was crowned with it in 774, and Napoleon did not\nthink him\u017felf King of Italy until he had placed this precious diadem\non his head, in 1805. It is kept at Monza, nine miles from Milan, in\nthe Cathedral, which is of great antiquity. There it repo\u017fes in a huge\ncro\u017fs placed over the altar.\n\nOf the relics of the Cro\u017fs there now remains but two \u017fpecks of the\ntitle or in\u017fcription thereon, and here, again, I am indebted to M.\nRohault de Fleury for the illu\u017ftration on page xciv., as it \u017feems to me\nto be the be\u017ft yet publi\u017fhed.\n\nThe Evangeli\u017fts, although agreeing in the \u017fpirit of the in\u017fcription,\nvary as to the letter.\n\n    Says St. Matthew: \u201cThis is Je\u017fus the King of the Jews.\u201d\n     \u201c  St. Mark: \u201dThe King of the Jews.\u201c\n     \u201d  St. Luke: \u201cThis is the King of the Jews.\u201d\n     \u201c  St. John: \u201dJe\u017fus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.\u201c\n\nNeither St. Matthew nor St. Mark note the tri-lingual character, and\nSS. Luke and John vary as to the order of the different languages; the\nformer \u017faying it was in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew\u2014the latter that it\nwas in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. The latter is the generally accepted\nform, and the rea\u017fon given is, that Hebrew, being the common language,\nit would naturally come fir\u017ft, as we \u017fhould do in an Engli\u017fh notice,\nfir\u017ft in Engli\u017fh, then, \u017fay in French and German, for the benefit of\nforeigners, as were the Greeks and Romans in Jeru\u017falem.\n\nThe tradition is that, along with the Cro\u017fs, St. Helena found the\nin\u017fcription, and that \u017fhe \u017fent it, together with a piece of the Holy\nCro\u017fs and a number of other \u017facred relics, to Rome, where it was\ndepo\u017fited in the ba\u017filica of Santa Croce. Here it remained until\nValentinian, fearing that it might fall into the hands of the Goths and\nHuns, hid it in the wall of the building, until it was found in 1492.\n\nValentinian died A.D. 375, and Antoninus Martyr, in his _De Locis\nSanctis_ (sec. 20), written about A.D. 570, \u017fays he \u017faw the in\u017fcription\nwhich had been placed on the Cro\u017fs, and that the words were, \u201cIe\u017fus\nNazarenus Rex Iud\u00e6orum.\u201d He \u017fays that he held it in his hand, and\nki\u017f\u017fed it, in the Church of Con\u017ftantine at _Jeru\u017falem_. Hence it is\nevident that either tradition is incorrect, or that Antoninus did not\ntell the truth.\n\nBut the claim is that it is, and always has been, in Rome, and Bo\u017fius,\nin his _Crux Triumphans_ (p. 60), gives an account of its re-di\u017fcovery.\nHe \u017fays that in February, 1492, Mon\u017feigneur Pedro Gon\u017falvo de Mendoza,\nCardinal Sanct\u00e6 Crucis, was repairing and clean\u017fing his church, and on\nthe fir\u017ft day of that month, when the workmen reached the top of the\narch which was in the middle of the ba\u017filica, and near the roof, they\n\u017faw two \u017fmall columns; and finding a \u017fpace, they di\u017fcovered a niche\nin which they found a leaden box, well clo\u017fed, and on its lid was a\ntablet of marble, on which were engraved the\u017fe words: HIC EST TITVLVS\nVER\u00c6 CRUCIS. In this box was found a little board, about a hand\u2019s\nbreadth and a half, much corroded on one \u017fide by time, and bearing, in\ngrooved, engraved characters, which were coloured red, the following\nin\u017fcription: IESVS NAZARENVS REX IVD\u00c6ORVM. But the word IVD\u00c6ORVM was\nnot entire, the la\u017ft two letters VM having crumbled to pieces by rea\u017fon\nof old age. The fir\u017ft line was written in Latin characters, the \u017fecond\nin Greek, and the third in Hebrew.\n\nAll the city went to \u017fee it; and three days afterwards, Pope Innocent\nwent al\u017fo, and ordered the relic to be pre\u017ferved in its box, and\ncovered with a \u017fheet of gla\u017fs. Every one was convinced that they had\nbefore their eyes the in\u017fcription which Pilate placed upon the Cro\u017fs\nover our Saviour\u2019s head, and which Saint Helena had depo\u017fited in the\nchurch at the time of its building.\n\nThe relic, as now \u017feen, is very worm-eaten, but the letters are \u017ftill\nvi\u017fible, and have been cut with a \u017fmall gouge. They read from right\nto left, as Hebrew does, thus lending great plau\u017fibility to the idea\nthat it was done by \u017fome Jewi\u017fh artificers; and it \u017feems to be of \u017fome\nclo\u017fe-grained wood. Taking the piece now at Santa Croce, the whole\nin\u017fcription, if re\u017ftored, would be thus:\n\n[Illustration: _The In\u017fcription at Santa Croce, re\u017ftored._]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n_Notes on the Woodcuts._\n\n[Illustration]\n\nTHE Hi\u017ftory of the Legend of the Holy Cro\u017fs which is here reproduced,\nis \u017fomewhat fuller than the Golden Legend of Caxton, there being\nparticulars about Mo\u017fes, David, and Solomon not to be found therein;\nbut they may be found in other ver\u017fions of the Legend, \u017fome in the\nLatin of Jacobus de Voragine, others in two MSS. in the Briti\u017fh\nMu\u017feum.[M]\n\nThe engravings are taken from a very rare book, of which, as far as\nis known, there are but three copies in exi\u017ftence: one is in the\nRoyal Library at Bru\u017f\u017fels, another at the Hague, in the collection of\nMr. Schinkel, and the third is in the po\u017f\u017fes\u017fion of Lord Spencer at\nAlthorp. It is from this book that the\u017fe fac-similes (made by M. J. Ph.\nBerjeau) were taken. The book it\u017felf has one woodcut on each page, with\na ver\u017fe in Dutch, at the bottom, explanatory of each engraving. It is\ncalled indifferently _Hi\u017ftoria Sanct\u00e6 Crucis_ or _Boec van den houte_\n(Book of the wood or tree).\n\nIt was printed at Kuilenburg on March 6th, 1483, by John Veldener,[N]\nwho had ju\u017ft removed from Louvain. The\u017fe \u017fixty-four engravings were\noriginally on thirty-two blocks,[O] and evidently belonged to \u017fome much\nolder block book, now lo\u017ft. The\u017fe, Veldener cut in half, as he had\nalready treated a _Speculum_, and brought them out as a fre\u017fh book.\n\nThe Legend as told by the\u017fe engravings is as follows:\u2014\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 1._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 2._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 3._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 4._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 5._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 6._]\n\n[Sidenote: _Nos. 7, 8._]\n\nAdam, feeling him\u017felf about to die, \u017fent Seth to Paradi\u017fe to beg for\n\u017fome of the oil of mercy,[1] which, however, the Archangel Michael\nrefu\u017fed to give him, but, in\u017ftead, pre\u017fented him with three \u017feeds of\nthe tree of life.[2] On his return, he found Adam dead, and, being\nunable to admini\u017fter the\u017fe \u017feeds to his father in any other manner,\nhe put them under his tongue, and then buried him.[3] Pre\u017fently the\u017fe\n\u017feeds germinated and \u017fhot through the ground, and are traditionally\n\u017faid to have been a cedar, a cypre\u017fs, and a pine.[4] They grew until\nMo\u017fes had led the Israelites out of Egypt, when he found them in the\nValley of Hebron, and he recognized them as typifying the Trinity. He\nremoved them, and they were his con\u017ftant companions.[5] With them he\n\u017fmote the rock, and the waters gu\u017fhed out,[6] and the bitter waters of\nMarah became \u017fweet.[7, 8]\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 9._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 10._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 11._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 12._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 13._]\n\nHe then planted them in the land of Moab,[9] and there they remained,\nuntil an angelic vi\u017fion appeared unto David, and commanded him to go,\nand take them up, and bring them to Jeru\u017falem.[10] On his return the\nthree rods worked miracles, healing the \u017fick,[11] and the leprous,\nwith a touch;[12] nay, more, on being applied to three black men, they\nin\u017ftantly became white.[13]\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 14._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 15._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 16._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 17._]\n\nArrived at Jeru\u017falem, they wi\u017fhed to plant them, but for the night\nthey left them in a ci\u017ftern, by the Tower of David,[14] and lo!\nduring the night, they \u017ftruck root, and, entwining them\u017felves, became\nbut one \u017ftem,[15] which, when David \u017faw, he had a wall built round\nit.[16] And the tree grew for thirty years, David ornamenting it with\nrings of \u017fapphire and other precious \u017ftones, adding one for every\nyear, and under this tree he compo\u017fed the Psalms, and prai\u017fed God\nexceedingly.[17]\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 18._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 19._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 20._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 21._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 22._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 23._]\n\nBut Solomon, who mu\u017ft needs have all that was rare and co\u017ftly to adorn\nhis temple, ca\u017ft his eyes upon this precious tree, and ordered it to\nbe cut down.[18] It was duly felled, and \u017fquared, and trimmed, and it\nmea\u017fured thirty cubits in length.[19] But when the carpenters came\nto put it into a place of that length, it was a cubit too \u017fhort, and\nwhen it was fitted into a place of twenty-nine cubits, lo! it mea\u017fured\nthirty, and the carpenters marvelled much, and were greatly a\u017ftoni\u017fhed,\nand \u017fo, being u\u017fele\u017fs, it was laid a\u017fide.[20] Yet the people came to\n\u017fee this wonderful tree, and among\u017ft them was a maid named Maximilla,\nwho \u017fat down upon it, and in\u017ftantly her clothes were in a blaze.[21]\nThen \u017fhe began to lift up her voice, and prophe\u017fy, crying, \u201cMy God, and\nmy Lord Je\u017fu Chri\u017ft.\u201d[22] Then the Jews took her, and \u017fcourged her to\ndeath.[23]\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 24._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 25._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 26._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 27._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 28._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 29._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 30._]\n\nThe Jews, not knowing what to do with this miraculous tree, laid it\nacro\u017fs a brook,[24] and, when the Queen of Sheba came to vi\u017fit Solomon,\n\u017fhe recognized the virtue of the wood; and, refu\u017fing to defile it\nwith her feet, \u017fhe di\u017fmounted, and adored it, and waded through the\nbrook.[25] Then, when \u017fhe met Solomon, \u017fhe reproved him, and told him\nthat on that tree would the Saviour of the world \u017fuffer death.[26] And\nSolomon commanded the holy wood to be taken up,[27] and cau\u017fed it to\nbe carried into the Temple, there to be placed over the door, \u017fo that\nall men might ble\u017fs, and adore it, and he coated it over with gold and\n\u017filver.[28] There it remained until Abias \u017ftripped it of its co\u017ftly\ncoverings,[29] and the Jews buried it deep in the earth.[30]\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 31._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 32._]\n\nThere it remained for many years, until the Jews wi\u017fhed to make a pool,\nwhere the prie\u017fts might wa\u017fh the bea\u017fts, to purify them, previous to\n\u017facrificing them, and, unknowingly, they dug over the burial-place of\nthe Holy Cro\u017fs.[31] This imparted \u017fuch a virtue to the water of that\npool, which was called Bethe\u017fda, that the \u017fick were healed thereat, and\nan angel at times de\u017fcended from heaven, and \u017ftirred the waters, and\nthen whoever could get fir\u017ft into the waters was \u017ftraightway healed of\nany infirmity he might have.[32]\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 33._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 34._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 35._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 36._]\n\nWe now come to the Crucifixion, and there was a lack of wood to make\nChri\u017ft\u2019s cro\u017fs\u2014when, \u017fuddenly, from the depths of Bethe\u017fda, leaped up\nthe tree of the Cro\u017fs, and floated gently to land. One ran to the High\nPrie\u017ft,[33] and told him of the timely find of \u017fuitable wood, and he at\nonce gave orders for it to be fa\u017fhioned into a Cro\u017fs.[34] Then comes\nthe mournful proce\u017f\u017fion to Calvary, with our Saviour fainting under the\nweight of the Cro\u017fs, and Simon the Cyrenean is pre\u017f\u017fed into the \u017fervice\nto help Je\u017fus.[35] And then the Crucifixion.[36]\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 37._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 38._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 39._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 40._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 41._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 42._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 43._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 44._]\n\nAnd whil\u017ft the cro\u017f\u017fes were \u017ftill \u017ftanding, the di\u017fciples came to\nthem and prayed, and many were healed of their infirmities, and many\ndevils were ca\u017ft out.[37] This \u017fo angered the Jews that they took the\ncro\u017f\u017fes down, and buried them,[38] and there they remained until their\ninvention by St. Helena, A.D. 326. On her arrival at Jeru\u017falem,[39] \u017fhe\nconvened a meeting of the principal Jews, and they denied all knowledge\nof it, but, on threat of being burnt, they \u017faid that one of their\nnumber, named Judas, knew where the cro\u017f\u017fes were buried.[40] Judas,\nhowever, refu\u017fed to tell, and, to compel him to impart his knowledge,\nSt. Helena had him lowered into a dry well, \u201cand there tormented hym\nby hongre and evyl re\u017fte.\u201d[41] Seven days of this treatment made him\n\u017fubmi\u017f\u017five, and at the end of that time he capitulated. He was then\ndrawn up,[42] and prayed to God to direct him to the right \u017fpot.[43]\nHis prayer was heard, and after \u017fome digging, the cro\u017f\u017fes were\ndi\u017fcovered.[44]\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 45._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 46._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 47._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 48._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 49._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 50._]\n\nThe news was brought to St. Helena, who vi\u017fited the \u017fpot,[45] but\nalthough there were certainly three cro\u017f\u017fes, no one knew which was the\none upon which Je\u017fus \u017fuffered. A te\u017ft, however, was applied, which\nproved to be \u017fati\u017ffactory. The body of a maid was being borne on a bier\nfor burial, but the funeral proce\u017f\u017fion was \u017ftopped, and the body was\ntouched by the different cro\u017f\u017fes. The two fir\u017ft produced no effect,[46]\nbut when the third touched the dead maiden, \u017fhe was at once re\u017ftored\nto life.[47] Here, then, was proof po\u017fitive; this was the very Cro\u017fs;\nand St. Helena, mindful of her \u017fon Con\u017ftantine, divided the \u017facred\nwood; part \u017fhe enclo\u017fed in a ca\u017fe of precious metal, and kept at\nJeru\u017falem;[48] and part \u017fhe \u017fent to her \u017fon, at Byzantium, who received\nit with due reverence,[49] and depo\u017fited it in the church, with great\nceremony.[50]\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 51._]\n\nHere it remained, until it was taken away, with other \u017fpoil, by\nCho\u017froes, the King of Per\u017fia, who, aware of the \u017fanctity of the relic,\nhad it placed on the right hand of his throne. He was \u017fo puffed up with\npride, that he ordered him\u017felf to be adored. His people, hitherto,\nhad wor\u017fhipped the \u017fun, but now he ordained that henceforth he was to\nbe con\u017fidered the principal Per\u017fon in the Trinity (the Father), and\nthat the relic of the Cro\u017fs was to be looked upon as the Son, whil\u017ft a\ngolden cock which he had made was to repre\u017fent the Holy Gho\u017ft.[51]\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 52._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 53._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 54._]\n\nThen Heraclius made war again\u017ft Cho\u017froes, and meeting with a Per\u017fian\narmy under one of the \u017fons of that monarch, it was agreed that, in\norder to prevent a u\u017fele\u017fs effu\u017fion of blood, the two commanders\n\u017fhould fight it out between them, and whoever was vanqui\u017fhed \u017fhould\n\u017fubmit.[52] The duel was fought on a bridge over the Danube, and\nHeraclius vanqui\u017fhed and killed the \u017fon of Cho\u017froes.[53] The Per\u017fian\narmy then made their \u017fubmi\u017f\u017fion,[54] and the penance impo\u017fed upon them\nby the conqueror was that they \u017fhould all be baptized, which was duly\ndone.\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 55._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 56._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 57._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 58._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 59._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 60._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 61._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 62._]\n\nHeraclius then went to Cho\u017froes, and told him what he had done,\noffering him his life if he too would embrace Chri\u017ftianity,[55] but\nthe Per\u017fian monarch refu\u017fed, and Heraclius \u017fmote off his head.[56] He\nthen crowned a \u017fon of Cho\u017froes, and cau\u017fed him to be baptized,[57]\nhim\u017felf \u017ftanding \u017fpon\u017for, and buried the \u017flain king with befitting\nhonours.[58] Then, taking po\u017f\u017fes\u017fion of the holy relic,[59] he \u017fet out\nwith it for Jeru\u017falem. But, as he was bearing it in great \u017ftate, he\ncame to that gate of the City through which Je\u017fus went to His pa\u017f\u017fion,\nworn, buffeted, \u017fcorned, and weary, carrying the heavy burden of His\ncro\u017fs. And \u017fuddenly the gateway became \u017folid ma\u017fonry, \u017fo that he could\nnot pa\u017fs through, and an angel appeared in the heavens, and reproved\nhim for his o\u017ftentatious di\u017fplay in a place which his Saviour had\npreviou\u017fly trodden in \u017fuch deep humility.[60] Heraclius di\u017fmounted\nfrom his hor\u017fe, and, \u017ftripping him\u017felf of all the trappings of royalty,\nbarefoot, and in his \u017fhirt,[61] he meekly bore the Cro\u017fs to its\nappointed place,[62] the ma\u017fonry di\u017fappearing as \u017foon as he had humbled\nhim\u017felf.\n\n[Sidenote: _Woodcut No. 63._]\n\n[Sidenote: _No. 64._]\n\nA piece of the Cro\u017fs was afterwards \u017fent to Rome, where it duly arrived\nafter a very \u017ftormy voyage,[63] and it was there pre\u017ferved for the\nadoration of the faithful.[64]\n\n                                                JOHN ASHTON.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\nFOOTNOTES:\n\n[A] \u201cAnd for as moche as this \u017fayd worke was grete & over chargeable to\nme taccompli\u017f\u017fhe, I feryd me in the begynnynge of the tran\u017flacion to\nhave contynued it / bycau\u017fe of the longe tyme of the tran\u017flacion / &\nal\u017fo in thenpryntyng of y^e \u017fame and in maner halfe de\u017fperate to have\naccompli\u017f\u017fd it / was in purpo\u017fe to have lefte it / after that I had\nbegonne to tran\u017flate it / & to have layed it aparte ne had it be(en)\nat thyn\u017ftance & reque\u017fte of the puy\u017f\u017fant noble & vertuous erle my lord\nwyllyam erle of arondel / whych de\u017fyred me to procede & contynue the\n\u017faid werke / & promy\u017fed me to take a re\u017fonable quantyte of them when\nthey were acheyeued & accompli\u017f\u017fhed / and \u017fente to me a wor\u017fhypful\ngentylman a \u017fervaunt of his named John Stanney which \u017folycyted me in\nmy Lordes name that I \u017fhold in no wy\u017fe leve it but accompli\u017f\u017fhe it\npromy\u017fyng that my \u017fayd lord \u017fhold duringe my lyf geve & graunt to me a\nyerely fee / that is to wete a bucke in \u017fommer / & a doo in Wynter /\nwith whiche fee I holde me wel contente,\u201d &c.\n\n[B]\n\n[Sidenote: _Length of Adam\u2019s life._]\n\nThis apparently long life of Adam is admitted on all hands, even in the\nRevi\u017fed Ver\u017fion of the Bible. The Talmud \u017fays that God promi\u017fed him one\nthou\u017fand years of life, and it is recorded that he begat Seth when he\nwas a hundred and thirty years old. On this the Talmud (_Eruvin_, fol.\n18, col. 2) has the following comment: \u201cRav Yirmyah ben Elazer \u017faid:\nAll tho\u017fe years, which Adam \u017fpent in alienation from God, he begat evil\n\u017fpirits, demons, and fairies; for it is \u017faid, \u2018And Adam was an hundred\nand thirty years, and begat a \u017fon in his own likene\u017fs, after his\nimage\u2019; con\u017fequently, before that time, he begat after another image.\u201d\n\nThis term of one hundred and thirty years \u017feems to have been a period\nin Adam\u2019s exi\u017ftence, for we again find (_Eruvin_, fol. 18 b.): \u201cAdam\nwas a Cha\u017fid, or great \u017faint, when he ob\u017ferved that the decree of death\nwas occa\u017fioned by him; he _fa\u017fted_ a hundred and thirty years, and all\nthis time he ab\u017ftained from intercour\u017fe with his wife.\u201d\n\n[Sidenote: _Talmud legends re\u017fpecting Adam\u2019s length of life._]\n\nThere is a Talmudical tradition that God \u017fhowed the future to Adam\n(Avoth d\u2019Rab. Nathan, chap. 31): \u201cThe Holy One\u2014ble\u017f\u017fed be He!\u2014shewed\nunto Adam each generation, and its preachers, its guardians, its\nleaders, its prophets, its heroes, its \u017finners, and its \u017faints, \u017faying,\n\u2018In \u017fuch and \u017fuch a generation \u017fuch and \u017fuch a _King_ \u017fhall reign, in\n\u017fuch and \u017fuch a generation \u017fuch and \u017fuch a wife man \u017fhall teach.\u2019\u201d This\nis amplified in Midra\u017fh Yalkut (fol. 12), where it is \u017faid that God\n\u017fhowed Adam all future generations of men, with their leaders, learned\nand literary men, and there he ob\u017ferved that David was credited with\nonly three hours of life, and he \u017faid, \u201cLord and Creator of the world,\nis this unalterable?\u201d \u201cSuch was my fir\u017ft intention,\u201d was the reply.\n\u201cHow many years have I to live?\u201d a\u017fked Adam. \u201cOne thou\u017fand.\u201d Then Adam\n\u017faid, \u201cI will lend him \u017fome of my years.\u201d And a document was drawn up\nwhereby Adam tran\u017fferred \u017feventy years of his life to David.\n\nS. Baring-Gould, in his legends of _Old Te\u017ftament Characters_, vol\ni. p. 77, referring to a Mu\u017f\u017fulman legend, \u017fays: \u201cFinally, when Adam\nreached his nine hundred and thirtieth year, the Angel of Death\nappeared under the form of a goat, and ran between his legs.\n\n\u201cAdam recoiled with horror, and exclaimed, \u2018God has given me one\nthou\u017fand years; wherefore come\u017ft thou now?\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018What!\u2019 exclaimed the Angel of Death, \u2018ha\u017ft thou not given \u017feventy\nyears of thy life to the prophet David?\u2019\n\n\u201cAdam \u017ftoutly denied that he had done \u017fo. Then the Angel of Death drew\nthe document of tran\u017ffer from out of his beard, and pre\u017fented it to\nAdam, who could no longer refu\u017fe to go.\u201d\n\n[C] The Fe\u017ftival of the Invention, or finding of the Cro\u017fs, is kept in\nthe Roman and Engli\u017fh Churches on May 3.\n\n[D] Pi\u017fcina, a fi\u017fh-pond: _Lat_. In this in\u017ftance it is \u017fuppo\u017fed to be\nthe Pool of Bethe\u017fda.\n\n[E] Nicodemus, chap. 14:\u2014\n\n[Sidenote: _v._ 1.]\n\nBut when the fir\u017ft man our father Adam heard the\u017fe things, that Je\u017fus\nwas baptized in Jordan, he called out to his \u017fon Seth, and \u017faid,\n\n[Sidenote: _v._ 2.]\n\nDeclare to your \u017fons, the patriarchs and prophets, all tho\u017fe things\nwhich thou did\u017ft hear from Michael the Archangel, when I \u017fent thee to\nthe gates of Paradi\u017fe to entreat God that he would anoint my head when\nI was \u017fick.\n\n[Sidenote: _v._ 3]\n\nThen Seth, coming near to the patriarchs and prophets, \u017faid: I, Seth,\nwhen I was praying to God at the gates of Paradi\u017fe, beheld the angel of\nthe Lord, Michael, appear unto me, \u017faying, I am \u017fent unto thee from the\nLord; I am appointed to pre\u017fide over human bodies.\n\n[Sidenote: _v._ 4.]\n\nI tell thee, Seth, do not pray to God in tears, and entreat him for the\noil of the tree of mercy, wherewith to anoint thy father Adam for his\nheadach;\n\n[Sidenote: _v._ 5.]\n\nBecau\u017fe thou can\u017ft not by any means obtain it till the la\u017ft day and\ntimes, namely, till five thou\u017fand and five hundred years be pa\u017ft.\n\n[Sidenote: _v._ 6.]\n\nThen will Chri\u017ft, the mo\u017ft merciful Son of God, come on earth to rai\u017fe\nagain the human body of Adam, and at the \u017fame time to rai\u017fe the bodies\nof the dead, and when he cometh he will be baptized in Jordan;\n\n[Sidenote: _v._ 7.]\n\nThen with the oil of his mercy he will anoint all tho\u017fe that believe on\nhim; and the oil of his mercy will continue to future generations, for\ntho\u017fe who \u017fhall be born of the water and the Holy Gho\u017ft unto eternal\nlife.\n\n[Sidenote: _v._ 8.]\n\nAnd when at that time the mo\u017ft merciful Son of God, Chri\u017ft Je\u017fus, \u017fhall\ncome down on earth, he will introduce our father Adam into Paradi\u017fe, to\nthe tree of mercy.\n\n[Sidenote: _v._ 9.]\n\nWhen all the patriarchs and prophets heard all the\u017fe things from Seth,\nthey rejoiced more.\n\n[F] Alban Butler, in _The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and\nother Principal Saints_, denies that St. Helena was an Innholder\n(_Stabularia_) in Bithynia, when Con\u017ftantius married her, and \u017fays: \u201cWe\nare a\u017f\u017fured by the unanimous tradition of our Engli\u017fh hi\u017ftorians that\nthis holy empre\u017fs was a native of our i\u017fland. William of Malme\u017fbury,\nthe principal hi\u017ftorian of the ancient \u017ftate of our country after Bede,\nand before him, the Saxon author of the life of St. Helen, in 970,\nquoted by Usher, expre\u017f\u017fly \u017fay that Con\u017ftantine was a Briton by birth.\u201d\nLeland, in his _Commentarii de Scriptoribus Britannicis_, \u017fays that St.\nHelena was the only daughter of King Coilus, the King C\u00f6ol who fir\u017ft\nbuilt walls round Colche\u017fter, and the Engli\u017fh Church has generally\nrecogni\u017fed her Briti\u017fh origin. Her fe\u017ftival is kept on Augu\u017ft 18.\n\nWhen her hu\u017fband, Con\u017ftantine Chlorus, entered into an arrangement with\nDiocletian, by which he had the countries this \u017fide the Alps, namely,\nGaul and Britain, he was obliged, as part of the bargain, to divorce\nSt. Helena, and marry Theodora, the daughter-in-law of Maximinianus.\nAccording to Eu\u017febius, \u017fhe was not converted to Chri\u017ftianity at the\n\u017fame time as her \u017fon Con\u017ftantine, who, when he came to the throne,\npaid her the greate\u017ft deference, and gave her the title of Augu\u017fta,\nor empre\u017fs. After the Council of Nice, in 325, he wrote to Macarius,\nBi\u017fhop of Jeru\u017falem, concerning the building of a \u017fplendid church upon\nMount Calvary, and St. Helena, although \u017fhe was then 79 years of age,\nundertook to \u017fee it carried out.\n\nIt was then that the reputed Invention of the Cro\u017fs, together with the\nnails, took place, and \u017fhe \u017foon afterwards died, but the exact year is\nuncertain, \u017fome authorities giving A.D. 326, others 328.\n\n[G] Other accounts \u017fay the Cro\u017f\u017fes were found by Macarius, then Bi\u017fhop\nof Jeru\u017falem.\n\n[H] The book of the office of Mithras or Mithra, the Sun, wor\u017fhipped by\nthe Per\u017fians.\n\n[I] Heraclius, Emperor of the Ea\u017ft, who from A.D. 622 to 627 fought\nCho\u017froes II., defeated him, and concluded peace.\n\n[J] St. Equitius was a hermit, and looked after the welfare of other\nhermits and monks. He took a \u017fpecial intere\u017ft in a convent of young\nvirgins; died about A.D. 540.\n\n[K] I quote from the tran\u017flation by Steven Withers, 1561.\n\n[L] From this book I have taken the head and tail piece here given.\u2014J.\nA.\n\n[M] Arundel, No. 507, and Add. MSS. 6524.\n\n[N] His life and labours may be read in Mr. Hottrop\u2019s _Monuments\nTypographiques des Pays-bas_\u2014.\n\n[O] See _The Woodcutters of the Netherlands in the 15th Century_, by W.\nM. Conway, and an article by him in the _Bibliographer_ of May, 1883,\np. 32.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n[Illustration: 1\n\n_Adam \u017fends Seth to Paradi\u017fe for \u017fome of the Oil of Mercy._]\n\n[Illustration: 2\n\n_The Archangel Michael gives Seth three \u017feeds of the Tree of Life._]\n\n[Illustration: 3\n\n_Seth buries Adam and puts the three \u017feeds of the Tree of Life under\nhis tongue._]\n\n[Illustration: 4\n\n_The three \u017feeds \u017fpring up._]\n\n[Illustration: 5\n\n_Mo\u017fes always has the three rods with him._]\n\n[Illustration: 6\n\n_With them he makes water flow from the Rock._]\n\n[Illustration: 7\n\n_An Angel tells Mo\u017fes how to \u017fweeten the bitter waters._]\n\n[Illustration: 8\n\n_Mo\u017fes, by dipping the rods in the waters of Marah, \u017fweetens them._]\n\n[Illustration: 9\n\n_Mo\u017fes plants the rods in the land of Moab._]\n\n[Illustration: 10\n\n_An Angel appears to David and tells him to bring the rods to\nJeru\u017falem._]\n\n[Illustration: 11\n\n_The rods heal the \u017fick._]\n\n[Illustration: 12\n\n_The rods heal a leper._]\n\n[Illustration: 13\n\n_The rods turn three black men white._]\n\n[Illustration: 14\n\n_David leaves the rods for the night._]\n\n[Illustration: 15\n\n_In the morning he finds the rods have taken root and have become one\ntree._]\n\n[Illustration: 16\n\n_David builds a wall round the miraculous tree._]\n\n[Illustration: 17\n\n_David compo\u017fes the P\u017falms and prai\u017fes God, under the \u017fhadow of the\ntree._]\n\n[Illustration: 18\n\nSolomon orders the tree to be cut down and u\u017fed in the Temple.]\n\n[Illustration: 19\n\n_Artificers fa\u017fhion the tree._]\n\n[Illustration: 20\n\n_The holy wood will fit nowhere._]\n\n[Illustration: 21\n\n_St. Maximilla \u017fitting on the wood, her clothes catch alight._]\n\n[Illustration: 22\n\n_St. Maximilla prophe\u017fies concerning the wood._]\n\n[Illustration: 23\n\n_St. Maximilla \u017fcourged to death._]\n\n[Illustration: 24\n\n_The wood u\u017fed as a foot-bridge over a brook._]\n\n[Illustration: 25\n\n_The Queen of Sheba prefers wading through the brook, to walking over\nthe holy wood._]\n\n[Illustration: 26\n\n_The Queen of Sheba tells Solomon of the holy nature of the wood._]\n\n[Illustration: 27\n\n_The holy wood is taken up._]\n\n[Illustration: 28\n\n_The holy wood is carried into the Temple._]\n\n[Illustration: 29\n\n_Abias de\u017fpoils the holy wood of its precious covering._]\n\n[Illustration: 30\n\n_The Jews bury the holy wood._]\n\n[Illustration: 31\n\n_Digging the Pool of Bethe\u017fda._]\n\n[Illustration: 32\n\n_The \u017fick being healed at the Pool of Bethe\u017fda._]\n\n[Illustration: 33\n\n_The High Prie\u017ft told of the di\u017fcovery of the holy wood._]\n\n[Illustration: 34\n\n_The holy wood is made into the Cro\u017fs._]\n\n[Illustration: 35\n\n_Chri\u017ft bearing the Cro\u017fs._]\n\n[Illustration: 36\n\n_The Crucifixion._]\n\n[Illustration: 37\n\n_Di\u017fciples adore the Cro\u017fs, the \u017fick are healed, and devils ca\u017ft out._]\n\n[Illustration: 38\n\n_The Jews bury the Cro\u017f\u017fes._]\n\n[Illustration: 39\n\n_St. Helena comes to Jeru\u017falem._]\n\n[Illustration: 40\n\n_St. Helena calls together the Chief Jews._]\n\n[Illustration: 41\n\n_Judas is put into a dry well._]\n\n[Illustration: 42\n\n_Judas is liberated from confinement._]\n\n[Illustration: 43\n\n_Judas prays for Divine direction._]\n\n[Illustration: 44\n\n_The Cro\u017f\u017fes are di\u017fcovered._]\n\n[Illustration: 45\n\n_St. Helena views the Cro\u017f\u017fes._]\n\n[Illustration: 46\n\n_Trial of the true Cro\u017fs._]\n\n[Illustration: 47\n\n_A dead maiden rai\u017fed to life by being touched by the true Cro\u017fs._]\n\n[Illustration: 48\n\n_St. Helena depo\u017fits a portion of the Cro\u017fs in Jeru\u017falem._]\n\n[Illustration: 49\n\n_St. Helena gives a portion of the Cro\u017fs to Con\u017ftantine._]\n\n[Illustration: 50\n\n_Con\u017ftantine depo\u017fits his portion of the Cro\u017fs in Byzantium._]\n\n[Illustration: 51\n\n_Cho\u017froes commands his people to adore him._]\n\n[Illustration: 52\n\n_Meeting of Heraclius and Cho\u017froes\u2019 \u017fon._]\n\n[Illustration: 53\n\n_Heraclius fights the \u017fon of Cho\u017froes and kills him._]\n\n[Illustration: 54\n\n_The Per\u017fian army \u017fubmit to Heraclius._]\n\n[Illustration: 55\n\n_Heraclius vi\u017fits Cho\u017froes._]\n\n[Illustration: 56\n\n_Heraclius kills Cho\u017froes._]\n\n[Illustration: 57\n\n_Heraclius crowns and baptizes the \u017fon of Cho\u017froes._]\n\n[Illustration: 58\n\n_Burial of Cho\u017froes._]\n\n[Illustration: 59\n\n_Heraclius takes po\u017f\u017fes\u017fion of the relic of the Cro\u017fs._]\n\n[Illustration: 60\n\n_Heraclius, attempting to enter Jeru\u017falem, is miraculou\u017fly prevented,\nand is reproved by an angel._]\n\n[Illustration: 61\n\n_Heraclius dive\u017fts him\u017felf of \u017ftate._]\n\n[Illustration: 62\n\n_Heraclius places the relic of the Cro\u017fs in its appointed place._]\n\n[Illustration: 63\n\n_A portion of the Cro\u017fs is \u017fent to Rome, the ve\u017f\u017fel bearing it meeting\nwith a \u017ftorm._]\n\n[Illustration: 64\n\n_The relic of the Cro\u017fs expo\u017fed for adoration._]\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nTranscriber's Notes:\n\nEdits made:\n\nPage ix, number added to sidenote (2 _Hadrian is said to_)\n\nPage xxii, number added to sidenote (7 _Of old._)\n\nPage xxxvii, anchor for sidenote [28] added to text (torne thys\nbane[28])\n\nPage lii, anchor for sidenote [39] added to text. (had been peasyd[39])\n\nPage lxxvii and following, the totals were removed until the final one.\nEach page ended with a total, such as:\n\n    Chalmarques                 \"\n                            -------\n        Carried forward   1,674,145\n\nThe following page began with something similar to:\n\n       Brought forward   1,674,145\n    Ch\u00e2lons                    200\n\n\nPage cii and following, the sidenotes listing the woodcut numbers were\noriginally formed with the first sidenote of each page including the\nword _Woodcut_. As this sometimes landed in the middle of paragraphs\nand the notes were moved to the start of paragraphs, the form was\nchanged to listing the word _Woodcut_ in the first sidenote of each\nparagraph instead of each page.","title":"The Legendary History of the Cross: A Series of Sixty-four Woodcuts from a Dutch Book Published by Veldener, A.D. 1483","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":19010}