The History of St. Cuthbert

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887 Excerpt: ...to his way of thinking. The day appointed for the translation was now at hand; and the brethren having heard of the calumnious accusation of the Abbot, were grievously scandalised, both because 1 Acta Sanctorum, p. 140.-Probably either the Abbot of St. Mary's at York, or St. German's at Selby. the disgrace of having uttered a falsehood was laid to their charge, and because another examination of the holy body was asked for, which they did not dare to allow to strangers, or to repeat themselves. There was much disputing on both sides. The Abbot contended that the attestation of the brethren of the church alone, as to what they themselves had done, could not be admitted. The brethren, in trouble that their honesty should be suspected, cried out that he was aiming at either the ruin of their house, or their expulsion from the place, when, rejecting their testimony, given on oath, as false, he judged them to be sacrilegious and worthy of hate: 'Far be it from us, then, ' said they, 'to allow this man an opportunity of seeing the sacred remains, through whose means the suspicion of a grievous falsehood has fallen upon us: for of those who yesterday exulting sang, Glory be to God on high, some to-day, through the calumny of this Abbot, suspect us of a falsehood.' Whilst this contention was running to great lengths, and there was no prospect of an end being put to it, Ralph,1 a venerable man, at that time Abbot of the monastery of Seez, but afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, came forward to offer his services as mediator. As he was a man of great meekness and piety, and deeply versed in the holy Scriptures, he desired to restore peace between the parties that were at variance. 'The words of the Scripture, ' said he, 'are very true: In the ...