trance;

potuimus, hæc nomina subscripsimus. Hoc est de Sancto Petro, de Sancto Thoma, Sancti Bartolmei. De ossibus Prophetarum, de omnibus Apostolis, et de aliis quam plurimus sanctis, quorum nomina sola Dei scientia colligit. His omnibus egregius Rex Adefonsus humili devotione perditus fecit hoc receptaculum, sanctorum pignoribus insignitum argento deauratum, exterius adornatum non vilibus operibus: per quod post ejus vitam mereatur consortium illorum in cælestibus sanctorum jubari precibus. Hæc quidem saluti et re --Here a large piece of the silver is gone.-Novit omnis provintia in terra sine dubio.--Here there is another great chasm.—Manus et industria clericorum et præsulum, qui propter hoc convenimus cum dicto Adefonso Principe, et cum germana lactissima Urraca nomina dicta: quibus Redemptor omnium concedit indulgentiam et suorum peccatorum veniam, per hoc sanctorum pignora Apostolorum et Sanci Justi et Pastoris, Cosme et Damiani, Eulaliæ Virginis, et Maximi, Germani, Baudili, Pantaleonis, Cypriani et Justinæ, Sebastiani, Facundi et Primitivi, Christophori, Cucufati, Felicis, Sulpicii.

Bishop Sampyro had good reason to complain of the darkness of this church, which has only one small window in the upper part of the chapel; and, therefore, in this which we call the body of the church, there are commonly three silver lamps burning, the one in the middle larger than the other two, and many other lights are kindled when the relics are shown. These are kept within a grating, which divides the chapel from the church. The chapel has two rich marbles at the enit is eighteen feet in length, and its width somewhat less; the floor and the roof are after the same fashion as those of the church, but it is one estado lower, which in those times seems to have been custo- | mary in Asturias and in Gallicia, the Capillas Mayores, or principal chapels, being much lower than the body of the church. The roof of the chapel is plain, and has painted in the middle our Saviour in the midst of the four evangelists; and this performance is so ancient, that it is manifestly of the age of the founder. At this iron grating strangers are usually detained; there is a lower one within of wood, to which persous are admitted who deserve this privilege for their dignity; and few there be who enter farther. This church the king <<This inscription, with its bad Latin and other debuilt to remove to it, as accordingly he forthwith re-fects, and by reason of the parts that are lost, can ill moved the holy ark, the holy bodies, and the other great be translated. Nevertheless I shall render it, in order relics which, at the destruction of Spain, were hidden in that it may be enjoyed by all. It says thus: Know all the cave and well of Monsagro, and for this cause he had the congregation of Catholic people, worthy of God, it built with so much care, and so richly, and with such whose the famous relics are, which they venerate within security. the most precious sides of this ark. Know then that herein is great part of the wood or cross of our Lord. of his garment for which they cast lots. Of the blessed bread whereof he ate at the Supper. Of his linen, of the holy handkerchief (the Sudario), and of his most holy blood. Of the holy ground which he then trod with his holy feet. Of the garments of his mother the Virgin Mary, and also of her milk, which is a great wonder. With these also there are many capital relics of saints, whose names we shall write here as we can. Saint Peter, St Thomas, St Bartholomew. Bones of the Prophets, and of all the Apostles, and of many other Saints whose names are known only to the wisdom of God. The noble King Don Alonso, being full of humble devotion for all these holy relics, made this repository, adorned and ennobled with pledges of the Saints, and on the outside covered with silver, and gilded with no little cunning. For the which may he deserve after this life the company of these Saints in Heaven, being aided by their intercession.-These holy relics were placed here by the care and by the hands of many Clergy and Prelates, who were here assembled with the said King D. Alonso, and with his chosen sister called Donna Urraca. To whom may the Redeemer of all grant remission and pardon of their sins, for the reverence and rich reliquary which they made for the said relics of the Apostles, and for those of the Saints, St Justus and Pastor, St Cosme and St Damian, St Eulalia the Virgin, and of the Saints Maximus, Germanus, Baudilus, Pantaleon, Cyprianus and Justiua, Sebastian, Facundus and Primitivus, Christopher, Cucufatus, Felix and Sulpicius.——

name.

« I have described the Camara Santa thus particularly, that what I may say of the most precious relics which it contains may be the better enjoyed. I will particularize the most principal of them, beginning with the Holy Ark, which with great reason has deserved this It is in the midst of the chapel, close to the wooden grate, so that you can only go round it on three sides, and it is placed upon a stone pedestal, wrought with mouldings of a palm in height. It is a varo and a half (about five feet) in length; little less than a varo wide, and about as deep, that part, which is of silver, not including the height which the pedestal gives it. The cover is flat, and it is covered in all parts with silver plates of some thickness, and gilt on some places. In the front, or that side which fronts the body of the church, it has the twelve apostles in more than half relief, and on the sides there are histories of Our Lady in the same silver-work. On the flat part of the cover there is a large crucifix engraved, with many other images round about it. The sides are elaborately wrought with foliage, and the whole displays great autiquity. The cover has round about it four lines in the silver, which, however, are imperfect, the silver being wanting in some places. What they contain is this, as I have copied it faithfully, with its bad Latin and other

faults:

<«<Omnis conventus populi Deo dignus catholici cognoscat, quorum inclytas veneratur reliquias, intra pretiosissima præsentis archælatera. Hoc est de liguo plurimum, sive de cruce Domini. De vestimentis illius, quod per sortem divisum est. De pane delectabili unde in cena usus est. De sindone Dominico ejus adque sudario et cruore sanctissimo. De terra sancta quam piis calcavit tunc vestigiis. De vestimentis matris ejus Virginis Mariæ. De lacte quoque ejus, quod multum est mirabile. His pariter conjunctæ sunt quædam sanctorum maxime prestantes reliquiæ, quorum prout

«The sum of the manner in which this Holy Ark came into Spain is this, conformably to what is written by all our grave authors. When Cosroes, the King of Persia, in the time of the Emperor Heraclius, came upon the Holy Land, and took the city of Jerusalem, the bishop of that city, who was called Philip, and his clergy,

when he stretched out his hand to put the key in the lock, suddenly he felt such horror and dismay, and found himself so bereft of all power (tan impossibilitudo) to move it in any way, that it was impossible for him to proceed, or do any thing but remain in that holy consternation, without having strength or ability for more, and as if he had come there to oppose and prevent that which purposely, and with so much de sire and preparation he had intended to do, he desisted from his intent, and gave it up, his whole desire being turned into a chill of humble shrinking and fear. Among other things which his most Illustrious Lordship relates of what he then felt, he says, that his hair stood up in such a manner and with such force, that it seemed to him, as if it lifted the mitre a considerable way from his head. Now, we all know that this famous prelate has vigour and persevering courage for all the great things which he undertakes in the service of our Lord; but in this manner the Holy Ark remained unopened then, and thus I believe it will always remain, fastened more surely with veneration and reverence, and with respect of these examples, than with the strong bolt of its lock.

<«<In the inscription of this Holy Ark, mention is made of the relics of St Baudilus, and by reason that he is a Saint very little known, it will be proper to say something of him. This Saint is much reverenced in Salamanca and in Zamora, and in both cities he has a parochial church, and in Zamora they have a good part of his relics. They have so much corrupted the uame, calling him St Boal, that the Saint is now

with pious foresight, secreted the Holy Ark, which
from the time of the Apostles had been kept there,
and its stores augmented with new relics, which were
deposited therein. After the victory of Cosroes, the
Bishop Philip, with many of his clergy, passed into
Africa, carrying with them the Holy Ark: and there it
remained some years, till the Saracens entered into
that province also, and then Fulgentius the Bishop of
Ruspina, with providence like that which had made
Philip bring it to Africa, removed it into Spain. Thus
it came to the Holy Church of Toledo, and was from
thence removed to Asturias, and hidden in the cave of
Monsagro finally, King D. Alonso el Casto removed it
to the Camara Santa; and afterwards K. D. Alonso the
Great enriched it. Thus our histories write, and the
same is read in the lessons on the festival which the
Church of Oviedo celebrates of the coming there of
this Holy Ark, with a sermon proper for the day, and
much solemnity, the service being said on the 13th of
March after vespers, above in the church of the Camara
Santa. This is a most weighty testimony which the
Holy Ark possesses of its own authenticity, and on the
genuineness of the most great treasure which it con-
tains. There also are strong testimonies, that K. D.
Alonso the Great should not only have made the Ark
so rich, but that this king should also have fortified the
city of Oviedo, surrounding it with walls, and making
for it a castle, and building also the castle of Gauzon
upon the shore, for the defence and security of this
holy treasure, and for another end, as he left written
upon the stone of which we have elsewhere spoken.
Another testimony of great authority, is the great re-scarcely known by his own.
verence which has been shown to this Holy Ark, from
the time which is spoken of by Alonso the Great in the
inscription, to these our days. This is so great that no
one has dared to open it, melancholy examples being
related of some daring attempts which have been
made. That which occurred in our days is not mourn.
ful, but rather of much devotion and holy joy. The
most illustrious Sir D. Christoval de Rojas y Sandoval,
who is now the most worthy Archbishop of Seville,
when he was Bishop of Oviedo, determined to open the
Holy Ark.
For this, as the singular devotion and most
holy zeal for the glory of God which he has in all
things admonished him, he made such pious prepara-
tions as the fame of so celestial a treasure showed to
be necessary. He proclaimed solemnly a fast of forty
days in his church and through all his diocese, com-
manding that prayers should be made to our Lord, be-
seeching him that he would be pleased with what was
intended, his Most-Illustriousness giving the example,
which is very common and very edifying in his church,
in himself, and in the ministers thereof. Three days
before the Sunday on which the Ark was to be opened,
he ordered all persons to fast, and to make greater
prayers with processions. When the day arrived, he
said pontifical mass, and preached, infusing with his
holy exhortations, much of his own devout desires, into
the hearts of the hearers. The mass being finished,
clad as he was, he ascended to the Camera Santa, with
much outward solemnity, and with much fervour of
devotion internally in his heart: and having there
again renewed his humble prayers to our Lord, and
quickened the ardour of that sacred desire which had
influenced him; on his knees as he was before the
Holy Ark, he took the key to open it. At the moment

They of the church say, that the cope of St Ildefonso, which Our Lady gave him, is in the Ark. This may well be believed, since our good authors particularly relate that it was carried to Oviedo with the Holy Ark, and with the other relics, and it does not now appear among it, and there is much more reason to think that it has been very carefully put away, than that it has been lost. Also they say, that when the celestial cope was put into the Holy Ark, they took out of it the piece of the holy Sudario, in which the head of our Redeemer was wrapt up for his interment, as is said in the inscription of the Ark. This is one of the most famous relics in all Christendom, and therefore it is most richly adorned, and reverently preserved, being shown only three times in the year with the greatest solemnity. The box in which it is kept is wrought without of gold and azure, with beautiful mouldings and pictures, and other ornaments of much authority. Within this there is a square piece of wood, covered entirely with black velvet, with silver handles, and other decorations of silver round about; in the hollow of this square, the holy Sudario is stretched and fastened upon the velvet; it is a thin linen cloth, three quarters long and half a varo wide, and in many places full of the divine blood from the head of our Redeemer, in divers forms and stains of various sizes; wherein ' some persons observe marks of the divine countenance and other particularities. I did not perceive this; but the feeling which came upon me when I looked at it is sufficient to make me believe any thing of it; and if a wretch like me was thus affected, what must it do to those who deserve of our Lord greater regalements on such an occasion? It is exhibited to the people three times in the year; on Good Friday, and on the two fes

work about it is very ancient, it may be believed that the said king ordered it to be placed there.»-Cronica General de Espana, L. 13, c. 40.

tivals of the Cross in May and in September, and there is then a great concourse from all the country, and from distant parts. This part of the cross of the church where the Camara Santa is, is richly hung, and in the Morales gives an outline of this vessel in his Journal, first apartment of the Camara, a corridor is erected for and observes, that if the Christians transported it by this exhibition; the which is closed that day with cur-land, particular strength and the aid of God would have tains of black velvet, and a canopy that extends over the varandas. The Bishop in his pontificals, with his assistants and other grave persons, places himself be hind the curtains with the Holy Sudario, holding it by the silver handles, covered with a veil. The curtains are undrawn, and the quiristers below immediately begin the miserere. The Bishop lifts the veil, and at the sight of the Holy Sudario, another music begins of the voices of the people, deeply affected with devotion, which verily penetrates all hearts. The Bishop stands some time, turning the Sacred Relic to all sides, and afterwards the veil being replaced, and the curtains redrawn, he replaces the Holy Sudario in its box. With all these solemnities, the very Illustrious and most Reverend Sennor, M. D. Gonzalo de Solorzano, Bishop of Oviedo, exhibited this Holy Relic on the day of Santiago, in the year of our Redeemer 1572, in order that I might bear a more complete relation of the whole to the King our Lord; I having at that time undertaken the sacred journey by his command.

been necessary to carry it so many leagues, and move it over the rugged mountains of Europa ;-but, he adds, it might have come by water from Andalusia or Portugal, and in that case this would have been a land journey of only four or five leagues.-In his Journal, Morales mentions certain other relics of which the church of Oviedo boasted, but for which he required better evidence than could be adduced for them. Such were a portion of Tobit's fish, and of Sampson's honey-comb, with other such things, which, he says, would lessen the credit of the Ark, where, according to the Bishop of Oviedo, D. Pelayo, and Sebastian, Bishop of Salamanca, they were deposited. Of these precious relics he says nothing in his history, neither does he mention a piece of Moses's rod, a large piece of St Bartholomew's skin, and the sole of St Peter's shoe, all which he enumerates in his Journal, implying rather than expressing his doubts of their authenticity. As a scrupulous and faithful antiquary, Morales was accustomed to require evidence, and to investigate it; and for these he could find no other testimony than tradition and antiquity, which, as presumptive proofs, were strong corroborants of faith, but did not suffice of themselves. The Holy Ark

rence with which he regarded it, is curiously expressed in his Journal. << I have now," he says, «described the material part of the Camara Santa. The spiritual and devout character which it derives from the sacred treasures which it contains, and the feeling which is experienced upon entering it, cannot be described without giving infinite thanks to our Lord, that he has been pleased to suffer a wretch like me to enjoy it. I write this in the church before the grating, and God knows am as it were beside myself with fear and reverence, and I can only beseech God to give me strength to proceed with that for which I have no power myself.»— T. io. Viage, p. 91.

«Another chest, with a covering of crimson and brocade, contains a good quantity of bones, and some pieces of a head; which although they are very damp,'| have a most sweet odour, and this all we who were pre-has all the evidence which he required, and the revesent perceived, when they were shown me, and we spoke of it as of a notable and marvellous thing. The account which they of the church give of this holy body is, that it is that of St Serrano, without knowing any thing more of it. I, considering the great dampness of the sacred bones, believe certainly that it was brought up to the Camara Santa from the church of Leocadia, which, as it has been seen, is underneath it. And there, in the altar, the great stone-chest is empty, in which King Alonso el Casto enclosed many relics, as the Bishop I Sampyro writes. For myself I have always held for certain, that the body of St Leocadia is that which is in this rich chest. And in this opinion I am the more confirmed since the year 1580, when such exquisite diligence has been used by our Spaniards in the monastery of St Gisleno, near Mons de Henao in Flauders, to verify whether the body of St Leocadia, which they have there, is that of our Saint. The result has been, that it was ascertained beyond all doubt to be the same; since an authentic writing was found of the person who carried it thither by favour of one of our earliest kings, and he carried it from Oviedo without dispute; because, according to my researches, it is certain that it was there. Now I affirm, that the king who gave part left part also; and neither is that which is there so much, that what we saw at Oviedo might not well have been left, neither is this so much but that which is at Mons might well have been given.

«In the church below, in a hollow made for this purpose, with grates, and a gate well ornamented, is one of the vessels which our Redeemer Jesus Christ filled with miraculous wine at the marriage in Galilee. It is of white marble, of an ancient fashion, more than three feet high, and two wide at the mouth, and contains more than six arrobas. And forasmuch as it is in the wall of the church of K. Alonso el Casto, and all the

Morales, like Origen, had given in his youth a decisive proof of the sincerity of his religious feelings, and it sometimes seems as if he had emasculated his mind as well as his body. But with all this abject superstition, he was a thoroughly pious and good man. Bis life is deeply interesting; and his writings, besides their great historical and antiquarian value, derive additional interest from the picture of the author's mind which they so frequently display. The portrait prefixed to the last edition of his work is singularly characteristic.

Note 47, page 422, col. 1.
Orary.

«The Council of Laodicea has two canons concerning the little babit called the Orarium, which was a scarf or tippet to be worn upon the shoulders; and might be used by bishops, presbyters, and deacons, but not by subdeacons, singers, or readers, who are expressly debarred the use of it in that council.-The first council of Braga speaks of the tunica and the orarium as both belonging to deacons. And the third council of Braga orders priests to wear the orarium on both shoulders when they ministered at the altar. By which we learn

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profit. For, though now such palls were freely given to archbishops, whose places in Britain for the present were rather cumbersome than commodious, having little more than their paines for their labour; yet in for five thousand florenes, so that the pope might well ages the archbishop of Canterburie's pall was sold have the golden fleece if he could sell all his lamb's wooll at that rate. Onely let me add, that the author of Canterbury-book stiles this pall Tanquam grande Christi Sacramentum. It is well tanquam came in to help it, or else we should have had eight sacraments.a -Fuller's Church History, page 71.