annual payment of £40 for lights to be kept perpetually burning about the martyr in his honor. He spent the rest of the day and almost all of the following night in anguish of soul, given up to prayers and watches, continuing the fast even into the third day. Inasmuch as his spirit was troubled and his heart contrite, his sacrifice was most acceptable to God. Often exclaiming, after the manner of King David, "I have sinned against God, I have sinned against God," he deserved to hear from the prophet, "The Lord also has put away thy sin." A few months after the death of Thomas he was canonized, as described in the following official letter of the pope, and he soon became the most popular of English saints. Pilgrimages were made to the tomb at Canterbury, water blessed at the place of his death was carried away for its curative qualities, and numberless stories of miracles due to his interposition grew up and were spread abroad and believed by the more simpleminded of the people. to the Alexander, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his 98. Poj e dearest sons, Albert, titular bishop of St. Lawrence, and Alexander Theodwine of St. Vitalis, cardinal priests, legates of the apos- legates in tolic see, greeting and apostolic benediction. Although some England of the miracles of that holy man Thomas, formerly archbishop of Canterbury, had been brought to our ears by many in whom we were accustomed and ought to have faith, nevertheless we have awaited your testimony in order that we might be able to proceed more freely in canonizing him, when we should have been fully informed by you of the miracles of that holy man. And so since the testimony of your letters was received, just at the beginning of the fast, when a large number of priests were standing in the church, we have solemnly canonized that holy man, and formally decreed that he is to be enrolled in the glorious body of martyrs. Since, therefore, we have directed that these things be written not only to the English church but also to the kings themselves, we order you with discretion to Henry II and his son, King Henry 99. Miracles An angel guardian of Thomas's church give over these writings to these same kings yourself, in person, if possible, and see that the writings which we have directed to the monks of Canterbury and the English church be distributed to them. Dated at Segni, March tenth. A few of the many scores of stories concerning St. Thomas that have come down from that period are here given. Three days after the suffering of the glorious martyr Thomas, of St. Thomas Honorius, a monk of Canterbury, a man of veracity, in his sleep saw himself entering the monastery. And behold, before the altar of the Lord our Saviour a youth of beautiful glowing appearance stood with unsheathed sword. When Honorius approached nearer and with timid voice said, "Who are you, master? It is not fitting for an armed man to be seen in this holy and religious place in this way," he replied, "Do not fear; the custody of this place has been appointed to me, who was given the belt of a knight on the day that Thomas was promoted to the archbishopric to rule the church." The vision of the grieving woman Seven days had passed since the death of the martyr. A certain freeborn woman, wife of one Ralph, a man of honor according to this world, was resting on her bed at home. This woman, hearing of the death of the martyr, began to be somewhat sad, mourning as a good sheep for the death of a kind shepherd, for the dishonor to the church and the wickedness of the crime. Because of this sorrow she obtained the honor of seeing a vision in her sleep. On entering her place of prayer she found a man standing before the altar, wearing a hood and clad in white, as though he were performing the divine service. When he saw her he seated himself near the southern part of the room, nodding familiarly to her as if seeking to ask that she draw nearer. She asked what she could do to gain salvation for her soul. He replied, "Every week the sixth day must be observed as a fast day by you, and when you have passed a year in this way come to me." Then he added, "Do you know who it is with whom you are conversing?" "You are the one," she answered, "whom those four wicked men presumed to murder with such insolent boldness." and the poor A rich man named Ralph, of the town of Nottingham, de- The rich man tained some few sheep of a poor woman. This latter begged woman's to be permitted to buy them back, saying, "Grant this kind- sheep ness, I beg, my master, to your handmaid, that I may receive my sheep as the others, provided I pay eight pieces of silver for each one." He refused, since he wished to transfer to his own possession those sheep which she owned. Hear what happened, in order that you may not be enticed to become rich from the goods of another. He was riding along seated on his pacer, snapping a switch which he was carrying in his hand. The woman pressed him that she might have the property which was really hers by paying therefor. "Do not hinder my journey, my master," said she; "I have planned to go to the holy martyr Thomas; I have destined the wool of my sheep to pay my expenses on the way. Show mercy to me, that the martyr may do the same to you." Hearing this he looked down at her, calling out in terrible tones, "Depart, you low and worthless slave, I shall do nothing for you." She kept urging him, adding prayers to her money; but seeing that she gained nothing either from prayers or money, she ended with a curse. "May the curse of God and of the martyr Thomas fall on this man who has offered violence to me concerning my own property." At this word the rich man, struck by the divine hand, fell heavily forward on the pommel of his saddle, where, groaning, he moaned, "I die"; for the blow had stopped his breath. who was Thanks be to God, he glorifies his martyr Thomas every- The little where. In Normandy there was a little girl, Hawisia, daughter Norman girl of a peasant of the village of Grochet, who, as she was wander- drowned ing along in her thoughtless childish way, fell into a pond. She was only two years and three months old. When she was not found by her mother the next day or the day following that, she was sought for and found in the pool. The mother, crying out, ran to her, while the father hastened to her all dripping as she was, and, seizing her, held her by the feet. The neighbors came running up and she was pronounced dead. But at the advice of a priest she was dedicated to the holy martyr Thomas, and life was restored the instant the vow was made. The young monk with leprosy A shipwreck on the Med iterranean The venerable queen Eleanor, finding a little boy who had been cast out into the streets and deprived of a mother's love, ordered that he be brought up in the monastery of Abingdon. After living there many years and learning much, he was seized with a virulent form of leprosy, separated from the other scholars, and removed from the monastery at the command of the bishop, Geoffrey of St. Asaph, who was in charge there. His face became blotched, from his eyes streamed water, his eyebrows thinned out, sores covered his arms and limbs, reaching to the bone; all these things produced nausea. His voice became rough and almost inaudible, even to those standing near; cloths had to be changed every day or every other day on account of the bloody matter which came from the sores. These things kept him from dwelling with others or holding any social intercourse with them. But this youth, trusting in the mercy and merits of the blessed Thomas, whom heavenly love glorified in all ways, departed to Canterbury, and even on the journey felt the beginning of his cure within. Returning home, after two days, from the tomb of St. Thomas, he brought with him merely traces of his healed disease. One day he seized the bishop by his clothing as he was taking a walk, and said to him that he had been cleansed through the merits of St. Thomas of Canterbury. The bishop, however, did not know him, so changed was he, and asked his name and position. He told his name, and by the same reply indicated his position, at the same time rendering speechless the man whom he was addressing. The bishop carefully considered the case and thought over the length of the disease, which had been running for two years. Nevertheless, after physicians had been consulted, he could no longer refuse to believe them, assuring him of the cure, nor could he refuse longer to believe the evidence of his own eyes, so he finally recalled this man to the life of the monastery and the daily intercourse. And he himself came to pray at the tomb of the martyr with the healed man. Certain pilgrims were voyaging on the Mediterranean Sea when their vessel struck on a rock and began to be in danger. The danger was of this kind: the stern and keel stuck fast on the rocks, while the prow, hanging down, touched the waters near by. The canvas had been torn from the mast, and, saturated with water, was pulling on the sailyard so that the mast would be dragged into the water. Certain of the sailors were climbing on the rigging, others anxious over their sins were offering vows, and all were calling on the name of the martyr Thomas. Then a clearly manifest and wonderful sign was given the ship rose at the prow and settled at the stern, so that no one doubted but that the martyr had placed his hand under the prow. : A certain German pilgrim who had devoted himself to the A German service of this martyr, while on his way to Jerusalem to offer pilgrim up prayers, became ill and died, while on a vessel on the Mediterranean Sea. The sailors, in accordance with their custom, cast him into the sea on the same day, stripped of his clothing. The ship, borne on, continued on the journey which it had begun. The thing which I am about to relate is wonderful, yet I am not stretching the truth. Late in the night, behold, the man who had been cast overboard rose above the waters and entered the ship from the stern. The helmsman of the ship, who was seated near the stern, watching the winds and stars, was much astonished at this apparition, and asked whether he were propitious or otherwise, to which he replied: “I am the dead man whom you cast into the sea; the blessed Thomas has restored me to life and to this vessel. Restore to me the place which I hired and my clothes, for I am very cold." All were filled with astonishment and delight over this thing which had happened. This occurrence, received from the helmsman himself, was reported to us by a clerk of Canterbury. A certain man of Brindisi, a fellow-citizen and neighbor of the helmsman of this boat, told us the same thing in the same way. A woman by the name of Beatrice lived in the coast regions A poor near where the marsh separates Kent and Sussex. When she woman's cow saw that a pestilence was carrying off the cattle, and by this sudden outbreak the pastures were being stripped of their flocks, she made a vow, saying, "Preserve, O martyr, this one cow of mine, that it be not carried off by this pestilence. I |