(60) Herbaldown hospital.

It is not a little remarkable, that while the lordly monasteries of Canterbury, with their incalculable riches, were swept away shortly after the visit of Erasmus, the humble hospital which he mentions with something like contempt, has remained to our own time.

It is situated at Herbaldown, about one mile from the West Gate of the city; and was one of three lazarhouses founded by archbishop Lanfranc, about the year 1084. Such hospitals were erected away from the town population, in order to avoid infection. The two other hospitals of St. James and St. Lawrence were suppressed after the Reformation, respectively in 1551 and 1557; but Herbaldown escaped, continuing to receive a yearly pension of 80%. from the archbishop, and other revenues, amounting in all to nearly 2507. in 1784. Its history, compiled by the Rev. Nicholas Battely and the Rev. John Duncombe, was published in 4to. 1785, in No. xxx. of the Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica. An ancient church dedicated to Saint Nicholas was attached to the hospital, and the corporate seal represents a figure of that episcopal saint, with this inscription, Sigill' infirmorum hospitalis Sc'i Nicholai de Herbaldoune. On Saint Nicholas' day the brethren and sisters (for there were both,) had an annual feast; and a curious maple bowl is

still preserved which was used on these occasions. It has a silver rim, and a silver medallion at the bottom, its workmanship early in the 14th century, and representing a scene from the romance of Guy of Warwick.

GY DE WARWIC AD A NOVN

YCCI OCCIS LE DRAGOVN.

"Of Warwick he hight Guyon.

Here he slays the dragon."

(61) Saint Patrick's Cave.

In his Adagia Erasmus has again alluded to Saint Patrick's Cave. After explaining the proverb, In Trophonii antro vaticinatus est, as originating with a vision of Tartarus, related by Plutarch in the "Dream of Socrates," he remarks, "This story seems to me so like that which is related of the cave of Patrick, in Ireland, that one might be thought taken from the other. Yet even now there are very many who descend: but after having first half killed themselves with a three days' fast, lest they should enter with a sound head. Those who have descended relate that they have lost their inclination for laughing for the rest of their lives."

In the Colloquy before us, Erasmus seems to introduce the Cave of Saint Patrick last, as if he deemed it the crowning absurdity of Pilgrimage, and as if a mere allusion to it were sufficient: yet, so strong is the in

veteracy of superstition, that this imposture has flourished down to the present time, and that even in the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. See Sir John Barrow's Tour round Ireland, Carleton's Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, and a very interesting historical dissertation on this and cognate topics, entitled, "St. Patrick's Purgatory; an Essay on the Legends of Purgatory, Hell, and Paradise, current during the Middle Ages. By Thomas Wright, esq. M.A., F.S.A." 1844. 12mo.

St. Patrick's Purgatory is situated on an island of Lough Derg, among the mountains of the county of Donegal. There are various records of its having been visited by pilgrims of the higher ranks in the middle ages, some of whom came even from the continent of Europe. An amusing account of it occurs in the Chronicle of Froissart, arising in a conversation between the author and sir William Lysle, as they were travelling together in Kent. "Than on Friday in the mornynge sir William Lysle and I rode together, and on the waye I demaunded of him, if he had bene with the kynge in the voyage into Ireland. He answered me, yes. Than I demaunded of him the maner of the hole that is in Ireland, called Saynte Patrykes purgatorye, if it were trewe that was sayde of it or not. Than he sayde, that of a suretye suche a hole there was, and that he him selfe and another knight of Englande hadde ben there while the kinge laye at Duvelyn, and sayde, howe they entred into the hole

N

and were closed in at the sonne goynge downe, and abode there all night, and the nexte mornyng issued out agayne at the son rising. Than I demaunded if he had any suche strange sightes or visions as was spoken of. Than he said howe that whan he and his felow were entred and past the gate that was called the purgatory of Saynt Patrike, and that they were descended and gone downe, thre or foure partes discendynge downe as into a cellar, a certayne hoote vapure rose agayne them and strake so into their heedes, that they were fayne to syt downe on the stares, which are of stone. And after they had sytte there a season, they had great desyre to slepe, and so fell aslepe, and slept there all nyght. Than I demaunded if that in theyr slepe they knewe where they were, or what vysyons they had: he answered me, that in slepyng they entred into great ymaginacyons and in marveylous dremes, otherwise than they were wonte to have in their chambres; and in the mornynge they issued out, and, wythin a shorte season, clene forgate their dremes and visyons, wherfore he sayde, he thought all that mater was but a fantasy."

(62) The Roman stations.

"It were

In his Modus orandi Deum Erasmus has frequent remarks on the images and pictures in churches. to be wished," he says, "that nothing should be seen in

Christian churches but what is worthy of Christ.

Now

we see there so many fables and follies depicted, as the seven falls of our lord Jesus, the seven swords of the Virgin, or her three vows, and other idle inventions of that kind; and then the saints not represented in a guise becoming them."

The general character of art in Roman Catholic churches has certainly not improved during the three centuries that have elapsed since Erasmus wrote. They are still crowded with images and pictures, which degrade the persons and subjects they are intended to honour. The Stationes are maintained in large churches, denoting the several halting-places of processions: they are generally numbered, and further marked by a very ordinary series of paintings, or perhaps of engravings, of "the seven falls of our lord Jesus," and other real or apocryphal scenes in the history of the Passion.

(63) The sumptuousness of churches.

The same arguments which Erasmus here advances as the joint sentiments of Colet and himself on the subject of church architecture and ornaments, he repeats in nearly the same terms in another Colloquy, and again with special reference to what he had seen at Canterbury :

"It appears to me that those are almost guilty of mortal sin, who proceed to immoderate expenses in the