What Became of the Bones of St. Thomas?

by Mason, Arthur James

• ISBN13: 9781107600478
• ISBN10: 1107600472
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-11-18
• Publisher: Cambridge Univ Pr

Summary

First published in 1920, this volume was written by the theologian, scholar, and canon of Canterbury Cathedral, Arthur James Mason. It was intended to bring together the known documentary evidence relating to the history of the relics of Thomas Becket. Divided into four sections, the book presents the narrative accounts of the death of Thomas Becket, the history of his tomb and the shrine dedicated to him, and the subsequent destruction of the shrine under the reign of Henry VIII. The last section, and the most significant for this study, is devoted to the discovery in 1888 of bones in the crypt of the cathedral thought to belong to Thomas Becket. The book offers a thorough overview of the evidence and circumstances of the discovery and encourages readers to draw their own conclusions.

Table of Contents

The Narratives of the Passion

William of Canterbury

William Fitzstephen

Note on the Priory of Dover

Benedict

John of Salisbury

Edward Grim

Garnier de Pont St Maurice

Notes

The Tomb and the Shrine

The Tomb

The Translation

The 'Polistorie'

Appendix ad quadrilogum

Thómas Saga Erkibyskups

Matthew Paris

Annals of Waverley

Annals of Dunstable

Higden's 'Polychronicon'

Robert of Gloucester

The Shrine and the Head

Schassek

Tetzel of Nuremberg

Erasmus's 'Peregrinato Religionis ergo'

Madame de Montreuil

Notes

The Destruction of the Shrine

The King's letter for taking away shrines and images

Commission for taking down St Richard's Shrine at Chichester

Commission for taking down the Shrine of St Hugh at Lincoln

Destruction of St Cuthbert's Shrine at Durham

Shrine of St William at York

Paul III's bull of excommunication against Henry VIII

R. Pole's denuntiation

N. Harpsfield's accusation

Archbishop Parker's account

The King's Proclamation, Nov. 16, 1538

the King's Letter to the Justices, December, 1538

C. Wriothesley's Chronicle

Stow's Chronicle and Annales

Holinshed's Chronicle

Payment for 'disgarnisshinge' of the shrine

Letters of J. Husee

And of T. Wriothesley and others

Official Denial of the burning of St Thomas's bones

W. Thomas's Pellegrino Inglese

John Bale

Note: the alleged posthumous trial of St Thomas

The Supposed Discovery of the Bones

Report of the Committee

Miss A. Holland's letters

Mr W. P. Thornton's account of the bones

Other items of evidence

Conclusion

Index

Frontispiece: the skull found in 1888

Plan of the monastery of Christ Church in Canterbury

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