The New Guide to Peterborough Cathedral | Page 7

yet standing; the lavatory continued entire
until the year 1651, and then, with the whole cloister, it was also pulled
down."
About this time, in the reign of King John, England was the scene of
those civil contentions which terminated in favour of the barons, and
the attainment of a charter of liberties. A large number of the
monasteries in England were, however, despoiled by the king before
the fate of the war was decided, and amongst them was Crowland
Abbey. It is likely that of Peterburgh escaped the fury of the king's
soldiers, for we do not read of any outrage being committed upon it at
that time in the monkish records. Lindsay wrote a history of the
monastery, according to Pitseus, but he did not enrich the church
library with any valuable additions. He ruled seven years, and died in
1222.
Alexander de Holderness was the successor of Lindsay, and was
elected November 30, 1222. He was called Holderness from the place
where he was born. This abbot made a number of improvements in his
monastery, and enriched it with money and relics. He built, says
Gunton, "the solarium magnum at the door of the abbot's chamber, and
a cellerarium under it, and furnished the church also with that precious
crystal vessel wherein the blood of Thomas à Becket was kept." He
likewise built halls at Oundle, Castor, Eyebury, and other places. He
was much beloved by the monks, and died, after a government of four
years, in 1226.
An interesting incident in connexion with this abbot may here be
mentioned. On the 2nd of April, 1830, when the workmen were making
a foundation in the cathedral church for the erection of a new choir,
they discovered beneath one of the slabs a stone coffin, which their
curiosity led them to open. They were surprised to find that it contained

the body of a man, with a large coarse garment around it, equipped with
boots, and having a crosier by its side. There were several very
remarkable things connected with this discovery. The boots were what
are called "rights and lefts," and in a good state of preservation. The
crosier was perfect, and a part of the body was hard, and of a
copper-coloured hue, whilst the other part was decomposed. The body
was headless, and a piece of lead was found lying in place of the skull,
with this inscription upon it--
ABBAS: ALEXANDR:
These remains were gathered together, replaced in the shell, and buried
in the south aisle, nearly opposite the burial place of Mary Queen of
Scots.
Martin de Ramsey was chosen abbot after the death of Alexander. His
election was sanctioned by the king, and he was confirmed by the
Bishop of Lincoln, at Westminster. There is nothing remarkable
recorded of this abbot. He "disafforested" several lands about
Peterburgh, and added them to the possessions of the monastery.
During the rule of this abbot, Pope Gregory IX. ordered that when there
should be an interdiction of the monastery lands, the monks should
close their doors, and not allow the people to hear their prayers, or
participate in them; but the privilege was granted to the monks of
Peterborough to say the service in a low voice to themselves, the
ringing of the bell being dispensed with.
Martin ruled six years, died in 1232, and was succeeded by Walter de
St. Edmond, in 1233. It was during the government of this abbot that
the monastery of Peterburgh was re-dedicated and consecrated with
holy oil, by the Bishops of Lincoln and Exeter [1238], according to the
decrees of the constitution of Otto.[10] The ceremony was attended
with the usual pomp of such proceedings, and the possessions of the
monastery were ratified anew. Walter de Whittlesea gives a very
favourable account of the disposition of this abbot, and speaks very
highly of his benevolence to King Henry, who was reduced to the
necessity of seeking support from this and other monasteries. St.

Edmond entertained the king twice at Peterburgh, in company with the
queen and the young prince. He also "gave 60 marks towards the
marriage of Margaret, his daughter, with Alexander III., King of
Scotland," and increased the number of his monks to one hundred and
ten. He made likewise three several journeys to Rome upon civil and
ecclesiastical business. The cause of one of these journeys was
this:--The Pope (Gregory, 1241) sent messages to Burgh, demanding
that the abbot should give unto one of his favourites a certain yearly
sum, or a number of lands equal to that sum, and the abbot refused to
do so without the consent of the king who was patron of the monastery;
and going to Rome to know the cause of such an arbitrary demand, he
was reproved by the Pope