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On Tue, 20 Aug 1996 08:36:06 -0500 (CDT) Mark E. Allen wrote: > From: Mark E. Allen <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 08:36:06 -0500 (CDT) > Subject: query: Becket's relics (fwd) > To: [log in to unmask] > > I am forwarding this message from the Chaucer discussion group in hopes > that the common wisdom here may help. Apologies for cross-posting. > Does anyone know what Becket relics were kept at Canterbury Cathedral after > his death? Yes. If you read the materials of the life of Becket, ed. Howlett, in the Rolls Series, you will find mention of the saint's hair underpants (femoralia). The rest of us content ourselves with wearing hair shirts during Lent; Becket also wore hair pants. After his quarrel with Henry II, Becket road at great speed to Dover, took ship, and in France galloped with considerable velocity to the monastery of Pontigny, where he took refuge. He then found that, what with all the hard riding, he had worn a hole in his hair pants, and in his haste had neglected to bring another pair with him. This would have been no problem in Canterbury, where he had a little woman who 'did' for him; but he didn't know whom to ask in Pontigny and moreover was a bit embarrassed about raising the subject. He accordingly procured a darning needle and some thread, and sat in the choir of the abbey church, where he could be on his own. However, he had never been trained in needlework and found he was making a complete hames of it. He got more and more frustrated until - a blessed miracle! Our Lady appeared, and with a sweet smile, took the archiepiscopal knickers from him, saying "This is woman's work!" She sewed them up so neatly that you'd never know they'd been holed. Thomas burst into tears at this great sign of humility on Our Lady's part. He was wearing the said femoralia when he was martyred, and they were kept as a relic in Canterbury. The thing was, apparently, to dip them in water which you then drank. This had a strongly emetic quality and was very useful in curing the dropsy. I suspect the story lies behind the lines at the end of the Pardoner's Tale: Thou woldest have me kiss thine olde breech And swere it was a relic of a seint Thogh it were with thy fundament depeint. - Doctor Elasticus. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%