THE LEGEND.

PART I

ONCE on a time three Pilgrims true, Being Father and Mother and Son, For pure devotion to the Saint, This pilgrimage begun.

Their names, little friends, I am sorry to say, In none of my books can I find;

But the son, if you please, we'll call Pierre, What the parents were call'd, never mind.

From France they came, in which fair land
They were people of good renown,

And they took up their lodging one night on the way
In La Calzada town.

nature hath bestowed upon this shell, as that the Collar of the Order of St. Michel in France, in the first institution thereof, was richly garnished with certain pieces of gold artificially wrought, as near as the artificer could by imitation express the stamp of nature."— Display of Heraldry, p. 171. (first edit.)

One of the three manners, in which Santiago is commonly represented, is in the costume of a Compostellan pilgrim, with a scallop-shell in his hat. All three are described in a book, as rare of occurrence as curious in its subject, thus intitled, "Pictor Christianus Eruditus: sive, De Erroribus, qui passim admittuntur circa pingendas atque effingendas Sacras Imagines. Libri Octo cum Appendice. Opus Sacræ Scripturæ, atque Ecclesiasticæ Historiæ studiosis non inutile. Authore R. P. M. Fr. Joanne Interian de Ayala, Sacri, Regii, ac Militaris Ordinis Beatæ Mariæ de Mercede Redemptionis Captivorum, Salmanticensis Academiæ Doctore Theologo, atque ibidem Sanctæ Theologiæ cum Sacrarum Linguarum Interpretatione Professore jam pridem emerito. Anno D. 1730, Matriti: Ex Typographia Conventus præfati Ordinis." fol.

One of the Censors of this book says, "Prodit in lucem Pictor Christianus eruditissimi pectoris eruditissimus fœtus, obstetricante N. RR. P. M. Fr. Josepho Campazano de la Vega." The work was published by the Master's direction at the cost of the Order; the Master dedicated it to N. Señora de las Mercedes as "elaboratum excultumque quantum potuit," by her assistance; and there is a censura prefixed by Ferreras the Historian, speaking forcibly of the importance of the undertaking, and of the great ability with which it is executed.

Instead of perceiving that Santiago is represented in the costume of his own pilgrims, this author supposed that the Saint is so attired because he had travelled over Spain! The whole passage is curious for its grave and cool credulity. "Sanctus Jacobus Zebedei filius, Hispaniæ primarius (quidquid alii commenti sint) Patronus atque Apostolus, bifariam sæpius a Pictoribus describitur. Pingitur enim peregrini habitu, oblongo innixus baculo, ex quo etiam bursa pendeat, et circa humeros amiculo, quod Hispani Esclavinam vocant; insuper et cum galero satis amplo, quem tamen ornant conchæ, quæ circa littus maris passim se offerunt: Totum id ex eo arbitror proficisci, quod Hispaniam celerrimè, et ut decebat Tonitru filium, peragraverat ; ubi postmodum corpus ejus è Hierosolymis translatum condigno honore colitur. Sed ab aliis etiam cum gladio pingitur, cumque libro aperto. Quæ pictura (inquit frequens nobis author) etsi rarior sit, priori

Molan. lib. iii. c, 26.

Now, if poor Pilgrims they had been, And had lodged in the Hospice instead of the Inn, My good little women and men, Why then you never would have heard, This tale of the Cock and the Hen.

For the Innkeepers they had a daughter, Sad to say, who was just such another, As Potiphar's daughter, I think, would have been If she follow'd the ways of her mother.

This wicked woman to our Pierre Behaved like Potiphar's wife; And, because she fail'd to win his love, She resolved to take his life.

So she pack'd up a silver cup
In his wallet privily;

And then, as soon as they were gone,
She raised a hue and cry.

tamen est præferenda, quod ex Sacrâ Scripturâ desumpta sit, et martyrium ejus explicat. Quod ita habetur, Occidit autem Jacobum fratrem Joannis gladio.' Sæpè etiam pingitur equo insistens, armatusque gladio, acies Maurorum impigrè perrumpens, eosque ad internecionem usque cædens. Quod non exiguâ cum Hispani nominis gloriâ rectè fit; cùm sæpè visus sit pro Hispanis in aëre pugnans; de cujus rei fide dubium esse non potest iis qui interfuerunt ejus Ecclesiastico officio, ubi illud metricè habetur,

66 Tu bello cùm nos cingerent, Es visus ipso in prælio, Equoque et ense acerrimus

Mauros furentes sternere.

Atque idem alibi solutâ oratione describitur illis verbis † ; Ipse etiam gloriosus Apostolus in difficillimis præliis palàm se conspiciendum præbens, Hispanos adversus Infideles pugnantes mirificè juvit.'" — Lib. vii. c. ii. pp. 320, 321.

1 Sir John Hawkins says, "that the pilgrims to St. James of Compostella excavated a staff, or walking stick, into a musical instrument for recreation on their journey.". History of Music, vol. iv. p. 139., quoted in Fosbrooke's British Monachism, p. 469. Mr. Fosbrooke thinks that "this ascription of the invention of the Bourdon to these pilgrims in particular is very questionable." Sir John probably supposed with Richelet that the Bourdon was peculiar to these pilgrims, and therefore that they had invented it.

Mr. Fosbrooke more than doubts the Etymon from a musical use. "The barbarous Greek Bogdovia," he observes, signified a beast of burden, and the Bourdon was a staff of support. But the various meanings of the word, as given by Cotgrave, make out its history satisfactorily. Bourdon, a drone, or dorre-bee, (Richelet says, "grosse mouche, ennemie des abeilles,") also the humming or buzzing of bees; also the drone of a bagpipe; also a pilgrim's staff; also a walking staff, having a sword, &c. within it.

"It was doubtless applied to the use of pitching the note, or accompanying the songs with which pilgrims used to recreate themselves on their journeys, and supposed by Menestrier to be hymns and canticles.". Fosbrooke, p. 422.

In Germany "walking-sticks that serve as tubes for pipes, with a compressing pump at one end to make a fire, and a machine at the other for impaling insects without destroying their beauty, are common." (Hodgskin's Travels, vol. ii. p. 135.) I have seen a telescope and a barometer in a walking-stick, if that name may be applied to a staff of copper.

In festo Translat. ejusdem. 30 Dec.

1 There is another story of a bird among the miracles of Santiago; the poor subject of the miracle was not so fortunate as the Cock and Hen of the Alcayde; but the story is true. It occurred in Italy; and the Spanish fable is not more characteristic of the fraudulent practices carried on in the Romish Church, than the Italian story is of the pitiable superstition which such frauds fostered, and which was, and is to this day, encouraged by the dignitaries of that church.

At the request of St. Atto, Bishop of Pistoja, the Pistojans say that some relics, taken from Santiago's most precious head, were given to their church by the Archbishop of Compostella, Diego Gelmirez, a person well known in Spanish history. "Nullus umquam mortalium hoc donum impetrare posset," he affirmed when he made the gift: and the historian of the translator adds, "quod verè a Domino factum credimus et non dubitamus, sicut manifestis et apertis indiciis manifestè et apertè miracula declarabunt." There is a good collection of these miracles, but this of the Bird is the most remarkable.

"In those days," says the writer, "another miracle, as pious as it is glorious, was wrought by the Lord, in the which he who worthily perpends it will perceive what may pertain to the edification of all those who visit the shrine of Santiago, and of all faithful Christians. About three weeks after the consecration of Santiago's altar, a certain girl of the country near Pistoja was plucking hemp in a garden, when she observed a pigeon flying through the air, which came near her, and alighted: upon which she put up a prayer to the Lord Santiago, saying, O Lord Santiago, if the things which are related of thee at Pistoja be true, and thou workest miracles as the Pistojans affirm, give me this pigeon, that it may come into my hands!' Forthwith the pigeon rose from the spot where it had alighted, and, as if it were a tame bird, came to her, and she took it in her hands, and held it there as if it had been lifeless. What then did the girl do? She carried it home, showed it to her father, and to him and the rest of the family related in what manner it had come to her hands. Some of them said, 'Let us kill and eat it:' others said, 'Do not hurt it, but let it go.' So the girl opened her hand, to see what it would do. The pigeon, finding itself at liberty, fled to the ground, and joined the poultry which were then picking up their food, nor did it afterwards go from the house, but it remained in their company as if it belonged to them.

THE LEGEND.

PART III.

"A MIRACLE! a miracle!" The people shouted, as they might well, When the news went through the town; And every child and woman and man Took up the cry, and away they ran To see Pierre taken down.

They made a famous procession; My good little women and men, Such a sight was never seen before, And I think will never again.

Santiago's Image, large as life, Went first with banners and drum and fife; And next, as was most meet,

The twice-born Cock and Hen 1 were borne Along the thronging street.

"All therefore regarding, with no common wonder, the remarkable tameness of this pigeon, which indeed was not a tame bird but a wild one, they went to a priest in the adjacent city, and acquainted him with the circumstances. The priest, giving good counsel to the girl and her father, as he was bound to do, said, 'We will go together to our Lord the Bishop on Sunday, and act as he may think proper to direct us in this matter.' Accordingly on the Sunday they went to Pistoja, and presented the pigeon to the Bishop, who with his Canons was then devoutly celebrating mass in honour of Santiago, upon the holy altar which had been consecrated to his honour. The Prelate, when he had listened to their story, took the bird, and placed it upon the wall of the chancel, which is round about the altar of Santiago, and there it remained three weeks, never departing from thence, excepting that sometimes, and that very seldom, it flew about the church, but always returned without delay to its own station, and there mildly, gently, harmlessly, and tamely continued; and rarely did it take food.

"But people from Lucca, and other strangers, plucked feathers from its neck, that they might carry them away for devotion, and moreover, that they might exhibit them to those who had not seen the bird itself. From such injuries it never attempted to defend itself, though its neck was skinned by this plucking, and this the unthinking people continued to do, till at length the pigeon paid the debt of nature. And it was no wonder that it died; for how could any creature live that scarcely ever ate or slept? People came thither night and day from all parts, and one after another disturbed it; and every night vigils were kept there, the clergy and the people with loud voices singing praises to the Lord, and many lights were continually burning there: how, therefore, could it live, when it was never allowed to be at rest? The clergy and people grieving at its death, as indeed it was a thing to be lamented, took counsel, and hung up the skin and feathers to be seen there by all comers.

"In such and so great a matter what could be more gratifying, what more convenient than this wonderful sign which the Almighty was pleased to give us? There is no need to relate any thing more concerning the aforesaid pigeon; it was seen there openly and publicly by all comers, so that not only the laity and clergy of that city, but many religious people from other parts, abbots, friars, clergy, and laity, are able to attest the truth. And I also add this my testimony as a true

Nn

and faithful witness, for I saw the pigeon myself for a whole week, and actually touched it with my own hands."

There is a postscript to this story, as melancholy as the tale itself. The sick, and the crippled, and the lame, had been brought to this church, in expectation of obtaining a miraculous cure by virtue of the new relics which had arrived. Among these was a poor woman in the last stage of disease, who had been brought upon her pallet into the church, and was laid in a corner, and left there; nor was it observed that this poor creature was "in articulo mortis," till the pigeon flew to the place, and alighted upon her, and so drew the attention of the people in the church to the dying woman, 64 'quam quidem, prout credimus, nisi columba monstrasset,