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النشر الإلكتروني

THE NORTHERN STAR.

No. 10.-For MARCH, 1818.

Picturesque Scenery, Topography, &c.

KIRKSTALL ABBEY.

THE ruins of Kirkstall Abbey are situated about three miles from Leeds: and, if retirement is favourable to devotion; if simple yet beautiful scenery has a tendency to tranquilize the mind, and elevate its views to Him who is the source and perfection of beauty, perhaps, it is impossible to make choice of a more appropriate situation for the erection of a temple than that which these ruins occupy.

The building of this abbey was begun A.D. 1152,* in the 17th year of the reign of Stephen,† and finished in thirty years, under the superintendance of Alexander, abbot of the monastery of Mount St. Mary, Barnoldswick, which was converted into a grange on the removal of the brethren to Kirkstall. The piety of this abbot is somewhat suspicious; but his taste, ability, and perseverance are abundantly manifested in the choice of this situation, the structure of the abbey, and his successful management of affairs relating to it, during the space of thirty-five years.

Hageth, the successor of Alexander, though he revived the strictness and austerity, and of consequence, the spiritual repute of his brethren, was for some time, neither a dexterous, nor a prudent manager of their temporal affairs. The former part of his administration was unsuccessful, the lat ter, however, was more prosperous. And, though want of success exposed the abbot to the censures of his brethren, yet prosperity appears to have done him honour, for after being abbot of Kirkstall upwards of eight years, he was removed to the more important charge of Fountains' Abbey, where he died.

Lambert, the third abbot of Kirkstall, attended still less to temporal matters than his predecessor. During his presidency, the abbey was converted into a grange; and, in retaliation for an unprovoked injury, which the abbot had done to the inhabitants, it was burnt, and the lay-brethren

* About 200 yards to the north-west of the Abbey, is a stone in the wall of a gateway, with this inscription, "Vesper's Gate, A. D. 1152.”

This abbey enjoyed the favour of Stephen, who was a great friend of their order. (Thirty-two monasteries for them,were established during his reign of 18 years and 10 months.) Henry II. confirmed its privileges. Henry III. took it into his immediate protection, and Edward I. recommended the descendant of its founder, Henry, Earl of Lincoln, to pay its debts. Edward III. and Richard II. also were its friends.

who managed it were slain. Lambert would doubtless have avenged this outrage, had he not been appeased by the most humiliating submission on the part of the offenders, and by the promise of a sum of money for the damage they had done. He interceded with Robert de Lacy for them, and obtained their pardon. Lambert died soon after he had rebuilt the grange.

"Turgesius," the next abbot, according to one of his contemporaries, 66 was a severe chastiser of his own body, and all the motions of the flesh; ever clad in hair-cloth, and always repeating to himself, they who are clad in soft raiment are in kings' houses.' He abstained from wine and animal food; his dress was invariably a tunic and a cowl. He shed abundance of tears when he officiated at the altar; and in ordinary conversation scarcely refrained from weeping. After nine years' presidency, he retired to Fountains' Abbey, where he died.

Helias, the successor of Turgesius, having been accustomed to business, soon regulated their affairs. How long he lived after his election, or whether he resigned his office, is uncertain.

Little is recorded of the abbots who succeeded Helias, and still less that is worthy of preservation. Two letters, however, the first by Hugh de Grimston, the 15th abbot of Kirkstall, and the second by John de Birdsall, his successor, have been deservedly rescued from oblivion. The former of these epistles appears to be the production of an artful and intriguing priest, the latter, the genuine effusion of one possessing a simple and honest heart.*

• LETTER I.

Brother Hugh, called Abbot of Kirkstall, to his beloved in Christ, the Convent of the same house, health and blessing in the bond of peace.

"Our distresses at the last general chapter with respect to Simon being ended, we set out for Gascony on an uncertain errand, and with a bitter and heavy heart, as our be loved brother and son John de Birdsall, will inform you. But after many hindrances, and with great difficulty, both from the unexpected length of the journey, and the extreme poverty of Burgundy, which we traversed through thickets rather than highways, we met with the King in the remotest part of Gascony. On the way we were afflicted. with a quartan fever, which reduced us so low that we de paired of life; but blessed be the heavenly Physician, nothing more than a trifling remnant of thecomplaint now hangs about us.

"Here we found our patron, the Earl of Lincoln, with other great men of the court, attending upon the King, and to him we explained fully, and to the best of our ability, the distresses of the house. He was touched with pity at the representation, and promised us all the information and assistance in his power

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"And that the treasurer and barons of the exchequer aforesaid, may faithfully execute these writs, we have letters of recommendation addressed to them from all the earls, bishops, barons, and other counsellors of the King, attending upon him at this place. But because the King was not inclined to interfere with the debt due to the Cardinal, or to Tockles, the Jew, or with the wool, although we had many intercessors with him; yet by the grace of God obtained through the mediatiou of your prayers, aud by the mediocrity of our own understanding, reflecting that if either of these debts remained undischarged, it would be productive of great inconvenience to the house, we hit at length upon a remedy which is likely to be effectual.

"For having shewn to the Earl and his council an extent of our lands in Blackburn

The monks of Kirkstall were of the Cistercian order, founded originally in a province of Burgundy, in the year 1098, and brought into England in 1128. Their first house was at Waverley, in Surrey, and at the dissolution of monasteries throughout England, there were eighty-five of this order in the kingdom. Their churches were dedicated to the Blessed

shire, besides Estwysell, and another of our lands in Rounday, Shadwell, and Seacroft, it appeared that the above-mentioned lands and tenements, with the addition of £4 which for several years last past we have received out of the exchequer of Pontefract, deducting every thing which in reason ought to be deducted, would amount to £41. 7s. 9d. yearly. Now this revenue might be sold for £413.7s. 6d. What need of more words? Let there be no buying or sale of these premises but a dexterons exchange, so that instead of this £41. 7s. 9d. deducting uncertain and untried improvements, the possibility of which we are not convinced of, we shall receive yearly out of the exchequer at Pontefract twenty-four marks for ever, with this excellent condition annexed, that the said Earl, in order to discharge the debt due to the Cardinal and the Jew, engages for the payment of 350 marks, under the penalty of repairing whatever damage may accrue to us by any irregularity in the payment.

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But what it was that touched the Abbot of Fountains with compassion; by what reasons he was overcome, and how induced to give up a great deal for a little, it would not be prudent to trust to paper. And that we might not be deceived in any of the premises, we have been careful to enrol in Chancery the obligations we have received for pâyment of the above sums, and the contract in like manner. Both these, moreover, are ratified by the King's confirmation, which is in our hands.

"And now, brethren, from what has gone before, ye may, in some measure, under stand what trouble we have undergone. If therefore we have done well, think of a recompense; if otherwise, or that we have been lake-warm in your concern, spare our infirmity.

"But we require you, that ye labour day and night to the utmost of your ability, that every thing belonging to you, excepting the crops upon the ground, which cannot be removed without being destroyed, may be entirely taken away before the Earl's messenger, whom we purposely detain here with his horse and groom, shall arrive to take livery and seizin of the lands.

And whatever is incapable of being removed, abandon peaceably, because the said Earl by his letters, directed to Sir R. de Salem, which he will receive by the bearer of these, hath required him to purchase at a fair price, whatever you are inclined to sell, within his bailiwick, and to afford you every other accommodation consistent with the livery of the lands.

"It will not be prudent to shew these letters to any one; but, until you have all safe, keep your own counsel secret from every one out of the bosom of the chapter.

And because we desire to be informed of what has happened since our departure, before we make any new contract, which might possibly interfere with your present circumstances, we require you, on sight and hearing hereof, to inform us of your situation by the swiftest messenger you have. Send some money too by the same hand, however you come by it, even though it be taken from the sacred oblation, that we may at least be able to purchase necessaries while we are labouring in your vineyard. In this we earnestly entreat you not to fail, for in truth we were never so destitute before. Farewell, my beloved! Peace be with you. Amen."

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"From Castle REGINALD,

on the morrow of St. Martin's, A. D. 1287."

LETTER II.

To his Reverend Brethren, the Prior and Convent of the Monastery of Kirkstall, John, styled Abbot of the same, wishes health and grace, and that they may labour more earnestly after the things which concern religious peace and charity.

Beloved, we have written this letter in haste from Canterbury, knowing that an

*

Virgin. They were denominated White Monks, from a white robe, in the form of a cassock, which was a part of their ordinary dress.

The rules of the Cistercian order were remarkably severe and rigid. "Its professors were debarred the use, not only of animal food, but even of fish, milk, and cheese. The hours of the day were devoted to labour and prayer, and were seldom enlivened by conversation, as silence was enjoined during the performance of all their exercises. At the hour of mid

account of the success of our journey will be pleasing to you. In the first place, our dear brother who was present, will inform you that on the morrow of St. Lawrence we were met by letters from the King, in a very threatening style; that we were apprized of robbers who laid wait for us in the woods, under a rock; and that we were bound under the penalty of forfeiting all our goods, to abide the King's pleasure. However, having been at length dismissed from his presence with honour, we proceeded on our way, and notwithstanding the delay in London, arrived at Canterbury on Monday evening, ourselves, our servants and horses being all well. We are not without hope therefore, that our feeble beginnings will be followed by better fortune. On Wednesday morning, the wind blowing fair, we put the horses on board a ship ↑

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"For the time to come we commend yon, dear brethren, to God, and our bodily safety to your prayers! But especially pray for the salvation of our souls, for we are not greatly sollicitous if this earthly part of us be delivered into the hand of the wicked one, so that the spirit be saved in the day of the Lord, which we hope for through the assistance of your intercessions: yet we should wish, if it be the will of God, to be committed to the earth by your hands, wherever you shall dispose.

"But know assuredly that if we return, whoever shall have been most humble in conversation, and active in business during our absence, shall receive an ample measure of grace, and recompense from God, and shall every hour be more affectionately regarded by us.

"We entreat and enjoin brother R. Rekisley to prepare himself for the duty of preaching on the nativity of our Lord, unless we return in the mean time, that so great a fes tival may not pass without a sermon, a thing which never yet happened, and, by the grace of God never shall.

"We wrote unto certain persons, abstain from every appearance of evil and avoid it beforehand, whatever is or can be pretended in its behalf. God shall give you the knowledge of these things.

"We adjure you, brethren, by the bowels of mercy in Jesus Christ, that if ye hear of our departure, ye will pray for us faithfully, remembering the labours and distresses which we endured in the beginning of our creation, and of which ye are reaping the fruits in peace.

"Ye know, dearly beloved, that worldly occupations such as we have been long entangled in for your sakes, are not without danger to the soul. But we derive great hope from your compassion, seeing that we aim at no earthly advantage, nor consume the revenues of the monastery without cause.

"Salute our dear friends, #

• ⚫ and especially our dearest com

panion, to whom we would have some one interpret this letter: when he hears it he will scarcely be able to refrain from tears, which he shed abundantly at our parting. "We commend our poor mother to your compassion. Salute one another with an holy kiss.

"The salutation of me, John, your minister, such as I am, who am studying to do every thing in my power for your advantage and honour.

"We commend you again and again to God and the Blessed Virgin."

"Written at CANTERURY With many tears."

+ The official seal of Kirkstall Abbey, is a figure of the Virgin and Child surrounded with this motto: T quid PATE una Valet,a an engraving of which is given in WHITAKER'S History of Craven.

night they left their straw pallets, and assembled in the church of the convent to prayers."

Complaints of a relaxation of discipline were made against many of the monasteries, long before their final dissolution. Abuses became at length so general and gross, that their fall was inevitable. The monastery of Kirkstall, though no charge was preferred against it of a criminal nature, shared the general fate. The last abbot, John Ripley, surrendered it into the hands of the King's commissioners, on the 22nd of Nov. 1540, in the 31st of the reign of Henry VIII.

*

The abbey was unroofed, at the time of its surrender, and the lead and timber taken away: its complete destruction was left to time, the general destroyer, and the dilapidations of the surrounding tenantry. It is probable that these ruins never presented to the eye of the contemplative visitor, at any preceeding period, a more interesting, or beautiful appearance. The oak which has for centuries waved its branches on the brow of the mountain, and in its age has been shivered by some tremendous tempest-the face furrowed with wrinkles--the head covered with silver hairs -the body beat with age, affliction, and labour, strike and interest the mind as forcibly as the broken wall covered with ivy-as the roofless choir -as the threatening turrets of this one stately temple.

The ruins of Kirkstall Abbey, whether viewed as a whole or in detached parts, are exceedingly interesting and beautiful. "The church of the monastery," (which the annexed engraving serves to illustrate,) says an historian of this abbey, to whose work the writer of this sketch has been considerably indebted, "is built in the form of a cross, † and over the intersection of the cross aisles with the body of the church, about fifty feet from the east end, a tower was erected, which according to the practice of the twelfth century was only carried a little higher than the church; but about the reign of Henry VII. the tower was raised to its present height, and was entire until the night of Jan. 27th, 1779, but one of the columns on which it rested, probably overloaded with the immense addition, suddenly gave way and precipitated to the ground two sides of the whole tower. Though it is impossible not to regret this circumstance, it is not thought to have materially diminished the effect of the ruins. The south and east sides of the tower still remain.

"The body of the church is divided into a nave and two aisles by a double row of massy columns, composed of a cluster of eight and twelve

• Since that period, forest-trees have grown to the girt of 12 feet, within the walls of the ruin, their trunks covered with ivy.

A correct original ground-plan of the whole may be seen in BURTON's Eboracense, &c.

The length from the east window to the west door is 224 feet. The transept north and south extends from the side aisles 27 feet; add this to the width of the nave and aisles (60 feet) and it will make the length of the transept 114 feet, which crosses the nave, 45 feet from the east window. The pillars of the nave are 15 feet in girt, and 6 feet square at the base,

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