St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-03-02
CHAPEL OF THE PYX.
History Of This Relic Of By-Qone
Years.
Built Daring tho Reign Of Edward the
C0nfessor le Served ~ Governmene
Treasury for Many Years-
How It Was Robbed

Of Westminster there is an antique
door. admitting to remarkable vault
cd chamber, built during the time OF
Edward the Confessor. and known as
the Chapel of the Pyx. 1t is called a
chapel probably from the fact OF there
being at the eastern end the remains
of a stone altar. and also q pssciNa close
by. II tradition may be accepted. here
lie the bones of HugOlin. treasurer to
Edward the Confessor. the prOgeaitOr
Of our ChancelOrs of tho Exchequer.
The chamber is built in two bays. with
q column i'm the center. from which
springs the vaulting. The aspect Is
gloomy and pris0n-likc. the heavily
barred window not tending to diminish
that effect Although part of the alb
hey buildings. this Is government prop
erty, for when we stand within its walls
We are in the first treasury OF the En-
glish nation, and where, in medieval
DAYS, the boarded wealth Of royalty
was kept under the eye and ccclesias-
tical guardianship OF the abbot and
monks Of Westminster. Here. up to
the time of the Reformation, the regalia
Of the Saxon monarchy. the Black Rood
of St. Margaret from Scotland (tho
Holy Cross Of Holyrood). the Cross Of
St. Neot from Wales, and al the later
acquisitions Of subsequent mOnarchs,
were deposited. Large sums of money.
chiefly for purposes Of conquest. &C
cumulated here. the money wrested
from Jew or citizen helping to swell
the amount
The close connection with tn"
ious house Of Westminster ana the
sacred character Of the Chamber. pre-
sumably consecrated its contents In the
eyes of the people. for no very strict
watch or guard seems 70 have been ex-
erciscd. The cloisters OF the mOnas-
terry were the playground and place OF
relaxation Of the monks. and here
probably the lay friends would be ad-
mittcd. Many would therefore know
of the place and its contents. To break
open and rob sch . treasure-hOuse
would be treason and sacrilege; the lat
ter in those days was punishable with
death without benefit Of clergy-a tor
rible sentence even when human life
was held cheaply; but added to this.
no sanctuary could be claimed BY the
sacrilcgious- The chapel being hedged
round with such pains and penalties.
was not troubled by the medieval burg
lar until early in the fourteenth cent
ury.
In the year 1908. Edward I was COM
mencing, or rather renewing war with
the Scots, a war Of revenge for defeats
suffered at their hands recently. and
for incursions made to the south Of the
Border. In this new campaign. q great
land-force was raised and dispatched
north. and numerous fleet sailed for
the same destination. The Scots were
to be crushed and their country
ravagcd. Fortune favored the English.
and the hardy Northerners retired on
every side before the three divisions OF
Edwards army. At the height OF the
victory. and while the King was at
Linlithgow, news reached him that the
treasury in the abbey at Westminster
had been forced and rined OF the vast
sum laid up there for carrying on the
war. The lords Of Her Majesty's suite
must have had bad quarter OF an
hour with the King after he learned
this; for to lose a sum of ElOO, 600. in
tended for the purpose OF a sweet re-
venge, must have been gall to the
ambitious monarch, stopping. rs it
must. some OF his schemes Of conquest.
Such an outrage on the royal property
had never before been committed. and
accordingly strong measures were
taken. The abbot and monks Of the
abbot were hurried Oh TO the tower;
and a trial, which continued for nearly
two wears. was commenced. The chron
icler and good friend Of the monastery
repudiates the assertion that any o.
the monks were engaged In the worn
of spoliatiou; but the chapter of West
minister. being intrusted with the safe
ty of the treasure, naturally was &C
cused of comuivance with the robbery.
The tribunal. before whom the broth
rem were taken. released the create
number, but condemned the subprio
and the sacrist; and they paid tn
penalty Of the crime.
The history of the eacsilsgious thes
y