The San Saba weekly news. (San Saba, Tex.) 18??-1???, 1891-08-14
THE LEGEND OF RAHERE.
AN INTERESTING TALE OF NOR
MAN LONDON.
Being Penitent, He Went On Pilgrim.
sge-How Could a Poor Man
Z Have Built Such a Fine
Church and HosDitaI.

Part of the present church OF St.
Bartholomew the Great is that actual
" built by Rahere the first founder
IN the beginning of the twelfth century
The story of Rahere is interesting
but incomplete. writes Walter Besant
in HarPer's Magazine, and involved in
many difficulties. He is variously said
to have been the kings minstrel, the
KING Jester. and man of low origin
who haunted great mems tables and
made them laugh-nothing less than
the comic person of the period-en-
tirely given over to the pleasures of
the world-in short the customary
prohigate, who saw the error OF his
way and was converted. The last
event Is quite possible because, as is
well known, there was at this time a
considerable revival of religion. The
story goes on to say that. being peni-
tent Rahere went on pilgrimage
Nothing more likely At this time
going on pilgrimage offered attractions
irresistible to many men. 1t was a
most agreeable way OF proving ones
repentance, showing a contrite heart,
ffand proV-44ng absolution. 1t also en-
abled TIE penitent to see the world and
tc get a beneficial change of air, food.
AMI friends. There were dangers on
The wav-they lent excitement to the
journey; robbers waylaid those of the
pilgrims who had any money; fevers
struck them low; if they marched
through the lands of the infidel they
were often attacked and stripped,
sBn-Asia Minor was white
with the bones OF those cut of on their
way to the Holy Land. But think of
the JOY, 10 one of an inquiring and
curious mind, who had never before
been beyond sight of the gray old
London walls, to be travelling in a
country where everything was new
the speech, the food. the wine the
customs. the dress-with a goodly
company, the length of the road be-
guiled by pleasant talk Everybody
pilgrimized who could, even the poor
est and the lowest. The pilgrim
wanted no money: he would start upon
his tramp with an empty scrip: such
one had nauGht to lose and feared no
robbers: he received bed and supper
every night at some monastery, and
was despatched in the morning after a
solid breakfast. When he at length
arrived at the shrine. he repeated the
prayers ordered, performed the neces-
sary cravings, and heard the pre-
scribed masses: he then returned
nome, his soul purified, his sins for
given, his salvation assured, and his
memory charged with good stories for
the rest of his life. The English pill
grim Jared sometimes to Walsingham.
sometimes to Canterbury, sometimes
further aield. He journed on foot
through France and Italy to Rome he
even tramped all across Europe and
Asia Minor, if he could be received in
some great company guarded by tho
Knights of St John, to the Holy
Land. The roads in the eleventh
and twelfth Centuries were covered
with pilgrims; the Mediterranean was
black with ships going from Marseilles. !
from Genoa, from Naples. to the port |
of st. Jean d'Acre. Even the rustic,
discovering that he, too simple and IN
lettered though he was, had soul to |
be saved, and that it would be better |
not to trust altogether to the last Offices
OF the parish F-i--4-. rev down his |
)ade, deserted his wors. his wife ana
his children, and went off on pilgrim
age. At last the bishops interiered |
and enjoined that no one should be
considered and received as a pilgrim |
who could not produce an episcopal
license. 1t was no longer enough for
a man to get repentance in order to
have the run of the road and of his
leeth-a1d. since the episcopal license
was not granted to everybody, the rus
ties had to fall back on what the parish
church afforded. and have ever since
been contented with her advice and
Rahere, therefore amUng the rest
Dilgriiniged to Rome Now 1t hap
Dehed that on the way, either going or
he fell grievously sick and
ike to die As medical Science il
hose days commanded but small CON
idence, men naturally turned to the
saints, and besieged them with petit
ions for renewed health. Rahere be
ook himself to St. Bartholomew. to
whom ne promised q hospital for poor
men should he recover. Most fortun-
ltely for London, St Bartholomew
accepted the proposal. and
.ured the pilgrim. Rahere therefore
'eturned. He chose the site and was
lbout to build the hospital when the
aint appeared to him and ordered him
o found, as well, n church. Rahere
Promised. He even went beyond his
,romisei he founded his Hospital of
il Bartholomew, which still exists-a
fountain OF life and health
md, besides, a Priory for Canons
Regular, and church for tho priory.
The church still stands, one of the
Iphlest monuments in London. One
Nfune, who had founded the Church
i st. Giles Cripplegatei became the ,
rst Hospitaller, going every day to
he SHAMELESS to beg for meat for the
lex poor. Rahere became the first /
'lior of his own foundation and now
les buried in his church, within a
plendid tomb called after his name,
ut OF fifteenth-eentury work.
The mysterious part of the story is
ow Rahofe, a simple gentleman, if
OF a jester, was able to raise this d
rlendld structure and TO found so
oble hospital For even suppos- =.
lg the hospital and priory to have il
ecu ut trst small and insignificant. the E
hurch itself remains monument Of -
wish and pious henefcence. The
DRY, IN order to account for the h
uilding OF so great church. goes of q
Ito a drivelling account of how ,
ahere feigned to be simple idiot.