Chapter 10

Of the cleansing of the place.

Now that place, however, before its cleansing, holding forth no hope of offering anything good, was very foul and, like a marsh, at almost all times abounded with filth and muddy water. And the part which was above the water was allotted to the hanging of thieves and the punishment of others who had been condemned by judicial authority.

When, however, Rahere had devoted his energies to the purging of the place and had decided to put his hand to the sacred building, not being ignorant of the wiles of Satan, he made himself a fool because he was constrained [Latin: quia coactus] to do so, and outwardly putting on the look of a simpleton he began for a time to hide the secret of his soul, and to do his work more wisely the more he did it secretly. At length, with wonderful skill in games, he won to himself bands of children and servants, and by their help he easily began to collect together stones and other things which should be profitable for his building. And he himself played with them and became in his own eyes even more vile from day to day in order only that he might in so much please the apostle of Christ, to whom he approved himself. And, helped by his grace, when those things which seemed necessary had been prepared, he raised up an immense fabric, and now he began openly to be called not foolish, as was being thought, but truly wise, as was being concealed.

And therefore, comforted in marvellous wise by the Holy Spirit and imbued with the knowledge of the truth, he spoke the Word of God faithfully through God's churches and consistently exhorted a multitude, both of clerics and laymen, to pursue those things that are of charity and almsdoing. Wherever he proclaimed his sermon it was in such a manner that now, by invoking gladness, he compelled all to applaud him, and at another time, by his unrestrained sadness, compelled almost all to sighs and tears.

He himself, however, persevering with unchanged countenance and mind, brought forth sound doctrine and that faithful sermon which is according to God, and in his teaching he was irreproachable, teaching those things which the Holy Spirit by the apostles and apostolic expounders had handed down to its church to be held immovably. Furthermore, his life accorded with his tongue, his deed with his sermon, and so in the Sacrifice of God he twisted back the bill of the turtle-dove to its own wings lest, preaching to others, he should himself be found a castaway.

From this time all men were greatly astonished both at the novelty of the rising fabric and at the founder of the new work. For who would believe that that place could be purged with so sudden a cleansing, and the tokens of the adorable Cross be raised there where a short time ago were standing the horrible gibbets of thieves? Who would not be astonished that a remarkable building of piety should there be built to be a safe sanctuary to those that fled thereto, where of old was fixed the common place [officina] of the condemned and the general punishment of the wretched had been inflicted? Who would not marvel that there should be haunted the mystery of the Lord's Body and Holy Blood where formerly was poured the blood of guilty men? Whose heart would easily admit that a man of such kind -- neither remarkable by gentility of proud blood, nor sufficiently endowed with knowledge of letters human or divine -- should undertake so prudently so excellent and magnificent a work and, having undertaken it, should carry it on from day to day with such happy progress? This is the change of the hand of the Highest. These are Thy works, O Christ, who with excellent virtue and singular piety makest of the unclean clean, choosest the weak of the world and confound est the strong, and callest what is not as if it is, who madest Golgotha -- a place of public abomination -- a sanctuary of prayer and a solemn token of devotion.

Rahere's Garden Home tbird's home page Photographs and text copyright Tina Bird, 2003-2008 Last modified 12 December 2008