Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Legend Of The Holy Thorn Of Glastonbury.
mention the fact ; however , it is quite certain , that our country ; indeed , our OAvn county was under Christian teaching during that period ; and it is pleasant to think , that in one part of it , green and fair to the outward eye , but painful to the mental
vision from the hideous heathenism of its inhabitants , there flourished one spot Avhere Christianity uplifted her gentle head , Avhere the atmosphere Avas fragrant Avith sweet Christian graces , and Avhere the lives of its occupants were in . unison . Avith the tender
beauty of the surrounding landscape . The Holy Thorn being invested Avith such a miraculous origin , it is but natural to suppose there would be some marvellous tales about the Thorn in after years ; and a book which was compiled in the year 1716
g ives the following curious details . It had two trunks or bodies branching from one root , until the reign of Queen Elizabeth , Avhen " a saint-like Puritan" took offence
at the poor Thorn , because of the miraculous halo Romish invention had thrown around it . This worthy but mistaken gentleman one clay took a hatchet in his hand , and hewed down the larger of the two trunks ; he Avould , in all probability , have destroyed the otherhad he not been prevented in
, an untoward and unexpted manner . Instead of cutting the tree , he missed his aim , ancl cut his leg , Avhich occasioned him considerable discomfort ; ancl , to add to his punishment and mortification , one of the chips of the ill-used Thorn sprang up into
his eye , ancl inflicted so severe a wound , that he lost his eyesight in consequence . But , perhaps , the most wonderful feature of the case was this :, —Puritan fanaticism
had not been allowed to entirely sever the trunk from its root , and a tiny piece of bark yet held the two together ; but though the unfortunate trunk could never stand uprig ht like its fellow , ancl remained lying on the ground , yet it continued to flourish and bioom as Avell as ever ; ancl
when , after the lapse of 30 years it was taken away , ancl thrown into a ditch , it still flourished and budded as was its usual wont on Christmas clays . But even such an extraordinary specimen of vegetable vitality as this must have an endand in
, about a year , it Avas stolen , ancl never heard of afterwards . The remaining trunk now formed the Avhole of the tree , and was as large as a
man's body . Many peopls came to see it , ancl being as foolish three centuries ago as they are now , they engraved their names upon its bark , and broke off many of the branches ancl boughs . NOAV , if this Thorn hacl been by any means an ordinary tree , it would soon have withered ancl drooped
under so many distinguished marks of favour ancl affection ; but instead of this , the plucky little Thorn flourished better than ever ; it drew more nourishment from its roots , through the medium of its lacerated barkthan many other less
, honoured trees ; it spread out its arms so invitingly on every side , that cattle often took shelter from heat or rain under its friendly branches , ancl positively wore the ground just under it quite bare ; ancl ,
spite these varied hindrances , it always took a cheerful aspect of affairs , and bore a full and plentiful crop of "hips , ancl hawes . " * No wonder , then , that the blossoms of this Tree Avere considered holy relics and curiositiesand that numberless cures Avere
, effected by their healing virtue . The merchants of Bristol ahvays carried Avith them on their continental trips , some leaves ancl blossoms of the Thorn , ancl sold them to foreigners for a fabulous sum , making their poor dupes believe that they Avere to
consider themselves very fortunate to procure so admirable a panacea at even that price . Royalty itself shared the superstition , and James I . and his Queen bought cuttings and leaves of the tree at an
enormous price . But in the next reign , that of Charles I ., the Holy Thorn had to bid farewell to all homage ancl adulation , ancl ignominiously suffered martyrdom at the hands of a rough soldier . During the Rebellion , popular feeling ran high against the
slihtg est tinge of Romanism , and this military zealot , regarding the Holy Thorn as a Popish relic , cut it down , and effectually destroyed it . Its . stump was to be seen as late as 1750 . A monumental stone was laid over the spot Avhere it once flourished ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Legend Of The Holy Thorn Of Glastonbury.
mention the fact ; however , it is quite certain , that our country ; indeed , our OAvn county was under Christian teaching during that period ; and it is pleasant to think , that in one part of it , green and fair to the outward eye , but painful to the mental
vision from the hideous heathenism of its inhabitants , there flourished one spot Avhere Christianity uplifted her gentle head , Avhere the atmosphere Avas fragrant Avith sweet Christian graces , and Avhere the lives of its occupants were in . unison . Avith the tender
beauty of the surrounding landscape . The Holy Thorn being invested Avith such a miraculous origin , it is but natural to suppose there would be some marvellous tales about the Thorn in after years ; and a book which was compiled in the year 1716
g ives the following curious details . It had two trunks or bodies branching from one root , until the reign of Queen Elizabeth , Avhen " a saint-like Puritan" took offence
at the poor Thorn , because of the miraculous halo Romish invention had thrown around it . This worthy but mistaken gentleman one clay took a hatchet in his hand , and hewed down the larger of the two trunks ; he Avould , in all probability , have destroyed the otherhad he not been prevented in
, an untoward and unexpted manner . Instead of cutting the tree , he missed his aim , ancl cut his leg , Avhich occasioned him considerable discomfort ; ancl , to add to his punishment and mortification , one of the chips of the ill-used Thorn sprang up into
his eye , ancl inflicted so severe a wound , that he lost his eyesight in consequence . But , perhaps , the most wonderful feature of the case was this :, —Puritan fanaticism
had not been allowed to entirely sever the trunk from its root , and a tiny piece of bark yet held the two together ; but though the unfortunate trunk could never stand uprig ht like its fellow , ancl remained lying on the ground , yet it continued to flourish and bioom as Avell as ever ; ancl
when , after the lapse of 30 years it was taken away , ancl thrown into a ditch , it still flourished and budded as was its usual wont on Christmas clays . But even such an extraordinary specimen of vegetable vitality as this must have an endand in
, about a year , it Avas stolen , ancl never heard of afterwards . The remaining trunk now formed the Avhole of the tree , and was as large as a
man's body . Many peopls came to see it , ancl being as foolish three centuries ago as they are now , they engraved their names upon its bark , and broke off many of the branches ancl boughs . NOAV , if this Thorn hacl been by any means an ordinary tree , it would soon have withered ancl drooped
under so many distinguished marks of favour ancl affection ; but instead of this , the plucky little Thorn flourished better than ever ; it drew more nourishment from its roots , through the medium of its lacerated barkthan many other less
, honoured trees ; it spread out its arms so invitingly on every side , that cattle often took shelter from heat or rain under its friendly branches , ancl positively wore the ground just under it quite bare ; ancl ,
spite these varied hindrances , it always took a cheerful aspect of affairs , and bore a full and plentiful crop of "hips , ancl hawes . " * No wonder , then , that the blossoms of this Tree Avere considered holy relics and curiositiesand that numberless cures Avere
, effected by their healing virtue . The merchants of Bristol ahvays carried Avith them on their continental trips , some leaves ancl blossoms of the Thorn , ancl sold them to foreigners for a fabulous sum , making their poor dupes believe that they Avere to
consider themselves very fortunate to procure so admirable a panacea at even that price . Royalty itself shared the superstition , and James I . and his Queen bought cuttings and leaves of the tree at an
enormous price . But in the next reign , that of Charles I ., the Holy Thorn had to bid farewell to all homage ancl adulation , ancl ignominiously suffered martyrdom at the hands of a rough soldier . During the Rebellion , popular feeling ran high against the
slihtg est tinge of Romanism , and this military zealot , regarding the Holy Thorn as a Popish relic , cut it down , and effectually destroyed it . Its . stump was to be seen as late as 1750 . A monumental stone was laid over the spot Avhere it once flourished ,