receive him to my bosom, examine his wounds, and wipe away the blood. Then my fingers closed his mouth, and I also composed his eyes; but I could not bend his stiffening arms so as to cross on his breast, but over his belly. Nor could his knees be extended, but they were bent as they had stiffened on the cross. — Lib. iv., c. 70.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE CRUCIFIXION.
St. Bridget speaks.
While I was at Mount Calvary weeping bitterly, I beheld my Lord, naked and scourged, led out by the Jews to be crucified, and diligently guarded by them. I then beheld, too, a hole cut in the mountain, and the crucifiers around, ready to perform their cruel work. But my Lord, turning to me, said to me: “ Observe, that in this hollow of the rock was the foot of my cross planted, at the time of my Passion and I immediately saw how the cross was fixed there by the Jews, and fastened firmly in the hollow of the rock of the
