294 ENGLISH MEDIEVAL EMBROIDERY. conceived it was impossible for either monks or any one else to recognise her sex. But, alas, how vain was her presump- tuous curiosity ! Tor in the meanwhile, St. Cuthbert came to a sacristan of the church, as he sat Avriting in the monastery, and addressing him very sharply, bade him go forth and drive the hitruder from the precincts she had violated. Immedi- ately the studious recluse shut up his books, and sallied forth, fruitlessly searching a long time for the unfortunate object of the saint's indignation, until at length he discovered her wrapped up in a man's cloak outside the church. The poor lady, whose curiosity had led her into such an unpleasant dilemma, was now assailed by a most vindent torrent of abuse, and it is difficult to say whether the monastic scribe or the saintly Cuthbert excelled in the art of vituperation, as the terms applied by each of them to the skilful embroideress are too coarse for an English translation. Nor was their con- duct confined to mere words, for seizing hold of her, they violently ejected her from the building, when half dead with fright, and unconscious what she did, she stood for a while in a state of stupor, from which at length recovering, she deter- mined to go to Elstow in Bedfordshire. Here she took a religious vow, and passed the remainder of her life in honest conversation.' Reginald also tells a story of the same saint, in which he figures more amiably. ' A young brunette was engaged in sewing a garment ' de fustico-tincto' for her wedding, and upon behig admonished by her mother to get it completed before nine o'clock, because it was St. Lawrence's day, re- plied she would finish the dress whether it was the feast of St. Lawrence or not ; upon uttering which her hands suddenly became contracted, her fingers shrunk up and curved, so that the garment stuck fast in the palm of her hand, and she was only restored by Cuthbert's interposition.' It is stated by Sir Henry Spelman that the influential people of the kingdom were formerly obliged to attend on the monarch at the three great festivals of the year, Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide, with the view both of shewing him suitable honour, and of assisting in settling the affairs of the realm, and that on these occasions he was accustomed to appear with the crown on his head, and surrounded with all the insignia of royalty. Ailred mentions the same custom as prevailing during the reign of the Confessor, when at Whitsuntide the
