DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6886#0145
WESTMINSTER ABBEY. 113
the means of adding to its wealth, by attracting the presence and bounteous
offerings of devout people.
The church of Rome, indeed, never ceased to encourage a practice which
helped to fill its coffers. The papal court, it is. true, made it a matter of
great apparent difficulty, and. clothed its process with a succession of serious and
solemn formalities: but, as Mr. Addison observes, there is good reason for
believing that the interests of particular families or churches have had a great
sway in canonization, especially if they could pay good prices for it. Pope
Benedict XIV. when Archbishop of Bologna, published a very splendid work,
in four volumes folio, on this important subject*.
This abbot also obtained the use of the mitre, ring, and gloves, which had
been generally esteemed an exclusive part of the episcopal habit; but were often,
to the great displeasure of the bishops, granted by the pope to such abbots as
were considerable for wealth and power, or would pay largely to obtain these
exterior marks of dignity-f.
He also procured the appropriation of the churches of Battersea and Wands-
Avorth for the Abbey of Westminster^:. This was the first example of a practice
which has since made so great an inroad on the original and rightful maintenance
of the English clergy §,
The same uncertainty prevails respecting the time when Abbot Laurence
died, as of the period of his promotion. The author, who assigns April 11, 1176,
may be correct as to the day of the month; but he was assuredly dead, and
succeeded by Walter, the Prior of Winchester, in the preceding year.
* Bononiffi, 1734, 1735, 1737, 1738.
+ Flete.
X Ibid.
§ History of Impropriations, by White Kennet, D.D. London, 1704.
Vol. L Q
the means of adding to its wealth, by attracting the presence and bounteous
offerings of devout people.
The church of Rome, indeed, never ceased to encourage a practice which
helped to fill its coffers. The papal court, it is. true, made it a matter of
great apparent difficulty, and. clothed its process with a succession of serious and
solemn formalities: but, as Mr. Addison observes, there is good reason for
believing that the interests of particular families or churches have had a great
sway in canonization, especially if they could pay good prices for it. Pope
Benedict XIV. when Archbishop of Bologna, published a very splendid work,
in four volumes folio, on this important subject*.
This abbot also obtained the use of the mitre, ring, and gloves, which had
been generally esteemed an exclusive part of the episcopal habit; but were often,
to the great displeasure of the bishops, granted by the pope to such abbots as
were considerable for wealth and power, or would pay largely to obtain these
exterior marks of dignity-f.
He also procured the appropriation of the churches of Battersea and Wands-
Avorth for the Abbey of Westminster^:. This was the first example of a practice
which has since made so great an inroad on the original and rightful maintenance
of the English clergy §,
The same uncertainty prevails respecting the time when Abbot Laurence
died, as of the period of his promotion. The author, who assigns April 11, 1176,
may be correct as to the day of the month; but he was assuredly dead, and
succeeded by Walter, the Prior of Winchester, in the preceding year.
* Bononiffi, 1734, 1735, 1737, 1738.
+ Flete.
X Ibid.
§ History of Impropriations, by White Kennet, D.D. London, 1704.
Vol. L Q