Page:The Saxon Cathedral at Canterbury and The Saxon Saints Buried Therein.djvu/58

THE SAXON CATHEDRAL AT CANTERBURY had been altered by the King's authority he was greatly distressed, and returned to his own house feeling that he had been defrauded of his heart's desire.

"Cuthbert was succeeded by Breogwine (759), who admiring his predecessor's action in the matter followed the same sly course and obtained from the King, and as is thought from the Pope too, confirmation of this change. The same secrecy was preserved about his decease and his body was buried beside his predecessor's and not till afterwards did the bells ring out the signal for the due celebration of his funeral rites. As soon as the tidings reached St. Austin's, Jaenbert, who was then Abbot (760-762), proceeded to the Church of the Blessed Trinity with an armed band, prepared to carry off the Archbishop's body by force if not able to do so peacefully. But when he discovered that Breogwine too was already buried and that the Augustinians had been supplanted twice and must return empty-handed again, he sent repeated complaints to the Pope and appeals for the defence of the rights and liberties of his Monastery. The monks of Holy Trinity therefore, feeling the want of their Chief Pastor's support and noting the determination of Abbot Jaenbert, combined with his wisdom and prudence in all matters both ecclesiastical and secular, were afraid lest by pressing on his appeal he might re-restablish the ancient and right usage as to the burial of the Archbishops. They therefore craftily demanded that Jaenbert should become their Father and Chief Pastor, and thus the monks of St. Austin's, having lost the guidance of their father-in-God, abandoned their appeals concerning the change of the place of burial—not, however, from want of zeal, but only because of their respect for Archbishop Jaenbert; but alas, the sequel will show the extent of their loss."

It is true that Jaenbert returned to the original plan and directed that his old monastery should be his burial-place, to ensure which, Gervase says, he had himself conveyed there whilst alive; but he was the last Saxon Archbishop to be buried at St. Austin's, all his successors being buried in the Cathedral.

There are no further records of this building except notices of the burials of the Archbishops therein, till Edmer's account of the fire in 1067; in which calamity not only was the Cathedral entirely consumed but

"nearly all the monastic offices that pertained to it as well as the Church of the Blessed John Baptist, where as aforesaid the remains of the Archbishops were buried, were destroyed."

There is no picture, plan, or even representation on a seal, of this building that I know of. Professor Willis shows the Church on his 28