Page:The religious life of King Henry VI.djvu/64

42 twelve years of age to sing and serve in the daily services.

From the first there were seven masses celebrated daily with due solemnity. The first was the Mass of Our Lady, to be offered to God for the soul of the founder and for the needs of the Church; the second was said for all benefactors, and the third was the High Mass of the day. The other masses were said for varying intentions at some of the side altars.

Great Indulgences were obtained by the pious King for his royal foundation from Pope Eugenius IV, and special privileges were granted on the occasion of a great pilgrimage to take place annually on the feast of Our Lady's Assumption. It was proposed in the first instance that the Indulgences to be gained by the faithful should be the same as those that could be obtained by visiting the Church of S. Pietro ad Vincula in Rome; but within a year this was changed by the Pope into a Plenary Indulgence to be gained by all on the usual conditions. We find it recorded, that in this way a great number of pilgrims were attracted year by year to the shrine of Our Lady of Eton on the feast of the Assumption,