THE LEGEND OF ST. CECILIA.
As this celebrated patroness of music has given rise to some of the most beautiful poetic productions in our language, the Legend of the said lady, not being generally known, the following particulars of her life and martyrdom, it is presumed, will prove highly acceptable to our readers.
“St. Cecilia, among Christians, is esteemed the patroness of music: for the reasons whereof, we must refer to her history, as delivered by the notaries of the Roman church, and from them transcribed into the Golden Legend, and other books of the like kind. The story says, that she was a Roman lady, born of noble parents, about the year 225; that, notwithstanding she had been converted to Christianity, her parents married her to a young Roman nobleman, named Valerianus, a Pagan, who, going to bed to her on the wedding night, (as the custom is, says the book) was given to understand by his spouse, that she was nightly visited by an angel, and that he must forbear to approach her, otherwise the angel would destroy him. Valerianus, somewhat troubled at these words, desired that he might see his rival, the angel; but his spouse told him that was impossible, unless he would be baptised, and become a Christian, which he consented to. After which, returning to his wife, he found her in her closet, at prayer; and by her side, in the shape of a beautiful young man, the angel clothed with brightness. After some conversation with the angel, Valerianus told him, that he had a brother, named Tiburtius, whom he greatly wished to see a partaker of the grace, which he himself had received: the angel told him, that his desire was granted, and that shortly they should be both crowned with martyrdom. Upon this the angel vanished, but soon after showed himself as good as his word. Tiburtius was converted, and both he and his brother Valerianus were beheaded. Cecilia was offered her life, upon condition, that she would sacrifice to the deities of the Romans, but she refused; upon which, she was thrown into a cauldron of boiling water, and scalded to death: though others say, she was stifled in a dry bath, i. e. an inclosure from whence the air was excluded, having a slow fire underneath it; which kind of death was sometimes inflicted, among the Romans, upon women of quality who were criminals.
“Upon the spot where her house stood, is a church, said to have been built by Pope Urban I. who administered baptism to her husband and his brother; it is the church of St. Cecilia, in Trastevere. Within is a most curious painting of the saint, as also a most stately monument, with a cumbent statue of her, with her face downwards.
“St. Cecilia is usually painted playing either on the organ, or on the harp, singing as Chaucer relates, thus,
“And whiles that the organs made melodie,
To God alone thus in her heart sung she,
O Lorde my soul, and eke my bodie gie
Unwemmed, lest I confounded be[2].”
[2] See the second Nonne’s Tale, in Chaucer; the Golden Legend, printed by Caxton; and the Lives of Saints, by Peter Ribadeneyra, a priest of the Society of Jesus, printed at St. Omers, in 1699.
“Besides this account, there is a tradition of St. Cecilia, that she excelled in music, and that the angel, who was thus enamoured of her, was drawn down from the celestial mansions, by the charms of her melody: this has been deemed authority sufficient for making her the patroness of music and musicians.
“The lovers of music, residing in this metropolis, had a solemn annual meeting, at Stationers’ Hall, on the 22d day of November, being the anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Cecilia, from the rebuilding of that edifice after the fire of London. These performances, being intended to celebrate the memory of the tutelar saint and patroness of music, had every possible advantage that the times afforded, to recommend them. Not only the most eminent masters in the science contributed their performance, but the gentlemen of the King’s Chapel, and of the choirs of St. Paul’s and Westminster, lent their assistance, and the festival was announced in the London Gazette.
“For the celebration of this solemnity, Purcell composed his Te Deum and Jubilate; and Dr. Blow also composed a musical entertainment for the same anniversary, the following year.
“The Legend of St. Cecilia has given frequent occasion to painters and sculptors to exercise their genius in representations of her playing on the organ, and sometimes on the harp. Raphael has painted her singing, with a regal in her hands; and Dominichino and Mignard singing and playing on the harp. And, in the vault under the choir of St. Paul’s Cathedral, against one of the middle columns, on the south side, is a fine white marble monument, for Miss Wren, the daughter of Sir Christopher Wren, wherein the young lady is represented, on a bass relief, the work of Bird, in the character of St. Cecilia, playing on the organ, a boy angel sustaining her book, under which is the following inscription:
“Here lies the body of Mrs. Jane Wren, only daughter of Sir Christopher Wren, Knight, by Dame Jane, his wife, daughter of William Lord Fitz-William, Baron of Lifford, in the Kingdom of Ireland. Ob. 29th Dec. 1702, ætat. 26.”
From Sir John Hawkins.