Glastonbury Abbey.
WITH THE STORY OF KING ARTHUR.
Glastonbury is called by Fuller “the ground of God—the first ground of the saints in England, and the rise and fountain of all religion in Britain.” Because, “it was here,” says the tradition, “that Christianity was first introduced into England.”
But the early history of the introduction of Christianity into these islands, is veiled in considerable obscurity. We see the “Light of the Word” shining here fully enough, but we see not they who kindled it. The honour of first evangelizing England has, indeed, been confidently ascribed to various individuals, and, amongst others, to Joseph of Arimathea.
The legend states, that when St. Philip, the Apostle, after the death of our blessed Saviour, was in Gaul, he was informed of the heathenish wickedness of this country. To England he therefore resolved to extend the influence of his precepts and influence, over barbarous and bloody rites, long exercised by bigoted and besotted Druids—to introduce the meek and gentle system of Christianity. Accordingly he dispatched twelve of his companions and followers, and appointed Joseph of Arimathea, who had not long before taken his Saviour from the Cross, to superintend the sacred embassy. Britain was wild and uncultivated—its inhabitants rude and inimical to strangers—yet, withal, its King Arviragus could foster a few itinerants, whom he knew not how to hate, nor wished to love. In consideration of their long and laborious journey, he disposed their habitation in a small island, then waste and untilled, and surrounded by bogs and morasses, assigning to each of the “twelve” a certain portion of land, called a “hide,” sufficient for one family to live upon; and composing in all, a territory denominated, to this day, “the twelve hides of Glaston,” and here, according to the monastic annals, St. Joseph erected to the honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary—of wattles and wreathed twigs—the first Christian Oratory in England.
This legend, however, wants much of truthfulness, I fear. I don’t see what connection there could be between Joseph of Arimathea and Glastonbury. Be that as it may—a more substantial structure was erected on the spot named above, in the year 180 after Christ, owing to the exertions of some Christian Missionaries. In the year 439 we are told that St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, visited this holy spot, and collected together a body of clergy, being himself elected as the first Abbot. About the year, 530, St. David, Archbishop of Manevia, accompanied by seven bishops, took a journey to Avalon, and expended large sums of money, in adding to the building of the church. St. David was uncle to the renowned King Arthur, who, in his time (A.D. 543), having been mortally wounded in battle, was carried to this abbey to be interred, and, accordingly, on his death his body here found a grave. In the reign of Henry II., 640 years after Arthur was buried, his grave was opened, and the body of the king discovered interred in a coffin made of oak, sixteen feet deep, and nine feet below a rude leaden cross, on which the name and virtues of Arthur were described.
Such is one of the “stories” of Glastonbury—and I forgot to say that, in the churchyard, still stands the celebrated “Glastonbury thorn,” said to be derived from the rod of Joseph, of Arimathea, and which always blossoms on Christmas Day.
