The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, Saint (c. 634 - 687)

Other biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Cuthbert Other Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Cuthbert's_beads
Notes: St. Cuthbert's Beads Relevant locations: Lived at or near Holy Island, Northumberland
 Relationships: St Oswald (603/4-642) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne
References in Documents:
MS Book of Benefactors (MacGregor, ed.)

Thomas Palmer The Alfred Jewel, to which this entry refers, was presented to the Museum by Colonel Nathaniel Palmer; his son, Thomas Palmer, merely transmitted it to the Museum (although it had been intended for the Bodleian Library). of Fairfield in Somerset, a learned man and renowned throughout the county for his virtue, sent to this Museum a picture of an old man (possibly St. Cuthbert) set in a gold and crystal frame. Palmer, military commander in the same district, bequeathed this most ancient object, once a possession of King Alfred, to the University of Oxford.

Consolidated catalogue of 1695: The Book of the Junior Proctor (MacGregor, ed.) [Addendum 5] Transcript of the Paper about the ancient Picture given to the University by Thos: Palmer Esqr. Memdun Nov.br 16. 1718 Thos. Palmer Esqr. of Fairfield in Somersetshire put this ancient picture of St. Cuthbert, made by order of King Alfred, into my hands, to be convey'd to the Bodleian Library in Oxford where his Father Natl. Palmer Esqr. Lately dead, desir'd it might be placed & preserv'd. Geo: Clarke. Vide Philosophical Transactions &c. Dr. Hicks's Thesaurus, where an account is given of this Picture & the finding of it. Found at Athelney in Somersetshire 441 Lowthorps Abridgment.
Consolidated catalogue of 1695: The Book of the Junior Proctor (MacGregor, ed.) King's Alfred Jewel. Hutchinson's History of Durham. Vol. I. p. 25. note †. In the Philosophical Transactions No. 247 and 260 and in Gibson's edit of the Britannia, a curious Jewel, representing St. Cuthbert, is described, found near Athelney in Somersetshire. The portrait is enamelled on gold, drawn sitting in an episcopal chair, with the following inscription in Saxon – Thus construed: – Alfredus me jussit fabrican. Mr Wallis, speaking of this portrait, has the following remarks: “King Alfred preferred these characters to the saxon, and when he swa/y\ed the sceptre, brought them into use. This curious memorial of St. Cure Cuthbert was found in the very place of that glorious monarch's retreat and deliverance from the Danes, fortified by him in the time of war, and in the time of peace converted into a monastery.” Dr. Musgrave (who wrote a dissertation thereon), thinks this curious Cimolium an undeniable instance of the use of images coming from the Heathens into the Christian Church. Dr. Hickes has engraven it in his Thesaurus, and is of opinion, that the occasion of it was the vision of St. Cuthbert, which William of Malmsbury speaks of, appearing to him and his mother the same night, (after he had been beaten by the Danes, and retired into Athelney), and assuring him that he should be a great king. In memory whereof we may well suppose, that the image upon it is St. Cuthbert's, (to whose merit he was wont to ascribe his future successes over the Danes), and not only so, but being plainly made, on purpose to hang on a string, it is very probable that himself constantly wore it, in honour of to this his tutelar saint. – It is said to be now in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford. – see Archaeologia, Vol. ii. p. 68.72.
MS Book of the dean of Christ Church (MacGregor, ed.) 443. Pictura Sti. Cuthberti jussu Alfredi facta: Agro Somersetensi apud vicum Athelny dictum inventa. D.D. Tho. Palmer Arm. de Fairfeild in Com. Som. 421 Picture of St Cuthbert made by the order of Alfred, found in a field in Somerset, near the village of Athelney. Given by Thomas Palmer Esq., of Fairfield, Somerset.
Grew, Musaeum Regalis (1685) The TROCHITES. 'Tis nothing else but one of the above described Joynts single; on both sides radiated, and also containing a Pith. So that it looks like a slice of a stick. These, saith Mr. Lyster, being usually hollow, or easily so made, and stringed, are therefore by some called St. CUTHBERDS BEADS.
A Catalogue of the Rarities To be seen at Don Saltero's Coffee-House [1775] 226 St Cuthbert's Beads.
Thoresby, Musaeum Thoresbyanum (1713)

The Right Reverend Prelate before mentioned, hath obliged me with almost all the Varieties of the Entrochi, that are described by Dr. Lister and Mr. Beaumont in the Phil. Trans. N° 100 and 150, from the Trochitæ, or single Joints, to the Number of 38 or 40, in an Entrochus of near 2 ½ Inches in Length; and as to Thickness from little more than a Pin, to near three Inches. As to the Form, here are perfectly round, exactly Oval, and the Compress'd of different Degrees. Some more gently, others so crush'd (even to the 16th Part of an Inch) that the Cracks are visible. The Joints or Vertebræ of some are strangely dislocated, and in Part slip'd off, as it were, yet adhering to the other Part. Some of the Joints are thick; others so extreamly thin, that they are scarce the 24th Part of an Inch, for I have one of ¾ of an Inch in Length that hath 19. Some again are but seemingly joynted, others, and those the greatest Part are really so, and the Sutures indented. Some even of the longer Stones are without Notches; others thick set with such Marks, whence the Branches of these Rock Plants have issued; but of these out-Branches there seldom remain above two or three Joints. Besides, those that are exactly Cylindrical (equally thick at both Ends), here are some of the Branches tapering at the smaller End. Upon the Surface of many are drawn very fine and small Rays from a Point in the Center to the Circumference. The Pith in the middle of some of them is round, of others, oval; and of the Form of a Cinque-foil in the midst of the Rays in others, and some have six Inlets. To those which are Concave, a protuberant Point in the Center of others doth cor respond. In some the Pith is quite gone; these being put upon Strings are called St. Cuthbert's Beads in the Holy Island, whence Dr. Cay procured me some: He afterwards sent me one, the Medulla whereof is the Pyrites. Some are almost smooth, others have a raised Edge in the Middle of the Joints; others have a sharp Ridge betwixt two smooth round Joints, and so alternately; and some (though rare to be met with) have a Circle of Knots, or small Protuberances in the midst of each Joint: Here is also a red Entrochus with a white Pith, growing upon a Rock of a reddish Colour.

Thoresby, Musaeum Thoresbyanum (1713) A pair of Iron-stays or Bodice, which Mrs. W. of L. obliged her Daughter to wear; not so constantly, I presume, as St. Goodrick did his Iron Jerkins, of which he is said to have worn three Suits in the Time of his Hermitage (Legend of St. Cuthbert, p. 81.) Holland Puffles for the Gown Sleeves.
Thoresby, Musaeum Thoresbyanum (1713) 10. Venerabilis Bede libri quinque, ecclesiastice Historie de gestis Anglorum. This venerable Author will appear in his perfect Beauty, when the Reverend Dr. Smith, Prebendary of Durham, will be pleased to oblige the Learned World with his accurate Edition thereof, and his own most instructive Notes thereupon. The Recapitulatio ends at the Year 734, with Bishop Tatwin's Death, the Catalogue of his Works with the Martyrology, and Cuthbert's Epistle (which Whelock places in the Beginning) concludes this Manuscript.
Thoresby, Musaeum Thoresbyanum (1713) Vita S. Cuthberti.
Thoresby, Musaeum Thoresbyanum (1713) Translatio beati patris Cuthberti a Symeone pie memorie composita, quomodo post CCCCXVIII annos corpus ejus incorruptum sit inventum.
Thoresby, Musaeum Thoresbyanum (1713) Here are also several relating to other Religious Houses that shall readily be communicated to any Gentleman that will please to oblige the World with another Volume of the Monasticon Anglicanum: As to the Abbot and Convent at Rivaulx. St. Mary's, and Convent at Malton; the Hospital of St. Peter at Yorke; the Prioress and Nuns of St. Clements; St. Mary Magdalen, and Monks at Bretton; St. John's at Pontfract, and Monks there; St. Mary's at Boulton, and Canons there. The Prioress of Thikheved. The Nuns of St. Marys at Siningthwait, to the Canons of the Premonstratensian Order of St. Mary's at Nebo; to the Prior and Convent at Drax; to the Churches of St. Cudbert at Martun, and All-Saints at Haxey. Conventio facta inter ecclesias de Kirkstall & Stæ Trinitatis Ebor.
A Catalogue of the Naturall and Artificial Curiositys in my slender Musaeum at Leedes Ano. 1708 the Trochites single joints, St Cuthberts beads D: D: Gul: Nicolson Epis: Carl: