" Supposing,
however, that anyone, "vesano spiritu agitatus diabolico ausu quemquam
capere praesumpserit in cathedra lapidea juxta altare quam Angli vocant
_fridstol_, id est, cathedram quietudinis vel pacis, vel etiam ad
feretrum sanctarum reliquiarum quod est post atlare"--then the crime was
_botolos_ (without remedy); no monetary payment could be received as
compensation. When Leland was at Beverley, he was shown a frithstool, on
which he made the following note: "Haec sedes lapidea Freedstool dicitur,
i.e., Pacis Cathedra, ad quam reus perveniens omnimodam habet
securitatem." There was a frithstool endowed with similar privileges at
York Minster, and another at Durham. Stone seats claimed to be
frithstools are still shown at Hexham and Beverley.
Of all the localities which drew to themselves especial distinction as
sanctuaries none rivals in antiquarian interest the monastery of Durham.
This is because of the existence of an ancient work on the "Rites of
Durham," which enters in considerable detail into the ceremonial
observed on such occasions, and was received for a long time as
authoritative. Recent criticism by Mr. R. H. Forster has rather impaired
the credibility of the document. He points out that its professed date
is 1593, or more than fifty years after the dissolution of the Priory;
and maintains that it is not a first-hand chronicle of events of "the
floryshinge tyme" before the suppression of the house, but a compilation
based partly on old records and partly on the reminiscences of aged
residents.
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