ht next day they had reached Biggleswade on the Ivell, where he
had a house, wherein the company slept. The mourning crowds actually
blocked the way to the church. The bier was left in the church that
Sunday night.

By Monday they got to Buckden, and on the Tuesday they had got as far as
Stamford, but the crowds were so great here that hardly could they fight
their way through till the very dead of the night. The body, of course,
was taken into the church; and a pious cobbler prayed to die, and lo!
die he did, having only just time for confession, shrift, and his will;
and way was made for him in death, though he could not get near the bier
in life. The story recalled to Adam's mind a saying of his late master
when people mourned too immoderately for the dead--"What are you about?
What are you about? By Saint Nut" (that was his innocent oath), "by
Saint Nut, it would indeed be a great misfortune for us if we were never
allowed to die." He would praise the miraculous raising of the dead, but
he thought that sometimes a miraculous granting of death is still more
to be admired. At Stamford they bought horn lanterns instead of wax
torches, for these last guttered so in the weather that the riders got
wax all over their hands and clothes. Then they made for Ancaster, and
on Thursday they came to Lincoln. Here were assembled all the great men
of the realm, who came out to meet the bier. The kings of England and
Scotland, the archbishops, bishops, abbots, and barons were all there.
No man so great but he thought himself happy to help carry that bier up
the hill. Shoulders were relieved by countless hands, these by other
hands. The greatest men struggled for this honour. The rains had filled
the streets with mud above the ankles, sometimes up to men's knees. All
the bells of the town tolled and every church sang hymns and spiritual
songs. Those who could not touch the bier tossed coins upon the hearse
which held the body. Even the Jews came out and wept and did what
service they could.

The body was taken to a bye place off the cathedral{31} and dressed as
he had ordered--with ring, gloves, staff, and the plain robes. They
wiped the balsam from his face, and found it first white, but then the
cheeks grew pink. The cathedral was blocked with crowds, each man
bearing a candle. They came in streams to kiss his hands and feet and to
offer gold and silver, and more than forty marks were given that day.
John of Leicester laid a dist