lter the Medicus; and order was taken that twelve of
the Brethren should be appointed against midnight, who were strong for
carrying the pannel-planks of the Shrine, and skilful in unfixing
them, and putting them together again. The Abbot then said that it was
among his prayers to look once upon the Body of his Patron; and that
he wished the Sacristan and Walter the Medicus to be with him. The
Twelve appointed Brethren were these: The Abbot's two Chaplains, the
two Keepers of the Shrine, the two Masters of the Vestry; and six
more, namely, the Sacristan Hugo, Walter the Medicus, Augustin,
William of Dice, Robert, and Richard. I, alas, was not of the number.

'The Convent therefore being all asleep, these Twelve, clothed in
their albs, with the Abbot, assembled at the Altar; and opening a
pannel of the Shrine, they took out the Loculus; laid it on a table,
near where the Shrine used to be; and made ready for unfastening the
lid, which was joined and fixed to the Loculus with sixteen very long
nails. Which when, with difficulty, they had done, all except the two
forenamed associates are ordered to draw back. The Abbot and they two
were alone privileged to look in. The Loculus was so filled with the
Sacred Body that you could scarcely put a needle between the head and
the wood, or between the feet and the wood: the head lay united to the
body, a little raised with a small pillow. But the Abbot, looking
close, found now a silk cloth veiling the whole Body, and then a linen
cloth of wondrous whiteness; and upon the head was spread a small
linen cloth, and then another small and most fine silk cloth, as if it
were the veil of a nun. These coverings being lifted off, they found
now the Sacred Body all wrapt in linen; and so at length the
lineaments of the same appeared. But here the Abbot stopped; saying he
durst not proceed farther, or look at the sacred flesh naked. Taking
the head between his hands, he thus spake, groaning: "Glorious Martyr,
holy Edmund, blessed be the hour when thou wert born. Glorious Martyr,
turn it not to my perdition that I have so dared to touch thee, I
miserable and sinful; thou knowest my devout love, and the intention
of my mind." And proceeding, he touched the eyes; and the nose, which
was very massive and prominent (_valde grossum et valde eminentem_);
and then he touched the breast and arms; and raising the left arm he
touched the fingers, and placed his own fingers between the sacred
fingers. A