The Committee wish it to be distinctly understood, that they do not hold themselves responsible for the statements and opinions contained in the Papers read at the meetings of the Society, and here printed, except so far as the 9th and 10th Amended General Rules extend. TRANSACTIONS OF THE KILKENNY ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, FOR THE YEAR 1853. THE MARKET CROSS OF KILKENNY. BY JOHN G. A. PRIM. AMONGST the many valuable ancient monuments of Kilkenny consigned by the Vandal spirit of the past century to destruction, the Market Cross, which must have formed one of the most striking and imposing ornaments of the town, will ever be most deeply regretted by those who reverence the beautiful in art, or are possessed of heart and thought for the olden times. This interesting monument, which was erected in 1335, stood in the High-street, between the Butterslip and the Tholsel, and appears to have been an exceedingly light and elegant structure in the Decorated style of architecture. Several old writers have left us descriptions of it which correspond most accurately with a few drawings taken from different points of view, that fortunately have also come down to our day, and leave no room, as in the case of other ancient objects of interest destroyed about the same period, for doubt or speculation as to its appearance and effect. In the seventeenth century there were several private votive crosses, like that a portion of which still exists at the Butts, erected in different parts of Kilkenny by the wealthy inhabitants, as tributes to the memory of departed friends and relatives: but there were two crosses of a different character, of more imposing proportions, and filling more conspicuous situations-the lesser one, known as Croker's Cross, having been placed as a military trophy,' whilst the greater 1 Croker's Cross stood nearly in the position of the present Parade pump, and was erected in the year 1407, in commemoration of the victory gained over the Burkes and O'Carrolls, at Callan, by Sir Stephen Scrope, the lord deputy, in whose army the burgesses of Kilkenny served, under the leadership of their sovereign, John Croker. cross was founded in the midst of the High-street of the city, and in the centre of the market-place, as it were to mark the dedication of the community to the service of the Christian Deity. We are af forded an interesting notice of the situation and general appearance of both those monuments by a manuscript preserved amongst the Clarendon papers in the British Museum, which appears to have been a fragment of a history of Kilkenny, written in the beginning of the seventeenth century, and never finished nor published. The writer-whom there is reason to believe was David Rothe, the then Roman Catholic bishop of Ossory, a gifted scholar and antiquary, as his known works, as well as the evidence voluntarily borne by archbishop Usher, sufficiently testify-states that— Towards the south the city is divided into four ways, and in the centre of the intersecting streets was erected a marble cross, which they call Croker's Cross, elevated on a four-square base of many steps, of which one side looks to the street of St. Patrick, the second to the Castle-street [now called the Parade], the third to St. John's [RoseInn-street], and the fourth to the High-town [High-street]; almost in the centre of which latter stands prominently forth another cross of similar material, but of more beautiful and magnificent fashion, from whose square graduated base rises a vault supported by marble pillars, and at its apex a graceful cross of polished marble; above which, at the point where its gablets diverged, were originally sculptured the statues of the saints to whose guardianship and patronage the city was of old committed. These are St. Canice, St. Kieran, St. Patrick, and St. Brigid the Virgin. At the time at which this cross was erected, it is recorded in the archives, that many of the inhabitants made pious vows for the safety, prosperity and protection of the newlyfounded municipality-nay, some are even said to have burned the sign of the cross with glowing iron into their flesh, in order to their making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, that God might condescend to prosper the undertaking of that community and town.' The record to which the writer refers as his authority for this event is, doubtless, the entry under the year 1335 in the annals of John Clyn, a Franciscan friar of Kilkenny, living at the period of the event. Clyn's statement of this occurrence, which is rather amplified in the above passage, is as follows:-"The same year, on Thursday, the morrow of Lucia the Virgin, the great cross was put up in the centre of the market-place in Kilkenny, at which time many persons, flying to the cross, were marked on the naked flesh with the sign of the cross, with a red hot iron, that they might go to the Holy Land." Thus the ceremony of the raising of the cross upon its pinnacle, would seem to have created an extraordinary religious excitement amongst the burgesses of Kilkenny, and perhaps also the more warlike and adventurous inhabitants of the surrounding district, who may be supposed to have gathered into the town for the occasion. What a pity that Friar Clyn, who was doubtless a spectator of the scene, if not an actor in the solemnity, has not left us a more detailed narrative of the curious proceedings of that day. But bald and mea 1 Translated from the original Latin, Clarendon MSS. tom. li. No. 479, in the British Museum. 2 The Annals of Ireland, by John Clyn, printed for the Irish Archæological Society, p. 27. gre as is the entry of the event in his annals, it is sufficiently graphic to bring most vividly before the mind's eye, and enable us to realize with almost life-like effect, the exciting and picturesque spectacle presented in the market-place of Kilkenny on that memorable December morning, in the year 1335! It has already given inspiration to some of the local poets: but what a splendid subject would it The following poem, suggested by the passage in Clyn's Annals above quoted, was written by Mr. Paris Anderson, and published in the Kilkenny Moderator newspaper in 1851: On the morrow of St. Lucia, And the day of mighty JoveWhen the blast of dark December Stripp'd the last leaves from the grove; In the year of grace we read it, Thirteen hundred, thirty-five, All the streets of faire Kilkennie Seem for festival alive. From the high Cathedral chiming Comes the sweet accord of bells, Mingling with the loud Te Deum, Many an echo, townward swellsStretches forth a long procession, Monk, and priest, and prelate high, Whilst the sun of cold December Struggles through the wintry sky. How the multitude keep time! At the tucket's sound, and drum ; To the new-built Market Cross. In the market-place, like statues, Men-at-arms stand, many score, Drawn around the cross's basement, 'Neath the pennon of Le Poer." In the midst, the stately structure Proudly rears its bulk on high; But the cross, as yet, is cover'd From the ardent gazer's eye. a The Lord Eustace le Poer was then Seneschal of the Liberty of Kilkenny. Now the music of the chiming Ceases, all is hushed around, And the upturn'd eager glances On the cover'd work are bound; Springs a slender shaft and tall- Carved from out the living stone, As when through the leafless forest, Of the wild storm, deep and full— Bursts with one exulting cryThronging through the serried soldiers, To the holy cross they fly. And the matron and the maiden, Burgher meek, and rider bold, Whilst his holy words are told- Words which sink within each bosom, Burns into the flesh external Marks the cross 'neath which they goWitness of the truth that guides them In that weary pilgrimage, To the shrine of God's sepulchre, For that faith high war to wage! Since that morrow of St. Lucia, Twice two centuries and one form for the historical painter! It presents, however, as I shall have to show, but one of a series of striking tableaux in connexion with the Market Cross of Kilkenny, well worthy of engaging the pencil of the artist. Raised thus in the market-place, as a symbol of religion,' intended to remind the traffickers, in the midst of their buying and selling, of the Deity ruling over all, and to inculcate silently but forcibly the lesson of honesty and integrity in the fulfilment of their bargains and the regulation of their business transactions, the Cross naturally came to be the usual scene of public religious ceremonials. The clergy found it a convenient place, from its position in the most frequented thoroughfare, and the elevated stand which its base afforded them, for preaching to the people; and doubtless such a scene as that which another Kilkenny poet2 has imagined in the following lines, was often witnessed on the spot: 'Twas noon at the Market Cross, In the quaint town, And the burgher so comely, The tall peasant brown, And the gaunt man-at-arms, And peace on her cheek, In hundreds around, Whilst the tall cross stood stately 'Mid tumult and sound: Then the long mellow knell Of the Angelus Bell Upon the dense crowd In the market-place fell; And the burgher knelt down, And the peasant as well, And the gaunt soldier rude, At the peal of the bell; Whilst the pure maiden voice The Market Cross was also selected, as appears by the civic records, as the position wherein, at the season of Corpus Christi, the young men of the town were accustomed from an early period annually to perform, for the public entertainment, those curious old religious plays, termed "mysteries," the rude but picturesque germs of our ancient drama. At the period of the reformation we have still the same locality selected for similar purposes. Bishop Bale, the celebrated reformer, records the circumstance of his having frequently preached at 1 The Rev. Dr. Milner, in his "History of Winchester," says "The general intent of Market Crosses was to excite public homage to the Christian religion, and to inspire men with a sense of morality and piety amidst the ordinary transactions of life." 2 Mr. John Thomas Campion in his poem, "The Angelus Bell;" from which these two stanzas are extracted. |