The Henson Journals

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[134]

Thursday, August 26th, 1926.

["]A short pilgrimage is not worth a pin: neither is that image in so much honor [sic] and respect in that country where it is, as in far countires. For example, the Italians, yea those who dwell near Rome, will mock and scoff at our English and other pilgrims, who go to Rome to see the Pope's holiness, and St Peter's chair, and yet they themselves will run to see the relics of St James of Compostella in the kingdom of Gallicia in Spain, which is above 1200 English miles. And so the Spaniards hold Rome to be a very holy place, therefore spare no cost or labour to go thither. And so of other pilgrimages.["]

(v. Weever, Funeral Monuments. p. clxiii)

A considerable section of the criminal class was dispersed throughout Christendom disguised under the name and garb of pilgrims, for a common form of penance imposed by the ecclesiastical authorities for graver sins was pilgrimage to distant shrines, and through lengthened periods. The result was as shocking as it was unavoidable. Pilgrmages carried crime and corruption in their train. Indeed, the scandals became unendurable, efforts were made to restrain the practice. "As early as 789 Charlemagne was awakened to the evil, deprecated the imposition of pilgrimage as penance, whereby criminals vagabonds were sent wandering through his dominions, invested with special privileges: it wd be, he said, much better to keep them at home, laboring serving performing their penance, and the repetitions of this decree in the collections of the 9th century show how little it effected how keenly the evil continued to be felt[.]" (v. Lea, l.c. ii. 132) The level of motive in religious pilgrimages is not at the best of times exalted. Curiosity, the love of change movement, in fact, all the normal holiday–maker's motives find their place in the determining consideration. Then the extraordinary risks discomforts of pilgrimage operated as a check on unworthy motives: now, the ease safety of the travelling are openly offered as inducements.

[135]

I spent the whole morning in writing an Article on "Pilgrimage, ancient modern", which I sent off by the afternoon post to the Editor of the Evening Standard.

Miss Noble brought to lunch Sir Leslie Lady Rundle, and Mrs [Saxon?] Noble. Miss [space] the Matron of the Nursing Home, also came to lunch. I was half–amused and half–embarrassed by Sir Leslie's frank expressions of confidence in, even admiration of me!!! Which, being interpreted, means that he agrees with such opinions of mine that he happens to know!

Robin writes to me very charmingly a very belated answer to the letter which I sent him when I first heard of his accident. I am unable to believe that there is nothing more in him than the capacity for Irish "blarney", which he undoubtedly possesses. But he is not strong either physically or morally, and he is placed by "the accident of birth" in "many great temptations".

Also, I received from Dr Parsons a grateful acknowledgment of my laudatory letter about the book which he has edited. He takes occasion to disclaim responsibility for the truly appalling pictures with which it is "garnished".

Edmund Parker arrived. He is much alarmed at the increase of Communism which seems to him to have made much headway since he last visited the country. Especially he is impressed by the look of hatred in the eyes of our working people.

Arthur Headlam and his sister came to dinner. He looks well, and his face twitched less than heretofore, which is a good sign. His visit to Serbia seems to have been in all respects successful.

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