100 A BOOK OF ENGLISH GARDENS 



The college at Ashridge was founded primarily in 

 honour of the Precious Blood of the Saviour. 



Hollinshed says : " Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, 

 saw among the relics and other precious ornaments 

 of the ancient Emperors a box of gold said to con- 

 tain a portion of the Blood of Christ." He obtained 

 the box and bestowed " a portion on Hailes in 

 Gloucestershire," and " he founded an Abbie a little 

 from his manor of Bircamsted, which Abbie was 

 named Ashrug." 



This great treasure and relic proved a mine of 

 wealth to the college, bringing hundreds of pilgrims 

 who seldom came empty-handed. 



The same relic had already procured for Hailes 

 the distinction of creating a national oath such 

 is the irony of life ! The oath is mentioned by 

 Chaucer in " The Pardoneres Tale " thus : 



" That vengeance shal not parten from his hous, 

 That of his othes is outrageous. 

 By Goddes precious herte, and by his nailes, 

 And by the Blood of Crist, that is in Hailes." 



The devout founder of the old college died there 

 in 1300 : for his generous and magnificent gifts he 

 was given the title of " Summus Religiosorum 

 Patronus " and the brethren joined his name to that 

 of his father in their prayers. His heart was 

 interred at Ashridge in a gold casket, already 

 holding that of his friend and father-confessor, 



