Historic%20Yorkshire

ST. JOHN OF BEVERLEY.
from some association with Saint John himself. We
obtain many valuable particulars concerning Saint John
from Mr. FrederickRoss's " Celebrities of the Yorkshire
Wolds," amongothers, the fact that some timeduringthe
reign of EdwardVI. a portrait of Saint John was placed
in one of the windows of University College, Oxford.
Representations ofhim also are met with throughout the
carvings and in one window of Beverley Minster. In
these he is generallyshown in company with Athelstane,
and the general impression given by this frequent companionship
is, thattheywerecontemporary. As examples
of these carvings in the Minster, we may mention an
instance in oak on the canopy of the choir stalls, a
sculptured one on the east side of the rood screen,and
another portrait in the modern glass of the great west
window. There is also a painting in the great South
Transept, representing Athelstane presenting a charter
to Saint John inperson. Upon the scrollofthe charter is
the followingcouplet inblack-letter: —
" Als free makIthee
As hert may thinke or egh may see."
This painting appears to be inoils, of but the Jacobean
period,and consequentlyis of little value to the antiquary.
In most representationsof Saint John, he is shown in the
robes of an archbishop, his left hand bearing a crosier,
and the right raised as if in the act of pronouncing a
benediction.
In the County of Nottingham, Whitton Church is
dedicated to Saint John of Beverley. Godwin says of
him, " He alwaysehad the reputation of a wonderfulholy
man, and Beda reporteth many miracles done by him,as
the curing of divers folkes desprately sicke, by prayer;
opening the mouth of a dumb man, &c; which thinges,
either they were true or Beda is muche to blame." To
the same intent quaint old Fuller says, " He was tutor to
the Venerable Bede, who wrote his Life which he hath
so spiced with miracles that it is of the hottest for a
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