Give me my scallop shell of quiet,
My staff of faith to walk upon,
My scrip of joy, immortal diet,
My bottle of salvation:
My gown of glory, hope’s true gauge,
And thus I’ll take my pilgrimage.
As I get ready to set out on my annual pilgrimage, I’ve been reminded of Sir Walter Raleigh’s poem, The Passionate Man’s Pilgrimage. In this, Raleigh reflects on the traditional accoutrements of the medieval pilgrim, giving these very practical items a deeper spiritual meaning.
However, the pilgrimage that Raleigh was about to take was that of his execution by beheading on the scaffold. After what we would call a chequered career, his actions as a military commander had violated the terms of an earlier peace treaty with Spain and he was to lose his life in 1618 in an attempt to appease England’s then arch-enemy.
Fortunately, the goal of my pilgrimage is the ancient Christian site of St Albans and not the scaffold! However, although to Raleigh the scallop shell, staff, scrip (a simple satchel), water bottle and warm gown were figurative rather than actual things as he sat writing in his prison cell in the tower of London, his words are a wonderful reminder of the hope and faith of any pilgrim.
I too am similarly equipped as I walk: a scallop shell placed in my map case, a sturdy walking pole to lean on, a backpack, a water bottle and a warm jacket. But however well prepared I might be, my pilgrimage would be of little worth without the quiet, the faith, the joy, the hope and even the glory that these things are signs of. The real pilgrimage, as Raleigh well knew, was that of the heart in its journey to God. This is the true journey that we all must make.
And thus I’ll take my pilgrimage.
For Sir Walter Raleigh’s poem in full see The Passionate Man’s Pilgrimage by Sir Walter… | Poetry Foundation