The neighboring church of St. Godard possesses neither architectural beauty, nor architectural antiquity; for, although it occupies the scite of an edifice of remote date, yet the present structure is coeval with St. Patrice.  It has been supposed that this church was the primitive cathedral of the city[101].  One of the proofs of this assertion is found in a procession which, before the revolution, was annually made hither by the chapter of the present cathedral, with great ceremony, as if in recognition of its priority.  The church was originally dedicated to the Virgin; but it changed its advocation in the year 525, when St. Godard, more properly called St. Gildard, was buried here in a subterranean chapel; and, for the reasons before noticed, the old tutelary patroness was compelled to yield to the new visitor.  In the succeeding century, St. Romain, a saint of still greater fame, was also interred here; and, as I collect from Pommeraye[102], in the same crypt.  This author strenuously denies the inferences which have been drawn from the annual procession, which he maintains was performed solely in praise and in honor of St. Romain; for the chapter, after having paid their devotions to the Host, descended into the chapel, to prostrate themselves before the sepulture of the saint; on which subject, an antiquary[103] of Rouen has preserved the following lines:—­

    “Ad regnum Domini dextra invitatus et ore,
       Huic sacra Romanus credidit ossa loco;
     Sontibus addixit quae caeca rebellio flammis,
       Nec tulit impietas majus in urbe scelus. 
     Quid tanto vesana malo profecit Erynnis? 
       Ipsa sui testis pignoris extat humus. 
     Crypta manet, memoresque trahit confessio cives,
       Nec populi fallit marmor inane fidem. 
     Orphana, turba, veni, viduisque allabere saxis,
       Est aliquid soboli patris habere thorum.”

The body of St. Godard was carried to Soissons; but the tomb, which, has doubtfully been designated as appropriated either to him or to St. Romain, was left to the church, and remained there at least till the revolution.  I have even been told that it is there still; but I had no opportunity of going down into the chapel to verify this point.  It consisted, or rather consists, of a single slab of jasper, seven and a half feet long, by two feet wide, and two feet four inches thick.  Upon it was this inscription:—­

    “Malades, voulez-vous soulager vos douleurs? 
     Visitez ce tombeau, baignez-le de vos pleurs;
     Rechauffez vos esprits d’une divine flame;
     Touchez-le settlement du doigt,
     Et vous y trouverez (si vous avez la foi)
     Et la sante du corps, et la sante de l’ame.”