The uncovering of Saint Edmund's incorrupt relics at Bury St Edmund's Abbey, recorded in the Chronicle of Jocelyn de Brakelond:
"The monks coming that night to matins found the great Shrine ready but empty, and covered with white doe skin leather; near bye was the loculus or coffin with the sacred body. Service ended, the Abbot and certain monks with him, vested in albs, approaching reverently, hastened to uncover the coffin. First there was an outer cloth of linen overwrapping the coffin. Next there was a silken cloth, and then another linen cloth, and then a third. When the coverings were removed there was seen affixed to the surface of the loculus, above the breast of the Martyr, a golden angel about the length of a man's foot, holding a golden sword in one hand, and a banner in the other, and over the angel was this verse— Martiris ecce zoma servat Michaelis agalma. This is the martyr's garment which Michael's image guards.
Then the loculus and the body was placed in the Shrine, and the Shrine closed for the present. Now we all thought that the Abbot would exhibit the coffin to the people, and the body of the Saint to us all; but we were sadly deceived. The Abbot on the fourth day of the feast, spoke privily to the Sacrist and Walter the medicus, saying, that it had been the object of his prayers to see his patron saint, and that he wished to join with him the Sacrist and Walter the Physician when he looked upon him. Then to assist him, he ordered twelve brethren, cunning in fixing and unfixing, to be ready at midnight. 'I alas,' adds Jocelyn, 'was not of the number.' The convent being all asleep, those twelve clothed in albs drawing the coffin from off the Shrine, unfastened the lid which was fixed to the coffin with sixteen very long iron nails. Then the twelve brethren were ordered to draw back.
Now the coffin was so filled with the sacred body that even a needle could hardly be put in between the head and the wood, or between the feet and the wood; and the head lay united to the body somewhat raised by a small pillow. The Abbot, looking close, found a silk cloth veiling the whole body, and then a linen cloth of wondrous whiteness; after that another fine silken cloth, as if it had been the veil of some nun. And now they found the Sacred body all wrapt in linen, and so at length the lineaments appeared. Here the Abbot stopped, saying he durst not proceed further, or look at the sacred flesh naked. Then taking the head between his hands, in a subdued tone, he said, 'Glorious Martyr St. Edmund, turn it not to my destruction that I a miserable sinner do touch thee; for thou knowest my devotion and the intention of my mind.' And proceeding he touched the eyes, and the nose, which was very massive and prominent, valde grossum et valde eminentem, and then he touched the breast and arms, and raising the left arm he touched the fingers, and placed his own fingers between the sacred fingers. And proceeding, he found the feet standing stiff up like the feet of a man dead yesterday, and he touched the toes and counted them.
And then the brethren aforesaid approached, and with them six others who had stolen in without the Abbot's consent. All these saw the Sacred body, but Thurstan alone touched the Saint's knees and feet. Also one of the brethren, John of Dice, sitting on the roof of the church with the servants of the vestry, looking through clearly saw all these things.
Then all was closed up in like manner as before, and when the convent came to chant matins, and perceived what had been done, they were very sorrowful, saying among themselves 'we have been sadly deceived.' Upon this the Abbot addressed them from the high altar shewing them that it was not fit that he should call all of them to be present on such an occasion. Then they all with tears sung 'Te Deum Laudamus,' and hastened to ring the bells in the choir."