The Medieval Pilgrimage Industry

Pilgrims Leaving the Tabard, Southwark

The relics lead to the original leisure industry - the Pilgrimage:

Bifil that in that seson on a day,
In southwerk at the tabard as I lay
Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage
To caunterbury with ful devout corage,
At nyght was come into that hostelrye
Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye,
Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle
In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle,
That toward caunterbury wolden ryde

Prologue, Cantebury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer