Old and New London, A Narrative of its History, its People and its Places. Illustrated with Numerous Engravings from the Most Authentic Sources. vol 3
Thornbury, Walter
1872-78
Chapter LIII:Westminster Abbey.-The Chapels and Royal Tombs.St. Erasmus' Chapel
Chapter LIII:Westminster Abbey.-The Chapels and Royal Tombs.St. Erasmus' Chapel
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The chapels at the east end of the Abbey Church are in number. Commencing on the south side by and following the curve round to the north transept, we find them dedicated to the following saints:--St. Benedict, St. Edmund, St. Nicholas, St. Mary (Henry VII.'s Chapel), St. Paul, St. Edward, St. John, St. John the Baptist (commonly known as [extra_illustrations.3.431.2] ), St. John the Evangelist, St. Andrew, and St. Michael; but the last named are now thrown into . The kings buried in the Abbey are Sebert, Edward the Confessor, Henry III., Edward I., Edward III., Richard II., Henry V., Edward V., Henry VII., [extra_illustrations.3.431.3] , James I., Charles II., William III., and George II. Besides these there are queens, that is, reigning sovereigns-Mary, Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots, [extra_illustrations.3.431.4] , and Anne; the rest are the consorts of kings. | |
The tomb of Sebert, king of the East Saxons, who died in , and of Ethelgoda, his queen, is on the left of the gate of entrance to the chapels. The lower part of the tomb is covered by a plain arch forming a recess, and in the upper part seems to have been at time richly adorned with paintings, of which there are slight traces left. Over the tomb, under a glass case, is preserved an elaborate work (measuring about feet in length by feet in height), which is supposed to have originally formed part of an altar decoration, and probably is of the century. | |
writes Pennant, Horace Walpole has preserved, in his several of the royal instructions as to the number of mural decorations in this church. Among these is a direction for painting cherubims
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The Chapel of St. Benedict is separated from the south transept and the ambulatory, or chancel aisle, simply by a screen of monuments and their railings. At the east end, where stood the altar of St. Benedict, is the tomb of Frances, Countess of Hertford, whose effigy, as Malcolm states, The oldest tomb in this chapel is that of Simon de Langham, who was a monk, prior, and afterwards Abbot of , Archbishop of Canterbury, and a cardinal. He died in . The monument is of the altar form, with the sides adorned with quatrefoils and shields of arms, and on it lies an effigy of the archbishop, robed and mitred; it was formerly surmounted with a wooden canopy. In this chapel lie also several of the deans of . | |
Between the Chapel of St. Benedict and that of St. Edmund is a monument to the children of Henry III. Although it is now sadly defaced, this monument appears to have been a very elaborate , richly adorned with mosaic work. In the state records, there is the king's order for the erection of a monument in this place,
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[extra_illustrations.3.432.2] forms an hexagonal projection upon the passage leading from to St. Edmund was Archbishop of Canterbury, and the anniversary held at his altar was on the . An ancient wooden screen separates this chapel from the aisle. Here are several interesting tombs and monuments. On the east side of the doorway is the alabaster monument of John of Eltham, son of Edward II., and so called from Eltham, in Kent, the place of his birth. The head of the statue is encircled in a coronet of large and small leaves, | |
p.433 | remarkable for being the earliest specimen of the kind. The details of plate-armour, surcoat, gorget, coroneted helmet, with other accessories, give great antiquarian interest to this work. It was formerly surmounted by a canopy, of which, however, no traces are now visible. Near it is a little altartomb of Petworth marble, with diminutive effigies of William of Windsor and Blanche of the Tower, children of Edward III., both of whom died young. Close by is a slab of stained marble, that is perhaps less remarkable for its elegance than for the inscription it bears, which is as follows :-- On the |
west side of the doorway is the monument of William de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, half-brother to Henry III.; it is an altar-tomb of stone, surmounted by a broken sarcophagus, on which is a recumbent effigy of the earl. The figure is of wood, and was originally covered with copper-gilt, as was the chest on which it lies. The earl was treacherously slain at Bayonne, in France, in , and his body was brought to England for interment in this chapel.
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Among the remaining monuments in St. Edmund's Chapel are those of Monck, Bishop of Hereford (); the Duchess of Suffolk (); Francis Holles, son of the Earl of Clare (); Lady Jane Seymour (); Sir Bernard Brocas (); Sir Humphrey Bourchier (); Eleanor de Bohun, Duchess of Gloucester ()-this is a monumental brass, representing the deceased in her conventual dress, as a nun of Barking Abbey; Robert Waldby, Archbishop of York (); and Mary, Countess of Stafford (). | |
Next in order is the Chapel of St. Nicholas, in the centre of which is an altar-tomb surmounted with the effigies of Sir George Villiers, who died in , | |
p.434 | and of his lady, Mary Beaumont, created in Countess of Buckingham. Their son was advanced by James I. to the dukedom of Buckingham. Under this tomb were deposited, long after her decease, the remains of Katharine Valois, queen of Henry V., who died at Abbey, , in , and was buried in the lady chapel at the east end of that abbey, where she remained till her grandson, Henry VII., built his chapel, after which her remains found a temporary resting-place in a chest placed near the tomb of her husband. That her remains were not allowed to rest undisturbed, before their final consignment to the tomb in this chapel, may be gathered from the following entry in Pepys' diary, where, under date of -, we read:-- But what the particular point was which connected his thirtysixth birthday with such an act, is more than we are told in his narrative. |
The most stately monument in this chapel, and indeed of the most magnificent in the Abbey, is [extra_illustrations.3.434.3] to the memory of Mildred, his wife, and their eldest daughter Ann, Countess of Oxford. It rises to the height of feet, and is constructed of various coloured marbles, after a design of the Corinthian order. The Latin inscriptions, which are very long, were written by Lord Burleigh himself, and set forth the varied accomplishments and the virtues of the ladies who are represented in effigy in the lower part of the monument. The figure of Lord Burleigh, in his robes, and in a kneeling attitude, appears in the upper part of the monument. | |
Leaving the Chapel of St. Nicholas, we at once pass into the stately portico of the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commonly called [extra_illustrations.3.434.4] . The portico is beneath the oratory or chantry of Henry V., which forms an arch across the aisle directly east of his tomb. An ascent of steps leads to the gates opening to the nave or body of the chapel; on the right and left are doors opening into the side aisles. The gates are of brass, most curiously wrought, forming a kind of framework, the panels of which are filled with the portcullis and crown, fleur-de-lis, the falcon and fetterlock, the thistle and crown, the united roses of York and Lancaster entwined in a crown, the initials R. H., the royal crown, and the lions of England. The chapel itself forms the eastern extremity of the whole fabric, and is the most florid example of the perpendicular style of Gothic architecture that exists in this country; besides this, it is, in respect to its preservation, the most perfect example. We read that in the year Henry VII. took down the old and decayed which hitherto stood here, and also a tavern that adjoined it, and erected on their site the splendid and elaborate structure which we now see before us. Leland calls this chapel and though his praise may well be pronounced extravagant, it is generally considered that the architectural splendour of this edifice is of the highest order. It has in England only rival in the richness of its decoration, namely, Chapel, at Cambridge. The roofs of both are among the glories of the later Gothic style. The cost of Henry VII.'s chapel was : a large sum at that day. The royal miser spared no expense in this piece of vanity and self-glorification. | |
The nave has clustered columns on each side, the lower parts of which can be seen only in the side aisles, as they are hidden in the nave by the stalls of the Knights of the Bath, who were formerly installed here. The columns support noble arches on each side, and the springing for the pendants of the roof; similar arches also divide the nave from the small chapels at the east end. Immediately under the arches, and extending entirely round the chapel, is a range of demi-angels, projecting from the wall, in high relief. They support shields emblazoned with the devices of Henry VII.-the rose, portcullis, fleur. de-lis, &c. Over these angels are rows of octan. gular pedestals and niches containing statues of saints, martyrs, and other venerable personages. The chapel is lighted by ranges of windows, of which there are in the upper, and in the lower; they were formerly of painted or diapered glass, having in every pane a white rose, the badge of Lancaster, or an , the initial of the founder's name, &c., of which only a few are now remaining. In the upper window at the east end Henry VII. is represented in stained glass. Between the stone ceiling and the roof there is a spacious chamber lighted by Gothic openings through the walls. | |
The knights' stalls on either side of the nave are surmounted with canopies somewhat similar to those in the choir referred to in a preceding chapter; in them are fixed brass plates with the armorial bearings, &c., of the knights, and over | |
p.435 | them hang their banners, swords, and helmets. In front and below the stalls are seats for the esquires. The seats are so arranged as to form, when turned up, what are known as . On these the monks and canons of former times, with the assistance of their elbows on the upper part of the stalls, half supported themselves during certain parts of their long services, and especially at the Miserere Psalm, so as not to be obliged always to stand or kneel. They are so contrived, that if the body became supine by sleep, they naturally fell down, and the unfortunate monk who rested upon it was thrown forward on to the pavement in front. The seats are fixed to the wall by hinges; when they are down nothing is to be seen, but upon turning them up we find those grotesque representations which were characteristics of the times in which they were carved. Many of them display an irresistible whimsicality of thought, often ludicrously and vulgarly expressed. |
In the centre, between the knights' stalls, is the royal vault, wherein George II. and his queen, Caroline, are buried, together with the Prince and Princess of Wales, Dukes of Cumberland, the Duke of York, Prince Frederick William, and the Princesses Amelia, Caroline, Elizabeth, Louisa, and Anne. | |
An amusing story with reference to the royal vault is told by Mr. J. Timbs, in his work on quoted from Sinclair's The substance of the narrative is that or gentlemen who had dined together at a tavern afterwards paid a visit to the royal vault. Returning to the tavern, their conversation turned upon apparitions and a future state, when among them, who was an infidel in such matters, took upon himself to rally the others, who seemed rather inclined to a contrary opinion. To end the contest, they proposed to him a wager of guineas that he had not courage enough to go alone at midnight into the vault of Henry VII.'s Chapel. This he at once accepted; the money was forthwith deposited in the hands of the landlord of the house, and the party set out, after having engaged of the vergers to attend the adventurous gentleman to the gate of the chapel, there to shut him in and to await his return. It had been arranged that the gentleman should stick the blade of his penknife in the earth of the vault, and leave it there, so that it might be found the next morning. It was agreed that his friends should remain for him at the door. Every step he took had its echo; and the lamp which the verger had left burning before the door of the chapel, by its faint glimmer, added to the solemnity of the scene. runs the narrative,
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His friends waited patiently till o'clock, when, not making his appearance, they resolved to enter the Abbey with the verger, in search of him. On reaching the stairs of the vault and looking down, they saw the condition he was in. All attempts to restore him were in vain, till they got out of the Abbey, when the fresh air recovered him. He was afterwards taken to a tavern, when he related the circumstances as above described, adding that | |
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Near the slab marking the entrance to the royal vault, Edward VI., grandson of the founder of this chapel, was buried, in . The site is now covered by a communion-table, on which is a Latin inscription to the following effect :-- The beautifully carved frieze of the lost altar was found, in , in Edward VI.'s grave, | |
p.436 | and has been placed upon the marble slab which covers the new table. |
The altar here alluded to was composed of a single piece of basaltic stone, known as touchstone. To this altar Henry in his will bequeathed
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The occasion on which the new communiontable was used was in , when the Dean administered the holy sacrament to the revisers of the New Testament, preparatory to commencing their labours. The committee appointed by Convocation for the revision of. the authorised version of the Scriptures had invited other scholars and divines to join them, many of whom accepted the invitation.
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This was not the only religious ceremony that has taken place here, apart from the installation of the Knights of the Bath, since the time of the Reformation, for in Henry VII.'s Chapel, as we learn from John Evelyn, the nephew of the diarist,
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At the back of the table is the principal object of interest in this chapel, as well for antiquity as for fine workmanship-namely, the magnificent tomb of Henry VII. and Elizabeth his queen. [extra_illustrations.3.436.1] ornamented with statues; the royal pair, in their robes of state, lie on an elaborate tomb of black marble, at the corners of which are cherubs in a kneeling or sitting position. The statues, of bronze gilt, as well as the general accessories, were designed by the famous Italian sculptor, Torregiano, the contemporary and rival of Michael Angelo. Lord Bacon calls this monument
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Extending from the north to the south aisles, and forming the semi-circular termination of the fabric, are deep recesses or The of these, on the north side, contains the monument of George Villiers, Duke of Buckinghamthe and favourite of James I. and the companion of Charles I. The duke and his duchess, dressed in the costume of the time, are represented recumbent, side by side, on a table tomb, over a sarcophagus. The monument, which fills almost the entire recess, is carried at the back up to the top of the vaulting. At the angles are figures in brass, above life-size, of Neptune, Mars, Minerva, and another, said to be emblematic of Benevolence; and the remainder of the work is composed of a variety of designs in arms, crests, mottoes, scrolls, &c. It will be remembered by every reader of history that the duke fell a victim to national resentment, in , having perished at Portsmouth by the hand of the assassin Felton. In the next recess is the monument of John Sheffield, another Duke of Buckingham, where, on an altar of the finest-grained marble, lies, in a half-raised posture, his grace's effigy, in a Roman habit, with his duchess, Catherine, natural daughter of the Duke of York, afterwards King James II., sitting at his feet weeping. In the reign of Charles II., as the inscription sets forth, Over his grace's effigy are inscribed, in Latin, sentences to the following import : And underneath it-
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His grace died in the year of his age, . He was the patron of Dryden, and his monument here bears the wellknown line, This inscription suggested to Matthew Prior his epigram on the duke's burial here, at which Bishop Atterbury, as Dean of , was the officiating minister :--
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The ceremony of the duke's state funeral was pompous enough; but it is not a little strange to find Dr. Atterbury writing on the subject to Pope in terms which imply that he thought it a sham and unreality. Pope, in writing back to his friend, simply says that too, and to
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The remains of James I. are interred in the tomb of Henry VII., whilst those of his queen, Anne of Denmark, repose in a tomb in front of the monument of Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham. The central recess is empty, but the next to it, on the south side, contains the tomb of Anthony Philip, Duke de Montpensier, who died in . He was son of the Duke of Orleans, and brother of Louis Philippe, afterwards king of the French. The marble effigy of the duke, by Sir Richard Westmacott, lies extended on a low altartomb; he is represented with ducal coronet and robes, and the expression is altogether of dignity and repose. | |
The recess, forming the east end of the south aisle, is almost filled with the enormous quadrangular tomb of [extra_illustrations.3.437.1] , and Frances, his wife. They are represented as lying on a marble table, under a canopy of brass, curiously wrought, and supported by the figures of Faith, Hope, Charity, and Prudence. On the top is a figure of Fame taking her flight, and resting only on her toe. This illustrious nobleman was son of Esme Stuart, Duke of Lenox, and grandson of James, nephew of King James I., to whom he was Gentleman of the Bedchamber and Privy Councillor, a Knight of the Garter, and Ambassador to France in behalf of Scotland. He died . His lady was daughter of Thomas Lord Howard, of Bindon, son of the Duke of Norfolk, by Elizabeth, daughter of the Duke of Buckingham. She died . The east side of the chapel is defaced by a clumsy pyramid of black and white marble supporting a small urn containing the heart of Esme Stuart, son of the Duke of Richmond and Lenox, by the Lady Mary, daughter of the Duke of Buckingham. | |
In the for the year , it is remarked that It is certain that ambassador was kept unburied from to , the date of the in which Hatton mentions that (ii. ). observes Mr. Mackenzie Walcott,
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The body of Oliver Cromwell, together with those of of his family, and officers, was buried in the vault at the end of Henry VII.'s Chapel; but their remains were removed with every possible indignity at the Restoration. There has always existed a lurking tradition that when Cromwell's body was dug up from its grave here, and thrown into a ditch at Tyburn, it was not allowed to remain there by his followers, but that they carried it away, and secretly gave it the rites of a decent sepulture. It has often been said that the place where it was laid is the centre of , Bloomsbury. Others state that, for greater security, it was thrown into the Thames. The secret of his last resting-place will not be known till the last great day of all. | |
We now pass into the south aisle, which contains, besides handsome monuments, the old royal vault, wherein are buried Charles II., [extra_illustrations.3.437.2] . The monument is that to Lady Margaret Douglas, daughter of Margaret, Queen of Scots, by the Earl of Angus. This lady, as the English inscription states, This lady, who is said to have been very beautiful, was privately married, in the year , to Thomas Howard, son of the Duke of Norfolk, upon which account both of them were committed to the Tower by King Henry VIII., her uncle, for affiancing without his consent, and he died in prison; but Margaret, being released, was soon | |
after married to Matthew, Earl of Lenox, and became the mother of Lord Darnley, who, having married Mary Queen of Scots, was the father of King James I. | |
[extra_illustrations.3.438.1] , which was erected by her son, James I., soon after his accession to the English throne. The unfortunate queen was beheaded in the hall of Fotheringay Castle, in Northamptonshire, in , and her remains were buried in Peterborough Cathedral; but James had her body privately removed to this church in , under the superintendence of Dr. Neile, then Dean of , and buried in a vault beneath this monument. This tomb contains also the remains of the children of James I., Charles I., and James II. | |
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We now come to another of the monumental works of Torregiano-namely, that of Margaret, Countess of Richmond, the mother of Henry VII The aged and noble lady, whose effigy is in bronze gilt, is represented in what looks like the dress of a nun or recluse, with a mantle thrown or worn over all. She was married, in , to Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, but in the following year was left a widow, with son (afterwards Henry VII.). She next became the wife of Sir Henry Stafford, who died in ; and in the following year she married Thomas Lord Stanley. In she founded Christ College, Cambridge, and she died in . College, Cambridge, was founded in pursuance with her will. | |
Overlooking this monument is a beautiful piece of sculpture, also the work of an Italian artist, named Valory, to the memory of Catherine, Lady Walpole. The statue stands upon a square pedestal, upon which is an inscription which states that she was the wife of Sir Robert Walpole, afterwards Earl of Orford, and that as we have said above. The inscription further sets forth that
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The only other monument in this aisle is to the memories of George Monck and Christopher, his son, both Dukes of Albemarle, and also of Elizabeth Duchess Dowager of Albemarle, relict of the latter. | |
The principal monument in the north aisle of Henry VII.'s Chapel is that of [extra_illustrations.3.440.1] . This is a sumptuous and lofty pile, of the Corinthian order, though of far less grandeur than that of her rival and victim, Mary Queen of Scots, in the south aisle. It consists of a low basement, panelled, with projecting pedestals, on which stand columns of black marble, with bases of white marble, and gilt capitals; the whole is crowned with a semi-circular canopy. In the recess is a thick slab, supported by couchant lions, in which is a recumbent figure of the queen, executed in white marble. The inscription, which is in Latin, sets forth This monument was erected by James I., at a cost of nearly . | |
Queen Mary, side by side with her Protestant sister Elizabeth, rests in the Abbey Church at , but no storeyed monument, no costly tomb, has been raised to her memory. She was interred with all the solemn funeral rites used by the Roman Church, and a mass of requiem, on the north side of the Chapel of Henry VII. During the reign of her successor not the slightest mark of respect was shown to her memory by the erection of a monument; and even at the present day no other memorial remains to point out the spot where she lies, except small black tablets at the west base of the sumptuous tomb erected by order of King James I. over the ashes of Elizabeth, and her less fortunate sister. On them we read as follows:--
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The little recess at the end of the north aisle, where the altar stood, contains a memorial erected by Charles II. to the memory of Edward V. and his brother Richard, Duke of York, who were suffocated in the Tower by order of their usurping uncle, the Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard III. The bones of the princes, after lying there for nearly years, were discovered in , buried beneath the stairs in the White Tower. It is remarkable that Edward was born within the precincts of , whither his mother had fled for sanctuary, in , during the contest between the houses of York and Lancaster. At years of age, upon the death of his father, in , he was proclaimed king, and on the , in the same year, he was murdered in the manner above related. Richard, his brother, was born in , and was married while a child to Ann Mowbray. | |
The spot, it would seem, is peculiarly appropriated for children, for here lie Sophia and Mary, daughters of James I. The former is commemorated by a child in a cradle, and the latter by a pretty little altar-tomb, on which reposes the effigy of an infant. This aisle contains also other tombs, an exceedingly heavy to George Saville, Marquis of Halifax, and another to Charles Montague, Earl of Halifax. In front of the latter monument Joseph Addison is buried, and to mark the spot a slab of white marble, inlaid with brass letters and devices, was placed here by the late Earl of Ellesmere, in . | |
The Chapel of St. Paul, which is on the north side of the Abbey after leaving that of Henry VII., contains a few monuments of interest or singularity, but space does not admit of our mentioning more than or . of these is to the memory of Charles Holmes, Esq., Rear Admiral of the White, and commander of his Majesty's fleet stationed in Jamaica. It consists of a great statue of the admiral encased in Roman armour, and resting against an English eighteenpounder mounted on a sea-carriage. Under a plain arch in the wall are the effigies of Sir John Fullerton and his lady, with an inscription stating that his lies here. The epitaph tells us further that Sir John Fullerton was In this chapel is buried the learned Archbishop Ussher, whose funeral was celebrated with great pomp, partly-but only in part-at the cost of the Lord Protector Cromwell. This chapel contains also a monument by Chantrey to James Watt, the inventor of the steam-engine, (to adopt the language of the inscription placed here by Lord Brougham), This monument was erected in by public subscription, and is generally regarded as of Chantrey's most successful works. [extra_illustrations.3.441.1] [extra_illustrations.3.441.2] | |
We now pass into the [extra_illustrations.3.441.3] -or, as it is sometimes called, the Chapel of the Kings--where we find the regal monument, in point of date, having an effigy on it. It is that of the founder of the present fabric, Henry III., who died in -. The tomb is on the north side of the chapel, and was erected a few years after his death by his son and successor, Edward I. The workmanship and materials of this tomb are remarkable. The panels at the sides are of polished porphyry, surrounded by a framework of mosaic, with gilding and coloured stones. At each corner are twisted columns of variously-coloured marbles. On the top is a recumbent figure of the king, crowned, and habited in regal costume; it is of bronze gilt, and finely executed. This effigy is said by Walpole (who, by the way, does not mention his authority) to be considered the example of metal-casting in England. The monument immediately adjoining is that of [extra_illustrations.3.441.4] , the wife of Edward I., and merits attention for the extraordinary elegance and beauty displayed in its details. | |
Occupying the space between the easternmost pillars of this chapel, is the [extra_illustrations.3.441.5] of the gallant prince, [extra_illustrations.3.441.6] , the hero of Agincourt, on each side of which are images as large as life, guarding, as it were, the staircases ascending to it. Beneath is [extra_illustrations.3.441.7] , with his effigy, or, rather, what now remains of it. It is of oak, much mutilated, and headless. It is said originally to have been plated with silver gilt, and that the head was solid silver. Nothing is now left of the work but the rude wooden form upon which the were fastened. According to Camden, the head was gone when he wrote his in the reign of Elizabeth; it is said to have been stolen at the Reformation. Above the chantry are preserved the saddle, helmet, and shield of Henry V., supposed to have been used at Agincourt, and brought hither at his interment. This tomb was built by Henry VII., in compliment to his illustrious predecessor. writes Pennant, The collection of figures here alluded to, we may add, are now preserved over Islip's Chapel, where we shall presently find them. [extra_illustrations.3.441.8] [extra_illustrations.3.441.9] | |
says Pennant, On the south side of the chantry is a representation of his coronation, and the figure of Henry himself is distinguished by a wen under his chin, which no doubt was taken from the life. | |
But little respect was paid by Henry VII. to his grandmother, Catharine, the consort of Henry V., who had sunk from being the queen-consort of the conqueror of France to the wife of a plain gentleman. Though she gave to England a long line of sovereigns, her grandson, on pulling down the old Lady Chapel, where she was buried, ungratefully neglected to honour her remains, but suffered them, as we are told, to be carelessly flung into a wooden chest, and they are now interred near the tomb of her husband. | |
The next monuments particularly worthy of remark are in memory of the glorious warrior, [extra_illustrations.3.441.10] , his [extra_illustrations.3.441.11] and of their children. Edward died in I, and his effigy, of bronze, lies on a table of the same metal, and the whole has been richly gilt. In the statue, says Professor Westmacott, This tomb, like all others in the Abbey, has suffered greatly from neglect and ill treatment; much of its enrichment has disappeared, together with many of the numerous small brazen statues that decorated it. of these small statues remain, however, on the south side of the | |
p.442 | tomb-namely, those representing Edward, Joan de la Tour, Lionel, Edmund, Mary, and William. The tomb of Edward III. is thus mentioned by Addison, in the :
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writes Pennant, How finely does the poet Gray paint the scene of his death, and the gay entrance of his successor into power, in the bitter taunt which he puts into the mouth of a British bard:--
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The tomb is covered with a Gothic canopy, as is also that adjoining, which covers the remains of Queen Philippa, the consort of Edward III. She was the daughter of William Earl of Hainault; and Harding tells us that when an embassy was sent by Edward to choose of the earl's daughters, a certain English bishop advised him to select the lady of the largest frame, as promising a numerous progeny. The good bishop seems to have been a good judge, for she died in I, having borne to her sovereign lord a family of no less than children. The effigy on her tomb, though injured, is still in a condition to afford a good idea of her person, as well as of the art of the day; and the costume, especially the cushioned headdress,
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The tomb at the south-western corner of the chapel is that of [extra_illustrations.3.442.1] , his queen Over it is a wooden canopy, remarkable for a curious painting of the Virgin Mary and our Saviour, remains of which are still visible upon it. His figure, and that of his consort, Anne, daughter of the King of Bohemia, are of copper, and were once richly gilt. We are told that the king ordered these to be made in his lifetime by of the goldsmiths in , and that the expense of gilding them alone was . Pennant draws attention to the fact that the king's countenance here is very unlike that shown in his portrait painted, of which we have spoken elsewhere. | |
Close by the screen separating this chapel from the sacrarium of the Abbey are the [extra_illustrations.3.422.2] carried before Edward III. in France. The most ancient of the coronation chairs was brought with the regalia from Scotland by Edward I., in , and offered at the shrine of St. Edward. An [extra_illustrations.3.442.3] , in Scotland, is placed underneath the chair. In this chair all the reigning sovereigns of England have been crowned since Edward I. The old legend of the origin of the chair of King Edward cannot be better told than in the words of Addison, in the , though somewhat comically put together: --
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Both chairs are of architectural design; the ancient is supported upon lions, but otherwise they are somewhat similar in appearance. The more modern of the coronation chairs was made for the use of Mary II., when crowned along with her consort, William III. It may be added here that at the coronations of our kings and queens or both, as circumstances may require, are richly covered with gold-beaten tissue, cushioned, and are placed in front of the altar. | |
The following we take from a manuscript account [extra_illustrations.3.442.4] | |
p.443 | of St. Edward's Chapel inserted in the note-book of of the vergers of the Abbey : |
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There is extant a minute description of the tomb and its contents, by Sir Joseph Ayloffe, an antiquary, who was present. It may be added that the dress is represented with tolerable accuracy on a seal of Edward himself, to be seen in Sandford's
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[extra_illustrations.3.443.1] , and has, apparently, sustained very little injury, is in the north-western corner of the chapel. It bears the following apposite inscription:--
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[extra_illustrations.3.443.2] are legendary sculptures, respecting the Confessor. The is the trial of Queen Emma; the next the birth of Edward; another is his coronation; the tells us how, our saint was frightened into the abolition of the Dane-gelt, by his seeing the devil dance upon the money-casks; the is the story of his winking at the thief who was robbing his treasure; the is meant to relate the appearance of our Saviour to him; the shows how the invasion of England was frustrated by the drowning of the Danish king; in the is seen the quarrel between the boys Tosti and Harold, predicting their respective fates; in the sculpture is the Confessor's vision of the sleepers; the shows how he met St. John the Evangelist in the guise of a pilgrim; the , how the blind were cured by their eyes being washed in his dirty water; the , how St. John delivered to the pilgrims a ring; in the they deliver the ring to the king, which he had unknowingly given to St. John as an alms, when he met him in the form of a pilgrim; this was attended with a [extra_illustrations.3.443.3] | |
p.444 | message from the saint, foretelling the death of the king; and the shows the consequential haste made by him to complete his pious foundation. |
The following, according to Dugdale, is the story of the benefactions of Edward the Confessor to the Abbey:--The king, while in exile during the usurpation of the Danes, made a vow that if it should please God to restore him to the throne of his father, he would go in pilgrimage to Rome. Soon after his coronation, he made his intention known to the principal nobility, who, partly fearing disturbances in the absence of the king, and partly dreading a contest for the succession should he die upon the journey, endeavoured to dissuade him from it. Aelred, Archbishop of York, and Harman, Bishop of Winchester, with abbots of monasteries, are stated to have been sent on an embassy | |
to Rome, to procure the Pope's absolution from the vow; they returned with a rescript from Pope Leo IX., enjoining the king, by way of commutation, to expend the sums of money intended for his journey in the foundation or repair of some religious house dedicated to St. Peter. A revelation made to Wolfine, or Wulsina, a monk of Worcester, is said to have determined the king to bestow his benefactions at . | |
[extra_illustrations.3.444.2] . This venerable curiosity, though now much mutilated, still enables us to form an opinion of its former richness and beauty. It was erected by Henry III. on the canonising of Edward, King of England, by Pope Alexander III., who caused his name to be placed in the catalogue of saints, and issued his bull to the Abbot Laurence and Convent of , enjoining The shrine was the work of the Italian artist Cavallini. Before this shrine was formerly kept a lamp continually burning, on side of which stood a figure of the Virgin, wrought in silver, which, with jewels of immense value, were presented as an offering by Queen Eleanor. On the other side stood another image of the Virgin, wrought in ivory, presented by Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. At this shrine Edward I. offered the Scottish regalia, and the coronation chair, which is still preserved. Alphonso, about the year , offered here the golden coronet of Llewellyn, Prince of Wales, and other jewels. It is painful to witness the damage which has been | |
done to this and several of the surrounding monuments, which were originally enriched with so much cost and art. | |
The stonework of Edward the Confessor's shrine is hollow within, and now encloses a large chest, which, soon after the coronation of James II., was found to contain the remains of St. Edward; for being broken (it is said) by accident, upon turning up the bones, a crucifix, richly ornamented and enamelled, was discovered, together with a gold chain inches long, both of which were presented to his Majesty, who ordered the bones to be replaced in the old coffin and enclosed in a net , made very strong. The coffin containing the king's remains is suspended by iron rods, firmly | |
p.446 | inserted in the stonework, at about half the depth of the shrine; and may be seen from the parapet of Henry VII.'s Chapel. On the south side of the shrine lies interred Editha, daughter of Goodwyn, Earl of Kent, and consort of St. Edward. |
It is almost superfluous to state that the shrine of St. Edward, all through the Middle Ages, was a constant object of pilgrimages from all parts of England, though his tomb was never so popular as that of St. Thomas of Canterbury; and even since the Reformation it is frequently visited by Roman Catholics, who make it a matter of conscience to offer up a prayer at the foot of the coffin which still holds the saint's bones. | |
[extra_illustrations.3.446.1] , which we next enter, contains little or nothing to call for particular mention here beyond the monuments to the memory of Henry Carey; of Lord Hunsdon, cousin and also chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth; and of Thomas Cecil, Earl of Exeter. The tomb of the Earl of Exeter is in the middle of the chapel; on it is his effigy, with a lady on his right side and a vacant space on his left for another; the lady is his wife, Dorothy Nevil, daughter and coheiress of Lord Latimer. The vacant space was intended for an effigy of his wife, Frances Bridget, of the noble family of Chandos; but as the right side was taken up, she gave express orders by her will that her effigy should not be placed on his left. They are all , nevertheless, buried together in vault, as the inscription expresses. | |
The small Chapel of St. John the Baptist, commonly known as Islip's Chapel, formerly contained a monument of Abbot Islip; but almost. its only occupants now are the effigies of Sir Christopher Hatton and his lady, which are seen in reclining attitudes on cushions upon a sumptuous tomb of the century. In the Islip Chapel is buried also William Pulteney, Earl of Bath. Outside the chapel is his monument, close to that of [extra_illustrations.3.446.2] , the hero of Quebec. Islip's Chapel, we may here remark, is constantly used at the present day; for the bishops who are to be consecrated in the Abbey usually retire to it to put on their and the other episcopal vestments. | |
In a chamber or gallery over Islip's Chapel, not ordinarily accessible to the public, is an exhibition of, perhaps, equal interest to the monuments interspersed throughout the sacred edifice, or rivalling in interest the famous exhibition of a somewhat similar character in Baker Street--that of Madame Tussaud. The collection has received the name of the and also For many centuries preceding the present a curious custom prevailed at State funerals-namely, having exposed to view in the funeral car, or carried in the procession, a waxen effigy of the individual whose remains were about to be consigned to the tomb. The head of the defunct monarch, statesman, or warrior was modelled in wax, an effigy was built up, and clad in the actual garments worn by the deceased in his lifetime, but embellished with false gems. When the coffin had been deposited in the vault, the waxen effigy was either placed over the tomb as a sort of temporary substitute for a stone monument, or in some other convenient spot. Several of these effigies are preserved in glass cases like zoological specimens in the narrow chamber above referred to. Taking them in chronological order, the is a striking effigy of Queen Elizabeth; the pale hawk-like features are deeply cut by sharp lines, the head is surmounted by a diadem, and the whole costume is profusely adorned with gems. Her Majesty is attired in that extravagantly long-waisted dress with which her portraits have made us familiar, and springing from the bodice is a pair of immense panniers which support a ponderous velvet robe, covered with gold embroidery, and trimmed with miniver; around the neck is a curious spreading ruff, stiffened with wire, and from this descends the long, straight, stiff bodice, made stiffer and heavier by a mass of rich silver embroidery. | |
At a respectful distance from the stands a life-like figure of the Charles II. A more distinct gleam of humour, however, is perceptible in this old waxen version of the founder of the Royal Society than in the portrait, by Lely, hanging in the reception-room of that learned body; but the main characteristics of the portrait and the image--the dark brow, the soft, melancholy eye, the disproportionately-long, straight nose, and the heavy under lip--are identical. The king is clad in a curious raiment of red and blue velvet, sorely faded from its ancient splendour, and the royal head is topped by a limplooking hat and a tawdry feather. | |
Space does not admit of our giving a detailed account of this curious and interesting collection of wax figures; suffice it to say that it is not strictly confined to royal personages, for-apart from King William III. and [extra_illustrations.3.446.3] , and another effigy, superb in robes and strings of false jewellery, the counterfeit presentment of Queen Anne-we have here a recumbent figure of John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham, and near him are his duchess and child. The lady is attired in a curiously long-waisted bodice much bejewelled, and wears a robe of remarkable brocade, wherein may be distinguished bridges, rivers, and verdant | |
p.447 | lawns, all coloured, as the heralds say, Then there are a Duchess of Richmond, and [extra_illustrations.3.447.1] , erect in his scarlet robes. Lastly, more figure attracts attention. It is but a frail figure at best, but represents A huge cocked hat overshadows a pale, worn face of sweet expression; the lower limbs are slender and clad in white kerseymere and silk; a strange-looking blue coat, adorned with an immense quantity of gold lace and curious flat buttons, covers the superior part of the body, and is, on the left breast, marked by a galaxy of stars; the right sleeve of the quaint coat is armless ;--the reader will hardly need be told that this is the effigy of a mighty man of valour-Lord Nelson. |
Facing the entrance to the chapels we have just quitted, and occupying the north side of the sacrarium, are tombs which form admirable illustrations of the elegant and yet rich style of monumental art of their time; they are those of Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Lancaster, son of Edward II.; of Aveline, his wife (); and that of Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke (). There is so much similarity in the general design, that, as Professor Westmacott remarks, In each case the monument consists of an altar-tomb, upon which reposes a recumbent figure of the deceased, and they are surmounted by lofty enriched canopies, tapering upwards with every variety of accessorial decoration. The following is Flaxman's criticism on of these monuments :--
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On the floor, near the above monuments, is a slab curiously inlaid with brass, representing John de Eastney, Abbot of , who died in . In the grave was opened, and the body of the abbot discovered in a coffin quilted with yellow satin, having on him a gown of crimson silk, with a black girdle round the waist. On his legs were white silk stockings, and over his face a clean napkin, doubled up and laid corner-ways. The face, we are told, was in some degree discoloured, but the legs and arms were firm. | |
In the united Chapels of St. John the Evangelist, St. Michael, and St. Andrew are or particularly striking monuments. The is to [extra_illustrations.3.447.2] , who died in . The effigies of both, in alabaster, lie recumbent on a raised tomb, above which is a canopy. On each side of the composition, at the base, are kneeling figures, life-size, dressed in the armour of the period, representing the sons of the deceased. [extra_illustrations.3.447.3] has remarked with regard to this monument, that although the sculpture is not fine, the motive of the design is good and appropriate.
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The next monument in this chapel to which we shall refer is that of [extra_illustrations.3.447.4] , of the eminent worthies and warriors of the Elizabethan era. The effigy of the gallant soldier, habited in a loose gown, is recumbent on a low bed or tabletomb. At each corner is a knight, in full armour, kneeling, and supporting on his shoulders a large slab, which forms a canopy over the principal figure. On this are placed various pieces of armour, supposed to have belonged to the great general lying beneath. | |
On the east side of this chapel is a large monument of later date, by Roubiliac. It is in memory of Joseph Gascoigne Nightingale, Esq., of Minehead, Devonshire, who died in , and the Lady Elizabeth, his wife, eldest daughter and co-heiress of Washington, Earl Ferrers, who died soon after marriage. In the upper part of the pyramidal composition, the lady is represented expiring in the arms of her husband; whilst in the lower part, a skeleton, partially draped, issues from the gates of a dark tomb, and appears in the act of hurling a dart at the female above. The husband, leaning forward, endeavours to ward off the fatal stroke, with the energy of despair, and extends his hand as a shield or guard between the sinking lady and the weapon of death. | |
Concerning these monuments, Mr. Peter Cunningham tells a story in his
[extra_illustrations.3.448.1] [extra_illustrations.3.448.2] [extra_illustrations.3.448.3] [extra_illustrations.3.448.4] | |
On the opposite side of the aisle, on leaving this chapel, we see the monument to the memory of Field-Marshal Lord Ligonier. The inscription is only a recital of his titles and places, his age (), and the date of his death in . On the monument is a likeness of his lordship, in profile, and the medallions of Queen Anne, George I., II., and III., under whom his lordship served. On a scroll held by a figure symbolic of History, is the following list of battles in which he bore a part:-- Schellenberg, Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudinarde, Taniere, Malplaquet, Dettingen, Fontenoy, Rocoux, and Laffeldt. He was the Commander-in- Chief at the . Lord Ligonier, however, was not only a gallant officer, but a wit of no small ability. His regiment (the Horse) being reviewed by George II. before it was sent on foreign service, the king remarked to him,
replied Ligonier,
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Apart from the chapels above spoken of, there is still more to which we must refer, namely, that dedicated to St. Faith-or, as it is more commonly designated, the Chapel of St. Blaizeat the end of the south transept. The doorway to this ancient chapel is close by the grave of Charles Dickens, and under the great rose window. It is a small oblong chamber, and served for many years as a vestry for the choristers. It is lighted on the south side by windows in the vestibule of the Chapter House, and by the partially glazed door opening into the transept. For the dedication of the altar, says Sir G. Gilbert Scott, we are indebted to Abbot Ware's a work written in the century, which narrowly escaped destruction at theburning of the Cottonian Library. The figure painted over the altar had long been said to represent no other than St. Faith; but till the discovery of the entry in Ware's volume, we had no record of such an altar. In that work, however, the altar of St. Faith is stated to be committed to the care of the | |
Scarcely any of the works executed since Roubiliac's time, however remarkable for other qualities, preserve any of the characteristics appropriate to church monuments. Again, quoting the words of Professor Westmacott, we might add that
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With reference to the Gothic or Mediaeval monuments in , the above writer remarks that,
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Pennant's remarks on the general character of the sculpture exhibited in the tombs throughout the Abbey are so just and true, that they may well [extra_illustrations.3.448.5] | |
p.449 | be quoted by us:--
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He means, of course, that their works begin to show an individuality which we seek in vain in the earlier productions of the chisel. He instances the sons of Henry Lord Norris, and the monument of Sir Francis Vere, in the chapel of St. Andrew; and that of Francis Holles, son of the Earl of Clare, dressed as a Grecian warrior. he adds,
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Mr. W. Godwin complains, in his published. in , of the neglected state of the monuments. He writes: Such complaints, fortunately, are no longer true; for although the chapels and royal tombs are freely open to the inspection of the public day in each week, the utmost cate is now taken by the visitors to preserve and protect them. | |
As Chamberlain remarks, in his
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The following quaint verses on the royal tombs in are taken from a work about centuries and a half old; but the sentiments, though the author of the lines is unknown, belong to all ages :--
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We may conclude this chapter with the remark that whilst London was confined within as its western limits, the glorious old Abbey of stood surrounded with green fields, and held a position towards the metropolis almost analogous to that of St. Denis, near Paris, in which the Bourbon kings and their immediate relatives for centuries lay buried, till the wild fury of the French Revolution scattered their ashes to the winds of heaven. Let us hope that no such disaster may happen to the royal dust that lies within these consecrated walls. | |
Footnotes: [extra_illustrations.3.431.2] Islip's Chapel [extra_illustrations.3.431.3] Edward VI. [extra_illustrations.3.431.4] Mary II. [extra_illustrations.3.432.2] The Chapel of St. Edmund [] Exterior of Chapel, Henry VII. [extra_illustrations.3.434.3] that erected by Lord Burleigh [extra_illustrations.3.434.4] Henry VII.'s Chapel [] Henry VII. [] Entrance to Henry VII.'s Chapel [] Griffins from Roof [extra_illustrations.3.436.1] The monument is enclosed within a curious brass screen, or chantry, [extra_illustrations.3.437.1] Lewis, Duke of Richmond [extra_illustrations.3.437.2] William III., and Mary his consort, Queen Anne, and Prince George of Denmark [extra_illustrations.3.438.1] Next is the magnificent monument of Mary Queen of Scots [extra_illustrations.3.440.1] Queen Elizabeth [extra_illustrations.3.441.1] Funeral of Henry V. [extra_illustrations.3.441.2] Great Seal of Henry VII. [extra_illustrations.3.441.3] Chapel of Edward the Confessor [extra_illustrations.3.441.4] Queen Eleanor [extra_illustrations.3.441.5] chantry [extra_illustrations.3.441.6] Henry V. [extra_illustrations.3.441.7] the tomb of the king [extra_illustrations.3.441.8] Naving Looking West [extra_illustrations.3.441.9] Monument of King Henry V. [extra_illustrations.3.441.10] Edward III. [extra_illustrations.3.441.11] Queen Philippa [extra_illustrations.3.442.1] Richard II. and Anne [extra_illustrations.3.422.2] coronation chairs, together with the shield and sword of state [extra_illustrations.3.442.3] oblong rough stone, brought from Scone [extra_illustrations.3.442.4] Proposed Restoration of the Tomb of Queen Philippa [extra_illustrations.3.443.1] This tomb, which is very plain [extra_illustrations.3.443.2] Along the frieze of the screen of this chapel [extra_illustrations.3.443.3] Funeral from Bayeux Tapestry [extra_illustrations.3.444.2] In the centre of this chapel stands the shrine of Edward the Confessor [extra_illustrations.3.446.1] The Chapel of St. John [extra_illustrations.3.446.2] General Wolfe [extra_illustrations.3.446.3] his buxom queen Mary [] Mauseleum at Funeral of Mary [extra_illustrations.3.447.1] the elder Pitt, Lord Chatham [extra_illustrations.3.447.2] Lord and Lady Norris [extra_illustrations.3.447.3] Professor Westmacott [extra_illustrations.3.447.4] Sir Francis Vere [extra_illustrations.3.448.1] Sir Eyre Coote [extra_illustrations.3.448.2] Captain James Montagu [extra_illustrations.3.448.3] Earl Channing [extra_illustrations.3.448.4] William of Windsor [extra_illustrations.3.448.5] Monument--Duke of Argyle, Monument--Sir Charles Wager |