He was monk, prior, and afterwards abbot of this monastery, archbishop of Canterbury, and a cardinal. He died July , at Avignon in France, and founded a chantry for the souls of his father and himself.

This monument is of the altar form, and the sides are adorned with quatrefoils and shields of arms; the effigy robed and mitred is exceedingly well sculptured, particularly the face and profile. It had a canopy, of which nothing remains. On the verge is the following inscription in raised letters :

Hic iacet Dominus Simon de Langh'm quondam Abbas hujus loci, Thesorarius Anglie, electus London' ep'c Elien. Cancellar. Anglie, Archiepc. Cantuar. Presbiter Cardinalis et postea cardinalis ep'c Penestrin.

Another was erected to William Bill, dean of , ; and a to dean Goodman, ; both these tombs are very black and decayed.

As the door leading to Palace-yard is open in all kinds of weather, the damps confined in this corner, without light or circulation of air, have corroded the walls and some of the tombs greatly; the arches and the wall are otherwise uninjured on the south side.

In the midst of the pavement is a great tomb, with recumbent effigies of the earl and countess of Middlesex in their robes of estate, with coronets on their heads. He died , aged ; the countess died .

Here is a pretty tablet to the memory of George Sprat, .

At the entrance of this chapel, near the monument of the earl of Middlesex, was interred the celebrated dramatist, Francis Beaumont, who died . Here also is interred Isaac Casaubon, who died July . In this chapel is a blue marble slab to Dr. Vincent, dean of this church, who died .

St. Benedict's chapel is the last on the south side of the church, and is entirely surrounded with iron rails, which prevent access to the monuments.

This circumstance, though in some measure to be regretted, conduces greatly to their preservation from the rude unhallowed touch of curiosity, which in many instances, totally defaces these interesting relics of antiquity.

[] Malcolm i. 147.