CHAPTER III.

THE EARLY ENGLISH STYLE.

THE great rapidity with which a decided change. in the style and character of the work was taking place at this period, would appear almost incredible if it were not proved by so many instances, and especially by the well-authenticated account of Canterbury. After carefully noticing the great change which took place there during the ten years that the work was in progress, we shall not be much surprised to find some examples of pure Gothic work in the following ten years. Canterbury was completed in 1184, and in 1195 St. Hugh of Burgundy was appointed bishop of Lincoln, and immediately began to rebuild his cathedral, or in the words of Godwin quoting apparently from some contemporary record, "His church of Lincoln he caused to be new built

from the foundation; a great and memorable worke, and not possible to be performed by him without infinite helpe.... He died at London on November 17th, in the year 1200.... His body was presently conveyed to Lincolne.... and buried in the body of the east part of the church, above the high aultera" It is therefore clear that this portion of the building was completed, and a careful examination of the building enables us to distinguish clearly the work completed in the time of Bishop Hugh, which comprises the choir and part of the transepts: the nave is a subsequent work, and the presbytery eastward of the choir is still later. This agrees with the recorded history of the building, and therefore leaves no doubt of the genuineness of the work ascribed to St. Hugh. Nothing can well exceed the freedom, delicacy, and beauty of this work, indeed there is an exuberance of fancy which leads us almost to think that the workmen ran wild with delight, and it became necessary to sober them down and chasten

a Godwin's "Catalogue of the Bishops," 4to. Lond. 1601. p. 237.

the character of the work afterwards, for instance, in the double arcade which covers the lower part of the walls, there is a waste of labour, which is avoided in the subsequent work of the nave without material injury to the effect. In the early work there is not only a double arcade, one in front of the other, but in some parts there are actually three shafts in a line, one in front of the other, so as only to be seen sideways and with difficulty; this arises from the vaulting shafts being brought in front of the double arcade. The foliage of the capitals is exquisitely beautiful, and though distinguished technically by the name of stiff-leaf foliage, because there are stiff stalks to the leaves rising from the ring of the capital, the leaves themselves curl over in the most graceful manner, with a freedom and elegance not exceeded at any subsequent period. The mouldings are also as bold and as deep as possible, and there is scarcely a vestige of Norman character remaining in any part of the work.

Simultaneously with this glorious work of St. Hugh of Lincoln, we have the presbytery at Win

chester, the work of Bishop Godfrey de Lucy, 1195-1205. This work though perhaps not quite so exuberant as that of St. Hugh, is scarcely inferior to it. A part of Beverley Minster is also of very similar character b.

The beautiful Galilee, or large western porch of Ely, is also of this period, commenced in 1198, and

b At the same period but continuing later, we have Glasgow cathedral, the work commenced by Bishop Joceline in 1195; he was buried in the crypt, which proves the completion of that part of the work, one of the finest crypts in existence.

finished in 1215, by Bishop Eustace; nothing can exceed the richness, freedom, and beauty of that work, it is one of the finest porches in the world. Here also the work is distinguished by the double arcades which we have noticed at Lincolnc.

Salisbury cathedral is usually considered as the type of the Early English style, from the circumstance of its being less mixed than any other building of the same importance; it was commenced in 1220 on a new site by Bishop Richard Poore, who died in 1237, and was buried in the choir, which was therefore completed at that time. The church was finished by Bishop Giles de Bridport, and consecrated in 1258.

The nave and the glorious west front of Wells cathedral belong also to this period, 1225-1239, as recorded by contemporary authorities thus translated by Bishop Godwin. "Moreover in building he (Bishop Joceline de Welles,) bestowed inestimable sums of money. He built a stately chappell in

It is remarkable that these double arcades do not occur in France, or very rarely.