"New Temple," with reference to the more ancient foundation. The older edifice, like this, was round, and though not, in all probability, so sumptuous, had yet been built at great cost; for it was of Caen stone, as appeared when some of its remains were discovered at the beginning of the last century. The present church consists of a circular portion, and, eastward of this, of a chancel, with its two aisles, answering in relative position to the martyrium, connected with the Church of the Resurrection, as built by Constantine, and perpetuated through all its changes to the present day. The round, then called the New Temple, was consecrated in 1185 by Heraclius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, on his arrival in England to obtain succour from Henry II. against Saladin—an event still commemorated by an inscription over the door leading to the cloisters, of which the following is a translation:-" ON THE 10TH OF FEBRUARY, IN THE YEAR FROM THE INCARNATION OF OUR LORD 1185, THIS CHURCH WAS CONSECRATED IN HONOUR OF THE BLESSED MARY, BY THE LORD HERACLIUS, BY THE GRACE OF GOD PATRIARCH OF THE CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION, WHO

HAS REMITTED SIXTY DAYS OF ENJOINED PENANCE TO ALL

WHO VISIT IT ANNUALLY." Whether this inscription was of the date of the church cannot be determined, for it was destroyed by the workmen employed in repairs after a fire by which it had been much injured, in 1695; but there can be no question that it rightly records the event of the dedication. The oblong portion of this church was consecrated on Ascension Day, 1240; and in this, as in the former case, the architectural features fully answer to the historical mention of the event.1

The church is entered at the west by an elaborate Norman doorway, which formerly communicated with a cloister leading from the hall of the Knights Templars. The round, as in all

1 Like the church of S. Sepulchre, in Cambridge, the Temple Church has been recently restored; but it is the highest praise of those who planned and executed the restoration, that it may still, in all essential features, be described according to the ancient appearance. We have, indeed, made a great advance in good taste and good

feeling, when a learned body, but of a secular profession, have devoted upwards of £50,000 to the legitimate restoration of a sacred edifice, which they have inherited from an age and order full of high and holy associations, and perfect in its style of ecclesiastical art.

other cases of the like kind, consists of a circle of columns, supporting a tower, and of an external circular wall, forming a kind of aisle to the central portion. In this instance the piers are six in number, each consisting of four columns springing from the same base, and again joined at the capitals, but disengaged through the whole height of the shafts, except where a fillet connects them at their mid-height. From these columns spring pointed arches, over which runs a triforium, behind an arcade of semicircular and intersecting arches; and over these again are six clerestory windows of the pure Norman character. The roof is groined, the ribs springing from vaulting shafts which rise from the capitals of the several pillars. The outer round is also vaulted, and lighted by Norman circular-headed windows. Over the west door is a wheel-window of eight lights. The lower portion of the wall is relieved by shafts springing from a stone bench which is carried along the whole circumference, and supporting an arcade of pointed arches, the spandrils of which are decorated with grotesque heads.

Although this part of the church agrees perfectly with its Norman date, an eye practised in distinguishing architectural features will at once detect intimations of the approach of the next style, especially in the pointed arcade and pier arches, and in the banding of the shafts. The square portion of the church, which opens into the round by three lofty pointed arches, is of pure and highly developed Early English. The pillars, which are of a very elegant section, are light and lofty. The roofs are all groined. The windows are triple lancets throughout. More minute features it would be impossible to notice in so hasty a

sketch.

The richness of the whole structure is in some respect due to the materials, as well as to the beauty of the design. The shafts throughout, both the greater shafts supporting the roof, and those purely ornamental in the arcades, are of Purbeck marble. The floor was of encaustic tiles, and has been restored after the same fashion. The roof was gorgeously painted, and it has been adorned once more with an equal profusion of colours. The windows were of stained glass, and they are again filled with the same gorgeous material; and in these, and the painting of the roof, both executed by Mr. Willement, (to whom the art of painting

in glass owes so much,) great attention is paid to the suitableness of decoration, as regards both age and subject: the insignia of the Templars appearing everywhere in various forms, together with such theological emblems and devices as were commonly used at the time to which the erection of the church is referred. Although beautiful in themselves, perhaps the benches, in their design and arrangement, reflect less credit on the learned restorers of this ancient edifice than any other part. But every praise does not fall to the lot of one generation, and to be first in action, and to profit by the experience of others, are incompatible.

THE CHURCH OF LITTLE MAPLESTED is dedicated to S. John of Jerusalem, the Patron Saint of the Hospitalers, to whom it owes its erection. In 1186 the whole parish was given to this chivalrous order by Juliana, daughter and heir of Robert Dornelli, and wife of William Fitz Andelin, steward to Henry II. Here therefore, a commandery was erected. The church, still remaining, carries us back to the times at which the knights flourished in wealth, reputation, and true greatness.

In size this church is inferior to either of the other three; but it is even more remarkable in some respects; for the whole, with the exception of the porch, is of the original design and execution; and the chancel with its semicircular apse still more closely resembles the Church of the Martyrium, so often before alluded to, than the same relative portions of the churches before mentioned.

Of the commandery, once a part of the same Christian establishment, not a vestige remains; but the Knights of S. John of Jerusalem, if they retained their religious character, would not be the last to submit, cheerfully, to the decree of Providence, which has preserved the memorials of their faith to future ages, while the signs of their power and splendour are utterly swept

away.

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CHAPTER XI.

THE CONNECTION OF HERALDRY WITH ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE.

SYNCHRONISMS AND PARALLEL FATE OF HERALDRY AND GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE.-AUGMENTATIONS ILLUSTRATED FROM SEVERAL EVENTS. DATES OF BUILDINGS DETERMINED BY HERALDRY.-ARCHITECTURAL CHARGES, ESPECIALLY THE CHEVRON.-HERALDIC DECORATIONS OF BUILDINGS.- COMMUNITY OF FEELING BETWEEN HERALDRY AND

CHRISTIAN ART: THE RELIGIOUS ELEMENT IN BOTH.

To the Crusaders Christian Architecture owed the round churches, and Christian chivalry owed heraldic insignia:1 and this last architecture also borrowed as a minor decoration.

The existence of some connection between Gothic architecture and heraldry is sufficiently obvious to the most superficial observer, from the fact that armorial bearings are among the frequent and characteristic decorations of the ecclesiastical and other buildings of the middle ages. But this fact cannot be without its causes, results, and inferences: and, in truth, architecture and heraldry are linked together by ties of greater importance than mere accidents of detail and decoration. For instance, heraldic records often throw light on architectural questions, where all other sources of information fail: and the

1 "One ornament, which by degrees formed a very considerable feature among those of the pointed style, was derived clearly and notoriously from the Crusades alone; namely, armorial bearings. When these insignia, invented in the holy wars, and placed on tne shields and helmets of the leaders, in order that they might be recognized by their followers in life and in death, had been rendered illustrious by the feats and heroism of their wearers, and

had become proofs of an honourable pedigree in their descendants, their successors, no longer satisfied with hanging them in reality or in effigy in their halls and habitations, displayed them round their tombs and funeral chapels and the temple of the GOD of peace became studded with the monuments, not only of the private feuds of the Clergy, but of the public warfare of the laity."-Hope.

:

ecclesiologist amply repays the debt thus contracted, when his researches bring to light armorial combinations of authority sufficient to settle a pedigree, and even to influence the descent of a title or of an estate.

And this, perhaps, is all the connection that the practical man, as a matter-of-fact character delights to call himself, will desire to find; and all that most men who have studied either of them alone, will expect to find between two sciences, not at first sight mutually dependent on each other. But there is, to say the least, a remarkable parallelism in the histories of architecture and of heraldry. Armorial bearings were brought into Europe by the Crusaders. At that very time ecclesiastical architecture, in the hands of the freemasons, was emerging from the Norman, and acquiring the Gothic type; and this more fascinating style was brought to its highest perfection while our chivalrous connection with the Holy City still remained. Nor are the twin sciences less nearly associated in their decline, than in their birth and progress. It is true that neither heraldry nor architecture was wholly deserted by its spirit, with the last efforts of the Crusaders: but architecture soon commenced its downward course, and heraldry, when chivalry had lost its highest and most inspiring direction, became comparatively effete. With mock chivalry came the greatest gorgeousness of blazonry:— the Field of the cloth of gold. With the Tudor race, (under which chivalry, and of necessity heraldry with it, visibly declined,) came also the decline of architecture; marked not by defect, but, as in chivalry, by excess of gorgeousness, but without the spirit with which it was for a long while instinct. Since that time the fall of both has been consummated. What Gothic architecture was years ago who shall venture to express ? and as for heraldry, it almost ceased to exist, except as a source of revenue. It is, to say the least, a curious application of the system of rewards, to exact a fine from a faithful servant and his descendants, because of the value of his services; and this the State has done in taxing the outward insignia of hard-earned glory, the memorials of honourable service. The blood that flowed at Cressy, at Agincourt, or at Waterloo, might surely purchase a right to transmit the coat there assigned untaxed to countless generations: and the good Lord James of Douglas