within and without the chapel, to the number of one hundred and forty-seven, besides the small images in the table over the altar, and besides the images at the introit of the host, in the chapel, and the wood-work also covered with lead, and the eastern gable (agabulum orientale) with two windows on either side of the chapel most beautifully fitted with iron and glass, he died, in a season of pestilence, on the 17th of June, 1349, and left his office to his successor, unburdened with any debt. Besides which, there was found laid up, after his death, to the value of one hundred pounds and more, with jewels and sums of money for the perfecting of the remainder of the work.' This beautiful chapel, on which such true-hearted zeal was expended, is in some respects unique, in all respects remarkable. It extends eastward, parallel with the choir, from the north-east angle of the north transept, and consists of five compartments, marked externally by far projecting buttresses which rise over the parapet in richly crocketed finials; the pairs of buttresses at the angles forming larger and turret-like pinnacles. The windows are all of ample proportions, those at the side of five lights, those at the east and west of eight lights respectively. The tracery is throughout of the richest Decorated. The whole of the surface of the west end, even to the buttresses and the gable-cross, is enriched with foliated niches, all originally filled with imagery of beautiful character. In the interior all is gorgeous, from the floor to the roof. A rich arcade of tabernacle work runs round the whole chapel beneath the windows. The spaces between the windows and the window-jambs themselves are enriched with canopies, from which the figures have fallen, but portions of many of the groups in several parts of the chapel still remain, proving that the legendary history of the Blessed Virgin is here profusely illustrated, as that of S. Etheldreda is in the interior of the great octagon. The groining is elaborately decorated with bosses at all the intersections of the ribs, which are multiplied by the cross ribs, which give this an early place among liern vaults. In a word, when the statues mentioned in the history were perfect, and the windows were still gorgeous with coloured glass, this must have been a work to compensate the toil and self-devotion of many years. 1 Hist. Eli. Wharton, I. 651. Ꮓ Simon Montacute had preceded John of Wisbeach to the grave, and was not permitted to see the completion of the glorious fabric to which he had been so great a benefactor. He died June 20, 1344, and was buried before the high altar in the new chapel before its completion. The Chapter of Ely now felt that they had a fair opportunity of acknowledging the great benefits which their church had received at the hands of Alan of Walsingham, first sub-prior, then sacrist, and afterwards prior, and he was elected to fill the episcopal throne; but the usurpation of the Pope frustrated their just intentions, and one Thomas de Lylde was thrust into the vacant throne. Here ends, so far as we are concerned, the history of Ely, in the fourteenth century, which we should certainly have closed with greater satisfaction, had we left Alan of Walsingham Bishop of the church which he had so greatly adorned. We cannot leave his name without adding that he was the architect of several other buildings, both at Ely and elsewhere. Among others the church of Little S. Mary, Cambridge, is attributed to him;1 and one of his additions to the monastic buildings of Ely we may mention for its connection with his office and pursuits. He erected a square chamber of stone, covered with lead in the north corner next the cemetery in the upper story of which is a table made square (quadrata, perhaps covered with checkers,) for calculations, and for receiving the accounts belonging to his office; the lower story is divided by a stone wall into two chambers, one for a goldsmith's workshop, the other for the wine it was his business to keep.2 His merits were recognised in his own day, and besides his genius as an architect, he is recorded by his townsman Walsingham as a skilful worker in gold. He was alive in 1345: his epitaph is as follows: "Flos operatorum, dum vixit, corpore sanus, Hic jacet ante chorum prior hic tumulatus Alanus. 1 See Memorials of Cambridge, Vol. I. 2 In angulo boreali juxta cimiterium cameram lapideam quadratam plumbo tectam construxit, in cujus parte superiori est camera quædam cum mensa quadrata ad calculandum et ad pro muro ventus officio pertinentes recipiendum. -Ib. 646. Annis bis denis vivens fuit ipse sacrista, Mephale, Brame etiam, huic ecclesiæ cumulavit. The chapter on the Decorated period closes as worthily with Alan of Walsingham, as that on the Perpendicular period will commence with William of Wykeham. APPENDIX. "Excerpta quædam e Rotulis Comput. de Expensis et Receptis Sacristæ Eliensis, in Archivis Ecclesiæ Eliensis manentibus, 1773.2 "In the Roll containing the sacrist's annual expenses from (1325, 16 Ed. II.) Michaelmas to Michaelmas following, is the charge under the title of Custos novi operis, et minut. res pro novo opere, viz., in 3 lagenis et dimid. olei pro ymaginibus super columnas depingend. 3s. 6d. "In the sacrist's annual Roll of expenses about the church, from Michaelmas, 8 Ed. III. (A.D. 1335,) to Michaelmas following, whilst the dome and lanthorn were in building, are these charges made under the general title of Custos novi operis,' and particular title of nova pictura. "In 80 lib. rubei plumbi empt., pro volta novi campanilis depingend. una cum 20 lib. rubei plumbi empt. pro eodem, 16s. 8d. Item, in 18 lib. rubei plumbi pro eodem, 3s. 9d. prec. lib. 24d. In 20 lib. de Vernyz, emp. pro eodem, 5s. prec. lib. 3d. Item, in 3 lib. de gold colour emp. ad idem, 2s. 2d. Summa, 27s. 7d. "In the sacrist's annual Roll of expenses about the church from Michaelmas, 10 Ed. III. (1336) to Michaelmas, 1337, under the title of 'Custos novi operis et nova pictura,' viz.; In 2 lib. de Vermilion, empt. 1 Wharton's Anglia Sacra, I. 684. in the ninth volume of the Archæologia. XX 4 lib. albi 29d. Item, in 2 lib. de Verdigrez emp. 2s. 5d. In plumbi empt. de Thoma de Bongeye, 14s. 4d. prec. lib. 14d. "Item, 4 lib. albi plumbi emp. de eodem, 12s. prec. 1d. In 13 lagenis olei empt. de Thoma d' Elm, 10s. 34d. prec. lagen. 10d. ob. In 6 lagenis olei emp. de Thoma de Cheyk, 4s. 11d. prec. lag. 10d. "In 28 lagen. et dimid. olei empt. de Nich. de Wickam, 26s. 1d. ob. prec. lagen. 11d. In dimid. lagen. olei emp. 3d. In vas terren. pro oleo imponend. 4d. quad. "In 1 longa corda emp. pro le chapital deaurand. et columpn. depingend. 8d. Item, solut. Nicholao Pictori pro volta nova dealband. in parte per 3 septimanas ad tasc. 3s. 6d. "Item, cuidam Pictori pro eodem 3 septimanas ad mensam Domini, 21d. In 6 cent. et 1 quarter, fol. argent. empt. de Radulpho de Golbeter, 4s. 2d., prec. per cent. 8d. Item, solut. pro fol. auri fabricand. de florent. domini, 16s. in cavenas et parcamen. empt. pro mold. 9d. Item, solut. pro Magro. Will. Schank, pro dictis voltis depingend. cum le chapital et le bociz deaurand. ex conventione, £10. Summa, £14 19s. 2d. "In the same Roll is this article under the title 'Minut. res. Item, dat. Johannis de Offincton querenti 1 pictorem in patria sua, 3s. 6d.' "In the sacrist's Roll of annual expenses about the church from Michaelmas, 13 Ed. III. (1339), to Michaelmas following, are these charges made under the general title of Custos novi operis,' and the particular head of Custos novæ picturæ.' "In 31 lagenis et dimid. olei empt. de quodam nomine de Wicham pro color. temperand. 21s., prec. lag. 8d. 13 "In de silverfol. emp. per vices de Radulpho de Golbeter et de aliis apud London ut patet per parcell. 6s. 9d. prec. C. td. Item, g de Goldfyn empt. de eodem per vices ut patet per parcell. 32s. prec. C. 4s. Item, de gold parti empt. de eodem, 36s. prec. C. 3s. Item, 1 lib. de orpiment. empt. 6d. Item, in 3 quarter. de vermilion, empt. de Thoma de Hende, 11d. Item, 4 buss de scrowes pro cole inde faciend. 18d. Item, 1 lib. et dimid. albi plumbi empt. apud Cantabrig. 2s. 8d. Item, in 6 lib. de vermilion empt. de Robert de Dokkyng, 5s. lib. 10d. In Cynopro empt. 16d. In 40 lib. de blaunk plumb. empt. de Will. de Elingham apud Lenn, 5s. 8d. prec. lib. 14d. In stipend. Walteri Pictoris per 42 septimanas (quia stetit cum Domina de Clare per 10 septimanas,) 28s. cap. per septiman. 8d. præter mensam et robam. 66 Excerpta e Rotulo Comput. Custodis Capellæ B. Mariæ a festo S. Michaelis, An. 24. Reg. Edw. III. per annos 4 sequentes. sub titulo Custus Capelle. In oleo empt. pro picture faciend. in capella, 10s. In albo plumbo empt. 6s. 4d. In cynopre empt. 20s. In vermilion, 3s. In auro empt. pro dict. pictur. £9. Solut. Johanni Pictori pro candelabris et olietis pingendis, 20s, Sub. tit. Robe. empt. Item, in 1 Robe empt. pro pictore, 8s." 341 CHAPTER XVII. THE PERPENDICULAR PERIOD. INTEREST OF TRANSITION PERIOD.-THE NAVE OF WINCHESTER; EDING- THERE are no two parts of the history of ecclesiastical architecture more full of interest, than the two transitional periods from Norman to Early English, and from Decorated to Perpendicular. The first is indeed beyond compare the most important in fact; but its interest in narrative arises chiefly from the very minute account which Gervase gives in his chronicle of the work of William of Sens at Canterbury, where he first in England, as far as is actually recorded, used the Pointed arch. The late work of Professor Willis on Canterbury cathedral, has revived and heightened the interest of this remote chronicle. In the history of the transition from Decorated to Perpendicular we have no such description, but again Professor Willis comes to our aid, and helps us to read another part of our history in the walls of Winchester; and Edington, and William of Wykeham become to us as another William of Sens and William of England. 1 There is however little doubt that at Fountains, Kirkstall, and Buildwas, and some other churches, it had been already used; together with Norman details. |