1070; Giffard, 1107; Horne, 1560; and Watson, 1580. Adjoining to the steps which lead to the Choir, is the Chantry of Bishop Edyngton, in the same style as that of Wykeham, but of inferior execution. On the tomb lies his effigy, with an epitaph in rhyming Latin verse, from which it appears that he died in 1366.

If we now pass into the southern Transept, we shall view with astonishment the original work of Walkelin, which still remains there, and shows us the style in which the whole Cathedral appeared before the Nave was rebuilt by Edyngton and Wykeham. On a comparison of the huge round pillars, the vast circular arches, the loftiness and grandeur of this part of the building, with the light and highly-ornamented style of the latter, it will be acknowledged that the former is the more sublime, and the latter the most beautiful. The western aisle of this Transept, which is parted off, was the ancient Sacristy, and now forms the Chapter House and Treasury. Against the west wall are several ancient presses, adorned with the device of Prior Silkstede, and intended to contain some of the dresses of the monks; they are still employed in holding the surplices of the choristers. The eastern aisle is divided into two Chapels; one is called Silkstede's, from the curious carvings of its screen, containing the letters of his Christian name, and various devices; the other Chapel, which is highly ornamented, probably contains the remains of Bishop Courtney, who died in 1493, and whose grave was pointed out by an inscribed brass plate, removed in paving the Chapel. Near the entrance are two stone coffins, one of which bears the figure of a Prior, with an inscription in memory of William de Basyng, 1295.

The Northern Transept is of the same massive style of architecture as the Southern. It appears to have contained five altars, and has been decorated in every part with the figures of saints, and representations of the Crucifixion, &c.; some of these paintings are still discernible, and are evidently of very high antiquity. This part of the building contains several ancient monuments; and a gloomy chapel, formerly called the Chapel of the Sepulchre. Returning into the body of the Church, a flight of

steps leads to the Screen by which we enter the Choir. This Screen is of the Composite order, highly beautiful in itself, but totally out of place in the Gothic pile of which it forms so conspicuous a portion. The Choir has a solemn and venerable appearance, and the stalls are richly ornamented with canopies, pinnacles, &c. of very ancient date. The pulpit is of elegant workmanship, but more modern than the stalls, and was executed at the expense of Prior Silkstede; opposite to this is the Bishop's Throne, which is liable to the same objection as the Screen, being of the Corinthian order, given by Bishop Trelawney, early in the eighteenth century. The Great Tower is immediately over the Choir, and was intended by the builder as a lantern, for which purpose it was left open nearly to the roof. In the time of Charles I, however, it was closed, and a ceiling placed under it, ornamented with various devices. The vaulting of the whole Choir, from the Tower to the east window, is the work of Bishop Fox, and is adorned with a great variety of armorial bearings and other ornaments, which have retained their original freshness after a lapse of three centuries. In the centre of the Choir is the tomb of William Rufus, raised about two feet above the pavement, and very plain in its appearance. does not now enclose his bones; which were removed, probably by Henry, brother of King Stephen, and placed in one of the chests which we shall presently describe. During the Civil Wars, this tomb was broken open by the fanatical soldiers, and a large gold ring, some pieces of embroidered cloth, and a small silver chalice, were found in it.

It

The eastern end of the Choir is divided from the side aisles by stone partitions of the most elegant and elaborate workmanship, erected by Bishop Fox, in 1525, as appears from his initials and that date, which are seen in various parts, together with the arms of Edward the Confessor, Cardinal Beaufort, and other distinguished benefactors of the Church. Upon the top of these partitions are ranged six wooden chests, carved, painted, and gilt, which contain the bones of several princes, and other eminent persons, formerly interred in the Cathedral, whose remains were first collected by Bishop de Blois, and

placed in leaden coffins; these not being sufficiently elegant in appearance to suit the new building erected by Bishop Fox, he caused the present chests to be made, one of which is placed over each arch of the partitions. The first chest from the altar on the north side, contains the skeletons of Kynegils, founder of the Cathedral; and of Ethelwolf, father of Alfred the Great. In the second lie Kenulph, successor of Kynegils; and Egbert, the first English monarch. In the third and fourth are deposited such of the bones of several princes and prelates as could be recovered after the Restoration; each of these chests bears the following inscriptions:

"In this chest, and in that opposite to it on the other side, are the remains of Canute and Rufus, kings; of Emma, queen; and of Wina and Alwyn, bishops."

"In this chest, A. D. 1661, were promiscuously laid together the bones of the princes and prelates, which had been scattered about by sacrilegious barbarism in the year 1642.”

In the fifth chest lies Edmund, eldest son of Alfred; and in the sixth, Edred, son of Edward the Elder. All the chests have Latin inscriptions recording the names and deaths of the persons they contain, and some pious ejaculation or grateful memorial of the deceased. Near this spot are also interred several other persons, principally Bishops of this see.

Advancing now to the Altar, the fine painting, by West, is seen, representing Our Saviour raising Lazarus from the dead; the design and composition of this picture are extremely good; but Dr. Milner censures the principal figure as too tranquil for the astonishing miracle he is performing. This altarpiece is fixed under a carved and gilt wooden canopy, erected in the reign of Charles I, and intended to cover the communion-table, which resembles an altar, and occupies the same spot as the resplendent

* In 1797 these chests were opened by some officers of the West York Militia, then quartered in Winchester. One of the gentlemen, (Mr. Howard, of Corby Castle), drew up an account of their investigation, which was communicated to Dr. Milner, and from which it appears, that "the sculls actually in the chests are twelve in number, which is also the number of the names inscribed on the said chests. It also appears, from the size of the bones, that there was no difference of stature from the present age." It is to be observed, however, that the sculls belonging to the bodies in the third and fourth chests are found in the second, fifth, and sixth; and that Bishop Stigand is known to have been buried in the same tomb as Wina, although his name does not appear in the inscription.

high altar of ancient times, which was covered with plated gold, garnished with precious stones, and furnished with six immense candlesticks, a large crucifix, and various images, all of gold, or silver gilt*; and above the whole was suspended the crown of Canute, which he placed there after his memorable reproof of his courtiers on the sea-shore at Southampton.

Behind the altar and its canopy, which partly conceal its beauties, is a magnificent stone Screen, of the most exquisite workmanship, erected by Bishop Fox, and still exhibiting an unrivalled beauty of design and delicacy of execution, although long neglected and clogged with dirt and whitewash. Its several niches were formerly filled with statues, which being demolished at the Reformation, Dr. Harris, a Prebendary, supplied their places, in 1700, (with a liberality which it is to be lamented was not more tastefully directed) with Grecian urns. Some

fine carvings on the doors of the screen, representing the Annunciation, &c. have fortunately escaped destruction, and appear nearly as perfect as when executed, 300 years ago. "Immediately above the screen, the rich painting of the East Window, though clouded with dust and cobwebs, still glows with a richness of colours that modern art has been unable to emulate." Several other windows are still ornamented with painted glass, but they exhibit little more than shadows of their former beauty, having been broken during the Civil War, and put together with very little judgment afterwards.

Leaving the Choir by the south door, we behold the gorgeous Chantry of Bishop Fox, the arches, columns, and niches of which exhibit a luxuriancy of ornament that baffles description, and might appear excessive were not the whole executed with the most exact symmetry, proportion, and elegance. In a beautiful oblong niche, under the third arch, lies the figure of the founder, represented, by his desire, as an emaciated corpse, in a winding-sheet, the feet resting on a scull. The open work of the arches

* Beside the above splendid decorations, this altar was furnished with a number of reliquaries, made of gold, and ornamented with jewels, containing what was probably esteemed the most valuable of all treasures, the relics of the Saints under whose patronage the Church was placed.

was formerly filled with painted glass, which was destroyed, together with the altar and the statues which ornamented it, at the period when so much mischief was done to every part of this sacred pile. The rich gilding of the ceiling, exhibiting the arms of the house of Tudor, those of Fox, and his favourite device, the pelican, is still in tolerable preservation. Parallel with this Chapel, and directly behind the altar, is another Chapel, large, but plain, which formerly contained the magnificent shrine of St. Swithin, "of solid silver gilt, and enriched with precious stones." At the north end of this Chapel is that in which Bishop Gardiner lies buried, the architecture of which exhibits an absurd medley of Gothic and Ionic, both indifferent in their kind. From hatred of the persecuting prelate whose bones were laid here, (and whose effigy, represented like Fox, as a skeleton, is placed on the tomb,) this Chapel has suffered much injury, and the pavement has been torn up, with the exception of a slab bearing the remains of an inscription to the memory of Edmund, son of Alfred the Great.

To the east of these three chapels is a screen which separates the work of Fox from that of De Lucy, and has a range of canopied niches, formerly filled with statues. In the lower part of this screen was a doorway, now blocked up, leading to "The Holy Hole," in which were deposited the bodies and relics of the saints who were supposed to have taken this Cathedral under their especial patronage. In front of "The Holy Hole" is a large slab, under which St. Swithin was said to have been interred; but Dr. Milner thinks it much more likely that it marks the grave of Prior Silkstede. Within the screen are the magnificent Chantries of Cardinal Beaufort, and Bishop Waynflete, placed directly opposite to each other, and both superlatively beautiful. That of the Cardinal has, however, suffered much from neglect, and many of the elegant pinnacles and canopies have fallen into ruin. On the tomb he is represented in the dress of a Cardinal, with his scarlet cloak and hat; and the placid frame of his features; the pious tenor of his will, which was signed but two days before his death; and the humble hope expressed in the inscription round his