Historical Description of Westminster Abbey Part 6

Sir THOMAS BROMLEY, Knight, Privy Councillor to Queen Elizabeth, and eight years Chancellor, in which office he died, April 12, 1587, to the grief of all good men. The eight children depicted on this tomb, were all by his Lady, Elizabeth, of the family of Fortescue.

Sir DUDLEY CARLETON, afterwards made Viscount Dorchester, for his eminent services to Charles I. and his father, both abroad and at home. He was a person versed in the languages, customs, and laws of most of the European nations, and was entrusted both by James I. and his successors, with the most important foreign negotiations. After the death of James I., he was sent to Holland, and was the last deputy who voted in the a.s.sembly of the States, which great privilege the crown of England possessed from the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign to this period. He died Feb. 15, 1631, aged fifty-seven.

FRANCES, Countess of Ess.e.x. This great lady was the wife of Thomas Ratcliffe, Earl of Suss.e.x, Lord Deputy of Ireland, and Knight of the Garter, &c., and daughter of Sir William Sidney, of Pensehurst, Knight. By her last will, having outlived her husband, she inst.i.tuted a divinity lecture to be read in this Collegiate Church, gave 5,000_l._ towards the building of a new College in Cambridge, now called Sidney Suss.e.x College; and left a sufficient yearly revenue for the maintenance of one master ten fellows, and twenty scholars, either in the said new college, or else in Clare Hall. She died April 15, 1589, aged fifty-eight.

Next to this is a monument of black marble, very remarkably different from every other in the Abbey. On the top of it is a circular frame of gilt bra.s.s, enclosing the bust of ANN, Lady Cottington, wife of Francis, Lord Cottington, Baron of Hanworth, so created by Charles I. She was daughter of Sir William Meredith, of Denbighshire, by Jane, his wife, of the family of the Palmers, in Kent, and died February 22, 1633, in the thirty-third year of her age, having had four daughters and a son, all of whom died before their father, who, on a table monument beneath, lies in effigy, resting on his left arm; and over a satyr's head is this inscription in English: "Here lies Francis, Lord Cottington, of Hanworth, who, in the reign of Charles I., was Chancellor of his Majesty's Exchequer, Master of the Court of Wards, Constable of the Tower, Lord High Treasurer of England, and one of the Privy Council. He was twice Amba.s.sador in Spain, once for the said King, and a second time for Charles II., now reigning, to both of whom he most signally showed his allegiance and fidelity, during the unhappy civil broils of those times; and for his faithful adherence to the Crown (the Usurper prevailing) was forced to fly his country; and, during his exile, died at Valladolid, in Spain, June 19, 1652, in the seventy-fourth year of his age, whence his body was brought, and here interred, by Charles Cottington, Esq., his nephew and heir, in 1679."

The next is a very old Gothic monument, erected to the memory of LEWIS ROBERT, or ROBSART, a foreigner, but standard bearer to Henry V., a Knight of the Bath, and afterwards of the Garter, and at length created Lord Bourchier. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of St. Bartholomew Bourchier, and probably a relation to Geoffrey Chaucer, the old English poet.

On leaving this Chapel, on your right is a monument to the memory of WILLIAM PULTENEY, Earl of Bath, with a medallion and urn, supported by Wisdom and Poetry. The inscription is as follows:--"Erected to the memory of William Pulteney, Earl of Bath, by his brother, the Hon. Harry Pulteney, General of his Majesty's Forces, 1764, Ob. July 7, 1767, aet.

eighty-one."--_Wilton, sculptor._

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHAPEL OF EDWARD THE CONFESSOR, LOOKING WEST.]

CHARLES HOLMES, Esq., Rear-Admiral of the White; who is represented in a Roman habit, leaning against a cannon mounted on a sea carriage; an anchor, cable, and flag in the back ground.--"He died the 21st of Nov., 1761, Commander-in-Chief of his Majesty's fleet stationed at Jamaica, aged fifty. Erected by his grateful nieces, Mary Stanwix and Lucretia Stowe."--_Wilton, sculptor._

In front of the monument to Admiral Holmes, is an old gravestone, plated with bra.s.s, with Latin inscription, to JOHN of WINDSOR, nephew of Sir William of Windsor, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the reign of Edward III.

He died April 4, 1414.

Near this spot was buried JOHN PYM, the celebrated Parliamentary orator, who died December 13, 1643; and also JAMES USHER, Archbishop of Armagh, 1656.

VI.--Chapel of St. Edward.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

1. Henry the Third, 1272.

2. Queen Eleanor, 1290.

3. Henry the Fifth, 1423.

4. Queen Phillippa, 1369.

5. Edward the Third, 1377.

6. Margaret Woodville, Daughter of Edward the Fourth, on which is placed a Sword and Shield of State, carried before Edward the Third, 1316.

7. Richard the Second and Queen, 1399, 1394.

8. Coronation Chair of Edward the First, 1297.

9. Coronation Chair made for Mary, Wife of William the Third.

10. Tomb of Edward the First, 1307.

11. Shrine of Edward the Confessor, 1065.

12. Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, 1397.

13. John of Waltham, Bishop of Salisbury, 1388. Pavement laid down in 1260.

The first curiosity that commands your reverence is the ancient venerable shrine of ST. EDWARD, once the glory of England, but now defaced and robbed of its beauty, by the devotees of this extreme pious man, all of whom were proud to possess some stone or dust from his tomb. This shrine was erected by Henry III. in 1269, to receive the remains of St. Edward, upon his translation from the shrine built by Henry II., upon the canonization of Edward, King of England (third of that name, and the last of the Saxon race), by Pope Alexander III., in 1163, who caused his name to be placed in the catalogue of saints, and issued his bull to the Abbot Laurentius, and the Convent of Westminster, enjoining, "That his body be honoured here on earth, as his soul is glorified in heaven." He died in 1065. How costly the shrine, &c., was, appears by a record in the Tower.--_Parl. Roll. 51st of Henry III._ "Henry III., with consent of the Abbot and Convent of Westminster, pledged the jewels belonging to the body and shrine of Edward the Confessor to foreigners, being necessitated on account of heavy emergencies; the value of the said jewels amounted to 2,557. 4_s._ 8_d._"

On the south side of the shrine, EDITHA, daughter of Goodwyn, Earl of Kent, and Queen of St. Edward, lies interred. The writers of those times commended her for beauty, learning, prudent economy, gentle manners, and inimitable skill in needlework, having wrought with her own hands the curious and magnificent robes the King used to wear on his collar days.

She died at Winchester, Jan. 15, 1073. Part of a Latin epitaph on this excellent Princess has been handed down, and is to this effect:--

"Success ne'er sat exulting in her eye, Nor disappointment heaved the troubled sigh; Prosperity ne'er sadden'd o'er her brow, While glad in trouble she enjoyed her woe: Beauty ne'er made her vain, nor sceptres proud, Nor t.i.tles taught to scorn the meaner crowd.

Supreme humility was awful grace, And her chief charm a bashfulness of face."

Near this was buried MATILDA, Queen of England, daughter of Malcolm, King of Scots, and wife to Henry I. She died May 1, 1118. This Queen would, every day in Lent, walk from her palace to this church barefoot, and wearing a garment of hair. No verse or stone to mark the place of interment are to be found.

On the north side of this Chapel is an ancient tomb of admirable workmanship and materials, the panels being of polished porphyry, and the Mosaic work round them of gold and scarlet; at the corners of the table are twisted pillars, gilt and enamelled, and the effigy of HENRY III. upon it is of gilt bra.s.s, finely executed. He died in 1272, after a troublesome reign of fifty-six years, aged sixty-five, and was buried by the Knights Templars, of whose order his father was the founder, with such splendour, that Wykes, the Monk, says, he made a more magnificent figure when dead, than he had done while living.--_Cavalini._

Near that of Henry III. is a small monument in memory of ELIZABETH TUDOR, second daughter of Henry VII., who died at Eltham, in Kent, Sept. 14th, 1495, aged three years, from whence she was removed in great funeral pomp, and here buried.

At the feet of Henry III. is an ancient monument of ELEANOR, Queen of Edward I. On the sides of this monument are engraven the arms of Castile and Leon, quarterly, and those of Fontheiu, hanging on vines and oak leaves; and round the copper verge is embossed this inscription, in Saxon characters: "Ici gist Alianor iadis Reyne de Engletere femme al Rey Edeward Fiz (lerey Henry efylle alrey deespaygne econta.s.se de) puntif del alme deli Deu pur sa pite eyt merci. Amen." Translation:--_Here lies Eleanor, formerly Queen of England, wife to King Edward son of King Henry, daughter of the King of Spain, and Countess of Ponthieu; upon whose soul may G.o.d for His pity have mercy. Amen._ The upper line is visible on the south side, the words within brackets are concealed under the tomb of King Henry V., the remainder is on the north side. It is remarkable, the body only of this Queen lies here interred, and her heart in the choir of the Friars Predicants in London. She died Dec. 27, 1290.--_Cavalini._

The chantry of Henry V. is next, on each side of which are images as large as life, guarding, as it were, the staircases ascending to it. Beneath is the tomb of that glorious and warlike Prince, HENRY of MONMOUTH (so called from the place of his nativity). On the upper slab lies a headless and otherwise mutilated figure of the King, carved in oak, which was originally covered with silver; the head appears to have been cast in silver; but this, Camden says, "was gone when he wrote his Britannica, in the reign of Elizabeth." This Prince was guilty of great extravagances in his youth, and is said, with Sir John Falstaff, to have belonged to a gang of sharpers; yet, upon his advancement to the crown made a most excellent King, and, by the memorable battle of Agincourt, acquired to himself and the English nation immortal glory. He died in France, Aug. 31, 1422, in the thirty-fourth year of his age, and the tenth of his reign. In the chantry above, is the saddle, helmet, and shield, supposed to have been used at Agincourt, brought here at his interment.--_John Anderne, sculptor._

The next is an ancient tomb to the memory of PHILLIPPA, third daughter of William, Earl of Hainault, and Queen of Edward III., with whom she lived forty-two years, and bore him fourteen children. Harding tells us, that when an emba.s.sy was sent to choose one of the Earl's daughters, a certain English Bishop advised to choose the lady with the largest hips, as promising a numerous progeny. She died August 15, 1369; and the King, her husband, bestowed a profusion of expense in performing her exequies and erecting her tomb, round which were placed as ornaments the brazen statues of no less than thirty kings, princes, and n.o.ble personages, her relations.

Adjoining to this is the tomb of EDWARD III., which is likewise covered with a Gothic canopy. On a table of grey marble lies the effigy of this Prince, though his corpse was deposited in the same grave with the Queen's, according to her request on her death-bed. This tomb was surrounded, like the former, with statues, particularly those of his children, six of which remain on the south side of the tomb; viz., Edward, Joan-de-la-Tour, Lionel, Edmund, Mary, and William. He died June 21, 1377, aged sixty-four.

Here is likewise a monument in memory of MARGARET, daughter of Edward IV., by Elizabeth Woodville, his Queen, which had once an inscription upon it, showing her name, quality, and age, being only nine months. She died April 19, 1472.

Between the Chairs are placed the shield and sword carried before Edward III., in France. The sword is seven feet long, and weighs eighteen pounds.

Under a large stone, once finely plated with bra.s.s, lies the great THOMAS of WOODSTOCK, Duke of Gloucester; he was brother to the Black Prince, and sixth and youngest son of Edward III. He was murdered at Calais, Sept. 8, 1397.

Next adjoining to this is a tomb, erected to the memory of RICHARD II. and his Queen; over which is a canopy of wood, remarkable for a curious painting of the Virgin Mary and our Saviour still visible upon it. This Richard was son of Edward the Black Prince, and grandson of Edward III., whom he succeeded at eleven years of age. He was murdered on St.

Valentine's day, 1399. In the same tomb lies his Queen, ANNE, daughter of Charles IV., and sister of Wenceslaus, Emperor and King of Bohemia, who brought him neither dowry nor issue. She died at Shene, June 7, 1394, after being married twelve years.

THE CORONATION CHAIRS.--The most ancient of them was made to enclose the stone (which is reported to be Jacob's Pillar), brought with regalia from Scotland, by Edward I., and offered to St. Edward's shrine, in the year 1297 (after he had overcome John Baliol, King of Scots, in several battles). In this chair all the reigning Sovereigns have been crowned since Edward I. The other chair was made for Queen Mary II. At the coronation, one or both of them are covered with gold tissue, and placed before the altar, behind which they now stand, surrounded by several monarchs, who seem to guard them even in death.

Above those chairs, along the frieze of the screen of this Chapel, are fourteen legendary sculptures, respecting the Confessor. The first is the trial of Queen Emma; the next the birth of Edward; another is his coronation; the fourth tells us how our saint was frightened into the abolition of the Dean-gelt, by his seeing the devil dance upon the money casks; the fifth is the story of his winking at the thief, who was robbing his treasure; the sixth is meant to relate the appearance of our Saviour to him; the seventh shows how the invasion of England was frustrated by the drowning of the Danish King; in the eighth is seen the quarrel between the boys Totsi and Harold, predicting their respective fates; in the ninth sculpture is the Confessor's vision of the seven sleepers; the tenth, how he met St. John the Evangelist in the guise of a pilgrim; the eleventh, how the blind were cured by their eyes being washed in his dirty water; the twelfth, how St. John delivers to the pilgrims a ring; in the thirteenth they deliver the ring to the King, which he had unknowingly given to St. John as an alms, when he met him in the form of a pilgrim; this was attended with a message from the saint, foretelling the death of the King; and the fourteenth shows the consequential haste made by him to complete his pious foundation.

Before leaving this Chapel you will observe a large plain tomb, composed of five slabs of grey marble; two make the sides, two the ends, and one the cover. This rough unpolished tomb enclosed the body of the glorious King EDWARD I., of whom we have just been speaking. He was son of Henry III., and born at Westminster, June 17, 1239, named Edward, in honour of St. Edward, his father's patron and predecessor, and afterwards Longshanks, from his tall and slender body. He is called Edward I., because he was the first of that name after the Conquest. He died July 7, 1307, after a reign of thirty-four years, and a life of sixty-eight. This tomb was opened in 1774, by permission of Dr. Thomas, then Dean of Westminster, granted to the Society of Antiquaries, a deputation of whom, with the Dean, attended the process. The body was perfect, having on two robes, one of gold and silver tissue, and the other of crimson velvet; a sceptre in each hand, measuring near five feet; a crown on his head, and many jewels; he measured six feet two inches.

Near this tomb is a large stone, plated with bra.s.s, to the memory of JOHN of WALTHAM, the twenty-sixth Bishop of Salisbury, anno 1388. He was master of the Rolls in 1382, then Keeper of the Privy Seal, in the year 1391, and died Lord High Treasurer of England to Richard II., in 1395.

In this Chapel was interred the heart of HENRY D'ALMADE, son of Richard, King of the Romans, brother of Henry III. He was sacrilegiously a.s.sa.s.sinated in the Church of St. Silvester, at Viterbo, as he was performing his devotions before the high altar. Simon and Guido Montford, sons of Simon de Montford, Earl of Leicester, were the a.s.sa.s.sins, in revenge for their father's death, who, with their brother Henry, was slain in the battle of Evesham, in fighting against their lawful sovereign. The picture of this murder the inhabitants had painted, and hung up in the church, where we are told it still remains. This murder happened in 1270, and in the year after the body of Henry was brought to England, and buried in the monastery of St. Helen's; but his heart was put in a cup, and placed near St. Edward's shrine, of the removal of which we have no account.

Upon a careful perusal of the guide-book to this portion of the Abbey, it will not be uninteresting to observe that the bodies of six kings, five queens, two princesses, a duke, and a bishop are deposited in this remarkable receptacle of the dead.

Before entering the Chapel of St. John, on the right or east side of the door, is a monument erected to the memory of JANE, daughter and co-heiress of Sir John Pulteney, and wife of Sir Clippesby Crewe, Knt. She died Dec.