*

began to demolish the old monastery, which was all pulled down that year, excepting one porch, and the great tower in the middle of the church, are doubtless the work of Bishop Walkelyn, for thus Rudborne, speaking of this great Prelate, says, Fieri fecit Turrim Ecclesia Wintoniensis, ut modo cernitur. And in the choir we see to this day the tomb of William Rufus, who was slain in the New Forest, A. C. 1100, and interred here before the high altar; but two years after the death of Bishop Walkelyn, which was A. C. 1098, he having continued Bishop nineteen years since his laying the foundation of this church, and from his election twenty-seven. The work of the fabric was promoted by several Bishops his successors. In the year 1200, I find mentioned also, a tower of the church of Winton, said to be then began and finished during the pontifical of Godfrey de Lucy, and that the same Bishop, A. C. 1202, instituted a confraternity to collect alms, for five years and no longer, towards the repair of the church. The next Bishop who appears to have done any thing to the church, by his benefactions, is William de Edyndon, ordained A. C. 1345, being then treasurer, and twelve years after made chancellor of England. He began the nave of the church, but living not to finish it, he commanded by his last will, that part of the money arising from his goods, should be applied to the perfecting of that work, and the maintenance of a chantry by him founded at Edyndon. The rest he left to several religious houses, and his servants. He died 7th. October, 1366, and lies interred under a magnificent tomb on the south side of the nave, near the entrance into the choir, on which we have this monkish epitaph.

Edindon natus Willmus hic est tumulatus, &c.¶

The next Bishop that succeeded was William Wickham, [Wykeham] at that time keeper of the privy seal to King Edward III. being unanimously chosen by the Prior and Convent of Winton** A. C. 1369. To the liberality

Annal. Wint. Ecc. p. 304 and 305.

+Rot. Pat. 18 Ed. 3. pt. m. 22. Will. de Edington constitutus Thesaurar. 10 April 1345. Claus. in dorso memb. 4. Will. de Edington, Winton Episcopus, constitutus Cancellarius, habuit magnum Sigillum sibi traditum, 19 Feb. 1357. § Cont. Hist. Wint. p. 317.

See hereafter.

** Hist. Univ, Oxon. Wood. p. 121.

and munificence of this great prelate we owe the building and finishing of the nave, and the west front of the Cathedral, where his statue is placed in a niche, standing above the great window, on the height of the Church; the whole work being by him completed about the year 1394. The many honours and preferments that King Edward conferred upon this great and good man, are plain indications of the high esteem he had of his excellent parts, industry, and fidelity. The first employment which he executed under the King was that of surveyor of Dover, Windsor, and Hadley Castles, and several of his Manors; and to his direction was the building of Windsor Castle committed. In the year 1361, he went into holy orders by the King's command, and was soon after made Rector of St. Martin in the Fields, and Dean of St. Martin le Grand in London, and Arch-deacon of Lincoln, Northampton, and Buckingham. He was also Dean of Wells, and had twelve Prebends in several Churches. The King still, as a farther reward to his merit, made him (as is afore-mentioned) keeper of the privy seal, Bishop of Winton, and soon after Lord High Chancellor of England. And now our Bishop endowed with a mind not inferior to his fortune, began to think of employing his vast treasure to the honour of God, by some noble act of charity; to this end he founded the magnificent structure of new college in Oxford, the first stone being laid A. C. 1379, which being finished in 1386, the warden and fellows had possession given them, after a solemn procession and prayers made the 14th of April, about three o'clock in the morning, the same year. college was no sooner built but that he began another near Wolveseye (the Bishop's Palace) at Winton, laying the first stone A. C. 1387, which being finished in six years, he designed it as a nursery for his other college at Oxon. One hundred and five persons being maintained therein, besides servants, viz. One warden, ten fellowpriests, one school-master, one usher, three chaplains, seventy scholars, sixteen choristers, and three clerks;† besides the vast expences of these two stately foundations,

This

In Officio Cancellatus confirmatus 170 Sept. Cart. 41. Ed. III. Pat.

12. R. II. pt. 2. m. 7ma iterum constitutus Cancellarius 4 Maii.

Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Vid. Antiq. Eccl. Brit. per Parker. in vita Sim. Sudbury.

and that of the Church. He procured to his See many privileges and immunities; he gave farther, twenty thousand marks to the reparation of his houses; the debts of those who were imprisoned on that account he paid, amounting to two thousand pounds. He repaired all the high ways between London and Winton. He gave two hundred pounds, to the Church of Windsor. He ordained a chauntry of five Priests at Southwyke. He supported continually in his house twenty-four almsmen. He maintained at the university fifty scholars for seven years before the building of his college; and did many other charitable acts. He also provided for himself ten years before his death, a magnificent monument in the body of the Church, representing him in his pontificalibus, two angels kneeling at his head, and three monks at his feet praying devoutly for his soul, very exquisitely performed. After all these expences, he left legacies in money above six thousand pounds, to his heir, one hundred pounds in land a year, and all his houses richly furnished. He died A. C. 1404, and was interred in the monument which he built for himself, upon the verge of which is this Inscription:

Wilhelmus dictus Wykeham jacet hic nece Victus, &c.*

The church being thus finished by the munificence of Bishop Wykeham, appears to be one of the largest in England, and regular, after the Gothic manner, the arches being all angled, and supported by several small columns of the same diameter at the base as at the chapiter set together, which way of building, though not to be compared with the Roman architecture, yet has something in it solemn and magnificent; and the windows being generally of antient painted glass, add much to the beauty of the prospect; as our countryman, Milton, hath happily described it.

But let my due feet never fail

To walk the studious cloysters pale,
And love the high embowed roof;
With antique pillars massy proof;
And storied windows richly dig'ht
Casting a dim religious light:

See hereafter.

There let the pealing organ blow,
To the full voic'd choir below.
In service high and anthems clear
As may with sweetness through mine ear
Dissolve me into extasies,

And bring all heaven before mine eyes.

Il. Penseroso.

The great tower, which stands in the middle of the fabric is somewhat too low, but would admit of a superstructure, which is all that seems wanting to render it more august.

If we take a more particular view of the inside, we shall find it handsomely ornamented, and not without several curiosities, as well as a great number of noble and antient

monuments.

On the north side of the nave of the church there stands

a very antique font. 'Tis a large square stone, a sort of black marble, in which is cut a circular basin for the water, and is supported by a plain stone pedestal, being three foot three inches over. The sides of the square are set off with bass-relieves, representing probably the miracles of some saint belonging to this church. The work I esteem not later than the Saxon times, and might probably have been removed hither from the old monastery; the different views of which I have here inserted, for the satisfaction of the curious.

In the south cross there is an old tomb of William de Basynge, some time Prior of this church; an indulgence is granted for three years and fifty days, to all who shall pray for his soul, as is mentioned upon his tomb. There were two Priors successively of this name; the first died* A. C. 1288, the second 1295.

Under the stairs leading up to the organ, there is a bust (by tradition) of Ethelmarus the Bishop, who died A. C. 1261; who nevertheless, seems to have been interred in another place; for I find his heart was buried in the south wall of the presbytery, where this inscription is still visible.

Obiit Anno Domini 1261.

Corpus Ethelmari cujus Cor nunc tenet istud £axum Parisiis morte datur Tumulo.

* Registr. de Pontoys. Ep. Wint.

[ He was buried at St. Genevieve. EDIT.]

We are now approaching to the choir, to which from the nave of the church, there is a handsome ascent of tipa, it is separated from the rest of the church by a beautiful frontispiece of stone, built between the two great pillars of the arch of the tower. "Tis of the Composite order, and on each side of the gate, which is arched, there is a niche; in that on the north, is placed a statue of King Charles I. in the other on the south side, that of King James I. both in brass, and well performed. These statues, during the civil wars, lay concealed, and by that means escaped the fury of the rebels, who comuitted many outrages on this church, too long to be here related. This structure was erected by King Charles I. who was a great benefactor to this and many other churches. As soon as you enter you see the seats and stalls of the Dean and Prebendaries, which are very neat, but antient, and adorned with spire-work gilded. In the middle of the choir there is an eagle standing on a high pedestal all of brass, on which the lessons are read at divine service.

At the upper end, on the south side, there is a new throne, which was built for the present Bishop, the Right Reverend Father in God, Sir Jonathan Trelawny. The pediment, which is adorned with a mitre, and the arms of the See, impaling those of his family, is supported by fluted columns of the Corinthian order.

In the area the ascent to the altar is a raised monument of greyish marble, in which lay interred William Rufus, before it was broke open, and rifled in the late Rebellion.

On each side of the altar there is a fine partition-wall curiously wrought in stone, which composes the two sides of the presbytery that separate it from the north and south aisles; on the top of each wall, which is of a considerable height, are placed three shrines or chests finely carved, painted and gilded, with a crown upon each; in which are deposited the bones of several of the West Saxon Kings, Bishops, and some later Princes; which had been buried in divers parts of the Church, and were thus carefully collected and preserved with honourable mention of their names on each shrine in letters of gold, by

Anuales Waverlcienses p. 141.