pediment. Within that, and over the arch, is a knight on horseback, with his sword brandished, going at full speed. Two brackets near the top support angels. The whole tomb is more broken than decayed; a little of its painting, gilding, and Mosaie may be traced.

The Duke of Lancaster's had a painting on its basement, which has been nearly destroyed through age, want of cleaning, and other causes. In many places the stone is bare; and it is nearly impossible to make out the figures, or distinguish what the colours have been. They appear to be Knights conquerors leading their prisoners, from the triumphant attitudes of some, and the downcast looks of others. They are paired, and there is a general similarity of expression in the ten figures. The effigies of the duke lies crosslegged under a grand canopy of one great and two smaller arches, enriched in a manner even more magnificent than that of Valena's, Upon the pediment were four angels on brackets, and a knight on horseback within a trefoil; and ten niches on the side of the tomb.

It has caused some dispute whether the small burial place of Abbot Islip, and the Chapel of St. Erasmus were not the same. One would almost imagine the writers who can found them had never been in the church. Whatever may have been the original state of the Abbot's chapel, as it is called, it certainly is sepa rate, and always has been from that of St. Erasmus. On examining the ichnography, the former will be found to answer the square chapel of St. Benedict directly opposite, in the south aisle, The place just mentioned is nearly open to the transept, and on the north side. It is therefore plain that Islip did no more than build the present skreen, and make a floor for a chantry, to which there is now a flight of wooden steps, and at the entrance a small door leading to the place where he lies. Dart says, he cannot find the site of two chapels dedicated to St. Catharine and St. Anne. Now, whether this was originally dedicated to St. John the Baptist, or Evangelist, or St. Anne, or St. Catherine, is of no kind of consequence. It is Islip's, for be keeps

keeps quiet possession, surrounded by what has ludicrously been termed the ragged regiment; in other words, the battered and decayed effigies of our ancient monarchs, which it was then the custom to dress in regal ornaments, and carry to the church at their funerals.

The door was surmounted by a statue, but only its bracket remains, and HR.

The basement of the skreen is composed of quatrefoils containing roses and fleurs de lis, and over them a row of arches. The next division is divided by buttresses into windows of four mullions, with three ranges of arches in height. The freize contains one or two reliefs of his rebus, most absurdly conceived, being an eye, and a slip, or branch of a tree, and his name at length. The most beautiful part is seven niches above, with canopies of great taste and delicate workmanship.

Farther to the east is another specimen of those exquisite performances of niche, and triple canopies, with their minute ribs, foliages, &c. and a row of quatrefoils at the base. That this was the Abbot's work we have proof at the sides in a rebus of a hand holding a slip.

The recess is filled, without injury to it, by a neat tablet, inscribed,

"Beatam resurrectionem hic expectat revdus adeuodum in Christo pater Gulielmus Barnard, S. T. P. hujus ecclesiæ collegiate primo alumnus, deindo prependarius Roffeusis, postea decanus: hinc ad espiscopatuin in Hiberniâ, Raposensem 1744, Derensam 1747. A rege Georgio Secundo provectus in pauperibus sublevandis, in ecclesis reficiendis, instituendis, dosandis. Quantum exeruit munificentiam; diæcesis illa, cui annos plus viginti præfuit diu sentiet, et agnoscet. In angliam valetudinis causa reversus Londini decessit Jan ista D. 1768, ætatis 72.

One of the small pillars on a great column having been cut away for the alterations made by Islip, it has been supported by a bracket carved into his rebus, which we find repeated in the window of the chantry in two panes of coloured glass. And

round

round this place, once used only for prayers for the deceased, stand clumsy presses faced with glass, through which the curious may view the stiff waxen figures of Queen Elizabeth, whose face is pinched into most expressive old-maidenism, King William, and Queen Mary, and Queen Anne.

The robes and other parts of the dress of the late Lord Chatham are preserved on a well-executed effigies by Mrs. Wright. The face is probably as well done as wax will permit; but such representations are never pleasing; there is something particularly disagreeable in the glass eyes. Fragments of portraits on the sides of the site of the altar are hid by these presscs. Islip under one.

The inside of the chapel or burial-place is hid from view by a fence of rough boards nailed across the arches.

To the east of the skreen of Islip's chauntry is a door, under the mouldings of which are angels holding the arms of Edward the Confessor, and Edward III.; over it is Sandus Erasmus; which would seem sufficient authority for asserting that the chapel was dedicated to him. Dart will have it that Islip borrowed a piece of the chapel of St. John the Baptist. That, bowever, is disputable; and, indeed, one should imagine the passage. older than that time; however, it may probably have been made when the three tombs filling the south side were erected.

On the right side of the door is a circular piece of iron, which held the vessel for holy water. The roof of the entrance is divided by numerous ribs, and one of the key-stones represents a female praying, surrounded by cherubim. Through it is an aperture, for what purpose is difficult to decide.

Directly facing the door, on ascending one step, is a bracket, over which are the remains of the fastenings to the statue it supported. The rays emanating from its head are very perfect, painted on the wall; and traces of rude flowers, not unlike those of the coarsest paper hangings, may be perceived on every side of it, and a few fleurs de lis. The mouldings have been a fierce scarlet, and gilt. On the left hand is a piscina, and facing it

another.

another. Several staples in the wall lead us to suppose that many lamps were suspended before this statue, which probably was St. Erasmus. Dart is probably wrong in saying that an altar stood beneath it, as, though statues were not placed against an eastern wall, altars were. This would have been to the north.

The place of the altar on the east side of the chapel, which is said to have been dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is covered by the vast and splendid monument of Henry Carey, Baron of Hansdon, who died 1596, aged 72. A scrap of beautiful foliage which was over it, and an clevation in the pavement, are the only mementos of this altar.

On the north-east side of the chapel there is a deep square recess divided by a pillar. The hinges of a door to this locker for the altar utensils are still noble. The two arches, and the ornaments of a seated figure, with foliage, are perfect over it. On the door is an old altar-tomb, and in the arch directly over it hooks for lamps.

The north side is filled by the miserable tomb of Colonel Popham and his lady, with their figures resting their elbows on a pedestal. It is without an inscription, which was removed at the Restoration on account of his rebellious conduct.

On the north

The adjoining side contains an ancient arch. end of it is the altar-tomb of Thomas Vaughan, who lived in the time of Edward IV. At the other end is a seat.

On the south side of the door is the tomb of Mrs. Mary Kendal, an indifferent kneeling figure, 1710, aged about 32. She was remarkable for her friendship with Lady Catharine Jones; and was interred here, in hopes her dust might mix with that lady's, who intended to be buried wear her mother in this chapel.

In the midst of the pavement, almost covering it, is the tomb of Thomas Cecil, Earl of Exeter; and, at his right hand, Dorothy, his first wife, with a blank space for his second wife, Frances, who (we are told by the Ciceroni of the Abbey,) refused so ignoble a situation as his left side. Their bodies, however, all

rest together under the monument, in hopes of a joyful resurrec→ tion, according to the inscription.*

Of the three tombs which separate the aisle from the chapel, that of George Fascet, abbot, is the western. It is an altartomb, with quatrefoils on the sides, and a flat arched canopy much decayed. At the head a shield, mitre, and helmet. He died about 1414. On it is a stone coffin, which has been broken through and greatly injured. Within it are the oaken boards of the inner coffin; and on the top a large cross, shewing it to have belonged to an ecclesiastic. The Ciceroni calls it the Bishop of. Hereford's stone coffin. And perhaps it did contain the body of Abbot Milling, who was in possession of that see, and died 1492.

At his feet is another tomb, with five quatrefoils on the sides, and on it the decayed figure of a bishop. This had a canopy, bu it is now entirely destroyed, except part of the west end, which has a shield, helinet, mitre, and this inscription: DAIAN. D'NI 1520. This is said to have been for the body of Thomas Ruthell, Bishop of Durham.

The last is a tomb without a canopy, very like the preceding in every respect. The cushion under the head of the effigies is embroidered with . It is conjectured to be Abbot William, of Colchester. The chapel has six sides, besides that to the south, which is the form of all round the church.

A door, now closed, led from Islip's chauntry to a passage over the entrance of this, through the piers between the windows, to the place where Lord Hunsdon's tomb stands. A pillar over it terminates in a curious bracket of a man, who rests his elbows on his knees, and his head on his hand. An archievement, with a banner of Lady Hughes, hangs to the west wall.

In the aisle between the chapel just described and the next, are two tablets to Jane Crew, 1769, aged 30; and Juliana Crew, 1621.

ST. PAUL'S CHAPEL has a skreen on the eastern side of the door,

A similar tale is told of one of the wives of a duke of Chandos at Whit

church.