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london in 1731-第17章

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 were; most of them enriching this abbey with large revenues; but King Henry III。 ordered the church built by Edward the Confessor to be pulled down; and erected the present magnificent fabric in the room of it; of which he laid the first stone about the year 1245。

That admired piece of architecture at the east end; dedicated to the Virgin Mary; was built by Henry VII。; anno 1502; and from the founder is usually called Henry the VII。's Chapel。  Here most of the English monarchs since that time have been interred。

The dimensions of the abbey…church; according to the new survey; are as follows; viz。:… The length of the church; from the west end of it to the east end of St。 Edward's Chapel; is 354 feet; the breadth of the west end; 66 feet; the breadth of the cross aisle; from north to south; 189 feet; the height of the middle roof; 92 feet; the distance from the west end of the church to the choir; 162 feet; and from the west end to the cross aisle; 220 feet; the distance from the east end of St。 Edward's Chapel to the west end of Henry VII。's Chapel; 36 feet; and the length of Henry VII。's Chapel; 99 feet:  so that the length of the whole building is 489 feet; the breadth of Henry VII。's Chapel; 66 feet; and the height; 54 feet。  The nave and cross aisles of the abbey…church are supported by fifty slender pillars; of Sussex marble; besides forty…five demi…pillars or pilasters。  There are an upper and lower range of windows; being ninety…four in number; those at the four ends of the cross very spacious。  All which; with the arches; roofs; doors; &c。; are of the ancient Gothic order。  Above the chapiters the pillars spread into several semi…cylindrical branches; forming and adorning the arches of the pillars; and those of the roofs of the aisles; which are three in number; running from east to west; and a cross aisle running from north to south。  The choir is paved with black and white marble; in which are twenty…eight stalls on the north side; as many on the fourth; and eight at the west end; from the choir we ascend by several steps to a most magnificent marble altarpiece; which would be esteemed a beauty in an Italian church。


Beyond the altar is King Edward the Confessor's Chapel; surrounded with eleven or twelve other chapels replenished with monuments of the British nobility; for a particular whereof I refer the reader to the 〃Antiquities of St。 Peter; or the Abbey…Church of Westminster;〃 by J。 Crull; M。D。 Lond。 1711; 8vo; and the several supplements printed since; and shall only take notice of those of the kings and queens in the chapel of St。 Edward the Confessor; which are as follows; viz。; Edward I。; King of England; Henry III。; Matilda; wife of Henry I。; Queen Eleanor; wife of Edward I。; St。 Edward the Confessor; and Queen Editha; his wife; Henry V。; and Queen Catherine of Valois; his wife; Edward III。; and Queen Philippa; his wife; Richard II。; and Queen Anne; his wife。  And on the south side of the choir; King Sebert; and Queen Anne of Cheve; wife to Henry VIII。 East of St。 Edward's Chapel is that of Henry VII。; dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary; to which we ascend by twelve stone steps。  At the west end whereof are three brazen doors finely wrought; which give an entrance into it。  The stalls on the north and south sides are exquisitely carved。  The roof is supported by twelve pillars and arches of the Gothic order; abounding with enrichments of carved figures; fruit; &c。  At the east end is a spacious window with stained glass; besides which there are thirteen other windows above; and as many below on the north and south sides。  Under each of the thirteen uppermost windows are five figures placed in niches; representing kings; queens; bishops; &c。; and under them the figures of as many angels supporting imperial crowns。  The roof; which is all stone; is divided into sixteen circles; curiously wrought; and is the admiration of all that see it。

The outside of this chapel was adorned with fourteen towers; three figures being placed in niches on each of them; which were formerly much admired; but the stone decaying and mouldering away; they make but an odd appearance at present。

In this chapel have been interred most of the English kings since Richard III。; whose tombs are no small ornament to it; particularly that of Henry VII。; the founder; which stands in the middle of the area towards the east end。

The tomb is composed of a curious pedestal whose sides are adorned with various figures; as the north with those of six men; the east with those of two cupids supporting the king's arms and an imperial crown; on the south side; also; six figures; circumscribedas those on the north sidewith circles of curious workmanship; the most easterly of which contains the figure of an angel treading on a dragon。  Here is also a woman and a child; seeming to allude to Rev。 xii。; and on the west end the figure of a rose and an imperial crown; supported with those of a dragon and a greyhound:  on the tomb are the figures of the king and queen; lying at full length; with four angels; one at each angle of the tomb; all very finely done in brass。

The screen or fence is also of solid brass; very strong and spacious; being in length 19 feet; in breadth 11; and the altitude 11; adorned with forty…two pillars and their arches; also; twenty smaller hollow columns and their arches in the front of the former; and joined at the cornice; on which cornice is a kind of acroteria; enriched with roses and portcullises interchanged in the upper part; and with the small figures of dragons and greyhounds (the supporters aforesaid) in the lower part; and at each of the four angles is a strong pillar made open; or hollow; composed in imitation of diaper and Gothic archwork; the four sides have been adorned with thirty… two figures of men; about a cubit high; placed in niches; of which there are only seven left; the rest being stolen away (one Raymond; about the 11th of Queen Elizabeth; having been twice indicted for the same); and about the middle of the upper part of each of the four sides is a spacious branch adorned with the figure of a rose; where might on occasion be placed lamps。  This admirable piece of art is open at top; and has two portals; one on the north; the other on the south side; all of fine brass。

This Royal founder's epitaph:


Septimus Henricus tumulo requiescit in isto; Qui regum splendor; lumen et orbis erat。 Rex vigil et sapiens; comes virtutis; amatur; Egregius forma; strenuus atque potens。 Qui peperit pacem regno; qui bella peregit Plurima; qui victor semper ab hoste redit; Qui natas binis conjunxit regibus ambas; Regibus et cunctis faedere junctus erat。

Qui sacrum hoc struxit templum; statuitque; sepulchrum Pro se; proque sua conjuge; proque domo。 Lustra decem atque; annos tres plus compleverit annos;

Nam tribus octenis regia sceptra tulit; Quindecies Domini centenus fluxerat annus; Currebat nonus; cum venit atra dies; Septima ter mensis lux tunc fulgebat Aprilis; Cum clausit summum tanta corona diem。 Nulla dedere prius tantum sibi saecula regem Anglia; vix similem posteriora dabunt。

Septimus hic situs est Henricus gloria regum Cunctorum; ipsius qui tempestate fuerunt; Ingenio atque; opibus gestarum et nomine rerum; Accessere quibus naturae dona benignae: Frontis honos facies augusta heroica forma; Junctaque ei suavis conjux per pulchra pudica; Et faecunda fuit; felices prole parentes; Henricum quibus octavum terra Anglia debet。


Under the figure of the king。


Hic jacet Henricus ejus nominis septimus; Anglicae quondam rex; Edmundi Richmondiae comitis filius; qui die 22 Aug。  Rex creatus; statim post apud Westmonasterium die 30 Octob。 coronatur 1485。 Moritur deinde 21 die Aprilis anno aetat。 53; regnavit annos 23; menses 8; minus uno die。


Under the queen's figure。


Hic jacet regina Elizabetha; Edvardi quarti quondam regis filia; Edvardi quinti regis quondam nominatur soror:  Henrici septimi olim regis conjux; atque; Henrici octavi regis mater inclyta; obiit autem suum diem in turri Londoniarum die secund。  Feb。 anno Domini 1502; 37 annorum aetate functa。


The modern tombs in the abbey; best worth the viewing; are those of the duke of Newcastle; on the left hand as we enter the north door; of Sir Isaac Newton; at the west end of the choir; of Sir Godfrey Kneller; and Mr。 Secretary Craggs at the west end of the abbey; of Mr。 Prior among the poets at the door which faces the Old Palace Yard; of the Duke of Buckingham in Henry VII。th's chapel; and that of Doctor Chamberlain on the North side of the choir:  most of these are admirable pieces of sculpture; and show that the statuary's art is not entirely lost in this country; though it must be confessed the English fall short of the Italians in this science。

Westminster Hall is one of the largest rooms in Europe; being two hundred and twenty…eight feet in length; fifty…six feet broad; and ninety feet high。  The walls are of stone; the windows of the Gothic form; the floor stone; and the roof of timber covered with lead; and having not one pillar in it; is supported by buttresses。  It is usually observed that there are no cobwebs ever seen in this hall; and the reason given for this is; that the timber of which the roof is composed is Ir
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