died 1673. Rt. Rev. W Lloyd, D.D. Bp. of Anne, dau. of Rev. Walter Jones, D.D. Preb. of Westminster, and Subdean of Chapel Royal, buried at Fladbury. Wm. Lloyd, D. D. died Rector of Fladbury in 1719, in the 45th year of his age, s. p. and buried there. Anne, married Rev. Offley, Dean of Chester. 396 Holy Sepulchre in Kingsland Church. The present Church of Kingsland was built by Edward, Lord Mortimer, in the reign of Edward I. who made his younger son, Walter, rector thereof, giving him the full right to all the tythes, and dedicating it to St. Michael the archangel. It consists of a nave and side ailes, separated by octagonal columus, supporting ten pointed arches, 79 ft. by 44 ft. 9 in.; a chancel 38 ft. by 19 ft.; what is now used as a 'vestry 11 ft by 14ft.; a porch 8 ft. 10 in, by 10ft. 2in.; the chamber of the holy sepulchre 9 ft. 4 in. by 4ft. gin. and a tower at the West end. The architecture is all of one period, the leading feature being a square inscribed in a quatrefoil, or a triangle in a trefoil. The greatest curiosity in Kingsland Church is what is termed the Volkre's chamber, which, though I will not go so far as to say is a corruption of Sepulchre's chamber, was, I have no doubt, for that purpose. This is a small building by the side of the porch, from which is the entrance to it, and receives light from unglazed windows on its East and North sides. Within, out of the thickness of the Church wall, has been formed an arch, such as all monumental ones of the time, and within it a kind of altar; at the back another open window, consisting of four lights for the convenience of those within the Church. The great arch is elegantly ornamented. In Plates xxxI. and XXXII. of the "Vetusta Monumenta," vol. III. are representations of the Holy Sepulchre in the Churches of Northwold in Norfolk, and Hackington in the county of Lincoln, with a paper well worthy of being read, by the late Mr. Gough. The latter one is of the time of Edward I. or II. and therefore approximates the date which I have assigned to the curious chamber at Kingsland. Besides the remains of a holy sepulchre in Lincoln Cathedral, also of this period, and absurdly called the tomb of St. Remigius, this gentle man enumerates no less than fifty in different parish Churches. In all these cases the position of the Sepulchre was in the North wall, but in one only that of the church, as at Kingsland, the others being in that of the chancel. Mr. Polwhele, in his "History of Devon," vol. II. p. 82, speaking of Holcombe Burnell Church, says: “On [Nov. the North wall of the chancel, near the altar, is a curious piece of imagery in alto relievo, representing the resurrection of our Saviour, and the terror of the Roman soldiers who guarded the sepulchre; in the wall is an opening through which the people in the North aile of the nave might see the elevation of the host." So at Kingsland, above the tomb, and within the arch, is a square aperture divided into four compartments by mullions and pointed arches for the same purpose. It was usual, when the Roman Catholic rites were performed, to deposit the host in the holy sepulchre on a Good Friday, together with the crucifix, on which occasion a solemn office was performed, called Tenebræ. This was continued on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, in Easter Week, when the Church was darkened by veils, which on the third day after solemn mass, were removed on a sudden during a very loud chorus of voices and instruments, to represent the rending of the veil; the host was elevated, while the priest exclaimed, Surrexit, non est hic. Du Fresne gives the ceremonial as practised in the Church of Rouen from a MS ordinary be-longing to it, on which Mr. Gough remarks that "from some circumstances in this office it appears that the sepulchre at Rouen was large enough to admit the officiating priests to go into and out of it," which amply accounts for the chamber at Kingsland, and the apertures on all sides that the people might witness the ceremonies. This same antiquary has given in his elaborate paper an extract from Davies's "Rites of Durham," in which is the ceremonial as there practised, and several details from Churchwarden's accounts and old wills, which shew the paraphernalia used and bequeathed to various Churches for this purpose, and from which it appears that candles were generally kept burning before it. He has also given us the following fragment of a hymn sung at it. "Unde monumentum, tale "Jhu Christi passionis Atq. resurrectionis Fit pro nequitia. Pro nostra leticia. "Habeamus ergo curam Vigilando noctibus. 1826.] On the seal of Glastonbury Abbey. The position of this chamber near the porch was for the more ready convenience of the devout who chose to place candles before it, that they might not be compelled to enter the Church for that purpose, to call on all passengers by the conspicuous appearance to contribute to this effect, or constantly remind them to fall on their knees, tell their beads, and say their paters, aves, and creeds. That such was its purpose, requires but a visit to the Churches in the Netherlands, Bruges, and Ghent, affording examples of the very same in full practice at the present day. Yours, &c. ΜΕ S. R. MEYRICK. (To be continued.) Mr. URBAN, Westminster, Oct. 20. R. WARNER'S History of Glastonbury has lately received merited attention in your Review *. Allow me to offer a few remarks on some of the antiquities, the seals in particular, which occur in the numerous plates of that work. In Plate XVII. is an etching of the great seal of the Abbey, taken from the impression annexed to the Act of Acknowledgment of Henry the Eighth's Supremacy, preserved in the Chapterhouse at Westminster. On this fine old seal are represented, under elegant niches, on one side St. Dunstan, St. Patrick, and St. Benignus; and on the other, the Virgin, St. Katherine, and St. Margaret. These names are inscribed under each figure, so that there is no doubt of their identity; but in describing them the Author has shewn but little acquaintance with the usual pictorial attributes of Saints. The lily, the frequent symbol of the Virgin, is transformed into an olive branch, loaded with fruit, a plant which, when associated with the Saviour and his Mother, always indicates the Prince of Peace." St. Margaret, who is invariably represented as piercing with her long cross the serpent she treads upon, is said to be "supporting herself on the staff. The small device under St. Patrick is certainly not a shamrock, but, apparently, the head of a crosier; and the birds below St. Katharine and St. Margaret are not, I 66 See part i. pp. 343. 425, 541. 397 imagine, "doves, as emblems of their innocence," but mere arbitrary ornaments, to fill up the vacant corners. The legend on that side of the seal where the male saints are represented, has the word... SCRIPTI imperfect from a fracture, which, says Mr. Warner, "should be supplied by coN, the meaning evidently being that these three personages were those heads of the house who had been enrolled, conscripti, in the Calendar of Saints." This is not a little far-fetched. The deficient letters, as may be affirined without hesitation, are DE, of the latter of which the lower part is plainly visible, and the meaning is that the three saintly abbits there represented confirmed the contents of the charter: CONFIRMANT HAS RES DESCRIPTI The inscription on the opposite side of the Glastonbury seal, which is rendered imperfect by the same fracture, may be supplied with the letters... TVS GEN...,the idea being the same,-that the Holy Virgin, represented on this side, was present as a witness to the deed: TESTIS ADEST ISTI SCRIPTUS GENITRIX PIA XP'I GLASTONIE. The genitive of scriptus is to be preferred to that of scriptum, because the word scripti, if used instead of scriptus, would confuse the rhyme of the Leonine verse,-formed of ISTI and CHRISTI. A small seal which still remains at tached to the curious watch of Abbat Whiting, Mr. Warner describes as his secretum or private seal." Now, even the secretum may be regarded as a somewhat official signet; for it was frequently used on the back of the great seal, being inscribed "Secretum Richardi," &c. i. e. with the name of 398 Antiquities engraved in Warner's Glastonbury. the owner. The small seal, however, attached to Abbat Whiting's watch, is of a devise so very common, that it can scarcely be called the private seal of any one person. It is not intended to be denied that the actual brass seal was in the Abbat's possession; but only that, there being scores of the same pattern (as there are now of Paul Pry, &c.), it was probably employed only on very ordinary occasions, and that the Abbat's secretum was another and perhaps rather larger signet. The Abbat's small seal in question is much worn, and that circumstance appears to have deceived Mr. Warner in its device, which, he says, "is the Holy Spirit, in the shape of a dove, descending on a pix held by two monks."-It is in reality, however, the extremely common representation of the Annunciation; and it is that constant accompaniment the pot of lilies which Mr. W. has mistaken for a pix and a dove. The inscription is AVE MARIA GRA'. A seal exacly similar is engraved in your Magazine for April 1824, and another nearly so in Fisher's Seals from Stratford-upon-Avon, Plate III. fig. 39. Two figures with a lily pot between them was the established mode of representing the Annunciation, whether on seals, monumental brasses, stained glass, or paintings; but the motto "Ave Maria, graciâ plena, Dominus tecum," was applied to various devices, as will be seen by reference to Mr. Fisher's plates. I have, however, met with one, and that a somewhat amusing exception to the universal appearance of the lily-pot in representations of the Annunciation. It is the seal of Stephen Sukirkeby (anno 1250) engraved in Plate D of the Seals from the Duchy office of Lancaster, Vetusta Monumenta, vol. I. Pl. 59. Here an antique gem, which is evidently ap plied to the Annunciation, as is proved by the inscription AVE MARIA GRACIA, represents two naked figures-originally engraved with doubtless a very different meaning. In p. xxxii. of Mr. Warner's volume, where the seal of the parish of St. John in Glastonbury (engraved in P 257) is described, it is remarked that "in some instances in London the Minister and Churchwardens are, by the custom of the City, a Corporation to hold laud; but whether with a corporate seal or not, we are unable to say." Such a seal, and that of a pa [Nov. rish no less important than St. Maryle-bow, was engraved in the Gentleman's Magazine for April 1823. 66 In p. 217 is a wood-engraving of a small stone "model of a chapel" about. eight inches long, found in the ruins of Glastonbury, and which Mr. Warner is inclined to consider as the model rather of some foreign chapel, than of any one within the cathedral church of Glaston Abbey ;" whilst Mr. Bennett, of Banwell, Som. the communicator of this relique, with more plausibility conjectures it to have been one of the ornaments of a sepulchral monument. It may, however, with the greatest probability be supposed to have once rested on the hand of a statue re presenting the founder, or other_important benefactor of the Abbey. This is confirmed by the inner side being plain and uncarved. It by no means follows that it should be the model either of the whole church, or of any chapel attached to it *. It was considered sufficient if the artist produced what would be known for the description of building intended to be represented. The hand of the statue could not sustain an edifice of a dozen windows in length; and a door between two windows answered the purpose. In Gough's Sepulchral Monuments, vol. I. p. 18, is a small woodcut engraving of the church placed in the hand of Bishop Rainelm at Hereford. It consists of a mere spire with a door below it; and no one would suppose this a "model" of Hereford Cathedral. In the same work, vol. II. p. 22, and in the Custumale Roffense, p. 88, is engraved the brass-plate in Cobham Church, Kent, representing Jehan de cobham, foundeur de cesty place." Here, indeed, this noble founder holds a somewhat larger edifice, which he supports with both his hands, held down as low as possible, and the spire reaching nearly to his chin; but still it has but little appearance of being an exact representation of Cobham Church. In describing the Abbey Clock (now in Wells Cathedral, and engraved in Plate IX.) Mr. Warner says: This observation may also be applied to the idea expressed by Mr. Warner (p. cxxi.) that the ancient seal of the Priory of Bath, engraved in Plate XVI. " "gives a rude representation of the eastern end of the then conventual Church." 1826.] Indexes to Parish "In the central part of the face are two circles, each having its inscription, allusive to the different operations of the machine. That of SEMPER PERAGRAT PHOEBE crowns a female figure in one of these compartments. The other, which exhibits a moon waxing towards the full, is surrounded by an in scription far less intelligible. The following few and imperfect words are made out, by the help of conjectural additions, from a facsimile very kindly transmitted to us by P. Davis Sherston, esq. of Stoberry Park AB HINC MONSTRAT MICRO...... ERICUS ARCH ERYPUNG. The meaning of the legend seems to be that in this microcosm are shewn all the wonders of the vast sidereal hemisphere. The conclusion may be a proper name con nected with the construction of the machine." The inscription in question is evidently an hexameter verse, and, though to explain it completely may be found difficult, we shall certainly be nearer the truth by reading it thus: PUNCTUS AB HINC MONSTRAT MICRO SIDERICUS ARCUS. It is then the word micro only which is unintelligible, and it may be incorrectly deciphered. There is one anecdote connected with the ruins of Glastonbury, which, though trifling, I think Mr. Warner would have noticed in his volume, had it fallen in his way. In the year 1617 a patent passed the great seal, and is to be found in Rymer, "to allow Mary Middlemore, one of the Maydes of Honor to our dearest Consort Queen Anne, and her deputies, power and authority to enter into the Abbies of St. Alban's, Glassenbury, St. Edmund's Bury, and Ramsay, and into all lands, houses, and places, within a mile, belonging to the said Abbies, there to dig and search after treasure supposed to be hidden in such places." In a subsequent page of the same collection of Records, is a patent dated Westminster, July 10, 1618, to Samuel Atkinson and Simon Morgan, Gentlemen, to search in all places for hidden treasure. In p. lxvii. of the History of Glastonbury, Corrington should be ConNEPOS. nington. lineal descent, a difficulty, occasioned by the decayed state of ancient Parish Registers, many of them having become nearly illegible by the lapse of almost 300 years, and now fast fading into total obscurity,―an Act neficial measure, making it imperative of the Legislature would be a very beupon all parishes (whose resident Minister may deem it requisite) to cause Alphabetical Indices carefully to be prepared of such Marriages, Baptisms, and Burials, as have been entered, or shall hereafter be entered in their respective Registers.-The Names, properly classified, would appear in each Index, having reference to the numbered Registers where they are entered. By this means, search would be so facilitated, that the particular name wanted would be found in the Register (if there) in a few minutes: whereas, at present, for want of such an easy mode of reference, hours, days, and weeks are sometimes occupied by Clergymen and others, when such time can least conveniently be spared: and often is that time fruitlessly so occupied, notwithstanding the name thus vainly sought for, may be in the body of the Register. For each Register-search, the same Act might fix a suitable fee; which now varies, from one shilling, to a sum that is inconvenient for many persons to pay,-being at present arbitrary, according to the will of those who demand it. These things frequently preclude persons (not in affluent circumstances) from having access to a source (sometimes the only source) of legitimate information, whence they may derive facts to ascertain kindred, or to substantiate a legal claim. Such of your Clerical readers as coincide in opinion respecting the object here stated, will, perhaps, cooperate towards their attainment with the author of these suggestions. I AN INCUMBENT OF A POPULOUS PARISH. Mr. URBAN, Lucca Baths, Italy.. BEG to acquaint your Correspondent CLERICUS OXON (vol. xcv. ii. p. 590 *), that there exists a portrait of my maternal Uncle, the pious founder of the Norrisian Professorship. It was, I believe, painted be tween 1756 and 1760, upon occasion * See also this vol. pt. i. pp. 290. 295. |