68 



tragedy of his death. Two sums of £700 and £600 were received 

 from the exchequer for the maintenance of the King and his 

 attendants during the period of his imprisonment. There is an 

 entry of 31s. Id. for the expenses of Thomas de Gotjen at going 

 to Nottingham to inform the Queen of Edward's death. The 

 Reeves' accounts of the manors of Ham and Alkington shew what 

 provisions they sent in to the castle for the royal maintenance 

 from Palm Sunday to 21st September that year, (1327). There 

 are entries of moneys paid for dyeing canvas black to cover the 

 carriage on which the corpse was conveyed to Gloucester for 

 interment in the Cathedral ; of 37s. 8d. for a silver vessel to 

 place the King's heart in ; of 21d. paid in oblations at several 

 times in the castle chapel for the repose of his soul ; of 18s. 9d. 

 for the expenses of some of Lord Berkeley's family going with 

 the body to Gloucester. 



The Queen's party, on whom the guilt really rested, endeavoured 

 to get rid of the responsibility by charging the murder on Lord 

 Beekelet, and he underwent a trial by a jury of twelve knights, 

 who acquitted him of the charge except as regards some negli- 

 gence, and he was liberated on bail. The charge was, however, 

 kept hanging over him, probably to divert attention from the 

 really guilty parties, until 1338, when he was finally and fully 

 acquitted. 



Beekelet Chtjech. 



The Parish Church of St. Mary, Berkeley, is one of the finest 

 in the county, and may in many respects challenge comparison 

 with some of our noblest ecclesiastical edifices. 



The splendid west front with its beautiful five-light window 

 and elaborate doorway, the lofty and spacious nave, and the 

 clustered pillars and graceful arches of its arcades are scarcely 

 equalled by many of our cathedrals. The other parts of the 

 church are, however, scarcely worthy of so grand a centre. 



The aisles are comparatively poor, and their western termina- 

 tions contrast most unfavourably with that of the magnificent 

 nave ; the absence of a tower and the flatness of the roofs, are 

 serious defects in its external appearance ; the south side. 



