By the Rev. J. E. Jackson. 85 



" How much the yearly revenue of all these Chantries and other 

 Chapels amounted to the King knew as little as we do; indeed, 

 some of his officers did, but would not know, as wilfully concealing 

 their knowledge herein. Yea, some of these Chantries may be 

 said in a double sense to have been suppressed, as being not only 

 put down, but also concealed, never coming into the Exchequer, 

 being silently pocketed by private (but potent) persons. True it 

 is the courtiers were more rapacious to catch, and voracious to 

 swallow these Chantries than Abbey lands ; for, at the first, many 

 were scrupulous in mind, or modest in manners, doubting the ac- 

 ceptance of Abbey lands, though offered unto them, till profit and 

 custom, two very able confessors, had, by degrees, satisfied their 

 consciences, and absolved them from any fault therein. Now, all 

 scruple removed, Chantry land went down without any regret. 

 Yea, such as mannerly expected till the King carved for them out 

 of Abbey lands, scrambled for themselves out of Chantry revenues, 

 as knowing this was the last dish of the last course, and, after 

 Chantries, as after cheese, nothing to be expected. The Act of 

 Parliament, for dissolving Chantries was passed in the first year 

 Edward VI." 



So far Fuller. 1 



Most of these Chapels were parted off from the Church by open 

 screens of wood or stone. Some were mere spaces within the 

 Church enclosed within rails, and enclosing monumental tombs, 

 with effigies of the founders and other scubptured decorations, with 

 an altar at the east end, raised on a step, and having a piscina and 

 an ambry or closet on the south side. Henry VII. 's Chapel in 

 Westminster Abbey is the grandest specimen existing of a Chantry 

 Cbapfl, for such it may be regarded, having been built expressly 

 to contain his sepulchral tomb, with an altar, and endowed for 

 priests to offer up prayers. Directions for this are given in his 

 will. Noblemen and lords of manors often founded and endowed 

 Chantries al the end of the aisles of Parish Churches, and appro- 

 priated them for the reception of family tombs, heraldic insignia, 



1 ChuHth History. B. vi., Sec. v. ii. 



