A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



PART I ' 

 GOTHIC PERIOD 



Abbot Benedict. Died 1193. Peter- 

 borough Cathedral. 



The effigy lies north and south, upon a 

 modern tomb, in the retro-choir at the back 

 of the high altar. The figure is sculptured 

 in rather low relief in polished grey marble, 

 and represented bareheaded, with the tonsure, 

 and the face closely shaved. It is shown 

 habited in an alb, a chasuble, with the orphrey 

 attached to it in front, and taking the form of 

 the archiepiscopal pall. Below the chasuble 

 the ends of the stole appear. Round the neck 

 is apparently the amice, but as there is no 

 indication of any turning over, or of the apparel, 

 the collar of the chasuble may be intended. 

 The pastoral staff is held diagonally across the 

 body, in the right hand ; it has a simple crook 

 curved outward. The ferule of the staff is 

 thrust into the jaws of a double-headed and 

 winged dragon, perhaps in allusion to that 

 verse of the Psalms : ' Thou shalt tread upon 

 the lion and adder : the young lion and the 

 dragon shalt thou trample under feet.' The 

 left hand holds a clasped book of the Gospels. 



Over the head of the figure is a semicircular 

 trefoil canopy, surmounted by a rude repre- 

 sentation of a Norman building such as are 

 found in illuminated MSS. and on seals of this 

 period. 



Abbot Benedict ruled the monastery from 

 1 177 until his death in 1193. The figure is 

 sculptured upon a slab narrowing to the feet 

 which, according to the practice of this early 

 period, formed the external lid of the coffin 

 placed level with the pavement. 



Abbot Robert de Lyndeseye. Died 

 1222. Peterborough Cathedral. 



The effigy is placed second from the west 

 end of the south aisle of the choir. It is 

 carved in polished Purbeck marble. The 

 head rests upon a pillow placed lozenge-wise. 

 The whole of the face has been destroyed, 

 but from its general form it appears to have 

 been bearded. 



The abbot is represented bareheaded, with 

 the tonsure, he has the amice about his neck, 

 and is vested in the alb, stole and chasuble. 

 A pastoral staff has been held in the right 

 hand and the left holds the Gospels. Above 

 the figure is a semicircular trefoil canopy 

 supported upon sculptured capitals. 



The slab upon which the effigy is carved 



' The following section is based upon An Account 

 of the Recumbent Monumental Effigies in Noitkamfilon- 

 shire, by the writer (1866-76), which is not 

 within easy reach of the public. 



narrows quickly to the feet and takes the 

 shape of a coffin-lid, and must originally have 

 been placed level with the ground and used 

 for that purpose. 



' ViRGiLius.' Died 1228. Castor. 



This is the demi-effigy of a tonsured eccle- 

 siastic, vested apparently in the amice and 

 chasuble, and sculptured in rather an unusual 

 manner upon a coffin-lid of Barnack stone 

 'en dos d' ane.' It is probably intended to 

 represent ' Virgilius Persona seu Rector ' who 

 was presented to the church by the abbot and 

 convent of Peterborough, and whose death is 

 recorded to have taken place in 1228. 



Abbot Walter de St. Edmund. Died 

 1245. Peterborough Cathedral. 



In chronological order this is the third of 

 the abbatical effigies. It lies in the south aisle 

 of the choir third from the west end, and is 

 sculptured upon a coffin-shaped slab of grey 

 marble originally polished. The abbot is 

 shown bareheaded, with the tonsure, and 

 wearing a short beard, arranged, like the hair, 

 in small curls. The forehead is lined with 

 furrows and the figure is evidently that of an 

 aged man. He is vested in the alb, with an 

 ornamented parure or apparel at the feet ; a 

 tunic, or it may be the dalmatic, and the 

 chasuble from which there is a very curious 

 and unusual pendent ornament, probably a 

 weight to keep this garment in place. There 

 is no stole visible, and over the left wrist is a 

 very long and narrow maniple. The amice 

 appears about the neck, in the right hand is a 

 pastoral staff with the simple crook turned 

 inwards, and in the left the book of the 

 Gospels. The feet rest upon a winged dragon 

 into whose jaws the end of the staff is thrust. 

 Over the head of the figure rises a pointed 

 cinquefoiled canopy, springing from shafts 

 with sculptured capitals and moulded bases, 

 and surmounted by a representation of a 

 building with towers and three-light windows. 



Sir Robert de Vere. Died 1249. Sud- 

 borough. 



This memorial finds its place in the midst 

 of the period during which military effigies 

 had their rise. The figure of an illustrious 

 soldier is presented fully clad in armour of the 

 fashion that had its development in the latter 

 part of the twelfth century, from the military 

 habits of the companions and soldiers of the 

 Conqueror, and was rapidly perfected, though 

 practically the same defence in 1250. 



Sir Robert de Vere was famous in arms, a 



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