MONUMENTAL EFFIGIES 



Abbot Robert Kirton. Died 1528. 

 Peterborough Cathedral. 



The sixth effigy in the great Benedictine 

 church is that of a mitred abbot carved in 

 clunch, and very much defaced. The figure 

 is shown wearing the alb with its apparels, 

 tunic, dalmatic, stole and chasuble. Upon 

 the head appears the mutilated remains of the 

 mitre, it rests upon two pillows, and is sup- 

 ported on either side by angels. As this 

 effigy is that of a mitred abbot there are only 

 two to whom it can be ascribed — Kirton, 

 forty-fourth abbot, and Chambers, forty-fifth 

 and last abbot and first bishop, who would no 

 doubt have been represented in a cope rather 

 than a chasuble. The first mitred abbot of 

 Peterborough was William Genge, elected in 

 1396, and from his time to that of Kirton it 



is recorded that the abbots had brasses for 

 their monuments, all of which were despoiled 

 in 1643. Robert Kirton was elected in 1496. 

 He erected ' that goodly building at the east 

 end of the church,' and the gateway leading 

 to the deanery. He died in 1528, and was 

 buried under a high tomb in the chapel of St. 

 Mary. 



The effigies in Peterborough Cathedral may 

 be compared with those early ecclesiastical 

 figures in the cloisters at Westminster. They 

 are not of so stately a character as those at 

 Wells and York, nor do they occupy their 

 original positions like those at Rochester, for 

 in this respect they have shared the same fate 

 as the Salisbury and Worcester monuments. 

 They may be regarded as the most interesting 

 series of early abbatical effigies in this country. 



PART II 



RENAISSANCE AND LATER PERIOD 



Chief-Justice Sir Robert Brudenell 

 died 1 531, and Dames Margaret and 

 Philippe his wives. Deene. 



The alabaster effigies of these three person- 

 ages lie upon an altar-tomb of a debased Italian, 

 or rather early English Renaissance style, 

 divided on the sides by arabesque shafts, 

 sculptured with naked figures and vine and 

 ivy foliage, into three compartments, contain- 

 ing shields in foliated lozenge-shaped panels. 



The Chief-Justice is shown in the full 

 judicial costume, precisely such as is seen on 

 the bench at the present day with the ex- 

 ception of the head-gear. He wears a black 

 cornered cap, a coif, and a scarlet gown with 

 loose white sleeves, showing the close white 

 sleeves of the doublet ; he has no tippet or 

 hood, but a scarlet mantle fastened by an ouche 

 on the right side, and a collar of SS with a 

 pendent Tudor rose. 



Dame Margaret Brudenell, daughter and 

 co-heir of Thomas Entwissel has her brown 

 hair braided with black ribbon ; she wears a 

 blue pedimental head-dress with black lappets, 

 a white pleated partlet, and three gold chains 

 round her neck. The white gown has divided 

 sleeves with ruffles, the blue mantle is fastened 

 by a gold chain, a loosely-knotted yellow sash 

 is about her waist, and two lapdogs lie at her 

 feet. 



Dame Philippe, the relict, daughter of 

 Philip Englefield, wears the mourning habit, 

 consisting of a long veil, and a barbe under 

 the chin, according to her rank, a black gown 

 with plain cufFs, and a long black mantle 

 looped up under the right arm. It is doubtful 



whether any of the three figures are portraits. 

 Round the verge of the tomb is the follow- 

 ing inscription: of gotnr cijaritt prno for 

 ti)c aoults of £sr robt bruttncll Unigljt 

 late cfjict justice of tlje hgiigos como 

 bcncfie at fatatiit anb fHargarct anli 

 bame pijolgp Ijia fasbes t tobt tocti ue 

 III iavt of 3anuaric ano tni m ccccc 

 mi anil gc stg Ijac pijgUgipt bgclj tfjc 

 iibiii tiag of ffiarc^c anno bni m ccccc 

 iiiii ^ Igcn \}txi on tofjoae souUca iiju 

 tafac tncrcg 2lmen. 



At this point it will be convenient to allude 

 to the three other effigies in the county in 

 judicial dress. 



Sir Edward Montagu, successively Chief 

 Justice of the King's Bench and of the Com- 

 mon Pleas, is shown in his alabaster portrait 

 effigy at Weekley in the robes of a judge. 

 He died in 1557. 



Sir Christopher Yelverton, Judge of 

 the Queen's Bench, died 1612, is represented 

 in his excellent portrait effigy in alabaster, 

 together with that of his wife, Mary Catesby, 

 at Easton Mauduit, in full legal habits. In 

 the same church is the portrait effigy in ala- 

 baster of his son. Sir Henry Yelverton, 

 Judge of the Common Pleas, died 1629, 

 together with that of his wife, Margaret 

 Beale. He is in complete legal dress, precisely 

 the same as that of his father. 



In Stcane church is the careful portrait effigy 

 in white marble of Sir Thomas Crewe, 



415 



