ARCHITECTURE : OLD SARTJM, SALISBURY CATHEDRAL. 97 



them up as well as he could, and told them he would study to accommodate them better. In order 

 thereunto he rode severall times to the Lady Abbesse at Wilton to have bought or exchanged a piece 

 of ground of her ladyship to build a church and houses for the priests. A poor woman at Quid- 

 hampton, that was spuming in the street, sayd to one of her neighbours, "I marvell what the matter is 

 that the bishop makes so many visits to my lady ; I trow he intends to marry her." Well, the bishop 

 and her ladyship did not conclude about the land, and the bishop dreamt that the Virgin Mary came 

 to him, and brought him to or told him of Merrifield ; she would have him build his church there 

 and dedicate it to her. Merrifield was a great field or meadow where the city of New Sarum stands, 

 and did belong to the Bishop, as now the whole city belongs to him. 



This was about the latter end of King John's reigne, and the first grant or diploma that ever King 

 Henry the Third signed was that for the building of our Ladies church at Salisbury. The Bishop 

 sent for architects from Italy, and they did not onely build that famous structure, and the close, but 

 layd out the streetes of the whole city : which run parallell one to another, and the market-place- 

 square in the middle : whereas in other cities they were built by chance, and at severall times. 



I know but one citie besides in England that was designed and layd out at once as this was ; and 

 that is Chichester: where, standing at the market-crosse, you may see the four gates of the city. 

 They say there that it was built about the same time that New Salisbury was, and had some of 

 those architects.* The town of Richelieu was built then by the great Cardinall, when he built his 

 august chasteau there. 



Upon the building of this cathedrall and close the castle of Old Sarum went to wrack, and one 

 may see in the walles of the close abundance of stones, finely carved, that were perhaps part of the 

 church there. After the church and close were built, the citizens had their freestone, &c. from thence. 

 And in Edward the Sixth's time, the great house of the Earle of Pembroke, at Wilton, was built with 

 the mines of it. About 16GO I was upon it. There was then remaining on the south side some of 

 the walles of the great gate ; and on the north side there was some remaines of a bottome of a tower ; 

 but the incrustation of freestone was almost all gone : a fellow was then picking at that little that was 

 left. 'Tis like enough by this time they have digged all away. 



Salisbury. Edw. Leigh, Esq. " There is a stately and beautifull minster, with an exceeding 

 high spered steeple, and double crosse aisle on both sides. The windowes of the church, as they 

 reckon them, answer just in number to the dayes ; the pillars, great and small, to the houres, of a 

 fullyeare; and the gates to the moneths." ["England Described; or, Observations on the several 

 Counties and Shires thereof, by Edw. Leigh." 1659. 8vo.] 



Mira canam, soles quot continet annus, in una 



Tarn numerosa ferunt aede fenestra micat. 

 Marmoreaqj capit/wsas tot ab arte columnas 



Comprensus boras quot vagus annus habet. 

 Totqj patent porto, quot mensibus annus abundat, 



Res mira, et vera, res celebrata fide." DANIEL ROGERS. 



'Tis strange to see how errour hath crept in upon the people, who believe that the pillars of this 

 church were cast, forsooth, as chandlers make candles ; and the like is reported of the pillars of the 

 Temple Church, London, &c. : and not onely the vulgar swallow down the tradition gleb, but seve- 

 rall learned and otherwise understanding persons will not be perswaded to the contrary, and that 



* [Salisbury has little parallelism to its neighbour Chichester, which is of Roman origin : the former being truly English, and 

 perfectly unique in its history and arrangement. Aubrey has omitted to notice the rapid streams of water flowing through each of 

 the principal streets, which form a remarkable feature of the city. 3. B.] 



O 



