8 
JOHN BROWNE. 
are of the reigns of the Northumbrian kings: Eanred, Ethelred, 
Redulf, and Osbert, and of the Archbishops of York : Eanbald, 
Vigmund, and Wulfhere. Browne in his MS. on these coins 
stated that most of them had been gilded and that many had been 
silvered. 
In 1848 Professor Willis, who had already published the 
Architectural Histor}^ of Canterbury Cathedral, and also that of 
Winchester, issued one on York Minster with historical plans and 
illustrations. Willis considered that Abp. Albert’s church described 
by Alcuin was not on the site of the Minster, and that the Norman 
Minster had apses. Part of one in the crypt Browne had shown 
on a plan although he had not recognised it as an apse. Willis’s 
chronology differed from that of Browne’s, and he quoted an im¬ 
portant document of 1409 which Browne had not seen. The chief 
differences in dates related to the chapter house, lady chapel, 
and choir. Browne is nearer the mark in beginning the chapter 
house in 1280 than Willis in 1330. The lady chapel (the four 
eastern bays) was begun in 1361, Willis completes it in nine years, 
i.e. in 1370, whilst Browne finishes it in 1415. The choir (four 
western bays) Willis states was built during the years 1380 to 
1400, whilst Browne states it was begun ten years later than 
Willis gives for its completion. Willis showed that the lady 
chapel and the tomb of Abp. Thoresby were at the east end of the 
Minster and not at the north-west end as alleged. 
Browne was not the man to let these statements of Willis’s to 
go unchallenged, so m the following year he replied to them 
vigorously in a “ letter ” or pamphlet of 40 pages. 
In 1859 James Raine edited for the Surtees Society a volume 
entitled, “ The Fabric Rolls of York Minster,” a note to the preface 
stated that Mr. Browne had given “meagre and sometimes in¬ 
accurate extracts from the Fabric Rolls.” He also controverted 
the opinion held by Browne that the sculptured capitals in the 
choir north aisle referred to events in connection with the in¬ 
surrection of Abp. Scrope against Henry IV. Browne replied 
with “A Defence of his Histor}^ with its Fabric Rolls and Docu¬ 
ments,” and addressed the work of 187 pages to the President of 
the Surtees Society. 
In 1863 he issued a new edition with additions and corrections, 
giving particulars of foundations, revealed by excavations in the 
nave and south transept. In the latter he showed there was an 
earlier eastern aisle with three chapels and stated there was no 
