by a cross, a fragment of which still exists. The angles of the front are strengthened by bold duplicated buttresses, which are less splayed than usual, and finished by neat caps, each inclosing within the head-line five cusps. The flanks of the nave have each a window of two lights on either side of the porch, of the same general pattern as that seen in the transept. The porches have pointed arches of entrance, surmounted with gables finished as the principal elevation. At the corners are angular buttresses, and in the flanks small trefoil-headed lights.

A similar style of design is observable in the north transept. The large window is of three lights, the tracery cuspated, the lines flowing, and in each flank wall is a window as before described.

The uniformity of the architecture is continued in the choir. At the east end is a large and magnificent window of five lights, with cuspated tracery in the head of the arch, the lines flowing with great elegance. The design, though closely assimilating with the architecture of those in the nave and transepts, is, in consequence of its situation above the high altar; of greater importance and beauty. The elevation terminates with a gable and cross, and the angles are buttressed as in the other portions of the structure. The side walls are made by buttresses into three divisions, each containing a window of the like design as those in the nave and transept. In the centre of the church rises a square tower in two stories above the roof; in the upper story is a neat window of two lights, and the elevation is finished with an embattled parapet. At the north-west corner an hexagonal turret, erected for the purpose of inclosing a staircase, rises from the ground to a few feet above the parapet, where it is finished with a low pyramidal roof; the interior is lighted at intervals by small loops: the present entrance to this staircase is by a modern aperture in one of the exterior faces. An octangular spire rises from within the battlement of the tower, of a graceful and elegant form; it is lighted by four angular-headed loops, at about a third of its height, and is finished with a capital and vane. In its original state GENT. MAG. VOL. XIII.

this spire was enriched at its base by a group of pinnacles, which very gracefully avoided the abruptness consequent on the change from the square to the octagon, in the two members of the steeple. From the leads of the tower may be seen the square bases of these pinnacles, which are fixed to the several faces ofthe spire, to the number of twelve. Four, of a larger design than the others, correspond with the angles of the tower; the other eight, which are smaller, are placed in pairs on those faces of the spire which correspond with the sides of the supporting tower. All these pinnacles have been removed, or have fallen from the effects of time. When perfect, the effect of the entire structure must have been very superior to its present appearance. The lofty and taper pinnacle, springing from the group of smaller ones, somewhat in the style of the spire of St. Mary's Oxford, must have formed, on the whole, a perfect and very beautiful composition. In its present defective state it possesses great beauty, and, whether the spire is viewed from a distance above the surrounding foliage, or nearer from the adjacent park, its graceful form and elevation renders it a very pleasing ornament to the neighbouring scenery. The scientific observer, however, cannot view it without feelings of pain, and anticipations of its destruction at no very distant period. In the last century the upper part was struck by lightning, and, though repaired at the time, the fissures now appear to be opening, and evidently threaten destruction to the structure.

The interior possesses less of the original character than the outside; plaster ceilings and pewing have done much to destroy the effect of the structure when in its pristine state. The nave and transepts are pewed, and a gallery is erected in the north transept. The nave is well proportioned, and very light, occasioned by the number of windows in comparison with the space. The west window, in its original state, was doubtless filled with stained glass; representing, perhaps, the portraits of the benefactors, whose arms still exist in the tracery. The font retains its original situation in the middle of the nave, at a short distance from the west door. It is of dimensions sufficiently large for immersion, and octangular in

S

6. Argent, three fusils conjoined in fesse gules. Montacute.

The tracery of the choir-windows contained a single shield in each. Of these there remain on the north side, . . . a saltire... it is plastered over, and the colours undistinguishable.

South side:

1. Gules, three cross-crosslets and a chief or. Arderne.

2. Sable, a cross engrailée or, a bend ermine.

In the east window of the south transept is the bust of a knight to the breast. He has pourpoint over his armour, on the head a basinet with a visor raised to shew the face, which has large mustachios; a gorget of mail is seen at the chin. Round the head are the remains of a quatrefoil, shewing a relic of the lead work of the ancient glazing. There are also various fragments in the opposite and in the south windows, including some neat and not inelegant quarries. In the eastern window of the north transept are the remains of a crucifix.

The lateral windows in the nave, like those of the choir, each contained a single shield; of these only two remain, in windows on each side of the nave, and which are repetitions of each other, viz. Quarterly, 1 and 4, Or, frettée azure; 2 and 3, Barrée or and azure; Penbruge.

In the west window are three shields :

1. Or, a saltire gules.

2. Quarterly, first and fourth, Azure, three fleurs-de-lis or; second and third, Gules, three lions passant gardant in pale or, a bordure azure, charged with fleurs-de-lis or.

3. Argent, on a chief azure two mullets or.

The above are all the remains of the stained glass which once embellished the windows of this elegant church. The sepulchral remains are worthy

of attention.

rampant.

3.

impaling three lions

...."

in ...a fesse engrailed the dexter chief a lion rampant, which is probably one of three; the whole within a bordure; but these are in all probability the remains of the arms of "Richard Powle, sometime Register of the Chancery, " and Anne Chester his wife, and Henry Powle and Katharine his wife, which, with the dates 1583 and 1628, had been usurpingly substituted for the original bearings, and which remained in Ashmole's times, the Powles being buried in the same transept.

The founder lies within the westernmost of these tombs, and in Hearne's days was to be seen through a defect in the wall, "wrapt up in lead," and his wife, "in leather, at his feet."

The next in point of importance is a rather singular monument, to the memory of William Throkmorton, Warden of the College. The effigy of the deceased, smaller than life, attired in a long gown, with his doctor's hood and cap, having the hands conjoined, lies within a stone coffin, against the north wall of the choir. Across the middle of the effigy is a slab of stone, bearing a brass plate, with the following inscription:

"Here lyeth Wyll'm Cbrokmarton, p'st, doctor of lawe, late garden of this church, which decessid the xij. day of Januari, An'o d'ni Meccccxxxv; on whois saule 'hu' haue Mercy. Ame'.

E terra in vilem resoluto corpore terram Sanctam expecto dei misericordis opem Erspecto & in fidu' redivive carnis amictu' Et tandem excelsi regna beata poli.'

The brasses are very interesting. In the centre of the chancel, on a large slab, is one of rather unusual ocurrence, as it represents two male effigies. That on the dexter side is a

priest in vestments, the face bearing the impress of age; the hands are conjoined on the breast. The stole, maniple, and bordure of the alb are ornamented by devices almost peculiar to effigies of the fourteenth century, which are squares, containing crosses-cramponée alternating with quatrefoils. The shoes are pointed. The other effigy represents an aged and demure looking man, with a forked beard and moustachios, having a wrinkled forehead, and the hair stiff and combed off the face. The dress is a tunic, close fitting and buttoned up the front, reaching to the calves. From the middle a short sword depends from a girdle; a mantle is worn over the tunic, fastened by three buttons on the right shoulder, and falling gracefully over the left arm. On the legs are hose, with pointed shoes. The two effigies stand within a rich double niche, which formerly had a slender column in the centre, and is covered with two cinquefoil arches, with sweeping canopies, richly crocketed; in each is a rose. At the feet of the effigies was originally an inscription on a narrow plate of brass, which has been removed. Between the canopies is a small quatrefoil, which doubtless once contained some religious, or, in modern phraseology, superstitious representation. With these exceptions, and a trifling mutilation of the pinnacles, this brass is in fine state of preservation. The effigies are each 4 feet 2 inches long, and the entire brass 7 feet 7 inches long, and 2 feet 7 in breadth. It is engraved, from a most incorrect drawing by Ashmole, in Bib. Top. Britannica, No. xvi.

The date of this brass is late in the fourteenth century; and it may fairly be presumed to commemorate the first Master of the college, with his brother. The ages appear to be equal: their lives, perhaps, were pleasant, and in their deaths they were not divided. This brass, with the monument of Dr. Throckmorton, are the only two in the church which commemorate sacerdotal personages.

On the floor of the north transept,

at the foot of the monument of the founder and his lady, lies a brass of a lady, clad in a long gown, covering the feet, and bound round the middle with a girdle, hanging down in front.

The head dress is reticulated, with a veil; the neck covered with a barbe; the costume being that of a widow. The head reclines on two ornamented cushions, and on a surrounding ledge, at the corners of which were the symbols of four Evangelists, of which the angel and the lion only remain, there was an inscription, of which the words in black letter only are preserved :

Tep gist Dame Margaret qui fuist le femme Monsir F...

pennebrygg cheualier priez pur luy dieu quil de saluie eit pitie et mercy. Amen.

a

This slab commemorates Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir William Tressell, the founder, and widow of Sir Fulke Pennebrygg. She died in 1401. This brass is engraved in Gough's Sepul. Mon., Vol. II. pl. v.

p. 11.

On the floor of the same transept is an effigy of a gentleman, in plate armour, bare-headed, with straight hair. Below is the following inscription:

"Here Ipeth the body of Richard plf squper, late sergeant of the Bakehous with png henry the vis.; and also wyth png benre the viij.; and baply of the vij. hundreds of Cokam and Bray; the whiche Richard decessed pe vil. dap of August, the pere of our Lord God M°verj, o' whose soule T'hu' haue m'cy.”

In the same transept, another brass represents, with admirable fidelity, one of the bluff yeomen of the bluff King Henry, accompanied with his three wives. He is represented in a furred gown, bearing on the left shoulder a crown, as the badge of his office. His wives are represented, one on his right side, and two on his left. Below the second wife are three sons and two

daughters, and under the third wife one daughter. There are two inscriptions, one in English, which shews, in one point of view, at least, that he was useful in his generation.

The other inscription is in Latin, and is remarkable as the production of a lady, Elizabeth, one of the daughters of Sir Anthony Cooke, who had a taste for this kind of composition. The following are transcripts of both inscriptions:

"Here Ipeth Buried Thomas Noke,

who for his great age and vertuous Lief was Reverenced of all men, and comenty called Father Moke; created Esquier bp pnge Henry the viii. He was of stature high and comly, and for big excellence in artilarie made poman of the crowne of England; which had in his lief three wifes, and by every of them som frupte and ofsprynge, and Deceas sed the xxj. day of August, 1567, in the pere of his age Trrrvis. leaving behonde hpm Julian, his last wief, two of his brotherne, one sister, one only sonne, and ij. daughters lyving."

"Epitaphia d'ne Elizabeth Hobbie in morte' Thome Moke.

"multum dilecte sener pater atq3 vocate vel quia grandeuus, vel quia probus eras. Annos viristi noves decem atqz satelles Fidus eras regum fidus erasqz tuis. Tam fatis functus valeas, sed tu deus alme Sic mihi concedas viuere sicqz mori."

Father Noke has a happy contented expression in his countenance. He looks like a man who enjoyed this world, and the good things thereof; and, never having heard of any theories of population, he prided himself upon his "fruyte and ofsprynge," and without doubt his royal masters and mistresses did the same.

Above the effigies is the following shield of arms : . . . on a fesse coticed ... between three leopard's faces... a bow... between two ducal coronets ..; crest, on a wreath, a lion's paw erased and erected environed and holding

....

...

with a ducal coronet an arrow.... There are numerous modern monuments to the Cherry family, and to Dodwell the antiquary.

The floor of the chancel has originally been covered with coloured tiles of good workmanship. The pavement, when entire, formed a kind of mosaic. Several octagon tiles remain, with various devices. One appears to be the symbol of Saint John, with the inscription (IOANNES); on another is a lion's face; on a third, a man armed with a sword, and at his feet a dragon.

There is another monument which cannot be passed without notice. This is a coffin lid, ridged and once ensigned with a cross, which lies in the churchyard, in the angle between the south transept and the choir. This tomb the author so often quoted, T. Hearne,

says is that of the architect, and he gives the following particulars: "They say (and it hath been a constant tradition) that this person, having either laid the last stone of the spire, or else fix'd the weathercock, call'd for some wine or ale on purpose to drink the King's health, which being brought up to him, he had no sooner drunk it but he accidentally fell down, was dash'd to pieces, and was afterwards buried under the spire, with this rough stone over his grave." This is probably a mere village tradition. The stone is evidently older than the church, and, in all probability, has lain in the churchyard ever since the present one was built, having been preserved from the former church; for Shottesbrooke possessed a church at the period of the Domesday survey. The modern brick-work under this coffin stone was set up when a modern rector (Richard Clear) was buried beneath it by his own direction, at which period no remains of a prior interment were discovered.

He

Shottesbrooke church and its localities were favourite subjects with old Tom Hearne. In a gossiping note on Crosses, to his edition of Robert of Gloucestre's Chronicle, he gives many particulars of the church and adjacent college; the latter structure existing at that time as a farm house, on the south side of the church. thus describes a curious appendage to the latter: "Some years agoe there was a passage from this farm-house overthwart the church way, and so down a pair of steps, by a door, into the south chancel, or south cross of the church, where there is a seat that belongs to them that live in the farm house." He adds, "I know not for what reason it was pull'd down, unless it were to make the church look more uniform (as, indeed, destroying antiquity and committing sacrilege is too commonly now-a-days call'd uniformity); but it was destroyed so lately, that I well remember people frequently talk of it when I was a schoolboy, and to relate that it conducted into the church; and that those of the college house and farm us'd commonly to come into the church that way."

The arch of entrance may still be traced in the wall of the transept; and a gap in the garden wall opposite