Sir Edward Courtenay, and the haughty Prelate,
Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother,
With many more confederates are in arms."
After the accession of Henry VII., he was translated to Winchester.
[Illustration: THE NAVE, LOOKING EAST.
The Photochrom. Co. Photo.]
Formerly there was a Courtenay chantry in the last bay of this aisle,
corresponding with Bishop Brantyngham's chantry on the north side. These
became ruinous and were removed early in the nineteenth century. The
Courtenay tomb in the south transept is entirely a restoration. The
effigies represent Sir Hugh Courtenay, 2nd Earl of Devon, and Margaret
de Bohun, his wife. The great brass of their son, Sir Peter Courtenay,
also formerly in the chantry, is now in the south choir aisle: it has
been sadly injured by being trodden under foot for many hundred years,
and is now protected by matting. He was standard bearer to Edward III.
and Richard II., and one of the first Knights of the Garter.
The centre window of the south nave aisle is filled with stained glass
in memory of those of the Devon Regiment who served in the South African
War, 1899-1901. The tablets with their names are in St. Edmund's Chapel.
Their flags hang on either side of the window.
The large brass tablet, though, like too many of the memorials in the
nave, unnecessarily large and far from meritorious in design, is not
without interest. It is to the memory of Major-General Howard
Elphinstone, V.C., who was drowned off Ushant in 1890.
Above a tablet of brass to Hugh, 2nd Earl of Devon, and his wife, is a
window erected by Sir Edwin Watkin to the memory of Thomas Latimer. The
small window to the left, erected by Dean Cowie in memory of his wife,
should be noticed.
#North Transept.#--We have already seen that the two great towers of the
cathedral were in their nature transeptal from the beginning. But they
were quite separated from the body of the church, the arches connecting
them being filled in with strongly built masonry, forming a complete
wall. But Quivil, wishing to enlarge the interior of the building, took
down these walls, and he set about altering the arches and converting
them into the same Decorated style to match this work in the rest of the
building. He also altered and transformed the Norman chapels that
projected on the east side of each transept. In the north transept one
window and two narrow doorways still betray their Norman origin. The
open galleries in each transept are connected by a passage with the
clerestory. This, too, is Quivil's work, and his windows in the two
chapels of St. John and St. Paul, easily distinguishable by their
wheel-shape, are interesting.
Here is Chantry's fine statue of the Devonshire artist Northcote, and a
tablet to the memory of the men and officers of the 20th (Devon)
Regiment who fell in the Crimea. Visitors will notice with interest a
fairly successful mural painting representing the resurrection, the
soldiers in armour being drawn with considerable spirit.
#Sylke Chantry# is in the north transept. Sylke was a person of
considerable importance in his day, and one who deserved and obtained no
little honour from his contemporaries. He administered the affairs of
the diocese as vicar-general during the absence of Bishop Courtenay, and
also during that of Bishop Fox. In 1499 he was made precentor, and held
that office till his death. The priests, grateful for the efforts he had
made to further their comfort, decided to keep his obit. The abbot and
convent of St. Mary of Cleeve, in Somersetshire, willing to show their
sense of obligation to him and Canon Moore, gave yearly to the Dean and
Chapter the sum of £6 13s. 4d. to be spent in celebrating their
anniversary. Sylke's tomb represents a very ghostly figure with the
epitaph, "Sum quod eris, fueram quod es, pro me, precor, ora." The
chantry is in the style of the later Gothic, and is one of those "final
touches" to the cathedral Archdeacon Freeman esteems so happily imparted
to it. The ancient works of the thirteenth-century clock, upon the north
wall, have been placed in this chantry, the machinery being in motion
though it does not now work any part of the actual clock. The various
parts are of different dates; the oldest wheel has been working more or
less regularly for about 700 years. The dial represents the sun and moon
revolving round the earth in the centre, the varying phases of the moon
being indicated.
#St. Paul's Chapel# is on the east side of the north transept.
Attributed to the time of Marshall or his immediate predecessors. On the
tiles are the arms of Henry III.'s brother, Richard of Cornwall, who was
elected King of the Romans. It is used as a vestry for the lay choral
vicars.
#South Transept.#--Opening from the east wall is the #Chapel of St. John
the Baptist#. It corresponds with that of St. Paul in the north
transept. Some of the glass in the windows was placed there at the
restoration of 1870. The screen dividing it from the transept is
Oldham's work. The chapel is now furnished for private meditation and
prayer.
[Illustration: THE TRANSEPT, NORTH, SHOWING THE ORGAN AND CLOCK.
The Photochrom. Co. Photo.]
#Chapel of the Holy Ghost.#--This, one of the most ancient parts of the
cathedral, lies between the south tower and chapter house. It occupies
the place of the passage known as the slype in monastic churches. The
plain stone barrel roof should be noted. It is now used as the
choristers' vestry.
The south transept contains a very interesting collection of monuments.
#Monuments in South Transept.#--On the east wall a shallow recess, in
which are set some fragments of sculpture, is traditionally described as
the tomb of Leofric, first Bishop of Exeter. Hoker thus tells the story:
"This Leofricus died an. 1073, and was buried in the cemetery or
churchyard of his own church, under a simple or broken marble stone;
which place, by the since enlarging of his church is now within the
South Tower of the same, where of late, anno 1568, a new monument was
erected to the memory of so good, worthy & noble a personage, by the
industry of the writer hereof but at the charges of the Dean & Chapter."
In the corner at the south-east is the grave of Bishop John the
Chaunter, who died in 1191. He was for thirty years precentor of the
cathedral, and was consecrated bishop by Baldwin, Archbishop of
Canterbury, "preacher and pilgrim of the Crusade," and a native of
Exeter. Bishop John assisted at the coronation of Richard I. He held the
see for six years.
Sir Peter Carew, whose mural tablet is a conspicuous feature, was buried
at Waterford in Ireland. He is one of the most distinguished members of
an ancient western family. On the Whitsunday of 1549, the village of
Samford Courtenay rose in revolt against the new prayer-book that Edward
VI. had ordered to be used in the churches, and the whole diocese
speedily followed the lead. The people swore that "they would keep the
old and ancient religion as their forefathers before them had done." Sir
Gawain Carew, Sir Peter Carew, and Sir Thomas Dennis, the sheriff, were
busy in stemming the tide of rebellion. Efforts at compromise were
useless. The people bitterly demanded the old religion, and called the
new form of worship "a Christian game," while the Cornishmen declared
that they, since "certain of us understand no English, utterly refuse
the new English." Early in July the malcontents set siege to Exeter. The
wealth of the civic dignitaries stimulated the besiegers, who summoned
the city to surrender three times, vowing that "they would enter by
force and take the spoil of it," were their demands refused. There was
discontent and plotting within the walls, and food gave out. Many were
eager to let in the rebels, and Hoker records that "but two days before
the delivery of the city," the malcontents paraded the streets, crying
out: "Come out these heretics and twopenny bookmen! Where be they! By
God's wounds and blood we will not be pinned in to serve their turn: we
will go out and have in our neighbours; they be honest good and godly
men." But the principal citizens, though nurtured in the old faith, held
out grimly for the king. The siege was raised by John, Lord Russell,
whom Sir Peter had hastily summoned from Hinton St. George, in
Somersetshire. Food was supplied to the city "by the special industry
and travels of a thousand Welshmen under Sir William Herbert." Sir
Peter, on his arrival in London, was threatened with hanging by the Lord
Protector "as having caused the commotion by burning the barns at
Crediton. He pleaded the king's letter under his hand and privy signet."
But he escaped with difficulty, though he obtained from Lord Russell the
lands of Winislacre as a reward. Later on he opposed Queen Mary's
marriage with the King of Naples, and as Fuller puts it: "This active
gentleman had much adoe to expedite himself, and save his life, being
imprisoned for his compliance with Sir Thomas Wyate." He lived an
active, reckless life to the last, closing his career by some "signal
service" in Ireland. He was a brother of the Earl of Totnes. The
handsome Elizabethan monument is to Sir John Gilbert, brother of the
more famous Humphrey, and his wife, Elizabeth Chudleigh. He was one of
the merchant adventurers and a half-brother of Raleigh. His relations
with Exeter were very friendly, the merchants being keenly interested in
maritime discoveries, for they hoped in far away Asia to get a new
market for their cloth.
Heroes of later days are not forgotten in this gallant company, and a
tablet on the east wall commemorates the men of the 32nd Regiment
(Cornwall Light Infantry) who fell in the Indian Mutiny. The colours of
the regiment show the names of Waterloo and Lucknow.
[Illustration: INTERIOR OF THE NAVE IN THE LAST CENTURY
(FROM A PRINT IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM).]
#The Choir Screen.#--This is the work of Bishop Stapledon, and was
probably completed about 1324. The Dean and Chapter anticipated the
admiration which this screen would cause in after ages, and we read that
they presented William Canon, the executor of the marble work, "£4, out
of their courtesy." High above the screen, as we learn from the Fabric
Rolls, the rood with Mary and John rested on an iron bar.
[Illustration: CHOIR SCREEN, LOOKING N.E.
(FROM BRITTON'S 'EXETER,' 1826).]
The paintings within the panels above the beautifully carved spandrils
have little interest or merit, though it is thought that they date from
the same period as the screen itself. It is difficult, however, to
believe that they can be so old, or that such good and bad work could
belong to the same period. James I. introduced into the foliage of the
spandrils the rose and thistle; but this uncalled-for emendation was
summarily removed in the year 1875. The side arches of the screen were
at one period filled up with thick walls, and two strong doors barred
the arch of entrance, but this was altered by the restorers in 1875.
#The Organ# was originally built by John Loosemore about 1665. In its
existing form it is an enlarged reconstruction by Messrs. Willis, the
old instrument being incorporated in it as a choir-organ. The organ
case, which was an elegant specimen of Renaissance woodwork, has also
undergone alteration and renovation.
#The Choir.#--If the chief glory with regard to the exterior of the
cathedral remains undoubtedly with the designer and builder of the great
towers, the choir, the work of Bytton and Stapledon, is no less
certainly the supreme glory of the interior. The Norman choir reached no
farther than the third bay, counting from the choir screen. Traces
recently discovered seem to prove that it had an apsidal termination.
Bishop Marshall, in completing Warelwast's work, added four bays and
destroyed the triple apse. It is also possible that, as the transition
period to Early English was in its birth, some of the vaulting was
pointed. Bytton converted the choir as left by Marshall into the
Decorated style, inspired to the work by the success which had attended
Quivil's efforts in the easternmost bay of the nave. The whole work--the
transformation of the choir with its aisles--took about fifteen years to
complete, the speed and skill with which it was accomplished being due
to the fact that the task was not entirely in the hands of one body of
labourers. It seems to have been divided into two portions, at which the
builders worked simultaneously. Admirable as Quivil's work in the nave
had been, that of Bytton in the choir is an improvement. Doubtless he
had learnt something from the difficulties his predecessor encountered,
and knew how to avoid them. At any rate, he pushed forward the work with
great vigour and boldness. He formed his pillars of horizontal sections
of Purbeck marble from nine to fifteen inches thick: five boutelles on
each side presenting "the appearance of twenty-five shafts bound in
one." In the pavement of the choir more than ten thousand tiles were
used. For the vaulting of the choir, also his work, though the honour
due to him has till lately been denied, he procured quantities of
Portland stone. Material for bases and capitals was imported also from
Portland: the entry in the Fabric Rolls runs: "For the purchase of 18
great blocks of stone at Portland for the keys or bosses, together with
60 bases and capitals, including carriage by sea £4 16 8." The colouring
of the keystones was due to Stapledon in the first year of his
episcopate.
[Illustration: THE CHOIR, LOOKING WEST.
The Photochrom. Co. Photo.]
[Illustration: THE CHOIR BEFORE RESTORATION
(FROM AN ENGRAVING AFTER CHARLES WILD).]
Between 1870 and 1875 the choir underwent very extensive repairs. For
the most part they were successful, and if in particular instances
objection may be taken, it would be hyper-criticism to detract from
their value. Wherever possible, the stone was taken from the quarries
used by the first builders. The Purbeck marbles especially had severely
suffered, and the mouldings and bases ruthlessly destroyed for the
better accommodation of the wainscoting to the stalls; moreover, the
differences in the nature of the stone were rendered null by a hideous
yellow wash with which they had been lavishly besprinkled. During the
restoration the corbels and roof-bosses were cleaned and carefully
repaired. These, though of the same character as those in the nave, are
both richer and more varied in design and more skilfully carved.
#The Choir Stalls.#--The stalls are entirely modern, and the work of Sir
Gilbert Scott. Originally, no doubt, they were similar in style to the
bishop's throne, one of the most admirable of Stapledon's additions to
the cathedral. They were probably surmounted with canopies, with an open
arcade of stone behind them. The modern designer has so constructed his
stalls as to bear out this idea, since as far as possible they are meant
to replace the earlier ones. The misericords of Bishop Bruere have been
placed beneath the seats. These misericords have not their equal in
England. They are richly carved, representing foliage, wild beasts, an
elephant, men fighting, others playing musical instruments, and
legendary monsters. The introduction of an elephant proves that these
misericords were not completed until after Bruere's death in 1244; the
elephant having been first brought into England in 1255. There is also a
representation of a knight in a swan-boat, showing that the legend of
Lohengrin was known in England.
#The Reredos.#--This, too, is modern work, and most successfully has
Earp carried out the designs of Sir Gilbert Scott. It is of alabaster,
inlaid with agate, carnelian, and jasper. In the centre of the three
compartments into which it is divided is the Ascension, the other two
groups representing the Descent of the Holy Ghost and the
Transfiguration. As the work has met with considerable opposition, it is
well to remember Archdeacon Freeman's words, he having the best of all
rights to speak. "With its delicate canopies of alabaster, and
sculptures wrought in bold relief, its inlay of choice marbles, its
redundance of costly stones, and its attendant angel figures, it
enshrines a multitude of ideas well harmonizing with its place and
purpose." The ancient altar of Stapledon's has long since disappeared.
This was mostly of silver, the mensa only being of marble. In the
monument of Leofric, erected by Hoker, the historian, was found a large
slab of marble marked with crosses. This possibly was a portion of
Stapledon's altar destroyed by an Order in Council, 1550 (see below, p.
69).
#The Bishop's Throne# was Stapledon's work, erected in 1316. It is
notable for not having a single nail in it, being entirely fixed
together with wooden pegs. This "magnificent sheaf of carved oak," as it
has been called, rises to the height of fifty-seven feet. The carving
shows foliage and finials of great beauty, and beneath the canopies are
angel figures bearing the insignia of the Bishop's office. On one side
the chalice and Host of blessing; on the other, the bell, book, and
candle that conveyed the Bishop's curse.
At the date of the 1870 restorations the throne was in a very defective
state. It had been covered with brown paint, and the lower panels were
not a little damaged. There are traces of ancient colouring still, but
only the paintings at the base have been renovated, which commemorate
the quartette of famous bishops, Warelwast, Quivil, Stapledon, and
Grandisson, and were, no doubt, somewhat later than the throne itself.
Originally the niches of the tabernacle work were filled with figures,
but these have disappeared.
[Illustration: THE CHOIR, LOOKING EAST.
The Photochrom. Co. Photo.]
[Illustration: SEDILIA IN THE CHOIR.
The Photochrom. Co. Photo.]
#The Sedilia.#--It is natural after an examination of the throne in wood
to turn to Stapledon's equally splendid achievement in stone. The
sedilia were most carefully restored under Sir Gilbert Scott. There are
three arches, each ten feet high, of openwork, above which is a rich
display of tabernacle work. The niches once contained statues, for the
sockets are visible. The carving, extraordinarily skilful and intricate,
consists of leaves and animals' heads. Like much of the carving in the
cathedral that is attributed to this date, it was the work of De
Montacute, a French artist. The seats are divided by metal shafts, the
terminal divisions being supported by lions. It has been contended that
these lions are of considerably earlier date than the rest of the work;
but there is no evidence to go upon except a fancied resemblance to
Early English work. There seems no reason why Stapledon should not have
chosen lions as a fitting decoration, and carved them in a style more or
less traditional. Three small heads are carved on the back of the
sedilia, the centre one being that of Leofric, and on either side the
heads of Edward the Confessor and his wife Eadgytha. It will be
remembered that they were present, with their whole court, at the
installation of Leofric. The central seat is known as Leofric's stone,
on which he is traditionally said to have sat, and there is an entry in
the year 1418 recording that twenty pence was paid "for writing on the
stone of my Lord Leofric."
On the triforium arcading, just over the sedilia, the heads of Leofric,
Edward, and Eadgytha are repeated.
The decoration of the choir vault is by Messrs. Clayton and Bell. The
attempt to give life to the roofing by gilding the bosses and painting
the ribs red and blue and gold, while the ground colour is a dull white,
is not without merit.
#Pulpit in Choir# of Devon marbles and alabaster, erected in 1871. The
beautifully carved panels represent our Lord blessing the children; the
Sermon on the Mount; St. Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost; St.
Paul at Athens; and St. Paul before Festus.
#The East Window.#--Henry de Blakeborn, a canon of the cathedral,
enlarged "this Gable window in the Perpendicular style." Although it was
damaged a good deal in Cromwell's time, much of the old glass remains.
The shields on the upper part of the window are modern, but those at the
bottom are those of the first bishops and benefactors. The three centre
figures in the lowest row were added in Brantyngham's day.
[Illustration: PULPIT IN THE CHOIR.
The Photochrom. Co. Photo.]
[Illustration: ST. JAMES' CHAPEL (DRAWN BY H.P. CLIFFORD).]
#St. James' Chapel.#--In the aisle on the south of the choir. In the
north aisle immediately opposite is the companion chapel of St. Andrew.
It will be noticed how frequently one part balances another throughout
the building. These chapels are partly Marshall's work. When the apsidal
chapels were pulled down at the time the apse was destroyed, Marshall
built the present chapels of St. James and St. Andrew. Bronscombe
altered them considerably, and the first item in the Fabric Rolls is,
"for 3 windows for St. James Chapel 8s. 9d.; for glass 16s." This is the
last year of Bronscombe's episcopate, and proves he had, at any rate,
almost finished the renovation of this chapel. The most noticeable
features are the upper chamber, and the magnificent but half-destroyed
monument popularly known as Leofric's tomb. The chapel contained two
altars, one dedicated to St. James and the other probably to St. Thomas
of Canterbury.
Nearly opposite this chapel are the effigies of two knights, dating from
the fourteenth century; their cross-legged attitude leading to the
erroneous notion that they were Crusaders. They probably represent
Humphrey de Bohun, father of Margaret, wife of Hugh Courtenay, 1332, and
Sir Arthur Chichester of Raleigh, 1301. Old histories describe armorial
bearings painted on their shields, but these have long since perished.
#St. Andrew's Chapel.#--Opposite to, and corresponding with that of St.
James'. It was Marshall's work originally, like its fellow chapel, being
a substitute for one of the old apsidal chapels of the Norman choir.
Stapledon completed the renovations so as to make it a parallel to
Bronscombe's restored chapel of St. James. The detached shafts are
clearly an imitation of the earlier bishop's work. The chapel contains
an upper chamber, formerly used as a muniments room. The chapel
originally contained altars to St. Andrew and St. Catherine. In 1305 is
an order of Bytton's that chantry services should be held here for
Andrew de Kilkenny, late dean, and others. Among the names we find that
of Henry de Kilkenny, who was at the time of Bytton's order still
living, and a canon of the cathedral.
[Illustration: ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL (OR SPEKE'S CHANTRY).
DRAWN BY H.P. CLIFFORD.]
#The Ambulatory.#--Between the high altar and the Lady Chapel is the
ambulatory. It is noticeable that the shafts differ from those in other
parts of the building. The north and south windows are of the time of
Bishop Bruere (thirteenth century). The architecture throughout the
retrochoir is Early Decorated.
Two old oak bible-boxes are attached, one to each pillar: though ugly
and clumsy they are distinctly interesting.
The windows are modern and excellent. Messrs. Clayton and Bell have
seldom done anything better. The colours are quite admirable and well
blended. Two monuments of Jacobean work are well worthy of attention.
Concerning the subject of one, Jacob Railard, there is nothing to be
learnt; but the other, John Bidgood, was "one of the most accomplished
and beneficial physicians of his age," and was born in 1623. He was
deprived of his fellowship at Exeter College in 1648 "for drinking of
healths to the confusion of Reformers." Like many another good man he
had to suffer for his loyalty. He obtained his doctor's degree at Padua
and won a great reputation as a skilful and humane practitioner. With
the Restoration he obtained his Oxford degree but continued to practise
in his native city. He died in his sixty-eighth year.