himself a native of Exeter, founded the Bodleian Library at Oxford, the
Dean and Chapter of Exeter presented to it a large number of books and
manuscripts, many of which had belonged to Leofric. Fortunately one
volume remained in Exeter, overlooked by owners then unaware of its
value, possibly of its very existence. This volume, "The Exeter Book,"
is the greatest treasure possessed by the Dean and Chapter, being an
Anglo-Saxon manuscript, containing almost a third of all the Anglo-Saxon
literature that is known. The contents include "Cynewulf's Christus," a
poem on the life of our Lord; some legends of saints; and a quaint
collection of riddles and jokes. The ink of its writing, nearly one
thousand years old, is as fresh as if it had been inscribed but
recently.
As already mentioned, the muniments room was formerly above St. Andrew's
Chapel. At a later date the library was placed in the Lady Chapel, and
was thence removed to the chapter house. Towards the end of the last
century Canon Cook and Chancellor Harrington left their valuable
libraries to the Dean and Chapter, and in order to accommodate the books
Dean Cowie restored the south side of the cloister, and built a new
library over it.
Here may be seen the Exeter Book, the Exeter Domesday, Grandisson's
Ordinale, Lacy's Pontifical, and other beautiful examples of
illumination. Also the original charter of Edward the Confessor
appointing Leofric Bishop of Exeter, signed by the King and Queen, Earl
Godwin, and a notable group of Saxon Thanes.
Among the printed books are a First Folio of Shakespeare, and the sealed
Prayer Book of King Charles II.
The library is open to the public after Matins on Tuesdays and Fridays.
#The Palace# is a building so closely associated with the cathedral as
to demand a brief notice. In it is the chapel of St. Mary, which seems
to have been frequently used in preference to the cathedral for the
celebration of espiscopal functions. Ordination services were often held
within its walls. It was originally built that services might be said
there for the repose of the souls of dead bishops of Exeter. A document
is quoted by Oliver, in which the parish of Alwyngton is called upon to
pay the officiating chaplain a yearly sum of four marks and that of
Harberton two. This chapel, now restored, is used for domestic purposes.
But at one time it was clearly regarded as pertaining to the cathedral,
for the Dean and Chapter, on the festival of St. Faith, presented to it
a pair of wax candles. Brantyngham, in 1381, mentions the "fructus et
proventus cantariae infra Palatium nostrum Exonie, pro animabus
predecessorum nostorum ipsius fundatorum." The old entrance was under
the great archway, and battlements, by gracious permission of royalty,
surrounded the whole. In the great hall feasts were held for 100 poor
people; but the palace now is shorn of a good deal of its grandeur. The
Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1845 decided to rebuild and repair what
remained.
[Illustration: THE BISHOP'S PALACE.
Alfred Pumphrey Photo.]
THE DIOCESE OF EXETER.
A chronological list of the bishops of the diocese, from the days of
Leofric, when the seat of the bishopric was removed from Crediton, to
our own day, when the diocese of Truro has been carved out from that of
Exeter, is here given briefly, since the more notable holders of the see
have been already mentioned in the first chapter.
#Leofric# (1046-1072). In 1050 the see was removed from Crediton and the
new See of Exeter founded.
#Osbern# (1072-1103). No alterations were made to the building during
this period. The bishop was admired for his "simplicity of English
manners and habits," for although Norman by birth he had been educated
in England.
#William Warelwast# (1107-1136), a nephew of William the Conqueror,
began to demolish the Saxon Church. To him may be attributed the towers,
choir, apse, and nave of the Norman building. The story of his
blindness, and of his being sent on an embassy to Rome, rests on
somewhat slender authority.
#Robert Chichester# (1138-1155) was promoted from the deanery of
Salisbury at the Council of Northampton. He continued Warelwast's work.
#Robert Warelwast# (1155-1160) was a nephew of the former bishop of that
name.
#Bartholomæus Iscanus# (1161-1184), a native of Exeter, was of humble
birth. He is said to have been an enemy of Becket's and was called by
Pope Alexander III. "the luminary of the English Church."
#John the Chaunter# (1186-1191) continued the buildings which had been
suspended during the last episcopate.
#Henry Marshall# (1194-1206), brother to the Earl of Pembroke, Marshal
of England, was promoted from York, of which cathedral he was dean. He
completed the buildings as designed by the first Warelwast. To him we
owe the Lady Chapel, the larger choir, the north porch, cloister
doorway, and six chapels. He assisted at the coronation of King Richard
at Winchester in 1194, and at that of John in 1199.
#Simon de Apulia# (1214-1223). But little is recorded of this bishop. He
assisted at Henry III.'s coronation at Gloucester when the king was a
lad of ten. To him also is attributed the fixing of the boundaries of
the city parishes. His tomb is in the Lady Chapel.
#William Bruere# (1224-1244) served as Precentor of Exeter before he was
made bishop. To him are due the chapter house and stalls in the old
choir. For five years he was in the Holy Land, and Matthew Paris writes
of his energy and untiring devotion in administering to the wants of his
countrymen.
#Richard Blondy# (1245-1257). According to Hoker this bishop was the son
of Hilary Blondy, Mayor of Exeter in 1227.
#Walter Bronescombe# (1257-1280), a native of Exeter, was only in
deacon's orders when chosen bishop. He restored the chapels of St.
Gabriel, St. Mary Magdalene and St. James. He also founded a college at
Glasney and restored "the establishment of Crediton" to much of its
former splendour.
#Peter Quivil# (1280-1291) was born in Exeter, and a _protégé_ of
Bronescombe's. His first preferment was as Archdeacon of St. David's,
from whence he was promoted bishop of his native city. He it was who
designed the Decorated cathedral and transformed transepts with chapels,
eastern bay of the nave, and the Lady Chapel.
#Thomas de Bytton# (1292-1307) continued Quivil's work, transforming the
choir and its aisles. He was a native of Gloucestershire and had been
Dean of Wells. An indulgence of forty days was granted by the Pope,
Boniface VIII., three archbishops and five bishops, to all who should
pray for his prosperity. The rules he made for the government of the
collegiate church at Crediton won general approval.
#Walter de Stapledon# (1308-1326) was Professor of Canon Law at Oxford
and a chaplain to Pope Clement V. He was killed by a London mob. The
transformed choir transepts are his work, and he erected the organ
screen, bishop's throne, and sedilia. During his episcopate, also, the
cloisters were begun.
#James Berkeley# (1326-1327), Archdeacon of Huntingdon, and grandson of
William de Ferrers, Earl of Derby, died a few weeks after his
consecration.
#John Grandisson# (1327-1369) was born in Herefordshire, of good family.
His long tenure of the see is one of the most memorable chapters in the
history of Exeter. The fatal Black Death occurred during his episcopacy,
1348-1369. He inherited the transforming zeal of his predecessors and
set his seal on the six western bays of the nave, the great west
windows, and the vaulting and the aisles. He completed the north
cloister.
#Thomas Brantyngham# (1370-1394) was educated at the Court of Edward
III., and was a canon of Exeter when chosen bishop. He was a constant
adviser of the king, only being released from his privy council and
parliamentary duties when his advanced age made them irksome to him. He
was very busy in all the affairs of the diocese, but found time to
complete the cloisters, east window, and west front.
#Edmund Stafford# (1395-1419) came of a greatly distinguished family. He
was a canon of York when Pope Boniface IX. advanced him to the See of
Exeter. For a time he served the king as Lord High Chancellor. He has
been abused by Campbell in his "Lives of the Lord Chancellors of
England": but there seems little doubt that he deserved the reputation
he certainly got of being learned, grave, and wise, and "very well
accounted generally of all men." To him are attributed the canopies over
the tombs in the Lady Chapel.
#John Ketterick# or #Catterick# (1419) died at Florence a month after
his appointment.
#Edmund Lacy# (1420-1455), composer of an office in honour of the
Archangel Raphael, left a saintly reputation, and pilgrimages were, for
long, made to his tomb. According to Canon Freeman he raised the chapter
house and glazed the nave windows.
#George Neville# (1458-1465) was a son of the Earl of Salisbury. He was
Chancellor of Oxford, and only twenty-four when made bishop. Though for
several years Lord High Chancellor, and translated to York, he died in
disgrace and comparative poverty.
#John Bothe# (1465-1478) was the son of a Cheshire knight. He has often,
but wrongly, been credited with being the donor of the throne. With more
certainty the roof of the chapter house has been acknowledged as his
work.
#Peter Courtenay# (1478-1486), son of Sir Philip Courtenay of Powderham,
had been Archdeacon of Exeter and Wiltshire, and Dean of Windsor and
Exeter before he was appointed Bishop of Exeter. He assisted at the
coronation of Richard III., but was none the less translated, for his
services, by Henry to the diocese of Winchester.
#Richard Fox# (1487-1491), the next bishop, was held in great esteem by
Henry VII., whom he represented for a time as Ambassador at the Court of
Scotland. He arranged the preliminaries of the marriage of Henry's
daughter Margaret with James IV. He was translated to Bath and Wells,
then to Durham, and finally to Winchester. He is said to have refused
the dignity of Archbishop of Canterbury, which his godson, Henry VIII.,
was anxious he should accept.
#Oliver King# (1492-1495) was Bishop of Exeter for a short time only,
being translated to Bath and Wells. He began building the Abbey Church
at Bath, but did not live to see much of it completed.
#Richard Redman# (1496-1501) was translated to Exeter from St. Asaph. He
resigned the see on becoming Bishop of Ely.
#John Arundell# (1502-1503) was translated from the See of Lichfield and
Coventry. He was famous for his benevolence and hospitality. He died
after barely two years' tenancy of the western bishopric.
#Hugh Oldham# (1504-1519) came of an ancient Lancashire family. A large
and flourishing manufacturing town in that county bears his name. He
founded the grammar school in Manchester, and on his elevation became
famous throughout the west of England for his learning and piety.
#John Vesey (Harman)# (1519-1551). A lengthy account is given of this
bishop in the first chapter.
#Miles Coverdale# (1551-1553) was a famous reformer, and revised
Tyndale's translation of the Bible. He was not popular in the diocese,
and on Queen Mary's accession was deprived of his see, to the great
satisfaction of his flock.
#James Turberville# (1555-1559) was deprived of his see on his refusal
to acknowledge the ecclesiastical supremacy of Elizabeth. He had been
popular in the west of England, where the Reformation was at first
heartily disliked.
#William Alleyn# (1560-1570). Oliver writes the surname Alley. The
diocese was now so poor that he was compelled to reduce the number of
canons from twenty-four to nine. Only by accepting the rectorship of
Honiton was the bishop himself able to support the dignity of his
office. He was the author of several religious books that had
considerable popularity in their day.
#William Bradbridge# (1570-1578) is said to have speculated largely in
agricultural land, and to have died a debtor for a large amount,
including £1,400 owed to Queen Elizabeth. Beyond this little is recorded
of him except that he lived at Newton Ferrers, of which he held the
living _in commendam_, which must have put his clergy to great
inconvenience.
#John Wolton# (1579-1594). During Wolton's episcopate the revenues were
restored to the chapter, the crown reserving to itself the sum of £145
yearly. The priest-vicars, also, received back from the queen the
greater portion of their possessions.
#Gervase Babington# (1595-1597) was translated from Llandaff. He
remained at Exeter but a short time. He seems to have been a favourite
with the queen, who took an early opportunity to promote him to the
wealthy See of Worcester.
#William Cotton# (1598-1621).
#Valentine Carey# (1621-1626) had been Master of Christ's College,
Cambridge, and Dean of St. Paul's.
#Joseph Hall# (1627-1641) was Dean of Worcester when promoted to the See
of Exeter. He was a famous theological writer, and was translated to
Norwich in 1641. There he suffered a great deal of unmerited
persecution, which he bore bravely, though the ill-treatment of his
enemies killed him.
#Ralph Brownrigg# (1642-1659), Master of St. Catharine's, Cambridge, was
bishop in troublous times. He had to retire to a friend's house in
Berkshire. He was elected Preacher of the Temple, and was buried at the
cost of the Inn.
#John Gauden# (1660-1662) was Master of the Temple. His title to fame is
as the reputed author of the [Greek: EIKÔN BASILIKÊ]. Being the first
bishop appointed after the Restoration, his arrival in Exeter was gladly
welcomed by the loyal citizens. But he does not seem to have been a
lovable man, and was over-eager for riches. He was translated to
Worcester on his complaint of poverty reaching the king's ears.
#Seth Ward# (1662-1667) was already popular as dean when he succeeded
Gauden as bishop. He cleared the cathedral of the small traders who
desecrated the precincts, and gave to his church the finest organ then
known in England. He was translated to Salisbury, and became Chancellor
of the Order of the Garter. He obtained an enviable reputation for his
good sense, piety, learning, and generosity.
#Anthony Sparrow# (1667-1676) was Master of King's College, Cambridge,
when consecrated bishop. Cosmo III. visited Exeter during his tenancy of
the see.
#Thomas Lamplugh# (1676-1688) seems to have been a clever politician. By
expressing his loyalty to James II., when William had landed at Torbay,
he was created Archbishop of York; thereupon he actively supported the
Prince of Orange. "My Lord, you are a genuine old Cavalier," was the
king's greeting. One hopes the memory of those words troubled the
archbishop during his three years' experience of an ill-deserved
dignity.
#Jonathan Trelawny# (1689-1707) came of a famous Cornish family. As
Bishop of Bristol he was already famous, for he was one of the seven
bishops whose trial and acquittal hastened the downfall of the last
Stuart king. He was translated to Winchester. A popular refrain, wedded
to verses by the celebrated parson Hawker, of Morwenstow, keeps his
memory alive in the western counties.
#Offspring Blackball# (1708-1716) was chiefly and honourably known as a
promoter of charity schools.
#Launcelot Blackburne# (1717-1724). Of this bishop there is little to
record. He was translated to the Archbishopric of York in 1724.
#Stephen Weston# (1724-1742). The episcopal registers were now kept for
the first time in English. His long reign seems to have been quite
uneventful, and probably was, therefore, entirely successful.
#Nicholas Claggett# (1742-1746) was translated from St. David's.
#George Lavington# (1747-1762).
#Frederick Keppel# (1762-1777), a son of the Earl of Albemarle, was a
canon of Windsor when appointed Bishop of Exeter.
#John Ross# (1778-1792).
#William Buller# (1792-1796), of an old west country family, was
promoted from the deanery of Canterbury.
#Henry Reginald Courtenay# (1797-1803), translated to this see from
Bristol.
#John Fisher# (1803-1807) was tutor to the Duke of Kent, father of Queen
Victoria. He was translated to Salisbury in 1807.
#George Pelham# (1807-1820) was translated from Bristol. After,
according to Oliver, "for thirteen years expecting higher preferment,"
he was promoted to Lincoln.
#William Carey# (1820-1830), head master of Westminster School. When he
had been ten years at Exeter he was translated to St. Asaph, a curious
reversal of the usual proceeding. For although a Welsh bishopric often
led to an English one, a change from Exeter to St. Asaph could hardly
have been "preferment" in the ordinary sense.
#Christopher Bethell# (1830-1831). Exeter, for this bishop also, was
merely a stepping-stone between Gloucester and Bangor.
#Henry Phillpotts# (1831-1868) was the most famous bishop who has held
the see in this century. He restored the palace, which had fallen into a
ruined condition. He was energetic about the affairs of his diocese, a
born ruler of men, and a scholar of eminence. The story of his
episcopate is a well-known chapter to students of the ecclesiastical
history of the first half of the queen's reign.
#Frederick Temple# (1869-1885), head master of Rugby, 1858-1869; Bishop
of Exeter, 1869; translated to London, 1885, and to the Metropolitan See
of Canterbury, 1896.
#Edward Henry Bickersteth# (1885-1901) was Dean of Gloucester when
appointed bishop. Resigned.
#Herbert Edward Ryle# (1901-1903) translated to Winchester. On resigning
the see of Winchester he became Dean of Westminster.
#Archibald Robertson# (1903-1916). Resigned.
#Rupert Ernest William Gascoyne Cecil# (1916- ).
[Illustration: OLD HOUSES IN FORE STREET. A. Pumphrey Photo.]
ROUGEMONT CASTLE AND THE GUILDHALL.
It is related that when Gytha fled towards the river and William the
Conqueror marched through the eastern gate of the city, claiming it as
his prize, he promised the citizens their lives, goods, and limbs. But,
although he adhered strictly to his promise, and took care that his
victorious soldiers should not pillage or insult the inhabitants, he was
well aware of the supreme value of his conquest. The taking of Exeter
was practically the taking of all western England. So he determined to
make his position impregnable, and to this end set about the building of
a castle on the Red Mount. The task was not a hard one: the Norman
engineers had little need to display their peculiar ingenuity. Nature
had done much, and to her work Briton, Roman, and Englishman had made
additions. As Professor Freeman puts it: "The hillside was ready
scarped, the ditch was ready dug." Baldwin de Molles was appointed
superintendent and commander, and so well did he carry out his trust
that within a year the castle was built and the men of Cornwall and
Devon had attacked its walls in vain. Perhaps because William had been a
merciful conqueror, not despoiling or ill-using the citizens, perhaps
because the citizens were afraid, knowing the just man was strong and
his hand heavy in anger, the besiegers found no help within the city
walls. Henceforth Exeter was for the king.
A curious example of its loyalty was shown in the troubled days of King
Stephen. Earl Baldwin, from all accounts a cruel and violent man, took
arms against the king. Stephen demanded that the castle should be
delivered up. For his answer the Earl laid in provisions, and at the
head of his followers patrolled the streets of the city threatening
vengeance on those who opposed his will. Stephen, speedily apprised by
his faithful citizens of these riotous doings, sent two hundred knights
to confront the rebel. Later he came himself, and the castle was closely
besieged. After three months' heavy fighting the wells in the castle
gave out. Deprived of water, Baldwin, who was brave enough, made shift
with wine, using it both for cookery and extinguishing the fires. But at
last the king was victorious and, not heeding the wise counsel of his
brother Henry of Winchester, permitted the followers of Baldwin to "go
forth with their goods and follow what lord they would."
In 1483, Richard III., fearing that the west favoured the claims of
Henry, Earl of Richmond, hastened to Exeter. He was civilly greeted by
John Attwill, the mayor. But his coming was not very welcome, nor did
his conduct contribute to the gaiety of the inhabitants. In his train
was Lord Scrope, whose business it was to try the rebels. None could be
found, however, save the king's brother-in-law, St. Leger, and his
esquire, John Rame. Richard none the less determined to strike terror
into the hearts of all who wavered in their allegiance. So both men were
beheaded at the Carfax. This done, the king busied himself in studying
the surrounding country, and made careful note of the city and castle.
The military strength of Rougemont pleased him, though the name did not.
A west country accent, some say, gave it a sound like Ridgemount, too
close an echo of his rival's title. The incident is referred to by
Shakespeare in these well-known lines:
"Richmond! when I last was at Exeter,
The mayor in courtesy showed me the castle,
And called it Rougemont--at which name I started;
Because a bard of Ireland told me once,
I should not live long after I saw Richmond."
The castle was considerably injured a few years later when Perkin
Warbeck, at the head of his Cornishmen, attacked the city. The fight
seems to have been a long and furious one. The North Gate was burned,
and both there and at the East Gate the rebels were temporarily
successful. But after the Earl of Devon and his retinue came to the help
of the citizens the rebels were expelled and had to make their way to
Taunton, unsuccessful. Henry soon afterwards arrived bringing Perkin
Warbeck with him. By his clemency towards the rebels he created real
enthusiasm, so that the prisoners "hurled away their halters and cried
God Save the King."
By the time Charles I. came to the throne the castle was already showing
"gaping chinks and an aged countenance." Fairfax and his Roundheads
completed the ruin. But it was not war only which left the building as
we now see it. An ivy-covered gateway is all that remains. Yet from its
summit one has a fine view of the surrounding country, and can readily
understand of what strategical value its possession must have been in
"battles long ago."
[Illustration: ROUGEMONT CASTLE.
Photochrom Co. Ltd. Photo.]
[Illustration: THE GUILDHALL, EXETER.
The Photochrom Co. Photo.]
The hand of the reformer proved stronger than that of the victorious
captain. What war had failed to do enterprising citizens accomplished in
times of peace. About the year 1770 the city fathers seem to have been
animated by an unholy passion for destruction. Not only was the house of
the Earls of Bedford, a house full of historic and majestic memories,
pulled down, but the venerable fortress attracted attention. First a
gateway, then the chapel, later the castellan's house disappeared. New
assize courts, superlatively ugly, proudly rose in their stead. But even
then the zeal of the reformers was not satiated. "Ten years later the
Eastern Gate, with its two mighty flanking towers soaring over the
picturesque house on each side with its wide and lofty Tudor arch
spanning the road, its statue of Henry the Seventh, commemorating its
rebuilding after the siege by Perkin Warbeck--the gate which was heir to
that through which the conqueror made his way--all perished, to the
great satisfaction of the Exeter of that day; for 'a beautiful Vista was
opened from St. Sidwell's into the High Street, a very great and
necessary improvement.'" It is easy to share Professor Freeman's
indignation; less easy, unhappily, to persuade men of our own day to
deal kindly by the ancient monuments that are still left to us.