On the other side of the choir, between the chapel of the Virgin and the
semi-circular lateral chapel: two windows, one representing the Passion;
the other the life of a saint. He is almost entirely represented naked
from the head to the waist, and on horseback. Semi-circular chapel of
the southern transept in the corner of the window, the martyrdom of
saint Laurent."
All these windows date from the end of the XIIIth century. The most
curious is that representing the life of saint Julian-the-hospitaller.
The Cathedral contains likewise several fine specimens of windows of the
time of the _renaissance_. We must remark, especially, those which
represent the life of saint Romain, in the chapel dedicated to that
bishop and those which decorate the chapel of saint Stephen. We
perceive, in the latter, saint Thomas touching the wound of
Jesus-Christ; Christ preaching in the desert; Christ appearing to
Mary-Magdalen; etc.
The edifice is also lighted by three large roses (circular windows); two
at the extremities of the transept and the other above the organ. Of
these three windows the western is by far the finest. In the centre of
it, the Eternal Father is represented as surrounded by a multitude of
angels having each different musical instruments, around it are ten
figures of angels, each holding an instrument of the Passion.
The present organ of the Cathedral is a large sixteen feet one, and is
placed beneath the western circular window. It was made by Lefevre, the
celebrated organ maker in Rouen, in 1760.
The choir is surrounded by fourteen pillars. Before 1430, its upper part
was only lighted by a small number of narrow windows. Since that time,
it has been lighted by the fifteen large windows, which we now see. In
1467, under the cardinal d'Estouteville, the chapter caused stalls to be
made, which are very curiously sculptured.
A stone screen, of a style which harmonized with the rest of the edifice
formerly ornamented the entrance to the choir: In 1777, it was replaced
by the present. This screen, notwithstanding its beauty, is
unfortunately not in a style correspondent with the rest of the church.
The upper gallery is surmounted by a gilt figure of Christ, made of
lead, by Clodion. Between the pillars, we remark two marble altars, each
ornamented with a white marble statue. That to the right is the statue
of the Virgin, a much esteemed sculpture by Lecomte. This altar has
retained the name _autel da vaeu_ (or the altar of the vow) since 1637,
on account of a grand procession, which took place at that time, to
obtain the cessation of the plague. The procession, in reentering the
church stopped before this altar, on which the civic authorities placed
a silver lamp, weighing forty marks. The statue to the left is that of
saint Cecile, the patroness of musicians. This sculpture is also from
the chisel of Clodion. Both altars are ornamented with handsome
bas-reliefs, the one to the right representing, Jesus-Christ placed in
the tomb; that to the left, Saint Cecile, at the moment of her death.
The actual existence of a library in the Cathedral, may be traced back
as far as the year 1424. The canons, caused to be erected, for that
purpose, over the cellar of the chapter house, the large building which
we see at present. It was about one hundred feet long by twenty five
broad. They ascended to it by a handsome gothic staircase, erected by
order of the cardinal William d'Estouteville, during the second half of
the XVth century, and placed in the corner of the northern transept.
This library was plundered and destroyed by the calvinists, in 1562,
but, was restored by the archbishop Francis de Harley.
In 1788, the chapter ordered an additional story to be built over the
library, destined to receive the records of the church. The higher
portion of the staircase which conducts to this story, was erected in
1789, and in the same style as the rest of it.
As far as 1112 the cathedral possessed several manuscripts, which were
destroyed in the fire of 1200.
A great portion of the books of the cathedral are now deposited in the
public library at the town-hall.
There are twenty five chapels in the circumference of the Cathedral. The
most spacious, and the first to the right on entering, is that of
Saint-Stephen, _la grande eglise_. It was formerly the _Parish church_
of Notre-Dame.
At the extremity of this aisle of the nave in going up, is the chapel of
_petit Saint-Romain_, where the tomb of Rollo, the first duke is
situated. This prince had formerly been buried in the sanctuary, near
the great altar, which, at the time, was situated at the higher end of
the present nave. The altar having been removed farther back, the
remains of Rollo were deposited in the corner arcade where they now are.
Above the arcade is the following inscription on a table of black
marble, of which the following is a translation.
Here lies Rollo, the first duke, the founder and father of
Normandy, of which he was at first the terror and the scourge, but
afterwards the restorer. Baptised in 912 by Francon, archbishop of
Rouen, and died in 917[5]. His remains had formerly been deposited
in the ancient sanctuary, where is at present the upper end of the
nave. The altar having been removed to another place, the remains
of the prince were deposited here, by the blessed Maurille,
archbishop of Rouen, in the year 1063.
On the opposite aisle, and exactly opposite the chapel we hare just
left, is that of Saint-Anne. The remains of Guillaume-Longue-Epee, the
son and successor of Rollo, who was assassinated in an island of the
Somme, by order of Arnould, count of Flanders, are deposited in this
chapel. His remains are placed like those of his father, in an arched
corner, above which, is the following inscription, which we translate
thus.
Here lies Guillaume-Longue-Epee, son of Rollo, duke de Normandy,
killed by treason in the year 944. His remains had formerly been
deposited in the ancient sanctuary, where is at present the upper
end of the nave. The altar having been removed to an other place,
the remains of the prince were deposited in this place by the
blessed Maurille, in the year 1063.
What has become, of those funeral monuments, erected, formerly in the
choir of the Cathedral, in honour of kings, princes or warriors? Who
will assure us that the inscriptions placed at present in the sanctuary,
point out to us, the illustrious dead whose tombs we seek? Where is the
heart of Charles Vth, which was deposited in the middle of the
sanctuary? That of Richard-Coeur-de-Lion, to the right of the high
altar? The remains of Bedford, the son, the brother and the uncle of
kings, of that Bedford, who, according to Pommeraye, was interred to the
left of the high altar, and whose tomb stone they now shew us, behind
the altar, which tells us that he was interred on the right side of it?
Of all the tombs which existed formerly in the choir of the Cathedral,
there remains but three modern inscriptions on marble slabs, which have
been placed by chance. These three inscriptions are those of
Richard-Coeur-de-Lion, Henry the Younger one of his brothers and the
duke of Bedford. On the 30th of july 1838, being guided by historical
traditions, they had the idea to dig at the spot marked by the
inscription to Richard, and discovered the statue which formerly
decorated his tomb. This statue, which is hewn out of a single block of
very fine free stone, has been deposited provisionally in the chapel of
the Virgin. It is six feet and a half long, and represents king Richard
in a recumbent posture, his head supported by a square cushion, wearing
a crown enriched with precious stones; his feet are supported by a
crouching lion. On his left hand was a sceptre of which we only see the
remains; the right hand has disappeared. The princes, mantle descends
nearly to his ancles, in wide folds. It is over a tunic which reaches up
to the neck, and which is bound round the body, by an embroidered belt
of which the end hangs in front below the knee. These searches were
continued on the 31st of july, and the heart of Richard was found; it
was enclosed in a double box of lead, and what must leave no doubt of
this precious discovery; the following inscription in letters of the
time was engraved on the lid of the box:
HIC: JACET: COR: RICARDI: REGIS:
ANGLORUM:
The heart has been provisionally deposited in a private press in the
sacristy. These researches were skilfully directed by Mr Deville.
Let us now enter the chapel of the Virgin, and admire the treasure which
it contains.
To the left on entering, is a monument of stone, without inscription or
statue. It is that of Peter de Breze, count of Maulevrier, grand
senechal of Anjou, Poitou and Normandy. He was killed at the battle of
Montlhery, the 16th july 1465. This monument is remarkable by its
graceful proportions, its elegance and the delicacy of its architecture.
It is composed of two pilasters of the arabesque style, supporting a
pointed arcade, surmounted by a pediment; the whole of it is in open
work and decorated on all sides with the initials PB, in gothic letters.
The niche of the tomb is about five feet wide by about four deep. Its
height is six feet four inches to the key of the vault, and decorated
with a shield bearing the arms of the deceased. Before the revolution,
the same shield, decorated the three pannels of the base of the
monument. We may still perceive the trace of the destroyers chisel. The
entire height of the mausoleum is seventeen feet. The points of the two
pilasters rise two feet and a half or three feet above the rest; which
would make the total height of the monument of about twenty feet.
The name of Peter de Breze, is honourably mentioned in our annals at the
time of the conquest of Normandy. It was he who received the
capitulation of the castles of Harcourt, Gisors, Chateau-Gaillard. It
was he, who first entered Rouen, when that town opened its gates to
Charles VIIth[6]. The statue of Peter de Breze and that of his wife,
Jeanne du Bec-Crespin, were formerly on the monument; but they do not
now exist and no one knows when they have been taken away.
Next to it, is the monument of Louis de Breze, grand-son of the latter,
who died in july 1531. The celebrated Diana of Poitiers caused this
mausoleum to be raised to his memory. The body of the monument is
supported by four columns of black marble, with capitals and bases of
white alabaster. Between these columns is a coffin, on which the white
marble statue of the grand senechal, is laid. The deceased is stretched
on his back, his features are convulsed: one may see that he has just
expired. The body is quite naked, the left hand is laid on his breast.
The cenotaph is of black marble. The perfection of this sculpture causes
it to be attributed to the celebrated Jean Goujon. Behind this statue,
there was formerly another of the same personage, he was represented in
the dress of a count, with the collar of Saint-Michael, and a crown on
his head. We now only find the marks of the fixtures which fastened it
to the monument. At each end of the recumbent figure, are two statues of
women in alabaster. Diana of Poitiers in the dress of a widow, with her
arms crossed, is kneeling at the head. At the feet, is that of the
virgin holding the infant Jesus: it was according to general opinion, of
the time of Pommeraye, who speaks of paintings, figures, tapers and
chaplets suspended round the latter statue. There were two inscriptions,
one in prose, the other in verse. Both were erased at the revolution,
but they have been replaced since; the following is a copy of the prose
one:
Loys de Bresze, en son vivant cheualier de l'ordre, premier
Chambellan du Roy, grand Seneschal, Lieutenant-general et
gouverneur pour le dict Sieur, en ses pays et duche de Normendie,
Capitaine de cent gentile hommes de la maison du dict sieur et de
cent hommes d'armes de ses ordonnances, Capitaine de Rouen et de
Caen, Comte de Mauleurier, Baron de Mauny et du Bec-Crespin,
Seigneur Chastellain de Nugent-le-Roy, Ennet, Breval et Monchauvet.
Apres avoir vescu par le cours de nature en ce monde en vertu,
jusques a l'age de LXXII ans, la mort l'a faiet mettre en ce
tombeau pour retourner viure perpeluellement. Lequel deceda le
dymence XXIIIe jour de juillet de mil vre trente ung. 1531.
A third inscription, which probably had not been perceived in 1793, is
seen at the upper corner of the left side:
_Hoc Lodoice tibi posuit Brezoee sepulchrum,
Pictonis amisso moesta Diana viro.
Indivulsa libi quondam et fidissima conjux,
Ut fuit in thalamo, sie erit in tumulo_[7].
Some witty people have remarked that the duchess of Valentinois spoke
truly, and that she was as _faithful_ in one case as in the other.
Above the entablature, the equestrian statue, of the senechal, in white
marble is placed. On each side of the arcade, which contains this
statue, are four cariatides crowned with flowers, and representing: the
two to the right, prudence and glory; those to the left, victory and
faith. On the frieze, under some figures bearing festoons, we find this
motto: _tant grate chevre que mal giste_. The coping is an attic forming
a niche, in which is placed an alabaster statue; it holds a sword and
represents power, according to some, justice and prudence, according to
others.
In the frieze above the figure is the following inscription: _In virtute
tabernaculum ejus_. The cornice is terminated by two goats supporting
the armorials of the senechal. The whole of the frieze is of alabaster,
while the architrave and cornice are of black marble. This mausoleum,
which is one of the most remarkable productions of the arts, under
Francis Ist, is attributed to Jean Cousin, or to a sculptor not less
celebrated, Jean Goujon.
The monument of the cardinals of Amboise, which is more splendid, but
not of so pure a style, decorates the right side of the chapel: it is
placed in the thickness of the wall. After working for seven years
without interruption, it was at last completely finished in 1525, under
the archbishop d'Amboise, the second of the name: we say archbishop,
because at that time the prelate had not been invested with the roman
purple. The bodies of these two cardinals are not deposited in this
monument; they are interred in a vault at the foot of it and which is
only large enough to contain the two leaden coffins, which are supported
on iron bars. The sepulchre was violated during the revolution, and the
coffins carried off. On the lower part of the monument, are six
beautiful little statues, in niches separated by pilasters, representing
faith, charity, prudence, power, justice and temperance. All these
statues are of white marble. On the tomb, which is of black marble, the
two cardinals George d'Amboise uncle and nephew are placed. They are
kneeling on cushions; their heads uncovered and their hands joined. The
expression of prayer and piety is perfect in the two figures, especially
in that of George d'Amboise Ist. At their feet and on the front of the
cenotaph, we find the following inscription, in a single line, which
only concerns the cardinal-minister:
_Pastor eram cleri, populi pater, avrea sese
Lilia subdebant quercus[8] et ipsa michi.
Mortoos en iaceo, morte extingovinior honores;
At virtus, morte nescia, morte viret._
On the ground of the monument is a bas-relief representing the patron of
the two prelates (saint George) overcoming the dragon; On the sides,
are eight different figures, amongst which we discover the virgin,
several saints and more particularly Saint-Romain, archbishop of Rouen
during the first half of the VIIth century. A _voussure_ ornamented
with sculptures, as remarkable for their good taste as for the richness
of their ornaments, supports an attic, where we find the statues of the
twelve apostles, two and two, in elegant niches separated by pilasters.
These two monuments are not only remarkable by their magnificence and by
the recollections they awaken, they have another attraction, as an
history of the art at the time when the gothic style was giving place to
that of the renaissance.
These monuments were renewed in 1838, in great perfection by M. Ubaudi,
sculptor of Paris.
The remains of cardinal Cambaceres, who died at Rouen, on the 25th
october 1818, are deposited in the little vault at the foot of the
monument of the cardinals of Amboise.
The altar of this chapel is decorated with a very fine picture by Philip
de Champagne, representing _the adoration of the shepherds_. This
picture is much esteemed by painters and connoisseurs[9]. On the right,
in leaving the chapel of the virgin, is a monument concerning which
until recently, there were only conjectures. It is the statue of a
bishop stretched on his back and under an arcade. On the lower part of
the sepulchre, are mutilated bas-reliefs, which one might suppose, were
intended to represent a synod. At least, we may distinguish several
personnages seated, holding books in their hands and a bishop in the
midst of them as if presiding. On the upper part we remark angels
bearing away the soul of the deceased, represented by the body of a
young child.
M.A. Deville, in his work on _the monuments of the cathedral of Rouen_,
has proved that this monument was that of Maurice, archbishop of Rouen,
who died in 1235. I must not pass over the popular tradition, however
ridiculous it may appear, which is attached to this monument. This
tradition says, that the body of the personage laid under this stone, is
that of a bishop who, in a fit of a passion, had killed his servant with
the blow of a soup-ladle. The people add, that the bishop repenting,
wished not to be interred in the church; but at the same time he forbad
them to bury him outside of it, and it was to obey this ambiguous order
that they made him a tomb in the thickness of the wall.
Not far from the chapel of the Virgin, in the right aisle, on looking
eastward, we find the sacristy. We should stop a moment before its stone
partition with its iron door: they are both much esteemed works of the
end of the XVth century. The partition wall is from the liberality of
Philip de la Rose, chief-archdeacon, and was erected in the year 1473
according to Farin, but 1479 according to Pommeraye[10].
Leaving now the inside of the cathedral let us examine the exterior of
this admirable edifice. Here, details are impossible; we must see the
whole mass, to form an idea of it. Who could number so many pieces of
sculpture, capitals, sculptured galleries, bas-reliefs, and ornaments,
which are multiplied under all forms? Historical explanations are those
only which can be offered to the reader. We may add, that they are the
most useful, since the rest is an affair of the eyes. The whole of the
western facade, comprehended between the two front towers, is from the
munificence of cardinal d'Amboise I. The building commenced on the 12th
of june 1509, and was finished in 1530. The bas-reliefs, which decorate
the doorways under the three entrances from the porch, were more or less
mutilated by the calvinists in 1562. That on the right is now scarcely
to be recognized: that of the great portal represents the genealogical
tree of Jesse, or of the family of the Virgin; that on the left, the
beheading of John the Baptist; the latter porch suffered considerably
from a frightful storm, which took place in 1683.[11]
The tower, which terminates the facade to the north, bears the name of
Saint-Romain. Its foundation is the most ancient part of the whole
edifice; the rest was built later and at different periods. The whole
was terminated in 1477, under the cardinal d'Estouteville. Before the
revolution the tower of Saint-Romain contained eleven bells, there were
four others in the pyramid, and only one in the Butter Tower, but which
was heavier than all the others and of which I shall speak.
The tower, which terminates the facade to the south, is named the butter
tower (_Tour de Beurre_), because, it was erected with the alms of the
faithful, who, afterwards obtained leave to eat butter during Lent: Its
height is two hundred and thirty feet. The first stone was laid in the
month of november 1485, by Robert de Croixmare, archbishop of Rouen. It
was nearly twenty two years in building, since the edifice according to
Pommeraye, was only terminated in 1507. Before its completion, it was
consecrated (in 1496), by Henry Potin, suffragan to cardinal of Amboise
Ist.
On the 29th of september 1500, this cardinal gave 4,000 livres, to be
used in the casting of a bell; wishing, that it might be _the finest in
the kingdom_. The furnaces were already built at the foot of the tower;
and the mould commenced; but, they remembered that the wood work of the
tower would not be strong enough to bear such a colossus. The mould was
broken, and they made another which was smaller. The operation was
commenced on monday the 2nd of august 1501, at eight o'clock in the
evening, after a general procession round the Cathedral and the
archbishop's palace. The circumference of this bell was thirty feet, its
height ten feet and it weighed 36000 pounds. It is said, that the
founder, John le Machon, of Chartres, who cast it, was so satisfied in
having succeeded in this enterprise, that he died of joy twenty six days
after.
On the visit of Louis XVI to Rouen, in 1786, the bell called George
d'Amboise was cracked. In 1793, it was converted into cannons. Some
pieces bearing the following inscription were made into medals and are
now very rare.
MONUMENT DE VANITE
DETRUIT POUR L'UTILITE
L'AN DEUX DE L'EGALITE.
MONUMENT OF VANITY
DESTROYED FOR UTILITY
THE SECOND YEAR OF EGALITY.
The door _of the librarians_, at the northern extremity of the transept,
has been named so, from the booksellers shops formerly situated on each
side of the court. Commenced in 1280, this portal was only finished in
1478. It was the usual entrance of great personnages, except the king
and the princes of the blood, who entered the church by the great
western porch. The bas-relief over the door had never been finished: the
two lower compartments are the only ones. The court, which is before the
porch of the librarians, was formerly a burying ground. They ceased to
inter, because a murder had been committed in it and it had not been
purified. This entrance to the church is ornamented with an infinite
number of bas-reliefs, some representing subjects from the bible, others
extremely comical and even licentious; several of these sculptures have
of late been cleaned to be moulded. To the left, when facing the door,
we perceive a man without his head, negligently leaning on his elbow:
in his right hand a head is seen, which is that of a pig.
If we wish to view the northern side, we must enter the _cour de
l'Albane_.[12] The collateral chapels are lighted by nine windows, which
are surmounted by different ornaments. We also perceive, on some of the
lower windows of the tower of Saint-Romain, the round arch of the XIth
century; from which one may conjecture that this portion of the tower
was spared from the conflagration, in the year 1200.
The porch of the _Calende_, was built at the same period as that of the
booksellers, and is nearly disposed in the same manner. Above the door,
we distinguish a large bas-relief, which is divided into three
compartments: the lower one, says Mr Gilbert, represents _Joseph sold
by his brethren_; that in the middle; _the funeral of Jacob_; and the
upper one _Jesus-Christ on the cross_. To the right and left of the
porch, are several large statues, which are more or less mutilated, and
a profusion of bas-reliefs, most of which represent the history of
Joseph.
The facade of this porch, like that of the booksellers, is accompanied
by two square towers of handsome proportions, and having large pointed
windows.
On the tower which still exists in the centre, there was formerly a
handsome pyramid of three hundred and ninety six feet in height, a
monument of the talents of Robert Becquet and of the liberality of
cardinal d'Amboise, the second of the name. It was commenced in the
month of june 1542, and terminated in the month of august 1544.
This beautiful pyramid was destroyed by fire, on the 15th of september
1822; at seven o'clock in the morning it had already fallen; two hours
after, the roof of the choir, that of the transept and the third part of
the roof of the nave, had equally fallen in. The melted lead of the roof
was bought by M. Firmin Didot and converted into types for printing.
We cannot give too many praises to the zeal of M. de Vansay, prefect of
the department at that time: the misfortune happened on the 15th
september, and already on the 26th of the same month, the government
having been informed and solicited by that magistrate, ordered M.
Alavoine, one of the best architects, to go to Rouen, and confer with
the prefect on the means of remedying the havoc caused by the fire.
Early in the year 1823, the roofs of a aisles had already been repaired;
and a portion of the nave had been covered with lead, by the 15th march
of the same year. The roofs of the choir and of the whole transept, were
also soon repaired; but, for these parts, a copper covering was
preferred as being more solid and less liable to be destroyed. The
raising and renewing the lantern was terminated in 1829.
From this new platform, the pyramid will rise majestically in the air,
and of it we already discover thirteen floors (the pyramid will be
completed with one more), each of four metres fifty centimetres, that is
to say a height of fifty eight metres, or about one hundred and eighty
feet. The spire of the church was first erected of stone but was
overthrown by the electric fluid, after that, it was twice built of
wood, and both times it became the prey of the flames; to rebuild it
with wood would have been gathering materials for a third fire, but now
it is made of cast iron and in open work. At the summit of the spire,
there will be a small lantern surrounded by a gallery for the purpose of
meteorological observations. The total weight of the spire when
completed, will be 600,000 kilogrammes, or about 1,200,000 pounds. It is
composed of 2,540 pieces, not including 12,879 iron pins[13]. Lastly,
this magnificent pyramid will reach an elevation of 436 feet; that is to
say 40 feet higher than the former, and will only be 13 feet less than
the highest pyramid of Egypt[14].
[Footnote 4: _Historical description of the Cathedral of Rouen_, by
Gilbert Rouen, Ed. Frere, 1837, 8vo. with 3 plates.--_Essay on ancient
and modern painting on glass_, etc., by E.H. Langlois. Rouen, Ed. Frere,
1832. 8vo, with 7 plates.]
[Footnote 5: It is an error: Rollon did not die till the year 931 or
932.]
[Footnote 6: _Monuments of the cathedral of Rouen_, by A. Deville.
Rouen, N. Periaux, 1837, 8vo, with 12 plates.]
[Footnote 7: O Louis de Breze, Diana of Poitiers, afflicted by the death
of her husband, has raised this monument to your memory, she was your
inseparable companion, your very faithful spouse in the conjugal state,
and will be equally so in the tomb.]
[Footnote 8: That is to say that the pope Julias IInd was of the house
of Rovero (_Quercus_).]
[Footnote 9: The cathedral possesses also several other remarkable
pictures; we distinguish amongst others, an _Annunciation_, by Letellier
of Rouen, nephew of the celebrated Poussin: it is placed in the second
chapel of the left aisle, on entering by the great portal. To the right
and left of the choir, we find a _Samaritan_, by Charles Tardieu, and
_The lying in the Sepulchre_, by Poisson.]
[Footnote 10: Mr Deville makes the dates between the years 1480 to
1482, according to the manuscript capitulary registers of the
cathedral.]
[Footnote 11: We perceive two counterforts, which have been lately
erected on each side of the portal, under the direction of Mr Alavoine,
to consolidate the front of the edifice, which had caused some fear, as
to its solidity.]
[Footnote 12: So called from the college of the same name founded by
Pierre de Colmieu, archbishop of Rouen and cardinal of Albe.]
[Footnote 13: The whole of these pieces of iron were cast at the
foundery at Conches, a small town, which is situated at about twelve
leagues from Rouen, and the expense is valued at 500,000 francs.]
[Footnote 14: For the description of the archbishop's palace, see the
chapter on the civil monuments.]