In our wanderings to see glass we have observed how many and varied were
the reasons for the presentation of those splendid offerings to
religious edifices, and also that these reasons are often storied upon
the windows themselves. Wide as is the range of such causes it is
reserved for Gloucester Cathedral to show us an ancient window erected
to commemorate the winning of a great battle. Thanks to the painstaking
studies of Charles Winston (1863), backed by his exhaustive knowledge of
heraldry, it is now known that the great expanse of coloured glass at
the eastern end of the Gloucester chancel is a thank-offering for the
epoch-making victory at Crecy of the little army of English over the
French hosts. How incongruous it seems that such a feat of arms should
be commemorated in this mild manner! The mind wanders off from this
glorious wall of colour back to a certain cloudy afternoon in August
1346. Edward III. and his young son the Black Prince, with a force of
only eight thousand Englishmen, had swept triumphantly through Normandy
up to the very gates of Paris. There the presence of a huge army of
French and mercenaries forced them to turn northward toward the Flemish
border. Fatigued by their dashing campaign, they were overtaken and
brought to bay by the French at Crecy, about fifteen miles east of
Abbeville. In the very front of the French hosts was stationed a body of
15,000 Genoese crossbowmen who, by their discharge of arrows, were to
disconcert the English, and disorder their ranks preparatory to the
onslaught of the French knights. Suddenly a great storm breaks upon the
embattled armies, terrifying the Genoese unaccustomed to the thunder,
lightning and driving rainbursts of a northern tempest. Nor is this all,
for when the storm passes and the sun darts out from behind the clouds,
the Genoese, ordered to discharge their crossbows, find to their dismay
that the bowstrings are rain-soaked and cannot be drawn. Just at this
juncture the English archers, taking their bows from water-tight cases,
loose such a pestilential shower of arrows upon the already harassed
Genoese that they break and flee, throwing into the wildest confusion
the ranks of the Frenchmen behind them. Effective as were the bows of
the English archers, the long knives of the Welshmen prove equally so,
stabbing the horses of the French and thus placing the riders _hors de
combat_. Together these two bands of yeomen reverse the verdict of
centuries of warfare;--they show the armoured knight to be an
anachronism, and thus in one day feudalism begins to totter to its fall.
The moment has come for the charge of the English chivalry. On they
dash, led by the sixteen-year-old Black Prince. They fall upon the
already panic-stricken French and what has been a battle becomes a rout.
The king witnessed the conflict from a windmill on a ridge, being
desirous that his son alone might have the glory of the victory. It is
doubtful if the annals of chivalry record a finer scene than the meeting
of the king and the Black Prince after the battle. In the blaze of the
great camp-fires, and before the whole army, the father embraced his
son, and would have given him alone the praise, but the Prince "bowed to
the ground and gave all the honour to the king his father." Ten years
later we find him of the same generous nature, for, in the evening after
the great victory at Poitiers, he caused the captured King John of
France and his son to be seated, and standing behind, served them
himself, modestly refusing to join in their repast. Long since hushed is
the din of that ancient strife, unless perhaps an harmonious echo
thereof comes to us from the great east window. Along its lower panes
are displayed the shields of the Black Prince and the Earls of Warwick
and Oxford, who were with him in the 1st Division on that glorious day,
and of the Earls of Arundel and Northampton who led the 2nd Division
(the 3rd being in command of King Edward III. himself). In this brave
array we also find the shields of Thomas Lord de Berkeley, his brother
Sir Maurice de Berkeley, Richard Lord Talbot, and Thomas Lord Bradeston,
who all served in this expedition. Here, also, are the arms of the Earls
of Lancaster and Pembroke, who, although at that time fighting in the
south at Aiguillon in Guienne, were included as companions-in-arms of
the same war. In this beautiful manner the glory and gallant memory of
these knights are preserved within this stately cathedral, far removed
from the din and carnage, the hissing flight of arrows, the clang of the
forward dash of knights, the clash of steel on steel, the battle-cries,
and the mingled roar of retreating hosts hotly pursued by exultant
victors. Here they dwell for ever in the midst of a great peace: around
the grey walls and sturdy tower are the quiet walks, the green swards,
the leafy foliage of a peaceful England--an England preserved inviolate
from foreign invasion by the splendid deeds of these gallant warriors,
and many another like them. So modestly are their blazons set out along
the lower part of the great window that the story of their gift and its
giving was forgotten, and lay hidden for centuries until rediscovered by
Mr. Winston. Much as our windows have hitherto revealed to us of quaint
episode and romantic story, never have we happened upon so portentous a
memory, nor one which so richly deserved this magnificent tribute. Its
huge expanse of 72 by 38 feet is only rivalled by that of the east
window of York (78 by 33 feet). Well did Winston say, "I know of no
window so likely as this to improve by a long contemplation the taste of
modern glass-painters and their patrons."
[Illustration: _J. Valentine, photo._
CHOIR, GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL
Great east window commemorative of knights who fought at Crecy.
Backgrounds of pink and soft blue. Tracery lights no longer
differentiated from window below, as during decorated period.
Note elaborate masking of earlier walls by later Perpendicular
work]
A great deal of really fine glass is so badly placed as to appeal only
to the student, and not to the sightseer, but at Gloucester this
masterpiece exhibits itself to the greatest advantage. One should not
speak of this vast window as being in the eastern wall, for it is so
large that it takes the place of that wall. In fact it is somewhat wider
than the interior of the church at that point, which for this reason has
had its side walls slightly slanted out to receive the window. How great
is this disparity in size may be estimated if one sights along the
inside of either side wall, for you will miss entirely the outermost
tier of glass panels. The superficial area of the glass is also
increased by a slight bowing outward of the window structure. Behind and
to the east of this end of the cathedral was later built a Lady chapel
which, however, opens through into the older church. Of course the
shadow of this later structure could not help but fall upon the east
window, and to that extent obscure it, but what might have proved a
serious defect was avoided by stationing the chapel somewhat to the
east of the older building, and also by not beginning the coloured
canopied figures upon the east window until above the line of shadow
cast by the Lady chapel. The panes below that line are glazed in white
bordered by colour, here and there relieved by the coats of arms already
mentioned. Viewed from the crossing this great window is more than
delightful. Row upon row of canopy-framed personages on red or blue
backgrounds, are stationed one above another in splendid profusion.
Many of the books class it with the Decorated period, although always
explaining that its looks belie that early dating. Our errand is to see
how windows look, and therefore, because its stone framework is so
obviously Perpendicular, as is also the delicacy of the tones of its
glass (particularly in the canopies), it would be unwise for us to
consider it otherwise than as an early manifestation of the later style.
It is very Perpendicular in its lines and its colouring, and absolutely
unlike the deep rich windows at Tewkesbury, Bristol and Wells, which are
so typically Decorated. We must remember that the glazier had to conform
to the styles of the architect, and because it was the latter who
inaugurated the changes he was, perforce, always in advance of the
glazier, which helps to explain why some of the details of the glass
design are more archaic than the stone framework.
Looking eastward from the crossing, we can see through below this great
window and above the altar into the ample Lady chapel beyond. Passing on
into that chapel, we at once observe its most prominent feature, the
east window, constructed during the latter part of the fifteenth
century, a clearly marked example of the Perpendicular. The colouring is
here much richer than we are accustomed to find in English work of this
time, in fact it reminds one of contemporary French windows. The figures
within the canopies are more varied, and occur in groups, thus differing
widely from the almost monotonous similarity of the softer toned
solitary figures upon the choir window. In the north aisle of the nave
the third, fifth and fifteenth embrasures from the west provide us with
marked examples of the Perpendicular. Double sets of pinnacles,
two-storeyed pedestals, jewels separately leaded into the borders of
robes, &c., show a distinct advance upon the earlier and simpler methods
of the great wall of glazing in the choir. One should remark the
Decorated work on the easterly side of both transepts. The clerestory
lights are glazed in quarries with coloured borders, while above them
the tracery embrasures are not only like those at Tewkesbury, but are
also glazed in the same fashion, white lines wound about on a red
ground; we have remarked the same treatment at Bristol and Wells. Even a
brief glance about this great sanctuary reveals that huge sums must
have been spent not only in veiling the older walls with the later
Decorated work, but also in the elaboration which is everywhere
noticeable. Nor is it difficult to understand how sufficient funds for
this purpose were collected when one considers the vast store of gold,
silver, and jewels brought here as offerings by pilgrims to the tomb of
the murdered King Edward II. We must not depart without having a walk
about the charming cloisters, which are by many considered the most
beautiful in England.