4. In this chest in the year 1661 were promiscuously laid together the bones of princes and prelates which had been scattered about by sacrilegious barbarism in the year 1642.

5. King Edmund, whom this chest contains, and who swayed the sceptre of royalty while his father was yet living: O Christ, receive.

6. King Edred died in the year 955. The pious Edred who rests in this tomb admirably governed the country of the Britons.

The altar screen of stone work is considered to be one of the richest specimens of its kind in England; it was executed in the time of Bishop Fox, and exhibits great delicacy of workmanship, consisting of a variety of niches with ornamented canopies. This screen, which is more elaborate in its detail than that of St. Alban's Abbey church, has been lately very carefully restored.16 On the spandrils of the doorways are the Annunciation and Visitation of the Blessed Virgin, in fine preservation.

Over the altar screen is the eastern window of the Cathedral, filled with ancient stained glass, chiefly consisting of figures of apostles, prophets, and bishops, with legends attached to them; these have been mutilated and improperly arranged, the figures are mingled together without order, and in many instances the legends are misapplied. In the upper compartments of the window are figures of Christ and the Virgin Mary, between which are traces of the usual emblems of the Trinity; part of these having been removed, the place is filled with a figure of Saint Bartholomew, executed in a much fainter style of painting than the rest. In small compartments adjoining are angels holding trumpets, other angels are bearing the arms of the see of Winchester, and the paternal arms of Bishop Fox, accompanied by his motto, Est Deo Gracia. In the next division of the window is Saint Ethelwold, bishop of Winchester,

16 The altar screen at Saint Saviour's, Southwark, agrees with this of Winchester in several important particulars, not only in the arrangement and general design, but in the actual number of the niches, a coincidence which can alone be attributed to the circumstance of the two screens being the work of one hand. The church of Saint Mary Overy, now the parish church of Saint Saviour, nearly adjoined the episcopal palace, and was at all times an object of the regard and attention of the bishops of Winchester; Bishop Fox appears to have been a benefactor to the church by a similar donation to that which he had made to his cathedral, marking it with his peculiar device of the pelican and agnus dei, to point out to posterity its history and founder.— See a Description of the Altar Screen at Saint Saviour's Church, by E. I. Carlos, in the Gentleman's Magazine for February, 1834.

who not only rebuilt this Cathedral, but founded or rebuilt the churches of Ely, Peterborough, and Thorney. He died in98 4. Beside the bishop are two prophets, one of whom is Joel. In the lowermost division of the window are Saint Swithin and Saint Peter, Saint Paul, and representations of ancient prophets, one of which bears the name of Malichias on the border of his mantle.

Two of the stained glass windows of the choir have been sacrificed, being entirely covered over with whitewash, in order to prevent the glare, which they were supposed to cast on West's famous picture at the altar. The other windows chiefly contain representations of prophets and apostles, remarkable for the correctness of their drawing and for richness of colour. Most of the figures may be ascertained either by the legends, or the attributes of the saints represented.

Over the altar is a picture of the raising of Lazarus, by Benjamin West, P. R. A. The back of the high altar anciently consisted of plated gold, garnished with precious stones; upon it stood a tabernacle and steps of embroidered work, ornamented with pearls; also six silver candlesticks gilt, intermixed with reliquaries, wrought in gold and enriched with jewels. Still higher was a large crucifix, with its attendant images of the Virgin Mary and Saint John, composed of the purest gold, and garnished with jewels, the gift of Bishop Henry de Blois, King Stephen's brother. Over this appears to have been suspended, beneath the exquisite stone canopy, the crown of King Canute, placed there in homage after the scene of his commanding the sea to retire from his feet, which took place at Southampton." On great festivals and solemn occasions innumerable ornaments of inestimable value were employed in the service of the church. The richness and beauty of the ecclesiastical furniture of this cathedral is said to have dazzled the eyes of strangers who came to view it.18

Before the altar lie the remains of Bishop Henry de Blois, and at the bottom of the steps was buried Bishop Henry Woodlock, who died in 1316.

In the middle of the sanctuary is the tomb of King William Rufus,

17 See the Inventory of Cathedral Ornaments in the "Monasticon."

18 Historia Major Wintoniensis, written by Thomas Rudborne, a monk of Winchester, in the middle of the fifteenth century, and printed in Warton's Anglia Sacra.

It is

who was accidentally slain by an arrow in the New Forest.1 composed of English grey marble, and is raised about two feet above the ground, in that early form called dos d'âne, presenting the general outline of a house, in allusion to its destination, the last dwelling here below. The king's bones are supposed to have been removed by Bishop de Blois, as an honour paid to his remains; but when the present tomb was opened in the time of Cromwell, there were found in it some pieces of cloth embroidered with gold, a large gold ring, and a small silver chalice.

On the northern side of the sanctuary is an altar tomb, supposed to cover the remains of Bishop John de Pontoise, who died in 1304. In this part of the church is also the monument of Bishop Thomas Cooper, who died in 1594. Close to the altar is a mural monument of Brownlow North, bishop of Winchester for thirty-nine years, who died at the episcopal palace, Chelsea, 12th of July, 1820, æt. 79. It was sculptured by Sir Francis Chantrey, R. A.

No church in England contains so many elegant memorials of prelates who were distinguished in their lifetime by their virtues, their piety, and their worth; none are to be found more magnificent, more perfect, or of superior sculpture. The sumptuous monumental chapel of Bishop Richard Fox, founder of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, adjoins the back of the altar screen, and extending eastward presents the beautiful elevation of its front towards the southern aisle of the choir.

During the reign of Henry VII., Bishop Fox enjoyed the unlimited favour and confidence of the king, and bore a conspicuous share, not only in the political measures, but even in the court amusements and ceremonies of that reign. King Henry VII. appointed him one of his executors, and recommended him strongly to his son and successor. Although he retained his seat in the privy council, and continued lord privy seal under King Henry VIII., his influence gradually abated, and, after remaining some time in office, Bishop Fox, together with Archbishop Warham, retired from Court in the year 1515.

19 He dyed in the yeere of Christ 1100, and in the 13th yeere of his raigne, on the second day of August, when he had raigned twelve yeares, eleven moneths, lacking eight dayes, and was buried at Winchester, in the Cathedral Church or Monasterie of Saint Swithen, under a plaine flat marble stone before the lectorne in the queere, but long since his bones were translated in a coffer, and laid with King Knute's bones.- Stowe's Chronicle.