THE PRESENT STRUCTURE. where he was slain. In his last words he recommended himself to God, the avenger of such injuries; and to the liberty of our holy mother the church. With him was murdered his servant, and a monk who had entreated the assassins not to violate the holiness of the place. Haule was interred in the abby. Part of an inscription, relative to this cruel act, was remaining on a brass, in the time of Weever.* Sudbury, archbishop of Canterbury, made complaint in parlement of this breach of privilege. The church was shut about four months, till it was purified from the profanation. The offenders were excommunicated, a large sum of money paid to the church, and all its privileges confirmed in the next parlement. EITHER from the decay of the building, or a particular zeal and affection which Henry III. had for the royal Confessor, that prince pulled down the Saxon pile, and rebuilt it in its present elegant and magnificent form. In 1245 he undertook this great work, in the mode of architecture which began to take place in his days, but did not carry it on farther than four arches west of the middle tower; and the vaulting of this was not finished till 1296. He did not live to complete his design, which was carried on by his successor. It advanced slowly in succeeding reigns, and, * Funeral Monuments, 484, 5. 85 REBUILT A THIRD TIME BY HENRY III. 86 SHRINE OF EDWARD THE "INE OF from the portcullis on the roof of the last arches, it appears that Henry VII. or VIII. contributed to the repairs, that being the device of those monarchs. It was never finished: the great tower, and two western towers, remaining incomplete at the Reformation; after which the two present towers arose. That in the centre is wanting. A casual fire had long before destroyed the roof; but by the piety of Edward and several of the abbots it was restored to the beauty and splendor we so justly admire. HENRY III. performed two acts of pious respect to the remains of the founders of this abby, which must not be omitted. He translated those of Sebert into a tomb of touchstone, beneath an arch made in the wall. Above were paintings, long since defaced, done by order of the king, who was strongly imbued with the love of the arts; Mr. Walpole has preserved several of the precepts for a number of paintings in this church, and other places. Among them are directions for painting duos CHERUMBINOS cum hilari vultu et jocoso. BUT what does that prince the most honor is the shrine, which he caused to be made in honor BYCAVALINI of the Confessor, placed in a chapel which bears * Anecdotes of Painting, 1, 2, & seq. Engraven by Mr. Vertue, and published among the Vetusta Monumenta, tab. xvi. |