Various - The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 17, No. 488, May 7, 1831

ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL, WINDSOR.

This venerable structure, as we explained in No. 486 of The Mirror , is situated in the lower ward or court of Windsor Castle. It stands in the centre, and in a manner, divides the court into two parts. On the north or inner side are the houses and apartments of the Dean and Canons of St. George's Chapel, with those of the minor canons, clerks, and other officers; and on the south and west sides of the outer part are the houses of the Poor Knights of Windsor.

The Engraving represents the south front of the Chapel as it presents itself to the passenger through Henry the Eighth's Gateway, the principal entrance to the Lower Ward. The entrance to the Chapel, as shown in the Engraving, is that generally used, and was formed by command of George the Fourth; through which his Majesty's remains were borne, according to a wish expressed some time previous to his death.

The exterior of the Chapel requires but few descriptive details. The interior will be found in our last volume.

It is a beautiful structure, in the purest style of the Pointed architecture, and was founded by Edward the Third, in 1377, for the honour of the Order of the Garter. But however noble the first design, it was improved by Edward the Fourth and Henry the Seventh, in whose reign the famous Sir Reg. Bray, K.G., assisted in ornamenting the chapel and completing the roof. The architecture of the inside has ever been esteemed for its great beauty; and, in particular, the stone vaulting is reckoned an excellent piece of workmanship. It is an ellipsis, supported by lofty pillars, whose ribs and groins sustain the whole roof, every part of which has some different device well finished, as the arms of several of our kings, great families, &c. On each side of the choir are the stalls of the Sovereign and Knights of the Garter, with the helmet, mantling, crest, and sword of each knight, set up over his stall, on a canopy of ancient carving curiously wrought. Over the canopy is affixed the banner of each knight blazoned on silk, and on the backs of the stalls are the titles of the knights, with their arms neatly engraved and emblazoned on copper.

There are several small chapels in this edifice, in which are the monuments of many illustrious persons; particularly of Edward, Earl of Lincoln, a renowned naval warrior; George Manners, Lord Roos, and Anne, his consort, niece of Edward the Fourth; Anne, Duchess of Exeter, mother of that lady, and sister to the king; Sir Reginald Bray, before mentioned; and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who married the sister of King Henry the Eighth.

At the east end of St. George's Chapel is a freestone edifice, built by Henry the Seventh, as a burial-place for himself and his successors; but afterwards altering his purpose, he began the more noble structure at Westminster; and this remained neglected until Cardinal Wolsey obtained a grant of it from Henry the Eighth, and, with a profusion of expense, began here a sumptuous monument for himself, whence this building obtained the name of Wolsey's Tomb House . This monument was so magnificently built, that it exceeded that of Henry the Seventh, in Westminster Abbey; and at the time of the cardinal's disgrace, the tomb was so far executed, that Benedetto, a statuary of Florence, received 4,250 ducats for what he had already done; and 380l. 18s. had been paid for gilding only half of this monument. The cardinal dying soon after his disgrace, was buried in the cathedral at York, and the monument remained unfinished. In 1646, the statues and figures of gilt copper, of exquisite workmanship, were sold. James the Second converted this building into a Popish chapel, and mass was publicly performed here. The ceiling was painted by Verrio, and the walls were finely ornamented and painted; but the whole having been neglected since the reign of James the Second, it fell into a complete state of decay, from which, however, it was some years ago retrieved by George the Third, who had it magnificently completed (under the direction of the late James Wyatt, Esq.) in accordance with the original style, and a mausoleum constructed within, as a burial-place for the royal family.

Windsor Castle, as the reader may recollect, was magnificently re-built by William of Wykeham, who was Clerk of the Works to Edward the Third, in 1356. Little now remains of Wykeham's workmanship, save the round tower, and this has just been raised considerably. Wykeham had power to press all sorts of artificers, and to provide stone, timber, and all necessary materials for conveyance and erection. Indeed, Edward caused workmen to be impressed out of London and several counties, to the number of five or six hundred, by writs directed to the various sheriff's, who were commanded to take security of the masons and joiners, that they should not leave Windsor without permission of the architect. What a contrast are these strong measures with the scrutinized votes of money recently made for the renovation of the Castle!

To the elucidation of the word Britannia, contained in your 486th number, I beg to add the opinion of the same author on the subject of Albion:—

"Albion (the most ancient name of this Isle) containeth Englande and Scotlande: of the beginning (origin) of which name haue been sundrie opinios (opinions): One late feigned by him, which first prynted the Englishe Chronicle, 1 1 Holinshed. wherein is neither similitude of trouth, reasone, nor honestie: I mean the fable of the fiftie doughters of Dioclesian, kyng of Syria, where neuer any other historic maketh mencion of a kyng of Syria, so named: Also that name is Greke, and no part of the language of Syria. Moreouer the coming of theim from Syria in a shippe or boate without any marynours (mariners) thorowe (through) the sea called Mediterraneum , into the occean, and so finally to finde this He, and to inhabit it, * * * * is both impossible, and much reproche to this noble Realme, to ascribe hir first name and habitation, to such inuention. Another opinion is (which hath a more honeste similitude) that it was named Albion, ab albis rupibus , of white rockes, because that unto them, that come by sea, the bankes and rockes of this He doe appeare whyte. Of this opinion I moste mervayle (marvel), because it is written of great learned men, First, Albion is no latin worde, nor hath the analogie, that is to saie, proportion or similitude of latine. For who hath founde this syllable on , at the ende of a latin woord. And if it should have bæn (been) so called for the whyte colour of the rockes, men would have called called it (I believe this to be a misprint) Alba , or Albus , or Album. In Italy were townes called Alba 2 2 Alba, the city of Romulus, the founder of Rome, was called so from a white sow found there by Æneas.—Vide Livy, lib. i Cum tibi sollicito secreti ad fluminis undam Litoreis ingens inventa sub illicibus sus, Triginta capitum foetus enixa jacebit, Alba, solo recubans, albi circum ubera nati: Is locus urbis erit ei. Virgil Æneid, lib. iii. v. 390. When, in the shady shelter of a wood And near the margin of a gentle flood, Thou shalt behold a sow upon the ground, With thirty sucking young encompassed round; The dam and offspring white as falling snow: These on thy city shall their name bestow, &c. DRYDEN. and in Asia a countrey called Albania, and neither of them took their beginning of whyte rockes, or walles, as ye may read in books of geographic: nor the water of the ryuer called Albis , semeth any whiter than other water. But if where auncient remembraunce of the beginning of thinges lacketh, it may be leeful for men to use their conjectures, than may myne be as well accepted as Plinies (although he incomparably excelled me in wisedome e doctrine) specially if it may appéer, that my coiecture (conjecture) shal approch more neere to the similitude of trouth. Wherfore I will also sett foorth mine opinion onely to the intent to exclude fables, lackyng eyther honestie or reasonable similitudes. Whan the Greekes began first to prosper, and their cities became populous, and wared puissaunt, they which trauailed on the seas, and also the yles in the seas called