Chapter III: The Interior (2)

St. Anthony, one of the primitive hermits, and the founder of monasticism, was born at Coma, in Upper Egypt, in A.D. 251. Before he was twenty years old he lost his parents, and inherited great riches from them, but within a year he sold all that he had and gave the money to the poor. He then retired into solitude near Coma, passing his time in manual labour, prayer, and study. Later, he went farther into the wilderness, and lived in a cave. Satan is said to have tempted him by sending spirits to him, disguised as beautiful women. Finding this ineffectual, it is related that the Evil One made a violent attack on him, and beat him so severely that he left him for dead. At the age of ninety he heard of another hermit (St. Paul the Hermit), and made a journey to visit him. St. Paul died soon after this meeting, and St. Anthony, aided by two lions, buried him. In his 105th year he told some of his disciples that he was going to die; then, accompanied by a few monks, he retired deeper into the wilderness, where he died, having first obtained a promise that they would keep the place of his burial secret.

(In the time of Innocent IV. all hermits who lived under no recognised discipline were incorporated and reduced under the rule of St. Augustine.)

THE LEGEND OF ST. ANTHONY

1. Of Anton story who lyste to here
In Egypt was he bornt as doyth aper.

2. Her is he babtyd, Anton they hym call
Gret landes and renttes to hym doeth fawl.

3. As scoler to the kyrk here is he gayn
To here the sermontt and aftyr itt he's tayn.

4. Here geyffith he to the kyrk boith land and rent
To leve in povert is hys intent.

5. Here in Agello to oon oulde man he wentt
To lerne perfeccion is hys intent.

6. Here makyth he breder as men of relig',
And techyth them vertu to leve in perfecco.

7. Here to the wyldernes as armet geon he
And thus temptyth hym covytice with oon gold dyshie.

8. The sprytt of fornycacon to h[~y] her doth apper
And thus he chastith his body with thorne and brer.

9. The devill thus hat h[~y] wounded w_t lance and staf
And levyth h[~y] for deyd lyying at his cayf

10. Here Crist haith hym helyd the devill he doth away
And comfortyd his confessor deyd as he lay

11. Here comands he y^{is} bests and ffast away th_a flie
Y^e bor h[~y] obbays and w^{th} h[~y] bydeds he.

12. Here makyth he a well and water hath uptayne
And comforted hys breder thyrst was nere slayn.

13. Here commandith he best to make h[~y] a cayf
And thus he berys Paulyn and lay h[~y] in graf

14. Thus walkèd he over the flode water doth h[~y] no der
Theodor h[~y] se and dare nou c[~u] h[~y] nere

15. Here departith Anton, to hevyn his saul is gone
Betwixt his two breder in wilder's th[~e] alone.

16. Here in wilderns they bery hym that no man shud him knaw
For soo he comanded syne hom first tha draw.

17. Thus levyth he i wildern's xx^{ii} yere and more
Without any company bot the wylde boore.

St. Augustine, the first great saint of the Order, and patron of the canons of the cathedral. He was born at Tagaste, in Numidia, A.D. 354. His father, Patricius, was a Pagan, while his mother, Monica, was a Christian. Patricius, perceiving the ability of his son, "spared nothing to breed him up a scholar." When quite young he had a severe illness, and expressed a wish to be baptized, but on his recovery the wish vanished. Later, his morals grew corrupt, and he lived a profligate life until he became a convert of the Manicheans at the age of nineteen. After teaching grammar at Tagaste, and rhetoric at Carthage, he proceeded to Rome, against the wish of Monica. He next became professor of rhetoric at Milan. Ambrose was then archbishop, and through listening to his preaching, St. Augustine abandoned the Manichean doctrines, and was baptized at Easter the following year, A.D. 387. Monica, who had prayed unceasingly for his conversion, now visited him at Milan, and was greatly rejoiced at the answer to her prayers. His mother started to return to Africa with her son, but died at Ostia. At a villa outside Hippo, St. Augustine passed three years in the company of eleven pious men. "They had all things in common as in the early Church; and fasting and prayer, Scripture-reading and almsgiving, formed their regular occupations. Their mode of life was not formally monastic according to any special rule, but the experience of this time of seclusion was, no doubt, the basis of that monastic system which St. Augustine afterwards sketched, and which derived from him its name." He then entered the priesthood, A.D. 390, and five years afterward was made coadjutor in the bishopric of Hippo, and eventually became bishop. The rest of his life he devoted to defending the Christian religion, both by preaching and by writing. He died in Hippo, A.D. 430, while the Vandals were besieging it. St. Augustine is called "the greatest of the Fathers." His great work "De Civitate Dei," "the highest expression of his thought," engaged him for seventeen years. In his well-known "Confessions" is given an account of his spiritual progress, and of his state before he was converted.

ST. AUGUSTINE

1. Her fader and mod^r of sanct Austyne
Fyrst put hym her to lerne doctryne

2. Her taught he gramor and rethorike
Emongys all doctors non was h[~y] lyke

3. Her promysed he w^{th} hys moder to abide
Bot he left her wepyng and stal y^e tyde grace de diu (on the
ship's sail)

4. There taught he at rome the sevyn science
Y^t was gret prece tyll hys presence

5. Her prechyd Ambrose and oft tymys previd
Qd lettera occid_t wych Austin mevid

6. Her Poinciane hym tald ye lyffe of Sanct Anton
And to Elipius he stonyshed said thus anone
Q^r patim^r surgut indocti et Coelu^m rapiu't
Et nos c[~u] doctrinis [~i] infer_r demergimur

7. Her sore wepying for hys gret syn
He went to morne a garth wythin

8. Her wepyng and walyng as he lay
Sodenly a voice thus herd he say
Tolle lege Tolle lege

9. No word for tothewarke here myght he say
But wrote to the pepil for him to pray

10. Her of Sainct Ambrose chrysteyned was
The gret doctor Austyne throgh Godes grace
Te Deum laudamus Te Dom'm confitemur

11. Her deyd his moder called Monica
As thai were returning in to Affrica

12. Her was he sacred prest and usyd
Of Valery the Bishop thoffe he refusyt

13. Her after (Godes word mylde and mek taught he)
Hys (men of) religion as ye may see

14. Her fortunate the heretyk concludit he
Informyng the laws of Maneche

15. Consecrate Byshop was this doctour
By all the cuntre with gret honour

16. As ys woman come to h[~y] for consolacion
She saw hym wth the Trinite in meditacion

17. When he Complyn had said and come to luke
He was full cleyn owt of y^s knafys buke
(Penitet me tibi ostendisse librum)

18. They beried hys body wyth deligence
her in hys aun kirk of Yponese.

19. Her Lied-brand the kyng of L[~u]berdy
Hym translate fr[~o] Sardyne to Pavye

20. Thei shrynyd hys banes solemnly
In sanct Peter kyrk thus at Pavye

21. Thys prior he bad soon do evynsang her
And helyd hym that was sek thre yer

22. Her he apperyd unto these men thre
And bad yam go to ... y^t hale

Between the compartments devoted to the lives and deeds of St. Anthony and St. Cuthbert are pictures of the twelve Apostles with the words which, according to tradition, each one contributed to the Creed.

APOSTLES AND CREED

ST. PETER I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of
heaven and earth

ST. ANDREW And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord

ST. JAMES Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of
the Virgin Mary

ST. JOHN He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
dead, and buried

ST. THOMAS He descended into Hell: rose again the third day
from the dead

ST. JAMES And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father
Almighty

ST. PHILIP From whence He shall come to judge the quick and
the dead.

ST. BARTHOLOMEW I believe in the Holy Ghost

ST. MATTHEW The Communion of Saints

ST. SIMON The Forgiveness of Sins

ST. THADDEUS The Resurrection of the Body

ST. MATTHIAS And the Life Everlasting.

At the time of the Reformation these paintings were all whitewashed. Dean Percy (1778) removed the whitewash from some of them, and they are now all restored to their original condition as far as possible.

#Retro-choir.#--The extreme eastern bay of each aisle, and the passage behind the altar, form the retro-choir, which is Late Decorated.

Its acutely-pointed windows are practically of identical pattern, the mullions and side-mouldings having richly floriated capitals.

The last arch of the main arcade is supported by a bracket of foliage. A fragment of rib still remaining was for the cross-groining of the aisle; but as this would have interfered with the arch mouldings, the rib was terminated higher up the wall upon a bracket in the form of a crouching figure.

The wall-arcade has three divisions, the capitals of the columns are foliated, and the point where the hood mouldings meet is ornamented with the carving of a human head.

The low doorway forms the entrance to a staircase leading to the upper part of the cathedral, and the belfry.

Beneath the great east window there is a plain tablet in memory of Archdeacon Paley, and another in memory of his two wives and infant son.

Another tablet is in memory of Dean Cramer: "Apud Oxonienses Historiæ Profr. Regius," died 1848.

Opposite is a monument to Bishop Law, the work of T. Banks, R.A. A figure of Religion leaning on a cross is above the tablet. This monument was originally fixed on the pillar behind the pulpit ("Columnæ hujus sepultus est ad pedem"). It was removed to the north aisle because of the weakening of the pillar through having been cut to receive the memorial; and in 1894 was again removed and fixed here, about as far away from the bishop's grave as it could possibly be placed.

Under the great window, a little to the south, is a tombstone, similar to that of Bishop Bell in the choir, but the brass is missing.

On the south side the last arch of the main arcade is supported by a bracket representing a human figure sustaining mouldings, resembling the one at the end of the north aisle.

The small east window is in memory of John Heysham, M.D. (1753-1834). He graduated at Edinburgh in 1777, and settled in Carlisle where he practised till his death. He is famous for his statistical observations; a record of the annual births, marriages, diseases, and deaths in Carlisle (ten years to 1788); a census of the inhabitants in 1780 and 1788. The actuary of the Sun Life Assurance Office used these statistics as the basis of the well-known "Carlisle Table of Mortality." Aided by the dean and chapter he established the first dispensary for the poor at Carlisle. He died in 1834, and was buried in St. Mary's Church.

One of the heads ornamenting the wall-arcade is said to represent Edward I.

The #South Choir Aisle# is in most particulars the same as the corresponding aisle on the north. The windows of its two bays next to St. Catherine's Chapel are Early English of a later period than the others, but the effect they produce is not by any means so pleasing. The decorations of the capitals of the Early English columns are not so elaborate as those in the north choir aisle.

In the third bay east of St. Catherine's Chapel, two arches of the wall-arcade have been thrown into one, forming a doorway. The arch is formed by seven segments, and its hood-moulding terminates in the cornice immediately above the arcade.

#Monuments in South Choir Aisle.#--At the east end is an altar tomb with recumbent effigy in white marble, of Bishop Waldegrave, by H.H. Armstead, R.A.

The words "væ mihi si non evangelizavero" (1 Cor. ix. 16) are on the edge of the upper part of the tomb. Below this is the following inscription:--

Samuel Waldegrave
57th Bishop of Carlisle
Born Sept. 13, 1817; Consecrated, Nov. 12, 1860;
Entered into rest Oct. 1, 1869.
"To me to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Phil. i. 21.

A tribute of
Affection, Admiration, and Respect.
Raised by public subscription.

A.D. 1872.

A recess with low pointed arch beneath the third window from the east formerly contained a monument to Sir John Skelton, Knt. (1413-22).

Outside St. Catherine's Chapel is an altar tomb with a damaged effigy in red sandstone of Bishop Barrow (1423-29). Originally it was painted and gilt, and, although greatly injured, the remains show that the statue was well executed.

Opposite, under a carved oak canopy, is a bronze recumbent figure by Hamo Thornycroft, R.A., of Harvey Goodwin. The following is inscribed on a bronze tablet:

In memory of Harvey Goodwin,
Fifty-eighth Bishop of Carlisle.
at Cambridge, and Ely, and in this diocese
a proved leader of men.
Learned, eloquent, wise, untiring,
he used his rare gifts of mind and heart
in the service of his master
for the good of the English people,
and of the Church of Christ at home and abroad.

Born, Oct. 9, 1818; Consecrated, Nov. 30, 1869; Died, Nov. 25, 1891.

Next to this, under a richly-carved canopy, is a recumbent figure in white marble, by H.H. Armstead, R.A., of Dean Close. The monument bears the following inscription:--

Francis Close, D.D.,
25 years Dean of this cathedral, died 1882, aged 85.
Erected by public subscription as a mark
of affection and esteem (1884).

The canopy, given by his son, bears the words following: "This canopy was erected by Admiral Close in memory of his father."

Francis Close was born in 1797, and was educated at St. John's, Cambridge. From 1826 till 1856 he held the living of Cheltenham. He was a liberal subscriber to societies for various philanthropic purposes whether in connection with the Established Church or not. In 1856 he was nominated Dean of Carlisle. Although a very popular preacher his theological views were far from broad. He was, also, a strenuous opponent of betting, theatre-going, indulgence in alcoholic liquors, and smoking. The poor people of Carlisle lost a good friend when he passed away. His failing health obliged him to give up the deanery in 1881, and at the end of the following year he died at Penzance, where he was wintering.

The fourth window is filled with glass in memory of members of the Mounsey family, and Captain John Oswald Lambert.

The following subjects are represented:--

Our Lord The Transfiguration. Pilate writing
rebuking the title
the Sea. for the Cross.

The Adoration The entry into Our Lord
of the Magi. Jerusalem. before Pilate.

St. Paul St. Paul before St. Paul
before the King Agrippa. on board
Chief Priests. ship.

At the back of the bishop's throne are some shelves containing a few standard devotional books for the use of the congregation before and after divine service. It would be a good thing if this custom could be generally adopted, and every church in the land furnished with a small library of the works of such men as Thomas a Kempis, St. Augustine, Taylor, Law, and Keble.

The low doorway in the north-eastern angle of the retro-choir opens on a staircase leading to the upper part of the cathedral, and the tower.

If we ascend to the clerestory we may pass along the ambulatory, and obtain a nearer view of the great east window (especially the old glass in the tracery), the choir roof, and the clerestory windows. At the end of the ambulatory we come to the belfry.

There are six #Bells#, one of which, bearing the date 1396, was furnished by Bishop Strickland. It is inscribed as follows:--

In: voce: sum: munda: maria;
sonando: secunda.

Another bell bears the following sentence:--

"Jesus be our speed." Date 1608.

A third has on the rim--"This ringe was made six tuneable bells at the charge of the Lord Howard and other gentree of the country and citie, and officers of the garrisson, by the advice of Majer Jeremiah Tolhurst, governor of the garrisson 1658." This bell was cracked while ringing during the rejoicings held in honour of the peace after Waterloo.

On a bell dated 1657 can be read, "I warne you how your time doth pass away, Serve God therefore while life doth last, and say Glorie in excelsis Deo."

Of the remaining bells, one is dated 1659, and the other 1728.

In war time the tower was useful as a watch-tower, especially when the enemy was approaching from Scotland. The small turret was used for fire signals.

There is an interesting record in connection with the tower which is found in an account of the trial of the Governor of Carlisle in 1745. It is as follows:--

"I desired that two men might be posted upon the high Tower of the Cathedral with a very large spying glass I had brought with me, and to send me a report of what they observed in the country. The Chancellor proposed to the clergy to take this duty, which they readily did, and were very exact and vigilant, and when the Rebells came before Carlisle they took up arms as Volunteers most of whom served under me as aides-de-camp."[6]

[6] "Guide to the Cathedral of Carlisle," by R.H. and K.H.

THE MONASTIC BUILDINGS

The Monastic Buildings were erected on the land south of the cathedral. The cloisters, enclosing a large open court, stood west of the south transept, communicating with the two doors--one in the north-east angle, the other in the north-west.

The dormitory, built upon an arcade, was joined to the south transept, and had a door opening into it above the present modern doorway.

West of the dormitory, and parallel with the nave, was the fratry; adjoining the east end of which, and stretching to the south-east, were the domestic offices.

West of the fratry was the prior's lodging (now the deanery).

The chapter-house, which was built somewhere in the angle formed by the choir and the dormitory, has disappeared entirely. It was octagonal in shape, about 28 feet across, and had a conical roof.

The great fire in 1292 caused great destruction to the priory buildings. They were put up again about 1350, and Prior Gondibur almost entirely rebuilt them towards the end of the fifteenth century.

There is no reason for doubting that the various buildings were handed over in good order at the dissolution of the priory. The destruction which has left standing only the fratry, the prior's lodging, and the gate tower (1528), was the act of the Parliamentary troops and their Scottish allies in 1645, when, in addition to pulling down part of the nave, they destroyed most of the monastic buildings, in order to use the materials for the erection of guard-houses, and to strengthen the fortifications.

Dr. Todd says: "The Abbey Clois^{rs}, part of ye Deanery, and Chapter-House.... they pulled down, and employed ye stone to build a maine guard, and a guard-house at every gate; to repair y^e walls, and other secular uses as they thought fit."

The #Fratry# still remains. It was built about the middle of the fourteenth century, and rebuilt by Prior Gondibour (1484-1511) towards the close of the fifteenth century. It contains the canons' dining-hall, a fine hall, 79 feet by 27. At the upper end is a beautiful little reader's pulpit, and in the north wall there are two handsome canopied niches. The Perpendicular windows on the south side are very fine specimens; the tracery, however, is modern, but that of the west windows is very old. The late Mr. Street very carefully restored the fratry in 1880, and it is now used as a chapter-house, library, and choir-school. Beneath the fratry is a very fine Decorated crypt, with a groined roof. The boss of one of the pillars bears the initials of Prior Gondibour.

Near the fratry, to the south-west, is the prior's lodging, which, having been enlarged, is now the #Deanery#. It has an embattled tower, and was a refuge for the abbey inmates when danger was near; in fact, to all intents and purposes it was a "peel tower." Formerly there was a covered passage leading from the first floor, over the cloisters, into the cathedral. There is a remarkable room in the deanery, the priors' dining-hall, with a very fine ceiling, put up by Prior Senhouse (1507-1520). It is of oak, richly carved and painted; and covered profusely with verses, armorial bearings, and devices. In every third compartment are two birds holding a scroll between them, on which, and on the cross beams, the following rude verses are written in old English characters:--

Remember man ye gret pre-emynence,
Geven unto ye by God omnipotente;
Between ye and angels is lytill difference,
And all thinge erthly to the obediente.
By the byrde and beist under ye fyrmament,
Say what excuse mayste thou lay or finde;
Thus you are made by God so excellente
But that you aughteste again to hy' be kinde,
Simon Sonus sette yis Roofe and Scalope here,
To the intent wythin thys place they shall have prayers every day
in the yere.
Lofe God and thy prynce and you neydis not dreid thy enimys.

The abbey gateway is to the north-west of the nave. It is a plain, round-headed archway, built by Prior Christopher Slee, and bears the following inscription:--"Ora te p^r anima Christofori Slee Prioris qui primus hoc opus fieri incipit A.D. MDXXVII." Formerly, it was provided with battlements, which have now been removed.

Near the south transept, two arches of the vestibule of the chapter-house are still visible.