The Publications of the Surtees Society

his pointing to the charges for painting the interior of the lantern at York, recorded at page 77, the last sheet that he saw, and saying-"This is just what we want to do at Ely." Now, singularly enough, the lantern in that glorious temple, renovated and painted, is to be his monument. Another kinsman, nearer and dearer still, first suggested the publication of this volume, and frequently said that it would make quite a revolution in architectural archæology. All the early sheets were submitted to his experienced eye, but, alas, he was not permitted to see many of them. That which ends with page 160 was the last that was sent to him. He kept it longer than usual, and I wondered at it; at length it was returned, and I soon saw that although it had been a labour of love to peruse it, it had been a labour still. Upon page 156 were the last words that he ever wrote in connexion with the favourite pursuits of his life; there did that hand, so true to the Surtees Society, for the first time, waver. A fortnight afterwards and it was lifeless. It may seem idle to record such trifles as these; I mention them with a melancholy pleasure, and some will thank me for them.

These things are now over, and this volume is at length completed. Several things have been omitted from want of space and time. The book, however, contains nearly all the evidences upon which an architectural account of the Church of York must be built. At some future time it may, perhaps, be in my power to weave out of them a history of that Minster in a more popular form.

J. R.

York, May 27, 1859.

EXPLANATION OF THE PLANS.

THIS explanation is given in Professor Willis's own words. It will be well to study the Plans in connection with the Professor's description of the Minster.

"Beginning with No. 5, and reckoning backwards through the series, the black parts of each plan shew all the portions of the previous plan that have been retained, and the light parts shew the portions that have been changed. In No. 1, however, as there is no previous plan, light tint is used to distinguish the conjectural portions from those which have still left traces of their existence and dimensions, and which are marked full black. This light tint is, however, shaded in the opposite direction from the light tints previously explained, so that there can be no ambiguity, and the same may be said of the tint E, in No. 2, which is merely employed to designate a space filled with earth.

"Again, beginning the series of plans from No. 1, each plan has a dotted outline, which marks the extent of the additional building in the next plan in order. Thus the relative dimensions of each new member of the cathedral to the one which it has superseded are brought into direct comparison. The gradual changes by which the Norman cathedral of No. 1 was converted into the existing cathedral of No. 5, were worked out in the following order: 1st, a new choir; 2nd, a pair of new transepts; 3rd, a new nave; 4th, a second new and still larger choir. And these successive additions exceeded the former portions not merely in length but also in breadth.

"The date below each plan is merely that of some one year in round numbers that occurred in the interval between the changes, so that the plan to which it is appended represents the church as it existed in that year. I have purposely avoided the crowding of letters of reference into these plans.

"In No. 5 I have delineated the choir stalls, high-altar, and steps, and the double screen with the feretory, or space T between them, on the authority of Torre's plan, which was taken before the western screen was removed.

"In the nave K is the font, L the position of Melton's tomb, and M the place where Drake found the supposed coffin of St. William."

GENERAL INDEX OF CONTENTS.

EXTRACTS FROM THE FABRIC ROLLS, PP. 1-120.

APPENDIX.

PAGE

I. Excerpta e rotulis camerariorum Eccl. Cath Ebor. 1340-1704

II. Ecclesiæ Schirburnensis utensilia