Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume I.djvu/66

 elegant, and august, than the choir; at the same time its clustered columnar pillars, the open-worked mouldings of its arches, and its beautiful triforium, throw an inexpressible lightness over the whole. It is further adorned with a pulpit, whose front and body are stone, and back of curious wood-work; and several turn-up seats, the reverse of which are carved with grotesque and indecent figures—satyrical representations, emblematical of the mendicant orders of friars, with whom the lazy sons of the convent were always at open war.

The fane is also enriched with the curious roofed chapel of Prince Arthur, the eldest son of Henry VII.; and is marked by a singular architectural anomaly, which occurs in the third pillar on the north of the choir. This is constructed after one of the classical orders, but (strange proof of the workmen's ignorance) the plan is inverted; the upper members being next the ground! At the foot of the altar is the tomb of King John, said by Mr. Gough, whose splendid " Sepulchral Monuments" are a sufficient testimony of his knowledge in these matters, to be the oldest royal monument in the kingdom. On opening the tomb some time since, the body of the deceased monarch was discovered, contained in a cista or chest, enveloped in a robe, and having a quilted cap upon its head.