Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 2.djvu/306

280 differed in opinion. On the one hand, some undertook to repair the aforesaid columns without mischief to the walls above. On the other hand, there were some who asserted that the whole church must be pulled down if the monks wished to exist in safety. This opinion, true as it was, excruciated the monks with grief, and no wonder, for how could they hope that so great a work should be completed in their days by any human ingenuity.

"However, amongst the other workmen there had come a certain William of Sens, a man active and ready, and as a workman most skilful both in wood and stone. Him, therefore, they retained, on account of his lively genius and good reputation, and dismissed the others. And to him, and to the providence of God was the execution of the work committed." p. 35.

Gervase goes on to describe the church of Lanfranc and the choir of Conrad, and to compare them with the new work, by which means we are now enabled to identify all that still exists of the earlier work. He afterwards describes the operations of each successive year of the construction of the new work, and here the skill of his translator and annotator is eminently shewn in applying his descriptions, and thus enabling us to identify in the existing structure the work of each year from 1175 to 1184. It is not a little remarkable that the earlier work partakes much more of the Norman character; thus the work of 1175 is pure Norman, with the exception only of the pointed arch, while in 1184, after having traced the progressive change, we have in the Trinity chapel and the corona almost pure Early English work. It must be remembered that in 1178 William of Sens was so much injured by the fall of a scaffold on which he was at work, at the height of fifty feet from the ground, that he was unable to continue the work.

"And the master, perceiving that he derived no benefit from the physicians, gave up the work, and crossing the sea, returned to his home in France. And another succeeded him in the charge of the works; William by name.