Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/215

 THE ClIUKCII OF ST. MARY, GUILDFORD. 179 lion vaulted in three divisions ; the ribs arc stone, and the spandrils probably chalk. On the face of the vaulting, and on the spandrils of the arch which divides this portion of the chaj)cl from its nave, are depicted the subjects here described. '' The seven subjects first described are depicted upon the solHt of the vault. An oval compartment in the centre bears a representation of the Godhead seated ; Ilis right liaud raised in the attitude of benediction, the left sustaining a book or table, inscribed with the letters Alpha and Omega. between the ribs of the vault, and occur in the following order, besinnino- from the south side. "1. Represents Christ passing judgment. Before Him a pardoned man kneeling in prayer, behind whom are two others dragged to judgment by demons. " 2. A figure of Christ, before whom is a person placed within a font in a supplicating posture ; a third figure is I'cprcscnted drawing water from a river by two buckets. "3. Earthly judgment, represented in a group of five figures. A king seated, the accuser and witness standing, and a culprit suffering decapitation. " 4. Heavenly judgment. Several good souls represented as received into the bosom of our Saviour ; a bad man con- demned to torment, which he is suffering in a tub-like receptacle from a figure armed with a flcsh-liook. " 5. Tiie death of the wicked. A judge standing, holding a wand or rod [or sceptre *?], a scribe seated at a desk register- ing the sentence. Two figui-es extended dead upon the floor ; a third drinking from a chalice. " 6. The death of the good. The least defaced of all the subjects. It I'cpresents a corpse placed upon the ground, attended by two priests ; in the back-ground an altar upon which is placed a chalice ; above, the hand of Providence issuing from the clouds. "These six subjects are in circular compartments, the remainder of the soffit being filled with ornamental foliage and two angels with censers, so placed as to appear on each side of the figure of the Deity, first described. " In the spandril to the right hand of the altar, an angel is i-eproscntcd weighing in scales the good and the evil actions of a soul, the body belonging to which is represented below in a
 * ' The remaining subjects are upon the spaces intervening