Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/195

 MONUMENTAL EFFIGY IN CONINGTON CHURCH. 147 In the recumbent monumental effigies of ecclesiastics from the twelfth to the sixteenth century, we commonly find them represented either as vested for the Eucharistic sacrifice or in the canonical or choral habit. But of rcHgious represented in the monastic costumes of the different orders we have an incredible paucity of examples. In the conventual church of Hexham is the recumbent effigy of a supposed prior attired in the tunica talaris or ancient cassock, over which is worn the surplice without sleeves, and over this an ample mantle or cowl, the cajjjja magna, with its capidium or hood drawn over the head and eyes, leaving the lower portion of the face only visible. In the church of Orton-on-the-IIill, Leicester- shire, formerly an appendage to the Cistercian abbey of Mere- vale, Warwickshire, is the recumbent effigy of a religious represented in the cappa clausa or close cowl without sleeves, with the caputhiiii or hood attached to the niozetfa, a plain kind of cape, and thrown back over the shoulders, whilst on the head is worn the close-fitting skull-cap or coif called the birretum. These are, however, singular if not unique ex- amples ; for whilst to the suppression of the religious houses may be attributed the destruction of many monuments, few of the effigies represented thereon were, as far as existing vestiges enable us to ascertain, sculptured in monastic cos- tume. One of the most rare and curious effigies of this kind is that in Conington church, Huntingdonshire. It is a recum- bent sepulchral effigy of the fourteenth century, and represents a knight, who had in after life taken the habit of a religious community, that apparently of the Franciscan order. He is clad in a hooded hawberk or tunic of chain mail, the coif and mufflers or gloves of which are alone visible ; over this, his defence against human foes, he wears as defensive armour against the powers of darkness the capjm manicafa, or friar's cowl with sleeves, girt about the waist with a knotted cord, which falls pendant to the feet ; over the coif of mail is drawn the capiifiiih) or hood, attached and apparently of a piece with the mQzefia.Q covers the shoulders and upper part of the breast. Below the wozetta the hands are conjoined on the breast in attitude of prayer. That the body of the knight thus represented was actually clad in this habit for burial, the hawberk of mail excepted, is more than probable, if we inves- tigate the motives why he should be, and that he was one of