The dissolution of the religious houses of England is one of the most important events recorded in our national history. It changed the whole aspect of civil and ecclesiastical affairs, and produced an entire revolution in the scheme of legislation.
John Chambers, who was the abbot of Peterburgh before these changes commenced, conformed to the new order of things, and was retained in office by the king,—the monastery being converted into a cathedral, and the abbot into a bishop5. The new establishment consisted of a Bishop, a Dean, and six canons; besides these the statutes6 directed that there should be six Minor7 Canons chosen, among other good qualifications, for their skill in singing, by whom the services in the Cathedral, were to be conducted, according to the usage of the old Cathedrals. Of these, one was to be chosen as Precentor, to whom the other Minor Canons, the Organists, Lay Clerks, and Choristers, were to be subordinate. The chancel of Thomas à Becket's Chapel8, already spoken of, was then converted into a school-room, in which the Choristers, and a certain number of other boys, were to receive a classical education at the hands of one of the Minor Canons appointed, for his superior learning, to the office of schoolmaster. Chambers governed 15 years in his new office. There is some dispute amongst the historians of this church about the time of his death, but it is generally agreed that the tablet to his memory is dated wrong, and that he died in 1556. There were two monuments erected11 to him, by his own orders, before his death; and this circumstance may account for the error in the date upon the tablets. One of the monuments was a beautifully executed statue of himself, in white chalk, but it was destroyed in 1643. The bishop adorned12 the doors of the church with carved images and hieroglyphics13, one of which at the west front represents a sinner tormented14 by devils, though it is now much defaced.
From the death of Bishop Chambers to the accession of Richard Howland, in 1584, nothing of importance occurred. It was during his rule that the unhappy queen of Scots fell a victim to the vanity and jealousy15 of Elizabeth, in the castle of Fotheringhay.[17]
"Although that unfortunate Queen had been executed on the 8th of February, her body was not brought to Peterborough for burial till the night of the thirtieth of July following, when it was conveyed by torch-light from Fotheringhay Castle by Garter King at Arms, and other Heralds16, with a guard of horsemen, in a chariot made for the purpose, covered with black cloth. The corpse17 was met at the entrance of the cathedral by the bishop, Richard Howland, and Fletcher, the dean of the cathedral, with others, who attended it in solemn procession to the vault18 appointed for it, in which it was immediately deposited. The vault was then covered, an opening merely being left through which the Heralds might deposit their broken staves. No service was said at the time, as it was agreed that it had better be done on the day fixed19 for the solemnization of the funeral. On the day following, there came to Peterborough all those persons of rank appointed to attend the funeral, for whom a grand supper was prepared at the bishop's palace. On Tuesday, the first of August, 1586, being the day fixed for the funeral, they all marched in order to the church, the Countess of Bedford being chief mourner. The funeral service was performed by the Dean of Peterborough; the prebendaries and choir20 of the Cathedral then sang an anthem21, after which a sermon was preached by Wickham, Bishop of Lincoln. The officers having broken their staves and cast them into the vault, and the offerings appointed having been made to the Bishop and Dean and Chapter of Peterborough, the nobility and officers, who had attended the funeral, returned to the bishop's palace, where a sumptuous22 repast was provided, after which they all returned to their respective homes.
"The place where this queen was interred23, is now marked by a marble slab24 directly under the doorway25 leading from the choir into its south aisle26. Over this was erected a superb monument to her memory, which remained perfect until the time of the great rebellion.
"After the queen's body had lain at Peterborough about 25 years, her son, James I., wishing to have it removed to Westminster Abbey, wrote to the Dean and Chapter of Peterborough, requesting them to allow of the removal.[18] The corpse was accordingly taken from its grave at Peterborough, and removed to the place where it now lies, at Westminster, under the care of Richard Neile, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, on October 11th, 1612."
The next event of public interest happened during the bishopric of John Towers, in 1643; namely, the destruction and defacement of all the monuments and ornamental28 pictures of the cathedral, through the foolish prejudices and blinded bigotry29 of the puritanical30 followers31 of Cromwell, who destroyed every thing valuable within it, and spread terror over the surrounding country. The stately front, the curious altar-piece, and beautiful cloister32, for which the cathedral was remarkable33, were defaced and injured by them as they passed through the city, on their way to Croyland, which they were going to besiege34, it having declared in favour of the king. To reduce that town, the Parliamentarian forces marched through Peterborough about the middle of the month of April. The first regiment35 that came did no harm to the church, for, being commanded by one Hubbart, who seems to have been a great improvement upon the puritanical leaders of that time, the soldiers received orders, in no way to injure the Cathedral. But unfortunately, about two days after, a regiment of horse arrived, commanded by Colonel Cromwell; and these men the morning after their arrival, commenced the work of destruction. They broke open the doors of the church, demolished36 the monuments, and turned the building into a stable.
The fury of Cromwell's soldiers is thus described in an old paper called:—
"A short and true narrative37 of the Rising and Defacing the Cathedral Church of Peterborough, in the year 1643."
"The next day after their arrival, early in the morning, they break open the church doors, pull down the organs, of which there were two pair. The greater pair which stood upon a high loft38 over the entrance into the quire, was thence thrown down upon the ground, and then stamped and trampled39 on, and broke in pieces.
"Then the souldiers entered the quire, and their first business was to tear in pieces all the common prayer books that could be found. The great bible indeed, that lay upon a brass40 eagle for reading the lessons, had the good hap9 to escape with the loss only of the apocrypha41.
"Next they break down all the seats, stalls and wainscots that was behind them, being adorned with several historical passages out of the old testament42, a latin distich being in each seat to declare the story. Whilst they were thus employed, they happened to find a great parchment book, behind the ceiling, with some twenty pieces of gold laid there, by a person a little before.—This encourages the souldiers in their work, and makes them the more eager in breaking down all the rest of the wainscot. The book was called 'Swapham,' and was afterwards redeemed44 by a person belonging to the minster for ten shillings.[19]
"There was also a great brass candlestick hanging in the middle of the quire, containing a dozen and a half of lights, with another bow candlestick about the brass eagle. These both were broke in pieces, and most of the brass carried away and sold.
"A well disposed person standing45 by and seeing the souldiers make such spoil speaks to an officer, desiring him to restrain them; who answered, 'See how these poor people are concerned to see their idols47 pulled down.'
"When they had thus defaced and spoiled the quire, they made up next to the east end of the church, and there break and cut in pieces, and afterwards burn the rails that were about the communion table. The table itself was thrown down, the table cloth taken away, with two fair books in velvet48 covers; the one a bible, the other a common prayer book, with a silver basin gilt49, and a pair of silver candlesticks beside. But upon request made to Colonel Hubbert, the books, bason, and all else, save the candlesticks, were restored again.
"Not long after, on the 13th day of July, 1643, Captain Barton and Captain Hope, two martial50 ministers of Nottingham or Darbyshire, coming to Peterburgh, break open the vestry, and take away a fair crimson51 satten table cloth, and several other things, that had escaped the former souldiers hands.
"Now behind the communion table there stood a curious piece of stone-work, admired much by strangers and travellers: a stately skreen it was, well wrought52, painted and gilt, which rose up as high almost as the roof of the church, in a row of three lofty spires53, with other lesser54 spires growing out of each of them. This now had no imagery work upon it, or any thing else that might justly give offence, and yet because it bore the name of the high altar,[20] was pulled all down with ropes, lay'd low and level with the ground.
"Over this place, in the roof of the church, in a large oval yet to be seen, was the picture of Our Saviour55 seated on a throne; one hand erect10, and holding a globe in the other, attended with the four evangelists, and saints on each side, with crowns in their hands, intended, I suppose, for a representation of Our Saviour's coming to judgment56. Some of the company espying57 this, cry out and say, 'Lo, this is the God these people bow and cringe unto; this is the idol46 they worship and adore.' Hereupon several souldiers charged their muskets58, (amongst whom one Daniel Wood, of Captain Roper's company was the chief) and discharge them at it: and by the many shots they made, at length do quite deface and spoil [the] picture.
"The odiousness59 of this act gave occasion (I suppose) to a common fame, very rife60 at that time, and whence Mercurius Rusticus might have his relation, viz.:—that divine vengeance61 had signally seized on some of the principal actors; that one was struck blind upon the place; by a rebound62 of his bullet; that another dyed mad a little after, neither of which I can certainly attest63. For, though I have made it my business to enquire64 of this, I could never find any other judgment befal them then, but that of a mad blind zeal65, wherewith these persons were certainly possest.
"Then they rob and rifle the tombs, and violate the monuments of the dead. And where should they first begin, but with those of the two queens, who had been there interr'd: the one on the north side, the other on the south side of the church, both near unto the altar. First then they demolished Queen Katherin's tomb, Henry the Eighth his repudiated66 wife: they break down the rails that enclosed the place, and take away the black velvet pall67 which covered the herse,—overthrow the herse itself, displaced the gravestone that lay over her body, and have left nothing now remaining of that tomb, but only a monument of their own shame and villany. The like they had certainly done to the Queen of Scots, but that her herse and pall were removed with her body to Westminster by King James the First, when he came to the crown. But what did remain they served in like manner; that is, her royal arms and escutcheons, which hung upon a pillar, near the place where she had been interr'd [which] were most rudely pulled down, defaced and torn.
"In the north isle27 of the church there was a stately tomb in memory of Bishop Dove, who had been thirty years bishop of the place. He lay there in portraicture in his episcopal robes, on a large bed under a fair table of black marble, with a library of books about him. These men that were such enemies to the name and office of a bishop, and much more to his person, hack68 and hew69 the poor innocent statue in pieces, and soon destroy'd all the tomb. So that in a short space, all that fair and curious monument was buried in its own rubbish and ruines.
"The like they do to two other monuments standing in that isle; the one the tomb of Mr. Worm, the other of Dr. Angier, who had been prebendary of that church.
"In a place then called the new building, and since converted to a library, there was a fair monument, which Sir Humphrey Orm (to save his heir that charge and trouble), thought fit to erect in his own life time, where he and his lady, his son and wife and all their children, were lively represented in statues, under which were certain English verses written:—
"Mistake not, reader, I thee crave70,
This is an altar not a grave,
Where fire raked up in ashes lyes,
And hearts are made the sacrifice, &c.
"Which two words, altar and sacrifice, 'tis said, did so provoke and kindle71 the zealots indignation, that they resolve to make the tomb itself a sacrifice: and with axes, poleaxes, and hammers, destroy and break down all that curious monument, save only two pilasters still remaining, which shew and testifie the elegancy of the rest of the work. Thus it hapned, that the good old knight72 who was a constant frequenter of Gods publick service, three times a day, outlived his own monument, and lived to see himself carried in effigie on a souldiers back, to the publick market-place, there to be sported withall, a crew of souldiers going before in procession, some with surplices, some with organ pipes, to make up the solemnity.
"When they had thus demolished the chief monuments, at length the very gravestones and marbles on the floor did not escape their sacrilegious hands. For where there was any thing on them of sculptures or inscriptions73 in brass, these they force and tear off. So that whereas there were many fair pieces of this kind before, as that of abbot William of Ramsey, whose large marble gravestone was plated over with brass, and several others the like, there is not any such now in all the church to be seen; though most of the inscriptions that were upon them are preserved in this book.
"One thing, indeed, I must needs clear the souldiers of, which Mercurius Rusticus upon misinformation charges them with, viz.:—That they took away the bell clappers and sold them, with the brass they plucked off from the tombs. The mistake was this: the neighbourhood being continually disturbed with the souldiers jangling and ringing the bells auker, as though there had been a scare-fire, (though there was no other, but what they themselves had made,) some of the inhabitants by night took away the clappers and hid them in the roof of the church, on purpose only to free their ears from that confused noise; which gave occasion to such as did not know it, to think the souldiers had stolen them away.
"Having thus done their work on the floor below, they are now at leasure to look up to the windows above, which would have entertained any persons else with great delight and satisfaction, but only such zealots as these, whose eyes were so dazzled, that they thought they saw popery in every picture and piece of painted glass.
"Now the windows of this church were very fair, and had much curiosity of workmanship in them, being adorned and beautified with several historical passages out of scripture74, and ecclesiastical story; such were those in the body of the church, in the isles75, in the new building, and elsewhere. But the cloister windows were most famed of all for their great art and pleasing variety. One side of the quadrangle containing the history of the Old Testament; another, that of the new; a third, a history from the first foundation of the Monastery of King Peada to the restoring of it by King Edgar; a fourth, all the kings of England downwards76 from the first Saxon king. All which notwithstanding were most shamefully77 broken and destroyed."
[But little remains78 to be seen of these famous cloisters79 beyond the mouldings of arches imposed in rough walls on each side. The five recesses80 in the south wall were partly the lavatories81 used by the Monks82 before entering the refectory by the richly cut door in the corner.]
"Every window had at the bottom the explanation of the history thus in verse:—
First Window.
Col. 1.
"King Penda, a paynim, as writing seyth,
"'Gate yese five children of Christen feyth."
Col. 2.
"The noble Peada, by God's grace,
"Was the first founder83 of this place."
Col. 3.
"By Queen Ermenyld, had King Wulfere,
"These twey sons that ye see here."
Col. 4.
"Wulfade rideth, as he was wont84,
"Into the forest, the hart to hunt."
Second Window.
Col. 1.
"Fro' all his men Wulfade is gone,
"And 'suyth himself the hart alone."[21]
Col. 2.
"The hart brought Wulfade to a well,
"That was beside Seynt Chaddy's cell."
Col. 3.
"Wulfade askyd of Seynt Chad,—
"Where is the hart that me hath lad."
Col. 4.
"The hart that hither thee hath brought,
"Is sent by Christ, that thee hath bought."
Third Window.
Col. 1.
"Wulfade prayd Chad, that ghostly leech85,
"The feyth of Christ him for to teach."
Col. 2.
"Seynt Chad teacheth Wulfade the feyth,
"And words of baptism over him he seyth."
Col. 3.
"Seynt Chad devoutly86 to mass him dight,
"And hoseled Wulfade Christy's knight."
Col. 4.
"Wulfade wished Seynt Chad, that day,
"For his brother Rufine to pray."
Fourth Window.
Col. 1.
"Wulfade told his brother Rufine
"That he was christned by Chaddy's doctrine87."
Col. 2.
"Rufine to Wulfade said again,—
"Christned also would I be fain."
Col. 3.
"Wulfade, Rufine to Seynt Chad leadeth,
"And Chad with love of feyth him feedeth."
Col. 4.
"Rufine is christned, of Seynt Chaddys,
"And Wulfade, his brother, his godfather is."
Fifth Window.
Col. 1.
"Werbode, steward88 to King Wulfere,
"Told that his sons christned were."
Col. 2.
"Towards the chappel Wulfere 'gan goe,
"By guiding of Werbode, Christy's foe89."
Col. 3.
"Into the chappel entred the King,
"And found his sons worshipping."
Col. 4.
"Wulfere in woodness his sword out drew,
"And both his sons anon he slew90."[22]
Sixth Window.
Col. 1.
"King Wulfere, with Werbode yoo,
"Burying gave his sons two."
Col. 2.
"Werbode for vengeance his own flesh tare91,
"The devil him strangled, and to hell bare."
Col. 3.
"Wulfere, for sorrow, anon was sick,
"In bed he lay, a dead man like."
Col. 4.
"Seynt Ermenyld, that blessed Queen,
"Counselled Wulfere to shrive him clean."
Seventh Window.
Col. 1.
"Wulfere contrite92, hyed him to Chad,
"As Ermenyld him counselled had"[23]
Col. 2.
"Chad bade Wulfere, for his sin,
"Abbeys to build his realm within."
Col. 3.
"Wulfere in haste performed than,
"Brough that Peada his brother began."
Col. 4.
"Wulfere endued93 with high devotion,
"The abbey of Brough with great possession."
Eighth Window.
Col. 1.
"The third brother, King Ethelred,
"Confirmed both his brethren's deed."
Col. 2.
"Saxulf, that here first abbot was,
"For Ankery's, at Thorney, made a place."
Col. 3.
"After came Danes, and Brough brent,
"And slew the Monkys as they went."
Col. 4.
"Fourscore years and sixteen,
"Stood Brough destroyed by Danes teen."
Ninth Window.
Col. 1.
"Seynt Athelwold was bidden by God's lore94,
"The abbey of Brough again to restore."
Col. 2.
"Seynt Athelwold to King Edgar went,
"And prayed him to help him in his intent."
Col. 3.
"Edgar bade Athelwold the work begin,
"And him to help he would not lyn."
Col. 4.
"Thus Edgar and Athelwold restored this place,
"God save it and keep it for his grace."[24]
"But to proceed, notwithstanding all the art and curiosity of workmanship these windows did afford, yet nothing of all this could oblige the reforming rabble95, but they deface and break them all in pieces, in the church and in the cloyster, and left nothing undemolisht, where either any picture or painted glass did appear; excepting only part of the great west window in the body of the church, which still remains entire, being too high for them, and out of their reach. Yea, to encourage them the more in this trade of breaking and battering97 windows down, Cromwell himself, (as 'twas reported,) espying a little crucifix in a window aloft, which none, perhaps, before had scarce observed, gets a ladder, and breaks it down zealously98 with his own hand.
"But before I conclude the narrative, I must not forget to tell, how they likwise broke open the chapterhouse, ransack'd the records, broke the seals, tore the writings in pieces, specially99 such as had great seals annexed100 unto them, which they took or mistook rather for the popes bulls. So that a grave and sober person coming into the room at the time, finds the floor all strewed101 and covered over with torn papers, parchments and broken seals; and being astonisht at this sight, does thus expostulate with them. Gentlemen, (says he,) what are ye doing? they answered, we are pulling and tearing the popes bulls in pieces. He replies, ye are much mistaken: for these writings are neither the popes bulls, nor any thing relating to him. But they are the evidences of several mens estates, and in destroying these, you will destroy and undo102 many. With these they were something perswaded, and prevailed upon by the same person, to permit him to carry away all that were left undefaced, by which means, the writings the church hath now came to be preserved.
"Such was the souldiers carriage and behaviour all the time during their stay at Peterburgh, which was a fortnights space: They went to church duly, but it was only to do mischief103, to break and batter96 the windows and any carved work that was yet remaining, or to pull down crosses wheresoever they could find them; which the first founders104 did not set up with so much zeal, as these last confounders pulled them down.
"Thus, in a short time, a fair and goodly structure was quite stript of all its ornamental beauty, and made a ruthful spectacle, a very chaos105 of desolation and confusion, nothing scarce remaining but only bare walls, broken seats, and shatter'd windows on every side.
"And in the time of this publick confusion, two other things hapned not unworthy of relating: the one for the strangeness, the other for the sadness of the accident. The first was this, when now the church lay open to all comers, without locks and bars, and none to look after them, those specially that lead up to the leads above; two young children not above five years old, had got up the steeple by themselves, and having lost their way down, come to the place where the great bells hang. Here there was a large round space left purposely in the arch, when first built, for the drawing up bells or any other things, as there should be occasion. This place used to be safely closed before, but now it lay wide open, and was between thirty and forty yards off from the ground. The two children, coming hither and finding this passage, one, out of his childish simplicity106, was for jumping down: No, (saies the other) let us rather swarm107 down, there being a bell rope then hanging down through that place to the clockhouse below. Now, this last they did, and a gentleman walking there beneath at that time, sees two children come with that swiftness down the rope, like arrows from a bow, who were both taken up for dead, on the place. This hapned on a Sunday ith' afternoon, in sermon time. The news coming into the parish church, that two children falling off from the minster were slain108, the congregation were exceedingly disorder109'd, so that the preacher could not go on for a time, every parent fearing it might be their own childrens case; till at length they understood the truth and certainty of all. For it pleased God by a strange and wonderful providence110 to preserve both these children, having no hurt but only their hands galled111 by the rope, and their feet a little stunted112 by the fall from the clock-house, where they were thrown off, the rope being fastened there, and this some four or five yards high. The persons, I suppose, are both living still; and one of them, (whose father was then one of the chief tradesmen of the town) since a grave minister, and rector of a parish in Northamptonshire.
"The other thing that hapned of more fatal consequences was this:—it being that time of the year when young lads are busie in rifling jackdaws nests to get their young, a scholar of the free-school, a son to a parliament officer, was got upon the top of the minster about this employment; who going along the cieling in the body of the church, and treading unwarily on some rotten boards, fell down from thence, upon the loft where the organ now stands, having his pockets filled with those inauspicious birds, and with the fall from so great a height, was slain outright113 and never stirred more.
"These two things hapned much about the same time, and in the time of that publick confusion and disorder. But to proceed in our intended narrative. These things I have related before were indeed the acts of private persons only, men of wild intemperate114 zeal, and who had no commission for what they did, but what was owing to the swords by their sides. Yet notwithstanding all these things seemed afterwards to be own'd and approved by the powers then in being, when they sold all the churches lands, and many fair buildings adjoyning to the minster, were likewise pulled down and sold by publick order and authority, such were the cloysters, the old chapter-house, the library, the bishops115 hall and chapel at the end of it: the hall was as fair a room as most in England; and another call'd the green chamber3, not much inferior to it. These all were then pull'd down and destroyed; and the materials, lead, timber, and stone exposed to sale, for any that would buy them. But some of the bargains proved not very prosperous; the lead especially that came off the palace, was as fatal as the gold of Tholouse; for to my knowledge, the merchant that bought it, lost it all, and the ship which carried it, in her voyage to Holland.
"And thus the church continued ruined and desolate117, and without all divine offices for a time; till at length by the favour of a great person in the neighbourhood, it was repaired and restored to some degrees of decency118 again; and out of the ashes of a late cathedral, grew up into a new parochial church, in which way it was employ'd and used ever after, untill the kings happy restauration. For Mr. Oliver St. John, chief justice then of the common pleas, being sent on an embassy into Holland by the powers that governed then, requested this boon119 of them at his return, that they would give him the ruin'd church or minster at Peterburgh; this they did accordingly, and he gave it to the town of Peterburgh for their use, to be employ'd as a parochial church, their own parish church being then very ruinous and gone to decay.
"Now the town considering the largeness of the building, and the greatness of the charge to repair it, which of themselves they were not able to defray, they all agree to pull down the ladies chapel as it was then called, an additional building to the north side of the minster, (being then ruinous and ready to fall) and to expose the materials thereof, lead, timber, and stone to sale, and to convert the mony that was made of them, towards the repairs of the great fabrick.
"All this they did, and appointed certain persons to oversee120 the work, and expended121 several summs thus in repairs, mending the leads, securing the roof, glazing122 several windows, and then fitting up the quire, and making it pretty decent for the congregation to meet in. And this they did, by taking the painted boards that came off from the roof of the ladies chapel, and placing them all along at the back of the quire, in such manner as they continue to this day.
"When the place was thus fitted up, and the devastations which the souldiers had made in some measure repaired, one Mr. Samuel Wilson, school master of the charter-house, in London, was sent down by the committee of plundred ministers, as they were then called, to be preacher, with a sallary of 160l. per an. in which employment he continued untill the kings return. Then Dr. Cofin, the antient dean of the church, after almost twenty years exile in France, return'd and re-assumed his right again, in the year 1660, about the end of July. He then after so long an interval123 renew'd the antient usage, and read divine service first himself, and caused it to be read every day afterward43, according to the laudable use and custome, and settled the church and quire in that order wherein it now continues.
"But though the church was thus delivered from public robbers and spoilers, yet it was not safe from the injuries of private hands. For some ten or twelve years after, certain thieves in the dead of the night, broke into the church and stole away all the plate they could find, viz.: a fair silver bason gilt, and the virgers two silver rods, and a linnen table-cloth to wrap them in, which were never heard of to this day. This was the same bason that had been plunder'd by the souldiers, and recovered again, but irrecoverably lost now. Yet both these losses were soon repaired, one by Dr. Henshaw, bishop then of the place, who gave a fair new silver basin gilt; the other made up by Dr. Duport, then dean, who furnisht the virgers again with the ensigns of their office, by buying two new silver maces for the churches use.
"And thus is this history brought down at length within our own knowledge and remembrance; where we have seen what various fortunes this antient church has had, which now reckons at least one thousand years from its first foundation. It has been often ruinated, and as often re-edified. Once it was destroyed by Danes; twice consumed by fire; it escaped the general downfal of abbies, in Hen. the Eighth's time, though not without the loss of some of her fairest manners; and yet what that king took away in revenues, he added to it in dignity, by converting it from an abbey into a cathedral church. But the worst mischief that ever befel it, was that in the late rebellious124 times, when the church itself was miserably125 defaced and spoiled; and all the lands for the maintenance thereof, quite alienated126 and sold. And yet through Gods especial goodness and favour, we have lived to see the one repaired, the others restored, and the church itself recovering her antient beauty and lustre127 again. And that it may thus long continue, flourish and prosper116, and be a nursery for vertue, a seminary for true religion and piety128, a constant preserver of Gods publick worship and service, and free from all sacrilegious hands, is the earnest and hearty129 prayer wherewith I shall conclude this discourse130."
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1
transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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2
monastery
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| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
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3
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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4
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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5
bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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6
statutes
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| 成文法( statute的名词复数 )； 法令； 法规； 章程 | |
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7
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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8
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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9
hap
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| n.运气；v.偶然发生 | |
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10
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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12
adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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13
hieroglyphics
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| n.pl.象形文字 | |
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14
tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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15
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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16
heralds
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| n.使者( herald的名词复数 )；预报者；预兆；传令官v.预示( herald的第三人称单数 )；宣布（好或重要） | |
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17
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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18
vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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19
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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20
choir
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| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
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21
anthem
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| n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌 | |
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22
sumptuous
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| adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的 | |
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23
interred
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| v.埋，葬( inter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
slab
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| n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上 | |
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25
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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26
aisle
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| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
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27
isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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28
ornamental
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| adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物 | |
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29
bigotry
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| n.偏见，偏执，持偏见的行为[态度]等 | |
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30
puritanical
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| adj.极端拘谨的；道德严格的 | |
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31
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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32
cloister
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| n.修道院；v.隐退，使与世隔绝 | |
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33
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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34
besiege
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| vt.包围，围攻，拥在...周围 | |
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35
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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36
demolished
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| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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37
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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38
loft
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| n.阁楼，顶楼 | |
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39
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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40
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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41
apocrypha
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| n.伪经，伪书 | |
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42
testament
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| n.遗嘱；证明 | |
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43
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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44
redeemed
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| adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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45
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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46
idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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47
idols
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| 偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像 | |
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48
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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49
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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50
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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51
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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52
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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53
spires
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| n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 ) | |
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54
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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55
saviour
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| n.拯救者，救星 | |
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56
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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57
espying
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| v.看到( espy的现在分词 ) | |
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58
muskets
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| n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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59
odiousness
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| n.可憎；讨厌；可恨 | |
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60
rife
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| adj.(指坏事情)充斥的，流行的，普遍的 | |
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61
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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62
rebound
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| v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回 | |
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63
attest
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| vt.证明，证实；表明 | |
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64
enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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65
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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66
repudiated
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| v.（正式地）否认( repudiate的过去式和过去分词 )；拒绝接受；拒绝与…往来；拒不履行（法律义务） | |
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67
pall
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| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
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68
hack
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| n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳 | |
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69
hew
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| v.砍；伐；削 | |
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70
crave
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| vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求 | |
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71
kindle
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| v.点燃，着火 | |
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72
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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73
inscriptions
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| （作者）题词( inscription的名词复数 )； 献词； 碑文； 证劵持有人的登记 | |
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74
scripture
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| n.经文，圣书，手稿；Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》，《圣经》中的一段 | |
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75
isles
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| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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76
downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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77
shamefully
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| 可耻地； 丢脸地； 不体面地； 羞耻地 | |
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78
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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79
cloisters
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| n.（学院、修道院、教堂等建筑的）走廊( cloister的名词复数 )；回廊；修道院的生活；隐居v.隐退，使与世隔绝( cloister的第三人称单数 ) | |
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80
recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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81
lavatories
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| n.厕所( lavatory的名词复数 )；抽水马桶；公共厕所（或卫生间、洗手间、盥洗室）；浴室水池 | |
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82
monks
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| n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 ) | |
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83
Founder
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| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
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84
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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85
leech
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| n.水蛭，吸血鬼，榨取他人利益的人；vt.以水蛭吸血；vi.依附于别人 | |
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86
devoutly
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| adv.虔诚地，虔敬地，衷心地 | |
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87
doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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88
steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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89
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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90
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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91
tare
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| n.皮重；v.量皮重 | |
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92
contrite
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| adj.悔悟了的，后悔的，痛悔的 | |
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93
endued
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| v.授予，赋予（特性、才能等）( endue的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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94
lore
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| n.传说；学问，经验，知识 | |
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95
rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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96
batter
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| v.接连重击；磨损；n.牛奶面糊；击球员 | |
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97
battering
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| n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 ) | |
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98
zealously
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| adv.热心地；热情地；积极地；狂热地 | |
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99
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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100
annexed
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| [法] 附加的，附属的 | |
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101
strewed
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| v.撒在…上( strew的过去式和过去分词 )；散落于；点缀；撒满 | |
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102
undo
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| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
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103
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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104
founders
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| n.创始人( founder的名词复数 ) | |
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105
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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106
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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107
swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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108
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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109
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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110
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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111
galled
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| v.使…擦痛( gall的过去式和过去分词 )；擦伤；烦扰；侮辱 | |
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112
stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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113
outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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114
intemperate
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| adj.无节制的，放纵的 | |
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115
bishops
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| （基督教某些教派管辖大教区的）主教( bishop的名词复数 )； （国际象棋的）象 | |
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116
prosper
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| v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣 | |
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117
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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118
decency
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| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
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119
boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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120
oversee
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| vt.监督，管理 | |
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121
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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122
glazing
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| n.玻璃装配业；玻璃窗；上釉；上光v.装玻璃( glaze的现在分词 )；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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123
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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124
rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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125
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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126
alienated
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| adj.感到孤独的，不合群的v.使疏远( alienate的过去式和过去分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等） | |
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127
lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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128
piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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129
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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130
discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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