EDITOR'S PREFACE. THE REPERTORIUM was one of the very last of Sir Thomas's productions; his especial object in drawing it up, was, to preserve from oblivion, as far as possible, the monuments in the Cathedral of Norwich, many of which had been defaced during the civil wars. It pretends not to the character of a history of the antiquities of the church, and therefore neither deserves the sneer bestowed by Bagford, (in his MS. collections in the British Museum, No. 8858,) that "it rather feared than deserved publication;" nor justified the anxiety of the author's friends to prevent its publication, on the ground alleged by Archbishop Tenison, (Preface to Miscellany Tracts,) that "matter equal to the skill of the antiquary was not afforded." The volume containing it has afforded a favourite subject of illustration for topographers: the list of monuments was continued to the date of publication by the editor, (said to have been John Hase, Esq., Richmond Herald,) and very many copies exist with numerous manuscript additional continuations and notes, some of which I have availed myself of. The most valuable is that of the late Mr. John Kirkpatrick, now in the hands of Dr. Sutton, to 2 On the authority of a MS. note in a copy which had belonged to Thomas Rawlinson, Esq. and was presented, by his brother, Dr. Richard Rawlinson, to the Bodleian Library. * This gentleman, who was a merchant of Norwich, was indefatigable in his exertions in collecting materials, and making drawings of public buildings, to form a History of Norwich; which, had he lived to digest it properly, would have been most complete and invaluable. He died the 20th of August, 1728, aged 42. (See Blomefield's Norwich, part 2nd, p. 379, Edit. of 1806.) In his Will, dated 17th of July, 1727, (preserved in the Bishop's Office,) he says, "I give to my brother, Thomas Kirkpatrick, all my MSS. books and papers (which I have with no small pains and expense collected and purchased) relating to the History of Norwich, to whom I beg to offer my thanks for his kindness in affording me the use of it. My object, however, has been to give that only which proceeded from the pen of Sir Thomas himself; and I have, therefore, not re-printed either the continuation or Burton's History of the Free School, &c. I have great pleasure in acknowledging the kind assistance of my friend, Mr. S. Woodward,3 in preparing explanatory and corrective notes throughout, and in giving a very interesting graphic and descriptive illustration of the notice at page 32, of the green yard, in which the combination sermons were of old preached. On the recommendation of Mr. Woodward, I have not re-engraved all the plates which adorned the Posthumous Works, but a selection only; with the addition of his plan of the green yard. enjoy the same during his natural life, and after his death I give them all to the mayor, sheriffs, citizens, and commonalty, of the said city, to be kept in the City Treasury, in the Guild Hall there, as well for their use and service on occasions, as that some citizen hereafter, being a skilful antiquary, may from the same have an opportunity of completing and publishing the said History, or such part of it as my said brother shall not publish." We are not aware that Mr. Thomas Kirkpatrick ever published any of these interesting collections, except the large North-east view of the city, which has been so frequently copied. The MSS. referred to were some years ago in the possession of the corporation, as were also Mr. K.'s fine collection of "Medals and Ancient Coins of Silver and Brass;" but we fear the original intention of the donor has been lost sight of, and that these valuable MSS. are for ever lost to the lover of local antiquities. Mr. Kirkpatrick's father was a native of Closeburn, near Dumfries, and we believe Col. Harvey, of Thorpe Lodge, is a descendant in the female line. 3 Who has paid considerable attention to the local antiquities of his native city, and made several interesting communications to the Society of Antiquaries; some of which are published in the Archæologia. He has also published "A Synoptical Table of British Organic Remains.” Repertorium. IN the time of the late civil wars, there were about an hundred brass inscriptions stolen and taken away from gravestones and tombs, in the cathedral church of Norwich; as I was informed by John Wright, one of the clerks, above eighty years old, and Mr. John Sandlin, one of the choir, who lived eighty-nine years; and, as I remember, told me that he was a chorister in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Hereby the distinct places of the burials of many noble and considerable persons become unknown; and, lest they should be quite buried in oblivion, I shall, of so many, set down only these following that are most noted to passengers, with some that have been erected since those unhappy times. First,' in the body of the church, between the pillars of the south aisle, stands a tomb, covered with a kind of touchstone; which is the monument of Miles Spencer, LL.D. and Chancellor of Norwich, who lived unto ninety years. The top stone was entire, but now quite broken, split, and depressed by blows. There was more special notice taken of this stone, because men used to try their money upon it; and that the chapter demanded certain rents to be paid on it. He was lord of the manor of Bowthorp and Colney, which came unto the Yaxleys from him; also owner of Chapel in the Field. The next monument is that of Bishop Richard Nicks, alias Nix, or the Blind Bishop, being quite dark many years be First.] Beginning from the west end.-Kirkpatrick. fore he died. He sat in this see thirty-six years, in the reigns of King Henry VII. and Henry VIII. The arches are beautified above and beside it, where are to be seen the arms of the see of Norwich, impaling his own, viz., a chevron between three leopards' heads. The same coat of arms is on the roof of the north and south cross aisle; which roofs he either rebuilt, or repaired. The tomb is low, and broad, and 'tis said there was an altar at the bottom of the eastern pillar. The iron-work, whereon the bell hung, is yet visible on the side of the western pillar. Then the tomb of Bishop John Parkhurst, with a legible inscription on the pillar, set up by Dean Gardiner, running thus: A person he was of great esteem and veneration in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. His coat of arms is on the pillars, visible at the going out of the bishop's hall. Between the two uppermost pillars, on the same side, stood a handsome monument of Bishop Edmund Scamler, thus: Natus apud Gressingham, in Com. Lanc. SS. Theol. Prof. He was household chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and died 1594. The monument was above a yard and a half high, with his effigies in alabaster, and all enclosed with a 2 broad.] It fills up all the space between the two pillars, and on the two sides there was a rail of iron, the going up (on the platform of the monument,) was at the west end of the south side.Kirkp. 3 bishop's hall.] Bishop Parkhurst "having dived much at his palace, at Norwich, which he beautified and repaired, placing arms on the pillars going out of the hall, which lately were visible there, he died February 2, 1574, and was buried in the nave of the cathedral, on the south side, between the eighth and ninth pillars. Against the west part of the latter is a monument erected to his memory, engraved by Hulsberg, in Browne's posthumous works; but his figure in a gown and square cap, with his hands in a praying posture, and the following inscription (that in the text) was taken away in the civil war."Gents. Mag. 1807, vol. 77, p. 510. |