THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST. PETER, CALLED York Minster. Whereat he wondered much, and gan enquere, Edmund Spencer. This majestic structure-justly regarded as one of the finest Cathedrals of England, and perhaps, taking it as a whole, one of the most beautiful specimens of Gothic architecture in Europe-now claims our attention. It is built in the form of a cross; and is in length, from base to base of buttresses, east and west, about 519 feet; from base to base of the transepts, about 249 feet. The internal length from base to base, or of clear way, is 483 feet; and the internal length of the transept 222 feet 6 inches; consequently, it is 19 feet longer than St. Paul's Cathedral, London, and 30 feet longer than Westminster Abbey. The MINSTER consists of a nave, with side aisles; choir, with ladye chapel and side aisles; south transept with side aisles; and north transept with side aisles; lantern tower, two bell towers, a chapter-house, and vestibule. To the church, on the south side, are attached offices, used as a wills' office and an office for the custody of the chapter-records. "The edifice," remarks Mr. Browne, "is placed nearly correct, according to the car See "The History of the Edifice of the Metropolitical Church of St. Peter, of York." By John Browne, artist;---one of the most elaborate and beautiful works ever dedicated to the illustration of the Minster, dinal points; the present choir is not in a straight line with the nave, but is inclined toward the south, having a deviation northward of its centre, at the foot of the organ screen of about 2 feet 4 inches from the centre of the nave." The deviation in direction, he adds, was probably caused by the choir having been erected at two different periods; the first portion of the eastern end having been begun whilst the greater part of the old choir was standing. "As a distant object," observes one who has no local bias in favour of York Minster, and whose critical dissertations on the Cathedrals of England are universally respected, "this edifice assumes a lofty and imposing aspect. Its three towers are seen pre-eminent above the city houses and the parochial churches; whilst the numerous crocketed pinnacles, at the west-end and gables, display at once intricacy, variety, and picturesque beauty. Though this church has not the advantage of a lofty, or scarcely an elevated site, yet it appears very high, by comparison with its neighbouring buildings; and is seen like a noble forest-tree amidst a shrubbery from every approach to the city."* It is the most conspicuous object in the extensive vale of York. It can be discerned from Harrogate hill, and in other directions from a distance of thirty miles. As we have already seen, by reference to the venerable Bede's history and the Saxon Chronicle, York Minster was founded by King Edwin, the first Christian king of the Saxon kingdom of Northumberlaud, in the year A.D. 626. On the site of the little wooden oratory, hastily erected for the occasion of his baptism, according to the advice of Paulinus, the first archbishop, he ordered an august temple of stone to be erected. Before this building was roofed, Edwin was killed; and it is said to have been completed by King Oswald. In the beginning of the eight century, however, it appears to have gone quite Britton's English Cathedrals. to ruin; so much so, that Eddius Stephanus, a writer of that period, says, "When Wilfred was appointed bishop of York, the offices of the church of the oratory of God in that city, first founded and dedicated to God in the days of the most Christian King Edwin, built of stone, were in an half ruinous state, and threatened to fall. For the roofs having become old, were dripping with water; the windows were open, birds made their nests, flying in and out; and the walls, being neglected, were disfigured with every kind of stain from weather and the birds. Our holy prelate, therefore, seeing all these things, like the prophet Daniel, "was grieved in spirit," because he perceived the house of God and prayer, made like a den of thieves; and he immediately studied how he might repair it, according to the will of God. First of all renewing the decayed roof, covering it skilfully with pure lead; he prevented the entrance of rain and birds through the windows, by means of glass, through which, however, the light shone within. Cleansing the walls also, he made them, according to the language of the prophet, "whiter than snow." And not only did he adorn that house of God and the altar within, by various furniture of plate, but also having obtained for God much land without, removing its poverty by earthly possessions, he greatly enriched it." According to Roger de Hovenden, this building was burnt down, or greatly injured by fire, on Tuesday, the 9th of the Kalends of May, A.D. 741. The Minster appears to have been neglected for upwards of thirty years, when Archbishop Albert began, finished, and dedicated a new church on the site, which is supposed to be the most magnificent Saxon church, ever erected. The poet Alcuin celebrates its beauties; and alludes to its lofty columns, majestic windows, portico, and thirty altars. This edifice was injured when the Norman garrison at York was attacked by the Danes and English; and, as it would appear, was reduced to ashes in the accidental fire that broke out in this city in 1137. After the fire of 1829, the foundations of this building, or as it has been conjectured, of the church, erected by King Edwin, were discovered; and plans of the Saxon choir were during the necessary excavations made. "After this deplorable conflagration," remarks Mr. Browne, " and while workmen were employed in removing the remnants of the sleeping timbers, and the walls that had supported the prebendal stalls, the attention of the author, who was in examining those walls, in search of ancient moulded or carved stones, was arrested by a stone at the east end of the wall on the south side of the choir. The stone showed part of an abacus; and a little of the surrounding rubbish being removed, a perfect capital became visible. This was immediately pointed out to the master mason, who ordered some of the workmen to raise it; but, on attempting this, they found it to be firmly fixed in a wall of good ashlar. The circumstance being reported to the reverend canon then in residence, the workmen were desired to ascertain fully the extent of what had been thus accidentally discovered; and it was found to be a portion of a cluster of three capitals, with cylinders and bases, fixed into a good ashlar wall. A further search was ordered to be made, and this led ultimately to an excavation of nearly the whole of the choir, and to the exposure of valuable and interesting remains of former edifices. As the excavation was confined to the choirportion of the present church, and extended not to the large transepts and the nave, it is evident that plans of the entire forms of structures that may have been erected previous to the present building could not be obtained, and although a greater extent of the present choir-portion was exposed than is now to be seen, yet limits to the investigation were necessarily placed, by the fear of violating the sacred chambers of the dead." After the fire in the reign of Stephen, to which we have adverted, some vigorous efforts were made to further the restoration of the ruined Cathedral. Joceline, bishop of Sarum, granted an indulgence to penitents, who contri buted bountifully towards its re-edification, reciting in the indulgence," that, whereas the Metropolitical Church of York was consumed by a new fire, and almost subverted, destroyed, and miserably despoiled of its ornaments." Still, for four and thirty years, nothing was effected. In the year 1171, Archbishop Roger rebuilt the choir, with its vaults. In 1227, Archbishop Walter Grey, according to the custom of the times, issued indulgences, urging the faithful to aid him in his effort to beautify the Cathedral; and, with the money thus obtained, erected the SOUTH TRANSEPT as it now stands, where a beautiful monument to his memory forms a conspicuous object. During the reign of Henry III., the NORTH TRANSEPT was commenced by John le Romayne, and completed A. D. 1260; by which ecclesiastic, who held the office of treasurer to the Minster, a handsome tower, in the place now occupied by the lantern tower, was erected. His son, John le Romayne, afterwards becoming archbishop, and, inheriting his father's zeal, laid the foundation of the nave on the 17th of April, 1291; and, as appears from a table in the vestry, the nave, the majestic façade at the west end, with two towers, were completed in about forty years after that date, by the munificence and energy of Archbishop le Romayne, and his successor, Archbishop Melton. The latter liberally expended large sums from his private purse, and had recourse to indulgencies, granting forty days relaxation to all contributors. The materials for building the nave were supplied by Robert de Vavasour, who granted the use of his quarry, near Tadcaster, not only for building but for the future reparation of the edifice; and by Robert de Percy, lord of Bolton, who allowed the timber for the roof, &c., to be taken from his wood at Bolton. Statues, both at the eastern and western ends of the Cathedral, record their benefactions. In 1361, Archbishop John Thoresby, laid the foundation of the present choir; the old choir, built by Archbishop Roger, not corresponding with the more elegant |