connoisseur in architecture, after shewing his skill in the superintendance of the chapel at Westminster Abbey, and St. George's at Windsor, built also this church, nearly in its present form and state. In the windows, which then were richly adorned with painted glass, he placed the portraits of Henry VII. of his queen, Prince Arthur, and himself, all in surcoats of Armorial blazon; VOL. XV. U but, him out of Lancashire, where he then was with the countess, at the mansion of Sir Thomas Stanley, her third husband, and arriving at Brecknock castle, in Wales, where Morton was confined in the custody of the duke, the plan was submitted to him, and he was directed to return to Lancashire to impart the important secret to the countess. From this period he was extremely active in his endeavours to strengthen the Lady Margaret's interest at home, and it is said that it was entirely owing to his influence that Sir Giles D'Aubeny, Sir John Cheny, and several others of the most active partisans, were induced to take a part in the business. It is unnecessary to recapitulate the events connected with Bosworth field, so fatal to the ambition and life of the usurping Richard; but it must not be omitted that the activity and address of Reginald were munificently rewarded by Henry himself. The honour of knighthood was conferred on him soon af ter Henry's accession, and he was summoned to the first privy council which sat upon that occasion. He was also appointed constable of Okeham castle, in Rutlandshire, and joint chief justice, along with Lord Fitzwalter, of the forests south of Trent. To these grants were added several manors ; and an idea of his wealth and consequence may be formed from the fact, that in 1492, he was retained to serve in parts beyond the sea, with twelve men at arms, (including himself, having his custrel and page) twenty-four half lances, seventy-seven archers on horseback, and two hundred and thirty-one archers, and twenty-four bill-men on foot. After this, in 1494, he was elected High Steward of Oxford; and it is curious that an office now so much sought after, was then pressed upon the acceptor; for there are, a letter under the common seal notifying the election, and earnestly praying him to accept the office, with one to Dr. Mayow, intreating him to use his interest with Sir Reginald to accept it, copied into the register book of Letters in the Schools at Oxford, and also a letter of thanks for his accepting the office, and for a donation of forty marks towards building St. Mary's church. The University seem to have placed great dependence upon Sir Reginald integrity and attention to their interests, as there is a letter extant to him, ex pressing but, as Mr. Dallaway observes, all very rudely executed, if we may judge from those of Prince Arthur and the builder, which alone pressing their fear of some incroachment being made upon their privileges, by offences committed within their limits being carried before another jurisdiction for trial, and most earnestly intreating him to preserve their ancient rights. To this his interest seems to have been fully sufficient; for when the new chancellor, in 1500, reappointed Sir Reginald to his office of high steward (it expiring at that period on the death or cession of each chancellor) and in that capacity presented him to the king for his approbation, Henry, in his letters patent, not only accepted the nomination, but also recognized the franchises of the university, as including the right of hearing the criminal causes of scholars and other privileged persons, allowing him and his other assessors, or any two of them, to proceed in the common form against offenders. After this he had many other grants, particularly of the farm of the Isle of Wight, the chamberlainship of the county palatine of Chester, and the chancellor ship of the duchy of Lancaster. That he must have made a good and patriotic use of all these favours, appears from his not having made himself any enemies, at least, of consequence sufficient to be recorded by his biographers; it is also more fully proved by existing monuments of his taste for the fine arts, the chapel of St. George at Windsor, and of his own immediate sovereign at Westminster, bearing wit. ness both to his taste and liberality. To the chapel of St. George he not only appropriated much of his time in directing and superintending its embellishment, but he also expended large sums in its erection, and left it a considerable legacy for repairs, after his death. The chapel in the south aisle, which still bears his name, was built at his expense; and his device (a hemp break) may yet be seen in many parts of that venerable and august edifice. He has always had the credit of being the draftsman of the design of Henry the Seventh's chapel; and he and the abbot Islip laid the first stone in conjunction, in 1502. He married Catharine, daughter of Nicholas Husee, a descendant of the ancient barons of that name, but left no issue by her. He died soon after laying the first stone of Henry's chapel, and was buried at his own chapel at Windsor, where his coffin was discovered in 1740, but immediately covered with an arch, to prevent its future disturbance. His character by Hollinshed is honourably and simply expressed; he calls him "a verie father of his countrie; and for his high wisdome, and singular love to justice, well worthie to beare that title. If anie thing had beene donne alone have escaped demolition. In Habyngdon's time, the north window contained the different occurrences of our Saviour's life and miracles, together with the paternoster, &c. and, in short, the whole system of the Christian doctrine; these are all effaced, except some scattered pieces; and nothing is left throughout but a few armorial bearings, and some things which seem to be symbolical of the various branches of architecture: but why these have been introduced it is now impossible to explain. The body is Saxon, by the arches; of course we must suppose that Sir Reginald did not build, but re-edify, this church; and the chancel is Gothic. The whole is now undergoing a thorough repair, and the ceiling is completed, being painted in imitation of the ancient raised work, but rather too gaudy in the colouring. On entrance, the stranger cannot help noticing some of the old stalls, which have been moved from the body of the church during the repair; and whose seats exhibit, in the usual style, some very grotesque, and some very indecent carvings. Things, which nothing but their antiquity could justify being here. The choir, or service part, is well, though anciently, fitted up; and the altar, though plain, is yet impressive. The altar screen, the sides and steps leading up to it, and the ground between it and the east end, have been originally covered with tiles of red ground, with orange figures, containing the armorial bearings of many ancient families, particularly Bohun, Earl of Northampton; Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick; Mortimer, Earl of March; Clare, Earl of Gloucester; Beauchamp of Powick; and some few with the arms of Edward the Confessor, and the cypher of Henry IV. There are many ancient monuments well worth examining; but a specific detail would far exceed our limits. We must notice, however, that of John Knotsford, Esq. his wife and five daughters, amisse, contrarie to law and equitie, he would, after an humble sort, plainelie blame the king, and give him good advertisement that he shoulde not only reforme the same, but alsoe be more circumspecte in anie other the like case."" Further particulars may be found in Manning's Survey of the County of Surrey. |