cathedral [(Fig. 41)]. A tendency to decorate the panels is also noticeable in a number of late French vaults, as for example that of the chapel of Saint Jacques at Cléry (Loiret) (probably after 1485) [(Fig. 42)], where each of the larger divisions of a complicated lierne and tierceron vault is decorated by a wallet and staff or a scourge in low relief. At Rue (Somme), in the chapel of Saint Esprit,[271] there is a somewhat similar vault with heraldic devices and floral ornament on the panels. But even more notable are the angels in the round which have been added for decorative purposes in four of the severies of the vaults in one bay of the side aisle of the north transept (sixteenth century) in Senlis (Oise) cathedral [(Fig. 43)]. The final stage in elaborate vaulting, is perhaps, to be seen in such a vault as that of the Chapelle de la Vièrge at La Ferté-Bernard (Sarthe)[272] which dates from 1535-1544. Here the panels are merely portions of a flat ceiling resting upon a series of arches arranged like ribs, but carrying a tracery framework upon which the elaborately decorated ceiling with its mouldings and stalactite pendants is made to rest.
Fig. 42.—Cléry, Chapel of Saint Jacques.
Side Aisle Vaulting
There now remain for consideration before closing this chapter, the ribbed vaults of the aisles and triforia of Gothic churches. Very naturally the general development of ribbed vaulting in the aisles closely parallels that in the nave. In by far the larger number of churches, the side aisle bays are square and covered with simple four-part cross-ribbed vaults. As in the case of the nave, those of early date have many clumsy features. Thus in the aisles of Saint Étienne at Beauvais [(Fig. 44)]—which, fortunately, retain a few bays of their primitive vaults dating from about 1125—the diagonals are heavy (cir. 20-25 cm. thick)[273] and either square with simple bevelled edges or of single torus section. No wall rib is found and the transverse arches, besides being very thick, are of round-headed form, highly stilted to bring them up to approximately the general vault level. The vault itself is slightly domed up at the crown and besides the