INTERESTING ANTIQUITIES IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY
The Devil with a Monk on his shoulders. A carving in wood supporting is much mutilated.
St. Paul.
Philippa duchess of York died Anno 1433. St.. Nicholas Chapel.
Head which supports a large Beam in the Chamber under the Roof at the east end near Henry VII’s Chapel.
A Woman beating a Monk with her distaff. A carving in wood under one of the seats of the Knights of the Bath in Henry VII’s Chapel.
The Coronation Chair.
Against these examples of crime and ignorance may be set the fact that there was never any such violent and unanimous attack upon the secular clergy as we find against the friars. And we may fairly conclude that Chaucer’s portrait of the Parson was drawn from the life, and that there were among the London clergy many who might have sat for models:—
“A good man was ther of religioun,
And was a povre PERSOUN of a toun;
But riche he was of holy thoght and werk.
He was also a lerned man, a clerk,
That Cristes gospel trewely wolde preche;
His parisshens devoutly wolde he teche.
Benigne he was, and wonder diligent, And in adversitee ful pacient;