Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Wells Part 3

60. G.o.d decreeing the Deluge.* In great wrath Jehovah approaches a man who sits pensively on a hill-side: from behind the man's head springs a demon. The figure of Jehovah is admirably expressed.

_Empty._

61. Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac, who is bound on a bundle of wood. c.o.c.kerell called this the Sacrifice of Cain, which certainly suits its position better.

62. Adam delves and Eve spins. Fine.

_Empty._

63. Jehovah in the Garden. A draped figure, addressing two figures naked and ashamed.

64. The Temptation. The serpent's body is coiled round the tree near Adam, and his head hovers above with an apple in the mouth. Adam is already eating the fruit.

65. G.o.d placing Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

66. The Creation of Eve.

67. The Creation of Adam. The figure of the Almighty in each of these three is magnificent, especially in the last.

_Empty._

OVER CENTRAL DOORWAY. 2. Coronation of the Virgin (p. 34).

_Here follow eighteen New Testament subjects._

68. St. John the Evangelist*; he is winged. A book rests on the back of an eagle. The idea of inspiration could not be more finely expressed.

_Empty._ (Perhaps the Annunciation was here.)

_Empty._ (Perhaps the Visitation.)

69. The Nativity. Mutilated.

_Empty._

_Empty._

_Empty._

_Empty._

_Empty._

_Empty._

70. Christ among the Doctors: the Holy Child is a very small figure on a pedestal. A most expressive group.

71. St. John Baptist, clothed in camels' hair, in the wilderness. (An angel appearing from the clouds, broken off since 1862. The fragment is now in No. 72).

72. Figures in critical att.i.tudes. Perhaps the Sermon on the Mount.

_Empty._

73. Christ in the Wilderness, probably.

74. Figures in intent att.i.tudes. Perhaps the Mission of the Apostles.

75. Five figures seated at a table. Perhaps the Anointing of Christ's feet.

76. Figure on a Mount surrounded by many figures. Perhaps the Feeding of the Five Thousand. NORTH SIDE OF TOWER.

77. Christ, sitting, with other figures. Perhaps the Feeding of the Four Thousand.

78. The Transfiguration.* A fine composition, two of the Apostles crouching in the foreground.

79. The Entry into Jerusalem. Under the city gate two men strew clothes and branches: from the walls and tower many people are looking.

80. The Betrayal. Chief priest with mitred head-dress in centre: winged devil holds up the train of right figure. On left a figure holds open a money-box.

81. The Last Supper.* The Virgin kneels to receive the Communion from her Son: St. John's head rests on His bosom. The drapery is very fine.

Underneath are a bottle and a basket.

_Empty._

82. Christ before Pilate.

83. Christ bearing the Cross. Mutilated.

84. The Elevation of the Cross. Much mutilated.

85. The Deposition. Much mutilated.

_Empty._

86. The Resurrection. An angel on either side, guards below.

87. Pentecost: the Birthday of Holy Church. A dignified group of figures.

FOURTH AND FIFTH TIERS.--The fourth and fifth tiers contained at least 120 figures (about a dozen of which are gone), varying in height from 7 ft. 10 in. to 8 ft. 1 in., a few running as high as 8 ft. 10 in.

They no doubt represent the kings, bishops, and heroes of English history from Egbert to Henry II. c.o.c.kerell was probably right in his general interpretation of the series, but it is easy to prove that he is wrong in many of the names he gives. It is not so easy to suggest any better, and therefore his names have stuck to the figures, since people naturally like to know them by something more interesting than a number. I shall therefore adopt his nomenclature, with the admission that equally good grounds could be given in almost every case for some other theory. Besides Mr Ferrey's account (_Inst. Brit. Arch._, 1870), quoted in inverted commas, c.o.c.kerell's descriptions, inaccurate as they are, have been consulted, and also Mr Planche's criticism of c.o.c.kerell.

The word _b.u.t.tress_ means that the figure (generally a sitting one) is on the west face of the b.u.t.tress in question. Bishops ("Bp."), unless otherwise stated, wear the usual vestments--mitre, chasuble, dalmatic, tunicle, stole, maniple, alb, and apparelled amice. Kings ("K.") and Queens ("Q.") wear crowns. A favourite att.i.tude is described as "holding cord"; this cord being the lace or cord of the mantle, which crossed the chest and prevented that garment from falling off the shoulders. The mantle seems to have had an uncomfortable tendency to slip down, and thus it became a habit constantly to pull the cord forward, whence the frequency of this att.i.tude. This cord was wrongly described by c.o.c.kerell as a necklace, with which it has, of course, no connection. The word "trampling" refers to another common feature in these tiers; kings are generally represented as trampling on a small figure under their feet, to signify their success over their enemies.

The figures of the fifth tier are rather taller than those of the fourth. The first twenty figures on our list, those of the fourth tier up to King Ina, may represent the twenty bishops of the diocese from Athelm to Jocelin, in direct order, since the corresponding series of the fifth tier contains figures which cannot be those of bishops. I have, however, kept to c.o.c.kerell's names to avoid confusion.

FOURTH TIER.--88. _South Tower_--_b.u.t.tress_--Sitting Bp.; much decayed, supported by metal clamps.

89. Bp. Savaric. Much defaced, head grotesquely so.