at the east end, and Henry arranged for his own
interment in the same place, and for the memorial services, which were
afterwards to be held in their honour. Some of the indentures between
the King and Convent can be seen at the Record Office, others are in the
custody of the Dean and Chapter. Sir Reginald Bray, head of the royal
masons, is often spoken of as if he were the architect, but his death
took place soon after the laying of the foundation stone, and the chapel
was not finished for another sixteen years, long after Henry VIII.'s
accession, when the monasteries were tottering to their fall. Abbot
Islip supervised {93} the building, and it is more than likely that Sir
Thomas Lovell, whose bust has lately been placed near Lady Margaret's
tomb, had, as executor to both the King and his mother, a share in
designing their monuments. In any case, Lovell was a patron of
Torrigiano, the famous Italian sculptor, who was employed to make the
beautiful effigies of the King, his wife, and his mother, as well as the
rich altar tombs upon which the figures lie. A fine bronze grille, which
is, like the gates, of English workmanship, preserves the founder's tomb
from injury. The whole is decorated with roses and fleurs-de-lis, while
upon the screen itself are the Welsh dragon of Cadwallador, the last
British king, from whom the Tudors claimed descent, and the greyhound, a
crest belonging to the Nevilles, who were relatives of Henry's wife.
Nearly all the statuettes upon the outside have been stolen; but within,
round the black marble altar tomb, are still intact twelve medallions,
six on either side, each of which encloses two silver-gilt images. The
saints represented are St. George of England, St. Denis of France, St.
Edward and St. Peter, the patrons of the Abbey, as well as the King's own
special guardians. Amongst these perhaps the most charming are the burly
form of St. Christopher, with {94} the tiny infant Christ upon his
shoulder, and the very graceful figure of St. Barbara with her tower in
her hand, who is thus easily distinguishable from the conventional Mary
Magdalene beside whom she stands. Finely moulded cherubs, also in gilt
brass, support the royal arms, and we may trace the master hand of
Michael Angelo's great rival in these as in all the other accessories.
The effigies themselves are unique specimens of Torrigiano's art,
equalled only by his other masterpiece, the recumbent figure of Lady
Margaret in