doorway before mentioned, is a low
arch, and the portion of an apse, no doubt the work of Thomas, the apse
being the eastern termination of his transept.

[Illustration: Capitals in Crypt.]

It was from his examination of the side walls of this crypt that
Professor Willis was able to support his conjectures as to the
dimensions and character of Roger's choir. Thus he traced it to the
eastern transept of that choir, in the same place as the present eastern
transepts, and deduced from the extra thickness of the wall in that part
that those transepts had been capped by towers. Beyond this the crypt
was filled up with graves, and there is now no access, but during the
repairs he was able to trace so much of the walls as to make it plain
that Roger's choir had a square ending, and also to mark the situation
of the east end of that choir.

#The Record Room.#--A chantry founded by Archbishop Zouch, but rebuilt
in 1396, during the erection of the present choir, is now utilised as
the record room, and contains the fabric rolls, and other documents
concerning the building and constitution of the minster.

The vestry and treasury date from the middle of the fourteenth century;
like the record room they lie to the south of the choir.

In the vestry is the famous horn of Alphus. It was given by Alph, or
Alphus, son of Thorald, a little while before the Conquest. Alphus laid
it on the altar of the minster, as a sign that he gave certain lands to
the church. The horn is made out of an elephant's tusk. The wide end of
the horn is ornamented with carvings of griffin dogs, a unicorn, and a
lion eating a doe. This carving shows a strong Eastern or Byzantine
influence, and may well have been of Byzantine workmanship. The horn was
lost during the Civil War, but found by Lord Fairfax, who gave it back
to the minster. The silver gilt chain now attached to it was added in
1675. The vestry also contains an oak chest finely carved with the stag
of St. George, and dating from the early part of the fifteenth century,
and the fine pastoral staff plundered from James Smyth, the Roman Bishop
of Callipolis, in the streets of York at the time of the deposition of
James II.

Here also is the Mazer Bowl or Indulgence Cup of Archbishop Scrope. It
is of wood, with a silver rim, and three cherubs' heads for feet. Round
the rim is the following inscription:--

"Recharde, Arche Beschope Scrope grantis on to alle tho that
drinkis of this cope x