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sceptre, while his left supports a shield on which is represented the Royal arms of Scotland, a lion rampant within a tressure. He is supported on either side by smaller figures wearing crowns but clad in armour. Judging by analogy it may be assumed that these are meant to represent the sons of the king alluded to in the larger figure. As the two side slabs make up part of this end, to the extent of seven and five eighths of an inch in each case, some details of this subject would have been available, but unfortunately in the case of the slab now on the south side of the porch the stone is defective on this point, a large piece being broken away, which has carried with it the upper part of the figure of one of the knights and all that there was of the end. In the other case, the return remains, but is so closely built into the wall of the porch that little can be seen of it, even when the boarding is removed. The upper part has some well-cut blind tracery, and below this, a portion at least of one of the small figures no doubt remains.

The opposite end, that which faced towards the east in the original position of the tomb, is now preserved under cover in the ruins of the Priory. Its architectural treatment is varied from that of the sides. Three niches with trefoil heads were thrown into one by the division between them being made into small corbels. At the original north

east angle the end overlapped the side, but at the other angle the original south side overlapped the angle, as seen by the plan. In consequence of this, a portion of the carving of the east end of the tomb is on the end of the slab now on the north side of the porch, but it cannot be seen as it is built up behind the frame of the door between the porch and the nave, which would have to be taken down before it could be examined. In the three spandrels of the arcade which come on the portion of the end which is in the Priory, that on the left contains a figure bearing a staff which may represent a pilgrim, but it is much weathered and partly defaced. The central spandrel contains the Virgin as Queen of Heaven, crowned, with Our Lord in her arms and surrounded by rays of glory. The right hand spandrel contains the cock

7 If, as seems most likely, the figure represents King Robert Bruce, may not these smaller figures be intended for his father and grandfather, the latter known

as the competitor, who though not de facto, would in the eyes of their descen dants be de jure kings of Scotland.

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on a reel facing to the dexter. The whole of the space below the arcade is occupied by a group of figures of which nine can be seen, and it may be assumed that the whole. number was thirteen. The central figure occupies the whole of the chief compartment of the arcade, and represents the Prior seated. The seat is of semi-octagonal form and has a moulded cornice and plinth. The Prior is habited in the ordinary dress of the Austin Canons; he wears both cassock and cloak; the hood of the latter is drawn up and covers the head, while the sides of it fall over the shoulders. He holds with both hands and resting on his knees a shield bearing the arms of the Priory, a lion rampant debruised by a bend. On either side of him kneel a group of Canons, of whom six are to be seen on his left and two on his right, the remainder of the number on his right being on the end of the side slab as explained. These figures are allusive of the Prior and twelve brethren who were originally placed in the Priory on its foundation, thirteen being the smallest number who could occupy a monastic house, being typical of Our Lord and the twelve Apostles. The Canons also wear their cloaks, but their hoods are thrown back and they kneel bareheaded with clasped hands facing the Prior in an attitude of adoration. Their heads are tonsured.

On the right-hand end of this end slab is a sculpture which formed a portion of that on the original north side of the monument. It is seen in elevation on Plate. In a niche rather narrower and longer than those containing the four doctors, but similarly treated to them, is a figure of the Madonna crowned and standing on a pedestal. Above is a shield on which is a large double rose. The adjoining spandril, to the right of the shield, is unfortunately now hidden by the door frame.

Before describing the various figures on the monument in detail, it will be convenient to give a short account of its history as far as known, and its probable date.

No contemporary notice of it seems to exist, but in a letter written probably in the reign of James I., it is stated that "their (the Bruces) sepulchres, and the Lord Falconbridges,

8 Argent, a lion rampant azure, debruised by a bend gules (Tonge's Visitation of Yorkshire, 1530-Surtees Soc. xli. 24). The family of Tocketts of

Tocketts in the parish of Guisborough bore the same arms (Ibid. p. xxvi), probably because they were subfeudatories of the Priory.

and divers other greate Barons apeare amongste the ruynes," but makes no certain reference to this particular It is not until 1661 that we find an undoubted notice of its existence. In that year the second volume of Dugdale's Monasticon Anglicanum appeared, and amongst other engravings is one by Hollar, which gives a fairly accurate, though somewhat conventional, representation of our subject. It is of great value, as it is the only authority for the royal end now lost. The two sides are given, but not the end in The plate was contributed by the most Bruce, and Earl of Elgin, as a memorial to his ancestors.9 At that time it seems to have been removed from the Priory church, where it had been very recently, nuperrime existens.

the Priory church. noble Thomas, Lord

The next notice is found in the note-book of John Warburton, the Herald.10 It is undated, but as he was in the neighbourhood in the autumn of 1718, it was probably written then. After describing Guisbrough parish church, he proceeds, "Near to the entrance at the west door is an ancient tomb, on which the Churchwardens' seat is fixt, so that no inscription is to be seen, by the sheild represented in the following draught should have belonged to (blank)." Then follows a very rough drawing of the English side of the

monument.

Graves, by some strange omission, whilst describing the parish church in his History of Cleveland, makes no reference to it." Ord gives a copy of a drawing of the Scotch side and lost end, made by Mr. William Downing Bruce of Ripon, and lithographed by Mr. J. R. Walbran, 12 He also gives a drawing of the effigy of Sir William de Bruce in Pickering Church on the same plate. The drawing is inaccurate and careless, and the letter-press even worse. The last and by far the best account is given in the second volume of Canon Atkinson's unfortunately unfinished History

9" Memoriæ Majorum prænobilis Thomas, Dominus Bruce, Comes Elginia posuit." This person was Thomas Bruce, third Lord Kinloss, son of Sir Edward Bruce of Culross, who was created Lord Bruce of Kinloss in 1601, and received Whorlton Castle and Jervaulx Abbey from James I. He was created Earl of Elgin in the Peerage of Scotland in 1633, and in 1641 Baron

Bruce of Whorlton in that of England. He was the ancestor of the Marquesses of Ailesbury, who are Brudenelis in the male line, the present Earl of Elgin being descended from him collaterally.

10 Lansdowne MSS. Brit. Mus. No. 892, fo. 55b.

11 Carlisle, 1808, p. 419.
12 History of Cleveland.
1846, p. 199.

London,

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