The work of the earlier school of engravers is well shown on the inscriptions at St. Saviour, 1412, and St. Crux, 1413, both of which have fine, bold lettering, and appear to have come from one workshop. Another example of fine lettering is to be found at Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, 1458. The inscriptions at St. Cuthbert, 1435, and Holy Trinity, King's Court, 1442, have thinner lettering, and appear to be the product of one workshop. Some of the later fifteenth and early sixteenth century inscriptions have excellent lettering, especially those at All Saints', North Street, 1482, St. Michael, Spurriergate, 1485, and circa 1500, the latter a curious and much contracted inscription, also All Saints', North Street, 1503. The stones into which these inscriptions are inserted are often of large size, and have been used over and over again, even in early times, the Stockton inscription at All Saints', North Street, for instance, being inlaid in the slab to John Wardale, who died in 1395. About the middle of the fifteenth century the York engravers seem to have originated the "chalice" brass, of which one of the finest examples is to be found in the church of St. Michael, Spurriergate. Towards the close of the sixteenth century they introduced quadrangular plates bearing large half or three-quarter figures, evidently intended for portraits. Three good examples still remain, one to James Cotrel, 1595, in the Minster, another to Robert Askwith, 1597, at St. Crux, and the third to Thomas Atkinson, 1642, at All Saints', North Street. Another large half figure, but without any background, is in the Minster to Elizabeth Eynns, 1585, and is probably of London work, there being a similar figure at Wyddial, Herts. The little half figure of Christopher Harington, goldsmith, 1614, in St. Martin's, Coney Street, was probably engraved in his own workshops. The brasses still remaining in the city number forty, consisting of six figures, viz. one ecclesiastic, four civilians, and one lady, all half figures except the first; twenty-eight inscriptions, whereof nine are of the fifteenth century, four of the sixteenth, and fifteen of the seventeenth; also one chalice, two shields, one bearing a merchant's mark, the other the arms of the city; two achievements of arms over vaults in the Minster, and one inscription, now converted into a weathercock, also in the Minster. No fewer than twelve of the inscriptions commemorate citizens who had filled the office of Lord Mayor, and in one case the wife of this official is given her courtesy life title of "Lady," according to the York custom. THOMAS CLERK AND WIFE, MARGARET, 1482. YORK, ALL SAINTS, NORTH STREET. (About one-quarter full size.) The destruction of brasses, especially in the Minster, has been great. The fate of one is well shown in the illustration accompanying the description of the Moore inscription, formerly in the Minster. The fine, but now mutilated, figure of Archbishop Grenefeld in the Minster is the earliest existing archiepiscopal brass, and the only one of an archbishop remaining in his own cathedral church. Not a single brass of an archbishop of Canterbury has come down to us, but of the archbishops of York three examples still remain, viz. Grenefeld, in the Minster; Robert de Waldeby, 1397, in Westminster Abbey; and Samuel Harsnett, 1631, in Chigwell Church, Essex. To Mr. J. Challenor Smith, F.S.A., the writer desires to convey his warmest thanks, not only for visiting the various churches, making rubbings, and collecting information from registers and wills, but also for much kind and patient labour in the preparation of the illustrations. To Mr. Smith is entirely due the credit for the discovery of the weathercock in the Minster, with the subsequent piecing together of the fragments and the identification of the inscription. ALL SAINTS, NORTH STREET. I. THOMAS CLERK AND WIFE MARGARET, 1482. Inscription set in a large stone, with the symbols of the Evangelists on quatrefoils, each with his name on a scroll, at the corners, that of St. Mark lost. Size of inscription plate 23 by 4 inches, of quatrefoils 5 by 5 inches, of slab 58 by 30 inches. On floor of south aisle. Inscription : Oret' qisqz speciali' p't'nsie's p' ai'abz Tho'e Clerk quo'da' Cl'ici Ciui tatis Ebor' et toci' Com' et Margarete ur' qi obieru't XVI diebz febr' et Marcii A° dn1 M° CCCC° LXXXFI° q°r' ai’abz p'piciet' d's AmeN. A good example of the work of the York school, the symbols of the Evangelists being especially well engraved. Thomas Clerk was free of the city in 1449, elected common clerk February 3, 1479-80, and died 16 February, 1482-3.1 His will is dated 19 April, 1482, and proved 21 February following. His widow, Margaret, made her will in the same year, on 16 March, the day of her death, and it was proved on the 21st of the same month. 1 Test. Ebor., vol. iii, p. 168 (note). II. WILLIAM STOKTON, ROBERT COLYNSON, AND THEIR WIFE, Inscription only. Size of plate 22 by 4 inches, of slab 90 by 41 inches. On floor of the south aisle. Orate Sp'ialiter pro ai'abus Will'mi Stokton' et Rob'ti A good example of the York school of engravers.1 William Stokton, mercer, free in 1420, constable of the Mercers' Company in 1432, sheriff in 1438, lord mayor in 1446, died intestate before 20 November, 1471, on which date administration was granted of his effects. He was twice married, firstly to Alice, widow of Roger Selby, of York, spicer, and secondly, to Isabel, widow of Robert Colynson, alderman and mercer, lord mayor in 1457. Colynson died in 1458; will, with various codicils, dated 9 April, 1436, 26 October, 1450, and 23 January, 1453, proved 3 October, 1458. Isabel Stokton, widow, died in 1503; in her will, dated 20 May and proved 27 July in that year, she desires to be buried in the church of All Saints, near the bodies of her husbands. The large slab into which the Stokton inscription has been intruded originally marked the burial place of John de Wardalle and one of his two wives, probably his second wife, Ellen. It still bears the following inscription, cut in the stone in raised black letter, but unfortunately the name of the wife is illegible: hic iacet Joh'es de Wardalle . . . . . uxor ei'. John Wardale, citizen and tanner of York, by will dated the Sunday before the feast of St. Andrew, and proved 30 December, 1395, desires to be buried in his parish church of All Saints, North Street, and mentions his wife, Ellen. She, by will dated 4 June, 1400, and proved 9 June in the same year, also desires to be buried in the church of All Saints, "in choro Sancti Nich'i," and mentions Agnes, the former wife of her husband. III. THOMAS ASKWITH, 1609. Inscription and shield of arms. Size of plate 23 by 10 inches, of shield 8 by 7 inches. On wall at east end of south aisle. HERE. LYETH. THE. BODIES. OF. THOMAS. ASKWITH. & 1 For illustration see p. 13. |