It was this Henry who, one hundred and sixty years after Edward the
Confessor had built this church, took it down, and raised an entire
new one of beautiful architecture, supported by rows of marble
columns, and its roof covered with sheets of lead, a work of fifty
years before its completion. It has been much enlarged at the west
end by the abbots. After the expulsion of the monks, it experienced
many changes; first it had a dean and prebendaries; then a bishop,
who, having squandered the revenues, resigned it again to a dean.
In a little time, the monks with their abbot were reinstated by
Queen Mary; but, they being soon ejected again by authority of
parliament, it was converted into a cathedral church - nay, into a
seminary for the Church - by Queen Elizabeth, who instituted there
twelve prebendaries, an equal number of invalid soldiers, and forty
scholars; who at a proper time are elected into the universities,
and are thence transplanted into the Church and State.
Next to be seen is the tomb of Eleanor, daughter of Alphonso King of
Spain, and wife of Edward I., with this inscription:
This Eleanor was consort of Edward I.
A.D. 1298. Learn to die.
The tomb of Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VII.
In the middle of this chapel is the shrine of St. Edward, the last
King of the Saxons. It is composed of marble in mosaic: round it
runs this inscription in letters of gold:
