Lambeth Palace and its associations

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And its Associations

BY

Preface To The Second Edition

Very mingled are the feelings with which the Author now sends forth a Second Edition of ' Lambeth Palace and its Associations.'

He gratefully acknowledges the most unexpected favour with which his work has been received by the general public, and the indulgent, and, he fears, in some cases the too flattering, judgments of reviewers; and accepts its rapid sale, and the immediate call for a further supply, as a proof that he has not wholly failed in his endeavour to invest what is essentially an archaeological subject with something of popular interest. But any such personal gratification is painfully tempered by the thought that he to whose encouragement during the progress of the work, and to whose interest in the subject of it, as evinced in the Introduction, — one viii PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

of the last productions of his pen, — it was so deeply indebted, only just lived to see it in its completed form/

Thus it has come that, while on the first edition the Author was permitted to inscribe gratefully and reverently the name of Mrs Tait, — the second, alas ! he is called on to dedicate sorrowing

TO THE MEMORY OF

ARCHBISHOP TAIT

HIMSELF.

^ The work was published on the 15th November 1882, and Archbishop Tait died Advent Sunday, December 3d,

Preface To The First Edition

I LOVE this old house, and was very desirous of amusing myself, if I could find means to do it, with the history of its buildings." So wrote Archbishop Herring^ to his antiquarian friend Dr Ducarel, in 1754. The place he wrote about and loved was " Croydon House," in those days a very favourite residence of the Archbishops.

These words exactly express the feelings which were ever uppermost in the mind of the author of the present volume, when, nearly forty years ago, his parochial duties took him daily under the walls of the far more noteworthy and famed Archiepiscopal residence, Lambeth Palace, — feelings which were encouraged by the characteristic courtesy of Archbishops Howley and Sumner, who permitted

^ Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, vol. ix. p. 305.

X PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION,

him to wander freely over that venerable pile. Here, during some nine years/ was being cherished a love of antiquarian research, and the habit formed of collecting and storing up every particle of information — from history, or architecture, or art — bearing upon this favourite subject ; while the vision seemed to be constantly floating before his mind that he might some day be able to write a History of a place he too had learned to love, and one so rich in national and ecclesiastical associations.

The call of duty, however, carried him away to far-distant scenes and different subjects ; and during some twenty years spent in India, very different subjects forced themselves on his attention, and for a time Lambeth Palace and its history of necessity fell into the background, — out of sight, though never quite out of mind. But when, soon after his return to England, he found himself again standing in his old haunts, and found too that, though Lambeth Palace had passed into other hands, its portals were as open to him as before, and even greater facilities and encouragement were offered to him for carrying out his long-cherished wish, he set himself strenuously to

^ The author was curate of Lambeth from 1842 to 1851.

Preface To The First Edition

XI arrange and digest the data he had previously accumulated, and to add to them from every available quarter. The result is now in the readers hands.

Such was simply the origin of this History of Lambeth Palace ; and such the excuse, if excuse be necessary, for the attempt to write it.

Not that no History of the Palace existed; or that none hitherto written was worthy of the theme ; or that he presumed to think that he could produce one more worthy than those already published. Far otherwise. There were several, — and one of them most valuable ; but they were either as antiquated in style as in subject — for the Lambeth Palace of to-day is not the Lambeth Palace of even sixty years ago ; or so rare as to be scarcely attainable by the general public : while Lambeth Palace had been so essentially a part of the history of the English Church and nation that it deserved — nay, demanded — to have its story brought within reach of every class of readers in this age of eager inquiry ; and to such the existing Histories were so many sealed books."

The principal authority on this subject was Dr Andrew Coltee Ducarel, the greatest Antiquarian

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

of his day, — who, as keeper of the Lambeth Archives, Hved in the midst of the Registers and Manuscripts. Hence Ducarel's ' History of Lambeth Palace' has been, and ever must be, the basis of all subsequent histories of the place. A few years after him, the subject was carried on by his friend, Dr Samuel Denne, Rector of Lambeth, who prepared a volume equally valuable, as Addenda " to the previous work. These two appeared originally in that incomparable collection of Fragments " of the labours of literary men, which from their size were liable to be lost or overlooked, but were rescued from the wreck of time, and preserved by that indefatigable antiquarian, John Nichols, by being published in his ' BiBLioTHECA TopoGRAPHicA Britannica,' in the years 1785 and 1795. Ten years after, in 1806, two enterprising publishers — Messrs Herbert & Brayley — produced a volume entitled ' Lambeth Palace, Illustrated in a series of views representing its most interesting Antiquities, in Buildings, Portraits, Stained Glass,^ &c. This is a work of considerable artistic merit ; but true to its title, it is only valuable for the sake of the Illustrations, of which the letterpress, being little more than extracts from Ducarel, is a running comment. Then,

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

xiu in the year 1827, Mr Thomas Allen, a Lambeth resident, with a laudable zeal for the fame of his parish, compiled a volume, in which he has embodied most of the facts which Ducarel and Denne had brought to light. This work being somewhat less archaeological, and more popular in s^le, is really the only ordinarily available history of the Palace and the Parish generally ; and of it the History of the Palace forms but a fractional part ; but even this work is not easily to be met with : while those by Ducarel and Denne are most rare, and are practically lost to the general public, being only to be found occasionally in very rich archaeological libraries.

Moreover, the latest of these describes a building so altered as to be scarcely recognised, beyond its main external outline and character. For the very year after Allen's History was published, the whole of Lambeth Palace underwent so great a change that the descriptions then given often refer to rooms which have now disappeared ; while in those parts which have been preserved and restored, the arrangements are in many cases so different that they would only perplex instead of guiding the reader.

The one work on the subject which has apxiv

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

peared since the changes effected in 1829 is 'The History and Antiquities of Lambeth,' by John Tanswell, of the Inner Temple, which was pub- Hshed in 1858. In it barely fifty pages are devoted to the Palace ; and these contain so many inaccuracies that it can never be accepted, even so far as it goes, as an authority.^

In the present volume, the author's earnest desire and aim has been to tell the tale of Lambeth — or, rather, to make those historic portions of it which belong to days gone by tell their own tale — down to the present time ; so that the general reader of to-day, as well as the Arch^ologian, may find an account, as far as he could make it intelligible and reliable, of what Lambeth Palace has been, and what it now is.

He is conscious that, among other imperfections of his work, there may seem to be a want of continuity in the narrative, or of connection between the several divisions of his subject, and, it may be, a difference of style in the different parts. For these he would thus account. His

^ In a collection of Essays under the head of ' Stray Studies,' by the Rev. J. R. Green, is one on "Lambeth and the Archbishops," which possesses all the charms of that author's style and graphic power of grouping historical characters ; yet is not without some inaccuracies of local description, which would seem to have been either sketched in from memory, or adopted at second-hand without being verified.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION,

XV original intention, which he has been able partly to carry out, was to compress each portion of his subject within the limits of an article for a Review or Magazine,^ so that, benefiting by criticisms and corrections, he might insure the greater accuracy for his completed work. This independent and distinctive treatment of each part may probably be still detected in the present volume, and betray the unskilled hand of the literary workman in joining together his pieces into a symmetrical whole.

At the same time he would plead for indulgent criticism on this defect — if it be one — for the very variety in the parts seems to render this difference almost necessary. He could not, for instance, dwell upon the details of this noble Palace without indulp^ino- in an archseolosfical admiration of that art -life with which its very stones are instinct. He could not stand in that Portrait - gallery without tracing out in thought the leading traits of character which distinguished each of those Fathers in God by whose like-

1 A considerable portion of the earlier pages of this volume is an expansion of an Article in the ' Quarterly Review' for July 1878 ; and that referring to the Portraits of the Archbishops is based on one which appeared in ' Macmillan's Magazine,' August 1879. For permission to reproduce the substance of these articles the Author would tender his acknowledgments to the Publishers of these Periodicals.

xvi

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

nesses he was surrounded ; or in that Library, without allowing his mind to travel over those treasures of learning and art which it contained ; still less in that Chapel, so rich in memories of the past of England's Church, without feeling the influence of the genitts loci — without a pulse quickened by recalling the stirring events, fraught with joy or woe, of which it had been the scene.

In each part his irresistible impulse has been to identify himself with the spot whereon he was standing, and his desire to carry his readers with him : he has throughout laboured to portray, with all possible exactness and truth, the persons, the characters, the actions of the distinguished men who for many centuries have successively found a home at Lambeth Palace, and who, while representing, have also in many cases guided and led the mind of the English Church of their day.

On one point the author feels that some apology is due to the general reader — to the Antiquarian who may deign to read his work no such apology will be necessary — for having burdened his pages with footnotes. Conscious that he was bringing forward many details of Palace history which had been hitherto unnoticed, and, more-

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

xvii over, that he was endeavouring to refute some generally accepted local traditions, he felt called upon to justify his statements ; and therefore, at no little personal labour of research, he has striven to trace up every statement to its fountaiji-head, in order to give his authority for making it, and to verify every reference given by other writers before becoming himself responsible for it.

So wide has been the range of subjects embraced, and so various the sources from which reliable information had to be sought, that the author has been compelled to tax the kindness not only of personal friends, but also of perfect strangers ; yet from every quarter, from private individuals, and from the officials in the British Museum, the Record Office, and the Heralds' College, as well as in Lambeth Palace itself, he has received most ready and valuable help ; for which he desires to record his very grateful acknowledgments.

Two names he feels called on to mention as having specially encouraged him in his work, and aided him with their local as well as general knowledge : the Ven. Benjamin Harrison, Archdeacon of Maidstone, for many years Domestic Chaplain

b xviii

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

to Archbishop Howley ; and the Rev. Randall T. Davidson, who no less ably fills the same office in the household of Archbishop Tait : in the one the Lambeth Palace of years gone by, in the other the Lambeth Palace of to-day, has a hearty and appreciative exponent, and to both the author is deeply indebted for information and advice.

Detling Vicarage, Maidstone, 1882.

Contents

INTRODUCTION BY THE LATE ARCHKISHOP

TAIT, . , . . . . . .P. xxvii

_ CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER II. THE GREAT GATEWAY, OR MORTON's TOWER

Bridges, so called, over the Thames often represent only quays or stairs, 31 — Stangate Bridge {i.e., Stairs) built by Bp. John de Sheppey, 30 — Lambeth Stairs the principal point for crossing the river, 31 — Here would be the main entrance to the Abp.'s grounds, ib. — Morton's Gateway erected on the site of an earlier entrance, 32 — Its massive character, ib. — The prison in the eastern wing, 35 — Origin and use of prisons in Episcopal houses, 36 — "Muniment" or "Record Room" over the entrance-gate, formerly Cardinal Morton's audience-chamber, 37. Pp. 30-38

Chapter III. The Great Hall

Its external appearance, 39 — Date of original building uncertain : Magna Aula mentioned in Abp. Reynold's time, 40 — Consecration Banquets held here; their character, 42— Councils, and occasionally Convocation, sat there, 43 — Sir Thomas More and Bp. Fisher summoned here before Cranmer, 44 — Scenes of incrimination between Cranmer and Bps. Bonner and Gardiner, 45 — Occasional sittings of the Star Chamber here, ib. — The building destroyed, and materials sold by Colonel T. Scot, 47 — Rebuilt

CONTENTS.

XXI by Abp. Juxon; thence called " Juxon's Hall," zL — Resemblance in construction to the Halls at Westminster and Eltham Palace, 48 — The old painted glass and arms collected in the window at the north end, 49 — The Hall adapted by Abp. Howley for the Library, 51 — The old Cloisters, the former Library, probably built by Cardinal Pole and restored by Abp. Sheldon, 54 — Queen Elizabeth once present here, — Absence of architectural beauty, 55 — Interesting only as associated with John Foxe, Stow, Strype, &c., 57. Pp. 39-57

Chapter IV. The Library

No Library belonged to the See prior to Abp. Bancroft's time, 58 — His bequest of his books proved the foundation of the present Library, 61 — He gave a reversionary interest in them to the Cambridge University, 62 — They were thus saved from dispersion during the Commonwealth, 63 — After the Restoration Abp. Sheldon recovered them for Lambeth, 64 — The Registers date only from John Peckham, 65 — The earlier ones were carried by Abp. Kilwardby to Rome, and never returned, ib. — The great importance of these Registers according to Ducarel and Gibson, 66, 67 — Ducarel's elaborate Index of the whole of incalculable value, 68 — Besides the Registers are a vast collection of Court-rolls, Charters, Stewards' Accounts, &c., ib. — Also a mass of miscellaneous MSS., called by Dr Todd "Codices Lambethani," 69 — Among them are " Parliamentary Surveys of Church Lands," made during the Commonwealth, 70 — Also ' Notitias Parochiales,* dated 1705,71 — The great body of the other MSS. grouped under the names of their several donors, 73 — The Wharton MSS., almost entirely bearing on English ecclesiastical history, 74 — The Carew MSS., referring entirely to the history of Ireland, 75 — The Tenison MSS., a most varied collection, nearly 300 volumes, 77 — Among these a black-letter copy of the Thirty-nine Articles of 1562, with the autograph signatures of Bps. and Clergy of 1604, 78 — Also Laud's "Jura etPrivilegia Clero Anglicano adjudicata," 79 — The Gibson MSS., their history : among xxii

CONTENTS.

them the Bacon papers, a correspondence between Lord Bacon and his contemporaries, 80, 81 — And the Shrewsbury Papers, chiefly stewards' accounts, 82 — The Miscella7teotis MSS. comprise those presented between the time of Tenison and Manners Sutton, ib. — The Manners Sution MSS., chiefly Professor Carlyle's collection, 83 — Catalogues of the several collections made by Wharton, Gibson, and Wilkins, 84 — Dr Todd prepared the first printed Catalogue, 86 — Principal gems of the collection : Aldhelm's 'De Virginitate,' 87 — Gospels of MacDurnan : a Sarum Missal, 88 — 'Notable Wise Dictes and Sayings of Philosophers': a rare manuscript, 89 — Another copy from Caxton's press, 90 — The ' Daunce of Machabre,* translated by Lydgate, 91 — The " Mazarine Bible," long supposed to be a MS., ib. — A collection of New Testament MSS. and Versions, 93 — " The most valuable Koran of Asia," 96 — General features of the Library, 98. Pp. 58-98

Chapter V. The Librarians

Henry Wharton, 99 ; Dr Edmund Gibson, 102 ; Dr David Wilkins, 103 ; Dr Andrew Coltee Ducarel, 105 ; Dr Henry John Todd, 108; Dr Samuel Roffey Maitland, ib.j Dr William Stubbs, no; Mr S. W. Kershaw, III. Pp. 99-111

Chapter VI. The Guard-room

Guard-rooms necessary appendages to Episcopal Palaces, 112 — First mention of one at Lambeth, 114 — Original character preserved in the restoration in 1829, 115 — Now used as the Portrait- Gallery, 116 — Series of Portraits unrivalled, 117 — Interesting variety in the midst of apparent sameness, 119 — Portraits : Dunstan, 121; Abps. Arundel, ib.j Chicheley, 123; Warham (by Holbein), 125; Cranmer (two portraits contrasted), 129;

CONTENTS.

xxiii

Cardinal Pole (two portraits), 131 ; Parker (painting by Lyne, and etching by Hogenberg), 133; Grindal (by De Vos), 135; Whitgift (two portraits), 136; Bancroft, 138; Abbott, 140; Laud (by Vandyck), 142; Juxon, 144; (and a second portrait after death), 146; Sheldon, ib.; Bancroft, 149; (and a reputed likeness when a youth), 150; Tillotson (by Kneller ; another by Mr Beale), 151; Tenison, 154; Wake (by Whood), 156; Potter, 158, (and a likeness when a boy), ib.j Herring (by Hogarth), 160 ; Hutton (by Hudson), ib.; Seeker (by Sir Joshua Reynolds), 161 ; Cornwallis (by Dance), 162; Moore (by Romney), 165; Manners Sutton (by Sir T. Lawrence), 166; Howley (by Sir Martin Shee), 167; Sumner (two portraits, by Eddis and Mrs Carpenter), 168; Longley (by Richmond), 169; Tait (two portraits, by Sant and Richmond), 170 — Miscellaneous portraits: Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester, 172 ; Thomas Bilson, Bishop of Winchester, ib.; Dr Christopher Wren, Registrar of the Order of the Garter, 173 — Series of Bishops after the Revolution : William Lloyd, Bp. of S. Asaph and Worcester, 177 ; John Hough, Bp. of Worcester (by Kneller), 178 ; Simon Patrick, Bp. of Ely, 179; John Moore, Bp. of Ely and of Norwich, 180; Bps. Gardiner of Lincoln, 181 ; Williams, of Chichester, ib.; Evans, of Bangor, ib.; Fleetwood, of Ely, ib.; Gilbert Burnet, Bp. of Winchester (by Mrs Hoadley), 181; Benjamin Hoadley, Bp. of Bangor, &c. (by the same), 182; Dr Benjamin Whichcote, ib.; Zachary Pearce, Bp. of Rochester (by Hudson), 183 ; Thomas Newton, Bp. of Bristol (by Sir Joshua Reynolds), ib.; George Berkeley, Bp. of Cloyne, 184; Bps. Hayter of London, 185; Terrick, of London (by Dance), ib.; John Thomas, of Winchester, ib.; Sir Thomas Gooch, of Ely (by Hudson), ib.; Mawson, of Ely, ib.; Douglas, of Carlisle (by Beechey), ib.; Warren, of Bangor (by Gainsborough), ib.; Rundle, of Derry, ib. — Peter du Moulin, 186 — Drs Gibson, Wilkins, and Wharton (librarians), ib. — Ralph Snowe, treasurer, ib. — Martin Luther ; supposed Luther and his wife, 187 — Reputed likeness of Katherine Parr, 187 — Probably that of Katherine, wife of Lord Wm. Howard, 189 — Prince Henry, son of James L, 191 — Charles L (said to be by Vandyck),/^. — The four Fathers of the Western Church, 192 — George Hardinge, a Welsh Judge (by Dance), 194 — Likenesses of members of the Townshend and Eden families, ib., 195.

xxiv

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VII. cranmer's tower, .... Pp. 196, 197

CHAPTER VIII. THE WATER TOWER, COMMONLY CALLED THE LOLLARD's TOWER

Consists of three portions, 198 — The main tower built by Abp. Chicheley, 199 — Origin of the real name, " The Water Tower," 200 — The Staircase Turret belongs to an earlier building, 201 — The "Post Room," false tradition about it, 204-206 — Laud's addition to the Water Tower on the north, 205 — The prisonroom at the top of the Staircase Turret, 207 — Prisons in Bishops' Palaces accounted for, 208 — "The Lollards' Tower" a misnomer here, 210 — Dr Maitland's opinion, and Dr Hook's, to that effect, 211 — Wicklififites and Lollards to be distinguished, 212 — Abp. Arundel's persecution of the Lollards, 214 — Abp. Chicheley's clemency towards them, 216 — His character vindicated from the charge of Lollard persecution, 218 — Abp. Warham's general liberality of action, 219 — Under Abp. Cranmer Lambeth became an asylum for Continental Reformers, 221 — No record of persons imprisoned here under Mary, ib. — A "Lollard's Tower" undoubtedly existed, but where? 223 — Stow describes it in the south-west tower of St Paul's, 224 — No mention of a Lollards' Tower at Lambeth until eighteenth century, ' ib. — This misapplication of the name accounted for, 225 — The name only applied to the Water Tower by modern topographers, 226 — Lambeth Palace an Asylum for Romanists under Abp. Parker, 228 — Lord Henry Howard imprisoned here, 229 — Lord Essex sheltered here on the way to the Tower, 230 — Lord Maltravers and his bride sent here in custody by Charles I., 232 — Lambeth Palace used as a State Prison for Royalists by Parliament, 233 — Dr Alexander Leighton appointed head-jailer, 235 — Sir Roger Twysden, Dr Guy Carleton, and others of mark imprisoned here, 237 — Great mortality among the prisoners in 1645, 239 — Some " Fifth Monarchy" men also imprisoned here, 242 — Among the later prisoners the Earls of Derby and Chesterfield, &c., 243

CONTENTS,

XXV

— Edward Dendy the last jailer, 244 — The names, emblems, &c., in the prison probably those of the Royalist prisoners, 245.

Chapter IX. The Chapel

The probable date of the present building, 248 — The Crypt of earlier date, 249 — Consecrations held "at Lambeth" before it belonged to the Archbishops, 250 — Probably in a Chapel attached to Rochester Place, 252 — The Crypt the probable scene of Abp. Boniface's revenge, 253 — Here Anne Boleyn appeared before Cranmer, ib. — The Chapel, its architectural features, 255 — The western doorway, 256 — Cardinal Morton beautified it, 257 — ' Biblia Pauperum,* the origin and use of them, 259 — Abp. Laud's restoration of it charged against him, 261 — The subjects of the windows, 263 — The roof of the Chapel always flat, to be used as a terrace, 265 — Wickliffe's appearances in the Chapel, 266 — Abp. Parker's Consecration here, 268 — The variety of vestments on that occasion, 270 — A "Vestment" Conference held here in 1566, 271 — Abp. Parker buried here, 272 — His tomb, 273 — Abp. Laud's last service in the Chapel, 275 — Abp. Bancroft's " Non-juror" Communion here, 276 — The Chapel desecrated and Abp. Parker's tomb rifled, 277 — His bones recovered and replaced by Abp. Sancroft, 279 — The windows restored, and the Chapel decorated by Abp. Tait, 281 — Lambeth Chapel a national shrine, 284 — Upwards of 400 Consecrations held here since 1500, 286 — A larger building necessary of late years for Consecrations, 287 — First American Bishops consecrated here in 1787, 290 — Close intercourse with the American Church ever since, 294 — The first Pan-Anglican Conference at Lambeth in 1867, 295 — Bishops Selwyn and Venables, &c., at the American Convention in 187 1, lb. — The American Alms-basin presented to the English Church 296 — Bishops consecrated in Lambeth Chapel for Canada, India, Australia, &c., 298 — The second Pan-Anglican Conference in 1878, 301 — The rich historical associations of Lambeth Chapel, 303- Pp. 248-304

CONTENTS.

Chapter X. Miscellaneous Associations

Archbishops of Canterbury made Cardinals, 305 — Lord Chancellors, 306 — Lord Treasurers, 307 — Royal visits to Lambeth, 308 — The "Clarendon Walk," 310 — Mary of Modena sheltering under the Gateway, ib. — The palace attacked by London mobs in 1247 and 1381, 312 — By the London Apprentices in 1640, ib. — In the Lord George Gordon riots in 1780, 313 — The "Lambeth Fig-trees," 313 — Abps. who died at Lambeth, 314 — The present relation of Lambeth to Christendom, 315 — Lambeth virtually the centre of a Patriarchate, 317. Pp. 305-317

MEDIEVAL LIFE AMONG THE OLD PALACES OF THE PRIMACY.

An Archbishop's journey in great state, 318 — Many manor-houses, 320, 321 — Application of the term " Palace," 322 — Lanfranc's division of conventual property of Canterbury, 323 — Canterbury Palace, 324-333 — Lyminge, 334-337— Saltwood Castle, 337-345 — Aldington Chase, 345-350 — Charing, 350-355 — Wingham, 355, 356 — Wrotham, 356 — Maidstone, 357-362 —Otford, 362-368 — Knole, 369-373 — Ford, 373 — Teynham, 375, 376 — Gillingham, 376, 377 — Bishopsbourne, 378, 379 — Bekesbourne, 380, 381 — Slyndon, 381, 382— West Tarring, 382— Mayfield, 383-386— Mortlake, 386 — Croydon, 387-398 — Dissolution of Monasteries, 398-401 — Transfer of Archiepiscopal Manors, 402-405.

SUPPLEMENTAL CHAPTER.

APPENDICES.

A. Consecrations in the Chapel, .

B. The American Alms-basin,

C. The Arms of the Archbishops,

Index,

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

THE CHAPEL, .....

. Frontispiece

GROUND PLANS, .....

facing

page I

GARDEN VIEW OF THE PALACE PRIOR TO 1 829,

MAIN COURTYARD AND ENTRANCE DOOR,

GARDEN VIEW OF THE MODERN BUILDINGS, .

ENTRANCE HALL, .....

CORRIDOR, .....

MORTON'S, OR THE GREAT GATEWAY, FROM THE SOUTH,

LIBRARY AND GATEWAY, FROM THE NORTH, .

CLOISTERS, REMOVED IN 1 829, .

OLD LIBRARY OVER THE CLOISTERS, .

INTERIOR OF THE GREAT HALL, NOW THli LIBRARY

GUARD-ROOM, PRESENT DINING-HALL, .

REPUTED PORTRAIT OF CATHERINE PARR,

BRASS OF LADY (KATHERINE) HOWARD IN LAMBETH

CHURCH

TOURELLE ON THE WATER TOWER,

WESTERN DOOR OF THE CHAPEL,

THE

Introduction

BY

LATE ARCHBISHOP

TAIT.

There are in London comparatively few buildings interesting from their antiquity. The Tower, the Abbey, and here and there a parish church or an ancient hall, which has escaped demolition and restoration, — these represent almost all that now remains to us of London before the seventeenth century.

Our rich prosperity has been the natural cause of this widespread demolition. New wants and abundant means have removed old buildings and substituted new in their place.

Lambeth Palace, like the English Church of which it is the centre, holds a position intermediate between the old and the new. The blackened " Lollards' Tower," and the Chapel by its side, xxviii INTRODUCTION BY THE LATE

carry us back at once to the Middle Ages. The great brick towers which form the Palace Gateway bear the name of their builder, the Cardinal Chancellor of the first of the Tudors. The Library is a medieval Hall, greatly injured in the desolations of the Commonwealth, and repaired at the Restoration according to the taste of Inigo Jones ; while one half of the whole Palace is occupied by the commodious house erected by Mr Blore, under Archbishop Howley, in the revived Tudor style of the nineteenth century. There is abundant historical interest in this mass of somewhat incongruous buildings. The memory of events important for the nation and the Church clings to the walls. The western towers of the Palace and the crarden below might seem to be tenanted even now by the great men who had their dwelling there in momentous times of old.

No wonder that there has of late revived, not in England only, but across the Atlantic, a friendly interest in this old fortress of the National Church. Old and yet new. This is characteristic of the Church of England, as it ought to be of the whole Church of Christ on earth, learning from old experience, both from the virtues and the errors of the past, how to regulate the present and to provide for the future.

Our Church's history links us with every period

ARCHBISHOP TAIT.

XXIX in the records of our national life. In outward organisation the See of Canterbury unites us with our earliest English ancestors, and, indirectly, even with the earlier British Church.

And even if we confine our thoughts to the time — now nearly seven centuries — during which the Archbishops have lived in Lambeth, we find ourselves connected by the associations which cluster round these walls, with each step in the onward progress of our Church and people towards fuller light and higher liberty. We can find memorials here of the successful efforts made to secure freedom from the thraldom of Rome, which marked the reigns of the later Plantagenets, and of the Lancastrian and Yorkist sovereigns. We can trace the mode in which Christian influence was maintained throughout the land in spite of marauding barons and rapacious kings. We can see how the professed followers of Christ bore themselves amid the struggles preceding that great upheaval of society in which the hitherto non-privileged classes asserted their rights as Englishmen. We learn how the Church of England, notwithstanding the grave faults of many of its rulers, adapted itself — under the good hand of God — in all these troublous times, and in the changing days which followed them, to the real wants of the English people. The admonitions of places are, to the