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finger between the leaves, as if just closed
from reading, and over his head is a group
of cherubs issuing from a mantling. This
monument is however very badly executed,
and the statue is clumsy and unmeaning,
It has a long Latin inscription, shewing that
this celebrated divine was scholar to Dr.
Busby, and student at Christ Church, Ox-
ford; that by the patronage of the Lord
Clarendon he was made Prebendary both of
Westminster and Christ Church, and after-
wards rector of Islip, where he rebuilt the
parsonage house, and founded and endowed
a school for the education of poor children.
He died on the 8th of July 1718, aged
eighty-two.
The Monuments in the Cloisters. The most
ancient of these are towards the east end
of the south walk, where lie the remains
of four Abbots marked in the pavement
by four stones.
The first of these covers the Abbot Vitales,
who died in 1082, and was formerly cover-
ed with brass plates.
The second is of grey marble, to the
memory of Geslebertus Crispinus, who died
in 1114, and whose effigies may still be
traced on the stone.
Under the third, which is a raised stone
of Sussex marble, lies the Abbot Laurentius,
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who died in 1176, and is said to be the first
who obtained from Pope Alexander III. the
privilege of using the mitre, ring and globe.
The last is of black marble, and covers
the ashes of Gervasius de Blois, who was
natural son to King Stephen, and died in
1166. This is called Long Meg, from its
extraordinary length, it being eleven feet
eight inches. All these seem to have had
their names and dates cut afresh.
In the east walk is a handsome monu-
ment erected to the memory of Daniel Pul-
teney, Esq; facing those of the above Ab-
bots; the inscription on which is much ad-
mired for the purity of the diction, and
its propiety and elegance, and is as follows:
Reader,
If thou art a BRITON,
Behold this tomb with reverence and regret.
Here lieth the remains of
DANIEL PULTENEY,
The kindest relation, the truest friend,
The warmest patriot, the worthiest man;
He exercised virtues in this age,
Sufficient to have distinguished him even in the best.
Sagacious by nature,
Industrious by habit,
Inquisitive with art,
He gain'd a compleat knowledge of the state of Britain,
Foreign and domestic.
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