"Now the windows of this church were very fair, and had much curiosity of workmanship in them, being adorned and beautified with several historical passages out of scripture, and ecclesiastical story; such were those in the body of the church, in the isles, in the new building, and elsewhere. But the cloister windows were most famed of all for their great art and pleasing variety. One side of the quadrangle containing the history of the Old Testament; another, that of the new; a third, a history from the first foundation of the Monastery of King Peada to the restoring of it by King Edgar; a fourth, all the kings of England downwards from the first Saxon king. All which notwithstanding were most shamefully broken and destroyed." [But little remains to be seen of these famous cloisters beyond the mouldings of arches imposed in rough walls on each side. The five recesses in the south wall were partly the lavatories used by the Monks before entering the refectory by the richly cut door in the corner.] _"Every window had at the bottom the explanation of the history thus in verse:_-- _First Window._ COL. 1. "King Penda, a paynim, as writing seyth, "'Gate yese five children of Christen feyth." COL. 2. "The noble Peada, by God's grace, "Was the first founder of this place." COL. 3. "By Queen Ermenyld, had King Wulfere, "These twey sons that ye see here." COL. 4. "Wulfade rideth, as he was wont, "Into the forest, the hart to hunt." _Second Window._ COL. 1. "Fro' all his men Wulfade is gone, "And 'suyth himself the hart alone."[21] COL. 2. "The hart brought Wulfade to a well, "That was beside Seynt Chaddy's cell." COL. 3. "Wulfade askyd of Seynt Chad,-- "Where is the hart that me hath lad." COL. 4. "The hart that hither thee hath brought, "Is sent by Christ, that thee hath bought." _Third Window._ COL. 1. "Wulfade prayd Chad, that ghostly leech, "The feyth of Christ him for to teach." COL. 2. "Seynt Chad teacheth Wulfade the feyth, "And words of baptism over him he seyth." COL. 3. "Seynt Chad devoutly to mass him dight, "And hoseled Wulfade Christy's knight." COL. 4. "Wulfade wished Seynt Chad, that day, "For his brother Rufine to pray." _Fourth Window._ COL. 1. "Wulfade told his brother Rufine "That he was christned by Chaddy's doctrine." COL. 2. "Rufine to Wulfade said again,-- "Christned also would I be fain." COL. 3. "Wulfade, Rufine to Seynt Chad leadeth, "And Chad with love of feyth him feedeth." COL. 4. "Rufine is christned, of Seynt Chaddys, "And Wulfade, his brother, his godfather is." _Fifth Window._ COL. 1. "Werbode, steward to King Wulfere, "Told that his sons christned were." COL. 2. "Towards the chappel Wulfere 'gan goe, "By guiding of Werbode, Christy's foe."