Among existing Lady Chapels, King Henry the Seventh's Chapel occupies the first place for magnificence. The first Tudor monarch, in his anxiety to make his peace with God before his death, and to commemorate the union of the houses of York and Lancaster, determined to found a chapel in honour of the blessed Virgin, "in whom," he declares in his will, "hath ever been my most singulier trust and confidence, ... and by whom I have hitherto in al myne adversities ever had my special comforte and relief." He also made due provision for the celebration of masses and the distribution of alms "perpetually, for ever, while the world shall endure" for the welfare of his soul. The laying of the foundation stone is recorded by the ancient chronicler as follows: "On the 24th daie of January 1502/3 a quarter of an houre afore three of the clocke at after noone of the same daie, the first stone of our Ladie Chapell, within the monasterie of Westminster, was laid by the hands of John Islip, Abbot of the same monasterie ... and diverse others."[8] After its completion it was so universally admired, that Leland the antiquary describes it as "_orbis miraculum_"--the wonder of the world. About fifty years after its dedication the services, for which it was specially designed by its royal founder, were brought to an end by the Act of Parliament which suppressed the chantries throughout the kingdom, and then followed three centuries of gross neglect which reduced it to "an almost shapeless mass of ruins," as it was described in 1803. Four years later, in 1807, Dean Vincent obtained a parliamentary grant for the restoration of the building, and the necessary repairs were completed in 1822. The Chapel still retains much of its ancient splendour, and the elegant and elaborate ceiling is a marvel of architectural skill. It has been used since the year 1725 for the installation of the Knights of the Bath, and their banners are suspended over the old carved _misereres_ or _misericordes_ of the monks. [Footnote 8: Holinshed.]