Sir Christopher Wren: His Family and His Times: With Original Letters and a Discourse on Architecture Hitherto Unpublished. 1585-1723.Phillimore, Lucy
History
Sir Christopher Wren: His Family and His Times: With Original Letters and a Discourse on Architecture Hitherto Unpublished. 1585-1723.
Phillimore, Lucy
Great Britain -- History -- Stuarts, 1603-1714 -- Biography; Wren family; Wren, Christopher, Sir, 1632-1723
On April 24, 1667, his uncle, the Bishop of Ely, died, at the age of
eighty-one, at Ely House, in Holborn, which had probably been his chief
abode, though he left it on occasions for the work of his diocese and
for the consecration of the chapel at Pembroke Hall. Back to his
well-loved University, and to the resting-place he had prepared for
himself underneath the altar of the chapel, the Bishop's remains were
slowly borne during the first bright days of May, attended by 'his
children, his alliance, and his family.' The Heralds' College conducted
the funeral with full dignity and solemnity. When they reached Cambridge
the Vice-Chancellor and the whole university met the procession, which
was headed by Rouge Dragon, Pursuivant-at-arms, carrying the silver-gilt
Crozier, and Norroy, King-at-arms, carrying the silver-gilt Mitre, both
of which, as well as a pair of massive silver altar candlesticks, the
Bishop had provided a year before. On May 9, with the same attendance,
which included 'twenty-four scholars of S. John's, Peter House, and
Pembroke who were his relations,'[110] the coffin was borne to Pembroke
Chapel from the Registry, at the end of the Regent's Walk, where it had
lain in state for two days, and after Evening Service had been said was
laid in a 'coffin of one fair whole stone,' in the vault of the chapel.
Dr. Pearson pronounced a Latin oration over it, recalling the chief
events of the Bishop's long and troubled life, describing his
high-minded character, his resolute self-denial, and contrasting his
conduct in never seeking, or by the least word asking, for promotion,
but rather being besought to accept it, with those who gaped for church
preferment, and rather snatched honours than received them. Dr. Pearson
dwelt on his liberality to the University, on his never enriching his
family out of the revenues of the sees he had ruled; and paid a warm
tribute to the courage and faith with which he had fought for the
Church, and either alone, or amongst very few, had understood her
discipline and dared to revive it.
[_BISHOP WREN'S SONS._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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