"I loved her with a great love while she lived; I cannot cease to love
her while she is no more," said Edward. And his people loved him all
the more for his deep grief. He came straight away from his journey to
Scotland, to follow that sad funeral procession which slowly made its
way to Westminster, and at each place where they paused to rest, he
caused a cross to be erected to the memory of the "Chère Reine," one of
which, as you know, stood close to Charing Cross station. She was buried
in King Edward’s Chapel at the feet of Henry III., and once more the
skilful hands of William Torrel, "goldsmith and citizen of London,"
fashioned in gilt copper a wonderfully wrought figure, "the finest in
any country" a great authority has declared, which shows us a sweet
strong face at peace with God, a sleeping form, queenly and beautiful.
Another English workman, Master Thomas of Leghton, made the screen of
wrought-iron which protects this monument, round which run the words—
"Ici Gost Alinor, jadis Reine de Engleterre
Femme Al Rey Edward, Fiz le Rey Henri
E Fille Al Rey de Espagne, Contesse de Puntiff
Del Alme de li Dieu pur sa pitié eyt merci.
Amen."
"The king, who loved her well, as she deserved, gave to the monastery
seven or eight manors, to the yearly value of two hundred pounds, for
religious services, and for an anniversary to be performed for her, and
for wax tapers to be kept burning on her tomb both day and night."
[Illustration: THE CORONATION CHAIR.]
It being in the chapel of the Confessor that she who was dearer than all
else was laid, he brought here, as if to lay it at her feet, his
greatest trophy wrested from the Scots, the famous stone of Scone, on
which so many kings of Scotland had been crowned. This was put at his
command into a chair by a certain Walter of Durham, who was paid one
hundred shillings for his work, with an extra sum of about £2, 12s. for
carving, painting, and gilding two small leopards, for the wages of
carpenters and painters, and for colours and gold employed.
When you look at this chair, remember that on it every sovereign of
England has been crowned from the reign of Edward II.
Another trophy had been offered to the shrine of the Confessor a few
years before, and that was the golden crown of the conquered Welsh
Prince Llewellyn. The offering had been solemnly made by Edward’s own
little son, Alphonso, a boy of twelve, who, dressed from head to foot in
chain-armour, and wearing a long cloak, followed by nobles and knights,
had laid it down at the feet of the blessed King Edward, the jewels
thereof being applied to adorn the tomb. In the same year the little
prince died, and was buried in this chapel of the kings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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