CHAPTER VII.THE JUNIOR IN CHAPEL.

CHAPTER VII.THE JUNIOR IN CHAPEL.The Late Warden—The Antechapel—The Crimean Memorial—The New Tower—Hours of Service—The Oath—Cloisters.

The Late Warden—The Antechapel—The Crimean Memorial—The New Tower—Hours of Service—The Oath—Cloisters.

Let us tread more gently as we pass through the gates of the beautiful chapel. Here at any rate our Junior finds some rest and quiet, and is for a period beyond the reach of the weary call of “Junior, Junior.” I feel that it is a subject that cannot worthily be treated of by my trivial pen. The most indifferent stranger cannot enter its sacred precincts without being struck by the air of peaceful solemnity that pervades it throughout; how much more, then,must he be affected who revisits, for the first time after many years, the spot where as a boy he so often listened to the swelling tones of the organ, or eloquent words of wisdom—often, alas! but too little heeded! What crowds of reflections are called forth as he gazes on the scene! How many resolutions have here been formed, and how have they been kept? Can he flatter himself that he is really more advanced on the narrow path than when he sat on those benches years and years ago?

I will not attempt to describe the edifice. Let the reader imagine a noble choir lighted with large windows of rich painted glass, through which the slanting rays of the sun throw a many-coloured glow over the wainscot and stalls of polished oak. How well I know every feature of those quaint figures of prophets and apostles; and as I sit in my stall and see the boys trooping in, it is difficult to realise that I am no longer one of them.

But time has made many changes in the upper ranks; the clear ring of the melodious tones of the accomplished Head-master’s voice may still be heard, but he alone remains. In vain we look for the stalwart form and genial countenance of the late beloved Warden, Barter, who, having filled his responsible office full thirty years, has gone to his rest. In the long list of his predecessors there has been none who was more universally beloved in life, and whose death has been more unfeignedly regretted.

On our way from Chapel we pass through Antechapel, now somewhat curtailed in its dimensions, the screen which separates it from Chapel having been moved in order to give room for the increased number of boys. The beautiful font, presented by the Head-master, and some mural tablets, (which formerly stood beneath the Tower,) have been removed to a small side chapel, the entrance to which is under the organ; one of these, erected to the memory of a young andlovely wife by her sorrowing husband, bears the following beautiful inscription:—

“I nimium dilecta, vocat Deus, I bona nostræ”“Pars animæ, mærens altera disce sequi.”

“I nimium dilecta, vocat Deus, I bona nostræ”

“Pars animæ, mærens altera disce sequi.”

In the vestibule leading to Cloisters, immediately opposite to the door of Antechapel, is the memorial erected by Wykehamists in memory of their brethren who fell in the Crimean war; it is worthy of its object, being beautifully executed in variegated marble. I have stood by their graves in the dreary Russian Chersonese, yet it seems but yesterday that I heard some of them answering their names at this very door.

THE CRIMEAN MEMORIAL.

Samuel Twyford R.N. Lieutenant H.M.S. London. Killed in the Trenches while serving in the Royal Naval Brigade 9th April 1855 aged 25 years. Edward Henry Webb. Lieutenant 88th Connaught Rangers. Killed in the attack on the Quarries 7th June 1855 aged 22 years. Frederick Grote Barker. Lieutenant 68th Light Infantry. Killed at the Battle of Inkerman 5th November 1854 aged 21 years. Richard Grenville Deane. Ensign 30th Regiment of Foot. Killed at the assault on the Redan 5th Sept 1855 aged 18 years. Walter Trevelyan. Colonel Coldstream Guards. Died of Cholera at Varna 21st August 1854 aged 56 years. Robert Edward Boyle M.P. Son of Edmund Earl of Cork and Orrery. Lieut. Colonel Coldstream Guards. Died of Fever at Varna 3d September 1854 aged 44 years. Henry Thomas Butler. Captain 55th Regiment of Foot Deputy Assistant Adjutant General. Killed at the Battle of Inkerman 5th November 1854 aged 41 years. THIS PORCH Has been prepared and beautified by WILLIAM of WYKEHAMS Sons as a sacred shrine in which the memories of their thirteen brethren who died in the War of the Crimea A.D. 1854-5 may be preserved for an example to future generations. Think upon them thou who art passing by to day. Child of the same family bought by the same Lord. Keep thy foot when thou goest into this house of God. There watch thine armour and make thyself ready by prayer. To fight and to die. The faithful soldier and servant of Christ. And of thy Country. John Jackson Lowth C.B. Lieut Colonel 38th Regiment of Foot. Died on landing at Portsmouth 28th July 1855. From wounds received on the 18th June aged 51 years. John Charles Conolly. Captain 23d Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Killed at the Battle of the Alma 20th September 1854 aged 33 years. Frank John Curtis. Lieutenant 46th Regiment of Foot. Killed in the Trenches 23d May 1855 aged 23 years. Arthur Francis Main. Lieutenant 77th Regiment of Foot. Died in camp 21st November 1854 aged 22 years. James Bullen Dennis. Lieutenant 3d Buffs. Died 4th October 1855 of wounds received in the trenches before Sebastopol 19th August 1855 aged 21 years. Charles Henry Beck. Lieutenant 23d Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died at sea 23d September 1855 of wounds received at the assault on the Redan aged 19 years. HE IS NOT A GOD OF THE DEAD BUT OF THE LIVING FOR ALL LIVE TO HIM.INSCRIPTION ON THE CRIMEAN MEMORIAL.

INSCRIPTION ON THE CRIMEAN MEMORIAL.

The beautiful Tower attached to the Chapel had long been in rather a dilapidated condition, owing to its having been built on a very insecure foundation; it had inclined considerably to one side, a great crack had appeared on the contiguous wall of Chapel, which indeed it threatened to drag down, and it was considered unsafe to ring the bells.For these reasons the authorities determined to pull it down and rebuild it, stone for stone, with the old materials; this was commenced in 1860, and the work is now fully completed. It is called the “Tower of the Two Wardens,” in memory of the late Dr Williams, who was (many years Head-master of Winchester, and afterwards) Warden of New College, Oxford, and of Mr Barter, the late Warden of Winchester; while the work of reconstruction was going on, the opportunity was seized of enlarging the chapel by taking in part of the Antechapel, as described in a previous page. If the school continues to increase as it has done lately, this enlargement must, I think, be carried on further, and the whole of Antechapel be added to the main aisle. Beneath the Tower, on the southern side of the Antechapel, is the following inscription:—

In Memoriam,DAVID WILLIAMS, I.C.D.,HUJUS COLLEGIIXIV. ANNOS HOSTIARII: XII. INFORMATORISCOLL. B.M. WINTON IN OXONXX. ANNOS CUSTODIS,VIRI CONSILIO DIGNITATE DOCTRINÂ,HUMANITATE MUNIFICENTIA,CANDORE MORUM, ET INTEGRITATE VITÆ,SI QUIS ALIUS INSIGNIS.In Memoriam,ROBERT SPECKOTT BARTER,I.C.B.,HUJUS COLLEGIIXXIX. ANNOS CUSTODIS,VIRIOB BENEVOLENTIAM CORDIS ET LARGITATEMCONSTANTIAM ANIMI ET FIDEM,SUAVITATEM LIBERALITATEM PIETATEM,NEMINI NON DILECTUM.Utriusque geminorum horum Collegiorum decoris tutelæ columnæUtriusque intra unius anni spatium ad immortalia avocatiHanc Turrim vetustate diu labantem denuo exædificandam, ab nomine Duorum CustodumPerpetuo appellandum censuerunt Wiccamici sui A.S. MDCCCLXIII. posterorum causaId scilicet in animis habentes ut in ipsa acerbissimi desiderii recordatione manifestum facerentNon in quibuslibet viris magnis nec in brevem aliquam hominum ætatemSed in omne tempus et in perpetua serie virorum ad horum exemplarSub his penetralibus ad omnia bona fortia fidelia enutriendorumSTARE REM WICCAMICAM.

In Memoriam,ROBERT SPECKOTT BARTER,I.C.B.,HUJUS COLLEGIIXXIX. ANNOS CUSTODIS,VIRIOB BENEVOLENTIAM CORDIS ET LARGITATEMCONSTANTIAM ANIMI ET FIDEM,SUAVITATEM LIBERALITATEM PIETATEM,NEMINI NON DILECTUM.

Utriusque geminorum horum Collegiorum decoris tutelæ columnæUtriusque intra unius anni spatium ad immortalia avocatiHanc Turrim vetustate diu labantem denuo exædificandam, ab nomine Duorum CustodumPerpetuo appellandum censuerunt Wiccamici sui A.S. MDCCCLXIII. posterorum causaId scilicet in animis habentes ut in ipsa acerbissimi desiderii recordatione manifestum facerentNon in quibuslibet viris magnis nec in brevem aliquam hominum ætatemSed in omne tempus et in perpetua serie virorum ad horum exemplarSub his penetralibus ad omnia bona fortia fidelia enutriendorum

Utriusque geminorum horum Collegiorum decoris tutelæ columnæ

Utriusque intra unius anni spatium ad immortalia avocati

Hanc Turrim vetustate diu labantem denuo exædificandam, ab nomine Duorum Custodum

Perpetuo appellandum censuerunt Wiccamici sui A.S. MDCCCLXIII. posterorum causa

Id scilicet in animis habentes ut in ipsa acerbissimi desiderii recordatione manifestum facerent

Non in quibuslibet viris magnis nec in brevem aliquam hominum ætatem

Sed in omne tempus et in perpetua serie virorum ad horum exemplar

Sub his penetralibus ad omnia bona fortia fidelia enutriendorum

STARE REM WICCAMICAM.

The hours of worship (now, I believe, somewhat altered) used to be as follows:—At sixA.M.in summer, at a quarter before seven in winter, at eight and at half-past tenA.M., and at fiveP.M., on Sundays,[6]Saints’-days, and Founder’s Anniversaries. On Fridays at elevenA.M., and on Saturdays at fiveP.M.the boys might be seen troopingacross the quadrangle on their way to Chapel—on Sundays and on Saints’-days clad in white surplices. Besides this, every evening at nine prayers used to be read by the junior Præfect in Antechapel, who stood on the top of the steps leading up to one of the curtained and barred pews reserved for ladies, one of which was placed on each side of Antechapel; the fair occupants, not being allowed to enter the body of the chapel, were obliged to content themselves with looking and listening through the grating.

Once a year all the boys who had passed the age of fifteen, (and who had not previously gone through the same ceremony,) were marshalled into Chapel, and, under the inspection of “Semper Testis,” (the legal aide-de-camp of the College authorities,) went through the form of taking an oath. I have no distinct recollection of the form of the proceeding, (it is now abolished,) but I think the official above-mentioned read out a Latin document, and we were supposed to say Amen. I believe the gist of it was that we wereto defend and befriend the college to the best of our ability, and never tell anybody what went on within its walls. I am sure I should require no compulsion to carry out the former obligation, should the occasion occur, and I had any possible means of fulfilling my duty, and if I have done no more harm in writing this little sketch of our proceedings at Winchester than infringing the latter, my conscience will not be much troubled. Although the making a number of thoughtless boys go through a ceremony of this kind may seem objectionable, yet it is not the part of a Wykehamist to exclaim against it, as, according to well authenticated tradition, Cromwell would have destroyed the College, had he not yielded to the urgent representations of one of his officers, who was a Wykehamist, and, mindful of his oath, succeeded in saving the noble establishment from its impending fate.

I must not take leave of Chapel without noticing the beautiful Cloisters, with a little gem of a chapel standing in the middle, surrounded bysmooth green turf. It is now used as the Fellows’ library. I think it a pity that the Cloisters are so little seen, as they are very beautiful. The Fellows, in general, do not reside at Winchester, and I do not imagine that those who do spend any very great part of their time in such absorbing study that the movements of the Præfects in Cloisters on week days, and of the others on Sundays, would disturb them very much; to such an extent I think the boys might be admitted without danger of their injuring the building or the tablets on the walls. At present the extreme stillness of the place is somewhat overpowering.

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