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CHARLES G. ADDISON, ESQ.
The history of the Knights Templars, Temple Church, and the Temple
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CHARLES G. ADDISON, ESQ.
The history of the Knights Templars, Temple Church, and the Temple
page 329
cliLircli.* The sarcophagus lately fourni in that position is of Purbeck marble ; so also is the first figure on the south side of the Hound, whilst nearly all the others are of common stone. The tablet whereon it rests had been grooved round the edges and polished ; three sides were perfect, but the fourth had decayed away to the extent of six or seven inches. The sides of the marble sarcophagus had also been carefully smoothed and polished. The same thing was not observable amongst the other sarcophagi and figures. It must, moreover, be mentioned, that the first figure on the south side had no coffin of any description under it. W e may, therefore, reasonably conclude, that this figure is the monumental effigy of Geoffrey de Magnaville, earl of Essex. It represents an artued knight with his legs crossed,f in token that he had assumed the cross, and taken a vow to fight in defence of the christian faith. His body is cased in chain mail, over which is worn a loose flowing garment confined to the waist by α girdle, his right arm is placed on his breast, and his left supports a long shield charged with rays on a diamond ground. On his right side hangs a ponderous sword of immense length, and his head, which rests on a stone cushion, is covered with an elegantly-shaped
helmet.
Geoffrey de Magnaville, earl of Essex, to whose memory the above monument appears to have been erected, was one of the most violent of those " barons bold" who desolated England so fearfully during the reign of king Stephen. He was the son of that famous soldier, Geoffrey de Magnaville, who fought so valiantly at
* " In porticu ant* ostium ecclesi* occidentale." The word porticus, which means "a walking place environed with pillarti," exactly corresponds with the external circolar walk surrounding the round tower of the church.
Τ Some surprise has been expressed that the effigies of women should he found in this curions position. It must be recollected, that women frequently fought in the field during the Crusades, and were highly applauded for so doing,
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