124

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Street, which in a short time, notwithstanding churches were destroyed, but also this ancientall the help that could be, consumed the greatest Cathedral:part of the City; in which not only the parochial

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The roof whereof falling down with a mightyforce, broke through those vaults, called theUndercroft; so that under the floor of our LadyChapel, (eastwards of the quire,) over the roofof St. Faith’s Church, a coffin of lead, lyingthere, was broke open, and in it found thebody of Robert Eraybroke, some time Bishopof London b , (as by the inscription in brass,formerly torne from the marble covering it, didappear,) having been there laid two hundredand sixty years before; whose corpse was sodried up, the flesh, sinews, and skin cleavingfast to the bones, that, being set upon the feet,it stood as stiff as a plank, the skin beingtough like leather, and not at all inclinedto putrefaction, which some attributed to thesanctity of the person, offering much moneyfor it.

The like I then saw of two other bodies so*> He died Aug. 24, 1404. (5 Hen. IV.)

dried, which lay in coffins of lead over thevault, in the north isle of the body of thisChurch ; the coffins being also broke open, andthe arches of that vault shattered.

But herein was nothing supernatural; for thatwhich caused the flesh, skin, and sinews tobecome thus hard and tough, was the drinessand heat of the dust wherein those bodies lay*which was for the most part of rubbish lime,mixed with a sandy earth. Such another havingbeen discovered at Warwick, in the quire ofSt. Mary’s Church; where, above fifty yearsbefore, the corpse of William Parr , Marquessof Northampton 0 , being laid, but then digg e ^up, it did appear to be thus dried, lying inthe like rubbish, the quire also standing uponarched vaults, in whose coffin the rosemary andbays was also as fresh as if it had not beenthere put above ten days before.

‘ He died in 1571. (13 Eliz.)