GLASGOW CATHEDRA E THIRTEENTTH N I L H CENTURY1 15 .

I. GLASGOW CATHEDRA E THIRTEENTTH N LI H CENTURY, FRON MA ANCIENT SEAL: WITH SIDELIGHT N CONTEMPORARO S Y HISTORY. BY REV. JAMES PRIMROSE, M.A., P.S.A. SCOT.

In historic research too little attention, generally speaking, has been devote sealo dsourca t s sa f informationeo t herfiela ye s ;ei d awaiting exploration. As is frankly admitted, architects are uncertain as to the exterior appearance of Glasgow Cathedral in the latter half of the thirteenth century; that is to say, as to how much of the fabric had then been constructed. Authorities on seals, however, tell us, that the art of seal-engraving was far advanced in Scotland in the thirteenth century, and that the seals of this period throw valuable sidelights on contemporary history. Among the early specimens of ecclesiastical seals those of Glasgow present features of great excellence,1 especially those executed during episcopate th Roberf eo t Wishart-(1272-1316). "The seals of capitular bodies," remarks Dr. Walter Birch,2 "are among the most notable of Scottish seals, both for antiquity and import- ance." " In this class," he adds, " no conventionalism has been" observed, a local tradition, a patron saint, an historical event suffice to mark the desige themseal.e th th r n "ne o fo Here arrestinn thea s ni g statement— "no conventionalism has been observed"; and this opinion has been endorsed by one who is, perhaps, our greatest living authority on Scottish seals, Mr W. Rae Macdonald. In support of this contention that real and not conventional churches representee ar e earlieth n o dr seal havee w s t seemsi , , examplee th n i s following:—In a thirteenth-century chapter seal of St Andrews, in which St Rule's Church is clearly depicted; in a chapter seal of Dunf ermline of 120 1226r 0seao a f Cambuskennetn o i l; h Abbe thirteente th f yo h century; and in a seal of Holyrood Abbey of 1141. If thie correctb s e representationth , f churcheo s s engraven o d thirteenth-century seals are not conventional but real—not necessarily accurate, however—of the churches as they stood. But further, this remark applies not only to the churches and their style of architecture, costumee th e clergyo t th t f e altaso th ,bu r furniture e symbolth d an ,s depicted. v 1 Glasgo particularlws i y ric sealn hi t thisa s period. Would some French artifice sealn i r s reside here? 2 Dr Birch, History of Scottish Seals, vol. ii., "Ecclesiastical Seals," see pp. 143, 211, 197, 219. 152 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , APRI , 1918L8 .

Let us confine attention to the second chapter seal of Glasgow appended a documen o t t circa 1280 A.D.,1 tha , durinis t e episcopatgth f Bishoeo p Robert Wishart, who befriended Wallace and Bruce in the Great War of Scottish Independence. This seat vesic rouns no li r pointed o a dan d ova shapen i l mors i s a ,e usual among ecclesiastica usen i s ,l say sealswa d s Birch,an , fro lattee mth r part of the thirteenth century to ' the beginning of the fifteenth century, perhapd an s earlie lated ran r tha datee nth s mentioned.2 Bein gchaptea affixers sealwa t d,i to all documents to give authentica- tion to the resolutions agreed to by the chapter or majority thereof.3 It was thus most important, guarded with jealous carkepd an e t secure under triple locks.

THE, OBVERSE SIDE. On the obverse side of the seal is representatioe th churca f no h which contains some striking features. ' If this then be not a conventional but actuan a l church have w , rougea h kin picturf do Glasgof eo w Cathedral a t existesi d toward lattee sth r half thirteente oth f h century. Observe, Fig . Chapte.1 r Sea f Glasgoo l w Cathedral, circa 1280 A.D. (Obverse side.) ther centraa s ei l belfrystonw lo ea , base wit ht spirPluscardinea a s ea , t clearlbu y differin styln i g e fro e massivmth e towe elegand an r t spire r dayoou f . M'Ure tell thas s u Bisho n ti p Glendoning's time (1387-1408 steeple )th e Cathedrae oth f l church, whic s buil hf wa woo o t covered dan d with lead, was burnt down with lightning.4 This then might be a representation of the steeple that was standing in 1,280, but burnt down .over a century later, and not the campanile OP north-west tower as is frequently stated.6 1 Liber de Melros, Libee 290. p Melrose Th . d .ri . was compiled fro e Melrosmth e chartern si possession of the Earl of Morton. Laing's impressio e casseae th plastegoodth n s i i tlt f no bu ,s mor i r e accurate. Laing's Catalogue2 of Scottish Seals, i., Plate xxii., Nos. 1024-5. 3 This seaappendes wa l conventioa o dt n betwee mastee nth brethred ran f Torphicheno d nan Reginalr Si ' Chene dl e regardin patronage gth Churce th f e o Ochiltrf ho diocese th n e i Glasgowf eo . The cyrograph mentione instrumenn a s di t divided intpartso otw . 4 History of Glasgow, edit. .1830, p. 17. Note the cross fleury surmounting the spire and a plain - . crosroofe th t f eithes.a o d ren

MacGeorge d Glasgow,Ol , d edit.3r . . 100p , . ~. . 5 GLASGOW CATHEDRA E THIRTEENTTH N I L H CENTURY3 15 . After this, Bishop William Lauder (1409-1425), Glendoning's successor, whose arm upoe se perforatear nth d parapet, erecte w e toweno dth e rw see—the earliest example bees ha nt e Scottis i , saidth f o , h typ f belfryeo . Then Bishop John Cameron (1426-1446) crowne additiotowee e dth th y rb n of the elegant octagonal spire, the design of which excited a powerful influenc laten eo r Scottish mediaeval steeples.

THE SYMBOLS OVER THE ROOF. Abov Cathedrae th rooe f erighe th o f th s representeo i tlt dcrescena t moon between the horns of which there is a star. While we are familiar, in our day, with this conjoint emblem as emblematic of the Turkish Empire t appeari , s tha a similat r emble s beemha n foun Grecian o d n coins struck about the year 200 B.C. The ancient Greeks, to judge from their coins, seem to have associated symboe crescene th th f o l stae t mooth r d wit goddesne an hth s Aphrodite or Venus. This later, somehow s revivee Christiawa th , y db n Church elevente ith n twelftd han h centurie d regarde an sn appropriat a s da e emblef Johe Virgio e Baptist th d th n f man o n e crescenth : t being symboli e staVirgine f Johth th o r e Baptist d f cno th an , . King John of England, when he visited Ireland early in the thirteenth century, caused the emblems of the crescent moon and the star to'be painted for decorative ornamen t e wallPatrick'S th f n o so t s Cathedral, Dublin.1 Turn attention now to the left side: we see a radiant sun or star; d thian s is_ generally accepte s symbolia d f Jesuco s Christ e Sunth ,f .o Righteousness. THE LOWER COURSES. lowee th t ra Loonavcoursee w walle th th kno ef f o sunderneato s h windowse th . This seems more than ordinarily conspicuous amone gth early seals. Is there any countenance given by this to the opinion of architects that the lower courses of the nave—the chancel having been already completed—were laid down all round by Bishop Bondington or predecessorss onhi f eo thad ,an t subsequently, upon those courses, Bishop Robert Wishart proceeded to erect the nave-and the two western towers ?

INTERIORE TH . Pass now to the lower portion of the obverse side of the seal. Here an interior is evidently open to view and designed to represent the celebration of the mass. There are three niches, under three Gothic

1 Proceedings Royale oth f Irish Academy, 1879, series ii. ,. 468 volp . .ii . 154 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH F O S , APRI , 1918L8 . arches in the style then in vogue. . In the central niche observe an altar, or God's board, with a design somewhat like a chevron in front, or is e desigth n wrought upo a nfronta l hanging? Doe e for th f sthim o s altar—the higtype—suggesx hbo relia t c altar placed ove grave th r f eo t KentigerS lowee th n i r Churc• h. ?1 looNowe w k f ,narrowli t thiya s altar t woul,i d see havmo t e something like feet upon which to stand. If so, it would be a feretrum or portable altar. Now, we know that Edward I. when he visited Glasgow in August and September 1301 made offerings ad feretrum—at the feretory—of t KentigerS n e churcinth f Glasgoho w Cathedral.2 Here then, l inal probability, in this seal of 1280, we are gazing on a picture of the shrine of St Kentigern in the Lower Church, before which the King of England knelt in adoration in 1301. t againBu , standing upon this e sacrealtath s i rd chalic masr eo s cup, apparently richly carved. Observe, the cup is broad and rather shallow, while the knop and the base are circular, the prevailing design of a chalice thirteente oth f h century.3 sFrom above the chalice there issues a hand—the Divine right hand— pointing with the thumb and two forefingers to the cup, as if in the languag f symboo e t utterei l e worddth f consecrationo s , "Thi s mi s y blood." This hand of the Invisible was sometimes represented on seals with ray f ligho s t emanating therefrom, symbolisin e irradiatiogth f no Holy'Spirite th . Owindiminutive th o gt e scal f representatioeo a n no e crosth e s se engrave t no o d seald e e pedestao w ,th ne chalice th f o l , which, bein e sig f th gconsecrationo n e wantin, b mus t no n anti g y mass chalice. full-lengte th e centra righniche s e i th th th e f o o ten t hI on l figurf eo priesa t readin lectere th t ga n from whic Gospel'wae hth s rule a read s ,A . the simple desk was the earlier form of lectern belonging to the thirteenth t e fifteenttilth centuryno l s sixteentd an wa h t i ; h centuries thae th t " eagle " lectern came into vogue.4 In the left niche, aga'in, there is a priest with hands uplifted in adora- e sacramentth tio f no . These figures t i noted e b , , sho e stylwth f o e priestly vestments worn in Scotland in the thirteenth century. This interior, as has been pointed out, bears a striking resemblance to that depicted on a seal of Dunfermline Abbey of 1200 or 1226.5 Now, some might object to the church on this seal being regarded as 1 Lubtke's Ecclesiastical Art in German]/ (Middle Ages), p. 129, translated by Wheatley, 1876. 2 Beg. Epis. Glasg., . 621 volp . .ii . * Catholic Ency., art. "Chalice." The shape of the chalice varied according to the fashion of the times. 4 English Church Furniture, Cox and Harvey, p. 78. « Birch, Scott. Seals, Eccles., vol. ii. pp. 86, 211. GLASGOW CATHEDRA E THIRTEENTTH N LI H CENTURY5 15 .

actualn a , albeit somewhat inaccurate, representatio Glasgof no w Cathedral in 1280, for various reasons. The clerestory windows, for example, are deficien numbern i t , onl e ywholea fourt th f o h. Again,o n ther e ar e aisles and apparently no transepts. In short, it may be said there is, after all, little resemblanc o Glasgot e w Cathedral. Here theproblea s ni m for the architects, and one that may not be lightly dismissed. Perhaps r Scottisou fe f wo h cathedrals have experienced more rebuilding than Glasgow; henc e proverbth e , "Lik t Mungo'S e ss nevewarkwa rt i , finished." How account for the omission of the aisles ? Were they still unbuilt engravee th d 128n di i r 0r O ?rioJ t wis undulo ht y elongat elevatioe eth n churce e sealoth th f ,n hwito limitee hth d s disposalspachi o s t ea d an , purposely omit them? How account, for the lack of transepts? It appears that architects are not quite decided as to whether the transepts were se ew werecte eno e thirteent th f dbegine o towardth d r hen o - e sth ning of the fourteenth century. At any rate, the transepts of Glasgow are unusually short and by no means conspicuous. Again, how account for the small number of clerestory windows? Whatever explanation be offered, it is well to bear in mind the re- striction f spaco s e necessar seala alsd n yi an o, wha authoritn a t y like Blunt remarks, that seals were often engraved from memory, so that one can only expect a rough representation and not strict accuracy of detail. dissatisfiee b y ma Som o d ewitwh e abovhth e explanation mighy sa t the representation on this chapter seal is not that of the Cathedral itself, t rathebu r e shrint Kentigernthath S f f to eo , tha t Lowee stooth n di r Church.2 To this we reply, that shrines were sometimes actual models of churches.3 Besides shrine t Kentigerth ,S f eo s describenwa yea e th rn di 1301 as a feretrum or portable shrine4—one, in all probability, that would stan s clearlfeeti n do s a , y visible thirteenth-centurth n ei y chapter seal of Dunkeld. ratey an ,t therA 5 nothins ei g abou representatioe th t f no churce th thin ho s seal that suggest shrina s feretory,—whatevea r eo r evidence ther point, beins ebe it Cathedrae o sgt th l itself.

THE REVERSE SIDE. Tur nreverse th attentio o t e seal e w th sid .f n no eo Her halfa s ei - length figure of St Kentigern, face bearded, wearing mitre and vestments,

P. Macgregor Chalmers, Glasgow Cathedral, p. 26.

. MacgregoP 21 r Chalmers, Shrines t MargaretoS f t Kentigern.S d an Art. "Seals," Ency. Brit. 3• Reg. Epis. Glasg., vol. ii. p. 621; and Joseph Bain's The Edwards in Scotland, p. 35. ' Birch, Scott. Seals, Bccles., plate 73. 156 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, APRIL 8, 1918. his right hand upraised, with thum forefinged ban r bestowing benediction, crozies hi r slightly ornamente turned dan d outwards.1 Ostensibl Glasgoe th l al wn yi pre-Reformation seal e chiesth f figurs ei that of St Kentigern, the patron saint of the city, in his pontificals. A study of the faces on the various seals, however, reveals that they are the face differenf so t thi samey persone t invariablth sno ? Wh d d . an s an e yon The reasonable explanation seems to be that the faces are those of the different prelates whose seals they are. As is well known, on the death oa prelatf s s seasolemnlehi wa l y Drojcen m presence of the chapter and a new matrix designed for his successor, while the seal of -the new bishop was made the occasion for an interesting ceremony. Besides, coins, medals, medallions usually bore the likeness of the sovereign or the distinguished individual in whose honour they were struck. Why not seals ? The probability, whic s suggestehi d with some diffi- dence thas i ,face thin th to e s seal is mean o portrat t e facf th yo e Robert Wishart bishoe th , p during whos designeds e rulwa t ei . . Unfortunately the plaster cast Fig. 2. Chapter Seal of Glasgow Cathedral, of this seal does not bring out the circa 1280 A.D. (Reverse side.) features with the distinctness ex- hibite Laing'n i d s impressiont I . woul matrie dth seef i xms a gav esomewhaa t blurred likeness thad an , t Laing accordingly was forced to copy the features from a later seal of Bishop Wishart's.2 Tur nmitree attentioth o t . w Originallnno simpla y s thiswa e linen cap, as'we see in the seal of Bishop Jocelyn; then it became two-lobed/a kin crowf do e sealne middleth f clefth Bishops o n i n i ts a , s Walted ran William. Then it passed during Bishop Wishart's long episcopate from the two-lobed shape to that of the peak in front, such as now obtains; so

Ther differenco en e significancseeme th b n o i t se e whethe e crozieth rs turnewa r d out- 3 ward1 r inwardsso , other than what suited-the seal-maker's convenience croziee Th . r here is.a simple pastoral staff, only beginnin e ornamentedb o t g — characteristi e thirteentth f o c h century. 2 For the seals of Glasgow, see Reg. Epis. Glasg., vol. ii. p. xxxiv, etc., plate i. fig. 6, plate ii. fig. 1, plate iii. fig. 1, plate v. fig. 2. 1 If we study the seals in chronological order, we observe the evolution of the crozier, mitre, chalice, etc. (art. "Mitre," Catholic Ency., and Beg. Epis..Glasg., vol. ii. p..xxxiv,.etc.). GLASGOW CATHEDRAL IN THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY 157 tha mitre e shapth th t f eeo her thas ei t which came into vogue th n ei later thirteenth century. With reference to the vestments, if they be those of the bishop to who e seamth l belongs, the e correcte likel b f yar thei e o t yt yar bu ; suppose represeno t d t those t KentigernworS y nb , the e incorrecyar t and misleading. We are not left to conjecture as to how the saint was attired. Jocely f Furnesso n s biographerhi , , expressly inform s thau s t St Kentigern used the roughest haircloth next to his skin, then a goat- skin coat, then a cowl like a fisherman's bound on him, above which, clothe whita n di e alb alwaye ,h s wor stolea e ove s shouldershi r s Hi . crozier was not ornamented, only of simple wood and merely bent, while he held in his hand his manual book.1 Archbishop Blackadder regardeo ,wh t KentigerdS n with great venera- tion, followed Jocelyn's description in the main, as we find upon a seal of his of 1500 A.D. Here St Kentigern is habited as a monk, with a cowl on his head surrounded by a nimbus, while underneath the outer garnien nece th sees ki t e cilicis a tnth r s handhaio ehi r n i sshirt d an , a manual.2 t woulI e representatio wele th db . if l e Citth yf no Arm f Glasgowo s , grante patena y db t fro e Lyomth n Offic 1866n i e , were rectifie thin di s respect: true, they might not appear quite so picturesque, but they -would be historically accurate. While heraldi usualls i t car y conventional rather than realistic, as Sir James Balfour Paul observes, nevertheless the Glasgow Arms are peculiar, inasmuch as they are emblematic of the history and legends associated with St Mungo and the city.3 If now we examine the lower half of the reverse side, underneath three rounded arches—a distinctively Scottish featur Gothic—we th f eo e observe three figures of clerics, one in each niche, with uplifted hands and kneel- ing, making intercessio patrothe nto n inscriptiosaintthe as , Latinin n oh the outer of the two circles round the edge of the seal informs us, " O Kentigern, benign father, bless thy servants."

THE WESTERN TOWERS. Observ spiree eth s ove e firsthird th ran td arches. This appeare b o st a representatio westere th f no n towere Cathedrath f o s s existina l r go designed whe madeseas e nth lwa . It seems from an examination of the early seals that it was not an uncommon practice thu represeno t s westere th t n front t iI s . founn di a twelfth-century chapter seal of Battle Abbey, in a thirteenth-century 1 Historians of Scotland, vol. v. p. 57. 2 Archbishop James similaa Beato s ha . nrI desig t KentigerS f no n upo seals nhi . 3 MacGeorge, Armorial Bearings Citye f th Glasgow. o f o 158 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, APRIL 8, 1918. chapte rt Paul's S sea f o l , a fourteenth-centurLondon n i d an , y chapter seal of Lichtield.1 Nor was Glasgow alone in Scotland in the possession of western towerse samth r e fo featur, s exhibite wa e churche th n i d f Elgino s , Aberdeen, Brechin, and Paisley. These western towers of Glasgow were termed respectively the north-west and the south-west towers. The north-west towe alss orwa know Campanile th s na Steepler eo , while eth south-west tower was known as the Treasury. The latter contained the Consistory Housground-floothe Librareon the yand r Housuppethe eron storey. Both of these towers seem to have had a chequered career, and passed through several vicissitudes till their most unfortunate demolition 1846-48n i . If this seal give appearancth e westere th f eo n tower s originalla s y designed, there must have been subsequent alterations. In 1277, Bishop Wishart procured from the Lord of Luss a grant of timber for the building o campanila f treasura d ean y cathedral. e foth r129 n i bisho e t 1th Ye ps 2i represented as begging from King Edward I. a supply of timber for build- ing a "clocher"—Evidently the campanile—showing that he had not enough of material on hand to finish it. Then the Great War of Independence took place and stopped further building operations for a considerable period.3 The next mentio e campanile—termeth f no e " steepldth e "—occurn si 1524, when the castle and the kirk steeple, which had been fortified, were besiege e greath y t db gun f Regeno s t Arran; after which, doubtlesst i , •would be more or less damaged.4 Fro style m th f theseo e western towerearliese th n i s t pictures taken when they were still standing, architects conside t i apparenr t that additions and alterations were subsequently made from time to time.5 informatioe th p u m Tosu n gleaned from this chapter sea f 1280o l t i , may be said from the style of the architecture depicted, from the designs altare oth f , chalice, mitre, crozier lecternd ,an , tha whole tth e atmosphere s undoubtedli ye thirteent th tha f o t h century sincd An el . thesal e ear t merelno read ylan conventional representations difficuls i t ,i t from this othed an r consideration resiso t s e conclusioth t n tha churce th t h repre- sente rudea s di , diminutive sketce Cathedralth f ho tha d facee an ,th t — ostensibly that of St Kentigern—is more probably a likeness of the bishop who rule diocese time—Robere dth th t ea t Wishart, the warrior bishop, •who warmly supported Wallac Brucee and whos and , e besettinwas gsin patriotism, during the Great War of Scottish Independence.

1 J. H. Blunt, English Seals, pp. 206-8. 2 Reg. Epis. Glasg., No. 229. 3 Palgrave, Documents and, Records, History f Scotland,o . 346-7 volpp . i . ; Mediaeval Glasgow, by Primrose . 38-40pp , . 4 Mediaeval Glasgow, . 196p . 5 Eyre Todd's Book of Glasgow Cathedral, p. 275 ; Macgregor Chalmers, Glasgow Cathedral.