The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-11

body OF the red-hairec King dehled WIN aus, anu
uirt, was rather unceremoniously cohVsleu .brai
chester and buried in the centre OF Tue ct,he o
choir alter the fatal shot OF Waiter 1yr.
re In the New Forest, now Just seven iou an,
sXty,elght wears ago many persons ns Manesbnry
hut few grleyinrm The bones were, IL Is coDlec-
tured, afterwards entombed by his nephew, bisnop
de Blois; and al subsequent period, the daie OF
which does not anpear to be accurately known, they
were removed to the snot when mas now peen occu-
pied by the sarcophagus or many .png Years, mar
choir During the great revolution many OF the
tombs OF iIlustrous persons were violated by Crom-
wells fanatic soldery, who, 1t Is recorded, used the
bones of the deflinct as missiles to demo'ish the
painted windows OF the church. They were
consequently scattered about and many OF them
lost. Such as were recovered at the time
of the restoration were collected by the
cathedral authorities, and replaced in six mOrtuary
chests These chests ranged three either side
of the partition walls which stand on either side OF
the altar, and among the bones deposited in them
were supposed to be those OF William Rufus, as set
forth by the following Inscriptions, now nearly egi
ble:"In hdc ct ate,a regiOne cista relfqtt4 stunt
Cautt ct Raf Re0unl, EnaTnR Regime, Wine et Al
,cfnt Eptscopo'u," and on the opposite side, "Hoc
in ctStd, a. d. 1851, pTOnfSce TecOndtG stunt OsSG
P'fncipu,n ct PrBldtO,rtm suc7'ilega bnrbdrte dis
persia, A. d. 1912" On authority Of Miner, the hsto-
ran, who quotes scales Antiquities " IL is stated that
when the rebels broke open the sarcophagus "there
was found In it the dust of the King, with some
pieces OF cloth embroidered with gold. large gold
ring and small silver chalice" 1t Is difficult how
ever In view OF the facts just brought TO light to credit
either the statement above quoted from Miner or the
commonly accepted TACT tnat tne bones OF kuIuS
pose In one any Of the mOrtuary chests referred
TO. Recently the dean and chapter OF the cathedral
nave elt DESTROYS OF removing the sarcophagus from
Its very incOnvenent position, provided no human
remains entombed therein, seeing also that one
removal has undoubtedly already occurred.
Accordingly the sarcophagus was opened on Thurs
day last TO ascertain whether II contained any re-
mains. The sarcOphagus itself is Of Bath stone one
block hallowed out about two feet deep from the
raised lid. which is of gray Purbeck marble. The
shape is commonly called dos d'dne. The inside
length was found to be six feet eight inches, outside
seven feet six inches. When the covering was re-
moved and the dust had been sfted, the almost per-
feet skeleton OF a man was discovered by the sur
geons who had been called in to assist at the ex-
animation. There fragments OF the skull, the
vertebre almost complete parts Of the pelvis and
sacrum, the bones of the arms, jaw bones, the
femoral bones and the two tbas the two last named
being nearly perfect. There also part OF the
right orbit the two temporal bones with the petros
and mastoid portions complete, but there were no
collar bones and only six ribs could be found. Nine
teeth, remarkably sound and perfect were dis
covered. In addition to these human remains
several curlosities were fOund-namely, number OF
distinct joints OF wood, possibly rude ensign OF
authority: turquoise stone which had apparently
been set in ring; very small head or an animal,
probably fabulous, beautifully carved in ivory,
but dulled with age some pieces OF cloth
with gold embroidery; and small quantity OF lead,
not sufficient however, to give the idea that leaden
coffin had been used unless the great mass had been
previously removed. 1t crumbled with pressure.
Among the sifted dust. however, there were EVIL
IDENTITY considerable portions of pulverized lead as
shown by its weight. With the view OF ascertaining
the height of the individual when alive several por-
tons of the body were measured. IL found that
the tiblas deg bones) were sixteen and quarter
inches long, which would give, including the cartil-
ages at least seventeen inches in the living bOdy the
femurs (hgh bones) measured nineteen inches
thus making to the hip three feet two inches. The
spine was twentysix inches long, and with the
general appearances of the other parts OF the body
would lead to the conclusion that the skeleton was
that OF man five feet eight inches five feet nine
inches in height The ankle bones found In the
centre OF the sarcOphagus, thus showing positive
displacement at some former period. The exami
nation cOncusiyely established the fact that the
mains were those OF one individual Only-the bones
OF man. ana fully believed to be those of William
Rufus. BY the direction OF the authorities the les
were carefully replaced in the sarcophagus after
detailed account had been ordered to be drawn up
and the ashes OF the King will no doubt again re-