The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-01-01
QUEER WAX EFFlGles.
Tho Grotcsquo Images OF Heroes Stored
Away In Westminster Abbey

Years ago flight of narrow stone steps
led to the orntory above the chapel, but
THESE have long since been covered with
WOOD, anu tho oratory Is used as "a storage
place Tor the famous wax cfiigics the least
grotesquc and best preserved of which NAV
still bc seen there. Those wax statues mr.,
the m"mcntns OF strange old timc ccrc-
hony. Long ago, when II great man ur
woman died, IL was the custom to model n
representation of the deceased, dressed as
in life, which WIS carried In the funeral
procession. After tho burial the effigy WAS
set mp i'll church rs temporary monu-
mcnt. Ono odd feature OF the practice was
that during tho time that the eiiigy was
on exhibition it was customary to milk to
1t, by means of paste or pins, short poems
or cpitaphs complimentary to the person
represented. In the case of n sovereign the
statue was usually left In position for II
month only, though :itor Charles III died
ms wax figure stood Tor two centuries over
his tomb in the chapel OF Henry VII and
WAS the only monument he had
Tho royal cilgics here in Westminster
date back to the fourteenth century, but
all oil the oldest ones are 10 inutilntcd and
deiaccd that they are not shown Many
OF thcn were of wood and have been wan
tony stripped of tho rich garments which
ures arc still preserved, each standing
stiiiiy in glass ease by itself, and decked,
rs they are, i'll faded silk and furnished
tlnsel, they form so startling IL contrast to
their stately marble successors on tho
tombs below that it seems as if the com.
ing up OF this onc short flight Of steps had
translated the visitor from The consecrated
atmosphere of the abbey into tho vulgar
air OF Mime. Tussaud's establishment
The Oldest figure here is that of Charles
IL. 1t Is dressed in the blue and red velvet
robes of tho Garter, trimmed with superb
Old point lace. BY his side in another
case, is figure of General Monk clad in
nrmor The head OF the figure is now bare,
but 1t originally wore the famous cap mon
toned i'll the "IDgoldsby Legends"
thought on Naseby. Marston 3Ioor, and
Worccstcr's crownins fight,
When on mine ear sound there fell, 1t Allied
Inc with alright,
AS thus In low, unearthly tones, 1 heard q
voice begin:
'This here's tse cap of Gen raj Monkl Sir,
please put snmmat in"
In the last century the vergers, when
showing these figures to visitors, came to
use this cap as II gentle hint that their
none too largo wages might be ncceptably
Increased by II small coin dropped into it,
Goldsmith, who has recorded an account
or his visit TO the abbey, says of this cap,
In an account of conversation with the
verg'r who was his guide: PRAY, friend,
what might this cap have cost originally"
That, sir, says he; II don't know, but
this cap is all the wages have for my
trouble
The two latest figures, those Of the Earl
OF Chatham and Admiral Nelson, were un.
questionably put in by the officers of the
abbey merely for show purposes, to in
crease the attractiveness of the exhibit
That of Lord Nelson Is interesting from
the fact that it Is dressed in q suit OF
clothes which tho admiral once wore.
There seems good reason to believe this to
be true, since, when Maclisc borrowed the
figure as II model while he was painting
his famous painting, Death of Nelson, 4"
ho found attached to tho lining of the hat
the eye patch without which the admiral,
VINO was blind in one cye never appeared.
Nelson is buried in ST Paul's in spite of
his famous eIhortation to his men at the
battle of Cape st. Vincent, where he cried.
Westminster abbey or glorious victoryl"
Max Bennett Thrasher in st. Nicholas.
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