Historic%20Yorkshire

122
THE STORY OF A TAX.
those who slew him, on the subsidence of their excitement,
grieved sincerely for his irrevocablefate; while all
others, remembering the splendid virtues and unostentatious
benevolenceofthe Percys, the boast ofthe North,
gave evidence of the universal regret with which his
untimely end was looked upon. His mangled remains
were brought to Beverleyto be interred in the Minster,
and the funeral was in every respect of a most princely
description. The religious communities from all the
neighbouring monasteries marched in procession before
the funeral cortege, each of the recluses bearing torches
and crosses, while the villages on the route from Thirsk
to Beverleyweredeserted, the populace abandoning their
employment and walkingwith the gloomy train in order
that they might behold the mortalremains of their illustrious,
injured benefactor, laid in the tomb. The body,
on finally reaching the Minster, where the impressive
service of the Romish Church was ceremoniously performed,
was laidin a chapelbuiltexpressly for the purpose
to the east of the little transeptand northof the great east
window, and now known as the Percy Chapel.
The bill of charges for the expenseof thismagnificent
funeral amounted to £1,510 8s.in the money of that day,
or about £12,080 present value. From the bill we see
that upwards of 15,000 of the clergy accompanied the
body of the unfortunate earl to his last resting-place, in
additionto the crowdsof knights, squires, and gentlemen,
besides the innumerable crowdof yeomen, servants,and
dependants. The nobles and gentlemen who attended to
show their respect and esteem for the departedearl were
feasted at the expense of the family,while the poor were
equallycared for; 13,340 indigent persons attended the
funeral, and each of these received a sum of money as a
funeral dole, and the sum expendedin this wayreached a
total of£i23 6s. 8d., or about £1,500 present value. The
Percy Chapel was adorned with emblazonedwindows of
stained glass, and decorated with fine sculptures, with a
roof of exquisite Gothic character, and was in every way