Ancient_and_modern_York_a_guide

66 ANCIENT AND
James Cotrel, a. d. 1595.
On the south aisle of the nave, adjoining the great tower,
is the effigy of a counsellor in the time of Queen Elizabeth,
represented in his furred gown. There is a Latin inscrip
tion which states, " James Cotrel, born in Dublin, the
chief city in Ireland, afterwards citizen of York, Esq., lies
underneath this stone, who, faithfully and diligently for the
space of twenty years, served our most serene lady Queen
Elizabeth and her counsel in these northern parts by
examining witnesses. A man, truly, prudent, grave,
learned, merciful, beneficent, humble, and pious. He
died 2nd of the calends of September, A. p. 1595.
Eliz. 37.
The Grave of St. William. Died a. d. 1154.
It is now impossible to point out the spot where the
remains of this distinguished bishop lie. At the time
of William's canonization, his bones were taken up from
the place where he [was first buried, and removed with
great pomp, in the presence of King Edward I,, his queen
and court, and eleven bishops, to the nave ; where we find
them affording sanctuary in after times. Over these bones,
Archbishop Wickwane built a costly shrine, which was
afterwards enriched with plate and jewels of great value.
At the reformation the shrine was demolished, and no
record was left of the place where the bones were laid.
Mr. Drake, hearing that there was a tradition that St.
William's coffin lay under a long spotted marble slab in
the nave, obtained leave at the laying of the new pavement,
to make search for it. On digging about a yard deep, the
workmen found a stone coffin, six feet six inches in length,
with an arched lid, on which was a cross the length of the
coffin. The coffin was opened, and within it was found a
square leaden box, three quarters of a yard long. In this
the bones were deposited. It had been closely soldered