the south gate of the city, which was left
open. An extraordinary sensation was created, not in Exeter only but
throughout England. The bishop invited Edward I. and his queen to keep
their Christmas at the Palace. We are told "they were very industrious
in finding out the murtherers." At last Alfred Dupont, an ex-mayor and
porter of the south gate, was found guilty and executed accordingly.
Perhaps, had the office of chaunter not been endowed, Walter Lechlade
might have continued for many long years to chaunt in sonorous voice
"matins, vespers, obits, and the like." At any rate the story is worth
telling, being an interesting picture of manners in the middle ages. It
will be found given, with many interesting details, in an appendix by
Canon Hingeston-Randolph to his edition of the Register of Bishop Quivil
(p. 438).

Quivil's successor was Thomas De Bytton, Dean of Wells. Under his
guidance the work of transformation planned by his predecessor was
loyally continued, for he faithfully adhered to the original design.
Though Bytton appears to have been less active outside his diocese than
many of the Exeter bishops, his mode of life must have commended itself
to a large circle. A grant of forty days' indulgence was the reward of
all those who availed themselves of his spiritual ministrations, or
offered prayers for his prosperity during his life and after death.
Among the signatures appended to the document notifying this singular
privilege are those of numerous archbishops and bishops, among them
being those of the archbishops of Cosensa and Jerusalem, and Manfred,
Bishop of St. Mark's, Venice. "The seal of Manfred," Dr. Oliver says,
"is perfect; he stands robed, with a piece of embroidery on his alb. The
crozier is simply curved. His legend is S. MANFREDI. DEI. GRA. EPISCOP.
SCI. MARCHI." It was dated at Rome in the year 1300. Possibly Bytton's
great learning, by which he had risen to be Professor of Canon Law at
Oxford and Pope's Chaplain, was partly the reason of so notable a
compliment. But the noble work he was doing in the cathedral church of
his diocese, we may hope, had not a little to do with the honour. For to
him we owe the entire transformation of the choir with its aisles.
Bytton's labours were, indeed, very great. We hear of large quantities
of stone procured from Barley, and of sandstone from Salcombe and
Branscombe. He also put a good deal of stained glass into the windows;
so that in the eleventh year of