ot linger in
this little chapel, for voices from the past are calling us to hasten
onwards toward the burial-place of kings.

* * * * * *

[Illustration: The South Ambulatory, looking west down the South Choir
Aisle]

* * * *

THE SOUTH AMBULATORY, LOOKING WEST DOWN THE SOUTH CHOIR AISLE

In the immediate foreground on the left is the entrance to St. Edmund's
Chapel, while the iron gates just beyond the back of the sedilia mark the
junction of the south ambulatory with the south transept. Close behind
the verger's desk is a pointed arch with a small tomb below, in which are
buried the remains of various princes and princesses, and upon it used to
be a golden statue of St. Catherine, the patron saint of Henry III.'s
dumb daughter Catherine, the first little one interred in this place. At
the back of the arch are still traces of the mural painting which Edward
I. caused to be done here to commemorate his children, no less than six
of whom were buried near their aunt. On the opposite side we see the
plain Saxon tomb called by the name of King Sebert, whom the monks
believed to be their founder. Part of Richard II.'s monument is visible
behind the oak seat.

* * * * * *

Close at hand in the ambulatory is a dark arch, beneath which several
royal children were laid to rest when the church was still quite new.
The founder's dearly loved dumb daughter Catherine, a beautiful child of
five, was the first of all the royal family who was thus honoured, and in
ancient times we should have seen a tiny gilt brass statuette of St.
Catherine, her patron saint, kneeling here, with a silver portrait image
of the princess herself. Two of her brethren and four of her nephews and
nieces, the children of her brother Edward I., were buried beside her,
and Edward {64} caused the arch to be richly adorned and gilt, while a
painting of his own little ones was added in the background. The eldest
boy, Alfonzo, a lad of twelve, was sent shortly before his death from
Wales to Westminster, where, by his war-like father's command, he offered
the coronet of Llewellyn, the last native Prince of Wales, to St.
Edward's shrine. His brother Edward afterwards became the first English
Prince of Wales.

In the next chapel, that dedicated to St. Edmund, king and martyr, we
find other members of Henry the Third's family. To the right, forming
part of t