reason for the change, there was another powerful inducement offered
by the larger field that might be provided for the use of decorative
colour, and they accepted the opportunity with alacrity--not as a mere
chance for display only, but because, rather, they would be enabled to
teach by the use of it.

But what was that _novum opus_, that special building that was
already in progress in 1402? What was the reason for granting in 1359
the first-fruits of the prebendal stalls to the fabric? And in 1391
why did the dean and chapter give one-twentieth of all their rents to
the works? And these works were not alone about the high altar, for
the new work proceeding in 1402 had no doubt some relation to that
which was in progress in 1391, and it can have been no mere small
undertaking. Can these words be applied to the central tower and the
spire that rose above it, or to the detached bell-tower of Ventnor
stone northward of the church? It seems they must refer to the former,
for to no other work can they be applied, since the angle turrets to
the transept, the parapet of the central tower, and the windows
inserted during the fifteenth century were not in existence at either
of these times. And, further, the action taken in 1359 in order to
provide funds for work that was proceeding could have no reference to
the detached bell-tower, for its character shows that it was certainly
not even begun before quite the end of the fourteenth century,
probably not before some time during the first quarter of the
fifteenth. So, since there was nothing else proceeding about the
structure that could claim such sacrifice, the suggestion occurs that
the spire was already in course of construction not long after the
middle of the fourteenth century. The late Gordon M. Hills, Esq., in
reporting to the chapter in 1892 his opinion concerning the condition
of the fabric, said that, "Under Bishop William Rede (1369-1385) was
begun a series of works: the completion of the central spire, the
conversion of the north end of the north transept into a perpendicular
work, the construction of a new library, the construction of the
present cloisters, and finally the erection of the great detached
belfry, called 'Raymond's, or Redemond's, or Riman's Tower,' was in
progress in 1411, 1428, and 1436. All this work was carried on partly
by the influence at Chichester of churchmen of the school of William
of Wykeham, whose followers were strong at Chichester at