4]"There is
this traditional story goes concerning the preservation of this church
at the dissolution of abbeys: that a little after Queen Katherine's
interment here (which Mr G. mentions), some courtiers suggesting to the
king how well it would become his greatness to erect a fair monument for
her, he answered, 'Yes, he would leave her one of the goodliest
monuments in Christendom,' meaning this church, for he had then in his
thoughts the demolishing of abbeys, which shortly after followed." Abbot
Chambers surrendered the monastery to the king in 1540, and was
appointed guardian of the temporalities, with a pension of L266, 13s.
4d. and 100 loads of wood. The king divided the whole property of the
abbey into three parts, retaining one-third for himself, and assigning
the other parts upon the foundation of the see to the Bishop and Chapter
respectively. If the annual value of the portion he reserved for his own
use may be taken to be exactly one-third of the possessions of the
abbey, the entire property must have been worth as nearly as possible
L2200 per annum. The last abbot became the first bishop.

It is remarkable that of the two queens buried at Peterborough, the body
of one has been removed to Westminster by the orders of her son, and
that a similar removal had been previously designed for the body of the
other. Queen Katherine's daughter, Queen Mary, left directions in her
will that "the body of the virtuous Lady and my most dere and
well-beloved mother of happy memory, Queen Kateryn, which lyeth now
buried at Peterborowh," should be removed and laid near the place of her
own sepulture, and that honourable monuments should be made for both. It
would have been a singular coincidence if this intention had been
carried out.

CHAPTER VI.

HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE.

The Abbey Church was converted into the Cathedral of the newly-founded
diocese of Peterborough by deed bearing date September 4, 1541. The
counties of Northampton and Rutland were the limits of the new see. The
king's original plan for the establishment of bishoprics out of the
confiscated estates of monastic establishments was too generous to be
put into practice. He designed the foundation of no less than twenty-one
new sees. In this scheme Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire were
assigned to the diocese of Peterborough; and, considering the situation
of the new cathedral, this would have been a more satisfactory
arrangement than the one whi