ng day, left no doubt as to the interpretation or the inspiration
of the vision.

Of the identity of the church built by Geoffrey with that now standing,
it is impossible to entertain a reasonable doubt. The details, and they
are many, contained in the document above quoted, all correspond with
the present building. A still more decisive proof is afforded by the
silence of succeeding historians, who could never have passed unnoticed
so important a fact as the rebuilding of a cathedral, the repairs of
which they have recorded on various occasions. The principal of these
took place during the prelacy of Sylvester de la Corvelle, and were
occasioned by the wars of Edward III. in the course of which, the
edifice incurred the most imminent danger, and would probably have been
destroyed in 1356, had not the timely arrival of the French troops
caused the invading army to raise the siege of the city. A battering
ram, used upon that occasion, was still shewed in Coutances, in the
beginning of the last century. The king of France bestowed upon the
chapter, in 1372, a sum of six hundred livres, in gold, for the express
purpose of repairing the church, "_bellis attrita et imminuta_." At that
time the Lady-Chapel was added; the great windows were inserted in the
aisles; the exterior part of the choir towards the palace was built; and
a portion of the work of the western front, between the towers, was
repaired, and probably altered. This last has in particular tended to
mislead the antiquary;--but to sum up the account, in the words of M. de
Gerville,--"En y regardant plus attentivement, un antiquaire exerce
facilement demelera l'ancienne partie de l'edifice, qui est encore de
beaucoup la plus considerable. Cette ancienne partie offre un modele
bien caracterise de fenetres en lancettes. C'est surtout aux deux tours
occidentales qu'on en voit des plus etroites. Celles de la tour, ou
lanterne, sont geminees. Ces lancettes, que les antiquaires Anglois
rapportent au regne de Henry II. se montrent ici dans un edifice
anterieur a ce prince de pres d'un siecle; et, ce qui est encore plus
surprenant, elles y sont sans aucun melange d'architecture Romane ou
Saxonne."[212]

[Illustration: Plate 94. CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF NOTRE DAME, AT COUTANCES.
_Elevation of the Nave._]

In the interior of the building, (_plate ninety-four_) the same
uniformity of style prevails as in the exterior; and if, in conjunction
with the cathedral of Coutances,