canons, would
wear their beards.

"In one of the quatrefoils, just above the mullions, is a figure
surrounded by a heraldic border; this represents John of Gaunt, who was
Governor of Carlisle from 1380 to 1384. It is said that he supported the
prior, William de Dalston, who refused obedience to the bishop, and had
been excommunicated; and that, out of gratitude, he was thus represented
in the east window."[4]

[4] "Guide to the Cathedral of Carlisle," by R.H. and K.H.

[Illustration: THE CHOIR AND EAST WINDOW. _A. Pumphrey, Photo._]

A "Jesse," which originally filled the lower part of the window, was
destroyed at the Reformation. The present glass was inserted in 1861, in
memory of Bishop Percy (d. 1856). It represents events in the history of
our Lord. Although the colours do not harmonise well with the old glass,
they are in accord with the gorgeous colouring of the ceiling. Like
most of the stained glass in the cathedral, this is by Hardman of
Birmingham.

[Illustration: MISERERE, SOUTH SIDE OF THE STALLS. From Billings.]

Bishop Strickland (1399-1413) erected the #Stalls#, which are of black
oak, and occupy the three western bays of the choir.

Our English cathedrals are far ahead of foreign cathedrals in the
beauty and richness of the tabernacle work of their stalls, which in
many instances are "like a whole wood, say a thicket of old hawthorn,
with its topmost branches spared, slowly transformed into stalls." These
in Carlisle, if not among the finest specimens in England, certainly
take very high rank.

There are forty-six compartments, divided by fifty columns, upon which
the tabernacle work rests. Each compartment consists of a large canopy
decorated with quatrefoils, and battlemented. This is surmounted by
three smaller canopies and pedestals which were originally occupied by
small carved figures. A large pinnacle, richly decorated, like the
others, with crockets and finials, finishes the compartment.

Between each stall is a small buttress beginning at the capital and
finishing somewhat beneath the top of the large pinnacle. These
buttresses have, alternately, a pedestal with a canopy above; and a
pedestal supporting a small flying-buttress terminating in a pinnacle
enriched with small crockets.

Prior Haithwaite is said to have added the tabernacle-work after the
year 1430.

The division between each stall shows either a well-executed foliated
ornament, or an angel. In the north-west and so