At the east end of St. George's Chapel is a freestone edifice, built by
Henry the Seventh, as a burial-place for himself and his successors; but
afterwards altering his purpose, he began the more noble structure at
Westminster; and this remained neglected until Cardinal Wolsey obtained
a grant of it from Henry the Eighth, and, with a profusion of expense,
began here a sumptuous monument for himself, whence this building
obtained the name of Wolsey's _Tomb House_. This monument was so
magnificently built, that it exceeded that of Henry the Seventh, in
Westminster Abbey; and at the time of the cardinal's disgrace, the tomb
was so far executed, that Benedetto, a statuary of Florence, received
4,250 ducats for what he had already done; and 380l. 18s. had been paid
for gilding only half of this monument. The cardinal dying soon after
his disgrace, was buried in the cathedral at York, and the monument
remained unfinished. In 1646, the statues and figures of gilt copper,
of exquisite workmanship, were sold. James the Second converted this
building into a Popish chapel, and mass was publicly performed here.
The ceiling was painted by Verrio, and the walls were finely ornamented
and painted; but the whole having been neglected since the reign of
James the Second, it fell into a complete state of decay, from which,
however, it was some years ago retrieved by George the Third, who had it
magnificently completed (under the direction of the late James Wyatt,
Esq.
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