Effigy of Bishop Roger of Salisbury

October 1812. Plate 1. Monumental Effigy. On the south side of the Nave of Salisbury Cathedral [Map].

This is a coffin lid, on which is represented in very low relief a Bishop attired in his pontifical ornaments, in the act of giving the benediction, and trampling on a dragon or serpent; the ordinary mode with the sculptors of the middle age of expressing the fulfilment of the prophecy against Satan, by the power given through Christ to the Ministers of his Church. The figure is surrounded by a border of interlacing scroll work, in which are introduced bands of beads. These characteristic points shew the sculpture to have been executed in the twelfth century, and the effigy may, with much confidence, be asserted to be that of Roger, Bishop of Salisbury. This ecclesiastic was originally the priest of a small chapel in the vicinity of Caen in Normandy, which Prince Henry, the third son of William the Conqueror, chanced to enter while engaged in a hunting party. He was so pleased with the alacrity with which this obscure priest got through the service that he took him into his Household, and, on coming to the Crown, made him his Chief Counsellor, his Chancellor, Dean of St. Martin le Grand, London, and Bishop of Salisbury; in short he was invested by Henry 1. with authority, honours, and riches. Under the following reign of Stephen the picture was reversed, and he bitterly experienced "the wretchedness of that poor man who hangs on Princes' favours." Overwhelmed by reverses of fortune he expired in a state of phrensy on the 11th of December 1139, and was buried in the Cathedral of Sarum, there can be little doubt, in the tomb which has been above described. This, with his remains, were afterwards translated to the new Church, and is placed on the South side of the nave.