Researchers at the 黑料网 have made an extremely rare find in King鈥檚 College Chapel, which has shed new light on the University鈥檚 founding father, Bishop William Elphinstone.
Two 鈥榥ew鈥� misericords, which are small wooden shelves underneath folding seats in churches used to provide comfort for people standing for long periods, have been discovered recently in the late 15th century Chapel.
The two new 鈥榮eats鈥�, that were not thought to be in existence, have offered researchers a new insight into the life of the Chapel, which was built when Bishop Elphinstone officially established the University. The misericords were found by postgraduate student Dan MacCannell during a recent examination of the Chapel鈥檚 original 1506-9 choir stalls.
The first 鈥榮eat鈥� features a previously unrecorded carving of Bishop Elphinstone鈥檚 arms. This contradicts previous research findings that have deemed it remarkable that no heraldic reference to the founder bishop can be found in the Chapel.
Of the approximately 3,500 British and more than 8,000 worldwide total of pre-Reformation misericords thought to exist, a mere 18 (including Elphinstone鈥檚) feature the arms of bishops or archbishops; while fewer than 160 are thought to feature heraldry of any kind.
Mr MacCannell, who is currently studying for an MLitt in Early Modern Studies and who will be entering a PhD programme in History and History of Art in October, explained: 鈥淭his remarkable misericord panel is an amazing find and we are very excited to have made such an extremely rare discovery. It鈥檚 amazing what you can still find with determination and a torch!
鈥淭he panel clearly displays the Bishop鈥檚 arms and his motto, Non Confundar (Do Not Confound Me), positioned above the shield as was usual in Scotland and France.鈥�
Mr MacCannell said the panel鈥檚 placement within the chapel is also curious. He said: 鈥淚t lies beneath one of four tiny choir stalls which 鈥� even in a time of generally shorter statures 鈥� could only have been intended for children. Less than 14 inches in width, and 12 in depth, these four seats seem to have escaped the close attention of all previous investigators, predictably, since misericord seating is universally accepted as being 鈥榝or the sake of the elderly and infirm鈥�, hence its name.
鈥淕iven that Elphinstone paid for the choir stalls himself, it would shed an interesting light on his character if he chose to make his own mark on this child鈥檚 seat, in some respects 鈥榯he worst seat in the house鈥�.
鈥淓lphinstone might have been unaware of where his arms had been carved, or indeed that they had been carved, but either way his modest nature is obvious.鈥�
The second 鈥榥ew鈥� misericord, according to Mr MacCannell, represents the Chapel鈥檚 original patron saint, Mary: the letters being 鈥楢M鈥� for Ave Maria. The 鈥楢M鈥� misericord鈥檚 position 鈥� directly in front of the College Principal鈥檚 seat 鈥� makes it unlikely that any minor figure is being represented. The Bishop Elphinstone misericord, in contrast, was placed in front of the seat assigned to the professor of canon law, a position that carried considerably less prestige.
鈥淭he Bishop鈥檚 1505 seal depicts the Virgin Mary twice and the last words he spoke were also of her,鈥� said Mr MacCannell.
Despite the historical significance of misericords, studies of these unique objects are still at a very early stage. 鈥淭he role of historical persons and families as misericord subject matter has been another notable blind spot in research.
鈥淒ue to this long-standing lack of scholarly attention, a comprehensive study of misericords鈥� heraldic and religious content is probably long overdue.鈥�
For a full copy of Mr MacCannell鈥檚 report on his findings in King鈥檚 College Chapel, contact him on: d.s.maccannell@abdn.ac.uk
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