The Henson Journals

[687]

Wednesday, March 1st, 1916.

576th day

Colonel Burdon was waiting for me outside the Chapter House after Evensong. He asked me to show him the windows in the "Nine Altars", which I had indicated as suitable for a County memorial to the Durham troops after the war. Afterwards he came in to tea, & we talked for nearly an hour.

I went into the Cathedral, & had some talk with the Verger Hardy. He pointed out to me the tomb of the actor, Kemble, brother to the more famous actor whose monument is in Westminster Abbey: & he told me that the organist, John Brimley, who lies buried in the Gallilee [sic] & who died in 1576, played the organ when the rebel earls came to Durham. Little by little one collects the story of the Church.

In Ornsby's 'Sketches of Durham' (1846) there is much information about the Cathedral as it was before the desolating 'improvements' of the XIXth century had been effected. On p. 79 there is an account of the visit of the Earls to Durham in 1569, and on p. 97 the shape of John Brimley in the proceedings is discussed. He confessed that he 'played at orgaines' during the mass.

I made a start with the 'Judges' Sermon, but got only a little way with it. Certainly the composition of sermons does not become more easy as I grow older: and the horrible events of the War have a paralyzing effect on my mind. It hardly seems tolerable to go on with anything while the manhood of Europe is at death–grips.

I wrote several letters, including one to Carissima. Another substantial volume (more than 500 pages) arrived 'with the Author's compliments'. It is another instalment of Dr Edwyn Abbott's immense work on 'The Fourfold Gospel'. How such continuing and concentrated labour puts one to shame!

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