1825.] Rage for Improvements in a Parsonage-house. trust, will not prove unacceptable to your. Readers in general, and will be attended to with particular satisfaction, by R. I. It may be as well to mention, that the copy here described (which is tolerably fine as well as perfect) was lately procured from Germany at a price proportionate to its rarity and curiosity. Mr. URBAN, As look Aug. 12. other literary men for sympathy, I cannot forbear communicating the following facts. Having very lately completed some repairs of my Parsonage-house, and reduced its contiguous grounds from a wilderness to a garden fit for the residence of myself and my family, I found rather more room in my study for all my books that used to fill it in the old house; this room adjoins the vestry of the Church, to which my parish officers are admitted on Sunday morning; at all other times it serves as a room in the house, and sometimes we breakfast there en famille. After an absence of three weeks, I returned home late on Saturday evening last; my son came in from All Souls but a few minutes afterwards, where he greeted me with the news that he had gone out first wrangler; we sat down together to supper, and I enjoyed peculiar gratification in seeing upon the countenances of my wife and daughters very agreeable smiles, which I ascribed wholly to their kind affections on seeing us both at home, and in good health and spirits; and as I had traveiled with some diligence, that I might be ready for my duty in the morning, we all separated for the night, and I was better disposed for rest than for any preparations, which I therefore deferred until next morning at an early hour. As I went up stairs I perceived the girls whispering something with great earnestness to their brother, but it never occurred to me to take any notice of it at that time. I counted upon two hours at least before the service to turn over my stock, and to select my sermon. I had no sooner crossed the hall to the studydoor, than I found myself surrounded by all the party; and my wife put a new key into my hands, and the girls waited to see my surprise with no small expectation. When I entered the room, 125 I lifted up my hands to see the alterations which had been made in my short absence. A Brussels carpet had been laid down instead of the old floorcloth, which I do confess had been worn out long since; the old rectorial chair, the venerable gift of its more venerable donor Archbishop Secker, in which many an abstruse text had been deeply studied, and many an unruly youth of either sex had been reproved, had given place to a square-arined red leather seat brazen castors. The old inkstand, which had served the vestry-room from the overthrow of the round heads, now disappeared, and a handsome silver standdish, with cut glasses, and wax taper; a small mahogany stand for my watch, and a letter bracket for "post and delivery," had insensibly found their way upon a single-claw mahogany writing table, too narrow to hold any other books than a red morocco cover for a quire of gilt-edged paper. I sighed to think that I could never study at such a table, or with such apparatus; but on lifting up my eyes in this ejaculation, I beheld all the old shelves removed that had held the whole body of divinity from the Reformation; and above them, alas, instead of the venerable Bezas and the Melancthons; the rectors of the parish in their almost sable grizzels and stiff bands; the champions of orthodoxy down to the Horsleys and the Marshs; all these had given place to the more modern worthies of our Episcopal Bench in glazed mezzotinto-Moore, Horne, Vernon, Sutton, Barrington, Howley, Luxmore, Van Mildert, Andrewes, and Kay. But when I cast a hasty glance over the book-shelves, the strength of divinity which they had supported for centuries presented something very alarming to my distressed anticipations! for be it known and acknowledged, that, by force of time and diligent service, all the collection had well done their duty, and their covers were not only become dark brown, but many had lost their ancient red leather lettering. All the copies of Mosheim Du Pin, and Warner, could well correspond with the date of the remotest Ecclesiastical History. Josephus, Athanasius, Theodoret, and a train of carefully collected copies of the Fathers the Homilies of the Church, and a grave set of Commentaries from Fuller to Hewlett, were all removed to the 126 Compendium of County History,Wiltshire. the dark shades of the room, because [Augi begun my lamentations at seeing so many old friends with new faces, my Churchwardens entered to congratulate my return, and my family hastily fled, clapping their hands, that I had not turned them out of doors. Now, my dear friend, let me assure you, that after the duties of the day were closed, I betook myself most seriously to consider how it would be possible to acquit myself next month, when I am appointed to preach the Visitation Sermon; for all my customary materials are so far out of my reach, that I must suffer great fatigue in resorting to my venerable assistants, and my mind is now too much engaged with my new associates to prepare any thing suitable to my purpose; I am now continually afraid that I am quoting Clarke and Weld, instead of Paul and Stephen! The new system of chemistry, steam, gas, and phlogiston, have already seized upon my brain, and utterly exterminated Hooker and Pearson! I shall think myself very fortunate if my Sermon should pass unnoticed, and the Visitation close without any censure of it from my Diocesan ; for I am certain that the rage for improvements, or the new mania which has seized all my family, has nearly conquered myself, and for ever shut the door to all my former ambition of obtaining an Episcopal Chair! A. H.' COMPENDIUM OF COUNTY HISTORY.-WILTSHIRE. HISTORY. (Continued from p. 414.) "Heard ye the din of battle bray, Lance to lance, and horse to horse?" GRAY. 520. Cerdic laid siege to Banbury Castle, but was so completely defeated by Arthur, as not to be able again to take the field for seven years. 552. Kenric routed the Britons, and established himself at Old Sarum. 556. Kenric again defeated the Britons at Banbury, in consequence of which Wiltshire became incorporated with Wessex. 590. Ceolric rebelling against his uncle Ceaulin, completely defeated him at Wednesbury. 652. A severe battle fought at Bradford between Kenwalph, King of Wessex, and his kinsman Cuthred, in which the King was successful. 658. Cenwellus, King of Wessex, defeated the Britons at Pen. 695. A bloody battle fought at Great Bedwin between Wulfhere, King of Mercia, and Escuin, Governor of Wessex, in which the former was defeated. 821 or 823. Egbert, King of Wessex, fought a successful battle against Beornwulf the Mercian, at Wilton. 853. Ethelwulf, on his return from an expedition against the Welsh, resided at Chippenham, where the nuptials of his daughter were celebrated. Some Historieus write 675. 854. Ethel 1825,7 Compendium of County HistoryWiltshire. 127 854. Ethelwulf executed at Wilton the charter by which he conveyed the whole tythes of his kingdom to the Clergy. 871. A bloody battle fought at Marden between King Ethelred and the Danes, in which the former was defeated, and died soon after of his wounds. In this or the succeeding year, Alfred obtained a victory over the Danes at Wilton, after a sanguinary contest. 875. Castle Combe Castle, said to be demolished by the Danes. [This is, however, doubtful.] 878. The Danes entered the county, plundering and destroying wherever they came, at which time Malmsbury was assaulted and burnt. When Alfred engaged the Danes by treaty to quit the Kingdom, they treacherously possessed Chippenham, and being strengthened by arrivals, at last compelled Alfred to go into retirement. Alfred having afterwards collected a considerable force in the vicinity of Selwood, sallied upon the unsuspecting Danes at Eddington, who fled to Bratton Castle, which they were forced to surrender after a siege of 14 days. In memory of this it is said a white horse was cut by the Saxons on the slope of the hill, by paring off the surface turf in the shape of a horse; 905. Ethelwald entered Wiltshire with an army of Danes to assert his pretensions to the throne of Wessex. He put to death all the inhabitants of the tract of Braden Forest; bat did not advance farther than Cricklade. 939. Athelstan defeated the Danes at Sodbury*. The men of Malmsbury displayed great courage. 964. A synod held at Bradford, in which the treacherous St. Dunstan was elected Bp. of Worcester. 960. Edgar held a great council at Old Sarum, when several laws were enacted. 977. A synod held at Calne, at which a most diabolical act was effected by St. Dunstan. In consequence another was held at Amesbury Stephen went to Wilton with the intention of fortifying the nunnery, but the Earl of Gloucester unexpectedly set the town on fire. 1001. A bloody battle fought at Pen, in which the Danes overthrew the Saxons under Cola and Eadsigus. 1002. The Danes barbarously murdered by King Ethelted. 1003. Sweyn, King of Denmark, pillaged and burnt Old Sarum and Wilton, returning to his ships laden with wealth. 1006. The Danes defeated by the men of Wiltshire, near Kennet. 1011. Sweyn once more passed through Wiltshire, imposing very heavy contributions. King Ethelred lay sick at Corsham, but his son Edmund obliged them to fly to their ships. 1016. Canute, with an army of Danes, plundered Cricklade. They were defeated by the army under King Edmund Ironside at Pen, and at Great Sherston; in the latter engagement he with difficulty gained the victory. 1066. William 1. after the victory at Battle, came to Stourton House, where he was met by the Abbot of Glastonbury, and the grandees of the western parts. Attended by his nobles, he went to Old Sarum, to receive the homage of the principal landholders, who then became his vassals §. 1095. A great council held at Old Sarum by William II.; which impeached Wm. Earl de Owe, or de Ou, of high treason, for conspiring to raise Stephen Earl of Albemarle to the throne. His cruel punishment shews the barbarity ⚫of the age. 1100. Henry I. held his Court at Old Sarum for some months; and again in 1106. 116. Henry I. held a council at Old Sarum of all the nobles and barons of the realin, to do homage to his son William, as his successor to the English throne. This council is considered the origin of English Parliaments. 1139. Stephen seized the castles of Salisbury, Devizes, and Malmesbury, from Leland, Itin. vII. p. 96. Mr. Hobbes, Malmes. Vit. Author. Seip. p. 1, considers the engagement to have occurred near the town. + See Britton's "Beauties of Wiltshire," vok.11. p. 299-80. See however Lingard's History of England, vol. 1. on this subject. Some place it at Shire-stones, Worcestershire. Roger, 128 Compendium of County History-Wiltshire. [Aug. Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, his nephew Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, and another nephew, after an obstinate resistance. 1140. Stephen besieged Malmsbury. 1141. April 25, Devizes Castle besieged by Robert Fitzherbert, who boasted he would be master of all the country from Wiltshire to London, but John the Governor of Marlborough took him, and had him hung.-The Empress Maud took up her abode in Ludgershall Castle in her flight from Winchester to Devizes. 1142. Old Sarum taken possession of by the Empress. 1150. Trowbridge Castle besieged and taken by Stephen. 1152. Henry of Anjou, son of Maud, entered England to support his claim to the crown. Soon after his landing he laid siege to Malmsbury, which, together with the Castle, he took in a very short time; and soon afterwards the Jordan's Tower, which had held out, surrendered. Stephen proceeded to Malmsbury to offer him battle, but the inclemency of the weather compelled him to retire to London.. 1164. Henry II. held a council at Clarendon Palace, in which were past the "Constitutions of Clarendon." 1193. During the imprisonment of Richard I. John his brother, afterwards King, seized many towns and castles, and among them Marlborough. 1194. Soon after Richard's return from captivity, Marlborough Castle, was reduced by Archbishop Hubert. 1225. Henry III. and Hubert de Burgh arrived at Salisbury, in the Cathedral of which they performed their offerings. 1233. Hubert de Burgh confined at Devizes Castle, whence he escaped to the high altar of the Parish Church, from which he was again seized and reconducted to the Castle. The guards who took him were excommunicated; and he shortly afterwards released. 1258. Henry III. and his Court attended the dedication of Salisbury Cathedral. He came from Clarendon. 1267. A Parliament summoned to meet at Marlborough. 1297. A Parliament held at Salisbury to consult on the best mode of opposing Philip of France, who had seized Guienne. The Earls of Norfolk and Hereford would not assist him, but retired, with thirty others, from Salisbury, in open rebellion. 1317. Edward II. summoned a Parliament to meet at Clarendon, but the Barons, apprehensive of treachery, neglected to attend. 1328. A Parliament held at Salisbury, in which the Earl of Lancaster intended to impeach the odious Mortimer. The latter procured an order that none should appear armed in the assembly. The nobles being suspicious of his design, retired to Winchester, leaving the Clergy wholly to deliberate. Scarcely had they entered upon the dispatch of business, when Mortimer broke into the hall with a band of armed men, threatening them with death if they presumed to speak or enact any resolution contrary to his pleasure. 1357. During the ravages of the Plague, Edward III. John, King of France, and David, King of Scotland, spent the summer at Clarendon. 1358. Edward and his Queen spent the summer at Marlborough and Corsham. 1450. On the breaking out of Jack Cade's rebellion, the tenants of the Bishop of Salisbury joined in the insurrection. On June 29 they seized the Bishop in his palace at Eddington while celebrating mass, and dragging him to a neighbouring hill, barbarously stoned him to death. 1457. Henry VI. visited Salisbury, and lodged at the deanery. He sat with his lords in the Bishop's Palace, to pass judgment on some traitors. 1471. Edward IV. passed through Malmsbury as he advanced to meet Queen Margaret at Tewkesbury. 1473. Edward IV. visited Salisbury. 1483. Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, by whose influence and exertions Richard III. was advanced to the Throne, was executed at Salisbury. 1486. Henry VII. visited Salisbury, and was met by the Corporation on Alderbury Common. 1516. Henry VIII. and Queen Catharine visited Salisbury. 1535. Henry VIII. escorted his Queen Anne Boleyn thither, 1536. On March 20, Henry VIII. married Lady Jane Seymour at Wolf-hall. 1 1552. Ed 1825.] Compendium of County History.-Wiltshire. 129 1574. Queen Elizabeth entertained by the Earl of Pembroke at Clarendon, She also visited Salisbury. 1579. In September Elizabeth at Wilton received the French Ambassadors. 1603. King James I. visited Salisbury, where he was royally entertained. He, together with his Queen and Prince Henry, spent some weeks at Wilton-house. He also visited other mansions in Wiltshire, as he did again in the years 1607, 1609, 1613, 1615, 1618, 1620, and 1623; each time passing a day or two at Salisbury. 1625. Charles I. was at Salisbury; and again in 1635. 1632. When Charles I. was at Salisbury, a boy aged 15 was hanged, drawn, and quartered, for saying he would buy a pistol to kill the King. 1643. In May Sir Edward Hungerford besieged Wardour Castle, but was boldly withstood by twenty-five fighting men, under the command of the Lady Arundel, for a considerable time; till at last they surrendered. The learned and illustrious Mr. Chillingworth was here when it was taken.— A severe battle between the two parties at Albourne, in September.-The royalists, under the King and Rupert beat the enemy under Essex.-Charles I. lodged at Malmesbury, in his way to Cirencester.-Waller after he had taken Chichester moved quick through Wiltshire, with near 2000 light horse and, dragoons, and took Malmesbury; which was retaken the same year. Prince Maurice took the Mayor of Salisbury prisoner for not assisting the King. 1644. Woodhouse garrisoned by a party of the Parliament forces, under the command of Major Wansey, and closely pressed in siege by Lord Inchiquin with his Irish forces. Ludlow advanced to Warminster, intending to raise the siege, but not being strong enough, retreated, after a short skirmish, towards Salisbury. He lost all but 30 out of his 200 horse.-After the battle of Lansdown the royalists retreated to Chippenham, where they offered battle to Waller; but being refused, marched to Devizes, where they were besieged by Waller, who was entirely overthrown by the re-inforcing troops of Lord Wilmot, at Roundaway-hill. 1645. Cromwell took the Castle of Devizes, and assaulted Malmesbury. 1648. In July, Devizes besieged by the Parliamentarians under Waller, but some royal troops coming to its assistance, Waller was completely routed, 600 being killed on the spot, and 900 taken prisoners. 1655. Penruddock, Groves, Jones, &c. with 200 horse, marched to Salisbury, seized the Sheriffs and Judges, then present at the assizes, and proclaimed Charles II. King. If this troop had been supported by their associates in other parts, the Restoration would at that time have been effected by force of arms. 1663. Charles II, magnificently entertained at Longleat by Sir James Thynne. 1665. Charles II. went to Salisbury on account of the plague in London. 1671. Charles II. slept at Wilton House on his way to Plymouth. The next day he break fasted at the Bishop's Palace, Salisbury. 1683. Several members of the royal family entertained by the city of Salisbury at an expence of 1,500l. 1688. James II. went to Sarum with his army to oppose the Prince of Orange, but soon returned to London. The Crown on the top of the Council House, Salisbury, fell down! 1722. August 29 George I. and the Prince of Wales reviewed the forces encamped within two miles of Salisbury. 1778. George III. and his Queen entertained by the Bishop of Salisbury. His Majesty reviewed the dragoons on Comb Down, and afterwards visited the Earl of Pembroke at Wilton. 1789. George III. and his Queen, visited the Marquis of Bath, at Longleat. The following events deserve to be noticed, though I have not been able to ascertain the precise years in which they occurred. A sanguinary battle fought at Commerford between the Mercians under Earl Ethelmund, and Wurstan, Earl of Wiltshire.-King Stephen went to Wilton, with the intent of fortifying the nunnery, but the Earl of Gloucester unexpectedly set the town on fire. (To be continued.) S. T. Errata. P. 126, 1. 1,4, read, Barbury; 1. 10, read Cenwaulls.-P. 127, 1. 20, rend Bradon; 1. 27, dele from "Stephen went" to "town on fire," 1. 29.-.-P. 128, 1,8, from bottom, for 1473, read 1478. ** Some have fixed the scene of action erroneously at Kempsford, co. Gloucester. GENT. MAG. August, 1825. SINGU |