i< 31 4/ HISTORY VERULAM ANB ST, ALBAN'SS CONTAINING AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE BECimE OF VERULAM AND ORIGIN OF ST, ALBANS, i AND OF THE PRESENT STATE O¥<0^^^^^ AND OTHER CHURCHES, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, DISSENTERS' PLACES OF WORSHIP, INCORPORATION OF THE BOROUGH, ITS GO- VERNMENT ; RUINS IN THE VICINITY, SEATS, &c. &c. WITH ENGRAVINGS* l^^ PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY S. G, SHAW, 8TATI0NER> BOOKSELLER AND BINDER, MARKET PLACE, ST, ALEAK 's : SOLD BY J. RICHARDSON, ROYAL EXCHANGEJ CHAMPANTE AND WHITROW, JEWRY. STREET, ALDGATEJ AND BY ORME, NEW EOND STREET, LONDON J AND MAY BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS^ 1815. at5 ^^:x-^ i'' M'RiEVjiCE. The once nobte Gity of Verulam, a Ro- it)an Municipium ; and the relics of ancient 4[nonastk grandeur of the Abbey, raised in subsequent ages to i t« decline, to perpe- tuate the memory of Albanus/or St, Alban, n Citroen of Verulam, and the first resplen- dent diamond of Martyrdom in Great Bri- tain, to the indubitable truths of Christia- nity have been a fruitful source of enquiry, and gratification to the curiousfor numbers IV. PREFACE. *^ t^^sf^^^.^^.,^ ,^^^ ^g.,,^,^ ,^,,^^^^^ of years, and so universally interesting^ and pleasing, that their many visitors and admirers have frequently regretted, the want of a concise account of their origin, magnificence, dechne, and total ruin : the present publication has been undertaken with a view to appropriate it to that use. In its compilation no authentic sources of information have 43een omitted to be con- sulted, among which may be enumerated, Matthew Paris, a Monk of St. Alban^s Ab- bey, ^' one of its earliest and be&t Histori- ans/'Chauncy, Sahnon,Newcome,Brit(on, Brayley, &c. ; and it is hoped in liaving endeavoured to extract the substance re- lating thereto, from the invaluable and scarce authentic records of former ages, together with those of more recent times, the compiler may succeed in presenting to PREFACE. 1^* the public a faithftil historical account of Verulam and St. Alban's. There are but few, who on thinking of past ages, and viewing' the sites of aneient cities, or the venerable ruins of immense and grand fabrics, are not excited with a desire to know some account of them when in a flourishing state : and of the more im- porta nee they have been the higher the gra- tification in perusing any account ofthem^ that may have descended to the present period: probably from their once great- ness, none are more calculated to excite such a desire than, the site of Verulam, or the ruins of the monastic fabric, dedi- cated by OfPa to its Citizen St Alban : and the latter seems most peculiarly interesting^ on account of the magnanimity of tlie^ VIU PREFACE. ^■^^M^^^.T'^f^^^ occurrence that lead to its erectiori, the great powers ofits governors, and the many, important national events that occurrred during the zenith of itij splendour, and at itis dissolution, which are closely con- nected with its History. The account of the present Abbey Church, the Town of St. Albans, and the Antiquities lately discovered, it is trusted will be considered an appropriate appen- dage The engraved plan of the Monas- tery and Churchy is from the be&t authori- ties, and the other engravings illustrating it;^ are by the most era^inent artists. The compiler has to^request consider- able indulgence of the public, and to their kindness he diffidently submits thefollowing PREFACE. ViU sheets, hoping that his endeavours to gratify the frequent enquiries of the curi- ous^ and admiring visitors of a:ncient Verulam, and St. Alban's, may not be with- mkt some share of success. CONTENTS. FAGEo :l!LrttiCiuit3^ »f Verulam, .....•• .^ ...••.. • • 1 A Free Citv, • 2 Victory atchi^ved by Suetonius over Boadecia, • 3 Enmity of the Citizens of Verulara to the Gospel, »•• 5 Synod held at this place, 429, • • 6 Dr. Stukely's Adnaeasurement of the site of Verulam, 9 Roman Corns, Statues of Gb\d and Silver, &c. dug up, 10 Ancieivt History of St. i^lban discovered, • • • 12 Martyrdom of Albanus, . . .^ i5 Translation of the Body of Albanus • • • 19 Poundaticn andDedicationof the.^ionastery toSt.Alban 21 J^ndo wtneut &c. of it • • 23 OiFa dies and is buried near Bedford ....•.., 24 Vubig third Abbot i^uilty of great enormities ...... 24 Yulnoth fourth Abbot f^lis into the same vices, ...... 25 Shriire broken open by the Danes, ' 25 -Jlmnsof Verulam searched, 27 ire^fric tenth Aljbot, his benevolence during a grievous famine, 29 3^emolitioH of Kingsbury ' 29 Artful preservation of the real relics of the Martyr, Note . • 30 Leofstan twelfth Abbot grants the Manor of Flamstead to Thurnoth to guard the Roads, &c. 31 Frederic thirteenth Abbot impe«ies the March of William the Conqueror S^ His bold answer to the King 32 Dies of -grief and mortification* • ^ S. CONTENTS. PAGE. Abbot Paul fourteejith Abbot comraences reconstruc- ting the Abbey Churcb • • • • • . • S4 ^CJonsecraiion of the New Church* • S6 Removal of the Remains of St. Alban to a more costly Shrine 37 -^ Hobert de Gorham procures many distinguished Privi- leges for the Church » %9 * John of the Cell, 20th Abbot, re-constructs "the West End, Src 43 King John assetnbles a Council in the Chapel House* • 46 John of Hertford, twenty 'fourth Abbot, erected a mag- nificent Hall with Chimnies • ♦ *-*< 4S Earthquake felt * • 49 St. Alban's p«t in a fortified state, during tfce Barons Wars '" • • 49 "Constable of Hertford and attendants, beheaded by the Inhabitants of St. Albans •*..... 50 Chapel of the Virgin erected ♦ 52 Wallingford twenty-eighth abbot, constructed a curious astronomical Clock • ■^•« •• 54 Thpmas De la Mare surrounded the Abbey^jth a Stone Wall •. 56 John of Wheatharastead thirty-fifth abbot,- new ceiled and painted the Nave of t^ e Church -61 First Battle nf St. Alban's j-n 1455 • 64 Second Battle of St. Alban's 1461 • • • • • 66 New Cliarterof the Privileges granted to the Abbey Tl Printing first -exercised in the Monastery, 1480 ....... 74 \Re venue of the Abbey at its dissolution . . 79 InhabitciUts of St Alban's purchase thv^ Abbey Church 60 Exiernal appearance of the Abbey Church 81 Principal Entrance • • » ' ..... 83 Interior of the Crurch • • - • • 84 St Cuthhert's .^creen . • 90 4i:be Babtjstry 91 CONTENTS. XU l*AGE. TlieChoir •-•• • 9§ Altar Screen .•••• ' 93 Presbytery 95 Transept • • 97 The Aisles • • •'* 99 TheCeilings. lOS The Chapel of the Virgin --• •*•• 104 Duke Humphrey's Monument '• 106 Abbot Whethamsted*s Monument ^09 Abbot Ramryge's Monument • HO Brasses and Ancient Inscriptions 112 IVlodern Monuments and sepulchral Inscriptions •• 118, The Watch Tower - 12'^ Human Seulls 123 Thigh bone and Roman Pavements 1'^ Roman Urn • 12^* Jud^s Iscariot's Coin I24i, Relics in Iron - • 124 Alter Piece 124t Stone Coffin • • • • • • • • 1-25 Duke Humphrey's Vault • • 1^5 Scriptorium or Writing Room • 12T The Monastic Buildings 129 TheGate House . -' 130 The Monks' Holes 131 St. Michael's Church 135 Lord Bacon's Monument • • • • 136 Curious Paintings of the Last Judgement 138 Ancient Stone Coffin & Skeleton discovered in 1813 139 St. Peter's Church ^ • •' 145 St. Stephen's Church - 152 Present State of the Town i 155 Incorporation, Charter, &C. 166 Town Hall 17^ Market M9«se •«•• «.»..« b 180 %h, CONTENTS. PACE. ClockHouse • 181 Liberty Gaol ' ••' 184 House ot Correction • v^ 185 The Compter •. 186 Baptist Meeting House • 187 Quaker's Meeting House 189 Methodists...... 190 Independents .. • 1-^1 Unitdrians • • ♦ • 1?^ Martyrdom on Rome Land ^ 195 Ejected Ministers for non-conformity • - • • • 200 The I'uildings 201 Pemberton's Alms House 204 Bentfactions • • . • • • 206 Grammar School 208 Blue Coat School 211 Df-senting Charily .School • • 211 Independent Sunday School • • ••• 21^ Church Sunday School 212 Viscountess Grimston's School • • ' 212 Bible Society "213 Herts. Union Society • • • • ♦ • 214 St. Alban's Benefit and Annuitant Society 215 remale f riendly Society , 216 Sopwell Nunnery • • • 217 St. Mary de Pre 219 St Julian's Hospital .. 220 Holywell House • • • . 221 Gorharahury 222 Ruins of Mansion erected by Sir Nicholas Bacon ,• • 224 Verulam Hou«e built by Lord Bacon • •• •. ••••' • 225 Biography of Sir Nicholas Bacon.. •••••• 226 De Gnmston, a valiant Norman, bore the Standard at the Battle of Hastings - 228 Bipgraphy of Sir Huibottle Grimston • . 23]t CONTENTS. xm. PIOE. 25, 42, 52, 54, and 55 ; the four latter are copied from Borlase. X Boadicea, or Bunduica, was Queen of the Iceni, who had very early formed an alliance with the Romans, but, exasper* ated by various insults, had afterwards recourse to arras, in de- fence of their independence ; and, under the command of their gallant Queen, began a revolt so alarming in its consequences, that the whole power of the Romans trembled, and nothing but their expulsion from the Island, or complete destruction, seemed likely to ensue. VERULAM AND ST, ALBAIS'S. 5 tion of Camulodunum and Londinium, poured forth her indignant wrath upon this devoted set- tiement. Tacitus insinuate^, that the riches of Enraged at the oppressiun and cruelties that had been exer- cised, the Iceni flew to arms, and commenced an exterminating war. After slaughtering a few scattered garrison?, they poured Ijke an irresistable torrent upon the Roman colony ?d Camulo- dunum, (Colchester,) massacred the inhabitants, and reduced the city to ashes. They next assailed, and defeated the ninth legion, destroying all the infantry, and suftering the cavalry only to escape with difficulty. Suetonius Paulinus, the Roman General, who, at tlie coid- niencement of the insurrection, was destroying the groves and temples of the Druids in Anglesea, about this period arrived in London, where he at first resolved to wait the attack of the Britons; but more mature consideration determined him to give them battle in some more advantageous spot. This deci- sion proved tlie destruction of the IVj[etropolis; for the forces of Boadicea, entering the city on the retreat ol" Suetonius^ put the whole of its inhabitants to the sword. After this severe retahation on Roman cruelty, they marched to YeruJara, which they also conquered ; and all who were so unfortunate as to fall into their hands, they slaughtered without mercy. The success that had hitherto attended the Britons, and tlic vivid hopes wliich they began to entertain of recovering tlieir native liberty, caused a considerable augmentation ot their army, which now amounted to 230,000 men, while the great- est number that Suetonius could assemble, scarcely consisted of 10,000; yet with tliese he resolved to try the fortune of a pitched battle, as the only mode of action that presented the least probability of retrieving the Roman affairs. With this in- tent, he chose an advantageous position at the end of an exten- sive plain, inclosed at the back with a Jarge und thick wood, which prevented the numerous hosts of the ei»emy from sur* lounding him. Here he awaited the attack of the Biilons, 4 HISTORY OF Verulam operated as an additional incentive for the Britons to attack it; and that they passed other military posts without assault, for the sake "who being led on and animated by the heroic Boadicea, were fast advancing to the combat. Previous to the engagement, the Queen, standing in her war-chariot, and attended by her violated daughters, rode through the ranks of her array, and encouraged them to fight valiantly in defence of the rights of their injured country. She exhorted them to behave as men determined to conquer or die; "for such," said the gallant female, "is my resolution, who am but a woman, even though 3'ou, who are men, may wish to live like slaves." This speech inspired the Britons with the full assurance of victory ; and they testified their applause by loud and repeated ac- clamations* Suetonius, in the mean time, had been preparing his troops for the approaching danger. He intreated them not to be dis- mayed at the clamours of their barbarous foes, who, however numerous, he exclaimed, " will never be able to withstand the force of your weapons, nor your valour, which has so often put them to flight," The soldiers listened to his exhortations with joy; and their eagerness to begin the fight could only be checked by the commands of their general, who ordered them to keep their stations till the fury of the first assault of the ene- my had subsided. The Britons rushed to the combat with impetuosity ; they fiercely discharged their darts at the Roman soldiers, who sustained the shock with their accustomed resolution; and •when the greatest part of the missive weapons of their foes was expended, made an attack with the fourteenth legion, and drove them back in confusion. Suetonius then eommanded the cavalry to advance, who, with their long lances> so. dis- comfited the Britons, that their ranks successively gave way, and the route soon became general. The retreat of the vanq- uished was impeded by their own imprudence ; for so confi- VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN^S. 5 of the plunder to be acquired here.* The victory atchieved by Suetonius over the undisciplined multitudes of Boadicea, ensured the predominence of the Roman powder, and Verulam gradually recovered its former lustre. In succeed- ing ages, its fame was still more heightened by the martyrdom of Albanus, or Alban, during the fell persecution of the Christians, which com- menced under the authority of Dioclesian, in the year 303. At that period, the enmity of its citi- zens to the Gospel was so great, that, as a 'dis- grace to Albanus's memory, and as a terror to other Christians, they had the story of his murder in- scribed upon marble, and inserted in the city walls/f Yet the flames of Paganism proved in- dent were they of victory, that they had assembled their wives and children as witnesses of the miseries they intended to in- flict on their late insulting conquerors, and all the passes from the field were blocked up by the carts and waggons in which their familes had been placed to view the battle. The slaugh- ter was prodigious; nearly 80,000 of the Britons were destroy- ed ; and even the hapless women, who had been the mourn- ful spectators of the defeat of their dearest relatives, were sacrificed by the swords of the merciless victors. * Annal. XIV. c. 33. Omissis castellist proisidiisque mili' turn, quod uberrimum spoliant ; et defensoribus iniutum ; Ictti prcuda et aliorum segnes petebant, t In hujus opprobrium et Christianorum terrorem, ut in antiquo ejus agone habetur, Verolamienses ejus martyrium marmori inscripserunt, mcbnibusque inseruerunt, Camden, from an ancient History of St. Alban's. 6 HISTORY OF ijufficieiit lo eSiect the purpose for which tbey had been ignited ; and both Bede and Oildas concur m the fact, that, within a very few yeard rifter the cessation of the persecution, a Chuich uas foun- ded in honour of the memory of Alb^jius, and that on the very spot on which he siui^^ered, the precise site of the present Abbey Chuich of St. Alban's. The sculpture recording the scene of his martyrdom, was removed from the view ; and in its place, and over the gates of their waits, the inhabitants erected square stones, inscribed with memorials of the triumph of their newly-adopted religion. The Pelagian heresy having occasioned great dissentions among the Christians, early in the fifth century, Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, and Lupus, Bishop of Troyes, came into Britain for the avowed purpose of restraining its progress : during their stay in this Island, they assisted at a Synod held at Verulam in the year 429. Germanus was particularly distinguished for the $wccess of his exhortations; and a CAfl'j!?e/was afterwards erected to his honor, ju§t ^yitJlout the walls of the city, * on the spot on which, ^s from a pulpit, be spoke the Divine word/*" This >Cli^pel, the ruins of * Juxta prostrate^, urbis mo'ma, Germani sacellum ctiamnum nomine, etsi 'p^ofano usv, super^st ; qy,o loci iile, pro stiggestu •ctrhum diviiumi ejatus erat^ nt antiquccfani Albani membra' iiubcLtf>stantur, Camden. VERULiiM AND ST. ALBAN'S. *" whkti existed till the beginning of t!ic last century, gave name to St, German's Farm; and this now compreheiids a very considerable part of the s.te of the ancient Veralam. The grave of St. Alban is recorded to have been opened by Gernianus, m order to deposit in it the relics of other Saints that 'those whom Heaven received, one tomb mieht contain.'* . In the war of desolation which accompanied the de-cent of the Saxons, Verulani was an early suf- ferer- yet, previous to its final subjugation and ruin 'it is said to have been recovered by tae Bri- tons' under Uter Pendragon, who having been wounded in a great battle fought in the vicinity, was after some time, according to Brompton, cured of his wounds by resorting to a salubrious spring, or Holy well, at a little distance from the cilV walls. The Saxons, on recovering possession, are comtnonly supposed to have destroyed the po- t>ulation. and reduced the buildings to a mass ot ruins For two centuries its name is not even mentioned in history; though various events, of subsequent occurrence, render the opinion pro- bable, that it was not wholly deserted till alter the rise of the modern St. Alban's. The derivation of the natiie of Verulam has not been decisively ascertained: but its situation on Camdem S HISTORY OF the river Ver had unquestionably some share in its etymology. The Saxons called it Werlamcestre and Watlingceastre : the latter term is clearly derived from its connexion with the Watling Street. The great extent of the area surrounded by the ruined vv^alls, the immense embankments called the Veru- 1am Hills, with the deep ditches accompanying them, and the innumerable Roman coins, antiqui- ties, and other remains of Roman occupation, that have been dug up here, are sufficient even in the absence of all written record, to testify the former grandeur and magnificence of the city. When the Romans became possessed of Veru- 1am, it is probable that they enlarged its bounda- ries; yet they did not confine its exterior form to that so generally adopted in their tactics, the rect- angular; but modifying their own rules to the na- ture of the ground,* suffered their Municipium to assume the figure af an irregular ellipsis: internally, however, their buildings were extended in right lines; and though the area has been long under tillage, and divided by hedges into fields, the sites of various streets may yet be discovered at parti- cular seasons of the year, by the diverse hues of the vegetation. Some considerable masses of the walls yet remain, and furnish demonstrative proofs Front loci qualitas aut necessitas posUilaverit, Vegetius, Lib, 1. c. ^% VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 9 of the excellence of the Roman masonry. The walls were about twelve feet thick ; they were com- posed of layers of flmts, embedded in a strong ce- ment of lime, small gravel and coarse sand, and strengthened at intervals of about three feet, by rows of large Roman tiles*, two or three in a row : these were continued through the whole range of the walls, as is evident from the fragments remain^ ing on the different sides of the station. The ex- tent of the area has been variously estimated ; but, from the accurate admeasurements by Dr. Stukely, its length, from north to south, appears to be 1730 yards, its greatest breadth, from east to west, is nearly 1000 yards. The highest ground is on the south and west sides; but the whole has a gradual descent towards the east, where the river Ver, which now flows in a regular channel from one to two hundred yards beyond the line of the wall, originally formed a great pool, covering about twenty acres of ground, and including what is now the lower part of the present St. Alban*s. This still preserves the memory of its origin, in the name of fish-pool Street ; and this street con- * These tiles measure from sixteen to eighteen inches in lengthy and from eleven to thirteen inches in breadth ; they are of a very compact texture, yet so adhesive is the cement which binds them together, that it is almost impossible ta re- move on« of them from the wall in a perfect state. B .O 10 HISTORY OF nects with the high north-west road, which inter- sects the area of Verulam, from St. Michael's Bridge, to that massive fragment of the ancient wall, called Gorham Block*. One of the en- trances to tlie cit}^ appears to have been near this spot; another was at the south-east angle, and secured by a double ditch and rampart: a third entrance, very strongly defended, was on the west side. The banks and ditches on the south and west sides, are the most perfect: though in many places they are overgrown by large trees ; even in the ruins of the wall itself, some small oaks are now flourishing. *' Were I to relate," says Camden, " what com- mon report affirms of the many Roman coins, statues of gold and silver, vessels, marble pillars, cornices, and wonderful monuments of ancient ^rt, dug up here, I should scarcely be believed." In this sentence, our renowned antiquary most probably alludes to the discoveries made during the time of Ealdred, and Eadmer, the eighth and ninth abbots of St. Alban's ; the former of whom, having conceived the design of rebuilding the Abbey Church, began to search for materials ' * So named from its situation where the road turns off to Gorhambury. The same appellation, however, was primarily bestowed on the stump of a huge oak, that stood contiguous, and which has been rooted up witliin memory. VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. It among the ruins of Verulam ; and on his death, the latter adopted the plan, and continued the researches. ** Ealdred/' says Matthew Paris, the early and the best historian of the Abbey, " ran- sacking the ancient cavities of the old cily which was called Werlanicestre, overturned, and tilled up alL The rough broken places, and the streets, with the passages running under ground, and covered over with solid arches, (some of which passed under the water of the Werlam river, which was once very large, and flowed about the city,) he pulled down, filled up, or stopped; because they were the lurking holes of thieves, night walkers and whores ; but the fosses of the city, and certain caverns, to which felons and fu- gitives repaired as places of shelter, from the thick woods around, he levelled as much as ever he could *." Oaken planks with nails, and pitched over, oars of fir, and anchors half destroyed by rust, were also dug up at the same period. The most memorable of these discoveries, how- ever, was made in the time of Eadmer, who again employing men to ransack the ruins, the^f tore up the foundations of a great place in the midst of the ancient city ; and while they were wondering at the * Matt. Parts, 994; as translated by VVhitaker, in his * An- cient Catliedral of Cornwall, (bt. German's,) Historicaiiy Sur- veyed/ Vol. II. p. 66, n HISTORY OF remains of such large buildings, they found in the hollow repository of one wail, as in a small press, among some lesser books and rolls, an unknown volume of one book, which was noj mutilated by its long continuance there ; and of which neither the letters nor the dialect, from their antiquity, were known to any person who could then he found: but the inscriptions and titles in it shone resplen- dent in letters of gold. The boards of oak, the strings of silk, in great measure retained their ori- ginal strength and beauty. When inquiry had been industriously made very far and wide concern- ing the notices in this book, at last they found one priest, aged and decrepit, a man of great eru- dition, Unwon by name, who, knowing the dialect and letters of different languages, read the writ- ing of the before mentioned book, distinctly and openly. In the same manner he read without he- sitation, and he explained without difficulty, no- tices in other books, that were found in the same room, and within the same press ; for the letters were such as used to he written when Verulam was inhabiteil ; and the dialect was that of the ancient Britons, 4hen used hy them. " There were some things" ift the other books, '^ written in Latin, but these were not curious ; and in ih^ first book, the greater one, of which 1 have made mention before, be found written the history of st. alban VERULAIil AND ST. ALBINOS. 13 the proto-martyr of the English, which the Church at this very day recites and reads : to which that excellent scholar Bede lends his testimony, differ- ing in nothing from it. That book in which the History of St. Alban was contained, was reposited with the greatest regard in the treasury of the Abbey ; and exactly as the aforesaid presbyter read the book written in the ancient dialect of England or Britain, with which he was well ac- quainted, Abbot Eadiner caused it to be faithfully aiid carefullj set down by some of the wiser breth- ren of the convent, and then more fully taught in the public preachings. But when the history was thus made known, (as I have said) to several, by being written in Latin, what is wonderful to tell, the primitive and original work fell away in round pieces, and was soon reduced irrecoverably to dust."* Though the antiquities that have been recently discovered at Verulani do not afford any thing so remarkable as the above, yet many of them are still curious. In the year 1719> an urn, seventeen inches deep, and six feet four inches in circum- ference, was found, with various other Roman re- mains, at a little distance from the walls towards the river. This has been engraved by Mr. Gough ; * Whitaker's Ancient Cathedral of Cornwall, Vol. II. p (57, 68 ', and Malt. Paris, 994, 995. 14 HISTORY OF together with a small la^ymatory, that was found with eleven others set round the urn ; and also a large long jar, ending in a point, that was dug up at the same time and place, with several smaller vessels, coins, paterae,* &:c. In the year 1767, a very curious, small and elegant Roman vase, of black earth, and very perfect, that had been found among the ruins of Verulam, was exhibited before the Society of Antiquaries. The Roman coins that have been dug up here at different periods, have been so extremely numerous, that many per- sons have formed large collections; and they are still occasionally met with. In tracing the progression by which the town of ST. ALBAN'S arose from the ashes of Verulam, it becomes necessary to revert to the martyrdom of Albanus, whose sufferings and piety procured him an early admission into the calendar of Saints ; and from whom the town itself derives its origin and name. Albanus is recorded to have been an eminent citizen of Verulam ; and to have given shelter to a Christian preacher, named Amphibalus,t * Gough's Camden, Vol. I. vide Plate of Urns, opposite p. cxlix. and Plate xvii. opposite p. 341. See also p. 347, t This name was first assigned to the priest who sought re- fuge with St. Alban, by Godfrey of Monmouth : in the more early writers on Ecclesiastical Affairs, it does not occur : the remark of some modern authors, that it signifies nothing more than Albanus's cloak, is therefore without foundation. VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 15 who had fled from Wales for security against the eff'ects of the dreadful persecution that had then begun to rage under the edicts of Dioclesian. Bein^ discovered in his retreat, the Judge of the city ordered some soldiers to arrest him; but Albanus having received notice of their coming, contrived to send his guest away in privacy, and disguised in his habit, presented himself to the soldiers as the person for whom they were in search. Heedless of the deception, they bound and conveyed him before the Judge, when throw- ing off his cloak, and avowing his conversion ta Christianity, he was severely scourged, to induce him to recant! but this availing not, he was^ ordered to be beheaded on a neighbouring hill:-— that hill * on which the Abbey Church of St. Al- ban's is now proudly^ exalted, — and he was exe- cuted on the same day. Thus far the history of our Saint is consistent and credible; but the circumstances recorded to have attended his execution, have too much of the marvellous to ensure general belief. The bridge over the river being too narrow to affbrd passage to the multitudes that crowded to witness the scene of his death, he is said to have prayed that the stream might part, in order to admit sufficient * Called Holmhunt by tlie Saxons, 16 HISTORY OF room for them to cross on dry ground, througFi the midst of the channel. This was accomplished : and the executioner was so impressed by the sight, that he refused to perform his office, and, for this refusal, was himself destined to die. Another ex- ecutioner having been procured, the procession moved on; and on the top of the hill, Albanus besought Heaven for some water to quench his thirst, and immediately a fine spring gushed out of the earth at his feet. This second miracle had no effect on the obduracy of the Pagans ; and the stroke of death being given, the head of the holy martyr was severed from his body ; and, at the same instant, the eyes of him who had executed the bloody office, started from their sockets, and fell with it to the ground ! These, according to the early legends of super- stition and ignorance, were not the only events of a miraculous complexion that threw lustre on the sanctity of Albanus. Offa, the great king of the Mercians, whose dominions had been enlarged by crime, whose power had been cemented by bfood, was at length struck with remorse, and sought to relieve the horrors of a guilty conscience, and fhe dread of future punishment, by the customary mode of commuting guilt in his age, the founda- tion of a monastery. The particular act that most haunted his imagination, was the death of Ethel- VERULAIVI AND ST. ALBANS. 17 bert, Sovereign of the East Angles, who had been murdered under a complication of treacherous wiles, at Offa's own palace,* when on a visit of friendship and proffered alliance. To regain his peace of mind, he, therefore, resolved to carry his design into immediate effect ; and having, in an- swer to his prayers, received intimation from Hea- ven, that his intention was approved, began to con- sider whom he should chuse as the patron Saint of his new establishment. Here his perplexity was again relieved by miraculous interposition : " for, after some time, being at Bath, in the rest and silence of the night, he seemed to be accosted by an Angel, who admonished him to raise out of the earth, the body of the first British martyr. Alb AN, and to place his remains in a shrine, with more suitable ornaments/' f This vision according to Matthew Paris, was communicated to his Special Counsellors^ Hum- bert, Archbishop of Lichfield, and Unwona, Bishop of Leicester ; and a day was appointed to com- mence the search for the relics of the martyr, at Verulam ; over which city as the King journeyed, he saw a light shining, resembling a large torch. * Sutton Walls in Herefordshire; See Beauties, "Vol. VL p, 586, and also same Vol. p. 459. t Hist, of the Abbey of St. Albans, by the Kev. P. New- 6ome, p. 25, from Matthew Paris. C i8 HISTORY OF This appearance was considered as the harbinger of success ; for the devastations committed by the Saxons, had occasioned the exact spot of the inter- ment to be forgotten. ** When the King, the clergy, and the people," continues the historian, ** were assembled, they entered on the search with prayer, fasting, and alms, and struck the earth every where, with intent to hit the spot of burial r but the search had not been continued long, when a light from Heaven was vouchsafed to assist the discovery ; and a ray of fire stood over the place, like the star that conducted the Magi to find the Holy Jesus at Bethlehem. The ground was opened ; and, in the presence of Offa, the body of Alban was found, deposited, together with some relics, in a coffin of wood, just as Germanus had placed them 344 years before." The united testimonies of venerable Bede, and Matthew Paris, establish the fact of 2l Church having been built on the spot where Albanus suflered, and that within a short period of the timie of his martyr- dom. This fabric, Bede describes as of " admir- able workmanship, and worthy of such a martyr ;* and as even existing in his days^ as appears from the words that immediately follow : * in quo videlU * Ecclesia est mirandi operis, atque ejus martyrio confUgna, extructa, Bede i, 7* VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 19 ctt locoj at the tomb of St. Alban, * usque in hanc diem^ curatio infirmorum et frequentium operatio virtutum celebrari non desinit,' As the death of Bede occurred only fifty-five years previous to OfFa's visit to Verulara, (anno 790, or 79 1>) and, as Matthevr Paris records, that the remains of Albanus, when raised from the earth, were con- veyed in solemn procession to ' a certain Church, small in its size, that bad been formerly construc- ted by the new Converts to Christianity/, without the walls of Verulam, in honor of the blessed martyr, and on the very spot where he suffered ;* it would seem that the words of both historians refer to the same building ; though Paris, uncon- scious of the circumstance, infers, that the original Church, built in honor of Albanus, had been de- stroyed by the Saxons long before. Into this Church, then, was the raised body of the martyr now translated, and deposited in a shrine enriched with plates of gold and silver: OfFa himself is recorded to have placed a circle of gold round the scull of Albanus, inscribed with his name and title. The walls of the Church were also hung with pictures, tapestries, and other orna- ments. * — Quandam ecclesiolam, ibidem extra urbem Verolamium a neophytis in honorem beati martyris constructam, ^c M, Paris, p, 984. 20 HISTORY OF The next step taken by the Mercian Sovereign, was to assemble the prelates, nobles, and chief per- sonages of his kingdom, for the purpose of con- certing the most effectual means of accomplishing his design. In this assembly it was determined, that he should proceed to Rome to solicit the ap- probation of the Roman Pontiff, and to procure the requisite immunities and privileges for his in* tended foundation. His mission was attended with success; but is the more memorable, perhaps, from its havhig been the occasion of entailing, for many centuries, upon the English nation, the tax called Peter-pence, which Ina had originally granted for the maintenance of a Saxon College at Rome, and which Offa now conferred in perpetuity on the Papal See. On his return to England, Offa again assembled his nobles and prelates at Verulam, (a circumstance which strongly intimates, that this ancient city was not even then wholly destitute of inhabitants,) and with them determined on further measures for the foundation of his Monastery. He resolved that its endowments should be ample, that its means of exercising hospitably might be sufficient for the entertainment of the numerous travellers whom its vicinity to the Watling Street would probably at- tract during their respective journies either to the Metropolis, or to the north. From houses of the VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 2t most regular discipline, he assembled a convent of monks to the tomb of the martyr; and bestowing the supremacy on his relation, Willegod, he be- gan the establishment of his Monastery. The first stone of the new building was laid with great so- lemnity, and by his own hand. He recommended, with fervent prayer, the protection of his founda- tion to the Saviour and to Sr. Alban ; pronounced maledictions on all who should disturb it, and in- voked eternal blessings on those who should be- come its benefactors. It is a curious fact, though completely in oppo- sition to the general belief, and even contrary to the testimonies of several authors who have writ- ten expressly on the subject, that OfFa did not erect a Church at St. Alban's; neither for the use of his Monastery, nor for the greater honor of the Saint, for whose remains he had procured the glo- ries of canonization. For the knowledge of this circumstance, and for the perspicuity of the state- ment by which it commands assent, we are in- debted to the Rev. Mr. Whitaker,* who, on per- using the pages of Matthew Paris with those keen principles of investigation which, springing from the comprehensiveness of his judgment, accompany * See his 'Ancient Cathedral of Cornwall,' VoK II. p. 164- 166. n HISTOKY OF his progress through all the mazes of laborious re- search, elicited the long hidden truth.* Offa, says the original historian, " at his own expence, con- structed all the buildings, except an old edifice, which he found erected formerly out of the ancient edifices of the heathensJ*-f This edifice, though Paris himself seems unconscious of the fact, could be neither more nor less than the very Church which he previously mentions, as ** built by the early converts to Christianity," and into which the body of St. Alban had been removed. Still more explicit, however, is the language of Paris : he af- firms that Offa, " in his Monastery, which he had begun from the foundations, within four or five years after he began the pious work^ had in a style of excellence erected nearly all the officinal build- * It must not be denied, however, that Mr. Whitaker, who has undertaken to prove that the Church, constructed by the converted Britons on the site of St. Alban^s martyrdom, foims a very considerable part of the Abbey Church now standing, has failed in resting his deductions, in support of this opinion, on the same basis of unimpeachable accuracy. This failure is, perhaps, to be attributed to his not having had an opportunity of pelrsonally inspecting the building, of the British origin of which he is so strenuous an advocate, t jEdificia omnia proiterquam pristinum, quod itivenit de ve- teriifus a^dificAis Paganorum pridem factum, sumptibus propriis construxit. Matt. Paris, 986. VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS, 23 ngs :"* all the buildings officinal to that which wa& the principal and denomitar of the whole — the Church.f So much was the mind of Offa occupied by the concerns of his new foundation, that he is recorded to have continued at St. Alban's till the very eve of his death ; engaged in the active superintend- ance and carrying on of the work. When the Monastery was sufficiently completed, he granted it the most ample privileges, and endowed it with numerous manors and mansions, for the perpetual maintenance of one hundred monks of the Bene- dictine order, and the entertainment of all travel- lers who should seek relief within its precincts* Among his endowments was his manor and pa- lace of Winslow, in Buckinghamshire. The for- mer, says Matthew Paris, was twenty miles in circumference, " as the writings of the King, now preserved in this Church, can testify ;" and for this estate he had procured exemption from the pay- ment of Rome-Scot, or Peter-pence ; a privilege that was enjoyed by no other place in his kingdom. Soon afterwards, he retired to his palace at Of- * Fere omnia offidnalia adijicia laudabiliter in ccenobio, suo, quod a fundamentis inchoaverat, csdificaverat infra quartum quintumve annum postquam pium opus illud inchoaverat. Matt. Paris, 987. t Whitaker, Vol. II. p. 165. U HISTORY O^ fley in this couirty, where he died; (anno 796;) he was buried in a Chapel on the banks of the Ouse, near Bedford, into which river, tradition reports his sepulchre to have been carried by the torrent in a time of flood, together with the Chapel in which it had been deposited. The death of Wille- god, the first Abbot, in about two months ^fter that of his Royal master, is said to have been has- tened by the grief which he felt at having been refused permission to inter the body of OfFa in the Monastery of his own foundation. Vulsig, or Ulsin, the third Abbot, is recorded to have been much addicted to intemperance and hunting ; and to have practised, say his annals, the " great enormity'* of inviting crowds of noble ladies to his table, by which means he not only injured his own fame, but corrupted the sobriety of his brethren. He also wastefully expended the treasures of his house, altered the form and colour of his garments, used " vestments of silk, and walked with a long train.'* His female relations he gave in marriage to the nobles and great men, enriching them at the expence of the Abbey ; but, after his death, the Monks obtained restitution of the greater part of the estates that had been alie- nated. His successor, Vulnoth, during the first three or four years of his supremacy, strove with exeipplary diligence to reform the abuses that had VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 95 been thus generated. He afterwards fell into all the vices of Vulsig ; but altered his conduct, on b^ing struck with the palsy, " and changed his life to such a degree of sanctity, as to reform many by his example, and to end his days in felicity." In the time of this Abbot, and about the year §30^ the tomb of St. Alban is said to have been broken open by the Danes, and some of his bones to haLve been taken away, and carried into Denmark, where they were deposited under a costly shrine, in the hope that they would there become as much vene- rated and adored, as they had been in England. iEdfrid, the fifth Abbot, was equally distinguished by his festive cheerfulness, and relaxation from monkish discipline, as his predecessors, till near the close of life; when he resigned his pastoral office, and devoting himself to seclusion, retired to ^ Chapel that bad been re-built, by his permission, ,by Prior Ulpho, in memory of Germanus, and on the spot where the latter had preached to the citi- zens of Verulam ; in this retirement he pa^^d ,t^ remainder of his days. UbiftHS, the sixth Abbot, was the most consi- .derable benefactor to the town of St. Alban that had yet presided ; and that " by inviting persons to settle in it, by assisting them with money and materials for the erection of houses, and even building no fewer than fjree Churches for them/' / 0/ S« HISTORY OF These Churches were erected at the different eif- trances into the town ; and were respectively dedi-^ cated to St. Peter, St. Michael, and St. Stephen. ^ He also built a small Chapel, or Oratory, at a short distance from St. German's Chapel, and conse- crated it to the honor of St. Mary Magdalen. ^is successor, jElfric, obtained great repute for his erudition and piety. He wnivers(B camis est ingretsus, M. Paris, p. 994* t ' Adquisiia — ad e«cltiian «onstru«Bdam, nu^ dispeisit Ttl 28 HISTORY OF him the intention was never revived by any of the Saxons; and even the search for materials was discoFitinued ^y them all; yet the intention was never abandoned, as the materials in general, re- mained entire to the conquest, and the application of them was then begun."* The very curious discovery of the History of St. Alban, in the British language, made at Verulara during the searches carried on under Eadmer, has? been noticed above. His workmen are recorded also to have found sundry glass and earthen ves^ seis, originally used as pitchers and cups, toge- ther with vessels of glass containing the ashes oi the dead : temples hdf ruined were likewise dis- covered, with altars and statues of heathen gods, and divers sorts of coins : all these the mistaken piety af the Abbot " caused to be stamped to dust, and destroyed/'f consurapsit; M. Paris. 994: quae ccclesiae fabricandae fueiunt necejjsaria, sibi reservaret, quara proposuit sancto martjri fa- bricare: Ibid 995) non in tantum placuit Deo ac martjri, ut domum ipsius martyris aedificaret et consumraaret. Ibid* 9^ ♦ Whitaker's St. Germans, Vol. II. p. 166. t By a most singular mis-construction of the words of Mat- thew Paris, Sir Henry Chauncy has affirmed, im his History of Hertfordshire, that Eadmer, ** out of the ruins of Verulam, built anew the greatest part of his Church, and Monastery, with an intent to have finished th« whole, but death disappointed his iiopes." Sec p. 431. - VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. J9 Leofric, son to the Earl of Kent, and afterwards promoted to the See of Canterbury, succeeded ^admer. This Abbot was renowned for benevo- lence ; during a grievous famine, that raged over England, he expended the tretisure that had been reserved for the fabrication of a new Church, in relieving the distresses of the poor ; and when this was found insufficient, he sold the slabs jof stone, the columns, and the timber^ that had been dug «p from the ruins of the ancient city, to provide additional supplies for the same purpose, togetlier with all the gold and silver vessels, both belong- ;ing to his own table, and to the Church « TbJe generous attention to the want^ of his fellow-naen, occasioned much dissention, and procured him many enemies among the more guper^titious ^nd inconsiderate classes of his monkish br-ethren ; yet his own firmness, and the support he received from the many exalted personages to whom he was re- lated, at length succeeded in composing the dif*- ferences. On his acceptance of the See of Canter- bury, in 993, ^Elfric, the second of that name, his younger brother, became Abbot. He had previh ously been Chancellor to King Ethelred, and had obtained from that Monarch a grant of the manor of Kingsbury, with all it3 appurtenances; of thi^ i;rant be procured a confirmation from King Ca- nute, and immediately caused the regal Palace to 50 -HISTORY OF be levelled with the ground, that it might no mt^rc occasion inconvenience to the Abbey, from becom- ing the residence of a court; one small tower, however, that was situated somewhat nearer to the Monastery, Canute would not suffer to be demo- lished, in order that some memorial of royalty might still remain there.* * During the government of iElfric, muny ravages were committed in different parts of the kingdom by the Danes; .and the Abbot becoming apprehensive of their visits, secured the most valuable effects of the Monastery, together with tins shrine and relics of St. Alban, in a wooden chesty which, with the privity of only a few of his brethren, he concealed in a secret cavity in the wall of the Church. Then, the more completely to effect their preservation, he openly solicited the Monks of Ely to receive into their Convent the relics of the holy martyr; requesting that, as their house was well secured from danger by waters and marshes, they would preserve the invaluable pledges, till the same should be demanded in more peaceable times. On obtaining the permission which he sought, he in- closed the remains of a common Monk in a very rich chest, and dispatched it to Ely, with many of the Church ornaments, and an old shagged garment, which he insinuated was the very cloak that had been worn by Amphibalus, the instructor of Albanus. When the alarm had subsided, -^^ifric demanded the relics ; but they were considered as of such immense value by the Monks of Ely, that they scrupled not to express their determination to keep them for their own Church. On its be- ing threatened, however, to inform both the King (Edward the Confessor) and the Pope of this impious breach of a religious engagement, a great schism arose among the brethren, but the majority determined that the relics should be kept; yet, to save appearauceii they agreed tkat the chest should be returned. VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. Si Leofstan, the twelfth Abbot, who was Confessor to Edward, and Edith, his Queen, procured very rich grants for the Monastery, through his interest with the great ; and also presented some orna- ments to his Church. Much of his attention was employed in rendering the high roads to the town, safe and commodious for merchants and travel- lers. The Watling Street, as well as many parts of the Chiltern Hills, being covered with thick woods and groves, had become the haunts of wolves, wild boars, stags, and wild bulls ; and also furnished hiding-places for robbers and outlaws, to the great danger and annoyance of all passen- gers. To remedy these evils, Leofstan granted the manor of Flamsted to a brave Knight, named Thurnoth, and his two fellow-soldiers, named Waldeof and Thurman, on condition that they should guard the said road, and all the western parts of the Chiltern ; that they should be answer- able for any losses that might happen through their neglect ; and that they should strenuously protect having first contrived to open the bottom of it, and to substitute other remains for those of the supposed St. Alban. The cheat vi^as, however, discovered ; the real relics of the martyr wer« removed from the hidden recess of the wall, and again placed with the shrine in the midst of the Church ; while the Monks of Ely, the dupes of their own artifice, incurred all the odium ©f knavery, without benefiting by ita wiles. m HISTORY OF the Cliurch of St Alban, on the occurrence of any general war within the kingdom. The successor of Leofs^tan, was Pretheric, or Frederic, a man of the Royal Wood of the Saxons, and also related to King Canute. He was instal- led in 1066; but had performed all the business of the Abbacy during the two preceding years. This was the man whose spirit and bravery im* f^ed the march of William the Conqueroi' near Berkhamstead, by causing the trees that grew on the road-side to be cut down, and laid across the way; and when, at a subsequent meeting, William enqnired the reason, he boldly answered, that * He had done no more than his duty;' and that, ' if all the ecclesiastics in the kingdom had performed theirs' in like manner, it would not have been in the pow^rof the Normans tohave advanced so far/ This was not the only occasion on which the Abbot dis- played the generous love of independence that ani- mated his soul; for the tyrannical sway of the Con- qneror having excited a strong hatred against his government in the breasts of all the English, Fre- theric placed himself at the head of a confedracy of the malcontents, whose object was to compel the Kij^ig to reign according^^to the ancient laws and cus- toms of the coiintry, or, in his despite^ to raise the exiled Edgar Atheting to the throtic ; who was in- deed the rightful heir, and w^s held in so much VERUL\M AND ST. ALBANS. 33 estimation that he was called Engelondes BereUiig. In this dilemma, the wily Sovereign found it neces- sary to temporize ; and, by the advice of Lanfrac, whom he had promoted to the See of Canterbury, he submitted to the terms proposed; and in a grand assembly of the Nobles and Prelates at Berkham- stead, swore, upon all the relics of the Church of St. Alban, that * he would keep, and inviolably observe all the ancient laws of the realm, which his pious predecessors, and especially the holy Ed- ward, had established/ The oath was administered by Fretheric ; but neither the superstition of the age, nor the more genuine feelings of religion and honour, had influence over the cupidity of the King ; and no sooner were the effects of his dissi- mulation sufficiently matured by the gradual disso- lution of the confederacy, than his despotism, ga- thering strength from the storm which had rolled it back upon itself, overwhelmed the liberties of the nation with a deeper flood, and a more extensive ruin. St. A 1 ban's particularly suffered for the conduct of its Abbot, who was himself obliged to seek refuge from the vengeance of the King, in the Monastery of Ely, where he died of grief and mor- tification. William seized all the Abbey lands between Barnet and London Stone, together with the manor of Redburn ; and but for the solicita- £ Si HISTORY OF tions of Lanfranc, wonld have effectually ruined the Monastery; his interposition stayed the im- pending blow ; and his influence procured the vacant Abbacy for Paul, a Norman, and his kins- man, or, as some have conjectured, his son. Paul was the first Abbot who began to apply the immense stores of materials that had been col- lected from the ruins of Verulam, towards the re- consti uctien of the Abbey Church ; which, in the express words of Matthew Paris, he " re-edified," together with ail the buildings of the Monastery, except the bake-house and the mill-house.^ In this important undertaking, he was assisted by Archbishop Lanfranc, who gave 1000 marks in aid of the expences. Anselm, Lanfranc's succes- sor, assisted Paul in finishing the Church, quod imperfectum erat in aedificiis ecclesice Sancti Albani juvit — consummare; and Paul, who had already passed about twelve years in carrying on the works, completed, in the four remaining years of his life, ' all that he had begun/f That this was an entire re-construction of the Church, and not a * Iste (Pmilus,) hanc ecelesiam, carter aque (edificia prater pistorium et pinsinochium, re-adificavit ex — materie-^ quam iw venit a prcEdecessoribiis suis collectam et rcservatam, M« Paris, 1001. t Omnia quc^ incapit laudabiliter consummavit. M. Paris^ 1004. VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 33 mere reparation, or enlargement of the building, is evinced by the language of Paris ; who affirms, that Paul constructed the whole Church, with Many other edifices oi hrick-vf oxk, Paulus — to- tam ecclesiam Sancti Alhani, cum multis aliis cedi- ficiis, ojyere construxit lateritio ; thus applying the term brick-work, as many modern writers still do, to what is manifestly of Roman tile. The reputa- tion which the Abbey obtained under Paul's go- vernment, occasioned many new benefactions to be made to it ; and his own influence was sufficiently great, to enable him to procure restitution of several estates that had been alienated. Paul himself made many gifts to the Church, and adorned the space (concameratio) behind the high altar with " stately painting." He also made va- rious new ordinances for the government of his Monastery, according to the principles adopted and promoted by Archbishop Lanfranc ; and among them established several regulations respecting the diet of the Monks.* * *' To the young Monks," says Paris, '* who according to their custom, lived wpon yasties of flesh-meat, he prevented all inordinate eating," by stinting the quantity ; *' and he heaped up a dish for them all in common, of which the mere appella- tion remains at present, made of herrings, and sheets of cakes i^ or, in other words, of herrings under covers of pasty, " which he, therefore, in the sophistical pronunciation of the Normans, 36 HISTORY OF After the death of Paul, in lOpS, William Rufus,. who was then King, retained the Abbacy in his own hands during four years, and applied its re- venues to his own use. At length, Richard de Albini was appointed Abbot, and by him the new Church was consecrated, at the festival of Christ- mas, 1115; Henry the First, his Queen, Matilda, Geoffrey, Archbishop of Rouen, the Bishops of London, Durham, Lincoln, and Sarum, with many Abbots and inferior Prelates, together with many Earls, Barons, and Nobles, were present at the cere- mony, and were all lodged and entertained during eleven days, at the cost of the Abbey. Richard died in 1119; having previously built a small Chapel, within the Church, in honour of St. Cuth- bert, by whose intercession he is fabled to have leceived ' a wonderful cure of a withered arm.' Geoffrey de Gorham (so named from the place of his birth, near Caen, in Normandy) was the next Abbot. His attention was principally direc- ted to the internal economy of the Monastery ; to the providing of rich vessels, and costly and splen- denominated Kar-pie, for Karen-pie ; L e. Haren pie." Whit- aker's St. German's, VoL II. p. S05, from M. Paris, p. 1003. From this, and various other historical notices> Mr. W. p. 30©^ -^305i Ibid, has demonstrated, that the Herring Fishery roust have been established much earlier than is generally admitted j even as early as the Saxon times* VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 3T did garments, for the various services of the Church ; and to the preparation of a very sump- tuous Shrine * for the relics of St. Aiban. Inta this Shrine (anno 1 129) the remains of the martyr were removed with great solemnity ; the ancient tomb being first opened in the presence of the Bishop of Loddon, several Abbots, and the whole Convent, On this occasion, and to remove the doubts which had been excited by the assertions of a certain College in Denmark, and also by the pretensions of the Monks of Ely, *^ the bones were numbered, taken out, and shewn singly ; the head was lifted up for the inspection of all pre- sent, by the hands of the venerable Ralph, Arch- deacon of the Church: on the fore-part was a scroll of parchment, pendant from a thread of silk, with this hiscription, Sanctus Albanus ; and the circle of gold inclosed the skull, which was fixed there by the order of OfFa, engraved with these words. Hoe est caput Sancti Albania protomartyris Anglice* In reviewing the bones, the left scapula, or shoulder- bone, was missing ; however, the translation was *TIie ornameatal parts of this Shrine, which was of silver gilt, embellished with plates of gold and precious stones, were wrought by a goldsmith, named Anketill, who had been Mint- master to the King of Denmark, and also employed by him in the fabrication of curious works; he afterwards assumed the monkish habit in this Abbey» 38 HISTORY OF effected ; and some years after, saith the historian, came two Monks, with letters credential, from the Church and Monastery of Naumburg, (Nurem- burg,) in Germany, saving, that they were posses- sed of this valuable relic^ (the scapula,) and that the same liad been brought to them many years ^&o> ^y King Canute.* Abbot Geoffrey made * Newcombe's St. Alban's, Vol. I. p. 58, from Matt. Paris. Ill the time of Ralph, Geoffrey's successor, the Shrine was stripped of its decorations, in order to provide a sufficient sura for the purchase of the vill of Brentfield. The succeeding Abbots, Robert de Gorhara, and Symond, embellished it anew ; and ihe latter caused it to be somewhat more elevated,, thatjts splendor might have the greater effect. As the work- mansliip of this Shrine throws some light on the state of the arts in the reign of Henry the Second, we shall here describe it from Matthew Paris, who declares it to have been more splendid and noble than any other he had ever be- held. In form it resembed an altar-tomb, having a crest, or lofty canopy over it, supported on pillars ; these were of plate gold, shaped like towers, and having appertures, to represent windows : the under part of the canopy was inlaid with crystals. Within the tomb was a coffin, containing the relics of St. Alban, inclosed in another case, the sides of which were embossed with gold and silver figures, in high relief, exhibiting the principal events in the martyr's history. At the head of the Shrine, which was towards the east, was a large representation of the Crucifixion, having the figures of Mary and St. John at the sides, and ornamented with a row of very brilliant jewels : at the foot, or west <^nd of the Shrine, was an image of the Virgin, seated on a Throne, with the infant Jesus in her arms; the work apparently of cast gold, highly embossed, and enriched with precious stones, and very costly bracelets* VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 39 several additions to the Abbey buildings, and also founded a Nunnery at Sopwell, and an Hospital for Lepers near the town, on the London road. Ralph, the seventeenth Abbot, succeeded Geof- frey in 1146-7; but finding his health decaying, he resigned in favour of the Prior, a nephew of Geoffrey de Gorham, his predeoessor, in 1151, and died in July, the same year ; having previously erected some chambers of ^ very strong work,' for the use of the Abbots. The election of Robert de Gorham marks an important era in the annals of this Church : he procured for it many distinguished privileges, and was the first Abbot that obtained the honour of wearing the mitre. In the early part of his govern- ment, he solicited, and with success, permission from the King (Stephen) to demolish that part of the Palace of Kingsbury, which Canute had ordered to be left standing ; and which, through the extor- tions and vexatious conduct of those to whom its custody had been committed, had continued to subject the Abbey to much inconvenience. But the most memorable of his deeds, was procuring exemption for his Monastery from all ecclesiastical jurisdiction whatever, except what arose from the authority of the Pope himself. This important privilege was obtained through his immediate in- tercession with Adrian the Fourth, who was born m HISTORY OF near AW)ot*s Langley, and was the only Englishnian that ever sat in the pontifical chair. On his exal- tation to this distinguished rank, Robert was among the foremost to congratulate him on ihe ascend- ancy of his fortune ; and having judiciously ac- companied the expression of his joy with many rich presents, he was treated by the Pope with great familiarity and kindness ; and at length pro- cured the exemption above stated. By the same grant also, the Abbots of St. Alban's were autho- rized to take precedence of all others in England ; that ^' as St. Alban was distinctly known to be the first martyr of the English nation, so the Abbot of his Monasterie should at all times, among other Abbots of the English nation, in degree of dig- nity, be reputed first and principal." These privileges occasioned great dissention be- tween the Abbot and the Bishop of Lincoln, who had hitherto exercised episcopal jurisdiction over the Monastery and its appurtenances; and the disputes became so violent, that the King (Henry the Second) found it necessary to interfere ; by his mediation, and after the respective claims of the parties had been solemnly argued, during several days in a great assembly of Prelates and Nobles, the Bishop of Lincoln consented to resign all pretensions to sovereign rule, on receiving a grant of some estate of the annual value of ten VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS, 41 pounds.* The Abbot's claim to precedency was equally disputed ; but Robert having obtained a confirmation of Adrian's grant, from Pope Alex- ander the Third, was at last successful in causing it to be established. Robert died in October, I16&, and was buried at the foot of Abbot Paul, in the Chapter house, which he had re -built, together with some other parts of the monastic buildings. The contest between the Church and Throne for supreme authority, was now at its zenith ; and Henry the Second, who had boldly withstood the vengeance of the Papal thunders, kept the Abbacy vacant for several months; but was then induced, by Gilbert Foliot, Bishop of London, to bestow it on Prior Symontl, or Simon, who, in June, 1 167, was invested in the proper habiliments, and enthroned. This Abbot was in much repute for the extent of his learning ; and by keeping several scribes and copyists constantly employed, he added a great number of very fair and reputable books to the library which his predecessor had founded in the Abbey. He died in 1 1 83, and was succeeded by Gaurine, or Warren, a native of Cambridge, who, though of humble birth, had obtained much renown * Tynkurste^ (Fingest,) in Euckinghamshire, was made over to the Bishop of Liiicoln> in pursuance of this agreement, - F 42 HISTORY OF for his piety, learning, and accomplishments. In his time, an attempt was made, by the then Bishop of Liiicoln, to re-assume that jurisdiction over the Abbey which his predecessor had consented to re- linquish ; but this was repelled with much warmth by the King himself, who was then on a visit to the Abbot, accompanied by numerous attendants.* Warren died in 1 195 ; and was very little lamented by his brethren, to whom he had behaved with much intolerance. He bequeathed to his succes- sor, John of the Cell, one hundred marks, for the purpose of rebuilding the west front of the Abbey Church. This John, having studied at Paris, had returned to England with the reputation of be- ing " a very Priscian in grammar ; a perfect Ovid in poetry ; and in physic, a Galen," Soon after his election, he began to apply Warren's bequest * The speech of the King is remarkable ; its energy effec- tually silenced the pretensions of the See of Lincoln. " By the eyes of God," exclaimed the incensed Monarch, " I was present at the agreement. What is it, my Lord of Lincoln, that you would attempt ? Do you think these things were done in secret ? I, myself, and the most chosen men of the realm, were present ; and what was then done, is ratified by writings the most incontestable, and confirmed by the testimony of the Kobles. The determination stands good; and whoever setS| himself to combat this Abbot and Monastery, combats me, What seek you? to touch the pupil of mine eye." Newcome from Matt. Paris, VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 43' to its destined use, and commenced his operations, by causing the ancient front to be ' torn down to the ground ;*' even the hard and solid part of it, where the materials ' were of tile, and the mortar impenetrable/ He did not, however, confine him- self solely to the re-construction of the west end, but began to enlarge the fabric in that direction ; and, as the whole tenor of Matthew Paris's relation proves, involved himself, and his Monastery, in much embarrassment, from the magnitude of the plan on which the work had been commenced. It is probable, also, that during the progress of the building, some considerable alterations were made in the designs first determined on, in order that the new parts might assimilate with the more ornamental style of ecclesiastical architecture, which, about that era, was obtaining predominance.f The hun- dred marks bequeathed by Warren, were expended in a very short time, together with many more, and that even before the new foundations wer€ raised to the level of the ground. This somewhat disheartened the Abbot : and his perplexity was further increased, when he saw that Hugo de Gold-^ * Munim frontis ecclesw noUns in terram diruiu Matt. Paris, 1047. t See the description of Winchester Cathedral, and of the Hospital of St. Cross. Beauties of Englaod and Wales, Vol. VI. 44 HISTORY OF cliff, who was at the head of a band of masons,, (CcBmentarii,) whom he had hired to carry on the work, was adding many minute, yet very expensive carvings and ornaments : this appears to have occa- sioned some dispute ; and the undertaking was for a short time abandoned. " The Abbot then assigned the work to the care of one of the brethren, named Gilbert de Evers- holt, and imposed an annual tax of bne sheaf of corn for every acre sown on the Abbey estates* This tax was first levied in the third year of John's government, and was continued during his whole life, which lasted seventeen more, and for ten years of his successor's ; yet the work did not advance in any manner to administer joy to the old Abbot, but was a constant source of grief and sorrow. He offered many presents of gold and silver to any person who would forward the work, and caused this ofler to be proclaimed throughout all the lands of the Abbey, and some of the dioceses: and hav- ing sent one Amphibalus to travel about with re- lics, and pretend, ' that he had been raised from the dead by the merits of Alban and Amphibalus, and was able to giye good proof of their miracles,' he collected, by this illusion, great sums of money : but this unfortunate work absorbed all the supplies, just as the sea drinks up all rivers; and as the sea thereby receives no signs of increase, so this work VERULAM AND ST, ALBANS. 45 received no advancement."* After the death of Eversholt, the building was once more suspended ; but it was again recommenced under the superin- tendance of William Sisseverne, who is recorded to have received great supplies for carrying on the work ; though its progress was still so slow, tliat it " did not advance two feet in height in any one year/' The embarrassments occasioned by this partial re-construction and enlargement of the Churchy, were much increased by the extortions of King John ; whose minions, even in one year, exacted, on different pretences, no less a sum than elevea hundred marks. Some considerable expence had also been incurred by the rebuilding of the Refec- tory, and the Dormitory ; the more ancient ones having become decayed and ruinous. Abbot John died in the year 1214, having obtained great re- putation for his devotion and sanctity ; so much so, indeed, that it was recorded of him, that when he sang alone, the responses were made by angels I William de Trumpington, the succeeding Abbot, who had obtained his election by the influence of a powerful relation, was installed in November, 1213. In the following month, King John assem- * Newcomers Histt of St. Alban's, Vol. I, p. 98 3 from Matt Paris. j5 HISTORY OF bled a council of his adherents in the Chapter- House, in order to concert measures for regaining the authority which he had lost by signing the Great Charter. Soon afterwards the Abbot was visited by Lewis, the Dauphin of France, who re- quired him to do homage to him as to his lawful Sovereign ; but the Abbot firmly refusing to com- ply, Lewis swore to destroy the Abbey with the town ; but his anger being softened by the inter- cession of Sayer, Earl of Winchester, he consented to delay the execution of his vengeance, on the payment of eighty marks. The town and Abbey were again in great danger, early in the reign of Henry the Third, when Falcasius de Brent,* with a band of desparate followers, committed many acts of atrocity here, and was only induced to leave the place, by a contribution of one hundred marks.f At length, the government becoming more set- tled. Abbot William directed his attention to the Abbey Church ; and, besides the completion of the west end, (" finishing the same, with its roof and * See Beauties of England and Wales, Vol. L p. 5. t This was an age of extortion : a little previous to this, and but a short time before the death of King John, the Abbot had been summoned to attend a general council at Rome, and was obliged by the Pope, to pay 100 marks for permission to return home I • VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 47 arches/') he made a general repair of the whole fabric. He altered the forms of many of the win- dows in the side walls, and repaired the transept, making at each end a great window, '^ suitable in form, and fashion, and lighting, to the rest about the Church ; so that, by the advantage of this new light, the Church seemed, as it were, rebuilt." He also heightened the tower, and most probably raised on it the small spire that is now standing ; besides varying the flat surface, on the outside, by a kind of pilaster, extending from the leads, up the middle of each front. St. Cuthbert's Chapel, in the interior of the edifice, was likewise rebuilt by this Abbot, of hewn stone ; and over it a small Dormitory was constructed. The finely-wrought Screen, which still bears the name of St. Cuthbert, and still exhibits the place of St. Cuthbert's Altar, must also be attributed to him, as the style of the workmanship demonstrates it to be of his age. The names of the artists recorded to have been concerned in these improvements, are Richard de Thydenhanger, Treasurer of the Abbey ; Matthew de Cambridge, Keeper of the Abbey Seal; and Walter de Colchester, Sacrist : the latter was emi- nent in several branches of art, as appears from Matthew Paris, who testifies his excellence in painting, sculpture, and carving. Abbot William died on St* Matthew's Day, 1235; but was not 48 HISTORY OF burled till the calends of March following, in order thai his funeral might be honoured by a greater assemblage of persons. He was then interred in pontificalibus, in the centre of the Chapter-house, with a mitre on his head, gloves and a ring on his hands, his usual staff under his right arm, and sandals on his feet. This seems to have been the customary mode of interment for Abbots at that period. John of Hertford, the next Abbot, made several considerable additions to the Abbey buildings, and, in particular, erected a magnificent Hall for the entertainment of strangers: several smaller chambers were attached to this apartment, and the whole was furnished with chimnies. He also erec- ted a long stone building, a store-house, and lodg- ing- house for the upper servants of the Abbey; and this edifice is recorded, by Matthew Paris, as being likewise furnished with chimnies,^ In the time of this Abbot, Henry the Third was * These, if not the very first, are among the earliest histori- cal notices', that occur in our annals, respecting the construction of chiranies in this country. It evinces that chininies were formed at St. Alban's, even prior to those so particularly de- scribed by Leland, as existing at Bolton Castle, in Yorkshire This ('astle was built by Richard le Scrope, between the years 1377 and 1399; but the chimnies in this Abbey have an earlier dale; by at least twenty years. VEKULAM AND ST. ALBANS* 49 frequently entertained here; and he seldom de- parted without bestowing some new presents for the service of the Church. In May, 1248, by charter dated at Woodstock, he granted liberty of free Warren to the Abbot, and his successors, in all their demesne lands throughout England ; and empowered them to inflict a penalty of ten pounds on all persons who should hawk or hunt thereon without their licence.* In 1250, as Holiinshed records, a great earthquake was felt in this town, and its vicinity. John of Hertford died in April, 1260, having ruled the Monastery with mueh honor, during a period of twenty-five years : in the preceding year, 1259> the Abbey bad lost one of its most valuable members, the celebrated histo- rian, Matthew Paris. The vacancy of Abbot was supplied by the elec- tion of Roger de Norton, in whose time St. Alban^s was put into a fortified state, and every avenue strongly barricadoed, in otder to prevent the ra- vages accompanying the Barons' wars. Some tu- mults, how^ever, arose in the town, respecting the Abbey-mills, which the town's people wished to «pply to the fiillihg of cloth, contrary to the will ot the Abbot: these differences were adjusted by ♦ Chauncej's Historical Antiquities of Hertfordsliire, p. 441. G 50 HISTORY OF the interference of^ the Queen ; but they had al- ready proved fatal to Gregory de Stokes, Constable of Hertford Castle, who rashly entering the town with a few attendants, and behaving with much indiscretion, was seized on, and beheaded, with all his followers : and their heads being fixed upon poles, were set up at the different entrances of the town. For this outrage, the inhabitants were amerced in the sum of one hundred marks. Dur- ing the time of this Abbot, the Infirmary was re- built ; and the Church and Monastery were addi- tionally embellished at much cost : the different chambers were also rendered more convenient^ by the construction of chimnies and closets. He died in 1290, and was interred before the High Altar. John of Berkhamsted, the twenty-fifth and suc- ceeding Abbot, was principally engaged in disputes and compromises with the crown, respecting the claims and privileges of the Church : on different oc- casions, he was compelled to pay considerable sums; but was at length successful in obtaining a charter of confirmation from the King, (Edward the First,) of all the former grants that had been made by his royal predecessors. He died in 1301, and was succeeded by John MarynsL; concerning the events of whose governmcEt, nothing of particular import has been recorded : on his death, in March, 1308, VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 51 he was buried near the body of th« last Abbot, before the High Altar. Hugo de Eversden, the next Abbot, was involved in many contentions with the townsmen, as to what privileges the latter had a right to exercise inde- pendently of his will. In fact, the liberties of the people were begun at this period to be better un* derstood than formerly; and the claims which were every where enforced against the Church, were little more than a resumption of natural rights. They were, however, strongly contested ; and many disorders were committed before the one party was sufficiently strong to oblige compliance, or the other sufficiently reasonable to relinquish claims which prescription had favored, and the law allowed. Hugo was twice besieged in his Abbey, and each time during several days, to compel him to sign a charter, granting liberty to the inhabi- tants to return their own Burgesses to Parliament, to grind their own corn, to regulate the assize of ale and bread by twelve men chosen from among themselves, and to answer all pleas and inquisitions before the itinerant justices, by a jury of towns- men, (sine conjunctione forinsecorum,) without the admixture of persons from a different vicinage. These claims were strenuously resisted by the Ab- bot; but the inhabitants succeeded in obtaining the King's writ, commanding him to place all the 52 HISTORY OF liberties, privileges, and franchises of the town^ on the same establishment as was recorded in Domesday Book. This was the prelude to a more complete concession on the part of the Abbot, who at length was prevailed on to sign a deed, by which certain limits, that had been previously agreed on, were constituted the boundaries of the Borough ; and all the tenements within the said limits were made burgages ; and all the inhabi- tants Advanced to the rank of burgesses, with full powers, to their heirs and successors, to return two representatives to every Parliament. The signing of this instrument was strongly opposed by the Archdeacon, and the whole body of the Monks ; but on the Abbot representing to them the dan- ger to which they would be exposed, by offending the Kmg, they at length gave their consent, but not before they had entered a solemn protestation against the act. The beautiful, but iiow shamefully neglected. Chapel of our Lady, was built during the Abbacy of Hugo, who was assisted in defray- ing the expence, by very liberal gifts from Regi- iialdus> an Advocate in the Court oi Rome, but of this town ; and likewise, by large sunis from Walter de Langley, and Alicia, his wife. The name of William Boy d^n is recorded as the prin- cipal architect* Hugo died in 13261, very little lamented by his brethren; his concessions in favor VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 53 of general liberty having alienated their esteem. He left the Abbey considerably in debt ; arising in some degree, perhaps, from the charges incurred by the erection of the Chapel of the Virgin, Richard de Wallingford, the succeeding Abbot, was the son of a blacksmith. Having lost his parents at an early age, he w^s noticed for his do- cility by the Prior of Wallingford, who sent him to Oxford, where he very sioon attained consider- able reputation for his piety and learning. He was then admitted a monk at St. Alban's ; and, on the death of Hugo, was chosen to succeed him ; but before he could get s^ confirmation from the Pope, was obliged to swear on the Holy gospels, that he would pay the sum of 840 marks, on a pretended claim of arrears for the expences of a visitation.* This Abbot was a very successful de- fender of the claims of his Church ; and, by the policy of his conduct, obtained from the town s people, a formal surrender of all the privileges they had wrested from Hugo de Eversden, toge- ther with all their charters and records of what^ * Many iostaaces of simile exaction occur in thu annals of the Abbots ; and, in fact, the possessors of the Papal See apr pear to have seized with avidity every opportunity that could furaish them with a pretence for extorting money. 54 HISTORY OF ever kind. He died in 1335, and was interred near his immediate predecessors. Wallingford was a proficient in most of the liberal sciences, and was also a very excellent mechanic. He construc- ted an astronomical clock, called Albion, of which Leland gives the following interesting description, partly drawn up from an inspection of the clock itself, and partly derived fr6m a tract concerning it which Wallingford had written, and which Le- land had seen in the library of Clare Hall, at Cam- bridge. " Willing," says our author, speaking of the Abbot, *' to give a miraculous proof of his genius, of his learning, and of his manual opera- tions, with great labour, greater expence, and very great art, he formed such a fabric of a Clock, that all Europe, in my opinion, cannot show one even second to it ; whether you note the course of the sun and moon, or the fixed stars ; and whether you consider, again, the increase or decrease of the sea, or the lines, with the figures and demonstra- tions, almost infinitely diversified : and when he had completed a work truly worthy of immortality^ he wrote and published in a book, as he was the very first of all the mathematicians of his time, a set of canons, lest so fine a piece of mechanism should be lowered in the erroneous opinion of the monks, or should be stopped in its movements VERULAM AND ST ALBANS. 55 from their ignorance in the order of its struc- ture.* Michael de Mentmore, the succeeding Abbot, made many new regulations for the better govern- ment of his Monastery : he also repaired the south part of the transept, the roof of which, with part of the wall, having been rotted by the wet, had fallen during the time of Hugo de Eversden, He died in the year 1349, a victim to the dreadful pestilence that was then tracking its course with destruction over the greatest part of the globe.f The Prior, Sub-Prior, and many of the inmates of the Monastery, died at the same period, and of the same virulent disease. Thomas de la Mare, the thirtieth Abbot, son of Sir John de la Mare, Knt. and Joanna, daughter of Sir John de Harpsfield, Knt. was related to many illustrious families ; and had been admitted into this Abbey when a youth. He commenced his * Leland de Scrip. Brit. 404, 405; as translated by Whit- aker, Hist, of St. Germans, Vol. II. p. 349. t The date (1342) given by Weever in his epitaph for this Abbot, is erroneous; though it ha« been explicitly copied both by Chauncy and by Salmon: the epitaph, as corrected, will read thus: — l^ic jacet Dominu0 S^icBaef, quontiam ^hisas f)ixju0 SQom^mii Bacc^alaureu0 in ^|?eoIocia, qm obiit prinie Jmis ^pxiUs, ^n. ^.^C^:. J1L3[|. 56 HISTORY OF studies at the Cell of Wymondham, in Norfolk, where he cultivated the art of rhetoric with such access, that his skill therein was a principal cause of his future advancement. For some years pre- vious to the death of Mentmore, he had been Prior of the Cell at Tinmouth, in Northumberland ; and III that situation had entertained the Scottish Earl Douglas?, after the latter had been made prisoner at the battle of Neville's Cross. De la Mare was ill high favor with Edward the Third ; and at his recjuest, made a general visitation of the Benedic- tine Monasteries throughout the kingdom, with a ticw to correct the irregularities, and depravities, into which many of them had fallen. Under a licence from the same King, he also surrounded the Abbey with a stone wall, in place of the ancient bank of earth which had inclosed the Abbey pre- cints, but which, on several occasions, had proved an insufficient barrior. The insurrection which broke out in the fourth year of Richard the Second, and under those po- pular leaders, Wat Tyler, and Jack Straw, threat- ened a complete subversion of all existing estab- lishments, proved a fruitful source of danger to this Abbey ; but the prudence of the Abbot, in complying with the demands of the insurgents be- fore they proceeded to extremities, effected its se- curity. Many of those demands, indeed, were in VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. bf themselves perfectly consonant with every prin- ciple of reason and of justice ; yet, being inter- mingled with others of a more questionable nature, and with some, perhaps, undeniably hostile to the very basis of social intercourse, they assumed a form and texture but ill calculated to support the durability to which they laid claim. The conta- gion had widely spread, and the inhabitants on most of the manors belonging to the Abbey, put in their respective claims to particular or to general exemptions. In the then state of the kingdom, denial was in the highest degree dangerous ; yet the boons thus extorted, were of little advantage to the possessors ; for the principal mal-contents having fallen, either on the scaffold, or in the field, the King issued a proclamation, commanding that all persons, whether bond or free, who owed any suit or service to the Abbot and Convent, should perform the same in the customary manner, under pain of forfeiture " of all that they had to lose," besides being subjected to further punishment. So great, however, had been the disorders in this town, that Richard thought it expedient to attend the trial of the ringleaders in person, and came hither with the Chief Justice, Tresilian, and a guard of 1000 bowmen and soldiers. Fifteen or eighteen of those who were considered as the chief 53 . HISTORY OF rioters, were executed ; and afterwards hung in chains, in terrorem. Still further to prevent any future commotion, the King obliged *' all the com- mons of the county," between the ages of fifteen and three score, to attend him in the great court of the Abbey, and there to make oath to behave as faithful subjects, and never, from that time, to rise or disturb the public peace ; but rather to die than to follow those who would excite them to re- bellion.* De la Mare is recorded to have iexpended 4000/. in adorning his Church ; bnt it is probable that the expence of re-building the great gate of the Abbey, which had been blown down by a violent high wind, is included in this sum. He also built a house for the copyists, and new paved the western part of the Church. He died in the year 13&6, at the age of eighty-eight; and was buried in the Choir, habited in his best and richest vestments. Tlie spot of his intermetit is yet pointed oiit by a large slab, inlaid with fine brasses. In his time, the service of the Church appears to have been in the very zenith of its splendotir ; the habiliments were of the most costly and gorgeous kind; the cups, and other vessels, were of gbld, or silver, curiously wrought ; the crosses Wei*e set with the ♦Holliashed,VoUII. p.438. VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 59 most precious stones; the altars well furnished with rich vials and patines ; and, in short, every method was employed to render the celebration of divine worship attractive by its brelliancy, and impressive from its magnificence. John de la Moote, the succeeding Abbot, ob- tained various new privileges for his Monastery, from the court of Rome. He constructed a new chamber for the Abbot, at an expence of more than 600 marks, re-built part of the cloisters, and increased the monastic buildings by other addi* tions. Various edifices were also constructed un- der his direction, on many of the granges and manors belonging to the Abbey ; and the mansion of the Abbots at Tittenhanger was begun by hitn, though it was not completely finished till the time of Johnof Whethamsted. In this house de la Moote was seized with a pleurisy, and being removed to his Abbey, he died three days afterwards, on St. Martin's Day, 1400.* His successor, William de * In the time of John de la MootOj the Abbots of Westmins- ter attempted t9 assume the uppermost seat in Parliament, con- trary to the grant of precedence made by Pope Adrian the ^^^ourth to Robert dcGorham, Abbot of St. Alban's; (See page 39 ;) and these attempts being frequently repeated, were even- tually successful, as appears from the register of these transac- tions made by John of Whelharostead ; this is given by New- combs, in the following words :— ■" In the reign of Richard tlie m ^ HISTORY OF Heyworth, governed the Monastery with much prudence till the year 1421, when he resigned his office on being promoted to the See of Lichfield. John of Whethamsted, who was chosen Abbot on the death of Heyorth, very early directed his Second, who was a great promoter of the Abbot of Westminster, the Parliament then sittmp:, John M-Jote, at that tune Abbot of St. Alban's, took his proper seat; viz. the first and uppermost. The Abbot of Westminster coming in late, made some essay to ^sitiu that place, but was hindered by Moote ; and this attempt repeated many times after, and as often repulsed by Moote, and Westminster took another seat. But one day, Moote be- iHg absent, and his place supplied by his Prior, W^estminster came, and a great dispute arose ; the Abbot claiming, the Prior defending. Henry, Earl of Northumberland, perhaps, on re- ference to him, said, that * the late Abbot, Thomas de la Mare, of St. Aiban's, who died in 1396, having been absent for ten years by reason of infirmity, had lost all right, and that others had sat above him ad labitum.^ The Prior appealed to the Lords who had seen these things 10 years before; and these were the Duke of Buckingham, the Lord Scrope, and William de Wykeham. These noble Lords, unwiUing to offend the King, by determining against the Abbot of Westminster, referred it to his Majesty, with a request that he would save harmless ail the rights, privileges, and immunities, of his ancient and royal Monastery of St. Alban. The King decreed, that the two Ab- bots should take the seat, alternately, day by day ; but the Ab- bot of St. Alban, being often absent, by reason of distance, and Westminster being near at hand, he took the advantage, and seated himself at pleasure ; and William Heyworth, ivho suc- ceeded Moote, contenting himself with a consciousness of hav- ing most learning, never asserted his ancient right, nor moved the question uxore.*^ Hut. of St. Alban p. 311, SlJi. VERULAM AND ST, ALBANS. . 61 attention to the state of the Abbey Church ; and, by his influence with the great, procured some large suras towards putting it into repair, and fur- nishing it with additional ornaments. The nave of the Church was new ceiled and painted; the choir was repaired, and a neat Chapel erected in it for the Abbot's burial place ; the Chapel of the Virgin was also fresh painted, and further embel- lished : the cloisters were new glazed, with painted or stained glass, representing a series of subjects from Scripture History: the Bake-house, which Abbot Paul had left standing, was re-built, toge- ther with the Infirmary : a new Library was con- structed ; and various other improvements were made in the monastic edifices. The beautiful mo- nument, in memory of Humphrey, Duke of Glo- cester, was also constructed during the time of Whethamsted ; and it is extremely probable, that the elegant Screen also, which separates the chan- cel from the presbytery, was designed and begun under his direction, as his arms are carved on it over the doorways. The limitations, enacted by the Statute of Mort- main, had prevented this Church, in common with all others, from benefiting so much by the gifts of the devout, the ostentatious, or the repentant, as it had done previously to the passing of that statute. The desire of ecclesiatics to increase their posses- 62 HISTORY OF sious was, however, still ardent; and various sub- terfuges were practised, to prevent the penalties of the law from being enforced on the estates that \et continued to be given. Whethamsted appears to have been engaged in some transactions of this description ; and though, b^/ a subtle policy, he had procured grants from the Crown of all the property thus acquired, he found it expedient to solicit ihe Royal pardon : this was granted, and confirmed by the Parliament, and by a most sin- gular kind of phraseology, it includes a complete indemnity for many of the worst crimes that dis- grace human nature ; crimes too, which there is every reason to believe the Abbot never had in contemplation.* Shortly afterwards, (anno 1440,) * This pardon was obtained in the twentieth 3'ear of Henry the Sixth : its tenor is as follows : — ** We have pardoned unto the said John, Abbot of St. Alban's, the suit of our peace, which belongs unto us, against kini, for all treasons, murders, rapes, rebellions, insurrections, felonies, conspiracies, and other trans- gressions, extortions, misprisions, ignorances, contempts, con- cealments, and deceptions, by him inan3'wise perpetrated be- fore the 22d of September, in the twentieth 3'ear of our reign, and also any outlawr3' that shall have been published against l)im on these occasions. Provided, nevertheless, the said Ab- bot appear not to be conversant in the myster3^ of coining,. nor be a multiplier of coinage, nor a clipper of our money, nor a common approver, nor a notorious thief, nor a felon, who had abjured the realm : but so that he stand rectus in curia noitra, if any one should question him in the premises.'* Kewcome's 6f . Alba7^'$t j), 3oa. VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 6& the approaching troubles of the state, and the re- verse of fortune, which seemed impending over his best friend, Humphrey, Duke of Glocester, in- duced Whethamsted to resign, and this he did, though contrary to the persuasions of all his mo- nastic brethren. The next Abbot was John Stoke, of whom little is recorded, but that he held the privileges of the Abbey with a feeble hand, and suffered its posses- sions to be wasted by the inferior inmates. In bis time, the Duke of Glocester died, not will out strong suspicions of violence, and was interred in the Abbey Church, in the vault where a few of his bones may yet be seen by the curious visitants On the death of Stoke, in 1451, Whethamsted was again made Abbot, and continued to govern the Monastery with exemplary discretion till the year 1462, when he also experienced the common fate of all mankind. The period of his second rule was that eventful era, which of every other, perhaps, that occurred during the disastrous struggle between the houses of York and Lancas- ter, was most deeply shaded with human blood. Two battles were fought in this town by the rival partizans, and both of them were extremely san- guinary. The first battle of St. Alban's was fought on the 64 HISTORY OF twenty-third of May, 1455:* the King himself, the meek-spirited Henry the Sixth, being present. This ill-fated Prince, who, from the recesses of his heart, could exclaim, ' that he had fallen upon evil days,' had set out from the Metropolis with about 2000 men, apparently w^ith the design of impeding the progress of the Duke of York, who was marching from the north, accompanied by the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury, and a body of about 3000 hardy soldiers. The Duke, who had not yet advanced his claim to the Throne, encamped on the east side of the town, in Key-field ; while the King occupied the town itself, and fixed his stand- ard at a spot called Goselow, in St. Peter's Street. The avowed purpose of the Yorkists, was to seize, and bring to trial, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, who had been impeached of treason by the House of Commons, and committed to the Tower, but was afterwards released in despite of the impeachment, by the influence of the Queen, Margaret of Anjou. When the King, as appears from Hollinshed, * Chauncy has erroneously assigned the date 1445, for the year in which this battle was fought; see Hist, of Herts, p. 446 : he has also made variouis errors in the times of the acces- sion, &c. of the Abbots. TERULAM aM) ^ ALBANS;, i5. heard of the duke's approach, he sent the Duke of Buckingham, with «ome other noblemen, to Inquire the reason of his coming in that hostile manner. The duke made answer that **heand his army were the king's faithful liege subjects, and intended n(> harm to his majesty ; but only desired that he would deliver up the Duke of Somerset, who had fost Normandy, taken no care to preserve Gas- coigne, and had brought the realm into it^ present miserable condition r they would ihen return ta their countries without trouble or breach of peaces otherwise they would rather die in the field thaa suffer a continuance of this grievance/' As the Duke of Somerset wa? then with the king, and wa« himself at the heatl of the royal councils^ this demand was not acceded to ; and both parfies^ prepared to try their strength in battle. The bar- riers of the town Mere well defended by the king's party; a»d the assault nmde on the side next St. Peter's Street, by the Duke of York, proved un^ successful, tiW the Earl of Warwick, witlt a chosen? band, forced an entrance on the gartlen side, m Holywell Street ; and, by the terror of his namej. his soldiers shouting — ** a Warv^ick I a Warwick !"^ und the vigor oi his onset obliged his opponents to give way.. Thus aided, the duke was enabled to overpower the force opposed to him at the barriers-;^^ soid aikr a short, but sangwnary conflict, iit {Im 66 HISTORY OF streets of the town, the royal army was defeated. The kipg hhxiself, being entirely deserted, and pounded in the neck with an arrow, took refuge in aj^msjl house, or cottage, where he was afterwards discovered by the Duke of York, and by him con- djucted to the Abbey. The slain on the king's p^t amounted to about 800 ; amongst which were the Duke of Somerset, the Earls of Stafford and Northumberland, John Lord Clifford, Sir Robert Xere, Sir Bertin Entwysel, Sir Wm. Chamberlain^ and Sir Ralph Ferrers, knts^ besides many esquires aiid gentlemen. About 600 of the Yorkists were killed, but no person of distinction is recorded to have fallen on their side. The bodies of the slain vrere mostly interred at St. Peter's, but those of the principal nobles were, at the intercession of Whelhamstead, received into ihe Abbey church ;^ and after their obsequies had been solemnly per- formed^ they were interred in the chapel of the Virgin. That the king had not at first taken refuge in the Abbey, was considered as a fortunate cir- cumstance, as in that case it was supposed it would have been plundered, as the town was, by the vic- torious party. The second battle of St. Albans was fought or^ Sirove Tuesday, the 17th of February 1461. The Duke of York had. been recently defeated and slain iit, \Kalfeefield^ in Yoikshire ; bat his claims to era^ VERXJLAM AND ST. ALBANS. # pife, which the parliament admitted, devolving on his son Edward, Earl of March, were How as- serted with additional vehemence. The admini- stration of government was still carried jon in the name of Henry the sixth, but as he was a rdere in- strument in the hands of the Yorkists, his high spirited queen employed ev^ry means in her power to regain her lost authority, and to rescue her weak partner from bondage. Her success at the l)attle of Wakefield had inspired her with hopes of an eventual triumph, and she advanced towards the metropolis, where the Earl of Warwick govern-* ed in the absence of the Earl of March, who was then recruiting his army in Wales. Warwick hav- ing received intelligence of her advance, quitted London with a strong force, carrying the king with him. On reaching St. Albans he found that the queen's army had taken post at Bernard Heath, on the north-east side of the town ; and his forces were quickly attacked by a strong party, which advancing to the market-place, was repulsed and driven back on the main body. The fight then became more general, and the Yorkists for some time maintained their advantage ; but the van not being properly supported, either from want of skill or treachery, on the part of an inferior officer, was at length obliged to ^ive way; and the panic spreading through all the rariks, Margaret obtained ^i niSTOPvY OF ^ complete victory. Between 2000 and 3000 of Warwick's army were slain ; one of whom, Sir John Grey, of Groby, had been knighted by th« liing the preceding day at Colney. Warwick fled to the Earl of March : the other noblemen that fought Oil his «tde, dispersed in different directions, ^except the Lord Bonnville and Sir Thomas Kyriell, ^vho remained with the king on assurance of safety; but they w^re afterwards beheaded by the queen's command. '* When the King was in a manner left alone, tvilbout any guard, Thomas IIoo, Esq a man well learned in languages, and well read in the law, ad- vised the king to send a messenger to the northern lords, and let them know that he would gladly <;ome to them ; for he knew they were his friends, and met to serve hiiiu The king approving of it, appointed him to carry the message, who first de- livered it to the Earl of Northumberland, and re- turning back to the king, brought several lords with him. They conveyed the king first to the Lord Clifford's ttnt, that stood next to the place where the king^s army, had encamped. They then brought the queen and her son Prince Edward, to him, whom lie joyfully received, embracing and kissing them, and thanking God, who had restored hh only sor to his possession. The queen caused iiim to dub tlie prince a knight, with thirty other TERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 6^ "ptrsons, which the day before had fought valiantly ©n her side: then they went to the Abbey, where the abbot and monks received Ihem with hymns and songs, brought them to the high altar, then to the shrine, and thence conveyed them to tl>e cham- ber in which the king was wont to lodge, 'i'he abbot moved the king and queen to restrain the northern men (of whem the queen's army was chiefly composed) from spoiling the town ; and proclama- tion was made to that effect ; but it availed nothing, for the queen had covenanted wiih them lhat they should have the plunder and spoil of their enemies after they had passed the river Trent, and they spared not any thing that they foand was fit for them to carry away."* The ravages thus com- mitted wer^ the principal causes of the subsequent ill success of the queen ; for many who had been inclined to afford her assistance, now began to wa- ver, and held back, lest they should themselves contribute to the extension of the rapnie which marked this period of the civil war with more than its accustomed calamities. The rapid approach of the Earl of March, and the evident disinclina- tion of the Londotw^rs to aid her progress, again induced her to retreat to the north; and she quitted St. Albans a few days after the battle. * Chauncj'6 U^rtfordsh.re, p. 447« to HiriORY Of Early in the following month, the Earl of March was proclaimed King, by the styl^ and titk of Ed« ward the Fourth. He had previously made an appeal to the people, whom he had caused to be assembled round him for the purpose in St. John's Fields ; and the popular voice being confirmed by an assembly of the most distinguished personages then resident in London and its vicinity, he mount- ed the throne. The battle of Towton, however, was still to be fought; yet even here, the star of his fortune obtained the ascendancy, and he be- came fully possessed of sovereign power. In a subsequent parliament, a general bill of attainder was passed against the chief* of the Lancastrians, their estates were seized> and their persons pro- scribed. Even the possessions of some of those who were now no more, but who, when living, had favoured the Lancastrian interest, were adjudged to be forfeited to the crown. Among the estates included by this ordinance, was *' the Priory of Pembroke, with all its lands, rents, goods, and ap- purtenances," which had been given to the Abbey of St. Alban by Humphrey, Duke of Glocester. To prevent the resumption, Abbot Whethamsted had a bill brought into the Upper House, and by the influence of George Neville, Bishop of Exeter, who was then Chancellor, his claim was admitted; and on the twenty-second of December, in the TERULAM AND ST. ALBANS, Tt same year, (1461,) the King confirmed, by his let- ters paten f, the said Priory, and all its dependen- cies, to the Abbot and his successors for ever* This was not the only favbr which the address of Whethamsted procured for his Monastery from the new Soyereigrr, to whom, in the ensuing year^ he presented a petition on the impoverished state of the Abbey, the revenues of which had much decreased through the distractions of the times^ The King, having taken the petition into consider- ation, granted a new charter of privileges, by which the civil power of the Abbots were greatly augmented; and a kind of palatine jurisdictioQ vested in them, in many respects similar to that still enjoyed by the Sees of Durham and Ely. The words of this ancient document, transcribed from the original, are to the following purport, — *\ We being willing to succour the said abbey ancJ all the possessions thereof, as much as in us Iies:a, and all the possessions to maintain and support^ and rather to augment than diminish ; and also for the inward devotion which we bear and have for that glorious martyr, St. Alban, to whose honour the church is dedicated,, being willing to adorn the said abbey with divers liberties, franchises, privi» leges, and immunities, of our special grace, and tO' the honour of our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Mary, his motlier, of the said St. Alban, aiKi n HISTCUY OF of all the heavenly courl, have granted, and by ihh our present charter do grant, for us and our heirs, as far as in us lies, to God and the church of S\ Alban, to our beloved in Christ, John, now Abbot, and the Convent of the same place, and to thefr successors for ever,, that they shall have cogni- zance of all, and aU menner of pleas, arising or touching of Jaixls or tenements, within their towns of St. Alban, Barnet, and Watford, and also the hundred of Caisho, and all their whole liberty of St. Alban: and also of assizes of novel-disseisi», mort-ancestor, certificates and attaints of the said lands and tenements, as before us and our heirs, our justices, and those of our heirs assigned, to take assizes in our county of Hertford, Middlesex or elsewhere, taken, or to be taken, arrained, or to be arrained, or other our justices, or of our heir% begun, cr to be begun; and also of attaints, debts, accompts, trespasses, covins, contempts, deceipt.% and of all other whatsoever pleas and plaints, re&l personal, or mixed, and pleas of the crown, withisi the towns,^ hundred, and liberty aforesaid, any manner of way arising, or henceforward to arise-; whereof the cognizance of the same,^ or of any (»€ them, to us or our heirs, or to our courts, or of our heirs doth belong, or in any manner of wise, ^ught, by the aforesaid abbot and convent, and ihik successors, or their attorney or attornks ia VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 7S Ibis behalf, before such justices, from time to time, as the case shall require, to be chaileuged, and before the steward of the said abbot and con- vent for the time being, at the said town of St. Alban, or elsewhere within the liberty aforesaid, and where it shalh please them, to be holden and determined. And that the said steward, so for the time being, shall hear and determine all and singur lar the said things, according to the exigency of the case, within the said town of St. Alban, or else- where within the liberty aforesaid, so that none of our justices, or of our heirs," &c. ** shall anyways intermeddle within the towns, hundred, or liberty aforesaid, or any parcel thereof," &c The cha^-ter further empowers the abbots to appoint their own justices, whose authority should be independent of all others in the kingdom ; and also to have a gaol, *' safely to keep felons and other malefactors, until from the same, according to the law and custom of our realm of England, they be delivered." They were likewise privileged to have within the said towns, hundred, and liberty, *' assay and assize of bfead,wine, beer, meat, and all other victuals, mea- sures, and weights whatsoever." Shortly after the signing of this charter Whet- jbamsted died, and was succeeded by William Alban ; of whose government not any interesting particulars are Recorded. He died in 1476, and K m HISTORY OT William Wallingford, the prior, was chosen his successor In his time the beautiful screen at the high altar was finished, at the expense of 1 100 marks: but the most important event that occurred under his rule, was the introduction into the mon- astery of the art of printin^^ with (u^le types, which but a few years before had been brouiiht into Eng- land by Caxton. The first book printed here was a small quarto, bearini^ the title id * Rfietorica nova Fratris Lauv. GuL de '^aona, ovd Minorunu Imp, apud Fillam Stc Albani ' 1480. In the same year ^vere printed 'Aiberti Liber 7nodorum signijicandi/ <^c. and '^ Incipiunt Exempt a Sacnse ScripturceJ In 14^8^1 appeared 'i^in Aristotelis. Physic a; ib.viii. and two years afterwards, ' Tke St, Albans Chro- nicle; part of which had been before printed by Caxton : the other part was a selection, intituled * Fructus Ttmporum.'* The celebrated book, since intituled * The Gentleman's Recreation,' which was partly compiled by Lady Juliana Berners,. prioress of Sopwell Nunnery, was also printed here in I486. This woik consists of three treatists, one on hawk- ing, another on hunting and fishing, and the third * This Chronicle was re-printed hj' Wynken de VVorde, at Wiestminster, in 1497 ; he nimselt inenlions in the title, that *' it wys compiled in a boke, and also ^mprjuled by one soete .ivm.fcACuie mavvtL^r of it. Albon.'' VERULAM AND S'f. ALBANS. t^- W Goat armour :* the printer was a monk of thk abbey, and is called by Chauncy John Iiisomucb. Newcome has confounded him with John Hert- ford, who was established here about half a cen- tury afterwards : the latter printed ' The I vfe and Passion of St. Alban,* as it had been translated from the French and Latin by John Ly.No' x* VERt?LAM ANir ST. ALBANS. 7T tbe acc\isation. He is admitted fo have continued Abbot till the year 1538 ; and in December of that year, Legh and Petre, two of the commissioners ap* pointed to visit the Abbey, transmitted a letter to the Lord Cromwell, in which occur the following passages. *' Please k yonr Lordship to be advertised. At our corny ng to St. Albons on Thursday last, we begaune a visiatcion among the monies, the abbot being then in London. And because we wolde the more fully knowe the hole state of all thing, tarred the longer in the examination of them. And upou Friday last we sent a monition for the Abbot to ap- pear before us, who came hither on Saturday before none: whosome we have likewise as fully examinet! upon all things as we might. And altough, as well by the examination of the Monkes, as by the con- fession of the Abbot himself, there doth appear confessed and fully proved, intire cause of depri- vation against the Abbot, not only for breaking the King's, injunctions, Ixit alo for manifest dilapi- dations, making of giftes, negligent adniinistralioD;,. and sundry other causes ; yet by what meanes we know not, in all communications or motions made concerning any surrender, he shewith himself so stiff, that as he sailh, he would rather choyse to begge his bredde all the days of his life, than con* aeul to any surrender. We have eveiich of us sfe- n HISTORY or verally, and also altogether, communed with him, aiid also used all fresh motions as we thought must most further that purpose ; but he continueth al- ways one man, and waxeth hourly more obstinate, and less conformable: whether he doo so upon trust and confinance, of any friendship, we know not. The premisses we thought our bounden duty to signifii? unto your lordshippe, most humbly be- seeching the i^ame, that we may know the King's highness further pleasure by you; whether we shall continew in the proofs of deprivation against him, and so deprive him according to the Order of Jus- lice without longer delaye : which don, the house will be in such debt, that we think no man will tak^ the office of abbot here upon hirai ; except any doo it only for that purpose to surrender the same into the Kinge's hands. And by these means we think this thing may most easily be, and with more spede he brought to the Kinge's highness purpose,"* Now the whole tenor of this letter evinces, that the Abbot referred to by the Commissioners, was determined not to become a willing accessary to the surrender of his possessions; and as Richard de Stevanache, or Boreman, who succeeded Catton, is recorded to have been made Abbot, " with no • The original of this Letter ra in the Britibh Museum ^ VERULAM AND ST. AXBANS. 7^ ©tlier view than 1o make a s!irrencler in forre/' there is a strong probability that Catton was still Abbot when the letter was written; and that, t© u^e the words of the record, he was deprived '*ac- cording to the Order of Justice, without longer ddave." Borenian, the new Abbot, who had pre- viously been Prior of Norwich, surrendered on the fifth of December, 1539; and for his ready com- pliance, had an annua* pension granted him of 2661, I3s. 4d. The prior was also pensioned in the. Slim of 33l. 6s. ;8d and smaller sums wer€ granted to the remaining Monks, of whom there were then only thirty-eight. The entire revenues of rtie Ab- bey were estimated, according to Dugdale, at 21021. 7s. l|d. yearly: according to Speed, they amounted to the annual sum of 25101. 6s. l|d. The possessions of the dissolved monastery were very quickly dispersed among the interested court- tiers who had favoured the King's views. The monastic buildings, with ^11 the ground lying round the Abbey Church, an*<... In wlia(ever directron (he stranger approaches St. Albans his attention is immediately arrested by the venerable appearance of the Abbey, which is perhaps wjt only the most an) ient, but also the most • perfect bnilding (if we consider the number of cen- turies it has lasted) to be found in the island. 'i"he external appearance of this fabric, when be- held from a distance, is dignified and imposing, but when nearly approached, it loses part of Its eiiect. from f i,e rude mixture of Roman liles, flint* bncks, stones, Af. whid, appears in its walls, and xvh.ch exctesa sii-onjer idea of dilapidation than the real state of the building will justify. The tower seems the most perfect, probably from bavinc been covered wi.h a coat of strong pla^.er, part of which IK worn off. The battlements and spire are of a tater date than the lower portion ot the tower, which is divided by bands into thre^ stages: the uppermost exhd)its two double winnows on each >id, , (lat- trced,) having semi-circular arches ranging t.cneath » larger sen.i-circular arcb.-i„ the spandr,/ betweca L m- HISTORY OF the large and small arches, and also above the for- mer, are various diamond-shaped apertures, evi- dently constructed to give issue to the sound of the bells, which are Ining in this compartment of the tower. Below the windows, in the midcMe division, are four double semi-circular aiched openings on each sidcy which admit the light into a narrow pas- sage formed in the walls; these also have larger semi-cireular arches above them, and every double opening has a thick heavy column in the centre. In the stage beneath these are eight circular win- dows, which admit ligbt into the belfry. Along the upper part ©f the south and nortk walls of the nave, extends a range of narrow point- ed arches, reaching to the transept; these appear to have been altered into this form from round arches, and were formerly opened as windows, but are now for the most part stopped up : in the aisles below, the windows are few and irregular. The whole eastern part of the church is furnished with plain battlements ; the buttresses are strong and massive. The south cast side displays some remains of elegant fly-bullresses,^ which rose fronv the aisles to^ the upper part of the choir, the win- dows of which are pointed. The chapel of the Virgin (now used for a grammar school) exhibits some beautifal architecture in the forms and orna- meuts of its windows; biit most of these have beci» VERTJLAM AND ST. ALSAN^S. M tMutilated, and miserably patched and disfigured. The east end of the choir and the extremities of the transept are terminated by turrets, rising above the roof, and embattled : two or three of these appear to be of the Norman era, but 4he others are of a &ubst?quent date. The pros- pect from the summit of the tower is extensive and diversified. On the opposite sides of the north parts of the building. The inside of the porch 4jas been elegantly ornamented with pointed and trefoil arches, sustained on clustered pillars of ^hat has hitherto been deemed purbeck marble, but an eminent mineralogi't of the present time^ is of opinion that th^y are composed of small pebbles, strongly Geu:f>»led together by an almost impenetrable composiliou, and theiravages of time iiaving 'marked its progre^^s upofc some of thjSH^ M HISTOM^ OF they are falling away in small particles, which slrouglv tend to corroboraie this opini(»n. In the centre are three cinstered pillars, with a pointed «ichevl cneath wh^re the mouldings rest, being entirely ^constructed with Roman tile, ^nd of far more so- lidity than any column that has yet been noticed. Imniediately above the four large arches just described, on the north side, is a range of eight elegant pointed arches, thoiigh somewhat flat, rising from clustered pillars, and each being sub- ■divided into two lesser pointed arches, separated from each ot'ier by three small columns. In the middle of the space, above the small arcl^es, is a circle, pierced with four fleurs des lis, the points inward. All these arches are ornamented like the larger ones, by numerous plain round mouldings; and also by a sort of diamond chain, carried along the angles between the colums, con- tinued over the extremity of the small arches, and running beneath the inner mouldings of the *large arches': a line of the same kind of ornament h 'Continued in a sort of band along the edge of the l|)assage, which has been formed between this tier of arches and the wall, A third range of pointed arches, rising above the former, extends to the roof: all these arches have plain mouldings, spring- ing from triple columns on each side; tiie space ^letween each column is broken by two hollows ?rcaching from the base to the bands of the capi- tals. The mouldings of the two mqst pastern tehulam and st. albans. tr arches are varied from the others, by a line of dia- mond chain-work, carried along the centre. The three first arches of each tier, on the soutb* side of the nave, tire exactly similar to those or the north, above described, excepting that the spaces between the triple colnmns which support the upper arches are left plain ; and that, under each of the double arches, is a single pillar, with a capital of foliage : the pillars that corresponded with these on the north side are destroyed. The two next of the great arches are also similar, as well as the double range of arches over them, ex- cepting that the fleurs des lis ot the spandrils are here continued in a quatrefoil : some of the upper- most pillars on this side are gone. /I he large co- lumn which supports the fifth great arch, is of more considerable magnitude thanany yet described, and has flat sides on the north and south. The general forms of the remaining arches and colarans, on the south side, between this tier and St. Cuthbert's Screen, which crosses the nave at the tenth column, are similar to those already described; but the smaller parts are varied; and fn particular, the mouldings of the large arches^ which are more numerous, and otherwise difierent. The outer mouldings also, though they meet as be- fore, do not terminate in points, but in human heads: these are well sculptured in bold reliet^ 88 HISTORY OF and represent an Abbot, a King, a Queen, and a Bishop, Above them, beneath a line of roses that runs below the band under the range of dou- ble arche>, are shields of arnis^ probably so ptacerf in allusion to the sculptures, — that over the Ab- bot displays the Abbey Arms; that over the King has the arms of Mercia ; above the Queen are three lions passant ; and over the Bishop are the arms of Westminster ; a cross fleury between five martlets. Two other shields, with three lions pas- sant on each, range in a similar manner, on the oppoaitt sides of those just mentioned. Above the l^vrge arches, runs a series of dotible pointed arche-^^ beneath a larger one, as before ; yet these are more ornamented. The columns are clustereH, as in the former instances, but the dia- mond chain-work at the angles is here exchanged for roses: and the capitals of the smaller columns are carved into foliage, instead of being left plain like the others, and like the larger capitals of their own range. The heads of the double arches are also varied by the uudt^r parts being expanded into a sort ot treioil ; the spandnls above them are smaller, fioni an extension of the mouldings; and the centre «ll eat h spandril is only pierced into a triplet of iieurs des lis, in place of a fourfold one. 1 he outer mouldirsg of the lar^er arches terminate ip corbels of human and animal heads, all varymg VERULAM AND Sll ALBAN'S. 89 ?)otb in form and expression. The arches of the third or upper range are pointed, having plain mouldings, clustered pillars, and flats in fronts as before ; but the extreme mouldings rest on small head.% instead of being supported on the band, which in the other upper ranges crosses the middle of the flat. Every part of the building yet described from the west end, is constructed of Tottenhoe stone; a very fine and close-grained free-stone, obtained from the quarries at Tottenhoe, in Bedfordshire* The parts next to be described, with the exception of the screens, the choir, and presbytery, are of Roman tile, as every where appears, on piercing through the thick covering of plaster that has been spread over the walls; and this circumstance com*- hined with the historical information previously detailed, establishes the fact of all the ancient portion of the church being exclusively of Abbot Paul's erection: for the style is so entirely similar, that it will not admit of two eras; and there is no other part in the whole fabric that can, with the least propriety, be attributed to him. Its simpli- city is indeed remarkable, and would well accord with a prior date; but to assign this in the face of all record, would be to falsify fact in the support of an hypothesis. M 90 , HISTORY OF The fourth column on the north side from the west, marks the extremity of the Norman church' in that direction : from this to Saint Cuthberfs screen, there are five other columns of the same massive construction and magnitude. One of which is called the Hollow Pillar, from the upper part containing a short circular flight of steps^ which has led to a door-way that once opened upon the leads of the north aisle. These columns support plain semicircular arches, over each of ^bich is a short round-headed window, now glazed with lights in the pointed form. Above each of these, and nearly reaching to the roof, has been another semi-circular arched window, now filled up, the apertures of which open wide into the church, but contract gradually to the outward wall: these are all similar, except the one to the west, which has been widened, and pointed^ m conformation to the improved style. St. CuthberCs Screen Is of Tottenhoe stone, finely sculptured in the pointed order, but is not entirely uniform ; the northern part extending into the aisle, and the parts being varied^ The west front has seve» .canopied niches in the centre, terminating in pin- VERULAM AND ST. AILBAN^S. 91 fiacles of rich workniansJiip : below these have been various smaller niches, in one of which has been a piscina. On each side the centre is an or- namented, pointed, arched door-way, with blank arches above, opening into the baptistry. Beyond that to the south were three other canopied niches, and below these, four ornamental trefoil arches. Beyond the other door was another receptacle for holy water, in the middle of a range of seven small niches ; a«d above them four other niches, reach- ing upward towards the aTch. The east front is much less embellished, it having only a double range of blank pointed arches, divided by a kind of cornice, embattled. The summit of the screen is broken by a range of trefoil ornaments and foli- age. Some of the sculptured parts are defaced .and broken ; and all the minute parts are obscured by whitewash. The Baplistry So called^ from its containing the Font, is a con- tinuation of the nave, and comprehends the space between St. Culhbert's screen and the first or most western arch of the tower. Here are three square massive columns on each side, suppo/ting as many Tirches, with a double range of semicircular-headed recesses for windows, ranging over them as before; 92 HISTORY OF some of which are glazed in the pointed form, but the greater number has been filled up. The Choir comprehends all the space between the west arch of the tower, and the altar screen. The tower itself is supported on four noble setiii-circular arches, springing from uncommonly massive piers. Above these arches, under the belfry floor, is a passage going round the tower, and opening in front by a treble range of double semi-circular arches, each of the latter being divided from each other by a short and thick column : several of the capitals are formed by a single Roman tile, and not any two of the columns are exactly similar. The light of the belfry is admitted into the choir through a circular opening in the centre of the floor, which has been surrounded by a railing, atid covered by some open work above, to prevent accidents. On passing beneath the east nrch of the tower, the architecture is seen to assume a new form. On the south side are three large blank pointed arches, I and two similar ones on the north ; all these seem to have been formed aga\nst the original wall|^l which probably terminated at no great distance [ from the point where Abbot Ramrjge's monu- VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 93 ment on the one side, and Abbot Whethamsted's on the other, abut against the ancient columns, and beyond which no pait of the Norman church is now to be discovered, excepting in the passages which run through tl>e walls, and in which the Roman tile may be traced further eastward. The monument of Ramryge fills up the lower part of a large pointed arch, which was originally open to tlie north aisle, and is ornamented with fluted and groined mouldings. The arch opposite to this is blank above ; but the under part includes the neat monument of Abbot Whetharnsted. — Above the large arches, on each side, is a range of pointed arches with trefoil heads; some of these are blank, and others open into the triforium, which is continued through the walls of the whole church : over these are three pointed arched win- dows on each side. The altar is approached by a short flight of steps. The Altar Screen or, as it is more commonly denominated, Walling- ford*s Screen, which seperates the Choir from the Presbytery, is one of the most beautiful pieces of stone-work in England, and very highly illustrative of the improved taste in architectural sculpture, which distinguished the age of Edward the Fourth. m HISTORY OF Its proportions are extremely elegant; and though the masonry, that now forms the middle part of the west side, h of a more recent date, and of in- appropriate execution, yet the whole appearance is graceful and interesting. This front may be more clearly described as consisting of three divi- sions, a centre and two wings ; the latter being per- fectly symmetrical. The lower part of the centre display a double series of small niches, with rich canopies ; above are several stages of square com- partments, the upper ones terminating in trefoil beads, with finials and pinnacles above, and a cherub on each rib; which are more recent, and appear to have been inserted in the room of a re- presentation of the cruciiixion, or some other sub- ject, wkich the zealots of the reformation deemed profane or irreligious. Over this are five elegant jcanopies, ranging under the rich cornice and open- work which forms the entire summit of the screen^ Adjoining the centre on each side, and forming a division of each wing, are three large and finely ornamented niches, with tower pedestals, and ca- nopies ; the uppermost embellished with sculptures of ;larabs between pelicans. The central divisions ^f the wings have a pointed door-way below, and two large canopied niches above. At the sides «f the door-way, are ranges of quatrefoils in circles; •and above are oak leaves, and shields of arms ; that VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'^. 95' to the south contains England and France quarterly and the other the arms of Whethamsted. The ex- treme division of each wing is similar to those ad- joining the centre ; the angles between the divisi- ons are each adorned with six small niches, reaching to the summit. Almost all the niches are beauti- fully sculptured, with ornamental trefoil arches ; some pierced, others in relief. The space between the screen and the arch against which it abuts, on each side, is ornamented with canopied niches, and pinnacles to correspond. The east front of the screen is much plainer than that to the west. The centre is a flat blank arch, ornamented with circles of quatrefoils, and smaller trefoil arches within ; over it is the abbey arms, supported by angels, with a canopied niche above : over the door-ways are the arms of Whethamsted, with similar niches. Higher up are plain narrow trefoil-headed arches, with small buttresses and pinnacles; and above the whole is a very rich cornice of vine leaves^ fruit, and tendrils, crested by ornamental optn work. The Presbytery Includes the space between the altar screen and what is now the east end of the church ; but was formerly open to the Chapel of the Virgin^ by 96 HISTORY OF three Wgh pointed and well-proportioaed arches^ springing from clustered columns. 0» each side, bevond the large pointed arches against which the screen stands, is another high pointed arch, also springing from clustered pillars, and similarly ornamented M'ith round and fluted mouldings: tinder that on the south side is the monument of Puke Humphrey ; and beneath that on the north an ancient watch-tower, or gallery of wood, in which the monks were stationed to keep watch over the shrine of St. Alban. On the frieze of this gallery is a series of carvings in high relief, representing the most memorable events of Saint Al ban's history, and other singular subjects. In the pavement in the middle of the presbytery is a stone thus inscribed : — S: ALBANUS VEROLAMENSIS ANGLORUM PROTO-MARTYR XVII JUNIJ CCXCVIL* This is surrounded by smaller stones, in which are six hollow places, said to have been formed to * This date must be erroneous, if the martyrdom of Albanus actually took place, as stated, in the Dioclesian persecution. YERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 97 receive the feet of the shrine. The windows above the large arches are pointed, with trefoil heads, similar to those of the chancel. The great east window has a double pointed arch below,^ with tre- foils; and a larger pointed arch above, with a catherine-wheel in the centre : on each side is a narrow pointed arched window. The Transept. Returning through the choir to the transept, the simplicity of the Norman part of the Church again displays itself; though the large windows at each end are of a different style and age. That to the south was constructed about the year 1703, when the former window was blown down by the fury of the wind during the great storm, and has little claim to beauty : the north window is more highly embellished, and divided into numerous compartments by mullions and transoms. On each side of the transept is a series of squat semi-circular arches, supported by short heavy columns, and half columns, with very large capitals ; the upper part of each of which is commonly a single Roman tile : the columns are of stone. These arches are ranged in fours, and over every two of them is a semi- circular indent, rising from the middle of theca- 98 HISTORY OB* pitals: not any of ttie columns are similar; some of them are quite plain; others have single or double bands. The general form of these archer bears a striking similitude to that of the arches in the inside of the tower; and like those, they open into the passage which runs through the wall of the whole Church. In this south part of the transept have been several Chapels ; and in a recess of the wall, was a seat for the watch Monk, who had the care of the respective altars : the door-way, which led from the upper part of the cloisters, has been walled up. Beyond the south end of the transept, but open- ing into it by a flight of several steps, and running parallel with it, is a short covered passage, which probably communicated also wiih the Abbot's chambers, and with the cloisters. Against the wall, on each side, is a range of elegant intersect- itig semi-circular arches, ornamented with beaded mouldings, springing from slender columns, with well sculptured, and singularly curious capitals. All the sculptures are different, and in tolerably good preservation; though the humidity of the place has destroyed their original sharpness. Some of them represent wreaths of foliage ; others dis- play the heads of entwined snakes : on one is a I human mask, with the stems of leaves issuing from his mouth on each side ; and cm another three VEUULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 99 very singular grotesque figures, a kind of trio of Bacchants. Those at the sides are in sitting posi- tions, but leaning backwards, as if to make room for the centre figure, which is formed by the head of a zany, apparently gorging a considerable quan- tity of fruits: one of the side figures is sustaining a sort of club, in a threatening attitude, as if to compel him to the performance of his task ; the other is holding what appears to be a leathern bottle. These sculptures, as well indeed, as all the columns and arches, are of Tottenhoe stone. At what period this passage was constructed, is very difficult to determine. It must have been subsequent to the erection of the transept ; and yet the Saxon intersecting arches, and grotesque carvings, would seem to mark a prior era. The Aisles are of the same length as the present Church: the west end of each appears to have been one inclosed to the first large column, and to have been ornamented with slender, clustered, and single Purbeck pillars, sustaining pointed arches, with plain mouldings. Some parts of the roof of the aisles are vaulted with stone, having groined ribs intersecting, and resting on the great 100 HISTORY OF columns on one side, and on pilasters of clustered columns on the other. In the south aisle, between the west end and the transept, are several pointed arched windows ; mostly divided by mullions into two lights, with a trefoil above each ; and in the point above a quatrefoil. In one of these win- dows was a representation of the martyrdom of St. Alban, in painted glass: only a few fragments of which remain in the crockets. On the wall below was the following inscription, now almost defaced.* This image of our frailty, painted glass. Shews where the life and death of Alban was. A knight beheads the Martyr; but so soon. His ejes dropt out to see what he had done; And leaving their own head, seem'd with a tear To wail the other head laid mangled there : Because, before, his eyes no tears would shed. His eyes themselves like tears fall from his head. Oh ! bloody fact, that while St. Alban dies. The murderer himself weeps out his eyes. In zeal to Heav'n, where holy Alban's bones Were buried, OfFa rais'd this heap of stones ; Which, after by devouring Time abused. Into the dying parts had life infused ; By James the First, of £ngland,t to become The glory of Alban's Proto-martyrdom. * Chauncy*s Herts, p. 472. t This alludes to some repairs which the Church underwent in the time of James, and which, by the most gross fldttery, were thus attributed to that King. VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 101 Adjoining to the door-way, that originally formed the principal entrance on the south, but is now closed, is an ancient piscina, beneath a re- cessed arch, in the pointed style, ornamented with various plain mouldings, and springing from three short and slender pillars, clustered on each side. The piscina itself is also sustained on three slender clustered pillars, and has a canopy above it, with a cinquefoil arch ; over which is a triangular com- partment, containing the remains of a mask of a Bacchus encircled by vine leaves, now much mu- tilated, and additionally obscured by white-wash. The screen-work before the door- way just men- tioned, is very beautifully sculptured in the pointed style, and consists of three divisions. The arch of entrance springs from slender pillars on each side, from the most central of which rises a ran^e of trefoil indentations, with half circles above: in the spandrils are the Abbey arms, and the old arms of England and France quarterly. This form^ the middle division : the others are uniform, each consisting of a niche, with fan-work above, and a finely-sculptured pedestal of blank arches, with a capital of foliage beneath ; the statues are gone : both niches have two slender pillars on each side. Over the square mouldings, which terminate all the divisions, is a cornice ornamented ivith a tendril of vine leaves, and finished above iOf • HISTORV OF by a range of pierced trefoils and vine leaves. These are partly destroyed ; and the sharpness of all the sculpture has been injudiciously obscured by thick whitewash. The door itself is orna- mented to correspond, with rich carvings of oak, and vine leaves, quatrefoils, &c. executed in a bold and able manner. This entrance is generally called the AW>dt's Door. The north aisle does not display any thing particularly remarkable ; exceptins:, perhaps, as presenting a larger part of the Norman Church than that on the south. Be- titeeo the columns in this aisle were several altars dedicated to different saints. The Ceilings of the nave, transept, and choir, are of wood, formed into square compartments, and painted. That of the nave is of chesnut : every principal beam is supported at the sides by a smaller one, placed obliquely, and displaying on the lower part the carving of a monk, angel, or other figure, wUh a shield of arms. Every compartment, from the Vicst end to the eleventh range from the arch of the tower, has the initials of Jesus Hominum SalvaioVy in the centre : the others have those letters alternately with circles, containing half-i VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. lOS length angels holding shields of arms. The ceil- ing of* the south part of the Transept is similarly divided by square compartments painted into cir- cles, alternately displaying the letters 3f* ^* ®» as befoie, and angels sustaining shields of arms* The northern part of the transept is embellished in the same maimer, with the addition of an indif- ferently executed painting in the centre, of St, Alban*s Martyrdom. A representation of OiFa seated on his throne, over an arch, in the north ^isle, is probably of the same age. The ceiled roof of the choir is more highly embellished, and is also varied in form : it exhibits, in alternate compartment!*, the Holy Lamb, on a mount, vert^ with the banner of the Cross, gules, ensigned with a cross botone, or, and charged with the star of Bethlehem ; and the eagle of St. John standing on a mount, vei^t: these devices were those assumed by Abbot Whethamsted, in whose time the cielings of the nave and chancel were certainly constructed, and most probably those of the transept. Besides these figures, the ceiling of the chancel displays various shields of arms of the no- bility and gentry who contributed towards repair- ing this Church about the year l6^3 : in that year also collections were made by brief for the same purpose. Over the eastern front of the great 104 HISTORY OF arch of the tower, are these lines, iii allusion to Whethamsted : Sic ubicunq. vides sit pictus ut Agnus et Ales Effigies operis Sexti Patris ista Johannis. Esse vel in toto juvisse vel infaciendo Est opus hoc uuum causavit eurii faciendum.* The Chapel of the Virgiriy The only part of the building itself that remains to be described, is now completely separated from the church by the arches having been walled tip, as already mentioned. Though formerly one of the most elaborate and beautiful parts of the whole structure, it is now one of the most dilapi- dated and ruinous. Its windows were finely rami- ' fied, and adorned with circles, trefoils, quatrefoils, &c. and its ornaments were equally rich and appro- priate. Its arches were elegantly pointed ; and every part appears to have been well-proportioned and truly worthy of praise. The east end, now used as the school-room, still displays traces of fine sculpture, in ranges of figures surrounding * These lines were most probably written by "Whethamsted liimsejf, who caused many Latin versps, in allusipn to different subjects, to be inscribed on various parts of the church. VlilRULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. lO^ the windows, and even ^et exhibiting an air of gracefulness, though most lamentably obscured by whitewash. The original pavement has been covered by a boarded floor, so that no sepulchral memorials are to be seen ; though it is probable that there are such beneath* Across what may now be called the anti chapel, a low wall has been erected, in order to form a passage for the con- venience of the inhabitants of the town. The entire length of the Abbey Church, includ- ing the west porch, and the Chapel of the Virgin is 539 feet ; of which the Chapel measures about 100, and the porch eighteen. The breadth of the transept is nearly thirty-two feet ; its extreme ' length 174. The breadth of the body of the Church is seventy-four feet and a half; t)hat of the choir and chancel, thirty-four feet, eight inches ; that of the nave, from the inner parts of the columns, thirty feet ; and that of each aisle, twenty-two feet, three inches. The circumference of the clustered columns is eighteen feet ; that of the ancient piers of the nave, is thirty-one feet, nine inches : the circumference of the columns which su[)port the tower is much greater. The height of the tower, according to Newcome, is 144 feet. The extreme breadth of the Virgin Chapel is seventy-six feet, six inches ; of the niid^ I 106 HISTORY OF die part, thirty-five feet, nine inches ; and of the east end, scarcely twenty-seven feet. The Sepulchral Inscriptions in this Church are very numerous : though the monuments are but few, yet lliat few exhibits some extremely interesting specimens of architec- tural grandeur; and, but for the great devastations that have been wantonly committed amongst them, (chiefly by the soldiery of Cromwell, and the more recent appropriation of many of the ancient slabs to the reception of modern monumental records,) would have proved an interesting source of amuse- ment and information to the antiquary. From the principal ones that remain, we have made the following selection. DUKE Humphrey's monument. This magnificent sepulchre was erected in the time of Abbot Whethamsted, whom Mr. Gougli has most appropriately styled, * the Wykeham of his time,' in allusion to his skill in architecture. It consists of an upper and a lower division, (separated by a fascia,) filling up the whole space beneath one of the large arches of the presbytery^ and having a similar front both to VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 107 the north and the south. The lower division, or canopy, consists of a large open pointed arch in the centre, with a smaller one on each side; and beyond them a fourth and fifth arch in relief. The open arches are divided by rich pendants, and the mouldings of the arches are charged with tendrils of vine*leaves : the roof of the canopy is richly sculptured into fan-work. The blank arches on the sides, are separated into two com- partments, displaying some minute ornaments, and many shields of the arms of Whethamsted in quatrefoils, under a cornice of wheat-ears, in vases on pedestals ; which also appear on the canopy. The capitals of the pillars are charged with oak- leaves. In the various spandriis of the arches are ten shields of the Duke's arms, and of France and England in a border : these are seven times re- peated on the fascia, of a larger size ; and four of them are surmounted by ducal coronets, encir- cled by vases of wheat-ears; the other three are surmounted by helmets and mantles ; but the crests are destroyed. The upper compartment displays a variety of beautiful niches, with cano- pies, pinnacles, and finials; together with rich open-work, and close arches in relief. In the niches, on the south side, are statues of seventeen I Sovereigns, called by Sandford, the Duke's royal ancestors ; but Mr. Gough seems inclined to HOB HISTORY OF suppose, from one of them sustaining a Church, and from other circumstances, that thev were in- tended to represent the Kings of Mercia. They are extremely inelegant in form, and as squat as if they had been modelled in clay, and compressed by a heavy weight. The same number of statues originally stood on the north side ; but all of them are now lost, with the exception of one, which has been placed in a niche on the south side, to supply the room of one that was stolen a few years ago. This monument is secured on the south by an iron grating, painted blue : the expence of erecting it, amounted to 4341. 6s. 8d.* The body of the Duke was accidentally discovered in the vault beneath in the year 1703 ; and was then lying in pickle, in a leaden coffin inclosed by another of wood. Since that period the skeleton has been rudely handled, bone after bone having been purloined by the curious, till very few remain. On the east end of the vault was painted a crucifix, now partly obliterated, with chalices to receive the blood as it drops from the wounds.f At the extremity of the south aisle, near the Duke's monument, is a latin inscription to his memory, which, according to Sandford, in his Genealogical History, was written about sixty * Tor list of Funeral Charges, &c. see Appendix, t Vide Plate annexed, * interior view,* &c. VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 109 years before his time, by Dr. Westerman, parson of Sandridge and Bushey, Which may be thus englished : SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE BEST OF ME>« Interr'd within this consecrated ground. Lies he whom Plenry his protector found : Good Humph r'y, Gloster's Duke, who well could spy Fraud couch'd within the blind impostor's eye. His country's light, and state s rever'd support. Who peace and rising-learning deign'd to court; Whence his rich library, at Oxford plac'd. Her ample schools with sacred influence gracM ; Yet fell beneath an envious woman's wile. Both to herself, her king, and country vile ; Who scarce allow'd his bones this spot of land. Yet spite of envy shall his glory sland ! ABBOT WHETHAMSTED's MONUMENT. The monument or Chapel of Abbot Whethamsted, which occupies tlie lower part of one of the great arches of the choir, is built on a very simple, but elegant design. The lower part is a canopy, opening by an obtuse pointed arch, with a fretted roof: above is a rich cornice, with the Abbot's arms, three ears of wheat, several times repeated; and the inscription, VALLES HABUNDABUNT, in relief, on each side of the monument. Over this is a range of square compartments, containing quatrefoils, each displaying some ornament, as a rose, a mitre, the Abbey Arms, &c. The inner 110 HISTORY OF fascia is charged with lilies, dragons' heads, ^nd objects of excellent sculpture. Beneath the ca- nopy is a blue slab, on which was a brass figure of the Abbot, in pontificalibus ; but this has long been stolen. The vault beneath w^as opened a few years ago by Mr. Gough and others^ but not any thing was discovered in it : several circum- stances conduced to excite the supposition that it had been previously opened, and that surrep- titiously. On the wall above the monument, on the south side, is this inscription : — JOHANNES De loco frumentario. Quis jacet Tiic ? Fater ille Johannes nomina magna Cui Whethamstedio parvula villa dedit Triticiae in turaulo signant quoqae nomen aristSD Vitam res clarae, non Monumenta notant. ABBOT RAMRYGE's MONUMEJiT. The beautiful Monumental Chapel of Abbot Ramryge is immediately opposite to that of Whet* hamsted. The sculpture is extremely fine, and mostly in good preservation; and very sharp; though many of the ornaments are exceedingly minute. The roof is most elegantly scluptured into rich fan-work, with pendents of quatrefoils, and circles of the same. At each end are three large niches, with rich canopies, the insides of which are VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. Ill adorned similarly to the roof with quaterfoils; and several smaller niches running up between them, with towers in relief over the canopies. Below the niches is a cornice of foliage, with human an^ animal heads at the angles : one of the heads has the stem of a vine tendril issuing from his mouth. Beneath the cornice, at each end, are three shields of arms, with rams for supporters, in bold relief, and wearing collars, on which are the letters ryge^ thus forming rebusses of the abbot's name : among the arms are those assumed by Ramryge, three eagles on a bend. On each side of the monument is a double range of cinquefoil-headed narrow arches ; the upper range finely pierced : and be* low are various minute ornaments in relief, sculp- tured on the square extremities of an embattled cornice. One of these ornaments has an old man's head and body united to the tail of a fish, and leaning on a crutch : the letters RYGE are also repeated in this part. Over the door that opens into the monument from the choir, are several small sculptures, as a lion, a dragon, two rams, a shield with the abbey arms, &c. and in the spandrils of the arch is a mutilated representa- tion of the martyrdom of St. Amphibalus. On other parts, are various shields of arms, with flowers, foliage, vine tendrils, &c. together with a shield of the five wounds, and others displaying the 112 HISTORY OF instruments of the crucifixion. On the south side^ also, is a double range of niches, with canopies richly worked, and terminating pyramidically over the arches between. Round the upper part of the monument, is the inscription sancti spiritus assit nobis gratia; veni sancto spiritus repte tuorum corda, Jidelium et tui amoris in eis ignem ascende. Amen. In the pavement of the choir are many slabs in memory of Abbots, and other personages who were interred beneath : some of them display remains of rich brasses ; but the greater part have impressions only, the brasses having been either stolen or destroyed. The most perfect brass now left, is a full length figure, mitred, in pontijica- libus, of Abbot Thomas de la Mare,* under a rich canopy, curiously ornamented ; round the verge was the following inscription, great part of which is yet remaining: ij^ic jacet DominuiS d;om30t quontiam ^Blias i^u;u0 ^ona0terii* Another brass displays the figure of a Monk, holding a heart dropping blood between his bands * A few years since, the remains of a late inhabitant of the town was interred beneath this brass, when no vestige of coffin or bones was discovered ; and it is not improbable that this vault may have shared the same fate as that of Whethamsted's, to which k is contiguous, and have been also surreptitiously opened. VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 113 over his breast. From his mouth proceeds a label, with the verse ^or munlium crea in mea Dcm r and beneath his feet is this inscription : I&ic jam ffratec ESDl^ffiE^^^ lB(IBa:S03[(2BIR, qutim, ^u)' SQommxii 3©onac!?u0 qui qtiracinta mX anni0 contimu0 et ultra miniotrabat in tiitiisis oflBcijs maioribus et minoribu0 cotient' moita0terij pscripti Wiit^tlits. 3Iit 2DlHct;0 ^erci; pon0 Coquari;, Keffectora^ij, et JnflBr* marij, et in oG5cii0 0uBreffectorari; et speru cotent/ pro cui' aia ffratre0 cari00imi ffuntie' pce0 tiicnemini atJ jutiicem alti00imu pij00imu tinm ij)m. C{?n0tu. ^t tonceuat iSiiii mot CKeniam peccator. ^mzn. On another slab is the figure of an Abbot, mitred, beneath a canopy having the Abbey arms in the centre ; and over it, a radiated heart, with the word CKCD3D. At the corners of the slab were the emblems of the evangelists; and round the verge was a text from the book of Job, with an animal or flower between each word. Below the feet of the Abbot is inscribed, i)it quitJa terra tegiter, IPeccati 0Oltien0 tjebitu* €m nome no imponiter. 3(n libro CKitae sit co0criptu. Another biass, with a mutilated inscription, displays the figure of Sir Anthony Grey, Knight, son and heir apparent to Edmund Lord Grey of p 114 HISTORY OP Ruthyn, (created by Edward the Fourth, Earl of Kent,) by Catherine, his wife, daughter of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. The Knight is represented with cropt hair, and having plated armour, buckled at the waistband. His gauntlets are jointed at the knuckles; and his knee-pieces are very long and pointed : at his elbows is a trefoil ornament ; and another between his feet. He has on a sword and dagger; and his head rests on a helmet with an EarFs coronet ; the cre^t appears to be a dragon rising from a tub. He was slain in the second battle of St. Albans. On a slab in the south aisle, was a figure in a monkish garment, with this inscription beneath the feet ; S^emoriale tJommgni THOME RUTLOND quontiam i0uppo^i0 f)uy mona^tcji; qui e^ |?ac luce Sl^ic^abit xx tj?e mtnsijsi ^ugusti ^nno tint S^ilfimo quinaente^imo t^itmmo primo cur aiz intiuleeat alti^san. In this aisle also is an altar-tomb, and several inscriptions to the Mai/nards, a respectable family of St. Alban's, who represented the Borough in four Parliaments during the reigns of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. They obtained by marriage, a moiety of the inheritance of the Rowlets, another respectable family of this town, one of whom, as appears from an inscription in VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 115 the north aisle, was a ' Merchant of the Staple:' he died in 1519. The following are copied ver- batim, from the inscriptions:- — To the Memorie of Raffle Maynard, Esqvire, Sonne and she caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. And somewhat higher up, on a slab to the me- mory of Henry Sand ford, who died in 1794, is the following :— In hopes of future bliss I lie. Though pleased to live, yet not displeased to die. Life has its comforts and its sorrows too, For both, to all-v/ise heaven our thanks are due ; Else thoughtless man would fix his place of rest Where nature tells him he can ne'er be blest ; fiow far my hopes are vain, or founded well, God only knows, but the last day will tell. In the north transept, on a slab to the memory of Robert and Mary Paxton, is inscribed the fol- lowing consolitary verse : Here the afflicted find a calm retreat. Repose and quiet here in silence meet; Here is relief for all that are distrest. And here the pain*d and weary are at rest. I The monument of modern date, most deserving of attention, is in this transept, against the north wall, and erected to the memory of Christopher RawlinsoD, Esq. of Cark Hall, in Cartmel, Lanca- shire, who was descended by the maternal line VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 121 from Edward the Fourth. He was celebrated for his comprehensive knowledge in Saxon and nor- thern literature; and, while .vet at college, pub- lished a correct edition of the Great Alfred's version of ' Boethius de Consolatione PliilosophceJ His monument displays a figure of History, sitting on a sarcophagus, in a reclining position, and writing in a book. He died in January, 173''v-3, in his fifty-sixth year : he was collaterally related to the celebrated antiquary. Doctor Richard Rawlinson. Antiquities and Curiosities. Having in the preceding pages enumerated those ancient and modern monuments, tombs, brasses, and sepulchral inscriptions, most deserving the at- tention of the visitor, we shall next proceed to ^ive an account of other antiquities and curiosities to be met with in this venerable and stupendous fabric. The chief repository for these is the presbytery. On entering the south door, th*e eye is first arrested by the monument of the Duke of Gloucester, and those of the Maynards, already described ; near to which, and immediately within the entrance, oh the left hand, is a plain, altar tomb, apparently of very ancient date : the sides I and ends are of purbeck marble, and bear marks 122 HISTORY OF where brasses of human figures, inscriptions and shields of arms have been inserted ; which being taken away, has left no trace respecting the person entombed beneath, who, it may be justly inferred, has been some one of distinction : the upper stone, or slab, is of a massive thickness, and is rendered an object of great curiosity, by the many singular figures of small animals, fish, &c. which may be discovered in it on close examination. — These appearances have given rise to the opinion that it is a marine production, or petrefaction ; opposite to this tomb is the door leading into the presbytery, wherein is The Watch Tower, which is situated opposite to Duke Humphrey's monument, probably claims as much the attention of the curious as any antique object in the Abbey Church. It is constructed of oak; in the upper part is a small room, which is ascended by means of a few clumsey steps ; and here the devotees of AlbaQus's Martyrdom perpetually watched his shrine ; the interior is extremely plain and unor- namented, but the outer part exhibits some ex- cellent specimens of small carvings in wood, well calculated from their grotesque appearance to excite the risible muscles of the observer, the lower part is enclosed and divided into clo- VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. t23 sets or cupboards, one of which is appropriated as a depository of ancient relics, which have been found at different periods in and about the Church, and which being generally shewn to visitors, are therefore enumerated : HUMAN SCULLS, First, is a peculiarly well-preserved, and highly- polished scull, with an excellent set of teeth, ap- parently but little decayed, although probably centuries have elapsed since its con^^ignnient to the dust; it is said to have been the scull of one of the monks. The high polish it has received has been from the numerous and frequent application of the hand to view it. The second, is a lesser scull, in which the teelh are less perfect, and from its make appears to be that of a female, THIGH BONE. Third, is an uncommonly larg^ thigh bone, which has also received a most beautiful polish from the frequent recurrence of the hand in viewing it ; this is traditionally said to be the thigh bone of a Major Broadbanks, of Cromwell's army. ROMAN PAVEMENTS, Fourth, are a few specimens of Mosaic and lesselaled pavement, and Roman tiles. Also a 124 HISTORY OF chalice, in a very imperfect state, which was found jn one of the stoiie coffins, and contained three decayed human teeth. ROMAN URN. Fifth, an earthen pot with a top to it, which, from its having been dug up in the Church, and containing a quantity of ashes, or fine earth, is thought to have been appropriated for the recep- tion of the ashes or bones of some distinguished personage. ENGRAVING OF JUDAS ISCARIOt'S COIN. Sixth, is a copy of an engraving of one of the thirty pieces of silver given to Judas Iscariot to betray Christ, of which the annexed plate is a Jac simile. RELICS IN IKON, &C. Seventh, are several ancient relics in iron, ^ part of a very large spur, keys, &:c. And here are also deposited the brasses which have been removed there for their preservation, as they have occasionally got loose from their original situ- ations on the. floor in the church. ALTAR-PIECE, Immediately over the tower, the top of which il rests upon, is an altar-piece, being a represen- tation of the Last Supper, given by ^ Captain J^olehampton. Sekel UrsLel . ' Ul9JV}riJi9l ^10 n 9l[J^ \\ m X to -^ ill ^ VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 1^ THE STOTCE COFFINS. deposited in this place were dug up in the Chorch, one at the south porch, and the other near that piilar in the na\e, on which is inscribed an account of Sir John Mandeville. DUKE IIUMPIIRFA'** V.AULT *»*• is descended by a few stone steps, and in which k now shewn the coffin and part of his skeleton ; it is very dry, and but little fear may be appre- hended of unpleasantness, in gratifying a wish to view it, as it is constructed entirely of stone, and is very clean. In the centre of the middle ;arch, at the east end, the following lines ale painted on the wall, opposite the stone where the shrine of St. Aiban formerly stood : — In Memory of St, A Iban first Martyr of Great Brittaine Renowned Alban Knight first Martyr of this lande by Dioclesian lost his life through bloody hande Who made him Soueraigne Lord high Steward of this Isle and prince of Brittaine Knights, to dignifie his stile He verity, imbrac'd and Verelame forsook, and in this uery place his Mtirtyrdome he tooke Heere Offa mertians Kinge did Albans bones enshrine, so ^11 things weare disposed b^^ prouidence diuine. On the back part of the altar-screen, which ■orms on^ end oi the presbytery;, and near the 1S6 HISTORY OF left-hand side of the further door, is the folowing memorial scratched in the stone, and most likely done by the prisoner himself; from which it may not be unreasonable to conclude, that this place was appropriated for a prison, and that the soldier was one of the Royal army, and was taken by CromwelTs party, viz. Hugh Lewis, Souldier in his Majesty's army, taken prisoner at Ravensfield, Northanaptonsliire. Sei. 3'e Day June, 1645. ->♦< Camden mentions * a most beautiful brass font, wherein the children of the kings of Scotland used to be baptised, as belonging to this church ; to which it had been given by Sir Richard Lee, of Sopwell ; who, as was recorded by a pompous in- scription, having recovered it from the flames, had brought it from Edinburgh, This font was em- bezzled in the Civil Wars, during which period also considerable damage was done to the brasses, and other sepulchral memorials ; but the particu- lars of these dilapidations, as well as all the mo- dern history of the church from the time of the Reformation, is involved in obscurity, through the destruction of all the old vestry and parish books^ which were burnt with the Rectory House, about the year 1743, when Archdeacon Cole was I VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 187 rector. Over the pulpit is a crown, apparently of the time of James the First : and high over the western arch of the tower, on the west side, are the royal arms of Stuart: these circumstances, combined with the date MDCXXIII. over the VfeTsts on St. A 1 ban's martyrdom, under the win- dow in the south aisle, renders it probable that the alterations made in the church, to adapt it to the protestant form of worship, were effected du- ring the reign of that king. On one of the piers in the baptistry, the marks of a more ancient pulpit may clearly be seen. In the seat formerly of the Marlborough family, but, now of Earl Spencer, is a good carving of the Marlborough coat of arms. The Library and Scriptorium. Many of the monks and abbots belonging t© St Alban's Abbey, became eminent for their learning, and renowned for their ingenuity and skill in various branches of science and of art. Even so early as the time of Abbot Paul, the monastery had both a library and a scriptorium, as clearly appears from Matthew Paris; though Mr. Newcome, by a singular misunderstanding of his author, has affirmed, that " among all the rooms and buildings belonging to the abbey, there IS8 HISTORY OF was none called tlie library ;" though Paris liim- self records, that Abbot Paul, iu return for a gift of tythes to the abbey, had bestowed his own library on the warrior who made the donation ; and iriiniediately afterwards ' caused some pecu- liarly chosen books to be written/ to supply the places of the former. Even in the brief account of this very abbey inserted in the Monasticon, an ancient manuscript of the Bodleian is quoted, as actually reoiting the Latin verses that were in- icribed upon the windows in the library-room. The Scriptorium, or Writing- Room, was of equally distinct appropriation. ** A certain No- bleman,*' (Robert of Hatfield,) says Matthew Paris, /^ stout in war, and a Norman by birth, in the time, and by the persuasion of, Abbot Paul, conferred upon the Church of St. Alban, two parts of the tythes of his demesne in the manor of Hat- field ; and assigned them, at the suggestion of this Abbot Paul, a lover of books, for the forraatrbn of volumes necessary to the church ; for that warrior was a literary man, a diligent hearer, an(i lover too of books. To this office were also annexed additionally (by him) some tithes in Redburn ; and he appointed a daily provision of meat to be allowed to the writers, lest the writers should be hindered in their work. And the Abbot caused some noble volumes, necessary VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 159 for the church, to be there, in the very scriptorium which he built himself, written by writers selected . and fetched from far/'* By these writers many books were transcribed, and were afterwards giveti to the Church by Paul: the collection was further augmented by Abbot Symmond ; who, himself, gave constant employment to three or four scribes, and ordained that a!l future abbots * should em- ploy one scribe at least/ The increase of books was so considerable, through the above, and other causes, that Leland, but a few years previous to the dissolution, remained several dajs in the abbey, for the purpose of extracting notes of the Antiquities of Britain, from the treasures of the celebrated library which is there/' All these treasures^ however, were dispersed in the subse- quent wreck of religious foundations ; yet a few of the manuscripts that are known to have be- longed to the abbey, may still be fomjd in our public libraries. The Monastic Buildings^. Almost all the monastic buildings appear to have been situated on the south and south-west side of the Church ; but of these only the great Gate- * Whitaker's St. German's, from Matt* Pdtls, p. 1003^ 130 - HISTORY OF tlouse on the west, and a few cottages, said to have been originally parts of the Kiug*s stable, are now standing. The ruins of the various edifices have evidently raised the ground which they occu- pied considerably, and the sites of some of them may yet be traced. The situation of the principal cloisters can be very clearly ascertained, from the ruined arches that still remain attached to the walls of the Church. The nine which run parallel with the nave, each consists of three small pointed arches within a larger one, with double trefoil ornaments in the spandrils ; all these rise ftom slender pillars, now almost hidden to iheir capi^ tals, by the accumulated rubbish : those arches which adjoin the transept are more plain; but that nearest to the south door, has a canopied bracket for a statue. The Gate-House, This large and gloomy building, forming the ** chief entrance into the abbey precints, was built in the time of Richard the Second ; and the upper part is now used as the prison of the liberty, as the lower part formerly was of the monastery. The large arch of entrance is obtusely pointed, and has a groined, and otherwise ornamented roof. The capacious extent of the court-yard of the VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 131 abbey may still be traced, from the scattered frag* ments of walls tirat formed the inclosure. The Monks' Holes. In the fiefds on the south side, but at different distances, are two arched passages, locally termed the Monks' Holes. The opening into that which seems to have been the principal, though both have a very general similarity, is at the side of a small ditch, about 350 or 400 yards from the church. The present entrance is almost choaked up with weeds, fragments of tiles, broken stones, &c. The extent of this passage in a northern direction, is about 248 feet; at that point all further progress has been impeded by the fall of the arch, and consequent descent of the superin- cumbent earth. It may be seen, however, from a small aperture on the left, that it has a continua- tion in the same direction. Its height is three feet, nine or ten inches ; and its breadth at the bottom about two feet. This passage is curiously wrought r the work^ ^ tnanship is good ; and, generally speaking, the whole is in an excellent state of preservation. The bottom is formed of large blocks of free-stone, from three to four feet long, and proportionably wide: similar, but smaller blocks form the sides. im HJSTORY OF to the height of from twelve to fourteen inches. Above these, several courses of hewn or dressed flints, are carried up to the spring ^of the arch, which is semicircular, :and composed entirely of Roman tiles, placed edgewise. The whole passage has a gradual rise to the north. In one part, crossing the bottom, is a vacuity about one foot wide, and eight or nine inches deep. On the sur- iace of the ground immediately above the extre- mity of the passage, is a hollow of several yards in extent, that has been formed through the sink- ing of the arch beneath, and the consequent de- position of the soiL The second passage opens into a field about 150 yards nearer to the church : its interior direction is, however, the same ; but the entrance is more choaked up than the former. The same general description will suffice for this. 1 he blocks of freestone at the bottom and sides, the courses of hewn flints above, and the Roman tiles forming the crown of the arch, are similar ; but the inter- im nal state is more ruinous, and of consequence the passage is more obstructed. Its length to the point where the fallen rubbish prevents any further pro- gress, is about ninety-four feet. That these passages were intended for drains, may be presumed from the circumstance of the last-mentioned having two smaller apertures open- yERUL\M AND ST. ALBAN'S. 15S fnginto it; one on each side, but at some distance from eac'»^ other. The one on the right or east side is stopped up by the upper part of the arch having given way; but that on the west is perfect: it forms a square of about eight inches, and runs off from tlie larger passage at right angles. — Its length appears to be between three and four feet; and its further extremity seeras to open into a third large passage; but this cannot be ascertained nnless the ground were opened. The dimensions of this lateral passage render it next to improbable that it could have been intended for any other purpose than a drain ; and if this is admitted, it follows that the larger passages had the same «ppropriatioiL VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 13S ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH. This church, which, equally with that of Saint Peter's, was founded about the middle of the tenth. century, by AUbot Ulsinus, stands at the bottom of the town, on tlie road to Dunstable, and within the walls of the ancient Verulam. It still displays unquestionable specimens of the original Saxon architecture, in its massive piers and plain semi- circular arches, notwithstanding it has been mucb altered ; and the massive tower at the west end is apparently of a later date, though still very an- cient : this was originally open to the nave by ^ large plain pointed arch ; but is now excluded from the body of the church by a gallery, brou<>iit from the old Manor-house at Gorhambury, Some ancient inscriptions, that were here, are recorded in Weever's * Funeral Monuments,' and Chauncy's * Hertfordshire;* others yet remain, but have no particular interest, with the single excep- tion, perhaps, of that to the memory of the illus- trious Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, and Viscount St. Albans, who, together with his mo- ther, was buried in this fabric. This renowned philosopher and statesman, is represented by a finely-sculptured alabaster statue, in a mcheon tii# 166 HISTORY OF north side of the chancel. He is sitting in a con- templative posture, in an elbow-chair; and be- neath is an elegant Latin epitaph, written by the accomplished Sir Henry Wotton, of which we sub- join the following translation i FRANCIS BACON, Baron of Verulam, Viscoun r .^t. Albans, OTy by more cons-picnous titles, OF SCIENCE THE, LIGHT, OF ELOQUENCE THR LAW^ sat thus ; Who, after all natural Wisdom And Secrets of Civil Life he had unfolded. Nature's Law fulfilled: Let Compounds he dissolved ! In the Year of Oar Lord, 1626 ; of his Age 66. Of such a Man, that the Memory might remain, TuOMAS Meautys, Living, his Attendant; Dead, his Avlmirer, Placed this Monument. Sir Thomas Meautys had been private secretary to Lord Verulam, and continued his fidelity to him through all his troubles ; and on the dealh of his master, inherited his possessions^ as cousin and next heir. He himself was interred in this church, as appears from an imperfect inscription on a stone in the pavement p.ear the altar rails, which, however, is partly concealed by a pew. What remains of the inscription is as follows : the second line seems ta have been cliipped away by VEllULAM ANI> ST. ALBAN'S. IST ^omc iRvidious person, but is not completely ob- literated. — — H TrfE BODY OF S^ MEAUTYS KT Sir Thomas's paiie^yric on his distinguished patron and relative, as it respects the literary character only of that great man, will^ver be uni- versally allowed; and the gratitude of the faith- ful old servant, thus extended beyond the grave, will be ever pleasing to a virtuous m4nd : and the following character of that great and learned philosopher, given by the Poet Thomson, will, we 'trust, not fail to gratify our Naders. * Thine is a Bacon, hapless in his choice. Unfit to stand the civil storm of state. And througb^the rude barbaiit^'^ of courts. With firm, but phant virtue, forward still To urge his course ; him for the studious shade Kind nature form'd ; deep, comprehensive, cle^r. Exact, and elegant ; in one rich soul, Plato, the Stagyrite, and Tully join'd. The great deliverer he ! who, from the gloom Of cloister'd monks, and jargon-teaching schot^ls. Led forth the true Philosophy, there long Held in the magic chain of words and forms, And definitions void, Ihe led her forth, Daughter of Heaven ! that, slow-ascending still. Investigating sure, the chain of things, ^^'ith. radiant finger points to Heaven again ^ THOMSOK. s i^ HISTORY OF ^ In this church is also the family burial placte of the Lords Grimston, of Gorhambury : the me- mory of those interred is preserved by hatchments and other memorials. The remains of antiquity which are to be seen in this church, and most worthy of remark, are two paintings and an ancient stone-coffin. The former of these (the two paintings) were found in the year 1808, whilst the church was under- going some repairs : the workmen having removed some boards, which served as a cover, or lining, of the ancient rood-loft, between the nave and chancel of the church, discovered a large and curious painting, supposed to be a representation of the Day of Judgment : part of which is still to be seen. Its length is 2 1 feet ; and the greatest part is painted in distemper upon the wall, but the lower part is done in oil colours upon a board, so as to fill up the arch in the wall. The other is the head of a king, and believed to be that of Henry the Sixth, painted in distemper upon a board : it was found fixed to the wall in the same church. These paintings, particularly the first- mentioned, are doubtless of great antiquity, and from their curiosity, entitled to some attention.* * Prints of both these Paintings have been published, aiii may be had at Mr. Shaw's Library^ St, Alban's. VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 139 The stone coffin now deposited in this church, was discovered, in 1813, in a field adjoining the old road which leads towards Redburn from the Manor of Kingsbury, and contained a human skeleton. The subjoined account of its discovery (copied for the gratification of the curious), was transmitted tathe Society of Antiquaries, London, by James Brown, Esq. of St. Albans. " Being informed, in the afternoon of the 23rd of March last, that some labourers of Mr. Stephen: Smith, who were digging for gravel on the edge of a field, abutting on an old road leading toward Redburn from tl>e back of the ancient Manor House of Kingsbury, in the parish of St. Michael, adjoining to St. Alban*s,,had just discovered an old Stone Coffin, inclosing a Skeleton; I hastened thither, and learnt that having dug down the bank to a considerable depth, the men found their pro- firess impeded by some impenetrable and immove- able substance ; this led them to clear away a portion of the adjacent t^arth, till they came to* the lid of a large and strong stone coffin, lying nearly on a level with the road, almost due east and west : at length they exposed to full view about half of the lower part of it. Near the mid- die they found an ancient fissure, extending quite across it, into which they introduced .their pick- axes, and thus forced the lower half of the lid ovec tm HISTORY OF the foot of the coffin, which lay next the road, or west end. This removal of half the lid discovered a skeleton, which, when I first saw it, appeared to me perfect in all its parts, except that the liga- ments of the feet being probably dissolved, they had fallen off from the bones of the legs, and I did Hot observe them : but both the bones of both the legs, and probably all the other bones of the body,^^ were lying in such perfect order and regularity, that I could not but suppose that the coffin had been first laid down, and the body then laid in it, and not exposed to those concussions to which it must have been liable, if the coffin had been drag- ged to its appointed resting-place after its inhabi- tant had been put into it. Having never studied anatomy as a science,. I pretend not to anatomical knowledge ; but from the uncommon smallness and delicacy of the bones,^ and from other cirGura- stancef^ I judged that it was the skeleton of a young female ; in which idea I was confirmed by tlie declaration of a medical man in my neighbour- kood, who saw it soon after. The exact order aad regularity ia wbi<;h the bones of the skeleton lay, may also in some degree have been preserved by its lying in a thin bed of moist earthy which* probably made its way into the coffin, in a course €vf ages,, from the fissures of the lid ; for when it «a& afterward removed, it appeared that th^ lid i a VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 141 was broke into three, if not four pieces. The coffin^ as it must be called^ is more properly a, great oblong trough, perfeel'ly plain and unorna- mehted, without any circular inclosure for the bead, as has sometimes appeared in more modera stone coffins, and does not grow narrower toward the feet : it is 6 feet Sf inches long in the inside^ 12 inches deep, and 1 8 wide ; the sides are about 3| inches thick, and the lid 5 inches. ** Besides the skeleton the coffin contained three glass vessels,* which I was told were found stand- in different parts of it: 1st. a goblet, jug,, or pitcher, perhaps about 10 inches high, shaped, it^ l*he main^ much like a modern pitcher, with a very curious semicircular hkndle, formed like a chaia f^f small rings united together : 2dly. a much smaller vessel, which I should suppose was design- ed for a perfume or essence bottle, like a moderate sized apple, with a small stem rising from it: at karned friend very justly suggests that it much resembles a well-known vessel used in chymicai^ processes, and known by the name of a matrass ;. both these vessels were made of coarse glass, simi- lar in appearance to ground glass, and to some which I have formerly seen which was found in a similar situation, but incrusted with dirt, and coiir • •These have beea eugtaved>, and may be had at the Libcanj^ 14^ HISTORY OB' taming: some.inodorous dirty water; the introduc- tion of which also is probably accounted for bv the different fissures in the lid : in addittion to these, there was, 3dly. a small tumbler which seemed to have a foot to it, or,^ in other words, what ladies call a jelly-glass^ perhaps a lachryma- tory ; but this, soon after the coffin was opened, being incautiously handled by a spectator, it was broken in half; the piece which I saw, on being held up to the light, seemed to look like mother of pearl, or the exfoliation of an oyster shell. I earnestly requested that no mischief .might be done to what remained, and especially that the glass vessels might be taken care of; the latter part of my request I understand was complied with, and they were safely conveyed to Mr. Smith's house, and by him transmitted to Gorhambury, the seat of Lord Viscount Grimston, lord of the manor: but as to the coffin and its inhabitant, they were left in an improtected state for above three weeks, and at length removed to Saint Michael's church, in a corner of which they lie exposed to public view ; but before they arrived thither, the bones were all disjointed and dislo- cated, some broke, and instead of an elegant and perfect skeleton,,, now present the appearance of \ nothing but a loose confused nia^s of human bones ^ ki a great trough. VEIIULAM AND .^T. ALBAN'S. 145 *' The place where the coffin was found must have been a csemeteiiuiu, probably ofthe Romans ; for in May 17QO a decayed leaden coffin, contain- ing part of a skeleton, wds found in the same neighbourhood ; and th.en, as well as now, several large corroded naiis were found. King about, sup- posed to have come out of wooden coffins, of which some remains (reduced to a stale in which they were scarcely distinguishable from the neighbour- ing earth), are said to have appeared. — Of this discovery Iscnt a siuvrt account to the Gentleman's Magazine, ^hich wa^ inserted in the number for that month. Besides these nails, the clerk of the parish shewed me a coffin handle of brass, but grown quite green, very heavy in proportion to its size, which fell out when the neighbouring earth was cleared away, in order to the removal of the stone coliiin : the ends are ornamented with heads^ somewhat resembling those of hogs, and long tongues sticking out of the mouths; but I rather think they are designed to represent the heads ot dogs, with pointing ears, in a shape similar to that in which we frequently see the ears of hounds : — did the artificer intend to refer to Cerbi^rus, when he carved these ornaments I ** As I apprehend it was the acknowledged cus- tom of the Romans to bury their dead by the sides of their highways, and as there is reason to believe 144 HISTORY Of that several coffins, though not of stone, have been discovered in and about this very spot, I i5hould suppose that this road, though now a mere green lane, or back road^ mu^t have been in their days a road of more importance. It has always been supposed that the ancient Watling-street ran along the brow of the opposite ridge of hills, from Edgeware and Elstree, round the outside of the south-westernmost part of the wall of the city of Verolam, as very faithfully and judiciously laid -down by Dr. Stukeiy, ' in his Vestigia Verolamii,' published in 1721, and forming a part of the first volume of the Vestuta Monumenta." VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 146 ST. PETER'S CHURCH. This Church stands on elevated ground, at the ^north-east extremity of the town, on the Luton road. Though originally constructed in the Saxon times, it appears, from the st}ie of its architecture, to have been re-buiit about the time of Henry the Third. Since that period, however, it has under- gone considerable repairs and alterations; the most recent of which have been made at the ex- pense of about 40001. since the year 1803, when an Act of Parliament was obtained to empower certain trustees, appointed under the act, to levy a rate on the parishioners to the above amount. The tower having become extremely ruinous, arfd 4n great danger of falling, had been previously 4aken down ; and a general reparation of the ' "whole structure was deemed necessary. The fChurch, as it anciently stood, was in the form of ^ long cross, with a tower rising from the inter- tsection of the nave, chancel, and transept; but the tower is now built up from the ground : the chancel has been shortened upwards of thirty feet; and both ends of the transept have been taken down to the level of the side walls of the church. The present tower is of brick, neatly stuccoed^ and embattled ; its height is sixty-seven fee t« H6 nnroRY op The interior of St. Peter's has a very light and ^legapt appearance, the nave being f>eparated from the aisles by a double series of high-pointed urches, supported on well-proportioned, clustered ]>illars. The tower is open to the nave by a pointed arch ; and the windows of the aisles are large and graceful ; those of the nave, which range above the roof of the aisles, have obtuse arches : the east window is an excellent modern imitation of the pointed style. The pew^ are plain, but regu- lar; and the whole interior has a «eat and pleasing effect. Before the former repair, there were many se- pulchral brasses with curious inscriptions in this Church ; and in the windows was a great variety of painted glass, some of which still remains. The most remarkable of tlie inscriptions was under tl»e iigure of a priest, on a slab in the chancel : it was engraved in a double circle, between the leaves of a rose, and in such a manner that all the forms af the letters, and variety of the contractions, are represented with perfect accuracy. The outer «ircle, when divested of its contractions, and spelt? agreeably to the present system, will run thus : i } Ix) ail that ere I spent, that sometime had I ; |' All that I gave in good intent, that now have^, I That I meither gave nor lent, that now abie I| J That I kept till I went, that loat L i i VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'^. 147 The inner circle expresses the^same sentiments in Latin, but more concisely ; vbea read at lengjb it is as follows : Quod Expendi habui^ Quod Donavi haheo. Quod Negavi punior. Quod Servavi perdidi. The word Ecce, in the centre, should be rendered Thus it is! Another brass, in the charrcel, represented a merchant and his wife : the latter was dressed in a close-bodied mantle, with a cloak descending to the fett^and rising in a square hood above her head : beneath their feet was thisinscription r ^it jacent Io|>e0 ^t&gn (Slotjct qui obiju XWi,o tie DeccmSr. anno, tini jl^illmo CCeTC* ^HSljT* ®t tna 3lo|?anna Uj On a slab in the nave, were brasses of a male and female; the former in the habit of a mer» chant ; with the following epitaph in four lines : ^illm ^ictor^ anU iis M^^ ^xate* nntier t|)i0 jstone hzn burieU |>ere 3[n |)cben cooti iLorU crauttc Jjem a pfaie 9:0 t^u t&em houQ^t toitf) tiji Blotie ful une S^|)ic{)e Millm a0 itte it tiot|) appere ^})e XI. Hag of ^mtit. p30t t^is presenr feff ' M. CCCC. LXXX. aitH VL mt SDf JEpi0t ti^o0 grace be tjeic pre^eruatg&v 148 HISTORY OF Many of the bodies of those that were slain in the two battles of St. Alban's, were buried in ] this church and church -yard. Among those in- terred in the church, was Sir Berlin Entwysel, Knight of Lancashire, who was wounded in the first battle, aqd died a few days afterwards. Leland says, '^ he was beryed under the plase of the Leclorium in the quyre, whereas a memoriall of him ther yet remeyneth," This * memorial T was a brass figure of a Knight in armour, a frag- ment of which was preserved in the late vestry: the form of the handle of the sword which the knight is represented as wearing, is exactly similar to that of a real sword, said to have belonged to Entwysel, found in digging up ihe foundations of the chancel during the last repairs. Of those who were killed in the same battle,, and interred here, were the Ralphs Babthorpe, father and son, of Bapthorpe, in Yorkshire. Their epitaph, both in Latin and English, is recorded by Weever and Chauncy: the English part was a. translation of the Latin, and ran thus : Behold where two Raulph Babthorps, both the Sonne and- Father lie. Under a Stone of marble hard, interr'd in this mould drie ; To Henry Sixths the Father, Squire, the Sone, he Sewer was, . * Both true to Prince, and for Jus sake, they both their Life did j passe. VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 14^. The Year ©ne Thousand, and foure Hundred Fifty -five, Grimrae Death, yet not alone, did thera of breath deprive Tiie last day of their light was th' twentieth-two of May, God grant them light in Heav'n, and without end, a Day. Among the other inscriptions of the fifteenth century, was one in commemoration of Edmund Westby, Esq. who died in September, 1475: he was hundredor and bailiff of the Liberty of St. Alban; and in his house, Henry the Sixth is said to liave remained during the time of the first battle. In the chancel is a handsome monument in memory of Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. Dobvns, who was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Ber- wick upon Tweed, by Queen Anne, and, after retiring from the rtiilitary service, at an advanced age, became Justice of the Peace for Middlesex, and Hertfordshire, and for the Liberty of St. Alban. He died in January, 1738-9, at the age - of eighty-eight. Another handsome monument in the chancel, with a very fiorid Latin epitaph^ records the memory of Robert Rumney, D. D. who was vicar of this church upwards of twentyr eight years, and of whom some curious circum- stances are related in the first article ( Mirza t(P SelimJ of the second volume of Dr. Cotton's Various Pieces : he died at the age of fifty^eight, 3743. Against the west wall, at the end of the nave, is a table! to commemorate the virtues of. I |gO HISTORY OF Robert Clavenng, M, B. Scholar of Christ Church, Oxon, who died in June 1747, aged twenty-nine. Beneath a Latin epitaph, giving him an exalted character, are the following lines, written by Dr. Cotton. Oh ! come who know the childless parent's sigh^ The bleeding bosom, and the streaming eye ; Who feels the wo»nds a dying friend imparts When the last pang divides two social hearts:. This weeping macble claims the generous tear: Here lies the friend, the son, and all that's dear, lie fell, full-blossomM in the pride of youih, Ihe nobler pride of science, worth, and trutl>. Firm and serene he viewM his mouldering clay, !Nor feai'd to go, nor fondly wish'd to stay; And when the King of Terrors he descry 'd, Kiss*d the stern mandate, bowM his head, and dy'ch Another monument, against the west wall, dhr- plays the bust of Edward Strong, of New Barns,^ in this parish, citizen and mason of London, who, •' equally with its ingenious architect, Sir Chrfsto- }^)her Wren, and its truly pious diocesan. Bishop Compton, shared the felicity of seeing both the beginning and the finishing of that stupendous fabric," the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, (to the laying of the last stone,) about which he was employed as mason : he died at the age of seventy- one, in Februarv, 1723. The church-yard is extremely spacious, and contains numerous monuments ; and among them VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 151 one with this inscription : '* Here are deposited the r€mains of Anne, Hannah, and Natha- niel Cotton :*' this is the only memorial for Dr. Cotton, the ingenious author of " Visions ia Verse/' " The Fire Side," and other small pieces, all of which are strongly conducive to promote the interests of virtue and religion : they were buried respectively, the fourteenth of April, 1749; nineteenth of May, 1772; and the eighth of August, 1788. In this church is a good organ ; the only one the town has to boast of : also a good peal of ten bells, and an excellent clock, constructed by Mr* John Briant, of Hertford, an eminent bell-founder, and who has attained very considerable celebrity as a mechanic of great ingenuity. 3j? HISTORY 6i" ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH. Is situated nearly one mile south-westward from St, Albans, and was also founded in the tenth ce^itury, by Abbot Ulsinus. It still displays ves- tiges of its original architecture, though it has been much altered in subsequent ages. In the chancel stands a curious brazen eagle, which is said to have been found buried in the earth, on opening the vault of the Mount^ornery family, about the year 174S or 1750. Near the top is engraved a mitre, and crosier passing through it, and a coat of arms of a lion rampant, both twice repeated : lower down is a circular inscription in the old Ger- man character ; and at the end of the circle the arms asain repeated: — the inscription is as fol- lows, ^Q^^mm^^ cEejeii&^Di^jjf ©©3[®- On the pavement is an inscribed slab in mem(>ry of Olive Mountgomer?/, wife of Lewis Mount- gomery, gent, of this parish, who died in March 1696; over it hangs a singular little hatchment, only twenty seven inches in diameter, the border of which is ornamented with bones, spades, hour- glasses, and other emblems of human mortality. Here also is an inscription for John Pitt, Esq. of VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 1.5« Ashford, in Somersetshire, who " enterecl early into the a mi y, was engaged in all King William^S and Queen Anne's wars; at length became aide- de-camp, and master of the horse, to John, Duke of Marlborough ; and in 1727 was made governor of the Bermuda Islands:** he died in June, 1750, aged eighty-nine. Against the south wall is an inscribed tablet in memory of J. RoLFfi, Esq. ** OflScial of the Archdeaconry of St. Alban, Commissary of the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon, and one of the Masters of Chancery :" he died at the age of sixty-five, in October, l630. The epitaph is thus given by Chauncy: James, art thou here? and must this Church of Stephe« Inshrine thy body, now thy soul's in Heaven ? Had not thy monument been better fixt Nearer to that of Abbot John the Sixth, By Alba-n's shrine ? where thy religious care Redeemed those sacred relicks from despair. No ! thou wast wise, and sure thou thought it better^ To make each Proto-martyr's Church thy debtor; That glories kept by thee from ruin's rust, And this may glory that it keeps thy dust. Various other sepulchral memorials are in this edifice ; and in the church yard is a table monu- ment in memory of the Right Honourable Lady Anne Paddey, daughter of Charles Duke of Cleve- land and Southampton,\vhodied in February ^769* aged sixty-six ; and her husband, John Paddey, V $st HISTORY OF ^sq. Mfho had bee^ ,her fether's b,ut^e;r : he died 9it the age of eighty-three, in M^rch |,780. Par J; ^f ^. Stephen's parish belongs to the Eai^l of £ssex, and is included in what is called Park PRESENT STATE TOWN OF ST. ALBANS. The origin of this town, and the former gran- ffeur and magnificence of its abbey, has beeq al- ready noticed in former parts of this work. It deriving very great and general interest, from its antiquity, and having been the scene of such re- markable events, it is presumed some account of its present state will be gratifying to the reader, and traveller. It is generally regarded as a healthy and respec- table town, distant twenty-one miles north of the metropolis, and twelve from Hertford, the capital of the county in which it is situated. It contains three parish churches, which give names to the respective parishes in which they stand, and lay particular claim to attention for their great anti^ quity, or as depositories of the relies of ancient monastic grandeur, or other objects calculated ta> 1^ HISTORY OF entertain and gratify the curious ; they arc in the diocese of London. The church dedicated to St. Alban, is appropriated to the use of the inhabi- tants of that parish, locally termed " The Abbey Parish," and is archidiacorial ; the living is in the presentation of the Mayor and Burgesses of the Borough of St. Albans. As the town is approached on the west and south, it is upon a considerable eminence ; viewed from either points its venerahle abbey church gives a grand effect to the surrounding scenery. The principal streets, — St. Peter's- street, Hollywell Hill, High -street, George street, and FishpooK street, vrith the continuance of St. Michael's, assumes the form of the letter T. Besides the above, there are several inferior streets ; Spicer*. street, leading from George-street into Dagnal- lane, which communicates with St, PeterVstreet ; Catherine-lane, at the top of St. Peter's-street,; leads to the very neat, and pleasantly-situated residence of Mrs. Emmett. Sopwell-Iane, which was formerly the London road;, leads from near the bottom of Hollywell Hill to the cotton mills* French-row, and the Market-place, forms a com- munication with High street and St. PeterVslreet. There are also other lanes and passages, some of them but little calculated, (from the neat and deauly state that a borough tovyn may be expected VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. l57 to appear in, to reflect much credit upon those whose duty it is to keep them neat and clean. That part of the town in which the market- place is situated, is very confined; and from thence to the bottom of St, Peter*s-str^et, are several very mean impoverished houses, with all the concomitants of poverty, filth and its nui- sances, which a little public spirit would effect the removal of ; and thereby render that part of the town much more healthy and respectable. On entering the town by the new London road, along High-street, it bespeaks much respectability from the general appearance of the houses and shops situated thereabouts; and there are in other parts of the town, some excellent and comfortable residences. St. Peter's-street is a very fine open situation, and the most genteel part of the town ; the church of St. Peter adding much to its ap- pearance. There are a few houses which bear marks of great antiquity ; but the greater part of tlrem have of late years been considerably mo- dernized. — At a house of Mr. Richard Mason, in High-street, are some carved figures, which support the overhanging part of the first story, and are in excellent preservation : th^re are also similar ones in Christopher Yard, and other parts of the town. In the windows of the Town Hall are some 558 HISTORY Of specimens of ancient painted glass ; there are also two excellent specimens of this art in the house of Mr. Alderman Brown, in the High-street, and others at the George Inn ; at the Fleur de lis Inn is a fine specimen, exhibiting the key* of St, Peter ; and others in various parts of the town. The immense and constant traffic through the town, in consequence of the great north-west road lying through it, affords employment to se- veral most respectable posting houses and inns, as also many inferior public houses; the mails and stage coaches which run through the town, (supposing them to be pretty well loaded,) have accommodation for upwards of 600 passengers daily; add to which the number of travellers which pass through by other conveyances, and those on foot, it may reasonably be computed that not less than 1000 persons pass through this town every day. Prior to the improvement of the public roads in England, (by which such great facility has been rendered to the traveller and the conveyance of goods and merchandise from the manufacturing towns to the metropolis,) innumerable quantities of packhorses were constantly passing through St. Albans, with the produce of the factories of Man- chester, Nottingham, Stafford, Coventry, ^c. and at which period the inns were more numerous x\\zn VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 1^ iit present ; and several I^rge coramodious build* jugs, situated on the road side, (no\y used for other purposes,) can be traced to have afforded accom- madation for the weary pack-horse and his driver. There are here cottoq and silk mills, which give employment to upwards of 500 persons, mostly children. The upper part of the town is badly supplied with water, and that at a dear rate. Most of the families are served from the pump, near the Clock Houjse, which was put down for the use of the town, at the expense of the Spencer family, and was many years kept in repair by them ; since which the inhabitants, for want of a better sense of independence^ lay the burthen of this expense upon the purses of their representatives, although a trifling annual subscription of those who benefit ^by it might constantly keep it in good repair ; till ^ which takes place, it may be considered an object reflecting discreditably upon the good sense and independent spirit of the town, for suflTering it to continue an expense to those, whom of all others they ought to be under the least public pecuniary obligation to. There is another public pump at the bottom of St. Peter's-street, called the Blue Pump, seldom in repair, therefore of very little service. Water was formerly, by means of water works, conveyed from the river near the town. %b HISTORY OF Tor its use; and wliicli might doubtless be now effected, and proTe a great acquisition to the in- liabitants. * Coals are a scarce, and rather expensive com- modity at St. Alban's ; the chief supply comes from the Grand Jimction Canal at Boxmore, near Hempstead, from whence there are several miles of land carriage; a great quantity of Staf- fordshire pit coals are burnt here. An Act ef Parliamtnt was passed some few years ago, to make a cut from the Grand Junction Canal to the 'town of St. AIban*s, but w[as never carried into effect, which was said to be in consequence of the Grand Junction Company bein*^ unwilling to ad- mit those, who w^ould have advanced the money necessary to accomplish the undertaking, to be share-holders with them ; but would have given interest for its use ; which naturally suggested an idea at that time, of its likelihood of proving a lucrative concern. ' , The town has within these few years received very considerable improvements ; the principal was forming a new road through the south-east part of if, affording the traveller both more con- venience and safety in avoiding the steep hill and dangerous turnings of the old London road : the ^ame trust have within the last year made aiiother foost excellent improvement, by f)urchasing the TERXJLAM AND ST. ALBAN^S. tU bouse *at the corner of George-stseet, which formed a most dangerous turning at the steepest part of the bill, and by removing it, and widening the road, have not only rendered it much safer for travelling, but added materially to the respec- table appearance of the town in this part. In 1804, an Act of ParHament was obtained to linable the inhabitants to pave and light the town ; in pursuance of which it is lighted, and a consi- derable part of it has the comfort and convenience of paved streets. There are many respectable and well furnished shops, which supply the town and neighbourhood with the necessaries and conveni- encies of life ; but London operates much to the injury of the trading part of the town; and, as there are no manufactories (except the silk and cotton mills,) or other adventitious cause of in- creasing the trade, its cliief dependence is upon its own population, and that of the small towns and villages near, perhaps better butcher's meat is not to be purchased in any market in the kingdom ; bread is always half ar> assize under that of Lon- don, and there are two common breweries, and also two very respectable inns, that brew excellent home-brewed ale. Nor are the articles of grocery, drapery, &c. less excellent in their kind, or to be purchased on more model ate terms by thie con- sumer any where. m HISTORY OF The market, which is on the Saturday, is very considerable for grain of all kinds ; particularly wheat and barley; and it is tolerably well sup- plied with poultry, &c. Here is one of the largest straw-plat markets in England, vvhich be- gins at the ringing of a bell by one of the beadles of the borough, and terminates before the com- mencement of the corn market. The straw-plat sewing is a source of employment to many females in the town from which they may derive, and also from platting the straws, a respectable and com- fortable livelihood. There was formerly a market held on Wednesday, as well as the present Satur- day's market, but has been discontinued some time. There are three fairs annually, and a public statute for hiring servants ; the most considerable one is a large holy day fair, held at Michaelmas, agreeable to the charter of King Charles 11., and is the resort of all the gaiety of the country for many miles round ; this fair is visited by many show*', exhibiting the iwnderful and marvellous ! but what gives most pleasure and satisfaction is Richardson's portable theatre, and his company of comic and tragic performers : their theatric repre- sentations is an indulgence to the sight of the inhabitants of the surrounding villages they but rarely haye an opportunity of witnessing, there- j fore is a source of the highest gratification to their VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. tm curiosity for dramatic performance, nor does the proprietor seem less anxious to please, than his admirers are to be pleased. The other fairs are held agreeable to the same charter — one at Lady-Day, and the other on St. Albans Day, June 17, for horses, cattle, &c. There is hardly any town in England better calcu- lated for the accommodation of a large horse and cattle fair than St. Alban's, both for room to exhibit them to great advantage in the fine spa- cious street of St. Peter, (where these fairs .re held,) and also for the convenience and comfort afforded the dealer and purchaser at the commo- dious inns in the town. The town is divided into four wards, viz. the Midille ward, Holywell ward, St. Peter's ward^ jand Fishpool ward, to each of which is appointed a constable annually at the Court Leet. The po- pulation of the town of St. Alban's is thought to be upon the increase, the report which is placed in the appendix is in some respects defective, for in taking the accounts,, some, from ignofance of the object in view in taking the census, may have been deterred from giving the whole number of which their families consisted. The militia-men,, &c. were at that time embodied, and consequently could not be included in the report. From these -circumstances, it may be concluded the number of tU HISTOl(Y OF inhabitants at present, exceed the authorised esti mate. St. Albans being so near London has nothing I Tery peculiar in its provincial dialect. Social in- tei course is very prescribed; which may be attri- buted to larty — I he bane of all neii;hbouring fellowship, and also to the division of religious sects; either of whirh b\ themselves, are very in- considerable ; and, in the aggregate, are fewer than that part of tlie inhal)i»ants who are favour^ able to the esrvblisbcd relijzion; which would, doubtless, far exceed the others, particularly in the ah bey pari&h, if there was accommodation afforded chem fur the exercise of their reh'gious duties, in a comfortable manjier. There are at present maij\ respectable fdmilies in the town, who on this account, catun.>t attend divine service there; consequefitly, either v^ holly neglect it, or resort to the dissenting chapels : aiid be it <^aid to the credit of their deacons, have found there convenience which the mother churc b refused. Out of this stupendni»s fabric, the only diminutive part of the whole fitted up for reiif^ious worship, is contained within the circuujference of the tower, excepting; a small gallery for the use of the boys of the Blue- coat s« hool, in the south transe})t, and two large pews appropriated to the use of the corposiition, ^ which are so injudiciously planned, as to place ^ f ii VERTTLAM AND ST. ALBANS. teTy the mayor, and the aldermen silting near him^ with their lacks to the ministrr. Surelv the interests of the church is materraliy concerned in the in- crease of her i ono^regation, if so, the natural inler- ence would he, that it behoves those whose duty it is to provide arconimodation for theni : it is much to he regretted that pews are suffered in any place of public worship to be kept locked by those who seldom or ever occupy them, to the ex- clusion of others who would willingly attend dp- vine service if they had such accoinmodation. im HISTORV OF INCORPORATION, CHARTER, The first incorporation of this borough was in the reign of Edward VI. in 1553. It vests the government in a mayor and ten capital burgesses, who were empowered to make other burgesses ; also a steward, chamberlain, and two Serjeants at mace. The provisions of this charter received some alteration from Charles I. and II. and also by James II : but the charter of James being rendered void, the borough is now governed by that of his predecessor, Charles the Second, granted on the 27th July, 1664. Under this charter the officers of the corporation are a mayor, 12 aldermen, a high steward, recorder, coroner, town clerk, chamberlain, ^4 assistants, and two Serjeants at mace, (copies of this charter have lately been published from a manuscript, written from the original by E. Farringdon, Esq. the then recorder,) the provisions of which are well calcu- lated to promote the interests of the inhabitants of the town in general ; but it is much to be re- gretted those interests do not appear to have been Tery materially consulted of late years ; although I VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. tm it IS evident from the very charter itself, that " the improvement of the said borough, and the pros- perous condition of the people there," are the principal reasons that induced the grant. Such being the case, it might reasonably be supposed that the interest of the mechanic, the artificer, and tradesman, would not be overlooked by the corporate body ; perhaps the inattention to this grand object, which the charter evidently had in view when first granted, may be traced to have Originated from the office of alderman being occa^ sionally filled by those who are not materially in- terested for the general welfare ; but which cer- tainly is one necessary qualification for the proper discharge of it — nor is it respectability alone as an individual that fits a man at all times, and under any circumstances, to fill a public station; he ought certainly to be possessed of a fair understanding and liberal education The extremes of age should bave «ome regard paid to them— in old age, the m- vestment of public and active offices, are seldom congenial with the habits of retirement and ease; consequently become irksome, and entail more trouble and perplexity, than the pomp, or satisfac- tion that may be derived from having filled them, will compensate for. Nor is the inexperience incident to youthful years, by any means compat- ible with the gravity and considerateness of a chief UZ HISTORY 01-' magistrate, which the office of aldermaH em- braces; anil another impohc\ in filling vacancies in corporate boHies, is the choice of new residents, before they have had, perhaps, the least opportu* nity of merit ins: that distinction in preference to the older inhabitants, and of far greater respec- tability — whether this is the exercise of the most consummate policy, the reader may judge. It has been argued, that borough towns are generally injurious to the community, by preventing com- petition; but do they really prevent it? On ma- ture consideration, it will hardly be thought that they do ; for if, (as in the city of London, and other cities and boroughs,) a small premiuoi is required for the right of exercising any par- ticular trade, it would seem, by the great opulence and the numberless respectable competitors most of them have, that this is not a preventive to that kind of competition that is beneficial to the public in general. It will readily be admitted, that, in some instances, very small shops would be done away ; but this would, in gg cases out of 100, be of more benefit both to the public and to those ^'ho keep them, than otherwise ; for if, as is most frequently the case, they are su[»plied from the larger retail shops near them, they must either sell at a less profit or an advanced price, to what thuse who supplied them do, consequently mu^ VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. tiB labour under great disadlvahtages ; their feturnf being exceeding trifling, and themselves mostly but sorry calculators, and seWom having even A jjnaail capital of their own in their trades, pur- chase on credit, ittvolve themselves in d^bt^ w'hicti is the fo refnniier df many difficidties both to themselves and those with whom they trade ; and another evil teudency is, that sucli shops bfeing the general resort of the poorest classes, they have the few necessaries and conveniencies of life which their weekly pittance can purchase, consi- derably ehljance^ ; so ihat instead of proving be- neficial, such cotirpctition seems to be injurious. Agreeable to the charter and constitutions now Extant, it is ' ^rfj^ined ** that no person or pejrsons whatsoever, inhabiting or dvvelling without or within the limits or bounds of this borough, not being admitted and made free of the same, shall ftt any time hereafter sell, or shall he permttiedor titffei'edto setlivithin the same, any w^ares by par- cel or retail, but victuals, unless the persons so selling be a freeman (ii the said borough, excejpt* ottly on the fair days to be hereafter kept or holdea ih the same borough, and in the time of the said I ikirs, and hot othetwise, upon pain to forfeit and ]JFay to the said mayor and aldermen, and their shccessors, to the use of thi$ corporation, the sum ^ 20s. for e^ery tirtie so offending/' (See alW Y ! :irf HISTORY OF II 3 item XXXIIL Charter.) Notwithstanding- which regulation, every innovation upon the trade is suf- fered with impunity, and the hawker (licensed or unlicensed,) receives frequently more encourage- ment than the resident tradesmen : instances could be adduced of Irishmen having actually pur- chased Irish linens in the town, (and other haw- kers no doubt, other commodities,) and immedi ately hawked, and disposed of them to some o the inhabitants for linens which ihey had them-y, selves brought from their own ' dare contrie* and the credulous purchaser has been left to experi- ence that they did, sure enough, come from ^dear country. It seems but reasonable that the resident tradesmen, should have their trades not only pro* tected, but encouraged ; particularly those who may have purchased their freedom, called " Free Burgesses by redemption/' This is what is gene- rally expected in return ; but here it would be bard to say what compensation is made; and many instances could be adduced, where the cor- poration themselves have conferred the favors^ not only of their private but even public businessyj upon those who could have no pretension to them on such an account ; and when it is considered that the resident tradesman hath numerous taxes to pay toward the state, also various parochial and mik^x contributions to make for the support of the f ERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. m poor and unfortunate in his immediate neighbour- fcood, which the itinerant pedlar and ha^vker, for the most part, and in some instances entirely evades; the former most certainly deserves the protection of his interests in preference to the lat- ter; and which would doubtless be easily effected by an observance of the charter. The aldermen form the common-council of the borough, the mayor its chief magistrate, who are empowered to bold a monthly court, to consult of the public business of the borough; and among^ ether observances, agreeable to the Constitutions, the mayor should attend divine service every Lord's day and chief festival, at the abbey church, morning a i>d evening, together with two aldermen and four assistants. The twenty-four assistants are chosen by the mayor and aldermen ; whose duty is, ** as of ten as required by the mayor and aldermen, from time to time to give their assist- ance and counsel to the mayor and aldermen of the borough for the time being, in matters ani business concerning the government or advantages of the burgesses and inhabitants thereof, and •thers coming thereinto :" and they are required generally about four times in the year. — Firsts to celebrate tLc anniversary of His Majesty's birth-day. The second is, to attend at the clerk 1^ ^-;.^^|jtISTORYOB clerk of the market's court ; their duty then is t^** examine the weights and measures, and to correct any dishonesty by fines, &c. This court might be made productive of the best effects, was it con- ducted with policy, but it is much to be regretted that instead of being of any service to the public^ it is rather injurious: — the mode of conducting it^ the beadles give notice to the different inhabitants who use weights and measures, to assemble and? bring them to be tried by the standard ones whicl> are kept for that purpose in the Town-hall ; sa that, provided any person has other than honestj ones, by giving him such notice, he would cer- tainly be careful (if he was more fool than rogue) to bring the very same weights he used, and in. such case would well deserve the heaviest nne they. could impose upon him»* Even since the ludicrous; • There is a curious anecdote related in the towc ofar>i honest hostess, who kept a proper standard pexvter measure for f lich occasions, and which she good-naturedly lent for the same purpose to her no less honest neighbouring Bonifaces. It hav- ing to serve the same kind office for several ; whoever used \t^ last immediately handed it to the next succeeding borrower ; and after faithfully performing this routine of duty, was sent up for the good-natured hostess herself; when, woful to relate, jhe was presently sent for> to answer how it came to pass 'ibaj she sold by a short measure. It may be easily cpncetved thai:! the accusation of dishonesty to a person, who was sure of hav- B*g her honesty tried by a standard measure, most materially TERULAM AN© STF. ALBAN'S. tTS •ccfrrreiice related in the siibjoined note, (wkidb loigbt be supposed would have been a sufficient conviction to reason and common sense of its iautiUit}v oi^ rather of its encouragement of dis- honesty,) the same plan of conducting it is s^tilt observedi. From such imbecility, and in some instances it being inimical to the interests of llios#<••. THE TOWN-H\LL. This biiiiding is situated at the bottom of St. Peter's Street, in which are held the Quarter- Sessions for the borough and liberty ; and most of the meetings upon the corporation and public business, it is occasionally fitted up, in the win- ter season, for Balis and Assemblies, which are generalls well attended t)y the nobility and gentry of the neighbourhood. There is nothing in its appearance, as a public edifice, that claims aiten- I tion : it consists of a long range of building, one story high ; the upper part principally consisting of one long room, which, on particular occasions, is divided by temporary partitions; the upper end being appropriated for judicial proceedings; and has within the present mayoralty been consider- ably improved. Originally ihis building belonged to the abbey, and was known by tlie name of the Charnel-house^ by which appellation it was granted to the mayor and burgesses upon their first fncorr poration. Its lower part is employed as a gaol tm HISTORY OF for the borough, with appartments for the resi- dence of the jailor, and an engine house. In the windows of the Townhall, as have been before noticed, are several tine specimens of stained glass; displaying various shields of arms meriting the attention of the curious. THE MARKET-HOUSE, was built at the expense of Lord Spencer. Ibis liberal nobleman offered to defray the charge of its erection, at the same time allowed the inhabi- tants to build it in any manner they pleased, and the present humble structure was raised accord- ingly. Although it evinces a rigid regard to economy, which certainly ought not to have been lost sight of, yet it intimates so low an opinion of his lordship's intentions, which no doubt was to have raised a public building that would have borne a respectable appearance in the town ; that it is much to be regretted the projectors of it had not raised a handsomer edifice, and more worthy of so generous a contributor to the public good, than the present mean one. It consists of a double roof, supported by eighteen plain square wood posts: on the side fronting the road, in the centre pf the roof, was intended to be placed his lord- ship's coat of arms ; which was not done, in con- VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. m sequence of his disapprobation, at their building so mean a structure. The figure of justice on the top, has been placed there within a very short time, to which situation it was removed from an octagonal building, constructed over the pump near the Clock-House, called the Market Cross, and was very ornamental to that part of tlie town; but, in consequence of some injury it received from a waggon coming in contact with one of the pillars that supported it, it was entirely taken down, and a light iron railing substituted in its stead. Formerly near this spot stood one of those beautiful stone crosses which Edward 1. raised in 1290, to the honour of his beloved Queen Eleanor, whose body rested here in its way from Liucolr^ shire, to the place of interment. THE CLOCK-HOUSE. The origin of this very ancient tower, or for what purpose it was erected is now quite unknown; and the various traditional accounts of it have probably arisen merely from conjecture, but it is generally thought that such a building existed prior to the ruin of Veruiam ; the traditional account generally given is, that two females of the city of Veruiam, having wandered to where 182 HISTORY OF St. Albans now stands, it being then a wood,* they were benighted ; and from the seite of the present building, first descried a light, which en-r abSed them to retrace their steps ; and in order to prevent the recurrence of such an event to them* selves or others, caused a hi^h tower to be erected from whence might be more easily ascertained the way out of the wood. Another account is, that it was built for the purpose of a Watch Tower, to give alarm on the approach of an enemy towards the city. It consists of a high square tower, formerly em- battelled, constructed of flint pebbles; in the interior is a stone staircase, at present in a very ruinous state. The lower part, with the addition of a lean-to attached to it, has of late years been occupied as a dwelling-house, now let under lease by the mayor and corporation to Mr. Wilkins, shoemaker, wlto has inhabited it many years. On the top of it, during the late war, was placed a telegraph, coniniunicaliug with Yarmouth and the Admiralty : the amazing celerity Vvith which in- formation wa§ conveyed from the Admiralty to '* The following traditionary rhyme evidences as much, viz. When Verulam slood Saint Albans was a wood ; Hut now Verulam's -down, Sanit Albans is become a tovn. VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 185 Yarmouth, was truly astonishing ; intelligence having been sent and an answer returned in the short space of five minutes ; a distance, by the route of the mail, upwards of 200 miles. The telegraph has been taken down within the last year, but the small room beneath it, fitted up for the use of those who worked it still remahis. In the upper part of the tower is a bell of about a ton weight, which has been appropriated to various uses : some very old people of the tow n say that It used to be rung at four o'clock in the morning, to call apprentices to their work, and at eight in the evening, for them to leave off: it was also anciently used as the Curfew, or couvrefeu, bell ; but is not at present made use of for either of those purposes, but merely as an alarm-bell, in case of fire, and in consequence is termed the fire bell. It appears from Newcome that Roger de Norton "caused a very large and deep-sounding (sonorosissima) bell to be made and huiis: up, to be struck every night at the time of curfew," which probably was the bell alluded to. Upon it is the following inscription in church text, and also a Roman cross, viz. DE MISSI CELIS HABEO NOMEN GABRIELIS. The town clock is placed in this tower, and strikes upon the skirt of the above bell. The frame in which it is hung is extremely decayed, and the 184 HISTORY OF iron-work attached to its canon is so much cor- roded by rust, as to render it in a very dangerous^ state. THE GAOLS. The Liberty Gaol, and House of Correction for the Borough is situated at the west end of the abbey church, and has already been noticed under the head of *' Gate- House," for its fine groined roof. The road passing through the centre of it leads to Ve» rulam Hills and the Silk Mills, The part nearest to the church is appropriated for the use of the Liberty, and the gaoler is appointed by the Lord Lieutenant of the county. The lower part consists of several cells, and a well-paved, spacious, and airy court yard, for the use of the prisoners dur- ing the day. In one of the upper rooms is an ancient coat of arms of England. The prisoners* allowance h a poimd and a half of bread per diem, increased to that quantity through the humaue interposition, for alleviating the miseries of the unfortunate objects confined there, of William Treiss, Esq. during his mayoralty in 1812; till then the allowance was only a poimd : there is no firing allowed, and the passing stranger is often, as he approaches the gaol, entreated through the VEHULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 185 iron- grated windows in the upper part, to deposit a trifle into an old shoe, which the prisoners, by a string, let down for that purpose, in order to pro- cure them a small share of so desirable a comfort, and particularly in the winter season. The whole of the interior is kept extremely neat and clean. The keeper of this used formerly to be in the re- ceipt of an annual donation or bequest of ^11, and upwards, said to have beeii granted by some king, and was to be perpetually enjoyed by tiie keeper for the time being, of the then Lodge or Entrance : the payment of this appears to have been made as iate as the second kee^)er's time from the present. The othier part of the building, which is on the other side the road, is called THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION, to which are usually couimitted vagrants, &c, till passed to their respective pc.ri>hes. J he gaoler is appointed by the corporation, who have lately eftected the purchase of some ground con- tiguous to the building, for the purpose of making it convenient to apply offenders to hard labour. The cells and rooms are similarly constructed to those of the Liberty gaol. In the interior of the turrets on the south side are constructed the stair- cases, which lead to the upper appartmenls, and are of stone. A A f 186 HISTORY OF THE COMPTER. Consists of part of the ground-floor of the Town Hall, and is appropriated for the confinement of felonious oflfenders within the borough. ^-s>-^ VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. IST DISSENTING CHAPELS. Besides the churches already described, are several public edifices, for the use of different dis» senting congregations from the church of England in this town, which comprise, viz. — the Indepen- dents, Baptists, Unitarians, Methodists, and Quakers. THE BAPTIST MEETING-HOUSE, situated in Dagnal lane, is a commodious and plain fabrick, neatly pewed ; has one gallery and a vestry- room. According to the records in the possession of the people assembling there for religious worship, it was built about the year 1720. From tradition, it is supposed they met previously for worship at a place in Spicer Street, where the Independent Meeting House now stands, near which was a large malting, supposed to be the property of Mr. Hugh Smith. The present place was erected at the joint expence of the Rev. Mr. Harding and the Rev. Mr. Hugh Smith, co-pastors, and Mr. Philip Smith and Lady Harrington. This society was originally a branch ©f a very considerable chureh and congregation of 188 HISTORY OF that denomination at Kenswoith, in tiiis county ; at which place, in the present day, there is no congregation, nor the least vestige of a place of worship to be traced. — The Baptists assembling at St. Albans are Calvinists, and hold with parti* cular redemption. The Meeting House is be- queathed to them, so long as a congregation of protestant dissenters shall meet there for religions worship : in case of faviiure, it descends to the heir at law. Hearers at this place are not generally very numerous at the present period ; notwith- itanding, upon the whole, it is rather an increas- ing interest : the number of members admitted to cliurch- fellowship are about 40. The phce appropriated for administering the ordinance of baptism, (termed the Baptistry) was made about the year 1757 ; prior to which tinie, the river near the town was resorted to fur that purpose. The present building was enlarged about the year of our Lord 176O, one-third, or from two pillars in the centre, at the expence of the congregation. The present minister is the Rev. John Carter, who was ordained pastor in 1811, according to the usage among the dis!«enters; his predecessor, the Rev, Mr. Gill, filled that situation with great credit and respectablity, up* wards of fifty years. VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 189 THE QUAKER S MEETING Is also situated in Dagnal lane : it is a small Io\¥ building, having a burial ground, and a small room adjoining, wherein the members assemble for the purpose of consulting on temporal matters* There is also another burial ground situated iu Sweet Briar lane, appropriated to their use. The society adhering to Friends* principles are very much decreased of late years, in this town ; the fvhole consisting, at the present time, of but about four families. " The system of the Quakers, its peculiarities excepted, is intitled to our esteem and respect. — The Christian simplicity of their worship, and the exemplariness of their moras conduct, deserve the warmest encomium. Honesty, decency, sobriety, moral restraint, abhorrence of all violence and blood, benevolence, kindness, charity, and a long .catalogue of other virtues, by which they are dis- tinguished, claim the applause and approbation of mankind, and are worthy of being holdeo up to universal imitatioii. No lover of virtu« and good conduct can regard this people without satisfac-^ lion. He cannot but commend their abhorrence of oaths, and their aversion to gaming and field jsports; he cannot but admire the tendency of 190 HISTORY OF their plan of education to generate amiable quali- ties, and of their whole system to form valuable members of society ; he cannot, in short, but ex- press a fervent wish for the perpetuity of a sect, the genuine members of which exhibit, to a cor- rupt and degenerate world, examples of unfeigned piety, of honest industry, and of simple manners ; and for the prevalence of a system, which, if it should ever become universal, would expel war and bloody violence from the earth, and restore the happy age of unity, peace, and concord. But while he applauds and admires the excellence of their general character, and their morality, he will feel disposed to censure their objections to the ordinances of baptism and the communion, and regret their prejudices against the use of the com- mon names of the months of the year, and the days of the week." THE METHODISTS are an increasing sect : their present place of pub- lic worship is situated about the centre of the west side of St. Peter's Street. The introduction of this connexion into St. Albans, is attributed to John Coppleston, a weaver, who was the son of a highly esteemed minister of the Church of England^ and curate of the parish of Luton, Bedfordshire. VERULAM AND ST, ALBAN'S. 19^1 He first hired lodgings at the house lately rehuilt at the corner of Cook's Row, where he carried on his business, and induced a few to join him oc- casionally in prayer meetings : after a time he obtained a licence to preach; and a small building, nearly contiguous to the house, was fitted up for public worship, and is now standing; from whence they removed to the present one in St. Peter's ' Street, capable of holding about 1 50 hearers ; and it is at present in agitation to erect a more spaci- j ous and respectable building, and, when efi'ected, they anticipate their congregation will be the I most numerous in the town. . The Methodists assembling here, profess the religious tenets of the celebrated John Wesley, " a man,'' as a iate writer observes, *' of infiexible resolution, primitive piety, and considerable eru- dition ; whose name and whose exertions will be revered, while the indifferent and luke-warm in the lacred cause will be ingulphed in oblivion." THE INDEPENDENT MEETING-HOUSE, Is situated in Spicer Street, and is a very raodern brick building, erected by subscription in ISll, al an expense of upwards of £1200. The interior is neatly pewed, and will accommodate about 500 i hearers. At present there are no galleries, but 198 HISTORY OF the building was constructed so as to erect them, whenever an increasing congregation should re- quire it. Their last settled pastor was the Rev. J. H. Cox, author of a sciall work intitled " Jesus Shewing Mercy/' which has gone through several editions ; and the same gentleman was also author of other religious tracts. Since the separation of the congregation and their last pastor, which was in 1813, they have been chiefly supplied by the students from Hoxton and Homertoii Academies. There is an endowment left by the late Mrs. Horn, of Bowman*s Green, and of New Barns, near this town, of ^40 per annum, towards the support of > the ministers of the Independent interest at Saint Albans, as long as they should preach the gospel consistent with the Assembty*s Catechism. The number of members admitted into church fellowship are about 30. The number of hearers generally assembling at this place are not very numerous ; but of late they are considered rather upon the increase. THE UNITARIANS The Old Meeting, of Presbyterian origin, is also in Dagnal lane; a plain building, and commodious place of worship. The hie Rev. Jdhez Hirons, was minister of this Chapel sixty years ; happy in VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 193 tlie esteem and affection of all who knew him : he succeeded Dr, Clarke. A charitable institution for clothing and edu- cating a number of boys, belongs to this place, and has been in connexion with it more than a century : its support is principally by the contri- Jbution of an annual sermon. A Sunday School Jias-also been lately established, with considerable promise of utility. The present minister is the Rev. William Marshall, a gentleman of Unitarian sentiments. His views of the gospel stand opposed to the doctrine of the Trinity, and the whole sys- tem of John Calvin. The Unitarians ar^, in different parts of the kingdom, advocating their cause with increasing boldness and success. They deem the popular creed to be equally irrational and unscriptural ; and conceive that the Unitarian view of the gos- pel is the true evaiigelical faith: that is, the faith of the evangelists^ the apostles, and^r^f Chritians. Their fundamental tenet is the unity of the Deity, and the worship of one God, the ''Father'^ L The " Man Christ Jesus/' thej believe io^ have been a human being in the literal sense of the word, but morally perfect: they concrive no other i atonement (at-one-ment, or mind) necessary to re- concile man to God, than repentance and virtue ; jno sacrifice of any avail but that of a good heart B B 194 HISTORY OP and holy life. On points of less practical import- ance, Unitarians have variety of opinions : but all hold up their system of faith as breathing a liberal, benificent spirit ; as promoting freedom of in- quiry, and inviting the manliest use of reason in religion. The whole body of Dissenters are inferior in numbers to those who favour the established religion in St. Albans, and any sect by itself is very inconsiderable. Formerly there was a very numerous congregation that used to assemble at the Baptist meeting house ; and also the Presby- terian congregation was once very large : the re- spectable families which heretofore frequented them are partly extinct, and others have adopted different tenets ; as the Independent interest, which first issued from the Baptists, and has occurred but within a few years : those espousing Friends' principles are dwindled to so few, as for that de- nomination of christians to be almost extinct ; so that, (notwithstanding one or two particular sects are rather upon the increase,) the whole may be considered as verging rather to a slate of de- clension than otherwise. St. Albans, as well as having been the scene of the first martyrdom of Great Britain, to the sacred cause of Christianity, has also been the scene I of some in more modern times, viz, in 1555, in the VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 195 reign of Queen Mary, George Tankerfield, a na- tive of York, by profession a Cook, with nine others, in July in that year, was sent by the com- missioners to Bishop Bonner to be examined, con- cerning their religion : he had been a papist during the reign of Edward, but from the cruelties they exercised, he was induced to entertain doubts of their proceedings, and afterwards his heart con- ceived an abhorrence of them; and from reading the New Testament, the Lord enlightened his mind with the knowledge of the truth, working a lively faith in him to believe the same, and utterly to detest all popery, and so he renounced them : and this good man, being carried to St. Albans, there ended his life with much patience and constancy, the 2oth day of August, 1555, for the defence of the truth, which at length will have the victory. Kotes concerning George Tankerfield^ after he wa§ carried to St. Albans, to suffer martyrdom, *' Imprimis, He was brought to St. Albans by the high-sheriff of Hertfordshire, Edward Brocket, Esq. and Mr. Pulter, of Hitchen, who was under- sheriiF. ** Item, Their inn was the Cross Keys, where there was a great concourse of people to see and hear the prisoner, among which multitude some were sorry to see so pious a man brought to be 196 HISTORY OF burned ; others praised God for his constancy and perseverance in the truth. Contrariwise, some there were which said it was pity he did stand in such opinions: and others, both old w^o- men and men, cried against him ; one called him heretic, and said it was a pity that he lived. But George Tankerfield spake unto them so effectu- ally out of the word of God, lamenting their igno- rance, and protesting unto them his unspotted conscience, that God did mollify their hardened hearts, insomuch that some of them departed out of the chamber with weeping eyes, ** Item, There came to him a certain school- master (who was retained unto Sir Thomas Pope, knight): this man had a communication with George Tankerfield, the day before he was com- ing to St. Albans, concerning the sacrament of the altar, and other points of the popish religion: but as he urged Tankerfield with the authority of the doc- tors, wresting them after his own will ; so, on the r>ther side, Tankerfield answered him mightily by the scriptures not wrested after the mind of any man, but being interpreted after the will of the Lord Jesus, &c. So that as he would not allow such allegations as Tankerfield brought out of the scriptures, without the opinions of the doctors ; so again Tankerfield would not credit his doctrine to be true, except he could confirm it by th« VERULAM AND ST. ALBANS. tff scriptures. In the end, Tankerfield prayed him, that he would not trouble him in such matters, for his conscience was established, &c. ; and so he departed from him, wishing him well, and protest* ing, that he .meant him no more hurt than his own soul. " Item, When the hour drew on apace that he should suffer, he desired the wine-drawer that he might have a pint of malmsey, and a loaf, that he might eat and drink that in remembrance of Christ's death and passion, because he could not have it administered to him by others in such man- ner as Christ commanded ; and then he kneeled down, making his confession unto the Lord, with bH which were in the chamber with him ; and after he had prayed earnestly unto the Lord, and had read the institution of the holy supper by the Lord Jesus, out of the evangelists, and out of St. Paul, he said, O Lord, thou knovvest it, I do not this to derogate authority from any man, or in contempt of those which are thy ministers, but only because I cannot have it administered accord- ing to thy word, &c, ; and when he had spoke ' these and such like words, he received it with giving of thanks. " Item, When some of his friends desired him to eat some meat, he said, he would not eat that 19B HISTORY OF which should do others good, that had more need, and that had longer time to live than he. '* Item, He prayed his host to let him have a good fire in the chamber: he had ^o, and then he, sitting on a form before the fire, put off his shoes and hose, and stretched out his leg to the flame ; and when it had touched his foot, he quickly with- drew his leg, shewing how the flesh did persuade him one way, and the spirit another way. The flesh said, O thou fool, wilt thou burn, and needest not? The spirit said, Be not afraid, for this is no- thing in respect to fire eterna!. The flesh said. Do not leave the company of thy friends and ac- quaintance which love thee, and will let thee lack nothing. The spirit said. The company of Jesus Christ, and his glorious presence, doth exceed all fleshly friends. The flesh said, Do not shorten thy time, for thou mayst live, if thou wilt, much longer. The spirit said. This life is nothing unlo the life in heaven, which lasteth for ever, &g. And all this time the sheriffs were at a gentleman's house at dinner, not far from the town, whither also re- sorted many knights and gentlemen out of the country, because his son was married that day; and until they returned from dinner, the prisoner was left with his host, to be kept and looked urito. And George Tankerfield all that time was kindly VEllULAM AND ST. ALBANS. 11^ aofl lovingly hitreated by his host; and, consider- ing that his time was short, his saying was. That although the day was never so long, yet at the last it ringeth to evening song. '^Item, About two of the clock, when the sheriffs were returned from dinner, they brought George Tankerfield out of his inn unto the place where he should suffer, which is called Ronieland, being a green place, near the west-end of the abbey church : unto which, when he was come, he kneeled down by the stake that was set up for him, and after he had ended his prayers, he arose, and with a joyful faith he said, that although he had a sharp dinner, yet he hoped to have a joyful «upper in heaven. ** Item, While the faggots were set about him, Ihere came a priest unto him, and persuaded him to believe on the sacrament of the altar, and he should be saved. But George Tankerfield cried out vehemently, and said, I defy the whore of Babylon, I defy the whore of Babylon: Fie of that abominable idol : Good people, do not believe liim ; good people, do not believe him. And then the mayor* of the town commanded to set fire to the heretic, and said. If he had but one load of faggots in the whole world, he would give them * Thomas Maniiingharu,— See Appendix, too HISTORY OF to burn him. There was a certain knight by, who went unto Tankerfield, and took him by the hand, ?in(\ said, Good brother, be strong in Christ : this he spake softly, and Tankerfield said, O Sir, I thank you, I am so, I thank God. Then fire was set unto him, and he desired the sheriiF and all the people to pray for him ; the most part did so. And so, embracing the fire, he bathed himself in it, and, calling on the name of the Lord Jesus, he was quickly out of pain." Among the ejected ministers for non-conformity, after the restoration of Charles the Second, two were of St. Albans^ viz. Mr. Haworth and Mr^ Partridge: the former of St. Peter, and who, sub- sequent to his ejectment, was desired to preach a funeral sermon, but was hindered ; whereupon the congregation went to the cloisters in the abbey church, and, in sermon-time, the soldiers came to take him ; and one of the hearers interposing to prevent it, was i^hot dead. Mr. Haworth was tried at the assizes on this account, and at length delivered, but fined, while the soldier who was the perpetrator of a most outrageous murder, was Siiffered to go unpunished* VERUJ.AM ^ND ST. ALBAN'S, Jlmi'houses, Benefactions, Public Schools^ Sacieties, 8s^. The principal charitable foundation at St. Ah ban's isL called the Buildings, and consists of «ine alms-houses, forming three sides of an oblong square, sit^iated at the entrance of tlte town into St. Peter's Street, on the road leading to Hatfield and Hertford. Each house has comfortable £^p- partments for four inmates, and a detached garden. Tbe objects generally admitted to participate in the benefits of this noble charity, are widows, ^nd elderly men and women ; who, from untoward circumstances in life, may have been reduced;* and here find a truly comfortable and serviceable tissistanc^, in addition to any trifle they may have preeerved from the wreck t)f their more prosper- ous days. The present allowance is £l2 per annum each, which is paid with the greatest punc- tuality; and a certain quantity of coals is als* given to each. When it 13 considered this estab- lishment afibrds a comfortable house for thirty-six persons, (rent, rale, and tax-free,) also coals, and in annual allowance of j612, it is a munificent and Excellent charity. c c m2 HISTORY m It was built and endowed by Sarah Duchess of Marlborough ; and the entire management of it is vested in the proprietor of the manor of Sand ridge, who was the late Earl Spencer, and his widow the late Dowager Countess Spencer, had, during her life, the superintendence of it : since her decease, it devolves upon the present Earl Spencer, her son, and the great-great grandson of Sarah Duchess of Marlborough.* The interest and benefit of the inhabitants of the Buildings, enjoyed the peculiar regard and attention of the late truly worthy Countess Dow- ager Spencer : her personal affectionate inquiries amongst them after their welfare, and her prompt- ness to alleviate their various troubles and anxie- * About the year 1735, Sarah, Duchess Dowager of Mail- borough, purchased of the heir^ of the family of Robotham, th^ Manor of Newlaiid Squillers, within the parish of St, Peter, of which the Manor-house stood at the extremity of the borougl, by the side of the road leading to Hatfield and Hertford. This house having been long abandoned by the family, had been lei as a boy's Boarding school ; and about the years 1715 to 1718, it was a very reputable school among the Dissenters, where the celebrated Dr. Doddridge, Dr. Aikin, and Dthers, ministers, and other persons ofihai profession, received the rudiments of their education. The Duchess pulled down the house, and erected the present Buildings, or Alms-house, on the site; v/hich Ahns- house, and the grounds laid to the same, together with certain estates in Crow hurst, and other places in the counties of Surrey, Sussex, and Kent, late the property of Edward Gibben, one of VERULAM and: ST. ALBAN'S. 205 ties, oa all occasions was such as to gain their most heartfelt gratitude ; and the admiration of all who have had any opportunity of witnessing the constant and generous interest she took in their comfort and happiness. Nor was her endea- vours to assist the unfortunate, and to lessen the poignancy of adversity, confined to this institution ; they were aWays exerted with cheerfulness on every opportunity that presented itself, and many individuals and families in the town and neighbour* hood, have experienced the blessings of her gene- rous and beiiificent exertions to render them services. Her care and anxiety for the education of the children of the poor was very great : con- stantly, when resident at St. Albans, she used the South-Sea directors, and certain other estates m Marston- Jabbeit, in the county of Warwick, ' late the property of Robert Surmanj deputy-cashier of the South-Sea company, the Duchess, by deed inrolled in chancery, dated 2d of June, 1736, conveyed to Daniel, Earl of Winchelsea and Nottingham, the Right Hon. Sir Thomas Reeve, chief justice of the Common Picas, and others, in trust, for the maiBtenance of the alms-men and alms- women, but subject to the sole management of the said Duchess during her life, and after her decease, of the person who shall be in possession of her estate in the adjoining parish of Sand- ridge, who is at present her great great grandson, Earl Spencer. She also directed of'SO per annum to be paid to the rector of the Abbey Church, or to the vicar of the parish Church of St* Peter, for the time being, for overlooking the poor that shall be placed ia the said Alms-house/ «04 HISTORY OF personally to instruct tliem at the school, and frequently had them at her own -house for the same kmd purpose. In her, the poor and the un- fortunate lost a most active and munificent friend, and society one of its brightest and most useful members. Her ladyship's death occurred suddenly and unexpected ; she died in London in 1814, and was interred at Althorp, in Northamptonshire. Not far distant from the above, and near the north-west side of St. Peter's Church, in Bow« gate, is pemberton's alms-house; a range of six buildings, erected for as many poor widows, in pursuance of the will of Roger Pember- ton, Esq. who was sheriff of this county in 1620, and died in l627 ; having directed that the sum of £5 yearly, issuing from his manor of Shelton, in Bedfordshire, should be paid for the mainte- nance of each of the said widows for ever. Over the gate af the little court before the almshouse, is an arrow, or short spear head, stuck upright in the brick-work ; and the tradition of the place is, that the founder shot a widow with an arrow by accident, and built the Alms-house by way of atonement. He was grandfather to Sir Francis Pemberton, lord chief justice of England in the lime of Charles the Second* ¥EKULAM AND ST. ALBAN*S. 5©S In Cock La^ne, near St. Peter's Street, are Uiree houses, forming six dwellings, appropriated to the use of the poor, on the front of which k ttle follow- ing inscription ; "1781. These six Dwellings i^or the Poor of ** this Parish, were built and finished at the sole " charge and expence of John Maslernian, o£ "London, Goldsmith, in lieu of the three old ** ones, which stood in the street opposite the " White Horse, but now conveyed to him by the " unanimous consent of Vestries held 28 March ** 1780 and 6 June 17SI." At the bottom of St. Peter's Street are three dwellings, for poor widows. In Spicer Street are three tenements, left by Richard Ranshaw, Esq. about 1560, to the mayor and burgesses of the borough of St. Alban, and also one other tenement, called the Vine, upon condilion that they should appoint and bestow, from time to time, for ever, the rent of the house called the Vine, upon the reparation of the said house and the other three tenements;* and with the advice of the minister for the time being, should nominate and appoint honest poor per- sons to inhabit the same, without rent, for ever more. A lease of these premises have lately been * These are now converted into si^. «06 HISTORY Of granted to Mr. Samuel Wildbore, a respeclaUle innkeeper and brewer in this (own, and who has put them in a good state of repair, and obtained a licence for the Vine as a public house, for which no doubt it was originally used ; but fo;* years previous to 1814^ had been discontinued, and the reparation of the houses nuich neglected. There are many and considerable benefactions of different descriptions, left for the benefit of the poor of the town, and parishes of St. Peter and the Abbey parish ; those of the former place are very numerous ; and there are about twenty bequests belonging to the latter. As there is nothing curi B 9^ WISTORY OF A few years since the proprietors of the Before mentioned inns omitted to take out these wine licenses, and a suit was commenced against one of them for selling wine without having obtained a license for that purpose from the corporation, it was defended by the inn-keepers, who had taken the precaution to procure the usual government wine licenccs> notwrthstanding they wsre obligated to have the corporation wine licences as formerly, I and to defray the law expences amounting to about ^100. As to their enjoying the exclusive privi- lege of the sale of wine is erroneous, as wine is to j be had at every respectable inn in the town, and I herein the holders of these licences certainly have some reason to complain of injustice exercised to~ wards them, for as it appears these licences must J be granted, those who pay for them have a very I just claim upon the corporation to carry into effect ! that part of the grant, which tends to lender the licenses of worth to them. This school aho derives a considerable in- come from lands left for that purpose, now let on kase to Mr. Alderman Kinder, at au annual rent of about ^90. The master's salary is now increased but not t# near the amount of the receipt of the licenses. The school at present is generally consideied to be cf liiUe public service, the Yirgiii*>> Chapel is appro- VFKULAM AND ST. ALBAN»S. ttl yrialed for the school Toom, and a mo^ excellent lone it makes. There is a Library for its use, but there are hut few books belonging to it, and most of those are but of little wortli. Over the door of the school occur the following lines. SCHOLA S.ti AlBANI, Qute Divce ^Ih^imjampridem nomine dicta est^ Lit erulis celehr em fecit Elisa domum. Quid vefut ingenuas pietatijiingier artesf Hinc, illinCi verce est religionis honos^ Blue Coat School. At this school which has been established for a '<:enturj, thirty-five boys are frilly clothed, in- structed in the principles of the christian religion according to the rites of the Churcli of England, ^nd taught to read, write and cast accounts. It is supported entirely by voluntary contributions^ «nd the dividends upon savings therefrom arising purchased in the reduced three per cent annuities^ amounting at Uiis time to ^400. The Dissenting Charity Schools The above School was established by Dr. Sa- muel Clarke, who was minister of the presbjteriau congregation in this lown at the meetmg house in ftlt HISTORY or Dagnal Lane, now used by tbe cowgregation o( Unitarians, who are its supporters, it clothes and educates thirty boys and ten girls. The Independents* Sunday SchooL This institution clothes and educates twelve boys and eight girls, and educates others who do not receive clothing. The Methodists' Sunday SchooL Has been established about three years, during which time 127 children have received instruction at it, and about 50 are now in the school. Church Sunday SchooL The place appropriated to this use is the Grani- piar School in the Virgin's Chapel, it is very nu- merously attended, its principal support is derived from a few Ladies, who also give their constant personal assistance for instructing the children and promoting their welfare. This school was patro- nised by the late Dowager Countess Spencer, A Girls' School for educating and clothing twelve girls is supported by tbe munificience of the Vicountess Griraston, VEKULAM AND ST. ALBAN^S. 215 PUBLIC SOCIETIES, The St AlharVs Branch Bible Society was established 1812, as a Branch of the Hertford Auxiliary to the British and Foreign Bible Society for the circulation of Bibles and Testaments with- out note or comment, and those in the languages of the united Kingdom in the authorised version only; prior to the formation of the Branch Society at St. Alban's its merits were much agitated, and it had to encounter with some degree of opposition, but at length commenced under very distinguished patronage, and a considerable sum was cheerfully contributed to promote the views of tlie society, and annual subscriptions have since been continued to be made, but no annual report of its proceed- ings having been published the subscribers have not the gratification of knowing the extent of the good it produces, to which cause may probably |?e attributed the prevalent opinion, that it is ra- ther upon the decline : according to a resolution unanimously adopted at the first general meeting, a report was annually to be agreed upon ** and circulated among the members^'' and when eflfected it is hoped will evince that although the above re- 'tm^ HISTORY or solution bas not yet been complied with, those w1t« have enjoyed the happhiess of possessing the means of sowing the unadulterated Word of God, have neither been inactive or unsuccesful in this good work, time has now been sufficient to eicpect its delightful buds, and to anticipate the blossoming and the fruits of their pious labours. Herts. Union Society/. This society is supported by the dissenters in ge- neral, it commenced at St. Albans 1811, for the purpose of promoting Village Preaching, and es- tablishing Sunday Schools ; it has been very sue-- cessful in its undertaking ; an anmial meeting is Jield for auditing the accounts of the society, &c when sermons are preached for its benefit and the annual subscriptions to support and further the views of the society are made. Benefit Societies: so numerous and essential are the services Ibej Tender to individuals and the community, that they •deserve to be noticed with particular recommenda- tion ! the principle of paying a trifling monthly contribution to secure a permanent and comforta- rbfe assistance, is so obviously an easy means of j>r«- YERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. fti^ >iding an alleviation for the unforeseen calamities to which man in this state of vicissitude is hourly the subject of, that few on maturely considering the comforts they are calculated to afford would omit to enitle themselves to participate in them, whenever they might be required : a most excel- lent institution of this description is the ST. ALBAN'S BENEFIT AND ANNUITANT SOCIETY. this society has been established upwards of four years, its advantages besides the usual benefits during illnesses, and at the decease of members, is an annuity of £\5^. a year, payable half yearly to the widows of deceased members, as long as they remain unmarried. From the amount of the inte- rest of (heir present funded capital, and which is continually encreasing, added to their periodical contributions, they derive an annual income so con- siderable, that the members entertain no doubt of its answering their most saiiguine expectations. An annual meeting of the society is holden at the Blue Boar Inn, on St. Alban's Day, June 17th, to audit the accounts, on which occasion an excel- lent dinner is provided, and the invigorating glass circulates with the most loyal sentiments, and the conviviality and pleasure of the day is enciea^ed with numerous patriotic and national songs. There are also several other respectable benefit societies, although not affording so considerable fl6 HISTORY OF advantages are well calculated to be productive of essential seivice to their members. St. Alb art's Female Friendly/ Society. This society was instituted in 1802 by the late Countess Dowager Spencer, who continued pa- troness of it till her dei ease. Its funds are de- rived from the contribuiions of honorary, and the payments of benefited members, the overplus re- mainins: after the necessary expences are defrayed is funded in the names of trustees, which amounts to £3000. The assistance aflforded by this so- ciety to the benefited members are as follows : a weekly pavment in time of sicknes, assistance to lying-in women, a weekly payment from the age of sixty during life, and an allowance for funeral ex- pences ; the weekly payments to entitle members to these benefits are trifling, not exceeding four- pence, the management of the society is entrusted to the patroness and a committee of ladies chosen from the honorary members. Present patroness Countess Spencer. ver\;lam and ST. alban^s. fvr Remarkable Places^ Seats, ^c. in the Vicinity/. SOPWELL NUNNERY. These ruins occupy a considerable space of tground about half a mile south-eastward of St. Al- ban's; but the dilapidations have been so great, that neither the plan of the buildings, nor their appro- /priation can now be traced. This Nunnery was t)f the Benedictine Order, and was founded about 1140, by Geoffrey deGorhani, sixteenth Abbot ^f St, Alban's, on the site of an humble dwelling that had been constructed by trees, by two pious women, who lived here in seclusion and strict ab- stinence. The Abbot ordained that the number of Nuns should not exceed thirteen, and that none should be admitted into the sisterhood but maidens: he also granted them some lands; and their pos- sessions were afterwards increased by different grants from Henry de Albini, and others of his fa- mily; an estate in the parish of Ridge was iikewise given to them by Richard de Tany, or Todenai. At the period of the dissolution of this house, its aiuiual revenues were estimated according to Speed £ £ S18 HISTOfvY OF at 6Sl. 8s. Od. Tanner estimated them at 581. 8s. And Dugdak records them at only 40l. 7s. 10. In the year 1541, Henry the Eighth, granted the site and building of the Nunnery to Sir Rich- ard Lee, who had been bred to arms, and was the person who had previously obtained the grant of the lands lying contiguous to the Abbey Chiirch, according to Newconie, Sir Richard was indebted for Sopwell to the solicitations of his handsome wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Greenfield, and who was in no small favor with the king.' By Sir Richard the buildings were enlarged and altered for bis own residence; and the surrounding grounds were enclosed by a wall, and converted into a park. He died 1575, leaving two daughters; by Anne, the eldest of whom, married to Edward Sadleir, second son of Sir Ralp Sadleir, of Standon in this county, Sopwell passed into that family. About the time of the Restoration it again fell to an heiress, married to Thomas Saunders, Esq. of Beechwood, and was afterwards sold to Sir Bar- bottle Grimston, an ancestor of the present Lord Viscount Grimston, of Gorhamljury, who is now owner of a considerable part of Sopwell-Bury Manor. The ruins of SopweTl are mostly huge fragments of wall, composed of flint and brick ; the win- dows in what appear to have been the principal VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 1^9 apartments, are square and large, with stone frames; some of which have been ornamented. In the gar- dens which lie contiguous, over the door leading into the principal one, is a square tablet of stone, sculptured with tli€ figure of a dexter hand and arm, elevated, and holding a broken sword, above ivas an inscribed label but now unintelligible, the Crest granted to Sir Richard Lee was very similar. In an angle in the garden is a strongly-arched brick-building with various small recesses and niches, constructed within the walls. This Nun- nery is said to have obtained the name: of Sopwell from the circumstance of the two women who first established themselves here sopping their crusts in the water of a neighbouring well. One of the out- buildings is yet standing at a little dfstance, and is now used as a barn. Many of those who assumed the veil at Sopwell were ladies of distinguished rank, family and learning. It has been said that Henry the VIII. was privately married to Anne Boleyn in the Chapel here. ST. MARY DE PRE I At a short distance from the north-west side of ancient Veruiam, was a Hospital for Female Lepers called St. Alary de Pre ox de Ptatis, from its si- tuation. This was founded by Gaurine, twentieth Abbot of St. Alban*s^ about the lime of Richard 220 HISTORY OF the First, and^w^as enlarged as its inmates became more numerous, lliey were at first supported on allowances from the Abbey; but afterwards obtain- some possessions, though of inconsiderable value. In 1528, Cardinal Wolsey, who then held the Ab- bey of St. Alban in c ommen da m,oht2i\ned a Bull from Pope Clement the Eighth for suppressing this Hospital, and annexing its Lands to those of the Abbey; but heaftewards obtained a grant of them for his own use. After his attainder, Henry the Eighth granted the site to. Ralph Rowlat, Esq. of whose female descendants it was purchased by Sir Harbottle Grimston, Bart, and is now the property of Lord Viscount Grimston. Not any of the Build- ings remain; but the memory of the Hospital is preserved in the name of St, Mary de Pre Wood^ which occupies a considerable plot of ground ad- joining to Gorhambury, and of Pre Mill, upour the liver Ver. ST. JULIAN'S HOSPITAL. St. Julian's Hospital was for certain poor peo- ple, then called Lazars, which Abbot GeoftVey endowed with divers parcels of Tithe for their support, and procured a confirmation thereof from, Pope Gregory, in the second year of his pontificate. He procured also a charter of confirmation from VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 221 Henry I. and a grant of one penny a day out of liis treasury for the use of this Hospital. Abbot Roger confirmed the same with all its benefactions in the year 1287. The Abbot Michael in 1344, thought proper to revise and amend their statutes^ as if it were like to be a large body of Brethren; but by his own confession the house never had more than three at once, sometimes but two, and often one, yet he framed 3^ statutes for the go- vernment of this house: which statutes direct the number not to exceed six, who shall be elected a brother Leper, and their dress and diet; with others that concern the priests, their dress, duty and appearance ; for beside the leprous Brelhreia. there were five Priests always resident; one of which was a kind of superior, and called Recto Ca^ pellce Juliana. HOLYWELL HOUSE. Is situated at the bottom of Holywell Hill, on the north-east side of the Meuse River, and was the residence of the late Dowager Gountess Spencer^ who retired hither after the decease of the late Eart Spencer, in the Year 1783. Since the decease of its last resident, most of the valuable paintings^ books and other personal effects have been removed. And the estate is at present for sale. The Man» sion was principally erected by Sarah, Duchess of 22f HISTORY OF Marlborough, into whose family the estate has been conveyed by the marriage of a daughter and coheiress of Ralph Rowlat, Esq. who was Sheriff of Hertfordshire and Essex, in the thirty-third of Henry the Eighth. lu the pediment of the prin^ cipal front are various military trophies in allusion to the various victories achieved by the great Duke of Marlborough: the garden front opens to the lawn by a kind of cloister, which formed part of the old building that stood upon this spot. The Holj/'Well, from whence the estate has derived its name, is on the lawn adjacent to the garden front, and is still held in some estimation, for its purity, and salubrious qualities. GORHAMBURY. the delightful seat of Lord Viscount Grimston, has derived an adventitious, though brilliant lustre from its having been the residence of the great Lord Bacon, and others of his family. It obtained its present apellation from de Gorham, a re- lation of Geoffrey and Robert de Gorham, Abbots of St. Alban's, from whom he had received a grant and confirmation of certain lands. lying contigious to Weslwic, about the middle of the twelfth century. On this estate, which had previously formed part of the Abbey possessions^ he erected a mansion. l^ERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. n% ifihich being called GoRHAM-BuRY, conferred its own name on the whole estate. His descen- dants continued to enjoy it during several genera- tions, as appears from the circumstance of John de Gorham, and Lawrence de Broke, being required to supply one man towards the Scottish wars in the time of Edward the First, for the fee they held in Westwic and ShephalL At length, towards the end of the fourteenth century, Gor- nambury, was re-annexed to the Abbey by Abbot de la Mare, who purchased it for 800 marks: and it continued attached till the period of the Disso- lution. In the year 1541, Henry the Eighth granted it, together with other large estates, to Ralph Rowlat, Esq. who was afterwards knighted, and made Sheriff of the County in the first of Ed- ward the Sixth, and again in the first of Elizabeth. By Mary his eldest daughter and co-heiress, mar- ried to John Maynard, Esq. Gorhambury became the property of that gentleman ; and he about the year 1550, sold it to Nicholas Bacon, Esq. who was afterwards knighted, and made Lord Keeper of the Great Seal by Queen Elizabeth. Sir Nicholas erected a new mansion, at a short distance wes^tward from that which now forms the residence of Lord Grimston ; and here he was fre- quently visited by the Queen, who dated many of ; her state papers from Gorhambury. This House im HISTORY OF appears to have formed a quadrangle ; but the chief parts that are now stand insr, are the ruins of the Hall, which constituted the inner side of the court ; and a high octagonal tower, commanding some good views over the surrounding country-, though now too ruinous to be ascended. The walls are about three feet thick, and com- posed of flints and brick : the window frames are of Tottenhoe stone. The inside which is now -quite open, appears from the Aubrey Manuscripts^ to have been highly ornamented in the splendid style of the age. In the Hall, says Aubrey, " is a large storie, very well painted, of the Feast of the Gods, where Mars is caught in a net by Vulcan, On the wall over the chimney is painted an Oake, with akornes falling from it, with the words Nisi quid pofius ; and on the wall over the table, is painted Ceres teaching the soweing of corne, the words Moniia MelioraJ* The tower is of brick, plastered. About thirty yards from it, in a niche in a broken wall, is a full-length statue of Henry the Eighth, in gilt armour, but greatly defaced, and otherwise mutilated. This wall formed part of a noble piazza, or porticus, which, according to the manuscripts just quoted, was built by the Lord Chance 11 ir Bacon, and is described by Pennant as haviiig a r^nge of pillars of the Tuscan order ia front. ** Opposite to every arch of the portico," VERULAM AND ST. AL^AN*^. 225 continues Aubrey, " and as big as' the arch, ate drawen by an excellent hand, (but the mischief of it is, in water colours,) curious pictures, all emble- matical], with mottoes under each: for example, one I remember is a ship tossed in a storm, the motto Alter erifum Typhys. Over this portico is a stately Gallerie, whose glasse wind owes are all painted ; and every pane with severall figures of beast, bird or flower: perhaps his Lordship* might use them as topiques for locall use. The win- dowes looke into the garden: the side opposite t« tbem has no windows, but is hung all with pictures at length, as of King James, his Lordship, and se- veral illustrious persons of his time. Al the end you enter is uo window; but there is a very large* picture thus : in the middle, on a rock in the Sea, stands King James in armour, with his regall or- naments; on his right hand stands (but whether * This was not the only essay m building made by Lo>d Bacon : h« abo erected a mansion '* within the walls of anci- ent Yerulam, which" according to Aubrey, ** be Irad a great mind lo have made a citie again; and he had designed it to be built with great uniformity." — Verulam House ccntinues this writer, *' was the most ingeniously contrived pile that ever! sawk No question but his Lordship was the chiefest architect; tut he had for his assistant, a favorite of his, a St. Alban's man, Mr, Dobson, (father of Dobson the celebrated portrait; pain- ter,) wiio was his Lordskip's right hand." 586 HISTORY OF or no on a rock, I have forgot) Henry 4111 of France, in armour ; and on his left hand, the King of Spaine in like armour. These figures are, at least, as big as the life ; they are done only with urabre and shell gold ; all the heighteningand illu- minated part being burnisht gold, and the shadowed umbre. The rjoof of this Gallerie is semi-cylin- drique, and painted by the same hand, and same manner, with heads and busts of Greek and Ro- man Emperors and Heroes/' This mansion of the Bacons was i educed to its present ruinous state, when the present house of the Lords Grimston was built between the years 1778 and 17S5. Sir Nicholas Bacon was twice married : by his first wife, Jane, daughter of William Fearnly, Esq. of West Creting, in Suffolk, he had issue three sons and three daughters : by his second wife, Anne, one of the learned daughters of Sir Anthony Cooke, of Giddy Hall, Essex, he had two Sons, Anthony and Francis^ Anthony was an accomp- lished scholar; and at the age of twenty-one, he began to travel for further improvement, previously to which Sir Nicholas conveyed to him the manor of Gorhambury, and this estate continued in his pos- session till his death, when it descended to his bro- tlier Francis, afterwards Lord Verulam. The fate of the Earl of Essex, with whom Anthony had been intimately associnted, is supposed to have VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'3. 2!8r affected him very deeply, as his own decease occur* red within less than a year. Ihe splendid talents of the Lord Chancellor were insufficient to secure him from the charge of corruption in the distribution of justice; and in the spring of the year l621, he was accused by the House of Commons *'of many exorbitant of° fences of bribery/*. The charges being referred by the Lords to a select committee, and established to a certain extent, both by the examination of wit- Besses and by his own confession of ^neglect,' it was adjudged "that he shall undergo fine and ran- som of forty thousand pounds; that he shall be imprisoned in the Tower during the Ring's plea- sure; and that he shall for ever be incapable of any office or employment in the state or Commonwealth^ and that he shall never sit in Parliament, or come within the verge of the Court/* After this disgrace and fall, he applied himself, with increased ardour, to his pursuits irj^ natural philosophy, and history; to the former of which sciences he may be said to have fallen a victnm On his decease, in I626, Gor- haoibury became the property of Sir Thomas Meautys, Knt. who was related to him, and had been his private Secretary: he was also Clerk of the Priv^ Gounsil in the reigns of James the Firsts and Charles the First. His cousin, Sir Thomas Meautys, succetided to this estate; and he having «l HISTORY OF tearried Aiine, daughter of Sir Nathaniel Bacon,, of Culford Hall, Suffolk, half brother to the Lord Chancellor, conveyed it to. her for life, with re- Mainder to bis heirs. After hi* decease, his wi- dow married Sir Harbottle Grimston, Bart, se- cond son and successor to Sir Harbottle Grimston^ »f Bradfield, in Essex, who purchased the reversion of the manors of Gorhambury and Kini^sbury, of Herculns Meautys, nephew and heir-at-law to Sir Thomas Meautys. The Grimstons are descended from Sylvester, afterwards surnamed de Grimston, a valiant Nor- man, who accompanied the Conqueror to En^ •land, and bore his standard at the battle of Has- tings. In the following year, William appointed him his Chamberlain r and he did homage for. Grimston^ Hoxton, Tonsted, arui other lands, which he held of the Lord Roos, as of the Hon- our of Roos, in Holdernesse, Yorkshire,* from him the Grimstons of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Herts, are all dseended. It does not appear that this family was much eegaged in state affairs till the time of Henry the Seventh: hi the reign of Edward the sixth, Edward Grimston, Esq. was made Coinptroiler of Calais; and he was after- wards continued in that office by Queen Mary. On the taking of Calais by the duke of Guise, iu ♦ Lodge's Peerage of lrddnd> Vol. V. p. 183. VERXJL AM AND ST: ALBAN'S. f^f Ific year 1558, he was made prisoner, and eoofined m the Bastile, where the ministry of that day suf~ fered him to languish, lest he^houid return to En- gland, and make public the repeated renionstran-^ ces which he had addressed to them, on the ill- eoftditioned state of the garrison to withstand a siege. At letrgth after two years confinement, he^ escaped by stratagem to his native country, and was honorably accquilted of any misconduct con- nected with the loss of Galai?^. He was afterwards- fcnigbted by Queen Eiizabetb, and represented the borough of Ipswich in several Parliaftients. He lived ta the great age of ninety -eio-ht, and was jnicceeded by his eldest son, Edward, whose grand- son, the second Sir Harbottle Grimston, was the perfonwho purchased Gorli^imbury of the heir of Sir Thomas Meautys. This Sir Harbottle was created a Baronet in the tenth of James the First; he had been educated in the Inns of Court, and was famed for his know- ledge of the common law, a»d of the customs and usages of Parliament. He was twice married ; hi* first wife was Mary, a daughter of Sir George Croke, Knt. who was made a Justice of the Com- mon Pleas in l623, 4 ; and afterwards became so celebrated for his decision in the famous case of Ship-money. Sir Harbottle was himself one of the £rst to contest the pre^um^d legality i^i that mea- im HISTORY o? sure; and his father with equal patriotism, suffered a long imprisonment, because he would not sub- mit to the payment of the loan attempted to be enforced by the minions of the ill-fated Charles, *'In the beginning of tli«« long Parliament," says Burnet, *he was a great assertor of the laws, and inveighed severely against all that had been con- cerned in the former illegal oppression. His prin- ciple was, that allegiance and protection were niu^ tual obligations, and that the one went for tlie other: he thought that the Idw was the n^easure of both ; and that when a legal protection wUs denied to one that paid a legal allegiance, the subject had a right to defend himself/ He was afterwards one &{ the Commissioners appointed to treat with the King in the Isle of Wight, and prtssed the ac- ceptance of the King's concessions so strongly, that he was soon afterwards excluded the House by force^ with other members, by Cromwell; against whom he had previously brought a charge of saying, that * he was sure of the army ; but there was another body that had more need of purgmg, namely the House of Commons, and he thought the army only could do that/ Cromwell denied the charge with the most vehement protes- tations, and even tears; yet the lapse of a few days proved that Sir Uarbottle had advaoeed nothip* but the truth. YERUL^M AND ST. ALBAN'S. ?Sl . Tb€ unconstitutional measures pursued by those In power, aftervrards occasioned him to withdraw from public affairs. Hh personal liberty had, in- deed, suffered ; and^ to obtain his release, he was obliged to engage^ '^ not to act, or do any thing, to the lUsservice >f the Parliament or army.*' The death of Cromwell, and th€ imbecility of his suc- cessor, Richard, again left him at liberty to aid ia the distracted councils of his country. The plans then pursuing by Monk to lefFect the Restoration of Monarchy, appear to have received his concur- rence ; and after the re-admission of the excluded members into -the House of Commons, he was chosen Speaker.* In the November following (1660) he was made a Privy Counseller by Charles * Sir Harbottie had been representative for Colchester Ibl Essex; and whea the expelled raembeis were on the eve of being restored, the following letter was sent to him by the cor- poration of that town : Honorable Six; As we- cannot but with thankfulness acknowledge the mercy of God to the nation in general, so more particularly to this town, that after the many changes and alterations we have been tosstd in, thatnaw there is( as we have been cjredib]\r informed, and do believe) a free admission of the members of the 1< te Parliament, so long interrupted by force; we cannot but with much earnestness, in the behalf of ourselves, and the free burgesses of the town, make our humble request, that you will be pleased to return to that trust, to which you were so freely and unanimously elected in Uie yeai X640 ; which we fn HrerORY OF Hie Second, and appointed Master of the Rolisp Tvhich office he retained till bis death, in January, ]683, 4. Chauncy observes, that "he had a nim- ble f^ncy, a quick apprehension, a rare memory, an eloquent ton^e, and a sound judgment;" — and that ** he was a person of free access, sociable in company, sincere to his friend, hospitable in his houiie, charitable to the poor, and an excellent master to his servants.'' Clarendon and Burnet, the latter of whom lived under his protectioii, as preacher at the Rolls Chapel, for ten years, give him a similar exalted character. He died in his eighty-second year ; and was succeeded in his estates and title by Samuel, his only surviving son hy his first marriage. do the rather request out of the former experience, that not only this town, but the nation in gener-al, hath had of your faithfulness and ability, and the many miseries and calamities Ave have groaned under since y«ur absence: and as we formerly had the honor of sending so eminent and worthy a member, so we shall hope, by tiie blessing of God upo« your endeavours that not only ourselves, but the whole nation shall have cause t^ bless God for your return, and in due lime reap the benefit of your councils and labour in that gre-dt affliction. Sir, we ^iiall not funhi r trouble you at present, than to assure yon, w« «lare, as by many tormer favours bound to be, your faithful and i tttirable servants, Thomas Peeke, Mayor, John Shaw, Kecord-er, &c^ ■ VERULAM AND ST. ALBAN'S. 23^ Sir Samuel Grimston represented the Borough of St. Alban in six parliaments during the reigns of Charles the Second and William the Third : he vras a zealous promoter of the Revolution of i6S8; and his eonduet proved so obnoxious to James the Second, that he was excepted from the act of grace, or amnesty, prepared by that degraded So- vereign, when he had formed the design of land- mg in England in i692. This Gentleman made Gorhambury his principal residence ; and like his .fatlier, was twice married ; first to Elizabeth, eld- est daughter of Heneage Finch, Earl of Not ting* bam ; and secondly, to Anne, sixth and youngest daughter to John Tufton, second Earl of Th^net. By these ladies he had three children, who all dying before him, he bequeathed his estates, under certain limitations, to William Luckyn, Ei^q. grandson to Mary, his eldest sister, who had married Sir Capel Luckyn, Bart, of Messing Hall, Essex. On acceding to the property of his great uncle, this William assumed the name of Grimston; and having represented the Borough of St. Alban in four successive Parhaments, he was created a Peer of Ireland in April 1719; and in July fol^ lowing, he took his seat in Parliament. He died at the age of seventy-three, in October, 1756, and was succeeded by James, his second son, who dy« G G 2S4 HISTORY OF mg in December, 1773, was buried with bis father in St. Michaers Church. James Bucknall Grim- ston his eldest son and heir who succeeded to the family estates and titles, received the honor of a British Peerage in the year 1790. GoRHAMBURY House is a spacious stone edi- fice of the Corinthian Order, connected with two -wings, built with brick, and stuccoed. It was erected between the years 1778and 1785, from the designs,^and under the directions of Sir R. Taylor, by the present Lord Viscount Grimstoa's Father,, who died 1st Jan. 1809, and was buried in St. Mi- chael's Church: the title and estates descended to his only son, the present possessor, the Right Hon. Viscount James Walter Grimston, and Baron of Dunboyne in Ireland, Baron Forrester of Cors- torphine in Scotland, and Baron Verulam of Gor- hambury, and Baronet of the Kingdom of Great Britain^ High Steward of the Borough and Liber- ties of St. Aiban. The grand entrance is by a flight of steps leading beneath a handsome pediment, supported on well-proportioned columns ; the summit of the central part is finished by a ballustrade and cor- nice. The hall, with the library, and the other principal appartments, are large, and are decorated with a rich collection of portraits, chiefly of the age of Elizabeth, and lier immediate successors. VERULAM AND ST. ALBAISPS. 2S^ The gardens aud pleasure grounds have beea lately very tastefully improved, and the conserva- tory is enriched with two most elegant and beau- tifully painted windows. The Park and grounds at Gorhambnry include fri)out 600 acres, and are well stocked with fine timber ; particularly beech, oak, and elm. The surface is agreeably diversified ; and the scenery ijomposes some good landscapes; to which the contiguity of Pre Wood gives additional interest. The Park contains a considerabk quantity of fine deer. " HISTORY OF Amusements^ Walks, Sfc. &;c. St. Alban's lias no public place of entertainment whatever ; the manly gamfc of Cricket in the sum- mer season is pursued with great aviclity,and several clubs are formed for practising it, the most consi- derable one is composed of the noblemen and gen- tlemen of the town and neighbourhood, who have built a convenient place on the cricket ground, near St. MichaeKs Church, for the accommodation of taking refreshments, and where, during the season they occasionally dine together. In the winter season, the fox hounds and harriers afford the principal diversion of the neighbourhood ; a pack of hounds till very lately, was kept by subscription, in the vicinity of the town, but is now broken up; the hounds which now bunt hereabouts are those of Viscount Grimston, andjhe Marquis of Salisbury. During the winter season, assemblies are held at the Town Hall, for the nobility and gentry. St, Alban's has no artificial promenades or walks to boast of, but the neighbourhood exhi- bits much pleasing and interesting scenery. The walk to Verulam Hills by the Silk Mills, is a fa- vourite resort for the exercise and recreation of the inhabitants ; a very pleasant walk from whence VERULAlVl AND ST. ALBAN'S. g3r the totvn and abbey are viewed with considerable advantage, is the foot path from St. MichaeFs, to the road that leads to Gorhambury; a secluded and pleasant walk is from the bottom of Holy- well Hill, along the side of the River Ver, to the bottom of St. MichaeVs, another to the pleasant Village of St. Stephen's, and to the Ruins of Sop- well Nunnery, but the most frequented is the foot path of the New Road, leading to London. STAINED GLASS. Having in a former part of this publication in- serted an account of various pieces of stained or painted glass in the possession of persons at Sr. Alban s, the attention of the curious is requested to some information upon that subject which has since then come to my knowledge. I find there is an erroneous idea in the minds of most persons respecting that article, and that the pieces generally called stained glass, ought rather to be denominated painted glass ; of the ancient painted or stained glass there appears to be at least three varieties : — the first, and which appears to be the most ancient, consists of a light yellow stain in the glass, on which stain h drawn with dark co- loured paint, the out-lines and shades to form the figure; the yellow stain only forming the body : — ^m El STORY OF in other pieces enamelling, in various coloured vitri- fiable paints is laid on to form the figures in- serted therein : — other pieces are made up of glass originally made of one colour throughout at the glass manufactory, and the various figures are drawn thereon, in out-lines and shades of black or brown paint ; and enamelling is also occasion- ally introduced : it does not appear that any of the ancient specimens of what arc called stained glass are wholly made of colours stained in their proper forms and shades, on the Burface of the glass, but are composed of one or all the cha- racters mentioned above. The art of staining glass, as practised by the ancients, has been considered in modern times to be quite unknown to us, its revival has been the source of numerous experiments, and of great ex- pence for these last several years of Mr. Shephard of St. Alban's, in conjunction with a Mr. Wood of Berkhamstead, in this county, a Watchmaker, whose successful ingenuity has already received au h(;norable reward from the Society of Arts, in London, for producing the model of an engine for pointing needles, the use of which it is calculated saves annually the eyesight of numbers of those employed ia that occupation : — their efforts have been very successful, and probably the only real ^ great,but when effected is well calculated for making seals and ornaments. A few specimens may be seen as above. APPENDIX, AFPEMBIX. From 4he subjoined Statutes, the Reader will learn the Qualiji cations necessary to have tonstituted a Candidate for the monastic Life; and also the Rules by which his future Conduct was to fe -re2:ulat€d. No. I. STATUTES ON REFORMING THE MONKS OF THfi BLACK ORDER, 3Y GRECOBY IX. THEtf PONTIFF, IN TIJE YEAR 1238, AND TO BE OBSERVED BY THE SA4D MONKS, That no one be admitted a monk till he is twenty years of age. That, on hearing the bell, they shall repair, without delay, into the abbey, leaving and setting a.'side any business then in hand ; that, in the several monasteries, there shall be a general confession every month ; that, on the first Sunday of the month, they shall communi- >cate in the body and blood of Christ : and, if any a APPENDIX. oue sliall think proper to abstain, that he do sig:- nify the cause to the abbot, and approach or abstain as he shall direct. That the rigid disci- pline of the order be observed, and silence kept in the church, in the hall, in the cloister, aud in the dorrtiitory ; any transgression to be punished according to the rules. That all candidates be often instructed in the three chief vows — of obe- dience, of continence, aud of poverty : and that, if they are not willing to comply, they may leave at the end of the year; or, if they conform, that they be admitted and receive the benediction, — That the office of prior, or dean, or other ruler, be conferred gratis, without gift or com- pact ; if any one shall accept, on such terms, or at the recommendation of any layman, let him be deemed simoniacal. That no prior be set aside without a just cause, as being a dilapidator of the houses, or disobedient, or rebellious. That no monk be possessed of more offices or priories than one, nor be a monk in more abbeys than one. That no mouk should dwell in any priory or in Jiny grange alone, but another should be joined with him ; and, if there is not maintenence for tv,io, then let the first be recalled to the cloister. That no abbot, when he giveth a charge or super- intendence, or the receipt of any rents, to any monk, do make a bargain with him, or take sure- lies of him. That when any prior, officer, or 'laonk, having temporal charge, or when any bailiff he sick, and through infirsiiily prevented, thai such an one do make up his accounts, and give a clear confession of all matters under his Va re, and resign the same to the abhot. With regard tO' I he diet and clothing, we direct and enjoin thai all the monks be clothed in one sort of cloth, or garment ; and all the private eating in the chambers be utterly forbidden. But let therii be regularly dieted in the same refectory, with tfafe same food cooked for all, with the same sort of bread, and the same drink ; unless they are con^ fined in the infirmary, or dine at the abbot's table. And that the hour of refreshment, accord- ing to the strict rule, be at twelve o'clock during winter; at other times let the rule be observed a$ therein directed, and with such moderate diet as^ is prescribed ; and let no one cause delicacies t6 be prepared for him, or accept of any thing that is presented ; and, if any present of that sort is made, let it be carried to the superior, who will provide that it be used by such, as having a weak stomach, cannot eat the common fare,^ In the infirmary, or the refectory, let tliere be used no cup of gold or silver, or with a foot or a rim of gold or silver; nor let any monk be poj^sessed of 4i belt or a knif* that hath the leayt onmment af APPENDIX. gold or silver. In the infirmary let no person eat flesh-meat, unless it be a monk or convert who shall be sick, or some person who for bodily weak* iiess shall have been sent to the infirmary ; and let no monk, wliether in the house or out and abroad, eat any flesh, but according to the rulc> viz. in sickness. Such refreshments of a fle>h diet, as have been accustomed to be used in some monasteries, we do utterly forbid ; and nuich more any pudding, sausage, or composition, mad« of stale meat. And if any abbot oi monk on a journey shall be compelled, through necessity, to cat flesh, let him turn aside to some religious bouse, if near; otherwise let him take such con- fcultalion for his infirmity, that he give no offence to any other person. But if any one shall presume to eat flesh contrary to the above, for the first and second offence let him be subject to the slated discipline; if he offend a third time, let him, on the fourth and sixth following holy days fast on hrebd and water. If an abbot himself shall ofl'end, in this case, let him, on the second, fourth, and sixth holy days, be content with bread and water ; r^\6, if he persist in his practice, and refuseth the monitions of his diocesan or visitors, let him be deprived. Let the sick and infirm brethren be provided with what is suitable, according to the rule ; and, if ihc master of the infirmary be found APPENDIX. flfJicient in his care, let him be reproved by his abbot or prior ; and an abi)ot or prior, when the visitors shall come, let him receive, for his offencci. condign punishment. We farther direct, that irho.es, and proper clothing, be provided, and that iiamoney be allowed the monks instead thereof. Let the monks appear in their common and reli* gious habits, and carry themselves in a handsome manner in the cloister, and when they go abroad ; nor let them return without their cowl and regular habit* Let them not have any great coat ar upper garment, coloured ; nor let any monk presume to ride with a saddle of less cost than is allowed { nor more adorned with a stiperfiuous ornameht of nails. Let them have no spurs, either gilded or silvered: nor the least ornament of iron on the .bridles J nor let them use gloves with fingers dis- tinct, nor boots of a peaked form, or sharp- poinled at the toe. Let no one use any coat of burnet, or of wild skins, or any linen shirt, or other covering of b'nen ; but let them sleep in their clotliei, and girded, as the rnle directs, and have ^^o rents in their clothes. I^t no prior or superior of the cloister, or any monk, apjjropriate to himself any chamber, or horse, or domestic, or furniture for a hcrrse, or make any contention for the use of the same ; but, if it be necessary that he go abroad. APPENDIX. Jet liim be provided by his superior. We da enjoin that all abbots and priors, when they lend or change the secwrity, or borrow, they do in the presence of the majority present, si^^nify the sum, who are the crediti^rs, and when the money is due and payable ; and that the state of the bouses may be the better known, we ordain that every three months, in tlie presence of the abbot or prior, their officials do exhibit an account of all their receipts and payments with exactness and fidelity. The abbots and priors, twice in a year, viz. on the hrst 'of October, and first of Aprils having collected all the rents, shall lay before the senior monks, or the visitors, a full account of the state of the house. But, if any abbot or prior shall, with intention of fraud, suppress any great debts, let him be removtd from his employ .^ But, if the abbot or j^rior shall contract a debt, the monastery shall not be bound, only so far as it shall be proved to have been ujscful or beneficial to the monastery. Let no abbot or prior dare to give to secular persons any priory, or grange, or pension, or a monk's allowance. Let no one seii, or exchange, or alienate any pension, nor give it, except in the manner directed by the rule; but let him know that all alienatiou is utterly forbidden. Let monks that acquire property be excommunicated by APPENDIX, their abbots ; and if, at their death, they b€ found to have property, let them be deprived of church burial, or be interred as one of the vulgar. Let no one, except for the purposes of an office com- luitted to his trtist, be possessed of a chest, or box, with a key, without permission ; and, as often as the abbot shall require, let the key be given up to him ; and, if he keeps one without permission, let him be deemed a person having property ; and sentence of exconmiunication shall fee proclaimed once a year in the chapter-house against proprietors. The abbot, who knowingly shall consent to any monks having property, shall be suspended for a time ; and what is understood ^o be property by the rule of St. Benedict, is, whatever any one receives in his own name, or that of the monastery, that is uol lent, nor let to hire, nor deposited in trust. We also farther enjoin, that no abbot do grant to any kinsman, whether in want or not, any of the immovables of the church ; nor |>resent him with the movables. Whenever any oiiice is sung, let certain persons be charged with the care of the cloister, the refec- tory, the dormitory, and the choir; and let no woman enter any of the said places, nor the choir, while singing is ])erforming, unless by chance it may happen that some women are passing through the cloister or tiie choir at the time of a dedication APPENDIX. ^r grant icack to any church, or on the priacipul festival of ihe church, or at the funeral obsequies •f some deceased person, except women of high rank, and who patronize the abbey, and to them leave shall be o ^ a> a a a o c:> cr-c n ft) n gas-? g->g s _. re 5 I. p P-. o -a -^ c ^3 3 a O =r o - CJQ 2 M s F < u X S 2^ II' cr o cr = ^ ;; «. "^ w> c fo & ^ ^ ZI* «. ^ 5 oi'-^ I— I a. : < ^ - • o » ^ ft) ! c:' en D^ 5^ fC ^ ft ^. CO 3 =3 \^ ^ _J. OS fO Cfi P^ "^ ** ft) <^. E^ ?- S X ^ X ^ X ir^ 05 1-J'. Of CD cr . *• CD »*• cr ^ra .SB ^ era ^ ^o rH * CO ft a CO '■A 6 o ^ 2.^ S o- ft --• S - o CB P '. ? X l-H <1 o fl) ^5. ft) o •-^ q1 p 1^ P rt- f» CD p^ 2.cr CT> CD O O o X Oflfa, King of the Mercians, built on the other side of the little river which washed the walls of it, a goodly Monestry in honour of St. Alban. It became a great town. King James the First revived the memory of this place, when lie made Sir Francis Bacon, then Lord Chancellor of England, Lord Verulam, in 1620, who dyed wilh- •ut issue, the title fail?. APPENDIX.— No. r. LIST OF MAYORS, SINCE THE FIRST INCORPORATION OF ST. ALBANS, IW THS YEAR 1553, UP TO TIE PRESENT PERIOD. An. J553. I ^^^'^ Lockey y »'ohn Johnsori 54 Henrj Gape 55 Thomas Manningham 56 Richard Sharpe 57 John Sibley 38 Randolph Done 59 Gilbert Comport 1560 William Hudson 61 Robert Woolley 62 Richard Grubb 63 Richard Scale 64 John Gape 65 Thomas Johnsoa €6 John Lockey 67 John Lawrence 68 William West 69 John Sibly 1570 VVilliara Hudson 71 Robert Woolley 72 John Gape 73 WilhamRaJfe 74 John Grace 75 John Laurence 76 William West 77 John Clark In. J Robert W^oolley 79 John Gape 1580 John Goodridge 81 John Arnold 82 Thomas Woollej 83 Francis Babb 84 William Warren 85 James Carter 86 William Rolfe 87 Robert Gostwick 88 Robert Shrimpton 89 Richard Leckey 1590 Thomas Rock it 91 William Fisher 92 John Clark 93 Francis Babb 94 Ralph Gape 95 John Mosely 96 R; bert Shrimptoi^ 97 John Saunders 98 Thomas Woolley 99 Thomas Rockit 1600 William Antrobu* 1 Robert Woolley g John Oxton APPENDIX* 1603 John Mosely 4 William Spencer 5 Robert Shrimptoii 6 Francis Babb 7 Richard Gilmer 8 Robert Wool ley 9 John Clerk, jun. 161'i) John Saunders 11 Robert Skelton 12 Robert Gilmer 13 Thomas Goodridge 14 John Oxton 15 'f homas Rockit 16 Thomas Wells 17 Michael Dixon 13 Richard VVilmot 19 Jahn Clerk 16:20 John Saunders 21 Robert Skelton 22 Thomas Woodridge 23 John Oxton 24 vVilliam Humphrey 25 Thomas Rockit 26 Ralph Pollard 27 Ralph Pemberton 28 Thomas Cowley 29 Richard Rubh 1630 Michael Dixon 31 William Newe 32 Robert Ivorj^ 33 Edward Eatnes 34 Thomas Oxton 35 Gawen Crosfield 36 VVillidra Huiiiphrey 37 Ralph Pollard 36 Ralph Pembert^a An, 1639 Thomas Cowlej^ 1640 Richard Ruth 41 William Newe 42 Robert Ivory 43 Edward Eames 44 1 hemas Oxton 45 Gawen Crosfield 46 William Humphrej 47 R^ph Pollard 48 John Simpson ~ 49 William xMewe lt-50 Thomas Cowley 51 William Marstoii 52 Ralph Glad man 53 Robert Ivory 54 Edward Eames 5^ Gawen Crosfield 56 Thomas Oxton 57 Williayi Humphrey 58 John Gape 59 John Newe 1660 Thomas Cowley, jun> 61 Thomas Cowley, sen, 62 VVilliam Marsion 63 Robert Newe 64 Robert Ivory 65 Ralpli Pollard 66 \Villiam Ranee 67 Thomas Oxtoii 68 John Gape 69 William Oxton 1670 John Newe 71 William Rugg 72 Thomas Cowley, jun. 73 I'horaas Hayward 74 William Marston, se«u APPENDIX. 1675 John Dogget 76 Ralph Pollard 77 ThoraasEccleston 78 William Marbton 79 John Gape 1680 John N€we, jun. 81 Stephen Adams 82 John Newe, sen. 83 Thomas Crosfield £4 John Selioke 85 Henry Guy, 86 Sir F. Leigh, knight. 87 Edward Seabrooke 88 Thomas Cowley 89 Thomas Haywood 1690 Edward Horsell 91 Henry Dobyns 92 Samuel Loft 93 John Tisdel 94 William Marston 95 John Newe 96 Richard Sparling 97 Stephen Adams 98 John Sparliug 99 Thomas Crosfield 1700 John Selioke 1 Edward Seabrooke 2 Henry Dobyns 3 Samuel Loft 4 William Stone 5 William Marston 6 George Cooke 7 Francis Hafford 8 Joseph Marshal 9 Matthew Hubbard t710 Charles Turaer An, 1711 Charles Loft 12 Francis Carter 13 William Neale 14 James Agutter 15 Thomas Ramrige 16 Thomas Sparling 17 Tlioinas Robins 18 Thomas Peake 19 William Stone 1720 John Midwinter 21 W'illiam Carr 22 William Neale 23 John Marshal S4 Francis Carter 25 RichardCarter 2Q James Agutter 27 Charles Cole 28 Thomas Robins 29 Edward Seabrook 1730 Thomas Humphrey*. ^ ^ William Stone ""^ l William NichoU j William Carr > Francis Carter 35 Thomas Beech 34 William NichoU So John Neale 36 Henry Graven 37 William Nicholi 33 Daniel Bayliff 39 Thomas James 1740 W^illiara Peirson 41 W^illiam Young 42 Joseph Handley 43 Daniel Tombes 4i W^illiara Kentish J2 APPENDIX. 1745 William Kentish 46 Joseph Gape 47 John Galbraith 48 William Firth *49 Robert Baskerfield 1750 Francis Nicholi 51 Joseph Stephens 52 Fdward Langford 53 Joseph Arris Borradal 54 George Pembroke 55 Alexander Stirling 56 Henry Gregory 57 Daniel Tombes 58^ William Young S William Firth 59 Joseph Handley 1760 Thomas J^hield 61 Joseph Gape 62 Robert Baskerfield 63 Francis Nicholi 64 Matthew Ireraotiger 65 The Rt.Hon. John, Earl Spencer 66 Thomas Kinder 67 Thomas Parker 68 John Osbora 69 John Walt hoe 1770 John E-ichardson 71 John Tiangford 72 Thomas Kuider, Jan. 73 William Kentish 74 George Clark 75 John Cowper 76 George Pembroke 77 William Kinder T8 Joseph Handley An, 1779 Lord Viscount Alttiorf 1780 Joseph Vunderraeulea 81 Daniel Partridge 82 Ralph Baly 83 John Osborn 84 Francis Kingston 85 Thomas Kinder 86 John Cowper 87 John Kentish 88 William Kinder 89 John Harrison 1790 Geo. John, Earl Spen^r 91 John Langfcid 92 Francis Kingston 93 Joseph Vandermeulei 94 John Kentish 95 Thomas Baker 96 John Hiirnson 97 Joseph Gape 98 John Osborn 99 Thomas Baker 1800 Richard Brabant 1 F. C. Searancke 2 Richard Brabant 3 Thomas Baskerfield 4 Lord Viscount Althorp 5 Thomas Kinder 6 J. S. Story 7 Lord Viscount GrimstoE 8 F. C. Searancke 9 Rev. J. C. Gape 1810 James Wallis 11 William Brown 12 William Trelss 13 Richard West 14 F. G. Searancke, juE. APPENDIX.-No. Vr, PRESENT CORPORATION. MAYOR. Francis Searancke, Esg, ALDERMEN. John Harrison, Esq^... Thomas Baker, M. D... F. C. Searancke, Esq... Thomas Kinder, ........ J. S. Story, ••.... Rev. J. C. Gape. ...... High Steward, — Lord Viscount Grimston. Recorder, — George Wattlingtou, Esq. Coroner, Town Clerks Sc Chamberlain, — J. Boys, Esq. William Brown, Esq. Richard West, Richard Webster, , . , J. N. Bacon, ....... F. C. Gape.. D. G. Adey ASSISTANTS. Mr. R. Mason, Sen. . .George Pitkin. . .John Bradshaw . .Thomas Kent . . .Robert Russel. • .David Hirst . . • .John Howse .. • .John R. Hay ward . .William Moreton . .Matthew Nevvson . .Samuel Deayton. Mr Augustine Brooks .Thomas Wilkins .Thomas Manseli .S. G. Shaw . Samuel Aviss . , •Benjamin Agutter .Henry Martin.. .William Osborn •W. T. Osborn.. .William Webb . .John Mason. .. Serjeants at Mace, — J. Deayton, & John Deayton, REf RESENT ATIVES IN PARLIAMENT, Joseph Hajsey, Esq. Christopher Smith, Esq* APPENDIX. No. VtL i List of Villages, Nohlemens' Seats, Farms, Sfc. in the Deliver]/ of the St. Albans Post Office. Ash Farra Annahles Airey End ApsPoiid Bisueys l-^iack Green Beaumonts Beech Hide Bower Heath Beech I'ree Beaumont Hall Beason End Baiford Mills Bowling Allev Bernard Heath Courses Cell Barns Cunningham Hill Colney Healh C'olenian Green i'heapside Cotton Mills Chissels Colney Chapel f'uckmans Col ft €11 Street Copt Hall Chi Id wick Farm Child wick Green Childwick Bury Cause well Dow Green X'rogmore >^air folds Gustard Wood Great Cuts Gnrhambnry Grange Farm Ho rut' s liarpcnAen Holywell Honse Hedijes HillEnd Harpenden Hoo Harden Bury Hammond 'sEnd Ilamwe!! Hill Kingsbury Kin^sburn Green LondGn Colney Eod«:e Cottage Lamer Mile House Moor Mill Mepdell Butlers PvJution End Mackery End Abashes No Man's Land New House New Parkhury New Banis Newgate Farm Old Farkbury Oyster Hills Pickford Mill Free Wood Flouse Free Fana Free Mill Park' Street Pondyards Potters Croueh Bedhoxirn Kevtrl End Red bourn Church End Bxitbamstcad Bed bourn Mill Bedbourn Bury Searches Smallford Sleep Side Seiuuiriil^e Saundridge Lodge Saundridae Bury Sopwell Mill St. Stepaeii'i St. Julian's Slovvmans Smug Oak South End Scout Farm Shalford Mill Top Street 'J he Grove The Holt The Noke Tittenhangcr Par^ Ditto Green Three Houses Tower Hill lilieathamsftad, VVestwick Hail West FieKis VVindridgc W^inches N. /?. Letters for any of the above Places put in to the St, Albaits Letter-box are regularly deli^ vered ivith the General Post Letters^ ~ .APPENDIX, No. VIIL St. Al ban's Post-Office* Upon this office much public service devolvefp ind at the most unseasonable hours ; at nine o'clock at night the St. Alban's down mail is made up, at ten the one for London ; at about a quarter past te-o the cross mail from Rickmerswortfe and Watford is received ; and at half-past ten the bags from Winslow, Aylesbury, Tring, Berkhani- :stead, and Hemel Hempstead, arc received by ano- iher cross mail from those towns i the bags by the cross mails are then opened and the letters irame- diately sorted into those destined for Ireland, Scot- land, and parts of the north, officially called the down mail; which are dispatched at eleven o'clock the same night by the London mail, which passes through St. x\lban*s at that time, and leaves the bag for this town, and also the London bags, for the towns above-mentioned, for the cross mails to con- vey them to in the morning, immediately after the arrival of the up mails which bring the bags of let- ters from the north, and which are immediately opened and put into the country bags for the cross mails: so that those towns and St. Albans have daily correspondence with the north, without the letters going through London; the cross mails are dispatched at half-past three o'clock in the momiDg, APPENDIX. but some times and particularly in the winter sea- son, the up mails are so variable in their time, that the greater part of the night is occupied in at- tending upon their arrival. At seven o'clock in the morning the letter carrier to the sub-deputies at Redbonrn and Harpenden, and the out-postman is dispatched, and at eight o'clock the office delivery commences for the town. Post-Office Hours, and RuleSp (1 Upon delivery of letters or papers in the town, to the postman, • • • | Out-town letters according to the distance* Down Box closes at nine o'clock; and on Sundays at eight. Any letter for the north or down mail, after time, must be delivered into the office, and to secure its going the same night, a payment of 1 The Box for London, the Cross Mails, and parts through London, closes at ten o clock at night: Letters by being delivered into the office before 20 minutes past that hour will go the same night on paying, 1 And from that time till | before eleven 3 APPENDIX. On very particular occasions the London Bag is opened the same night it is received, — the person requiring this accommodation paying a gratuity of ...••«•# 6 All Letters or Papers required to be delivered before the office hour of delivery, 8 o'clock, each letter or paper , 1 Parcels left at the Office for the postmen to carry, or for persons to call for, when left a compensation for the care of them, each . . 2 London Mail J o St. Albans every day, except Mon- day, and FROM St, Albans every day, except Satur^ day. The down and cross Mails every Day. NEWS READING ROOM. No. IX. This institution is supported by subscription. Here the news papers are read the same day they are published ; the morning papers are conveyed to the room by about eleven o'clock in the morning; the room is opened from eight o'clock in the morn- ing, till ten at night, and provided in the winter season with a comfortable fire, &c. Gentlemen travelling through the town, may gain admission through the introduction of a subscriber, and on application to the proprietor, by a trifling gratuity. No. X. Population of St. Albans, 39S7- APPENDIX. No. XL BANKS. Few Country Banks possess the confidence of Ihe public in a greater degree than those of St. A 1 ban's, and non« merit it more, FIRM. LONDON BANKERS. John Bovs. . , .Sir J. Perrin^, Shaw, Barber & Co, (jape & Adey Mess. Ramsbottom & Coc Public Offices. Sub-distributor of Stamps, , . • .Mr. R. Mason. yost-Mast€r, . — S. G. Shaw. Excise-Oifice — George Ina« ./Agents. Gounty-Fire Office Agent, , . • — R. Russel. Provident Itistitution for Life- insurance, — Ditto Ph(enix Fire Office, — W. Hale. British, — R. Mason. Sun, — I. Emery. ! Norwich Unio!!, ............ — H. I^IartiOo No. XIL COACHES. Besides the numerous mails, common stage coaches, carravans and vyag-gons, passing through APPENDIX. St. Aroans : the followiag go from the town: Wooljjack Coach. A daily cosrh at eight o'clock in the mornin- fron, ,ht Woolpck. lo (he Rose In.,, Smilhfiel.T Lonrion, re.ur.is at h.if-past two in the winter' aiid three in tixe sunimer, except Sunday. George Coach. A daily coach at half past seven o'clock in the "iorn,ng, from the George Inn, to (lie Ran, Inn, SmifhfieW, returns at two in the winter, and' half-past two in the summer, except Sunday. Town Waggon. Stage Waggon from the Cl,equers Inn, to th« Three Cups. Aldersga.e Street. London, ever,; Monday a„d Thursday, at two i„ the mornin/ returns m the summer season, every Monday and Thursday at six in .he evening, and in !he winter t^ery Tuesday and Friday, at feur in the uiorning. No, xiir. PRINCIPAL INNS. White Hart.— Mr. J. R. Hayward. ■^ngeI,—Uvs. Butler. Jor families, and posting: each of which for the information of travellers keep printed lists of the i'ostiug Iiins, distances, &c. to the North. APPENDIX. Wool-Peek, — Mrs. Smith, for commercial travel- lers, families and posting. Peahen,-- Mrs. Marks, for coinmercial travellers, most of the coaches call here, and waggons. Slue BoaVy — Mr. Wild bore, celebrated for home brewed ale. Great Red Lion, — Mrs. Calvert, accommodation for waggons, mails call here, George,— 'Mr, Moreton, commercial travellers, excellent home-brewed ale, waggons stop here. Crown, — Mr. Ward, general resort of sportsmen particularly during the hunting season, home- brewed ale. Fleur de lis, — Messrs. Groom and Saunders, let. saddle horses, single-horse chaises, &c. White Horse, — Mr Gosling, same as above. The Chequers, — Mr, Hodgson. Bell,— My, Foster, Ki?igs Htad,— Mr. Brooks. Swan, — Mr. Marsh, for Hawkers. &c. I. ADDEN15A, JFroni the Antiquarian Repertory^ VoL 3. Pa. 60. Jirst edit. From a host Paper in Mr. A^hmoJes Hand- Writing, '26lh August, l66S, in the Library of the late Thomas Astk, Esq* Mr. Robert Shrimpton, Grandfather, by the mo- ther's side to Mrs. Simpson of^St. Alban's was four times mayor of that town. He died about 60 years since, being then about 103 years of age. He lived when the Abbey of St. Alban's flourished, before the dissolution, and remembered most things re- lating to the buildin«[S of the Abbey, the Regimen of the House, the Ceremonies of the Church, and grand processions; of all which he would often dis* course in his lifetime. Among other things, that in the great Hall, there was an Ascent of fifteen steps to the Abbot's Table, to which the Monks brought up the service in plate and staying at every fifth Step, which was a Landing place, on every of which they sung a short Hymn. The Ab- bot usually sat alone in the middle of the Table, and when any Nobleman, or Embassador, or Stranger of eminent Qiiality came thither, they sat at his Table toward the ends thereof. After the Monks had waited awhile on theAbbot,theysatdownattwo other Tables placed on the sides of the Hall, and had their Services brought in by the Novices, who ivhen the Monks had dined, sat down to their own dinner. This Mr. Shrimpton remembered that when the Nev^s came to St. Alban's of Queen ABDENDA, Mary's Death, the late Abbot for Grief took to his Chamber, and dyed in a Fortnight. He also remembered the hollow Image erected near St, Alban's Shrine, wherein. One being placed to govern the Wires, the Eyes would move anc Head nod according as he liked or disliked the Of fering, and being young, he had many Times crep'; into the hollow part thereof. In the grand Pro cessions through the Town, where the Image o= St. Alban was carried, it was usually borne by two Monks, and after it had been set down awhile a= the Market Cross, and the Monks essaying to taliv it up again, they pretended they could not stir it. and then the Abbot coming and laying his Crosier upon the Image, and saying these Words, **Aris< arise, St. Alban, and get thee home to thy Sane nary," it then forthwith yielded to be borne b the Monks. In the Abbey there was a large Roon ; . having Beds set on either side for the receipt t Strangers and Pilgrims, where they had Lodgiur and Diet for three Days, without Question mad;, whence they came, or whither they went; but aftt • that time they stayed not wilhoiit rendering an ac count of both. Shaw, rriutcr, St. Alban'% m