at Winborne; as he built two or three monasteries afterwards, we may say between 880 and 890*. This date subtracts somewhat from the supposed antiquity of Winborneminster, but adds much more splendour to it by the illustrious name of such a founder as Alfred. This King, the glory of his age and country, civilized England from barbarism and devastation in the short space of thirty years. In five hundred years the legislators of Ireland have not performed this task of reformation on their savage countrymen! He was, indeed, a specimen of the utility of learning and the arts; nor could the beauty and finishing of the architecture of Winborne-minster be safely referred to so early a date, unless such a genius as Alfred's be supposed to have exerted itself there on a favourite task†. With good opportunity of research, the ecclesiastical history of Winborne might probably be elucidated. I have met with little to the purpose. After the destruction of the nunnery, Alfred doubtless established some religious foundation to pray for his brother's soul. A chantry was established at Winborne by one of the Edwards‡, consisting of a dean, four prebendaries, three vicars, four deacons, five singing men, six boys, and an organist. In Henry the Eighth's time, the valuation of the house was 1311. 14s. per annum. As this chantry had been modified and augmented by Henry's grandmother (the munificent Margaret Beaufort,) that rapacious tyrant seems to have abstained from pillaging it with the other religious houses. But in the minority of Edward VI. it was granted to Edward Lord Clinton, though with certain reservations, which still retain some appearance of choral service. An inspection of the present building furnishes the following remarks. The architecture is very beautiful, in the most ornamental manner of the Saxons; the interior especially denotes careful execution. Tradition asserts, that once a lofty spire stood on the middle tower, but that it was blown down in the year 1622§. It is, however, very He also probably fortified Winborne; or Ethelwold, in 901, would not have chosen it as a place of defence against Alfred's son, Edward the Elder. + Christchurch was built long after by a favourite of William Rufus, one Flambard, a great villain, about the year 1100. The architecture remarkably rude and course; an exact contrast to Winborne. As nine Edwards have reigned in England, this information is very vague; it only ascertains it to be a royal foundation. Tanner's Notitia Monastica. They say it was higher than Salisbury spire: a falsehood which betrays itself by asserting such evident disproportion; and is, besides, refuted by improbable that it ever fell, because, in that case, the battlements and pinnacles of the tower could not have escaped uninjured*: they are too perfect for any modern repair. The spire was probably taken down lest it should fall; and the materials are said to have been employed in building the Western tower. No edifice was ever so much disfigured as this ancient church is by this abominable tower, in height and size a copy of the middle tower; but here the similitude terminates, and its structure stands a singular instance of obstinate bad taste, which could so build with such a model before its eyes. If the ruins of the spire had been laid in a more humble situation under-foot, it might have accommodated the inhabitants with a pavement. I have heard, that in an after-period the last remains of Vindocladia were appropriated to this purpose. If such a violation of antiquity were ever pardonable, the dirty state of Winborne would form a good plea of necessity, if the quarries of Purbeck were not within a reasonable distance. The church is remarkable for an irregular mixture of iron-stone in its external structure. One must believe that, when the stones were first placed, this rusty appearance was latent; exposure to the weather, perhaps, first discovered the blemish. The North side of the church is the most ancient. The North transept and porch are coeval with the middle tower. Over that porch apparently hung the bells before the West tower was made. The bells were given by the parish, and placed in the East tower. The Register begins 1635. Within the church the eye is gratified with decent whitewash and regular pews; though the information about the churchwardens who presided at that improvement had been more fitly preserved in the parish register than written over the centre arch of the church. Such pitiful ostentation violates the general aspect of antiquity. The organ appears modern, and in size well adapted to the church. Its West front has much finery, and that towards the choir was never surpassed in tawdry decoration by a gingerbread watch. It has a disgusting effect. In the choir is the famous monument of Ethelred. It has been often renewed since the time of Alfred; and the the palpable incompetence of the arch over the organ to support such a mass of stone, Part of the battlements fell into the church. C. W. Another proof that Badbury was really a town; a camp produces no pavements. present inscription appears quite modern. It is erroneous in calling the king Etheldred for Ethelred*, and has Dacorum for Danorum. This would be unintelligible but for the old copies which are extant in Camden and other antiquaries. Opposite is an altar-tomb supporting two supine figures: John de Beaufort, (in 1443) created Duke of Somerset; he died in the next year. His wife, Margaret Beauchamp, of Bletso, lies by him. This John de Beaufort was grandson of "old John of Gaunt, time-honoured Lancaster," through his mistress, Catharine Swinford, governess of his legitimate daughters. However, an act of parliament wiped off the stain, and the grandson of this Duke of Somerset, Henry VII. ascended the throne of England as representative of the Lancastrian family. The piety of Margaret, mother of Henry VII. built this monument over her parents, founded a free-schoolt, and gave stability to the chantry by her posthumous patronage. In another tomb‡ lies Gertrude, Marchioness of Exeter, mother of the last Courtney, Earl of Devonshire. He died at Padua in the time of Elizabeth. The Marquis of Exeter (also Earl of Devonshire,) husband of the lady here interred, was unjustly beheaded by the tyrant Henry VIII. Another tomb in the church has a warrior raised on his elbow; a good piece of sculpture, and a great improvement on the stupid posture of the Beauforts in the choir. Opposite is a tedious Latin inscription on one of the Ettrikes. It says, he was the happy husband of two wives! Under the choir is a square vault supported by handsome arches. They call it a cloister! It is in fact an under chapel, or crypt, and has been useful in praying the dead out of purgatory. It contains a holy-water niche, and I believe a stone seat running round it; but the water at present in it makes it appear a reservoir for the fire-engines, and precludes entrance. It was whispered that this stagnant * This King in history is called Ethered; an error arising from a custom among the Saxons of abbreviating letters. Many of his coins are inscribed: ETHERED REX ANGLO. The middle E in the word Ethered includes an L in its figure. (Anglo-rum has an aukward junction of the N and G in the same taste. His other coins prove this fact, being written Ethelred.) At Aston, in Berkshire, this prince gave a specimen of the fashionable piety of the times: he suffered his brother Alfred (who commanded under him) to be nearly overpowered by the Danes, rather than go to his assistance before prayers were finished. + Queen Elizabeth perfected this foundation of her ancestor. It is still useful. Part of a brass fillet still remains around this tomb. It has part of an inscription water prevents fouler pollutions. If so, it is pity a faculty does not appropriate it as a burial-place, and so rail up the entrances. Under the West tower is a moon clock; an impossible attempt at useless information*. And, lest this wretched tower should not be consummate in bad taste, the outside exhibits the statue of a modern centinel, stuck up in one of the upper windows, whose employment is to strike the quarters. Over the vestry, where the surplices are kept, is a library. It contains the usual lumber of church libraries, the Fathers, who repose there in ancient dust. However, there is Walton's Polyglott, of much value; an odd volume of Venerable Bede; Camden's Life of Elizabeth ; Barnes's of Edward III. Among the rest, Sanchez de Matrimonio is conspicuous. This Spanish casuist has entered so minutely into his subject as to render this the most indecent book in the world. It is satirised in the latter part of Martinus Scriblerus. The satire is almost as indecent as its object. This library is so much neglected as to possess no tolerable catalogue. As the number of books does not appear to exceed two hundred, this defect might easily be supplied. An almanack in an occasional frame might indeed be a useful appendage to a church; at least it would give better lunar information at less expence than the repair of this ingenious clock. It is intended as an orrery on the Copernican system. C. W. 1800, Dec. and Suppl. APPENDIX, CONTAINING CURIOUS AND INTERESTING ARTICLES TO WHICH ANY ALLUSION OR REFERENCE HAS BEEN MADE IN THE PRECEDING PAGES. I. PETER the WILD BOY. 1. Lord MONBODDO's Account of Peter the Wild Boy, formerly brought from the Woods of Germany.* "IT was in the beginning of June, 1782, that I saw him in a farm-house, called Broadway, within about a mile of Berkhamsted, kept there upon a pension which the King pays. He is but low of stature, not exceeding five feet three inches; and, although he must now be about seventy years of age, has a fresh healthy look. He wears his beard. His face is not at all ugly or disagreeable; and he has a look that may be called sensible and sagacious for a savage. About twenty years ago he was in use to elope, and to be missing for several days; and once, I was told, he wandered as far as Norfolk; but of late he has been quite tame, and either keeps in the house, or saunters about the farm. He has been the thirteen last years where he lives at present; and before that, he was twelve years with another farmer, whom I saw and conversed with. This farmer told me, that he had been put to school somewhere in Hertfordshire, but had only learned to articulate his own name * Lord Monboddo, in support of his hypothesis, that man, in a state of nature, is a mere animal, without clothes, house, the use of fire, or even speech, adduces the Oran Outan, or Man in the Woods, and this Peter the Wild Man, and others, as examples. He denies the want of the organs of speech as an objection, and insists, they only want the artificial use of them, |