chamber such noise (whilst her husband was above with the Commissioners), that two maids in the next room to her, durst not venture to assist her, but affrighted ran out to call company, and their master, and found the woman (at their coming in) gasping for breath; and the next day said, that she saw and suffered that, which for all the world she would not be hired to again.

From Woodstock the Commissioners removed unto Euelme, and some of them returned to Woodstock the Sunday se'nnight after (the book of Valuations wanting something that was for haste left imperfect), but lodged not in any of those rooms where they had lain before, and yet were not unvisited (as they confess themselves) by the devil, whom they called their nightly guest; Captain Crook came not untill Tuesday night, and how he sped that night the gate-keeper's wife can tell if she dareth, but what she hath whispered to her gossips, shall not be made a part of this our narra tive, nor many more particulars which have fallen from the Commissioners themselves and their servants to other persons; they are all or most of them alive, and may add tc it when they please, and surely have not a better way to be revenged of him who troubled them, than according to the proverb, tell truth and shame the devil.

There remains this observation to be added, that on a Wednesday morning all these officers went away; and that since then diverse persons of several qualities, have lodged often and sometimes long in the same rooms, both in the presence, withdrawing room, and bed-chamber belonging unto his sacred Majesty; yet none have had the least disturbance, or heard the smallest noise, for which the cause was not as ordinary as apparent, except the Commissioners and their company, who came in order to the alienating and pulling down the house, which is well-nigh performed.

A SHORT SURVEY OF WOODStock, not taKEN BY ANY OF THE BEFOREMENTIONED COMMISSIONERS.

The noble seat, called Woodstock, is one of the ancient honors belonging to the crown Severall mannors owe suite and service to the place; but the custom of the countrey giving it but the title of a mannor, we shall erre with them to be the better uuderstood.

The mannor-house hath been a large fabrick, and accounted among his majestie's standing houses, because there was alwaies kept a standing furniture. This great house was built by King Henry the First, but ampleyfied with the gate-house and outsides of the outer court, by King Henry the Seventh, the stables by King James.

About a bow-shot from the gate south-west, remain foundation signs of that structure, erected by King Henry the Second, for the security of Lady Rosamond, daughter of Walter Lord Clifford, which some poets have compared to the Dedalian labyrinth, but the form and circuit both of the place and ruins show it to have been a house and of one pile, perhaps of strength, according to the fashion of those times, and probably was fitted with secret places of recess, and avenues to hide or convey away such persons as were not willing to be found if narrowly sought after. About the midst of the place ariseth a spring, called at present Rosamond's Well; it is but shallow, and shews to have been paved and walled about, likely contrived for the use of them within the house, when it should be of danger to go out.

A quarter of a mile distant from the King's house is seated Woodstock town, new and old. This new Woodstock did arise by some buildings which Henry the Second gave leave to be erected (as received by tradition), at the suit of the Lady Rosamond, for the use of out-servants upon the wastes of the mannor of Bladon, where is the mother church; this is a hamlet belonging to it, though encreased to a market town by the advantage of the Court residing sometime near, which of late years they have been sensible of the want of; this town was made a corporation in the 11th year of Henry the Sixth, by charter, with power to send two burgesses to parliament or not, as they will themselves.

Old Woodstock is seated on the west side of the brook, named Glyme, which also runneth through the park; the town consists not of above four or five houses, but it is to be conceived that it hath been much larger (but very anciently so), for in soine old law historians there is mention of the assize at Woodstock, for a law made in a Micel gemote (the name of Parliaments before the coming of the Norman) in the days of King Ethelred.

• The Survey of Woodstock is appended to the preceding pamphlet.

And in like manner, that thereabout was a king's house, if not in the same place where Henry the First built the late standing pile before his; for in such days those great councils were commonly held in the King's palaces. Some of those lands have belonged to the orders of the Knights Templers, there being records which call them Terras quas Rex excambiavit cum Templariis.

But now this late large mannor-house, is in a manner almost turned into heaps of rubbish; some seven or eight rooms left for the accommodation of a tenant that should rent the King's meadows (of those who had no power to let them), with several high uncovered walls standing, the prodigious spectacles of malice unto monarchy, which ruines still bear semblance of their state, and yet aspire in spight of envy, or of weather, tc show, What kings do build, subjects may sometimes shake, but utterly can never overthrow.

That part of the park called the High-park, hath been lately subdivided by Sir Arthur Haselrig, to make pastures for his breed of colts, and other parts plowed up. Of the whole saith Roffus Warwicensis, in MS. Hen. I., p. 122, Fecit iste Rex Parrum de Woodstock, cum Palatio, infra prædictum Parcum, qui Parcus erat primus Parcus Anglia, et continet in circuitu septem Miliaria; constructus erat Anno 14 hujus Regis, aut parum post. Without the King's demesne woods were, it cannot well be said now are, the timber being all sold off, and underwoods so cropt and spoiled by that beast the Lord Munson, and other greedy cattle, that they are hardly recover able. Beyond which lieth Stonefield, and other mannors that hold of Woodstock, with other woods, that have been aliened by former kings, but with reservation of iberty for his majestie's deer, and other beasts of forrest, to harbor in at pleasure, as in due place is to be shewed,

No. III.

[THE following extract from a letter is docqueted by the Author "to be inserted as an illustration of Woodstock." It does not seem to have been included in previ ous editions, but is now added, according to the Author's apparent wish-1871.] Oxford Sept. 3.

Having got sight of a letter concerning the sickness and death of old Mr. Lenthal from a person of known worth and integrity, I could not conceal it from you, being, as I conceive, of publick concern, which letter was as followeth :

SIR-When I came to his presence he told me "he was very glad to see me, for he had two great works to do, and I must assist him in both: to fit his body for the earth, and his soul for heaven," to which purpose he desired me to pray with him. I told him the Church had appointed an office at the visitation of the sick, and I must use that. He said, "Yes, he chiefly desired the prayers of the Church," wherein he joined with a great fervency and devotion. After prayers he desired absolution. I told him I was very ready and willing to pronounce it, but he must first come to Christian contrition for the sins and failings of his life. "Well, sir,” said he, “then instruct me to my duty."

I desired him to examine his life by the ten commandments, and wherein he found his failings to fly to the gospel of mercy. Then I read the ten commandments in order to him, mentioning the principal sins against each commandment. To pass by other things (under the seal of this office), when I came to the fifth commandment and remembered him that Disobedience, Rebellion, and Schism were the great sins against this commandment-"Yes, Sir," he said, "there's my trouble, my disobedience, not against my natural parents, but against the Pater patria our deceased sovereign. I confess with Paul I held their clothes whilst they murthered him, but herein I was not so crim inal as Paul was, for God thou knowest I never consented to his death. I ever prayed and endeavored what I could against it, but I did too much, Almighty God forgive

me."

I then desired him to deal freely and openly in that business, and if he knew any of those villains that plotted or contrived that horrid murder which were not yet de tected now to discover 'em. He answered, "he was a stranger to that business, his

soul never entered into that secret, but what concerns myself I will confess freely. Three things are especially laid to my charge, wherein I am indeed too guilty: that I went from the Parliament to the army, that I proposed the bloody question for trying the king, and that I sat after the king's death. To the first I may give this in answer, that Cromwell and his agents deceived a wiser man than myself, that excellent King, and then might well deceive me also, and so they did. I knew the Presbyterians would never restore the king to his just rights, these men swore they would.

"For the second no excuse can be made, but I have the king's pardon, and I hope Almighty God will grant me his mercy also. Yet, sir, even then, when I put the ques tion, I hoped the very putting the question would have cleared him, because I believed four for one were against it, but they deceived me also.

"To the third I make this candid confession, that 'twas my own baseness, and cowardice, and unworthy fear to submit my life and estate to the mercy of those men that murthered the king, that hurried me on against my own conscience to act with them. Yet then I thought I might do some good and hinder some ill. Something I did for the Church and Universities, something for the king when I broke the oath of abjuration, as that Sir O- B and yourself knows; something also for his return, as my L. G., and Mr. J T and yourself know; but the ill I did overweighed the little good I would have done. God forgive me for this also."

After this I remembered him that the Fathers of the Church also had been barbarously murthered and ruined, and asked whether he had any hand or gave any consent therein. He answered, "None; for I always did believe that was the primitive and best government of the Church," and said he died a dutiful son of the Church of England as it was established before these times; for he had not yet seen the alteration of the Liturgy.

After this office, wherein he indeed showed himself a very hearty penitent, he again desired the absolution of the Church, which I then pronounced, and which he received with much content and satisfaction; for, says he, "Now, now indeed do I feel the joy and benefit of that office which Christ hath left to his Church." Then praying for the King, that he might long and happily reign over us, and for the peace of the Church, he again desired prayers. The next day he received the sacrament, and after that work I desired him to express himself to Doctor Dickenson, a learned physician, Fellow of Merton College, who received the sacrament with him, concerning the King's death, because he had only done it to me in confession; which he did to the same effect as he had spake to me. The rest of his time was spent in devotion and penitential meditations to his last.

"Twere vain to add one word to this letter, yet who can but observe that September the 3d, the day of renowned Montrose's banishment, of the battles of Dunbar and Worcester, and of that monster Oliver Cromwell's death, was also the day when Master Lenthal (speaker of that long and fatal Parliament) ended his life; the candor and manner of whose departure such as were Members (if yet there be any rumps of that rump) will do well to imitate.

INDEX TO WOODSTOCK.

ALBANY, JOSEPH (Rochecliffe), encounter | Chaucer's words haunt our ears, 191.
with Holdenough, 201, 431; see Roche-
cliffe.