PART 1.]

attained the age of 91 years, 60 of which he was decoy man, and once caught 90 head of wild fowl in one day, a great many for so small a decoy. It is now the property of the Duke of Norfolk.

About 100 yards south-east of this parish, in the year 1819, a Roman bath was discovered, measuring 18 ft. by 15 ft. together with a hypocaust and lyconium or sudatory, with very extensive foundations of entire cloaca, arched above, and paved with large tiles at the bottom. No perfect floor or Mosaic was discovered, but quantities of loose white and black tessaræ, fragments of plaster, plain, red, and yellow, with which the rooms had been covered. The buildings were traced to the extent of 300 feet.

In the year 1816, an ancient British gold coin, supposed from the mint of Cunobeline, was dug up in the garden of the farm-house near to the church. On the obverse is no device; on the reverse, a representation of the rude figure of a horse. J. C. T-s.

MR. URBAN,

Southampton-street, July 9.

I SEND herewith a diawing of West Hamptnet Church, made in one of my rambles in the neighbourhood of Chichester.

The village is situated about a mile and a half from Chichester, on the road to Arundel; and the parish is bounded on the north by East Lavant, on the south by Oving, on the east by Boxgrove, and on the west by St. Peter's, Chichester. It contains about 1,760 acres of land, and is chiefly cultivated for wheat.

The Church, which stands at the western extremity of the parish, is a small low building, consisting of a nave, chancel, and aile, with a diminutive square tower, the upper half of which is of wood, covered with shingles. The interior is neat; and the early style of Norman architecture is still apparent, although it has been much altered at different periods. The altar is plain, and the commandments are written on a marble slab. The font is octagon without ornament, a form usual in this part of the country. In the floor are several slabs of Sussex marble, most of the inscriptions of which are worn away; one, indented with the sacerdotal cross, has been

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reared against the wall. In the chancel has been placed a beautiful tomb, which was lately discovered behind some pews and part of the readingdesk, and rescued from oblivion by the good taste of the present Vicar, the Rev. Mr. Green; the inscription is unfortunately gone.

Attached to the opposite wall, is a very curious monument to the memory of Richard Sackville, Esq. and Elizabeth his wife, daughter of Thomas Thetcher. It consists of a table tomb, with a canopy of Caen stone; and contains within the recess figures of the parties, each kneeling, at a kind of desk or altar, before a very large personification of the Trinity. The First Person is clothed in full drapery; while the Second, although nearly of the same stature, reclines naked on the knee of the Father: both their right hands are placed on an open book; their heads are broken off. The Holy Ghost is slightly indicated, proceeding from the mouth of the Father. At the base of the image remain these words: Danct's spiritus unus deus.” There are labels over each of the deceased; but the impressions are obliterated. Behind the esquire is one boy, and behind the lady one girl. In front of the tomb are three shields of arms: "1. Quarterly Or and Gules, a bend Vaire, Sackville. 2. Sackville; impaling, Gules, a cross moline Argent, on a chief of the Second three grasshoppers Vert, Thetcher; and 3. Thetcher. There is an engraving of this monument in Dallaway's History of the Rape of Chichester, p. 121. This Richard Sackville was a greatuncle of the first Earl of Dorset. He left issue an only daughter and heir, Anne, who was married to Henry Shelley, Esq. of Warminghurst in Sussex, and had issue (see Cartwright's Rape of Bramber, p. 254).

A modern slab is thus inscribed :

"Sacred to the memory of the Rev. Geo. Aug. Fred. Chichester, M. A. youngest son of the Right Hon. Lord Spencer and Lady Harriott Chichester, sometime Vicar of this parish, who departed this life the 8th of June, 1829, aged 28."

The benefice is a vicarage, the impropriate tithes of which were given to the priory of Boxgrove, who paid their Vicar 71. 68. 8d. at the time of the suppression, and that probably by composition in lieu of all tithes. They are now held by the Duke of Rich

mond, but the patronage has remained with the Crown. In Pope Nicholas's Valor, 1291, it is valued at 5l.; in the Nona Roll at 81.; and in the King's book at 71. 78. 4d. It has five times received Queen Anne's Bounty, the sum of 2001. having been awarded to it by lot in the years 1767, 1792, 1811, 1812, and 1813.

The large mansion, formerly called West Hampnet-piace, the residence of the Richard Sackville above mentiontioned, is now used as a poor-house for this and several neighbouring parishes. A handsome vicarage has lately been built near the Church.

Some time ago, as a farmer of the name of Lawrance was ploughing in a field near the Church, he turned up a massy gold ring, with a signet bearing the letters ... engraven on it, and containing the inscription in Gothic characters, "" Qui orat p' aliis p' se laborat."

The river Lavant flows in a beautiful clear stream through great part of the parish. The population at the four several periods of taking the census, has been in 1801, 400; in 1811, 444; 1821, 401; and in 1831, 449. The annual value of real property, as assessed in April 1815, was 25361. Yours, &c.

Mr. URBAN,

C. J. S.

THE village of Hallington, in old writings Haledown, that is, Holy Hill, is situate near St. Oswald's, on the line of the Roman Wall, near to the 18th mile-stone. It is supposed to be the same place as Hefenfelth, i. e. Heaven Field, so called from a famous battle won there by King Oswald in 675.

St. Oswald's Chapel stands on a highly bold situation above Chollerford Bridge. In a field near it sculls of men, and hilts of swords, have been frequently ploughed up. "There is a fame," says Leland, "that Oswald won the battle at Halydene a 2 myles est from St. Oswald's asche, and that Halyden is it that Bede caulith Hevenfeld. And men there aboute yet finde smaule wod crossis in the ground." A small silver coin of St. Oswald was found, some years since, in repairing the chapel of St. Oswald; and there are many ancient charters in the church of Durham, with seals bearing St. Oswald's head, *Itin. vii. 61.

and this inscription, CAPVT SANCTI

OSWALDI REGIS.

The origin of the sanctity of this place is briefly this :-Cead wallo and Penda having ravaged the whole kingdom of Northumberland, Ethelburga and Paulinus fled into Kent, and the people seeing no end to the oppression they suffered, chose Eanfrid King of Bernicia, and Osric of Deira: they both renounced Christianity, and, as if in punishment of their apostacy, the terrible Ceadwallo attacked Osric, slew him, routed his army, and plundered his subjects. Eanfrid, dreading similar treatment, threw himself upon the mercy of the tyrant, who murdered him in his presence. At length, in 635, Oswald, Eanfrid's brother, rising from obscurity, with an army, small indeed, but composed of valiant men strong in the faith of Christ, generously resolved to oppose the usurper. He had studied the art of war in retirement; and now, having chosen a proper situation on the banks of Denisburne, entrenched himself, and under the banner of the holy cross waited with religious solemnity for the enemy. Ceadwallo, flushed with recent success, and confident in his numbers, rushed into the camp, but was himself slain with an arrow, and his army routed. The Northumbrian Saxons thought they saw the interference of Providence so plainly in this victory, that they called the field of battle Hefenfelth, i. e. Heaven Field;

and the brethren of the church of Hexham, for many years, annually resorted hither, on the day before St. Oswald's martyrdom, to make vigils for his soul and sing psalms, and offer the sacrifice of holy oblation for him in the morning. Which good custom growing more into notice, continues Bede, they have lately made the place more sacred and more honourable, by building a church at it; and that not without cause, for we do not find that there was any sign of Christianity, any church, or any altar, in the whole kingdom of Bernicia, before this new general erected this banner of the holy cross, when he was about to fight with a most barbarous enemy.

By the tradition of some, this battle was fought at Bingfield, where

+ Eugraved in Hutchinson's History of Durham, vol. II. p. 91.

there is a chapel, formerly under Hexham Church; but others assert, that it happened in the grounds of Cockley, below the church and cross of St. Oswald, and between Erringburn and the Wall. But whether it was at Hallington, Cockley, or Bingfield, Erringburn must be the same brook which Bede calls Denisesburn.

Hallington before the Dissolution belonged to the Church of Hexham. At present it partly belongs to John Turner Ramsay, esq. and Maria_his wife, as devisees of the late Wm. Fermor, esq. nephew and coheir of the late John Errington, esq. of Beaufront; and partly to Christopher Soulsby, esq. of Hallington Mesnes, otherwise Hallyden-Mains; a neat modern structure of white freestone, in the parish of Hallington. Before it is a grass area extending to the banks of a deep glen, wherein is a small stream, which falls a little below into the river Erring-burn. In 1769, it was the seat of Ralph Soulsby, esq. the eldest brother of Christopher Reed, esq. of Chipchase, and brother-in-law to Wm. Fenwick, of Bywell, esq.

A mile and half east of Hallington is a hill, called the Mote Law, having a square entrenchment upon it, in the middle of which is a hearth-stone, for kindling alarm-fires upon. Both it and the village of Hallington are in view on the left hand, from the 18th milestone on the Military Road.

Not far S. W. from St. Oswald's Chapel is a curious hill, called Hanging Shaws, with several gradations of artificial terraces on its sides.

Nearly opposite to Hexham, on the north margin of the river Tyne, but a little farther eastward, on the brow of a hill, is Beaufront (i. e. Bellus locus.) Its situation is generally admired, having both sun and shade, and delightful vale and river prospects. From the south side of the Tyne, it exhibits a long and handsome front, surrounded with fine pleasure-grounds; and from its walks are seen towns, towers, hamlets, and the winding stream of the Tyne, sometimes hidden under its banks, and at others boldly crossing the meadows in broad and silver-looking reaches.

Beaufront was lately the property and residence of John Errington, esq. who was popularly called "The chief of Beaufront." He was of the ancient

house of the Erringtons of Errington, by Erring-burn, on the north side of the Roman Wall, from whence the name. Wm. de Errington was high Sheriff of Northumberland 47 Edward III. Sir Thomas de Errington was one of the conservators of the Borders 12 Henry VI. Sir Gilbert de Errington, knight, was of the party of Edward IV. against the House of Lancaster, by whom, and Sir John Manners, of Etall, at the head of 400 men, Queen Margaret was hindered from landing with her company at Bambrough, and forced to take shelter at Berwick-upon-Tweed. Nicholas de Errington died in the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, possessed of Errington, &c.

In 1567 the principal seat of the Erringtons was at Cockley Tower, a strong old fortress, at present in ruins, though the dungeons and rooms in its turrets are nearly perfect, and traces of painting are still observable on the plaster of its walls. In 1567 Beaufront was the seat of David Carnaby, esq. In 1628, we find in the list of grand jurors, that Beaufront was the residence of Henry Errington, esq. from whom it lineally descended to its late owner John Errington, esq. who died at his seat of Beaufront, June 28, 1827, aged 89. On his death a moiety of his estates in Northumberland descended to his nephew the late Wm. Fermor of Baker-street, Portman-square, and of Tusmore, co. Oxford, esq. * as one of the heirs at law of Mr. Errington. The relationship between the Erringtons and Fermors, was a marriage between Wm. Fermor, esq. of Tusmore and Somerton, co. Oxford, esq. (who was born 1737 and died in 1806), and Frances dau. of John Errington of Beaufront, esq. which Frances died in 1787, leaving her eldest son, the late Wm. Fermor, esq. her heir-at-law. Mr. Fermor died at Hethe House, co. Northumberland, Nov. 27, 1828, aged 57, and by his will devised this property to his adopted daughter Maria Whitehead, and her husband John Turner Ramsay, esq. and their children. N.R.S.

Mr. URBAN, Winchester, April 2. HAVING had for some time in my possession one of the antimonial cups

* See pedigrees of the Fermor family in Gent. Mag. 1827, pp. 114, 580.

used by our forefathers, I trust that the following account may not be an unacceptable addition to your useful Miscellany.

It is, I believe, known to most medical practitioners, that such cups were formerly used occasionally, and kept in many private families, for the purpose of giving an emetic quality to wine infused for a time in them. The one in question is about 2 inches high, by as many in diameter, and holds about four ounces, is contained in a suitable leather case or box, and within are written directions for its use.This Cup is made of the regulus or metallic part of antimony, cast into shape by means of a proper mould.

There is not a doubt that our ancestors, from their slight knowledge of chemistry 200 or more years back, were satisfied in having this mode of giving to wine an emetic quality; and although practitioners in medicine had various other kinds of emetics, yet many private families possessed an antimonial Cup for their own use.

The directions are as follow: "The vertues of the antimoniall Cupp: 1. It keeps the body from replecon of humers, the cause of most diseases.

2. It helpeth all evill effect of the stomache.

3. It cureth all headach comeinge from the stomach.

4. It cureth all agues comeinge by deplecon.

5. It helps the vertigo or froymeinge in the head.

6. It helps the lethurgie or forgettfullnes.
7. It cureth the greene sicknes.
8. It helpeth the fallinge sicknes.

9. It emptieth the stomach of vitious fleame, the liver of choller, and the spleene of mellancholly, or adust choller, it cleeres the brest stopt with fleame, it purgeth the head and throate. It restoretha lost appetite and causeth rest.

10. Lastly, by takeinge in ye springe and fall, or at any tyme between them, in so'iner, preventeth all surfeit, agues, goute, stone, sciatica, dropsies, measells, poxe, itch, scabbs, and innumerable evill, it never looseth quantitie or qualitie.

1. Non animo ægrotos curo, sed corpore

For in my brest a leach his shopp
1 houlde of medicine pure.

2. Art sick and burnest with desire
Thy lost health to renewe?
At hand a medicine safe I am,
If putte to uses due.

The uses of the antimoniall Cupp.

Take the antimoniall Cupp over night at 6 o'clock, when you meane to take it the next morninge, and fill it with sack white wyne, or muscadell, and soe let it infuse till the next mornynge 7 o'clock, and use yr selfe as in other phisicall courses, takeinge posset drinke twixt everie vomitt. After you have emptied the cupp, clense it with a little white sault, and a wett peace of lynen cloath, rubbinge it cleane, and doe so after every tyme you use it. That it may purge downwards withall, add to ytt i. oz. of ye sirrope of roses, and lett it infuse with the wine all night as aforesaid. RICH. HICHCOCK.

Howe a child may take ye antimoniall Cupp safelye.

Fill it, and lett it stand all night infused, and give it ye one halfe; if it works not within an hower and half or 2 howers after, then give the other halfe.

To prepare the antimoniall Cupp that it may worke with 4 severall p'sons, each takeinge the 4th p'te of the infusion.

Take a pinte of sack muscadell, or white wyne, and put it into a silver canne (and put the antimoniall Cupp therein), or any other silver vessell or tyune, and stop it very close, then putt it into a skillett of water, and set the skillett over a moderate fier of embers, and lett it infuse all night gently.

Ffor a p'parative.

R. The night before i. oz. of oximel simplex, or i. oz. of pulvis Hollandra, or pulvis sancti, iu which wine or possett drinke.

Ffor a fester.

Infuse with wine in the cupp as before, and wash the parts, and that helpeth. Putt ytt into a glass, and ytt will keepe of a yeare. Good for many diseases.-Had of Mr. Samuell Rhenish, Ffebr. 1642.

WM. HOOKER.

That our ancestors were little acquainted with the nature of antimony and its preparations 200 or more years since, may be allowed; yet that they knew that wine would more or less act upon the metallic part of antimony, is clear from what is mentioned above ; but surely such a preparation must be very uncertain in its action, the strength depending on the soundness of the wine used; for, in case of the latter at all tending to acidity, it would unavoidably dissolve more of the mineral in proportion, and of