IF ART. IV. Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica. Numbers F the 29th number of this work which now prefents itself to the reader, does not abound with entertainment, this we apprehend is not fo much the fault of the author as of the fubject. It is an historical account of the parish of Wimmington, Bedfordshire, communicated by Oliver St. John Cooper, vicar of Puddington, &c. The etymology of the name is uncertain. The writer aims at fomewhat probable, but it is not very fatisfactory; fuppofing Ing in Saxon to denote water or a meadow, and ton a town, he conjectures, as the name is fometimes written Win nington, it may fignify a town by a meadow or water, near which a battle had been loft or won; fince win in the names of places is faid usually to import fomewhat of this kind. Though it is now an obfcure and ruinous village, it has been the refidence, we are told, of feveral eminent men. The defcent of the manor is traced from the time of Alured de Lincoln (a great baron who held it at the conqueft) down to the prefent time. It is now in the poffeffion of three ladies, fifters, who are of the family of the Livefays, of Hinwick-hall, in the parish of Puddington. During this long interval some notice is taken of the price of land in the 14th century. And the account here given will be curious to thofe who enquire into this fubject. Some other particulars will be noticed by the antiquary. The number which follows + is much larger and more expenfive, and will prove particularly acceptable to those who love to dive into ancient records, deeds, foundations, titles, &c. for according to the motto here affixed, Juvat antiquos accedere fontes, At the fame time other readers may derive entertainment and inftruction from the perufal of the volume. It's title, generally, is, The biftory and antiquities of the Three Archiepifcal Hofpitals and ether charitable Foundations, at or near Canterbury. By John Duncombe, M. A. [lately deceased] and the late Nicholas Battely, M. A. vicar of Beakbourn, and editor of Somner's antiquities of Canterbury. The first of these hofpitals is that of Herbaldown, that is, "the pafture down, or the down of herbage or tillage," about a mile from the Weft gate of Canterbury. The fpot is remarked to have been peculiarly healthful, and herbalifts are faid to come every year to collect medicinal plants which grow only at that particular place. It is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and was anciently fituated in the Blean-wood, of which King Henry I. in 4to. is. bd. † No. 30. 4to. 10s. 6d. C 4 one ઃઃ one of their most diftant charters, allowed the hofpitallers to "grub and clear away ten perches of wood on all fides." The name therefore Mr. Somner with reafon fuppofes was given it to diftinguish it from the neighbouring hills, or downs, as yet continuing wild or woody. It was built by Archbishop Lanfranc about the year 1084, who endowed it with 70l. per an. payable out of his manors of Reculver and Boughton under Blean. Additions have been made to the original donation in a courfe of years. In 1784 the whole revenue amounted to 2481 Is 5d. which, when the neceffary deductions are made (including the allowance of 30l. to thirty out-brothers and fifters) furnishes hardly 64. 10s. for the fifteen brothers and fifteen fifters whose refidence is in the hospital. Of Lanfranc's original building there feems at prefent to be no remains except the church or chapel. In 1674 the lodgings of the brothers and fifters, together with the common hall of the house, and the brotherhood farm-house, were rebuilt by the means of different benefactions, among which is 2007. given by Archbishop Sheldon. Northgate hofpital is dedicated to St. John the Baptift. It was, like the other, founded by Lanfranc about the year 1084, and endowed with 70l. per annum, to which many additions have been made. It has an ancient church or chapel, which is all that remains of the original building, and that much curtailed. The prefent revenue (1785) is 2997. 175. 7 d. the clear profit of which divides upwards of 67. 10s. to the in-brothers and fifters. Among the numerous deeds belonging to these two hofpitals we find the word gavelikend or gavelkind, concerning which Sir Edward Coke fays, "The land held in gavelkind was fo called from gave all kynd; for this cuftom giveth to all the fons alike." Mr. Somner rejects this explication, in his treatife on the fubject, p. 6. and p. 38. quotes a donation of land to the hofpital of Herbaldown "in perpetuam eleemofynam," and to gavelkinde, as 1. being held by defcent, and therefore devifable, and 2. as referving a quit-rent. But allowing the truth of Mr. Somner's remark, what is the etymology of the term? Among other writings are articles of expence occafioned by trials, &c. here we find under the date 1615, "Spent when we measured our land at the moat, 2d.; paid for waxe to feal the letter of attorney and the leafe for the moat, 2d.; to Mr. Denne's, clerke, for the making the letter of attorney and the lease for the entry on our land at the moat, 5s.; for a fugar loafe weighing 9 lb. at gd. the pound, which was given to Mr. Denn for his coun fel." At each of thefe hofpitals they have a yearly feaft; in the last century they had two, and on these occafions it is that the great hall, otherwise needlefs, is employed. In a recital of the laft entertainment we have fuch Items as thefe (1638), Payd to the woman that helped in the kitchen, 6d. to the two turnfpets, 8d. for for beer at diner, 4d. for beere to make the serving-men drinke that brought meat to our feast, 2d. for 80 lb. of beefe, at 5s. the fcore, 17. for a calfe, 18s. for two lambs, 18s. to the cooke for dreffing of diner, 4s. (this expence the year before was only 25. and in 1634 only 12d.) for beere for the kitchen, 4d. for butter wee borrowed, 6d. for a gallon of facke, 4s. 4d. for a pottle of claritţ and a pottle of white wine, 2s. 8d. for a bufhel and a peck of meale, 55. for halfe a barrel of beere, 4s. 2d. for three coople of chickens, 2s. 6d. That all red wine, it is obferved, was called claret is pretty certain, and that the fack was not canary, but rhenifh, is as evident, if it were the fame wine with which Falstaff thought it no fin to mix fugar. Even when they agreed with their carpenter to repair their church fteeple in 1640 their beve rage was a pint of facke 8d. Thus thefe hofpitallers were more expensive than their fucceffors, who are contented with one feaft in a year, and with beer only at that; and even this, it is added, the increased price of provifions, and the decreased value of money (the feaft rents continuing the fame), would render "more honoured in the breach than the obfervance." In 1642 the article of wine was increased to three quarts of facke, a gallon of claret, and a gallon of white wine, 8s. 2d. and the beeṛ to a barrel, 9s. Dr. Secker, the late Archbishop of Canterbury, paid a confiderable attention to these hofpitals, and at his death left to each, by a codicil to his will, a reverfionary bequeft of 500l. contingent on the deaths of Mrs. Talbot and her excellent daughter: but though both thefe events have taken place the legacies have not yet been paid: the Bishop of Chefter, furviving truftee to his Grace's will, having been advised by his counfel, that he cannot fafely transfer the ftock appropriated to feveral charitable ufes, without the direction of the Court of Chancery, unlefs Thomas Froft, Efq. the refiduary legatee of the teftator, gives his confent, which Mr. Froft declining, it has been necefJary to apply to Chancery. The remainder of this volume is chiefly employed in giving an account of Eaft-bridge hofpital, or of St. Thomas the Martyr, though its being founded by that Archbishop is uncertain. The author will rather offend fome readers by fpeaking fo gravely of Becket's death by the term of martyrdom. If he was a martyr, it was in a bad fenfe, and the ufe of the word in fuch an application favours too much of ignorance, fuperftition, and childish high-churchifm. The hofpital ftands on a bridge, fometimes called Kingfbridge, becaufe that, together with the adjoining mill, was royal property. Thorn, in his lives of the Abbots, relates, that King Stephen being in diftrefs at Lincoln, where he was surprised and taken prifoner by Robert Earl of Gloucester, and put to a great fine for his ranfom, borrowed of Hugh, the fecond fecond of that name, Abbot of St. Auguftine, one hundred marks; and in confideration thereof, by his charter, gave to the monaftery this mill. This inftitution was intended for the affiftance of pilgrims, to furnish them with lodging, fire, bread, and drink, for a night, two or three. But this neceflity ceafing, Archbishop Parker altered its intention, and provided for the accommodation of poor and maimed foldiers who fhould pafs through Canterbury: alfo appropriating fome part of the revenue to a fchool for children, and another part for an exhibition to Bennet college. This was afterwards confirmed by Bishop Whitgift's ftatutes; and in this flate the charity feems at prefent to remain. One donation we obferve made to this hofpital in 1269 by John Adifham, who gave two acres and a half of land on condition they should provide him a chamber, with meat, drink, clothes, and fhoes, fo long as he fhould live.-The volume concludes with a fhort account of the Priory of St. Gregory, the Nunnery of St. Sepulchre, the Hofpitals of St. James and St. Lawrence, and May. nard's Spital. This laft was founded in 1317. Before we clofe this volume, we muft exprefs our furprize that we have not any memorandums of a botanical nature, though we are told that Herbaldown, as the name expreffes, is famous for the different herbs it produces. The plates in this book are ten in number-St. Nicholas Hofpital, Harbledown; St. John's Hospital; Seals of Herbaldown and St. John's; Old Bowl at Herbaldown; Eaftbridge Hofpital; Seal of Eaftbridge Hofpital, &c.; View of Kingsbridge; St. Gregory's Priory, &c.; St. Sepulchre's Nunnery, &c.; Seals of St. Gregory's Priory, Maynard's Spital, &c. No. 31 (price 2s. 6d.) contains A short genealogical view of the family of Oliver Cromwell. To fome readers this will prove but a perplexing affair. The editor has taken confiderable pains to be exact; he corrects feveral errors in Mr. Noble's account; and farther obferves, that fince this article was compiled he has learned that Mr. Noble is engaged in a new and correct edition of his work, in which no enquiries or collections will be spared, The narration is intermixed with fome amufing anecdotes. It appears that fome parts of the family were warm and determined royalists; particularly Sir Oliver Cromwell, who was uncle and godfather to the Protector, and lived to a great age, was zealous in oppofing his nephew, and endured great oppreflion from him, This gentleman was very confiderable in Cambridge and Huntingdonshire, where he had large poffeffions, dividing his time between his two feats at Hinchinbrook and Ramsey. He died For our account of Mr. Noble's work, fee Rev. Vol. LXXIII. P. 22. in 1655. He had formerly received and entertained King James I. at his houfe at Hinchinbrooke, when he came from Edinburgh, to London, and it is ftill reported that the king faid to him in his Scotch dialect" Marry, mon, thou haft treated me the beft of any mon fince I left Edinburgh." Some other particulars we might eafily add, but our prefent limits do not allow us. It is remarkable, that after the reftoration a great part of this family rejected the name of Cromwell and refumed the ancient one of Williams. Mr. Nichols preferves here an account of Oliver's death and funeral, and finishes the number by his character taken from Echard's hiftory, which we think is partially drawn. But what authority is there fufficient to induce our belief that "by the fevereft vengeance of heaven he died impenitent and raving mad, with the curfes of the present and the deteftation of future ages." Our fenfible editor cannot, furely, approve the revival of fuch old filly ftories! To this number is. prefixed a copious pedigree of the Cromwell family. Hi: ART. V. Remarks upon the Hiftory of the Landed and Commercial Policy of England, from the Invafion of the Romans to the Acceffion of James I. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. fewed. Brooke. 1785. ISTORY, while it amply difcuffes measures of state, and which relate to the humbler purfuits of inferior life. It is judged fufficient if it notes the general ftate of agriculture and commerce in any particular period, without attending to minute details or specific arrangements. To acquire any confiderable degree of acquaintance with the progreffive improvements that have from time to time taken place in the landed and commercial policy of this kingdom, a great variety of writers must be confulted, where remarks on the fubject are incidentally diffufed; and which will require much labour, and no little judgment to collect into a regular fyftem, and arrange under their proper heads and distinct periods. To perfons who have not opportunities or inclination for inveftigations of this fort, and yet wifh for more than general and fuperficial information, refpecting the progrefs of husbandry and manufactures, together with their influence on liberty and manners in the various periods of English hiftory, the present work will be highly acceptable. The Author modeftly declines calling this publication a Hiftory: he only entitles it Remarks, &c. and as he did not intend it for a minute and complete detail of particulars, he hath confined himself to remarks only upon fuch laws and cuftoms as had the greatest influence on the agricultural and commercial state of the people, The i |