not be too highly praised, but was probably allied to a certain close-fistedness not seldom conjoined with it. The story of the epitaph is given above.* Leaving the chancel, and returning into the nave, we may visit the east end of the north aisle, once a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The altar-like tomb beneath an arch, is supposed to have been erected to the memory of Sir Hugh Clopton, who built the stone bridge over the Avon. The shields, which occupied the panels, have been removed. Among the other Clopton monuments in the chapel is the one against the north wall with two recumbent figures, the one of William Clopton, Esq., who is represented in armour, with his sword and guantlets beside him, and a lion couching at his feet; the other of his wife Anne, daughter of Sir George Griffeth. The former died in 1592, the latter in 1596. On the east side of the chapel there is the gorgeous monument of George Carew, Earl of Totness and Baron of Clopton, and Joice, his Countess, who was the eldest daughter and heiress of William Clopton, Esq. The Earl wears a coronet, and is in armour. The effigies are coloured, and rest below an arch on Corinthian pillars, which is profusely adorned with angels and cherubim. A striking resemblance has been remarked between this effigy and existing portraits of the Earl. We leave the numerous other monuments, tablets, inscriptions, &c., in Stratford Church unnoticed. They have no connection with the Bard, whose tomb alone * See page 55. makes this church more interesting than many others that could be named. Some notice, however, must be taken of the font. The ancient font, of which an Engraving is given, has a curious history. In the middle of the seventeenth century, when a new one was erected, it was pitched into the charnel-house; and when that was taken down in 1800 was thrown out into the churchyard, and part of it employed by the parish clerk as a trough for hig pump. From him it was bought by Captain Saunders, and at present it is in the garden of Mr. Heritage, builder. At this tastefully designed font Shakespeare probably was presented for baptism, but the occurrence of numerous domestic baptisms at the time prevents absolute certainty on this point. On leaving the church, we pause for a moment to contemplate this ancient pile as a whole, with its grey spire and time-honoured walls. If we consider the length of time during which a religious fane has stood on or near this spot,-from the old Saxon times of Ethelred to the days of William the Conqueror, from him down to William Shakespeare, and now nearly three centuries more, we cannot fail to be awed by the roll of ages, and the silent departure of successive generations. The tomb-stones, many of them very old, and covered with moss, are worthy of attention. None of them, however, bears a date so far back as the sixteenth century. CHAPTER IX. SHOTTERY-ANNE HATHAWAY'S COTTAGE. Shottery the place of Shakespeare's courtship-An antique hamlet—The cottage-Its appearance-The interior-A farm-house in the olden time. "And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad, LEAVING the town of Stratford and all its pleasant associations with the immortal bard, we now take a stroll into the country to visit Shottery and the cottage of Anne Hathaway. Shottery is an antique hamlet, which has about it an air of charming rustic simplicity. This pleasant and secluded spot is associated with Shakespeare as a lover. 'Twas here his courtship with Anne Hathaway, the village belle, was carried on, when gentle Will was but eighteen, while she was in the bloom of womanhood at twenty-six. The village, which is only a mile from Stratford, contains a few timber-framed cottages surrounded by gardens and orchards, which are evidently very old. A brick row in very bad taste has now sprung up beside them. Still, making an effort to abstract from this and some other innovations, we may picture to ourselves the Shottery of old Richard Hathaway, of the lovers, and of Fulke Sandels and John Richardson, who became bondsmen for their marriage. The "Shakespeare Tavern" is one of those |