if you had caught my eye, I would have done for you, that I would." Truly wicked as obstinate was Nicky Mason, and it only remained for the good Squire to do for him according to the law. Nicky was conveyed to Exeter, tried for stealing linen which was found on his back, and condemned to undergo the sentence of death.

And what became of the old Father we know not; but all the country round, even to the present day, can point out the cave in the wood in which Nicky lived, and where were found the unfortunate bones-those inglorious spoils from the exploits of Nicky Mason.

The manor of Dunterton, and great part of the parish, belongs to Arthur Kelly, Esq., whose residence is in the neighboring parish of Kelly. This property seems to have been possessed by the family of Kelly from the reign of Henry the Second to the present day. In the windows of the church at Kelly are some painted glass, placed there, as we have before remarked, by an ancestor of the Tremaynes.

In this neighborhood also is Bradstone, "where tradition tells us that a stone of extraordinary breadth was once to be seen." In Doomsday book it is mentioned as the king's demesne, but it afterwards passed through the families of Ernis and Gatcombe; and in Edward the Third's reign into that of Clobery: it has latterly belonged to William Arundell Harris Arundell, Esq., who resides on his beautiful estate of Lifton Park, in the vicinity, and who is Lord of the Hundred of Lifton.

The ancient residence of the Cloberys still remains, with the arms of the family above the entrance: the house contains an old wainscotted hall, decorated with a number of stag horns, spoils of the chase in former times, when the Cloberys hunted the red deer over their paternal estate.

Returning to Milton-Abbot we observe, on our right, the manor of Edgecumbe, where still resides a lineal

descendant of that noble line whose younger branch is represented by the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. The elder line has lived at Edgcumbe for above seven hundred years. The present proprietor is Richard Edgcumbe, Esq. There are two other manors in this parish, Ford and Chillaton, both the property of the late John Carpenter, Esq., of Mount Tavy.

The traveller may return well satisfied with his excursion from Milton Abbot to Tavistock, but if he be inclined to pursue his researches farther, he will be well repaid by proceeding to Launceston, which is but twelve miles from Tavistock, and withal a pleasant drive. My first visit to this ancient town was paid in company with a party amounting almost to fifty, who were on their route to make an excursion to Werrington Park, a seat of the Duke of Northumberland, at about a mile from Launceston. It was the 29th of May, and consequently a general holiday in this neighborhood: those who are accustomed to the occasionally irksome monotony and continually harassing cares of school life, will appreciate the happiness with which both teachers and children hailed the approach of "the holiday."

Vehicles of all description were in requisition, and we sallied forth at an early hour to enjoy to their full extent our moments of "sylvan liberty." At that period the road between Tavistock and Launceston was not so much traversed as it is now, and the unusual appearance of our cavalcade made it the wonder of every hamlet through which we passed. I believe the good folks. of Launceston thought we were about to take them by storm, as our wagons rumbled under the fine old archway which forms an entrance to the town. We had all alighted at the head of the precipitous hill by which the Tavistock road was then terminated, and being arranged in marching order we took our course through the place. There were many more old-fashioned dwellings than now

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ornament the town, and from these we observed the antiquated forms of the male and female gossips, who all exclaimed, "In the name of wonder what can have arrived here?" It was "a wedding,". -"a merry making,"-" a funeral,"-(which was corroborated by the carriage-box, borne by two of the servants, and supposed to be a coffin,) anything but the simple notion that we were going to spend the day in Werrington woods. These conjectures followed us as we wound along through the greater part of the town, and ascended the hill which leads to the separated village of Newport. Then the wonder ceased, for we soon lost sight of Launceston, and in a short time reached our place of destination.* What a happy day we spent in those magnificent woods! rambling at will through the extensive park, and enjoying our feast by the side of the brook, which flows into a spacious pond. We were amused by watching the various manœuvres of a squirrel: the happy little creature bounded from branch to branch, setting up its bushy tail, and eyeing us with almost as much astonishment as the Launceston people themselves.

The house at Werrington we found to be a modern structure, little worthy of the proud name of its owner, or of the beautiful park in which it is situated. It is said to contain a gallery of statues, which some of the party visited; but these beauties of art were lost upon the rest, who chose rather to ramble to an eminence on which is a triumphal arch, and whence is gained an extensive view of the scenery around. It was most

* Werrington is supposed by some to have been the residence of Ordulph, whose armour it is said was formerly shown in the neighboring village church: but the fact is doubted, and the place is now more celebrated for its leafy glades.

beautiful to look down upon the mass of foliage which waved below. The various spring greens were just in their freshness; the noble oaks and sycamores which shaded the river were finely contrasted with the few evergreens which started up here and there. Near the house were some very grand mulberry trees, under which a herd of deer were grazing and reposing at their leisure. The groves were musical with the voice of birds, vying in their notes of welcome to the returning spring. I have a distinct recollection of the pleasure we felt, as children, in chasing each other down the slope beneath the umbrageous woods, whilst the dried leaves of former winters crackled beneath our feet. Another diversion consisted in standing on the Chinese bridge which crosses (or crossed) the rivulet, to watch the fish leap from the clear waters of the pond below. It was a happy holiday; and fully satisfied with the beauties of Werrington, we retraced our steps homewards, without seeing much of Launceston; but I have often since visited the old town, and always with a feeling of pleasure, for the attractions are many both in the neighborhood and the place-they require a much fuller description than I now have leisure or opportunity to present. But of its castle I must take notice, possessing as it does the greatest interest as a place of strength and renown. The keep rises from an eminence of formidable height immediately above the town. From an old print of the castle, shown me some time since, I should imagine it to have been just such a fortress as is described by Mathew Paris, "situated near a river, a position, on several accounts, eligible." The castle was surrounded by a deep and broad ditch, sometimes filled with water, and sometimes dry, called the "fosse." On the inside of the ditch stood the wall of the castle, with a parapet and kind of embrasures called crenels, on the top. On this wall, at proper distances,

square towers, of two or three stories high, were built, which served for lodging some of the principal officers of the proprietor of the castle, and for other purposes; and on the inside were erected lodgings for the common servants or retainers, granaries, storehouses, and other menial offices. On the top of this wall, and on the flat roofs of these buildings, stood the defenders of the castle when it was besieged, and thence discharged arrows, darts, and stones on the besiegers. The great gate of the castle stood in the course of this wall, which was strongly fortified with a tower, and closed with thick folding doors of oak, often plated with iron, and with an iron portcullis or grate let down from above. Within this outward wall was a large open space or court, called in the largest and most perfect castles the "outer vayle, or vallium," in which stood commonly a church or chapel. On the inside of this outer vayle was another ditch, wall, gate and towers, inclosing the inner vayle or court, within which, generally, on raised ground, the chief tower or keep, containing the dungeon, was built. This description presents a tolerably correct picture of what Launceston castle must have been in its perfect state, except with regard to its towers, which are round instead of square. The outer wall, with its fortified gateway, still remains, forming a beautiful object from the western road. The "outer vallium" is also to be seen, which once contained the chapel. The wall surrounding the inner court is almost destroyed, but some portions of a fortified passage leading to the keep remain. The keep itself, on a steep mound, difficult of access, is defended by two walls, of which the inner is twelve feet in thickness, and of great height. These walls, as well as the chief tower, are circular. This tower or keep contained but three rooms, and these were small, the diameter of the whole being only eighteen feet and a half. The lowest room appears to have served