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been the chief apartments, are square, and large, with stone frames; some of them have been neatly ornamented. The gardens, which lie contiguous, are now orchards: in the wall, over the door leading into the principal one, is a square tablet of stone, sculptured with the figure of a dexter hand and arm, elevated, and holding a broken sword*; above was an inscribed label, now mutilated. In an angle in this garden is a strongly-arched brick building, with various small recesses and niches, constructed within the walls. This Nunnery is said to have obtained the name of Sopwell from the circumstance of the two women who first established themselves here, steeping their crusts in the water of a neighbouring well. One of the out-buildings is yet standing at a little distance, and is now used as a barn. Many of those who assumed the veil at Sopwell, were ladies of distinguished rank, family, and learning. An unauthorized tradition represents Henry the Eighth as having been married to Anne Boleyn in the Chapel here.

ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH, nearly one mile south-westward from St. Alban's, was founded in the tenth century, by Abbot Ulsinus, and still displays vestiges of its original architecture, though it has been much altered in subsequent ages. In the chancel stands a curious ancient brazen Eagle, which is said to have been found buried in the earth, on opening the vault of the Mountgomery family, about the year 1748, or 1750. Near the top is engraved a mitre, and crosier passing through it, and a coat of arms of a lion rampant, both twice repeated: lower down is a circular inscription in the old German character; and at the end of the circle, the arms again repeated; the inscription is as follows: GEDRGJUS CREJCHTDNJI EPISCOPUS DUN. KELDENSJS. On the pavement is an inscribed slab in me

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* The crest granted to Sir Richard Lee in 1544, was an arm with a gauntlet, holding the hilt of a broken sword.

* In Beatson's List of the Scottish Bishops, two Bishops of Dunkeld of those names occur under the sixteenth century: the first was Lord Privy Seal of Scotland; the other his nephew: how the eagle came into this Church from Scotland is unknown; though it seems probable, that it might have been brought hither by Sir Richard Lee, with the font which he presented to St. Alban's.

mory of OLIVE MOUNTGOMERY, wife of Lewis Mountgomery, Gent, of this parish, who died in March, 1696: over it hangs a singular little hatchment, only twenty-seven inches in diameter, the border of which is ornamented with bones, spades, hour-glasses, and other emblems of human mortality. Here also is an inscription for JOHN PITT, Esq. of Ashford, in Somersetshire, who "entered early into the army, was engaged in all King William's and Queen Anne's wars; at length became Aide-de-Camp, and Master of the Horse, to John, Duke of Marlborough; and in 1727 was made Governor of the Bermuda Islands:" he died in June, 1750, aged eighty-nine. Against the south wall is an inscribed tablet in memory of JOHN ROLFE, Esq. "Official of the Archdeaconry of St. Alban, Commissary of the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon, and one of the Masters of Chancery:" he died at the age of sixty-five, in October, 1630. The epitaph is thus given by Chauncy:

JAMES, art thou here and must this Church of Stephen
Inshrine thy body, now thy soul's in Heav'n?

Had not thy monument been better fixt
Nearer to that of ABBOT JOHN the Sixth,
By ALBAN'S shrine? where thy religious care
Redeem'd those sacred relicks from despair.
No! thou wast wise, and sure thou thought it better,
To make each Proto-martyr's Church thy debtor;
That glories kept by thee from ruin's rust,

And this may glory that it keeps thy dust.

Various other sepulchral memorials are in this edifice; and in the Church-yard is a table monument in memory of the Right Hon. LADY ANNE PADDEY, daughter of Charles, Duke of Cleveland and Southampton, who died in February, 1769, aged sixtysix; and her husband, John Paddey, Esq. who had been her fa ther's butler: he died at the age of eighty-three, in March, 1780. Part of St. Stephen's Parish belongs to the Earl of Essex, and is included in what is called Park Manor.

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At a short distance from the north-west side of ancient Verulam, was a HOSPITAL for Female Lepers, called St. Mary de Pré, or de Pratis, from its situation. This was founded by Guarine, twentieth Abbot of St. Alban's, about the time of Richard the First, and was enlarged as its inmates became more numerous. They were at first supported on allowances from the Abbey; but afterwards obtained some possessions, though of inconsiderable value. In 1528, Cardinal Wolsey, who then held the Abbey of St. Alban in commendam, obtained a Bull from Pope Clement the Eighth for suppressing this Hospital, and annexing its lands to those of the Abbey; but he afterwards procured a grant of them for his own use. After his attainder, Henry the Eighth granted the site to Ralph Rowlat, Esq. of whose female descendants it was purchased by Sir Harbottle Grimston, Bart. and is now the property of Lord Viscount Grimston. Not any of the buildings remain; but the memory of the Hospital is preserved in the name of St. Mary de Pré Wood, which occupies a considerable plot of ground adjoining to Gorhambury, and of Pré Mill, upon the river Ver.

GORHAMBURY, the delightful seat of Lord Viscount Grimston, has derived an adventitious, though brilliant lustre, from its having been the property and residence of the great Lord Bacon, and others of his family. It obtained its present appellation from

de Gorham, a relation of Geoffrey and Robert de Gorham, Abbots of St. Alban's, from whom he had received a grant and confirmation of certain lands, lying contiguous to Westwic, about the middle of the twelfth century. On this estate, which had previously formed part of the Abbey possessions, he erected a mansion, which being called Gorham-Bury, conferred its own name on the whole estate. His descendants continued to enjoy it during several generations, as appears from the circumstance of John de Gorham, and Lawrence de Broke, being required to supply one man towards the Scottish wars in the time of Edward the First, for the fee they held in Westwic and Shephall. At length, towards the end of the fourteenth century, Gorhambury VOL. VII, FEB. 1806.

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