ARTHUR'S STONE. ABOUT ten miles west of Swansea, on the top of a mountain called Cefyn Bryn, in the district of Gower, is a Cromlech, known by the name of Arthur's Stone; most probably from the practice into which the common people naturally fall, of connecting every thing remarkable for its antiquity, the origin of which is obscure or unknown, with the most prominent character in some memorable period of their history.* Cevyn Bryn, in English "the ridge of the mountain," is a bold eminence, called by Llwyd, in his additions to Camden's Glamorganshire, "the most noted hill in Gower," overlooking the Severn sea; and, upon the north-west point of it this cromlech stands. It is formed of a stone, is fourteen feet in length, and seven feet two inches in depth, being much thicker, as supposed, than any similar remains in Wales. Generally speaking, its shape is irregular; but one side has been rendered flat and perpendicular, by detaching large pieces to form mill-stones. It has eight perpendicular supporters, one of which, at the north-west end, is four feet two inches in height; the entire height of the structure is therefore eleven feet four inches. The supporting stones terminate in small points, on which the whole weight (which cannot be less than twenty-five tons) of the cromlech rests. Some few other stones stand under it, apparently intended as supporters, but not now in actual contact. All the component stones are of a In Anglesea, in the northern part of the isle, on the lands of Llugwy, is a stupendous Cromlech, of the rhomboidal form, called Arthur's Quoit. The greatest diagonal measures seventeen feet two inches, the lesser fifteen feet; its thickness is three feet nine inches. It has several supporting stones, but is not more than two feet from the ground. In Llugwy woods are several Druidical circles, nearly contiguous to each other.-ED. hard compact lapis molaris (mill-stone), of which the subtratum of the mountain is said to consist. Immediately under the cromlech is a spring of clear water, or "holy well," which has obtained the name, in Welsh, of Our Lady's Well: a spring thus situated plainly shews that the monument is not sepulchral. The fountain and cromlech are surrounded by a vallum of loose stones, piled in an amphitheatrical form. As we know that the Druids consecrated groves, rocks, caves, lakes, and fountains to their superstitions, there is little doubt but that Arthur's Stone was erected over one of their sacred springs it afterwards became a place of Christian assembly for instruction and prayer; and, as the adoration of the Virgin began, in the darker ages, to vie with, if not altogether eclipse, that of the Saviour of Mankind, the fountain obtained the name of Our Lady's Well. Arthur's Stone is celebrated in the Welsh Triads (which are notices of remarkable historical events and other matters conjoined in threes) as one of the three stupendous works effected in Britain; of which Stonehenge is another, and Silbury Hill perhaps the third. In the Triads it is called the Stone of Shetty, from a place of that name in its neighbourhood; and, "like the work of the Stone of Sketty," has grown into a Welsh proverb to express undertakings of great difficulty. The people who elevated these enormous masses have left no written records of their own im mediate times, although their descendants were not slow in lighting their torch at the flame of human learning. We gather what may be considered but obscure sketches of their customs, from the contemporary poets and historians of more polished nations; yet they have scattered the surface of the British soil with imperishable monuments of their existence, against which the storms of two thousand years have wreaked their fury in vain. Though silent witnesses, the antiquary considers them as a link in the tangible records of human history, which connects it, in some degree, with the postdiluvian times. WELL-FLOWERING. THE custom of decorating springs and fountains with flowers was derived from ages long anterior to the introduction of Christianity; although in many places, * This article is condensed, principally, from a communication made to the Society of Antiquaries, by A. J. Kempe, Esq. F.S.A., and published in the Appendix to the 23d volume of "The Archæologia," pp. 420-425. The cut also is copied (but reduced) from that work. where yet continued, it is regarded as a vestige of Catholicism. Great festivals were annually celebrated at the Fountain of Arethusa, in Syracuse, in honour of the Goddess Diana, who was fabled to preside over its waters; and the Fontinalia of the Romans were religious observances dedicated to the nymphs of wells and fountains, in which rites the throwing flowers upon streams, and decorating the wells with crowns of flowers, formed the chief ceremonies. In our own island, this custom has not yet fallen into complete desuetude. Shaw, in his "History of the Province of Morray," observes, that heathenish customs were much practised amongst the people there; and as an instance he cites that "they performed pilgrimages to wells, and built chapels in honour of their fountains." The practice of throwing flowers upon the Severn and other rivers of Wales, as alluded to by Milton in his Comus, and Dyer in his poem of the Fleece, is unquestionably a remnant of this ancient usage. Speaking of the Goddess Sabrina, Milton says, "The shepherds, at their festivals, And throw sweet garland wreaths into her stream, Dyer's words are these ; "With light fantastic toe, the nymphs At the village of Tissington, near Ashborne, in Derbyshire, the custom of Well-flowering is still observed on every anniversary of Holy Thursday. On this occasion, the day is regarded as a festival; the villagers array themselves in their best attire, and * That travellers very differently estimate the objects of their curiosity is proved in reference to this celebrated fountain. Cicero describes it as "incredibly large," and "full of fish;" and Brydone says,—“It is indeed an astonishing fountain, and rises at once out of the earth to the size of a river." Simond, however, in his more recent "Tour through Sicily and Malta," after refering to Cicero's description, remarks,-"instead of this we saw at the bottom of a sort of spacious well, a trifling spring, in the water of which fifteen or twenty washer-women, barelegged and tucked up almost to their middle, were actively employed in dipping, flapping, rubbing, and squeezing modern chemises upon blocks of stone." What poet, after this, will choose the nymph Arethusa, as the goddess of his inspiration? keep open house for their friends. All the wells in the place, which are five in number, are decorated with wreaths and garlands of newly-gathered flowers, disposed in various devices. Boards are sometimes used, cut into different forms, or figures, and then covered with moist clay, into which the stems of the flowers are inserted to preserve their freshness, and they are so arranged as to form a beautiful mosaic work; when thus adorned, the boards are so disposed at the springs, that the water appears to issue from amidst beds of flowers. After service at church, where a sermon is preached, a procession is made, and the wells are visited in succession: the Psalms for the day, the epistle and gospel, are read, one at each well, and the whole concludes with a hymn, sung by the church-singers, accompanied by a band of music. Rural sports and holiday pastimes occupy the remainder of the day.* EXETER CATHEDRAL. HENRY THE EIGHTH AND BISHOP VEYSEY. He On the death of Bishop Hugh Oldam, at Exeter Palace, in June, 1519, he was succeeded by John Veysey, alias Harman [Oxmantown], LL. D. and Dean of Exeter, who had been chancellor to Archbishop Arundell, and appears to have been brought by that prelate from the diocese of Lichfield. was collated to a canonry at Exeter on the 5th of August, 1503, and consecrated its bishop on the 6th of November, 1519. Historians agree that he was an accomplished and polite scholar, and a perfect courtier; but notwithstanding the latter qualification, he was compelled, by the rapacious injunctions of Henry VIII., to alienate many valuable possessions of his See. The overbearing mode in which this was effected will be evident from the following Letters, copied from the Bishop's Register, at Exeter, vol. ii. and now first made public. The first, which is from the king, bears the date of June 28, 1534; the other, from Lord John Russell, was roten" (written) four days afterwards; and as both letters are dated from Hampton Court, there can be little doubt that his lordship, in enforcing the king's request by his own advice, was acting under the immediate direction of the sovereign. Lord Russell, whom Heylin describes as a principal actor in the affairs and troubles of the times," procured for himself a grant of the manors 66 * Vide Rhodes's "Peak Scenery," p. 315, of Bishop's Clyst and Bishop's Tawton. He had pre- | same to thutmost of my powar. My lord of Durham viously obtained the appointment of receiver-general and my lord Wynchest' were in lyke cais but they to Bishop Veysey. By the Kynge. Right Reuende Father yn God, Right trustie and welbeloved we grete you well. And where it hathe byn supplyed vnto vs on the behalff of of trustye & Right welbelovyd Cownseulo' S Thoms Denys knight that you the Reuend Father in god the Busshope of Excestre have a pke called Crediton pke wth iiij water mills in the tenure of John Roo And a certeyne pke conteynynge by estimacon ooij hundrethe acres lyenge very comodyusly for o' sayde counsoulor by reason wherof he wulld gladlye obteyne the same at yo' hands either by exchaunge or in fee ferme as yow shall together agree & thinke most convenyent Yow shall vnderstande that beynge no lesse desirous that o' said counsoulor shullde obteyne his suite in this behallfe Thenne of firm and constant opinion that as well you my lorde of Excestre woll most gladlye gratifie vs in the grawntynge of the same as you the Dean and Chapitre of o' Cathedrall churche of excestre woll do the semblable for the confirmacon of suche dedds and wtyngs vndre yo' chapitre sealle as shalbe right to be made for the p'pose aforesayde We have thought mete to rite these o' lett's vnto yowe ryht hartely desyrynge yowe at the spiăll contemplacion of the same to grawnte o' sayde counsai lors desire in all the pmiss And in such frienlie and spedye sorte to go thorough wth hym therein as we y' doynge in good pte and to thanke you for the same wch we shall not faile to Doo as the case shall require accordinglye geven vnder or Signet at o' Honor of Hampton corte the xxiiijth off June the xxxiiijth yere of o' reigne. To the Right Reuĕnde father yn God o The letter of Lord Russell is as follows: My veray goode Lorde yn most hartye wyse I recomende me vnto yo' good lordshipe signefynge the same of the Kings Hyghnes most pspus healthe and off all yo' Frends here. I have Recevyd yo' lordeshipps letts as to p' yo' lordships effect cočning yo' bill I have sett fourth the same vnto the cownsoale here whitche is stayed vntyll the repayer hether of the Chawncelor of the tenths at whose cumynge doubt you not my lorde but that I wyll further the sueyde yn tyme. And now I understand theyr ys a Statute made so as a greate parte of your suete yn the sayde Chawncelor whom I wull not faille to remember yn yr behalff God wollyng. My lorde among others I am coplaynyd unto By Dyverse of the kyngs subiects of Devonshere and Cornewall of there greate disquyettnes and trouble By reason they are compellyd to sue here so farre of for redresse of theire iniuryes & wrongs with the wch they finde themselves moche grevyd as vndoubtedlye they have no less cause. My lorde as towchinge that I wulde right gladlie knowe yo' best advyse And what you thinke to the redresse thereof And even so shall I not faylle to be a suter to the kynges highnes for the pêhase of theire bett' quyettnes therein. Moreover my lorde whereas it hathe pleasyd the kyngs highnes to dyrect his letts as well to yr lordshippe as to y' Deane and Chapitre of Exceter in the favor of my spčall good frinde S' Thoms Denys knight for suche mattier as is pported in his saide hignes letts. Theise shalbe to Requyer yow not onlye for y lordeshipps parte to way and further the same his gracess request but even so accordynglye to anymate y' sayde chapitre therevnto so as hys maiestie shall well understand that they be conformabell wth your lordshippe to that complishement of his maiesties plesure in that behallff Otherwyse if there shall appěr anye obstinacye vnto his highnes thereyn in anye behalff as I dowt not that hit shall it may then folow yo' thankes to be drownyd And yet this moche I may say to yo' lordshipe that the kyng ys very earnest yn hytt & fullye Detmynyd that the said Sr Thoms Dennys shall enioye the same by other lawful means Wherfore I thought no lesse than goode to adŭtyse yor lordshipp the whole some of his highnes pleasure And to requier you as I wold my hartiest Frynde that you shulld yn no mañ of wyse nor anye of yo' sayde chapitre Disagre thereunto: Thus my good lord I take my leave of yow for thys tyme besichynge most hartely allmighty god to send yow longe lyff to his plesure. Roten at the kyngs house of Hampton Courte the seconde Day of July by yo' lordships assuryd J. RUSSELL. To the Right honourable & his approvyd goode lorde the Busshope of Excetoni his good Lordshipe. The above letters had their intended effect, and Crediton Park was assigned to Sir Thomas Denys under the decided threat of these imperative missives, Winchelsea has been disfranchised under the reTHE LANDGATE, WINCHELSEA, SUSSEX. distinction of a rotten borough, it had the degrading cently-passed Reform Act; prior to which, under the honour of returning two members to parliament. FEW towns in the south of England have higher claims to the notice of the Historic Illustrator than Winchelsea. It is one of the cinque ports, and is said to have been a considerable place before the arrival of the Saxons in England. The site of the ancient town is now overflowed by the sea; a notice of this inundation is retained in the records of Rye, in the following words: "Be it remembered that in the year of our Lord 1287, in the even of St. Agath, the Virgin, was the town of Winchelsea drowned and all the lands, climesden, and the voches of Hithe." After this tremendous event the inhabitants resolved to build a new town, upon the top of a hill, about a mile and a half from the sea; three of the gates of which are now standing, viz.: Newgate, Strandgate, and Landgate. The latter, as represented in the cut, is a square building, with circular towers at each angle; the high and pointed arch, (forming the principal entrance to the town from Rye), was enriched with bold and massive mouldings, parts of which are still to be seen. The ceiling above the gateway was groined, and had rich pendants at the intersection. A flat tablet, inclosed in a trefoil panel, is placed on one side of the gateway, probably to commemorate the date of its erection; but no trace of an inscription remains. The masonry is in good preservation. At the present time this gate is used as a granary; but there can be no doubt that it was formerly a place of confinement as well as of defence. THE TARTAN CLOAK. THE following curious instance of Scotch nationality is related in Mr. Earle's "Journal of a residence on the island of Tristan D'Acunha," in the South Atlantic ocean, published in his recent volume on New Zealand. There is a small settlement on Tristan D'Acunha (which is probably of volcanic origin,) formed for the purpose of preparing oil from the fat of the sea-elephant, and other marine animals, frequenting the surrounding seas, and Mr. Earle, who had been left on shore whilst on his voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, was constrained to remain there for several months, in the year 1824. The chief person, or governor, as he was designated, of this little community, was a native of Roxburgh, in Scotland. He was named Glass, had been a corporal of the artillery drivers, and during an adventurous career, had become an experienced tailor, as well as an excellent operative in various other trades. Knowing his abilities, "I proposed to him," says Mr. Earle, " when my clothes were completely worn out, to make me a full-dress suit out of my Tartan cloak. He agreed to do so; but still my clothes were not forth-coming. One evening, on my return from a fatiguing day's ramble, Glass came to me with a most melancholy face, and begun,- It is no use holding out any longer, Mr. Earle; I really cannot find in my heart to cut up that bonnie Tartan. I have had it out several times, and had the scissors in my hands, but I cannot do it, sir. It is the first Tartan that was ever landed on Tristan D'Acunha, and the first that ever I have seen since I left Scotland; and I really cannot consent to cut it up into pieces.'" This moving address induced Mr. Earle to present him with the cloak, bargaining, however, that the governor should make him a pair of trowsers out of any thing he might have among his stores. His new "Cossacks," the produce of this agreement, had a front of sail cloth, and a back of dried goat's skin, the hair outside, which he was assured would be found very convenient in descending the mountains.—I laughed heartily, says Mr. Earle, when I first sported this Robinson Crusoe habiliment.---" Never mind how you look, sir," said my kind host; "his majesty himself, God bless him! if he had been left here, as you were, could do no better." ON THE STUDY OF ANTIQUITY. No. I. countries. Our ardour for this pleasing pursuit is, however, greatly depressed by the discouragements that we meet with at the very outset; for the early state of every ancient nation, that of the Jews excepted, is involved in almost impenetrable obscurity. It is not until after the lapse of ages has brought a country into some tolerable degree of eminence, that any inquiries into the circumstances that attended or contributed to its rise and progress are instituted, and then, unfortunately, they are too late. ANTIQUITY is a relative term; having reference to some other, by which its meaning is limited. Thus with regard to time present, a transaction may be recent or ancient, and a production of art may be modern or antique, according to its nearness to, or remoteness from, our own age. With respect to general circumstances, a few centuries may authorize the application of this epithet, in other cases the lapse of several centuries seems requisite to sanction it. The subjects which principally constitute the province of the antiquary are these:-The rise and progress of nations; the works of a people whose political existence has been long extinct; the remains of edifices; ancient coins, arms, arts, records, &c. These, with numerous others of a similar nature de- | mand his attentive consideration, and supply mate- We answer, that the only satisfactory substitute rials for recondite inquiries and ingenious investiga- for historical record is to be sought for in the ancient tion. remains of that country whose infant state we are enquiring into. In proportion as they are rude and void of every appearance of art, so much nearer do they conduct us to the primitive ages of the world. Thus it is with respect to the infancy of our native country, no national record, no pillar nor tablet inscribed with the name or actions of our British predecessors, now meets the eye of the curious and eager enquirer; indeed it is highly probable that no such documents ever existed. From what source then, it may be reasonably asked, shall we derive that light which is so needful to guide our steps through the long dark vista of unrecorded years? To these vestiges of former times,—these silent but faithful monuments of men and days that have long since been forgotten, we must have recourse in our inquiries into the ancient state of Britain; and for While considering this subject, the necessity of a distinction in ARCHEOLOGY becomes obvious. That branch of the study of antiquity, therefore, which embraces researches into the rise and progress of ancient nations, with the monuments of kingdoms, states, and empires, whose mouldering ruins and fragments of former grandeur are the only evidences of their having existed, should be distinguished from researches of minor importance and less remote anti-tunately there are few countries in the world in which quity by the term higher Archæology. Thus with respect to our own country, every subject prior to the time of its subjugation by the Romans, at the commencement of the Christian era, will come under the distinction of the higher Archæology; but from that period downwards to the Elizabethan age (through all the intervening centuries which were distinguished by the erection of some of the most magnificent ecclesiastical structures in this or any other land) every object treated on will constitute a lower grade of our national antiquities. Of the higher class are those remains of ancient Britain, usually denominated DRUIDICAL; and with regard to antiquity in general, every circumstance and every object prior to the Christian era is entitled to be thus distinguished. The more recondite branches of the British Archæology will be first attended to in these communications. There is scarcely any employment of our intellectual faculties more gratifying than researches into the events of past ages; into the manners and circumstances of mankind, in primeval times and in distant VOL. I. such vestiges are so numerous as in this. It is scarcely possible to go a day's journey in any direction without meeting many objects of this description. On the one hand we observe numerous mounds of earth, of such vastness and so formed that they seldom fail to attract the traveller's attention and excite his curiosity; on the other hand, single masses of stone or groups of massy stones, variously disposed, surprise him by their arrangement and magnitude; and his mind is awed into a kind of solemn feeling by the silence and mystery that hover around them. It must be obvious to the most cursory observer that these works were erected at a time when not only architecture and sculpture, but even cemented walls and regular masonry, were unknown in this country. From the entire dissimilarity of these ancient erections to those of modern times, we necessarily refer them to anterior ages; and by pursuing our inquiries, are enabled to recognise the analogy between these ancient British remains and the primeval works of other countries. At this point the antiquary finds a treasure in the D |
