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West View of St Leonard's Church, Stamford, as it appeared in 1780.

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rous in business; and his family, his friends, and the poor, liberally thared it with him. He had a heart to feel for the miseries of his fellow creatures, and his liberal hand was open to relieve them.

Mr. URBAN,

IN

Y. Z.

Jan. 10.

N compliance with the with of D. H. vol. LXXI. p. 1003, I have fent you a drawing of the Weft front of St. Leonard's church, Stamford, as it appeared in 1780. Since that time, the broken columns on the right of the defign and other parts have been made good under the direction of the late Earl of Exeter, a zealous admirer of our antiquities, and a patron of thole artifts whofe labours turned to draw

from titeir remains. It was in 1795 that I laft vifited this fabric; therefore of its prefent ftate fome other, Mr. Urban, muft inform your readers. A geometrical elevation of this rich front, with the feveral details, are to be feen in Carter's " Antient Architeciture of England;" a work publishing by him in numbers. In Number XIII, among other buildings, are views of all the gates, towers, &c. which encircled the walls of Norwich, fketched in 1786. They have all lately been deftroyed.

Yours, Stc. AN ARCHITECT,

Mr. URBAN, Lincoln, Sept. 20, 1802. O taking down the front part of

the Saracen's-head inn in this city, fome little time ago, two very old oaken pannels, meafuring 11 inches by 9, were difcovered (figs. 2, 3,) Within the falfe roof, on which the inelated portraits were fculptured. As the roof itfelf alfo was very old, they mult have lain there for many years. I fuppofe they may have formed part of an autient cup-board, or the cornice of a wainscotted chamber. As the younger figure feems to have been dehigned for a fentale, from the ftomacher and the reticulated form in which the hair is tucked up, they may have been father and daughter; but whom they were either of them intended to reprefent is now perhaps impotlible to af certain. As, however, the carving is done with much fpirit, and the faces father interelling, you will probably think them not unworthy of a place in your Magazine.

Yours, &c.
Gear. Mag. January, 1803.

J. C.

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THE inclosed (fig. 4) is an impreffion from an extraordinary large gold feal-ring, found lately in a field near Towton (in the direct high road from Ferrybridge to the city of York), and fuppofed to be loft in the memorable battle fought in that field on Palm Sunday 1461. The ring is certainly a valuable piece of antiquity, and, not improbably, might have been the property of the victorious Prince Edward, to whom this battle gave the crown; King Henry VI. being at York at the time the battle was fought. An explanation of the legend is requefted. Yours, &c. R. J. T.

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Mr. URBAN, Sproxton, Leic. Dec. 11.

would give me, and more of your readers, much fatisfaction, I am fure, if any of your correlpondents would favour us with more particulars of the late Rev. Mr. Walker, of Seathwaite, near Broughton, Lancashire; whofe death appears in vol. LXXII. p. 878.

The character given there of that moft worthy and fingular man is, that "he was more than 60 years curate of that chapel; and that, upon a fmall fipend, with great induftry and economy, he brought up a large family in a very decent manner, giving to one of his fons, fince deceafed, an academic education, and living contented in his retired fituation, without a wifh to

change it. That he was beloved and refpested, &c."

I lament much that juffice is not likely to be done to fuch an extraor dinary character, by giving the world an example of what induftry, œconomy, and good management, will do. I will, however, throw in my mite.

Near thirty years ago, I knew him a little, and foon after formed an intimacy with his fon, who was of Trinity College, Dublin, and in the year 1776 was prefented to the perpetual curacy of Rufland, near Ulveritone, worth about Sol. a year, which he foon vacated for the cure and free-fchool of Ulverfione, where he died many years ago. Hé was a young man of confiderable abi lities, benevolent and generous, but expenfive.

Some anecdotes of the early part of the old gentleman's life I had from the late William Penny, of Penny-Bridge, etq. his patron. Mr. Penny informed

me

me that he prefented him to the perpe-
tual curacy of Seathwaite, when it was
no more than 81. a year; that he mar-
ried early in life, and, I think, brought
up more than ten children, befides fe-
veral that died in infancy. In this I
am not clear that I am correct, any far-
ther than that his family was very
large. This 81. a year, and teaching a
village fchool in one of the moft retired
places of the North, which probably
never brought him in more than ano-
ther eight, and more probably not five,
was apparently all he had to live upon.
It is impoffible that with fuch a pit-
tance, without patrimony, he could
fupport an increasing family. He had
of courfe many other helps. He was
fteward of the court for his patron Mr.
Penny; and, no doubt, received many
perquifites in a copyhold manor which
confifts of fmall inheritances. He made
wills, bonds, conveyances, furrenders,
and every thing of the kind; and, in
fhort, was the only lawyer in the neigh-
bourhood. He more than educated
his children; he trained them up to
habits of induftry, and gave them a
living example of it in his own perfon.
To his fcholars he did the fame; for,
at the very time he taught them to
read and write, he was fpinning in the
chancel, which was his fchool.
I
think after this, Mr. Urban, I have
paved the way for what follows, and
thall not furprize your readers very
much when I add, that this clergyman
was not only a fpinner but a publican
[or, rather, his daughter, in whofe
name, to fave appearances, the licence
was granted]; and by this calling, I do
really believe, he did more good than
he was able to do by precept. No late
hours, no tippling, no immorality or
indecency of any kind, would he fuffer;
though mild and gentle, he would thew
his authority when he pleated. By
perfevering in this plan, when there
was not another public-houfe of a con-
trary defeription to counteract his beae-
volent defigns, he would have it in his
power, with few exceptions, to train
up the ring generation in religion and
virtue. Village ale-houfes, for the mott
part, from experience I affirm, are great
Impediments to the well-meant endea-
vours of a confcientious clergyman,
which cannot have their proper effect
fo long as they continue, as they almost
univerfally do; under little or no regu-

lations.

Mr. Walker, though firict and rigid

in fome cafes, yet was naturally of a liberal turn of mind, and had no objection to allow of the innocent pleafures of youth, as will appear from the following circumstance.

In fome places of the North of England, they have their plumb fairs, cherry fairs, fugar and water Sundays, or fome. other annual meeting, which evidently have the fame origin as the wakes or feafts in the Midland counties, viz. the dedication of churches to fome Saint.

On the Sunday when the young people met at Seathwaite to partake of fruit, cakes, and ale, as usual, Mr. Walker's firft care, when the bell rung, was to clear the houfe, and conduct them all to the chapel. After a fuitable discourse, they all, returned to their mirth, when he condefcended to be } their waiter, and Coming, coming, Sir, with his band yet on, was the echo to their call.

Perhaps it was not in his power to prevent irregularities at all times in his houfe; but, from the great refpect every one had to his general character, he could do what others could not.

It is not eafy to conceive what profits could arife to one fituated in fuch a fequeftered vale (who was hofpitable and generous in the extreme) by felling ale; one that many times would take nothing from either friends or firangers. Multitudes have been benefited by his bounty, and myself among the number. The first time I called at his houfe with his patron's compliments (though totally unknown to him), there appeared benignity and gratitude inexpreflible in his countenance; and, eat and drink what I would, there was nothing to pay.

A

His living did not long reft at 81. a year; but gradually increased, and principally from the following caufe. party of gentlemen from London, long before it was fashionable to vifit the Lakes, accidentally ftumbled upon his houfe for refreshment. Here they found, to their aftonishment, plenty of good homely fare, and a cup of excellent ale; their hon alfo a fenfible and agreeable companion, furrounded by a honfeful of children, all fo neat, fo i duftrious, and to happy, that, after their return to town, they raifed oftner than once, I believe,) 2001. by fibe feription, which commanded another gul. from queen Anne's Bounty. The income of this, when laid out in lart, together with what fell by logat dir

ferent

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ferent times, and the original 81. made the living at lalt worth about 601. a year. But many years before he was in poffeffion of 60l. a year, most of his children were brought up, educated, and fixed in bufinefs. One became a partne: in the houfe of Bolton and Fothergill, Birmingham. Others were imprudent, and coft him very confiderable fums of money. The improvement of the buildings, premiffes, &c. expended under the idea of his fon fucceeding him (which he had the promife of), helped to drain his little purfe. It is really beyond the power of belief that, his fituation and circumftances confidered, with the common and extra expences of his family, which in fome cates were great, he could have kept level and clear from debt; but it will appear fill more incredible when I mention what Mr. Penny told me five and twenty years ago, "that he knew Mr. Walker was worth a thoufund pounds.". With this furprize upon your readers, I will take my leave, as the family have, from distance, fince that time altogether ceafed from my obYours, &c. W. M.

fervation.

Mr. URBAN, Wye, Kent, Jan. 7.

AS the fiory of the "woman in the market at Devizes" is merely and briefly hinted at in vol. LXXII. p. 1104, I prefume that a more full and circumftantial account of a fact fo remarkable will be agreeable to your readers; and fend you the following, the particulars of which may be depended upon.

In the year 1797 I was at Devizes, and on fpeaking of this to a friend, he afked me if I faw the infeription on the pillar fupporting the fign of the Black Bear in the market-place; ou my anfwering in the negative, he gave me the hifiory of the fact and of the infeription, from memory. This was in the your 1800: I immediately wrote to the inaiter of that inn, requefting particulars. He very foon obligingly anwered my letter, at the fame time incloting in his aufwer a printed copy of the infeription, which I tranfcribe word for word as it now lies before me.

"The following authentic relation is to deter all perfons from calling down the vengeance of Gop, or taking his holy name in vain.

On Thursday, January 25, 1753, RUTH PEIRCE, of Pottern, agreed with three other women to buy a

fack of wheat. One of the three collecting the money, and difcovering fome wanting, demanded it of Ruth Peirce, who faid he had paid her fhare, and rafhly wifbed he might drop down dead if she had nots which the initantly did on repeating her with, with fome money concealed in her hand! to the amaze and terror of the crowded market.

ftone erected in the market place of De This is the infcription of a monumental vizes, Wiltshire."

Mr. Hatcomb, in his letter, fays, "that this infcription was originally on a tablet in the market-houte, which is now taken down; but, that the remembrance of it might not be loft, his father had it infcribed on the base of the pillar that fupports the figu." He farther adds, "that I might depend upon its being a truth, as his father and mother, and many other perfons now living, were near the spot at that moment, and perfectly well recollect it."

In Auguft of the laft Summer, 1802, Iwas again fome little time at Devizes and at the above-named inn. But the fupporting pillar, and by confequence the infeription, was gone. On enquiry, Mr. H. informed me that the original tablet was then in an outhouse of his ; where, if I chofe, he would fhew it me: he did fo, and 1 found the infcription exactly the fame as the printed copy above-tranfcribed. It fecitis, this tablet is intended, and very properly, to be placed in fome confpicuous public building.

That a circumftauce fo very remarkable fhould be generally known, is much to be wifhed; and therefore I fend it for the extenfive circulation of your Magazine. Upon the fubjeét I make no remarks, nor is there any occafion-the awful warning fpeaks for itfelf. PHILIP PARSONS.

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his plaited long hair, and clad in hermetical weeds, painted with red ochre. His forehead and body were bedaubed with horizontal ftrokes of holy afhes. He wore chaplets of the facred Ageradachine beads about his neck and arms; his hanging ears were loaded with ponderous brally pendants.

He firft fpoke of Succubus and other demous, mentioned in our diabolical art: fecondly, of the talifinanical characters, called devanagarum; thirdly, of the chameleon and floth, animals most famous for miraculous virtues, as defcribed in our natural hiftories; fourthly, of amulets, bulias, and zenachtas; fifthly, of the ftarry and planetary regions; and, laftly, of the Pyrenean heaven and paradife, where the bleffed enjoy the beatified vifion of God. Thence he was at once a necromancer, an aftrologer, and a theologift. After this, fome altercation paffed between us refpecting Vedantial and Siddautial matters, when I was obliged to read to him my former production . We then turned our difcourfe towards holy places on this Chrofonefus, of which, I advanced the hiftory of Madura; when the anckoret rehearsed fome flanzas in the Myforean language, called Pannadu, which he explained to me, and I fet down the meaning in writing, from having refort to the characters of the Gentoo kings of Madura.

Ile lived with me a fexenight, and I gave him fome Sadogap§ in the name of God. Pleafed with this my humble bounty, he gave me to underfland that he was an alchemift, and had the good luck to make a grand elixir or powder of projection, with which, he faid, he continued to tranfmute mctals into gold for feveral years; but, this powder having now been entirely

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fpent, he was inclined to make it again according to the rules of the hermetic philofophy; upon which fcore, he added, he undertook a journey to Badar kauframam, where, he aflured me, there are wonderful fimples, of which he defigned to make the powder. Having thus far recounted to me, he promifed his return in two years, with a reward to my fatisfaction; and then took leave of me, and purfued his journey."

Afterwards I turned my thoughts towards the chronological and hiftorical accounts of the Gentoo kings of Madura, written upon Palmar leaves, in the vulgar file of the Tamil language, which I found to be fatisfactory; but the fame being in confufed order, and full of tautologies, which, if I proceeded to tranflate literally into English, would prove abfurd in the fight of the learned, I have, therefore, in my fóllowing verfion of the faid accounts, omitted the tautological and repeated expreflions, and, fetting afide prolixity, digefted the chronicle into eleven chapters, and a preamble prefixed thereto. To thefe I added the characters of the Madura kings, as obtained from the above learned mendicant. So 1, have accomplished my undertaking, in order to gratify your curiofity in knowing the abave chronicles, as you are a friend to the learned; and I look up to you, as well as J. A. efq. as my worthy patrons.

Before I take in hand the chronological and hittorical accounts of the Gentoo kings of Madura, I think it neceffary, in order to facilitate the fubject to all forts of readers, to ftate here a chronological table of the faid kings, as follows:

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Vedauta is the dogmata of Vēdas, which you may call theology, or oral bible of the Lodians.

+ Siddauta is the dogma of Augamas of that name, It is by the rules and incantations of thefe Augamas that apotheofis, confecration, litany, &c. &c. are performed in all the temples of Seva's religion on this peninfula. I am an adherent to thefe Augamas, which you may call theory or written fystems of white magick.

By my former production, I mean a book which I had compofed myself out of my own brain, in the most high and poetical file of the Tamil language, in refutation of a Treatife written by a proud mook, in contradiction to the tenets of my religion, on 28 Sept. 1784.

Read this word palindromically, or backwardly.

A hely place in the midst of a wilderness, a great way beyond Benares.

5. Moottoa

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