PART 1. Queries on the preservation of Books. ed with flowers, and shrubs, and evergreens, which maintain a perpetual verdure to embalm the memory of departed worth. A corresponding area has been inclosed at the west end of the same aile, as a burial place for Mr. Cropper's family. The interior of the Church is too confined to be particularly striking, and yet it presents some remains of antiquity which cannot fail to gratify the connoisseur. The nave has only one 599 Esq. who devised certain lands for its Grimsby, June 3. GEO. OLIVER. June 20. T is impossible to look through the aile, which is in the north, and it is volumes of your Miscellany, with supported on five arches, the centre one being a fine circular specimen of Norman architecture, ornamented with two magnificent courses of mouldings in excellent preservation; the one an embattled fret boldly executed in relief, and the other a zigzag indented, and resting on the same number of massive cylindrical columns. The remaining arches are plain lancets, springing from octagonal columns; and together point out the period when the Norman and early English styles were blended, about the reign of Henry III. and the family of de la Launde was in its highest prosperity. The chancel is small, but it contains four elegant pointed windows with perpendicular tracery, which have fortunately escaped the mutilations that are visible in other parts of the fabric. During an old reparation of the Church which obliterated most of the architectural details that decorated the primitive structure, these windows were absolutely bricked up and plaistered over, to save the expence of re-glazing; and thus every trace of their existence was destroyed. The panelled walls and pointed arches of the chancel were also filled in at the same time with a thick coating of cement; and a bad taste, united with a parsimonious feeling, consigned to darkness and oblivion these vestiges of the skill and liberality of our pious forefathers. In this state they remained until the year 1817, when an accident led to their discovery, and the Rev. Mr. Dixon, at his own private expence, restored the whole to its pristine state of excellence. In addition to the ancient stone in the chancel floor, already mentioned, there is another of more modern date, with these arms: Argent, a griffin segreant proper, BATTELL. The font at the west end is panneled with trefoils and blank shields. A free school was founded in this parish A.D. 1712, by Philip Stamford, out being struck with the superior utility of a work founded on original correspondence, when compared with the ephemeral publications compiled from the contributions of paid writers. To a plan like yours, it may be objected that it holds out the temptation of scribbling to persons who have little to communicate. But how frequently do the enquiries, even of the ignorant, lead to valuable communications. How often does a crude and imperfect hint lead to a disquisition of real import ance. I confess myself somewhat interested in these observations, as my present object is merely to obtain information. On lately examining a number of books, which it has been one of the chief pleasures of my life to collect, I found to my surprise, that many of them appeared to have nearly as great a tendency to decay as their master. Some were grievously affected by mouldiness, and others disfigured with a brown and yellow malady. The latter sometimes appears merely in spots affecting a few leaves; in others, whole pages, and even volumes, are subject to it. I am unable to account for either the mouldiness or the discoloration, the books having been preserved in glass-cases in an airy room, in which a fire is constantly kept whenever the season of the year requires it. I may add, that they have not remained useless on their shelves. In fact, some books frequently taken down for perusal, are in bad condition from the above causes; whilst others, which but seldom leave their places, are uninfected. Perhaps this may be owing to the different quality of the paper, or binding. I also observe that several of my books are become wormed, though it is difficult to say how insects can get access to them. May I request the favour of some of your biblionfaniac readers to inform me 600 Lords Grey of Rotherfield.-Desight. how inconveniences of the kind alluded to are to be prevented. Doubtless dump has much to do with the matter; yet my books were, as far as I could judge, placed out of all danger from it. Is any particular sort of binding preferable, with a view to the preservation of books? Is it best to keep them in boards? Can insects be driven away from them, or expelled when they have got possession? Is the keeping of books shut up in bookcases, less favourable to their preservation, than the arranging of them on open shelves? Questions of this nature must often occur to gentlemen who have the care of public libraries, and I am persuaded that information on the subject would be acceptable to many of your readers. C. MR. URBAN, Shrewsbury, June 21. W VILL some of your learned genea logical Correspondents have the goodness to afford an explanation of the following discrepancies respecting the descent of the Lords Grey of Rotherfield? Dugdale, in his Baronage, tom. i. p. 723, describes Robert de Grey, the founder of the house of Rotherfield, as a younger son of Henry de Grey, and brother of Walter Archbishop of York. Blore, in the History of Rutlandshire, p. 167, gives the descent of Robert de Grey and his brother the Archbishop from John de Grey and Hawise his wife, which John is stated to be the son of Anchitel, and grandson of Richard de Grey, without any mention whatsoever of Henry. In this statement the latter appears to have been followed by Mr. Baker in his History of Northamptonshire, p. 140. I wish to ask upon what authority rests this contradiction of the old Baronagean, who, however occasionally in error, seems in this particular very intelligible and perfectly consistent; having in his biography of the family previously (p. 709) stated that Henry de Grey of Essex had six sons, and in the enumeration places Robert of Rotherfield the fourth in order; Walter, the Archbishop, fifth; and having observed the same order in his account of them respectively. In a later portion of the same pedigree, however, Dugdale states that Robert de Grey, grandson of that Robert whom he calls brother to the of York, married Avice [XCIX. daughter of William de St. Liz (Bar. tom. i. p. 723), and in this he is followed both by Mr. Blore and Mr. Baker. As neither of these writers mention the latter Robert de Grey, Baron of Rotherfield, having had any other wife, I take the liberty of asking to whom relates the inquisition taken in the 6th of Edw. II. (Calend. vol. i. p. 250, no. 44), and who is denominated "Joane wife of Robert de Grey, and daughter and heir of Thomas de Valanges?" If the wife of the last Robert, what becomes of Avice de St. Liz? If of the former (his grandfather), what becomes of Beatrice mentioned in the two pedigrees before cited? Dugdale has given in the margin his authority for placing Avice as the wife of the latter Robert from an old parchment in the Cottonian collection but the fact appears very doubtful, and is at least opposed by the authority of the Inquisition of 6 Edw. II. Mr. Urban will, I hope, be assured that this inquiry is solely dictated by an earnest desire to arrive at the truth, and not by a disposition to cavil or dispute upon an insignificant mistake; but as the question involves in it the descent of a great family, the investigation of the claim to accuracy which the one or the other of the conflicting accounts must inevitably yield, seems an object of some importance to YOU INVESTIGATOR. Mr. URBAN, London, June 22. VOUR anonymous Correspondent, page 408, of your May Magazine, has called our attention to the word desight. I know of no such word so spelled or sounded; but we have undoubtedly the word dis-sight here as well as in the provinces, and with the same meaning as that which he gives to desight. It is remarkable that the word dis-sight is not to be found in any of our dictionaries. Had it occurred to me, I should assuredly have placed it in my Somerset Vocabulary, not merely as a provincial word, which it is not, but as one which belongs to our language generally, and which ought to be in our Dictionaries; the omission of this word in which proves, among others, the truth of what I have stated in my observations on the Dialects of the West, namely, "that many words are current in society which no lexicographer has arrested, but which are nevertheless useful words." Yours, &c. JAMES. JENNINGS. PART 1.] [ 601 ] REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. A General History of the County of Norfolk, intended to convey all the information of a Norfolk Tour, with the more extended details of Antiquarian, Statistical, Pictorial, Architectural, and Miscellaneous Information; including Biographical Notices, original and selected. 2 vols. 8vo. LOMEFIELD, the Historian of this nuteness of passports. The disfigurement of the Latin quotations is, however, of hideous grimness. It is a fine bust of a Roman Emperor tattooed into Nevertheless, upon the whole, the subthe savageness of a New Zealander. scribers ought to be well-satisfied, for the work, as strong and stout as a B County, has been called "heavy porter, or pedlar, carries a large pack and stupid," because he has not given ample details of old remains in letterpress. Such things are very proper in elucidation of plates, but Virgil's judgment has been commended for calling Dido "pulcherrima" only, as particulars could not be satisfactorily given, except through the media of Sculpture or Painting; in fact, perfect County Histories should consist of (1) letterpress, and (2) engravings. The history of the families, and the descent of the property, form matters which are entirely distinct from the ruins, and are equally desirable. As to these matters, we highly respect Blomefield. He has given a vast mass of information,-information of the greatest value, because it is the most difficult of acquisition. It is far more easy to take a sketch of a ruin, than to collect the records of a parish-but facile est addere inventis. People use the original materials to construct a new building, and then complain of the real founder, at least great benefactor. We do not apply these remarks to the work before us. We only allude to a foolish note, not by the Editor, but by another person, who would make County Histories only what children call a 66 picture-book." We suppose that the next complaint will be made of Nature, because she has peopled the world with real men and animals, instead of "pictures of them." The collection before us abounds with a vast mass of multifarious matter, often valuable, important, and curious. Here and there, but rarely, are specimens of false archæology, and unfounded generalization; but it is a fault on the right side. We desire to see topographical works like stagecoaches, loaded with passengers and parcels. In description and biography, the book is particularly copious; and the articles have the discriminative miGENT. MAG. Suppl. XCIX. PART I. D of goods, and leaves it behind with the purchasers upon exceedingly cheap terms. Norfolk, from the round towers of its Churches, appears to have been a county especially occupied by the Danes; and as the precise form, scientifically ascertained, of their camps, is a desideratum in archæology, we shall make our extracts from matters connected with that subject, after we have introduced a short preface. The general character of Danish camps is, a round hill, single ramparted, with a covered way annexed, descending to a stream of water. Catherine Hill, near Winchester, is deemed a good specimen. This character of Danish camps is taken from Spelman, who says (Vita Alfredi, p. 58, ed. Hearne), "Pirate quamprimum regioni cuipiam appulerant, vel oppidum aliquod munitum castris opportunum occupare, vel intercipere conabantur, eumque fere semper montem aliquem præcipitem fluvioque vicinum quem vallo statim munire curabant. Castra autem hæc sive munimenta semper rotunda....Unicam tantum habuerunt portam, eamque vel vallo et fossis objectis munitam, vel e regione fluvii, cui ob aquationis defensionem brachia ab ipso vallo deducebantur. Ubi vero a flumine remotius, quam ut brachia istiusin loco maximi declivi effossis, aquam plumodi fierent, metati sunt, puteis intra vallum viam interceperunt; ut videre licet in Cisseburie." 602 REVIEW.-History of Norfolk. rant, jubet eis derelictis in exercitum cogi, &c. (XV Scriptor. p. 538); and the same author calls "optimum eorum præsidium in Mercia Wistoche" (id. 539). Now we have in vain sought for any Wistoche in Gazetteers; but in this work (though Norfolk was not in Mercia) there is a river called the Wissey or Stoke river; and there is a Stoke on the Wissey (pp. 63, 616). We believe, however, that Wis is a general term in Welch for river; and we mention the fact, because we have found no other Wistoche any where. It is very true that at Stoke Ferry, on the Wissey, there are no remains; but Wallingford says, that the fortress was destroyed by Edward the elder. At Warham, "To the south of the town, and near the river, are the remains of a large Danish camp, of three entrenchments, more perfect than any other in the county. The form of the works is circular, and consists of an inner and outer circumvallation, with ditches intervening. The ramparts are thirty feet high, and the principal entrance seems to have been from the east. The whole comprehends nine acres, and the lands about it are called the burroughs; but what is con sidered as the most indisputable evidence of its origin and use is, that the low grounds, which were formerly a morass in front of the camp, are still called by the people, as in old writings, Sweno meadow,' from Sweno the noble Dane. In Wighton were two other similar entrenchments." ii. p. 611. It is added, that in Wighton are entrenchments. Under that parish, p. 615, is the following account of them. "On the heath belonging to this parish, towards Holkham, are the remains of a large Danish camp; it is trebly trenched, and the ramparts are thirty feet high. The windmill south of it stands on the corner of a like entrenchment, much defaced; and opposite to it, where stood Crabbe's castle, is a farm-house, which was another part of the entrenchment. Several Roman coins have been dug in this field towards Walsingham." P. 615. Now we believe that none of these canips were of Danish origin; and for the consideration of future Topographers, we shall give our opinions concerning the distinctions of camps in this country, Great Britain. We have elsewhere observed, in preceding articles, that, like the Greeks with their Acropoles, the ancient nations. had ready-made citadels or fortresses appertaining to districts, towns, and even villages. It is plain, from Cæsar, that upon his invasion, the Britons, after a defeat, repaired to a fortress of this kind, as he adds was their practice, under domestic warfare. Precisely upon the same principle, as to one of their uses, were castles erected. The great Roman General also informs us, that these stationary citadels were as universally known as markets. Under these circumstances, every contending party sought to occupy them, and traces of such occupation may be discovered by the alterations. The Romans squared the oval or circular form, the Saxons elevated the mounds, made graduated platforms of the areas between the fosses, the centre being the highest; and the Danes, according to contemporary history, supported by Olaus Wormius, chose steep promontories, and threw up a foss across the Isthmus; or crowned the summits of hills. Concerning Roman camps, no testimony is requisite; but of those of the Saxons and Danes the Archeologist is not satisfied, because they meet with anomalies, not considering that alteration does not imply creation; and that, in positions naturally strong, they may find traces of castrametation applicable to the several peoples*, Britons, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, and Danes. But of the Anglo-Saxon style we do not hesitate to speak with confidence, because we have visited the very spots where Alfred made his fortress of Athe lingaye, and the site of the farm-house where he lay obscured amidst marshes. river Parrot at its base; the house is The fortress is a terraced hill, with the hid behind a knoll, and both, though not closely contiguous, are surrounded by marshes. There can be no mistake, for of its original construction by Alfred there cannot be a doubt. Asser Menevensis says, "Alfredus Rex cum paucis adjutoribus fecit arcem, in loco, qui dicitur Athelingaieg" (Annales inter XV Scriptores, p. 167), and the castles as they are called, erected by the daughter of Alfred (Elfleda), were, in like manner, mounts or tumuli. It seems, too, that the Anglo-Saxons were in the habit of fighting (as against the Conqueror at Battle) in a compact body, and that defence from a high position was the mode of destroying its victorious effect. Asser says of one So the Latin populi is Anglicized by some learned contemporaries. PART 1.] REVIEW.-History of Norfolk. of Alfred's battles, that he (Alfred), fultus testudine ordinabiliter condensa, (i. e. relying upon his close phalanx), attacked the Danes, who had pre-occupied higher ground (editiorem locum), and that he did this contrary to advice (id. 163). The pre-occupation of hills, where all our camps of every kind are now almost without exception (except the Roman, which are often on knolls) to be found, was the great object of a campaign; for John Wallingford says (id. 537) that, when Rollo the Norman came to the assistance of Alfred, " municipia præoccupavit monterosa," i. e. he pre-occupied the mountainous municipia (a word which, in the middle age, according to Ducange, was, as before observed, synonymous with castle), fortified difficult passes (loca transitu difficilia munivit), and stopped thoroughfare. Of course, the earthworks now remaining will correspond with the tactics. The Danes were thus compelled to come to action, at the cost of deserting their fortresses, and were often defeated in consequence. John Wallingford, speaking of Athelingay, says, that Alfred made his fort" monte quem anticipaverat, hostibus nimis aptum si præcavissent [i. e. on a hill which he had anticipated too fit for the enemies, if they had previously been aware of it]; and again, from the times of Swein, Igguas, and Hubba, generals of the Danes, in their dif ferent irruptions, consederant in diversis promontoriis et locis ad muni tiones aptis Dani multi, et ea optime muniverant nullius incursum metuentes [i. e. had sat down in different promontories and places fit for fortification, and excellently fortified them, dreading no attack] (XV. Scriptor. 138). It is therefore upon promontories and hills that we are to look for their camps; and this practice of throwing up a vallum across a promontory, or crowning the summit of a hill, coincides with Olaus Wormius, as to the celebrated Danewere (Monum. Danic. p. 56); but British, Roman, and Saxon castrametation were of the distinct character before mentioned. in Now as the Danish style is utterly discordant to British, Roman, and Saxon camps, and we have perambulated such a fortification (at Minchin Hampton Common, co. Gloucester, where a valley is still called " Woeful 603 Danes bottom," and Sepulchral cippi, like those of Wormius, still remain), we are inclined to annex great faith to such an appropriation of camps, with a single vallum, upon promontories and hills. We are, in consequence, also, from the treble ramparts, and the discovery of Roman coins, inclined to think that occupation only, not original construction, has ascribed these camps to the Danes, and that they are in fact British, i. e. local fortresses, which were usual among them. We add an extract of considerable public moment upon the subject of mendicity. "About two or three years ago, the inhabitants of Swaffham assembled in vestry, came to the resolution not to give pecufrom the parish funds; and, as far as was niary assistance to any common beggar, within their power, prevent it being done by others; and notices to that effect were sent to many of the inhabitants, and also posted in various parts of the town, requesting that in all cases of application for relief by begging, they be sent to the overseers, who would give the applicant a ticket, authorizing him or them to apply to the governors of the workhouses, who had orders to supply every person or family producing such ticket, with a meal of brown and water, which would enable them to bread (such as the paupers were fed with) destination. This plan has been adhered to travel another stage towards their place of ever since; and the result is, that very few applications are now made—that the number of vagrants are much reduced, as regards this parish; as a strong proof of which, a person or two, who used to let lodgings to such characters, applied to the vestry for relief, and declared that in consequence of the system adopted by the parish, regarding the mode of relieving beggars, they had few applications for lodgings, which was the cause of their applying at the vestry for parochial assistance; they believed very few beggars came into the town, compared with the number which used to do, and that they seldom continued a night in the parish, unless they came in late in the day. See a letter in the Norwich Mercury, Feb. 10, 1827, signed G. M. L. in which the writer states, that he has a book, taken from a vagrant, in which are entries of various donations, amounting in the whole to the sum of 1881. 5s. collected by him in twentyone weeks, approaching nearly to 96. per week." ii. 678. We recommend this method to the gentry of Herefordshire and Mon |