beautiful lawns, a bowling green, and many delightful grassy walks. The truffle is faid to be found here very plentifully. As the fun was clofing up his glories for the day, we retired to an excellent inn, (King's-head,) at Cirencester. This has been a famous.city of antiquity called by Ptolemy, Corinium; by the Britons Caer Ceri; the English Saxons, Cirencefter, and by contraction at this day Ciceter, fituate on the river Churn, feventeen miles from Glocefter on the old London road. The multiplicity of coins, chequered pavements, infcriptions, &c. dug up here at various times, fhew it to have been a place of consequence; the remains of ftrong walls and a caftle indicate marks of its being once well fortified. The Britons defended it many years against the Saxons, who at laft obliged them to fubmit, together with the cities of Glocefter and Bath, at the battle of Durham five miles from the latter anno 577, in which three British kings were flain. Various were the events of war and fieges here in almost every fucceeding reign, till 14c0, 1ft Henry IV. when the duke of Surrey and earl of Salisbury, duke of Exeter, and earl of Glocefter, took up arms in favour of King Richard II. (grandfon of Edward III. from whom sprang the houses of York and Lancaster;) and were lodged at two inns, when the mayor or head officer being apprifed of their lodging, collected about four hundred of the inhabitants, and broke in upon the duke of Surry and earl of Salisbury, who being much wounded, were immediately beheaded; the other two escaped, but were foon after taken and fuffered the fame fate. Thus originated those unhappy feuds, on the acceffion of the house of Lancaster. This was alfo one of thofe places that surrendered to to the army of Charles I. but the royalifts did not continue long in poffeffion of it; and when the plan for the glorious revolution was laid, we find the duke of Beaufort oppofing the lord Lovelace, who was going with a band of men to join the Prince of Orange, then landed in the weft of England. A difpute enfued between the contending parties, wherein fome loft their lives, and the lord Lovelace was taken prisoner, and committed to Glocefter caftle; but foon after released by the abdication of the king, and the new government taking place. It is now a good market town and borough, with two weekly markets; the quantity of wool fold here at one time was almost incredible, owing to the furrounding Cotefwould fo famous for fheep, which made it the greatest mart for the fupply of the clothiers in this county and Wilts; but this is much declined fince the dealers in this article travel from place to place and buy it of the farmers. It would be an injuftice to omit mentioning the prefent ftately church, whofe lofty and handfome tower is a great ornament to this place; but the body is too much crowded with old buildings to be properly feen, the windows of which are beautifully decorated with historical painted glafs. Here was a collegiate church before the conqueft, and Rumbald, who was chancellor of England in the reign of Edward the confeffor, had been dean of it; but when celibacy amongit the clergy was established by law, Henry I. built a magnificent abbey in its ftead, 1117. It continued to flourish and receive large donations for succeeding times. It was one of the mitred abbeys, and in the reign of Henry V. 1416, the abbot obtained the high privilege of a feat in parliament amongst the barons. At the diffolution its annual revenues amounted to 10571. 78. 1d. The whole of this ancient ftructure has been long destroyed, except two gates which still ferve to give fome idea of its former grandeur. The fcite of this abbey was in the crown, till it was granted to Richard Mafters, physician to Queen Elizabeth, whofe defcendant, Thomas Mafters, member for the county, hath here an handfome houfe and pleasure grounds. His brother is alfo member for the county, hath here an handfome house and pleasure grounds. His brother is alfo member for the town, which place their ancestors have long reprefented. The choice of election 2 election is in the inhabitants, not receiving alms. Hence the duke of Portland takes his title of baron. We now had an agreeable drive through the remainder of lord Bathurst's grounds, whose beautiful walks, lawns, and extenfive plantations do the highest credit to the taste and spirit of Allan earl Bathurst, father to the present proprietor. Besides the feveral ornamental buildings on the delightful terrace, which commands diftant and fine views, we are pleased with various objects of this kind, interfperfed amidit the lawns and viftas of the deer park, particularly a noble lofty column, on the top of which is placed the ftatue of Queen Anne, as large as life: from hence we have a charming view of the house, with the tower of the church placed fo directly in the centre behind, that at first we are induced to believe them one and the fame elegant ftructure. We now paffed by an handfome alcove, dedicated to the immortal Pope, where he used often to retire to indulge the creative fallies of his genius, when on a vifit to his noble friend and patron. Oppofite to this we were again amufed with Oakley woods in miniature, a lawn from whofe centre feven more viftas are directed to various pleasing objects, particularly that ftately column juft mentioned. Here we took a grateful leave and croffed through the fields, about a mile to the village of Stratton, where we entered the great Gloucefter road. The clouds, which had been threatening long, now began to pour their copious ftores upon the bleak downs of Cotefwould; thus we travelled many miles amidst thofe unfheltering walls of stone, till we gladly arrived on that immenfe verge of Birdlip, whofe fummit, on a level with most of the Cotefwould, fo gloriously hangs, near 1350 feet above the water of the Severn. Here the lovely and delicious vale of Gloucester again burst sweetly on our fight, and its fair city, to whofe arms we were now eagerly returning, fmiled even in this mifty eclipfe of clouds and rain. A fimilarity of weather begun the day following, but in the afternoon we took the opportunity of a favourable interval, and purfued our courfe 16 miles to Newport, on the Briftol road, where we flept that evening, and the next morning vifited Berkeley, close by, one of the largest parishes in this county, furrounded by rich meadows, and fuppofed to take its name from Berk, fignifying a beech and lea pafture; as the whole vale is particularly celebrated for making cheese, called double Gloucester, fo is this hundred, for the most delicious fort, called double Berkeley, it has a large parish church with a more recent handfome tower, standing separate at the oppofite fide of the church-yard; fuperftition fays that on the decay of the original tower, the new one could not be built in its place. Adjoining to this is the ancient and eminent castle of the present earl Berkeley. The whole of this noble edifice is more to be admired for its antiquity than beauty; its fituation being fo low, and fometimes furrounded by a flood of fpring-tide, flowing up the little Avon from the Severn just below. Roger de Berkeley was poffeffed of this lordship at the conqueft; and this being his chief feat, in imitation of the Normans*, affumed his name from hence. His other lordships in this county were Coberley, Dodinton, and Sifton, as appears by domesday-book. From hence hafty readers conclude that the prefent family have been here from the conqueft; but a different story foon will appear. This Roger made feveral pious gifts to religious houfes. His nephew and fucceffor William, founded an abbey of the Ciftertian order at Kingfwood; which was confirmed by Roger, fon of William. This Roger, adhering to Maud the emprefs, underwent a * These are Dugdale's words, (Bar. I. 349.) by which it feems he was an Englishman. But whether thele eftates were then granted him, or he was only fuffered to retain them, does not by this appear. VOL. II. I I very very hard fate, through the perfidioufnefs and cruelty of Walter, brother to Milo, earl of Hereford, his feeming friend, being treacherously seized on, stripped naked, exposed to scorn, put into fetters, and thrice drawn up by a rope about his neck, on a gallows, at his own caftle gates with threats, that if he would not deliver up that his castle to the earl, he fhould fuffer a miferable death: and when he was by this barbarous ufage, almoft dead, carried to prifon there to fuffer further tortures. If there is no mistake in the name of the party, on whofe behalf Roger fuffered this, his fon Roger adhered to the fide which used him fo ill, for he was a violent partizan of King Stephen; and in thofe contests, the castle and honor of Berkeley were taken from him and granted by Henry duke of Normandy (after Henry II.) to Robert Fitzharding, an adherent of his, whofe father Harding is faid to have been a younger fon of a king of Denmark, and accompanied the Conqueror to England. Berkeley obtained Durfely again, of which he had been alfo devested, and did not cease to vex Fitzharding for Berkeley alfo. Complaint therefore being made to duke Henry, he compromised the matter, by an agreement that Fitzharding's fon fhould marry Berkeley's daughter, and Berkeley's fon Fitzharding's daughter; fo that poor Berkeley never recovered his caftle; of which Fitzharding had a confirmation on the acceffion of Henry II.* Then it was that according to Smith's manufcripts, he built for Fitzharding the castle, which is now ftanding, in pursuance of a previous promife. He adds, that it was built upon the fcite of a ruined nunnery, demolished by the artful practice of Godwin, earl of Kent, in the time of Edward the Confeffor, which stratagem is related at length by Camden. Yet it is certain that there was a caftle here from the conquest to this time; is it not therefore more probable, that if it was rebuilt at this time, it was out of the ruins of the former castle, which former one had been built out of the ruins of the nunnery? At first it contained no more than the inmost of the three gates, and the buildings within the fame; for the two outmost gates, and all the buildings belonging to them, except the keep, were the additions of lord Maurice, eldest fon of the lord Robert, in the latter end of King Henry II; and of lord Thomas, the fecond of that name, in Edward II, and of lord Thomas, the third of that name, in 18th of Edward III. And as for the great kitchen, (great indeed) ftanding without, but adjoining to the keep of the castle, it was the work Thus cruelly ended the title of the genuine and original Berkeleys to this place, and their nobility with it, was transferred to the ufurpers. Yet they by no means became extinct till long after; they retained Durfely, Dodinton, and Coberley. In the time of Richard II. fays Camden, the heirefs of Durfely was married to Cantelow. Afterwards both Durfely and Dodinton came to the Wykes, as ..fome fay by defcent, but Leland's words are thefe. "Dodinton, where mafter Wykes dwellythe and hathe well restored his house withe faire buildings. This maner place and land longyd onto Barkels. It was purchafyd, and now remaynithe to Wykes." In another place he fays, "part of Drifeley" (Durfe ly) Caftell was brought to make the new houfe of Dodinton. A Quarre of Tophe ftone by Drife1ge, whereof much of the caftelle was buildid. The olde place of Dodinton within the mote by the new." Itin. vol. vi. fol. 76. vol. vii. part 2. fol. 72. a. The branch which were fettled at Coberley continued there a long while. Roger De Berkeley fo cruelly devefted of Berkeley, afterwards in 12th Henry II, certified his knights fees to be two and an half De Veteri Feoffamento; befides two knights fees of his own demefne in Coberley; &c. which I think implies his manfion was then there. His eldest fon Roger married according to the agreement the daughter of Fitzharding; and about 13th of John certified that there belonged fix knights fees and an half to his honor of Durfely. Coberley continued the feat of one branch of his defcendants; and Gough mentions the figures of feveral cross-legged knights of them in the church of this parish. At length Sir Thomas Berkeley, fon and heir of Sir Giles, fon and heir of sir Thomas, married the fifter and coheir of fir John Chandos, K. G. the famous warrior in the time of Edward III. and his daughter and coheir carried Coberley to her husband fir Thomas Brugge, of Brugge Solers, in Herefordshire, and his defcendants refided here till the time of John, the firit lord Chandos, who had a grant of Sudely castle. I hus ended the original Berkeleys, whofe arms were different from the prefent, viz. Argt. a feffe between three martlets fable. of King Henry VII. at his firft entrance into poffeffion thereof, about the 9th of his reign, foon after the death of William Marquis Berkeley, who had conveyed the fame amongst others, to that king. Befides thefe there were two beautiful chapels or oratories endowed with divers privileges from the bishops of Rome. Thus hath this noble castle continued with one alienation only, of fhort duration, the baronial refidence of this family, during the lapfe of more than fix centuries. Here the fecond Edward ended an inglorious reign, having been given up with this caftle to the Mor-> timers, by Thomas lord Berkeley, who was afterwards honorably acquitted by his peers of being acceffary to his death. In Shakespeare we find Berkeley thus recorded, during the commotions which distracted the government in the last years of the reign of Richard II. Northumberland. "How far is it to Berkeley? and what ftir Percy. There ftands the castle, by yon tuft of trees, Mann'd with three hundred men, as I have heard : And in it are the lords of York, Berkeley, and Seymour; In the contentions of York and Lancafter this caftle had no fhare; but it fuffered greatly from the difputed title to its poffeffion between the heir male and Richard Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, the heir general. "In 1418, the earl of Warwick lay before the castle with an armed force fully determined to destroy it, but was diverted from his purpose by the interceffion of the bishop of Worcester, and the neighbouring gentry." After lord Warwick's decease, his heirs preferred their claims in a fuit that continued near a century and half. Wearied with the tedious process of law, frequent recourfe was had to the decifion of the fword, and at length the difpute was finally determined by combat on Nibly green, when the claim of William, 6th lord Berkeley, was confirmed by the death of Thomas lord Lifle, whom he defeated in the field. This William was afterwards created a marquis, and himfelf cruelly left away the caftle from his brother, who was heir; and it was not recovered till the time of his brother's grandfon, on the death of Edward VI. When the castle ceased to be a place of defence, numerous parts were added. The hall, built in the reign of Edward IIL is a lofty room, 48 feet by 35, with four windows to the north, of Norman architecture. This is truly adequate to the idea of ancient barons; around hung feveral warlike inftruments, and here they told us his lordship kept up an annual relick of English hofpitality, that of feafting his tenants, &c. the fmall chapel contains nothing worthy of notice. Dining room 48 by 27, over the chimney, a fine old painting-paying tribute to Cæfar; James I, very excellent; John 1ft lord Berkeley of Stratton, youngest son of fir Maurice, by Vandyke; and many others. Drawing-room 42 by 24, very old tapestry, and furniture of the fame. Befides a numerous fet of portraits of the family, were Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary I, Jane Shore, &c. The other apartments are very fmall, hung with variety of family pictures, miniatures, &c. amongst which are fome of fir Godfrey Kneller, Vandyke, and fir P. Lely. George baron Berkeley, 1616, by C. Janfen; the Queen of Bohemia, by the fame. In a curious cabinet room, excavated from the wall, are thefe valuable miniatures; Maurice lord Berkeley, 1518; Katharine his wife, having the fame date; Thomas lord Berkeley, his brother, 1523; Thomas lord Berkeley, 1534; Henry lord Berkeley, 1554; lady Jane his fecond wife, daughter of fir Miles Stan *King Richard II. A&t 2. Scene third. 11 2 hope; hope; Thomas Berkeley who died before his father lord Henry, and was fucceeded by his grandfan George lord Berkeley 1616, whofe portrait, by Janfen, before mentioned, compleats the feries for 100 years. Amongst the furniture we faw two very curious state-beds, one of which was brought from Thornbury caftle, and bore the date of 1530. Alfo the bed in which Admiral Drake failed round the world. Oppofite lordBerkeley's dreffing-room is a neat garden formed in a circular space on the top of the castle; in the centre is a cold bath, covered like a tent; we walked round and had a charming view of the Severn and hills beyond. Lastly we were fhewn the dismal room in which Edward II. was most cruelly butchered. "Mark the year and mark the night, The fhrieks of death, thro' Berkeley's roofs that ring, The model of his head taken in plaifter lay in a box. After being deprived of his kingdom by the artifice of his wife, this murder was effected by the subtle contrivance of Adam bishop of Hereford, who fent these enigmatical words to his keepers without any points: Edvardum occidere nolite timere bonum eft To feek to fhed King Edward's blood So that by this double conftruction they might be encouraged to commit this horrid deed, and he plaufibly vindicated from giving any directions to it. "In furveying this proud monument of feudal fplendor and magnificence, the very genius of chivalry feems to present himself, amidst the venerable remains, with a sternnefs and majesty of air and feature, which fhew what he once has been, and a mixture of difdain for the degene rate pofterity that robbed him of his honours. Amidst such a scene the manly exercifes of knighthood recur to the imagination in their full pomp and folemnity; while every patriot feeling beats at the remembrance of the generous virtues which were nurfed in those schools of fortitude, honour, courtefy, and wit, the manfions of our ancient nobility."+ From hence we drove to Thornbury, a well looking old town, with a most excellent church and tower, built in the form of a cathedral, the pinnacles of which are exceedingly beautiful. Adjacent to this are the noble remains of a castle belonging to the fecond fon of the late Mr. Howard, of Sheffield. It was begun upon a moft extenfive plan, by the duke of Buckingham, in Henry VIIIth's time. Leland, treating of it in his Itinerary, fays, "Edward, late duke of Buckingham, likynge the foyle aboute, and the fite of the houfe, pulled downe a greate part of the old house, and fette up magnificently in good fquare ftone the south fide of it, and accomplished the west part allo withe a right comely gate-house to the first foyle and fo it ftandithe yet, with a rofe forced for a time. This infcription on the front of the gate-houfe: this gate was began in the yere of our Lorde God 1511, the 2d yere of the reigne of Kynge Henry the VIII. by me Edward, duke of Buckingham, earl of Hereford, Staforde, and Northampton." He likewife made a fine park near the caftle; for which purpose he inclofed a confiderable tract of rich corn land. (Atkins fays, he had licence from Henry VII. • Gray's Bard. + Bigland's Gloucestershire, page 156, to which I am indebted for other particulars. |