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but here may, possibly, have been an error of the transcriber from the ancient writing of the time of Edward, the First, and we may be here thus presented with the word Reigate in lieu of Burgate, near Fordingbridge. These offenders were, probably, not minor holders of land, but the superior Lords of parochial manors-men, perhaps, of affluence, but, assuredly, of degenerate minds. Their detection, probably, arose from the assiduous inquiries of the dealers in wool-the merchants of the staple resident in Salisbury; but I must remind you, gentle reader, that this was in an age, long prior to that of Halle-and Webb-and Swayne.

I must conclude this note with the following additional remark connected with this subject of the staple.

In p. 56 of this work I endeavoured to show the origin of the word staple as used in a mercantile sense, and I beg permission here to repeat the following passage : "In the middle ages the revenues of the Crown principally arose from impost duties on the exportation of commodities extensively produced in this country. These were exported from certain towns, fixed on at the will of the Monarch, and sanctioned by Act of Parliament, where various officers were appointed to ascertain and receive the duties, which should arise; and, as these commodities arrived at these export towns, I cannot but conclude, that they were (until those duties were ascertained, and paid) bonded, and secured, in warehouses under the regal fastening, perhaps peculiarly marked-under the lock and key, secured by, what we may thus call, xar' ikox, The Staple―The King's Staple."

That this was the origin of the word staple, so extensively used in a mercantile sense, I have no doubt; and my hypothesis has received a strong confirmation, in part, by the discovery, on a recent review of the pages of the "Itinerarium Willelmi de Worcestre," who testifies, that the wool, &c., was temporarily bonded in the King's warehouse, when brought to the staple town for exportation. This writer (whose real name was William Bottoner) was a native of Bristol, (which, gentle reader, you will recollect, was one of the staple towns,) and he minutely describes that place in very barbarous Latin. The passage connected with this subject is as follows: "Domus altissimæ et latæ regis cum voltis in vico de worshypp-strete alias shamellys sive bocherye.

"In vico vocato le shamellys sunt 3 profundissimi cellarii

regis sub tribus domibus magnæ et altæ edificaturæ, quæ fuerunt ordinatæ pro lanis et merchandisis custodiendis ad onerandas naves Bristolliæ ad cæteras partes ultra-marinas. Et similiter sunt in dicto vico 4 alii cellarii."

As nearly as I can translate the foregoing passages, the meaning is as follows: "There are very lofty and broad houses belonging to the King, with vaults, in the street called Worshipstreet, alias the Shambles, or the Butchery.

"In the street called the Shambles are three very deep cellars belonging to the King, beneath three houses of great and lofty erection, which were set apart for the securely keeping wools and merchandises for the lading of the ships of Bristol for other parts beyond the seas."

This author, William of Worcester, lived in the middle-ages, when the staple trade was in full vigour, and he thus bears me out in my conjecture, that the wool and other articles for exportation were bonded in the King's Warehouse.

Thus, then, may we believe, that the fastening made use of on that occasion-the Staple-the King's Staple-was the origin of the mercantile use of that word.

NOTE 3-(p. 82.)

"Labarum." Note 1, Essay III., p. 421.

NOTE 4 (p. 84.)

"Church of St. Thomas, Salisbury." This interesting Church is said, and believed, to have been erected as a chapel of ease to the Cathedral, about the year 1240, during the episcopacy of Richard Bingham. The original architecture was coeval with that of the Cathedral; and I have no doubt, that, throughout its several parts, it was then assimilated with that splendid. building in its lancet windows, as it is still in its only original arch-that dividing the nave and chancel, which is raised on the base line of an equilateral triangle. It was dedicatednot to St. Thomas, the Apostle-but to St. Thomas à Becketthe ambitious, and contumacious, Archbishop of Canterbury; who, having harassed his Sovereign by his endeavours to lay

this kingdom prostrate before the arbitrary sway of the pope of that day, at length so excited the ire of some of the barons, who were supporters of the throne, that they deprived him of his life. This criminal act cannot be defended; yet it must be conceded, that the pertinacious conduct of the bishop drew on himself this lamentable event; and, it is probable, in the result, the kingdom was saved from greater evils. The archbishop was canonised-by all those, who preferred papal tyranny to their country's good, he was called a martyrand St. Thomas à Becket was thus long held in the memories of men. To him, then, was dedicated this Church by the degenerate, and bigoted, Bishop Bingham, who, unlike his worthy predecessor, Joceline, bent his neck to the papal yoke.

When I say, that the Church of St. Thomas à Becket was built about the year 1240, I must assure you, gentle reader, of that, which you may already suspect, the fact, that, although it be, nominally, the same church, which you behold in the present day, it has been so added to, and altered, that very little of the original building is left.

That the Church of St. Thomas was, originally, a chapel of ease to the Cathedral is very probable; but, from a close examination, I am decidedly of opinion, that the earlier building was on a much smaller scale than at present-that it consisted alone of a nave, and a chancel-that there were no side aisles -no chantries-no clere-story, or upper tier of windows, and— no tower.

The interior of the Church was then lighted, we may not doubt, by windows of the most early Gothic style-by lancet windows, similar to those of the Cathedral, placed in the side walls of the nave and chancel, where are now the arches.

With these preliminary observations, I will now enter on my review of the subsequent additions, and alterations, which have gradually produced the Church of St. Thomas of its present size, and form.

The earliest addition to the ancient Church, I suspect, indeed I may say, was the Chantry of Robert Godmanstone. This family, probably, originated at Godmanstone in Dorsetshire; and, if I am correct, it is the space to the north of the chancel, and included between it and the present vestry-room. The earliest record, which I can find of this chantry, is in the Bishop's Registry of Institutions, where, in the year 1415, I

learn, that "Johannes Smyth" was presented to it "

p. m.” (i. e. post mortem) "Johannis Smyth"-that, as I presume, John Smyth, the son, succeeded on the death of John Smyth, the father. This clearly proves, that this chantry was built, at least, in the very early part of the fifteenth century; and, thus erected, as it was, by the side of the chancel, the latter lost its windows on the north side, which were replaced by the three arches, which divide that chantry from the chancel to this present day. Beneath the centre arch is an ancient tomb disrobed of its brass, and, formerly, supposed to be that of the Duke of Buckingham, beheaded at Salisbury in the year 1485,* but which, I think, may be far better assigned to Robert Godmanstone, the presumed founder of this chantry. This, more peculiarly, sacred spot, beneath the connecting arch with the chancel, was commonly appropriated to the tomb of the founder of an adjoining chantry; and, perhaps so, from the pious fancy, that the soul, detached from its mortal remains, might still hover around them within the hearing of the sacred services. This additional building, however, could not have materially injured the chance!, which still received its light from the (as we may well believe) triple lancet window at its east end, and from those of a similar form, which still remained in the wall on its south side.

The next important addition to this interesting Church was made by the building of the tower. It was in an age subsequent to the foundation of the City, that the Close was wholly, and parochially, dissevered from the, as at present, parish of St. Thomas. The Church was then more generally regarded as a chapel of ease to the Cathedral, and its congregation may have been summoned by one or two small bells suspended, perhaps, beneath a canopy on the pinnacle of its western gable. It is mentioned, however, in a note to Mr. Hatcher's "Account of Salisbury," p. 48, that, "As late as May 2, 1404, the Dean and Chapter gave twelve marks towards the works of the Campanile, or bell-tower of St. Thomas." This information was derived by Mr. H. from the Chapter Records; who, also, in the same note, gives us the further intelligence, that "Thomas

• This opinion is now, however, superseded by the more probably correct appropriation to him of a tomb in the neighbouring Church of Britford, to which, it is likely, his remains were removed at the Reformation, as tradition imputes his burial in the Church of the Grey Friars, in Salisbury.

de Boyton, whose testament" bears the date "of 1400, bequeaths from the debt, owing to him by John Gilbert, twenty marks to the new fabric on the south side of the Church of St. Thomas." I have no doubt, that both these subsidiary donations were given towards the expenses of this handsome tower, which may have created a debt difficult to be defrayed from the resources of the parish alone. This Campanile, evidently, stood detachedly from the Church, (there being then no side aisles,) and the congregation passed beneath it through an open Gothic Arch on their way into the Church. On the side of the tower, facing the Church, was a window to light the belfry, and a door of entry to the flight of stairs leading to it; but, as by the erection of the south aisle intervening between the tower and the nave, the side wall of the tower is now become that of the aisle, the window and door are stopped up, and by the internal view of the Church may be thus seen. In later times, I regret to say, the hand of tasteless innovation has placed within the handsome arch of this tower, (which is a principal entrance of the Church,) a Doric Arch, and door-way! "O! tempora! O! mores!" I ardently hope, that the improved taste of modern times will remove this opprobrium, and restore the arch, and its passage (as nearly as can consistently be done with its now relative situation with the Church) to its ancient state. An external iron gate of open, and ancient, pattern would be a good substitute for that piece of deformity -the modern panelled door!

I have now to record an addition to this Church by the erection of another chantry on the south side of the chancel. It was built by William Swayne, merchant, in the reign of Edward, the Fourth, and in the episcopacy of Richard Beauchamp. He was the contemporary, and friend, of John Halle, being, at one time, a fellow-burgess with him to represent the interests of the City of Salisbury in the legislative Councils of the State. In the year 1472 William Swayne himself presented to this chantry "Ricardus Beton," doubtlessly, to pray (and to perform mass, &c.,) for the soul of James, the father of William Swayne, as the pious spectators are besought to do by the Latin Inscription on the transverse beams

For a lengthened period this chantry has been the cemetery of the auncient and worshepeful familie of the Eyres of Newe House, nighe unto Dunctone, som of whome did attaine unto highe station and renowne in the lawe.

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