tured in the MS. several times already mentioned that this church is of much older institution than that of St. Mary's, but we must confess the conclusion does not appear to us clearly warranted by the premises.

Besides the churches belonging to the establishment there are several places of worship appropriated for the meetings of Quakers, Independents, Presbyterians, and Methodists, of which sects the two last are by far the most numerous.

monastic institutions.

Stafford, previous to the dissolution, contained a variety of At the north end of the walls stood a house of Franciscan or Grey Friars, which Erdeswick tells us was founded by Sir James Stafford of Sandon. Henry the eighth granted this cell to James Leveson, in the thirty first year of his reign, when its annual revenue was valued at 351. 13s. 10d.

Here was likewise a Priory of Black Canons, founded according to some authors by Richard Peche, bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, about the year 1180, but according to others by Gerard Stafford, who thought proper to compliment the bishop with the title of founder, because it was built upon a portion of his Lordship's property. Which of these accounts is true we cannot determine; but this much is certain, that the bishop always manifested a strong partiality for this house. Upon resigning his see, indeed, he entered himself one of its religious, and continued in that situation till his death. It was dedicated, as appears from the Anglia Sacra, to St. Thomas Becket exactly ten years after his death. The number of its religious was limited to seven, whose revenues were 1981. a year. After the general dissolution the king granted it to Rowland bishop of Lichfield.

This house was very pleasantly situated close to the river Sow, about two miles to the east of Stafford. Its chief remains consist of a building with two circular doorways, and oblong square headed windows, a few pilasters of half columns in the boundary wall, an arch way and two fossils in the garden, two foliated

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foliated pendents that ornamented the roof, and a fragment of sculpture exhibiting four heads, three of them looking up towards the highest. The stone upon which they are sculp tured is about two feet long, and ten inches and a half deep. The hair of each of the heads is well disposed, and the countenances are good. One of the lower ones would appear to have originally leaned upon the shoulder of the tallest. The area of this monastery seems to have extended over several acres, inclosed by a stone wall of considerable strength.

Ralph Lord Stafford bestowed a portion of ground on the green at the southern extremity of the town, on the Friers Austins upon which they founded a religious establishment, about the year 1344, for the sake of his soul and that of his two wives (Katharine and Margaret) Sir Humphrey Hastings, knight, and that of Edward the third. The tombs of this great family were removed to the church here from Stone, at the time of the dissolution, but very soon after went entirely to ruin. This house was granted to Thomas Neve and Giles Isam, in the first year of the reign of Queen Mary.*

The chief trade carried on in Stafford consists in the manu facture of boots, shoes, and cutlery. There is, likewise, a considerable business in tanning, both for home consumption and for exportation.

The ancient custom of borough English still prevails in this town, by which the youngest son succeeds to property, as heir at law, in preference to the elder children. The foundation of this custom is not very well ascertained; but the probable conjecture concerning it is, that it had its origin, in the pre sumption that the youngest child was the least capable of pro

viding

Leland, speaking relative to this house, says, "Ther wer dyverse tumbes of the Lordes of Stafford, in Stone priory made of Alabaster. The images that lay on them were, after the suppression of the house, caryed to the Freers Augustine, in Fordedridge alias Stafford Grene as flumen, And in this Friers hang a Petigre of the Staffordes.”

viding for itself; and this idea, in certain conditions of society, is not perhaps altogether without some show of wisdom.

The remains of the castle of the celebrated barons of Stafford are placed about a mile and a half to the south-west of the town, on the summit of a singular hill, the ascent of which on all sides is extremely smooth and gradual. So much, indeed, is this the case that we strongly suspect it has been originally levelled by art for the sake of embellishment. The chief, and indeed almost the only, portion of this castle now standing is the keep or stronghold, placed on an artificial mount of an oblong form, measuring one hundred and five feet by fifty. The walls, which are about twelve feet high, were some years ago cleared and made of the same height, by Jerningham, Esq. At that time a variety of silver coins were discovered, in general of a later date than the reign of king Edward the sixth, together with a plain silver cross, a cannon ball, two small millstones, and the lower portion of a large font or piscina. Each angle of the keep is surmounted by small octangular towers, and there is likewise one on the south west side. It contains three separate rooms or apartments with fire places in each, and also steps leading up to loop holes. The thickness of the walls in this building is eight feet, and they are so constructed that it is difficult to determine where the entrance was placed. An intention of rebuilding this edifice, or at least a considerable part of it, has been lately manifested; and, indeed, some portion of it has in consequence been already erected. A deep foss or ditch surrounds the whole castle, and one side has the additional defence of a high rampart.

South from the castle stood the manor house, the usual residence of the noble family of Stafford. It was fortified by Ralph de Stafford in the reign of Edward the third, who had granted him permission to make castles of all his manor-houses both here and at Madeley. The area of this ancient seat is

still easily discovered, by the moat which surrounds it remaining unfilled up.

The town of Stafford formerly gave title to one of the most ancient and powerful families in England. William the con queror conferred the title of Baron of Stafford on Robert de Stafford, who had performed for him many signal services, both in his progress to the throne, and after he had been established on it. Ralph Stafford was advanced to the dignity of earl of Stafford, by Edward the third. This nobleman married the heiress of Hugh Audley earl of Gloucester, aud left a son named Hugh, who died on a pilgrimage to Rhodes. He was succeeded by his son Thomas, who dying without issue, Edmund his brother obtained the title and estates. Edmund married the daughter and heiress of Thomas of Woodstock, duke of Buckingham, to which title this family were subsequently elevated. Henry Stafford, duke of Buckingham, was beheaded by Richard the third. Edward Stafford the last Duke of that name met the same fate in the reign of Henry the eighth. His descendants enjoyed the dignity of lords of Stafford, to the third generation, when his great grandson Henry, having married the grand-daughter of Thomas, earl of Arundel and Surrey, he was created baron of Stafford, and his Lady baroness Stafford in her own right, by Charles the first. Soon after Henry himself was advanced to the rank of a Viscount in the year 1640. This nobleman was beheaded on Tower Hill, in consequence of his being concerned in the Popish plot; but Henry his eldest son was created earl of Stafford, in the fourth year of the reign of James the second. John Paul Stafford Howard, his nephew, and the fourth Earl, dying without issue, the title became extinct; but it was again revived in the year 1786 by the elevation of earl Gower to the dignity of Marquis of Stafford, which title is now enjoyed by his son the second Marquis.

John Stafford, a Franciscan friar of considerable celebrity, was born here, as is generally supposed towards the close of

the

the fourteenth century. He was, according to Fuller, "No contemptible Philosopher and Divine." His principal work was a History of England written in Latin.

Edmund Stafford, chancellor of England in the reign of Henry, was likewise a native of this town. He was brother to Ralph, first earl of Stafford, and consequently son to Edmund baron Stafford; Richard the second preferred him to the bishopric of Exeter ; and Fuller * informs us that some authors assert, he was likewise bishop of Worcester, and ultimately archbishop of York; Godwin,+ however, makes no mention of him as ever having held any other see but that of Exeter; and his authority we are inclined to regard, as decisive of the question. This prelate was a great benefactor to Stapelton's Inn, now Exeter college, in Oxford, having settled two fellow. ships in it, and furnished liberal endowments for their support. Another distinguished character, a native of this town, was Thomas Asheburn, who lived in the fourteenth century. He was educated chiefly at the university of Oxford, where he afterwards obtained a fellowship, and entered into orders. Wickliff met in this divine a most vigorous and active opponent to his new doctrines. Not contented with exerting all his talents, and knowledge, in endeavouring to prove their falsity, he caused a convocation to be called at London, in the year 1382, where the writings of the reformer were solemnly condemned. 1

Thomas Fitzherbert, a learned and ingenious writer of the seventeenth century, was born here, or at least in this neighbourhood, in 1552. The place of his early education is unknown; but, in 1568, we find him removed either to Exeter or Lincoln college Oxford, where he continued to improve him. self, till disgust at the heresy of the times, as he called it (being a zealous Catholic,) induced him to quit a public life, and retire to his patrimonial estate. Here, however, he did

not

. Fuller's Worthies, Vol. II. Staffordshire.

Godwin de Præsulibus. Exon.

Plot's Hist. Staff. p. 275.