liams, his brother Chas. W. Wynn, esq. and other Gentlemen. A Society has also been formed, under the name of "The Cymmrodorion or Metropolitan Cambrian Institution," to which his Majesty has condescended to extend his Royal Patronage. Though these Societies are as yet in an infant state, a pleas. ing spirit of emulation has already taken place among the Bards and Musicians, as well as among Gentlemen devoted to the subjects of Historical and Philological Research. The first General Meeting of the Cambrian Society was held at Caermarthen on the 5th and 6th of July, and during the absence of Lord Dynevor, the President, Bishop Burgess filled the Chair with an ability and zeal well comporting with the active part his Lordship had taken in a cause which he had so warmly espoused. The Rev. Walter Davies, Rector of Manafon, Montgomeryshire, was, out of regard to his talents, as well as his successful competition at the Meeting, honoured with the Bardic. Chair, in which he was placed by Mr. Edward Williams, the Senior Bard. The Secretary was the Rev. David Rowland, Curate of Caermarthen, whose decease, as well as that of the Rev. Eliezer Williams, the following winter, the friends of the Society have cause to deplore. Besides the Prize Poems, on the Death of the Queen, by Mr. Williams, a Carnarvonshire Bard, and on the Death of General Sir Thos. Picton, by the Rev. Walter Davies; there were two Prose Essays in English. 1. On the Laws of Welsh Metre, by the Rev. Walter Davies. Un' the Language and Learning of On Britain during the Roman Period, by the Rev. John Jones of Lanvaiṛ, near Bangor. Mr. Blaney of Montgomeryshire was the Prize Harper, and, as such, entitled to the Silver Harp. 2. awarded to Mr. Robert Davies of Nantglyn, near Denbigh, who was placed in the Bardic Chair. The competitors for this, as well as the other Poetic Prizes, were numerous, and some of these rival compositions had considerable merit. There were two Prose Essays in English, for the first of which there was no competition, for the second, there were four Papers transmitted to the Secretary, the Rev. D. Richards of Lansilin, near Oswestry. The Premiums were adjudged as follows: 1. "On the Notices of Britain, under whatever name, in Antient Authors, containing Extracts from the Originals, with Translations and Comments." Rev. W. J. Rees, A. M. Rector of Cascob, Radnorshire, and Prebendary of Brecon. To the 2. "On the History and Character of the real Arthur King of the Britons, and the fabulous Character of that name, whether of Romance or of Mythology." To Mr. John Hughes of Brecon, Author of the Hora Britannicæ, or Studies in Antient British History (in two volumes octavo.) Gilder Painter The first Bardic Sessions, or General Meeting of the Cymmrodorion Laceman ....................................... Society for Powys, (comprizing the Counties of Montgomery, Denbigh, and Flint) was held at Wrexham, on the 13th and 14th of September, (see p. 270) upon which occasion Sir Watkin Williams Wynn presided in a very able and spirited manner. The Premium for the best Ode (in the Welsh Language) on "The Death of King George the Third," was Chaser........................ 0 .933 14 0 .315 0 0 737 10 7 665 4 6 385 15 0 202 5 104 .99 6 6 .31 3.4 .10 16 6 ...4 3 6 ....3 9 6 Total......7,562_3_5 W. R. Mr. Mr. URBAN, THE Oct. 2. HE Abbey of Cerne, in the County of Dorset, according to William of Malmesbury, Camden, and others, was founded as early as the time of St. Austin, whose zeal in the conversion of the Saxons to the Christian faith, led him into these parts, where, it is said, he performed several miracles. The ear liest period, however, at which we have any certain account of a religious society existing here, is in the year 870, when Edward, brother of St. Edmond, King of East Anglia, is said to have resided in it. Through veneration for the memory of that monarch, Ailmer Earl of Cornwall and Devon rebuilt and endowed the Abbey of Cerne for Benedictine Monks about 987. Among the distinguished men who have lived in it, was Cardinal Morton. Inclosed you receive a slight sketch of the present state of the elegant Gate-house of the Abbey (see Plate II.) which, I must regret to add, is rapidly going into decay, as a comparison with the view in vol. III. of Hutchins's Hist. of Dorset, (taken by F. Cary about 20 years ago) will evidently shew. This curious structure was probably erected about the year 1509, under the abbacy of Thomas Salmon. It seems to have been the principal entrance, and consisted of a large square embattled Tower, of three stories, faced with Hamdon stone. The following minute description of it (written in 1806) was contributed by the Rev. J. K. Moor to the Second Edition of Hutchins's His tory: The sides are of brick, intermixed with layers of stone. In the ground floor, which was the gate or passage, in the spandrils of the inner arch are two escotcheons with arms. The colours, owing to their not having been exposed to the weather, still remain; on the right, Sable, a cross between four lilies Argent; the arms of the abbey: on the left, Argent, a lion Gules, in a bordure bezanté Sable, supposed for Richard earl of Cornwall, in allusion to whom probably the moulding round the arch of entrance probably ends in two large lions, The groins of the lower cieling were till very lately much enriched with foliage and quatrefoils. Upon a shield in the centre quatrefoil was a text T, inclosing a fish and crosier; upon others were the arms of the abbey, an O surGENT. MAG. November, 1820. mounted by a bird (as in front under the upper window), a lover's kuot, &c. The wet now soaks through the arch, and has destroyed most of the ornaments, aud a great part of the rich fan-work tracery with which it was overspread, and in a remains of that once elegant building. very short time will throw down all that To the honour of those to whose care the preservation of this beautiful relick is entrusted, this Gate-house has been more injured by the weather, and been more dilapidated in the last three years than in the three preceding centuries. Within the memory of persons now living, this ruin has been occupied as a dwellinghouse; and was for a long time used as a school, to which purpose it was well adapted. The removal of the lead for sale, and the consequent exposure of the interior of the building to the weather, has been the occasion of its present dilapidated state, which is generally lamented by the inhabitants of the town. In the West or principal front are two large bow windows, reaching from the arch of en trance to the battlements. Under the higher, on eight escotcheons in quatre foils, are these arms and devices, four in front, and two on each side: 1. Four crosslets in cross; 2. Two bars. 3. A rose. 4. portcullis *. 5. A text, inclosing a crosier and fish (probably the rebus of the abbot by whom the building was erected). 6. An O surmounted by a bird. 7. A brake, an instrument still in common use in this neighbourhood in making bread. 8. Defaced. "Under the lower window are eight more escotcheons, four in front, and two on each side. 1. A dolphin embowed; lion rampant in a bordure, bezané. 4. Fitzjames. 2. A cross patonce. 3. A Modern France and England. 5. Four fusils in fess encircled with the garter. (This shield belongs to Giles lord Dawbery in the reign of Henry the Seventh.) 6. A cross engrailed between four hlies; Cerne abbey. 7. Three bendlets over a plain bordure; impaling a chevron between three roses. 8. Three bendlets (as before) with a file of three points, impaling a bordure eugrailed." These arms are all engraved in Hutchins's History, vol. III. p. 314. They belong to families connected with the neighbourhood, by whose assistance the Gate was probably erected. This was a badge of the Beaufort family, and also of Henry VIII. and seems to refer to his other titles to the crown being strengthened by his mother's being of that family." Some Some buildings South of the Gate appear to have belonged to the Abbey, and are more antient than the former, but have been converted into a farm-house and other dwellings. Yours, &c. J. M. C. Mr. URBAN, Bury, Lancashire, PERMIT me to notice an error into which your Correspondent ANTIQUARIOLUS, in your Number for August (p. 104) has fallen, in supposing, as I imagine he does, that Mr. Whitaker, the Author of the History of Manchester, and Dr. Whitaker, the well-known living antiquary, are the same person. The slightest enquiry will convince ANTIQUARIOLUS that the Mr. Whitaker, to whom Bishop Bennet refers, is not the Reverend and Learned Vicar of Whalley and Blackburn, in this county. The Manchester Historian died several years ago. I agree most fully with your Correspondent in the eulogy which he bestows on "the noble decisiveness of Dr. Whitaker's character." As an Antiquary, I do not profess myself competent to appreciate Dr. Whitaker's merits; what I admire in him most is, the zeal, the faithfulness, with which he discharges his duty as a Minister of the Gospel. Since he was presented by the Abp. of Canterbury to the Vicarage of the populous and extensive Parish of Blackburn, he has resided in that town the greater part of the year, and takes his full share along with the Curate in performing three services every Sunday, in a large Church, and to a crowded congregation. In 'Dr. Whitaker's Church divine service is performed and a sermon preached on the Sunday night. I mention this, because I consider that Dr. Whita ker's approbation of a measure, the tendency of which has sometimes been questioned, is of very great importance. And I feel assured that were the worthy Doctor to communicate, through the medium of your Magazine, his deliberate sentiments on this subject, and the effects produced, or * See Warner's Tour through Cornwall, p. 183, note. See also Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary, from which it appears that Mr. Whitaker died in the year 1808, and never took the degree of Doctor. likely to be produced in the Town of Blackburn, by the Sunday Evening Service, such a communication would not only be highly interesting to the Public at large, but might encourage other Clergymen to institute in their Churches a similar service. For myself, I can honestly say, that I derived unmixed delight from the performance of Divine Service on the Sunday nights at my own Church during the winter months last year; and I am convinced that were the measure to become general, the welfare of individuals, and the prosperity of the Established Church, would be the result. Some apology is perhaps due to Dr. W. for the liberty thus taken with him by one who is totally unknown to him. He will, I trust, forgive me. CLERICUS LANCASTRIENSIS. Ancient Anecdotes, &c. from VALERIUS MAXIMUS, by Dr. CAREY, West Square. (Continued from p. 304.) Mr. URBAN, SEND you the promised continu ation of my Ancient Anecdotes; first, however, requesting permission to notice an Erratum in my former communication *, where Alexander's physician brings in the potion. The passage should run thus: "Philip entered with the bowl, containing, whether the vital or the deadly draught." Yours, &c. J. C. A noble instance of generous disinterestedness and friendship was displayed by Caius Marcius, better known by the appellation of Coriolanus.-While yet a young man, and serving in the Roman army at the siege of Corioli, he, by his presence of mind and promptitude of courage, mainly contributed to the capture of that town, whence he received the surname or honorary title of Coriolanus. For that gallant exploit, his general-besides publicly greeting him with a well-merited encomium in presence of the whole army, and bestowing on him all the usual meeds of pre-eminent valour— offered him additional rewards, far surpassing in value any thing that might have reasonably been expected from the limited finances of the Roman republic at that early period See p. 303. (A. U. C. |