of the ancient family of the Princes, Fr. Gibbons, D.D. chaplain to K. Charles, who died 7th Jan. 1639; also his youngest son James Gibbons, esq. and died 21st Nov. 1712." "Depositæ sunt in hoc tumulo Samuelis Pearson, A. M. hujus ecclesiæ per 51 annos Pastoris, These are the principal memorials in this sacred mansion of the dead. The elegant stone pulpit in the Abbey Garden, with the scattered fragments of different parts of this once noble Abbey, deserve the attention of the curious. WOODCROFT HOUSE, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. DR. MICHAEL HUDSON, in this house bravely fell defending himself against the Parliament forces, in 1648. In the parish of Etton, in the hundred of Nassaburgh, Northampton, is Woodcroft-house an old manor-place, and, from the remains of antiquity, apparently in former times a place of strength. It is surrounded by a large water, excepting on the western side, where the drawbridge is supposed to have been. The doors of the long passages through the gateway, with two large arches and seats of stone, and stone windows, and staircases within the house, and a round bastion towards the north end, are of remarkable and antient workmanship. Over the porch or gateway is a chamber, formerly the chapel in the wall is a bason for holy water, a long stone seat, and a large window, now in part filled up, and made into a smaller. The walls are about four feet thick. In the reign of Henry III., Herbert and Roger de Woodcrofte held of the Abbot of Burgh half a knight's fee in Walton and Woodcrofte, which was confirmed to the Convent by a charter in the same reign, and in the subsequent reigns of Edward I. and Edward II.* In 1648 Woodcroft-house was made a garrison by the Royalists, who took up arms for Charles I. under the command of the Rev. Dr. Michael Hud sont. After the battle of Edgehill, Mr. Hudson, retiring to Oxford, was in 1642, created Doctor in Divinity, and appointed Chaplain to the King. From thence he attended him, with Mr. Ashburnham, in 1646, when he put himself into the hands of the Scots; and the Parliament sending a Serjeant at Arms to bring Hudson to London, he eluded the vigilance of the messenger; but was soon after discovered and apprehended at Rochester, and committed prisoner to London-house. Having made his escape from his confinement, he was in a short time retaken, and sent from Hull to the tower. Here he wrote "The Divine Right of Government, natural and politic, more particularly of Monarchy," &c., which was printed in 4to. 1647. Making his escape also in the beginning of 1648, he went into Lincolnshire, raised a party of horse, and, to secure himself against the Parliament troops, retired with his men to Woodcróft-house. The Rebels on the 6th of June entering the house, and taking many prisoners, Hudson, with the most * Bridges's Northamptonshire, vol. ii. p. 511. + Dr. Hudson was Rector of Uffington, and was joined in his ́expedition against the rebels by the Rev. Mr. Styles, who was Warden of Brown's Hospital in Stamford, and Minister of Croyland. courageous of his soldiers, went up to the battlements, and defended themselves a considerable time; but yielded upon a promise of quarter, which was not observed; and the rebels advancing to them, Hudson was thrown over the battlements, and caught hold of a spout or projecting stone; but his hands being cut off, he fell into the moat much wounded; and desiring to come to land to die, was knocked on the head* by the butt-end of a musket. His tongue was then cut out by a lowbred shop-keeper of Stamford †, who carried it about the country as a trophy. Being there buried after the enemy had left the place, his body is said to have been removed to the neighbouring parish of Uffington, near Stamford, where it was solemnly interred. In the examination of John Browne of St. Ives, Hunts, taken May 18, 1646, he deposed that he met with Dr. Hudson at Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, being the last of April, where they lodged all night. Mr. Peek conceives that Dr. Hudson had relations at Melton; one Sir Henry Hudson, Bart., who, he supposed, entertained him. This Sir H. H. owned, and lived in the house where Mr. Simon Stokes, the Attorney, now lives (1734); and here supposed Dr. Hudson and his servant Browne lodged.‡ * By one Egborough, the Minister of Castor's servant. + John Walker, a Grocer. Desiderata Curiosa, lib. ix. DESCRIPTION OF ROUEN CATHEDRAL. From Mrs. Stothard's Tour in Normandy*. "THE cathedral church, said to be erected by the English, of all the Gothic structures I have yet seen is the most costly and magnificent; the building, of the florid Gothic kind, is literally frosted with ornaments. This cathedral was founded A. D. 990, by Robert, archbishop of Rouen, brother of Richard the Second, Duke of Normandy; but it was not finished till the year 1062, when, in the presence of William the Conqueror, it was dedicated to the Holy Virgin, Of this, the original building, nothing now appears: the most ancient parts are the door-ways, which, together with a great portion of the edifice, is the work of the thirteenth century; the rest of the building is of the fifteenth. The cathedral is 410 feet in length, 83 in breadth, Our readers are doubtless aware, that this, perhaps the finest piece of Gothic architecture in Europe, was struck by lightning about 5 o'clock in the morning of Sunday, September 15, 1822, and continued burning till evening, when the fire seemed to be subdued, but unfortunately broke out again on the Monday, when the dome fell, and the whole burst forth in such a tremendous blaze as to defy all resistance. Some idea sustained by the French in the loss of this magnificent building may be conceived by the above description of it. It is very extraordinary that Mr. Dibdin, in his tour on the Continent, speaking of the south-west tower of this Cathedral, says, Considering that this spire is very lofty, and composed of wood, it is surprising that it has not been destroyed by tempest, or accident from lightning." |