was a comfort to all the beholders. Then the good man told her plainly what she was, and what she was to come to; and though she had been long a great Queen here upon earth, yet shortly she was to yield an account of her stewardship to the King of Kings. After this he began to pray, and all that were by did answer him. After he had continued long in prayer, till the old man's knees were weary, he blessed her, and meant to rise and leave her.— The Queen made a sign with her hand. Lady Scroop, knowing her meaning, told the bishop the Queen desired he would pray still. He did so for a long half hour after, and then thought to leave her. The second time she made sign to have him continue in prayer. He did so for half an hour more, with earnest cries to God for her soul's health, which he uttered with that fervency of spirit, as the Queen, to all our sight, much rejoiced thereat, and gave testimony to us all of her christian and comfortable end. By this time it grew late, and every one departed, all but her women that attended her."

On the next day the Queen died, and archbishop Whitgift placed the crown upon the head of her successor. He bore a conspicuous part against the Puritans, in the famous conference at HamptonCourt, before the King. Very soon after this, going in his barge to Fulham, to meet with some bishops and judges of his courts-it being cold upon the water, and tempestuous weather-he got cold. And the next Sunday he went to Whitehall,

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where the King held long discourse with him and the bishop of London. And going thence to the council chamber, after long fasting, he was taken with a fit, which ended in the dead palsy on the right side, and his speech taken away. Whence he was carried to the lord treasurer's chamber, where he was for a while, and then conveyed home to Lambeth. Here, on Tuesday, he had the honour to be visited by the King; who, out of his sense of the great need he should have of him at this particular juncture, told him he should pray to God for his life. The archbishop would have said something, but his speech failed him; but so much of his speech was heard, repeating earnestly, with his eyes and hands lifted up, PRO ECCLESIA DEI. He lingered till the following day, and quietly departed in the Lord."* He was buried in the parish church of Croyden, and a costly monument was erected to his memory.

* Strype's Life of Whit. p. 578.

CHAP. III.

SAINT MARY'S CHURCH; DECORATIONS- -SAINT JAMES'S CHURCH; DESCRIPTION OF ABBEY OF WELLOW ; SITUATION, REVENUE, &c.; LIST OF ABBOTS-SAINT LEONARD'S NUNNERY DESCRIBED-FRANCISCAN MONASTERY; SITUATION, &c.-AUGUSTINE FRIARY DESCRIBED HOSPITAL OF SAINT JOHN; SITUATION AND DESCRIPTION OF.

SAINT MARY'S CHURCH.

THIS edifice was an Anglo-Saxon structure; but the period of its erection is uncertain. It is mentioned in Domesday, and is consequently more ancient than the time of that survey. It was situated in the centre of the town, on a site which is still inclosed, and retains the name of "the Old Church Yard." The streets, by which it is surrounded, are called East, West, and South St. Mary's Gate.Gervase Holles informs us, that it was a fine gothic structure, of very large dimensions, ornamented with "cathedral-like" decorations, and possessing a tower at the west end, so lofty as to be used by mariners for a beacon, to direct them safely into the mouth, the Old Haven. The benefice was an ecclesiastical rectory; but after the dissolution of the monasteries,

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and the depopulation of the town, it was consolidated, at the recommendation of Archbishop Whitgift, with the living of St. James, as appears from the deed of consolidation, now lying before me; and also from the following entry, extracted from a terrier which was exhibited in the Bishop's Court on the 7th of August, 1634. "In the year 1585,* Sir George Heneage, patron of the vicarage of St. James's, having purchased the perpetual advowson of the rectory of St. Mary's, of John English, of Hull, the lawful patron thereof, had the said rectory, by the consent of the patron, bishop, and incumbent, united to the vicarage of St. James aforesaid. Since which time the incumbent has, or ought to have been, inducted into the rectory of St. James's only."

From the above period, this magnificent edifice was entirely neglected, and suffered to fall into dilapidation and ruin; and at length it was taken down, and the materials appropriated partly to repair the church of St. James, and partly to the reparation of private houses. At this time, scarcely a vestige remains which can be pointed out, as once forming a part of this venerable pile. We are indebted to the indefatigable exertions of that learned antiquary, Gervase Holles, for preserving some of its splendid decorations from total oblivion; which may be seen emblazoned in the Harleian Collection, British Museum. 6829.

* This date is erroneous, for the deed is dated 30th May, 1586.