position of its site, the fertility of the surrounding downs, and the proximity of the navigable river and port; for at that period the sea, in all probability, flowed to within a short distance of the town, though the harbour is now at Newhaven, six or seven miles distant to the south. The Earl speedily transformed the old Saxon fortifications into a Norman castle of great strength and extent, which for centuries was the favourite baronial residence of his descendants. In 1070 he and his Countess, Gundrad, left England on a religious visit to Rome, but went no farther than Cluni, a small town on the Garonne, where they paid their devotions at the shrine of St. Peter, in the Benedictine monastery of that place, then in high repute for the sanctity and discipline of its members. They were so impressed that they determined on founding a similar establishment at Lewes, as an atonement for past transgressions, instead of performing their intended pilgrimage to Rome. The Abbot of Cluni was to send over a certain number of his brethren, upon whom De Warrenne was to bestow the church of St. Pancras, under the castle, together with lands, &c., sufficient for the maintenance of twelve Monks. A suitable edifice was completed in 1077, and taken possession of by the religious fraternity which was sent over. The first interment was that of Gundrad, who died in 1085, aged thirty-five. Nearly seven centuries afterwards, a slab of black Norman marble, richly sculptured, which had belonged to her cenotaph, was brought to light. It consists of a single slab, two feet wide at the head, twenty inches at the foot, and was probably five feet ten inches long when perfect; but is now only five feet five inches; the portion which bore the inscription along the narrow end, having been destroyed. The slab was designed either for the top of a low tomb, or for the lid of a marble coffin in which the remains of the

deceased were enshrined. The inscription is deeply engraven on a flat border, which extends round the entire area, and lengthwise down the middle of the tablet; the two interspaces between the centre and borders being filled up by arabesque scrolls, sculptured in high relief. It is conjectured, however, that the monument itself is not of earlier date than the thirteenth century. The Earl (who was created Earl of

Surrey, in 1087, by William Rufus) only survived his Countess a short time, dying June 23d, 1088.

He was interred in the Chapter-House of Lewes Priory, beneath a tomb of white marble, bearing an inscription to his memory.

Many attempts had been made by myself and others to ascertain the site of the Chapter-House, and the search had long been abandoned as unavailing, till the projected line of railway revived the hopes of the Lewes antiquaries; as a cutting forty feet wide and twelve feet deep was required. This was begun in October, 1845. The first object of interest discovered was a leaden coffin, with six handles, containing the remains of a female skeleton, with portions of the cerecloth: the coffin was surmounted with thin slabs of Caenstone. October 28th, at the depth of two feet beneath the turf, were laid bare several compartments formed by low walls, that appeared to have supported a stone or paved floor: some of these were still covered by slabs of Caen-stone, One of them contained an oblong leaden coffer or cist, two feet eleven inches long, twelve inches and a half broad, and eight inches deep. This was carefully removed; and upon clearing the earth, from the top the word GUNDRADA, in distinct characters, met the gaze of the spectators. In a short time another cist, of similar form, but rather larger, was exhumed; and on its lid was engraven, WILLELM. Here then were the coffins of the founder and foundress of the Priory of St. Pancras. Both cists contained a considerable number of bones: they were carefully removed to the neighbouring church of Southover. These leaden cists are somewhat compressed from the pressure of the superincumbent earth, and the bottoms are corroded: they are without ornaments, except that the outer surface is divided into irregular lozenge-shaped compartments by leaden ridges. The lids. are merely folded over the sides: the names are deeply cut across the lid, close to one end. From their small size, it is clear that they were constructed to receive the bones long after the first interment, in consequence of the decay of the original coffins ; and it is probable that this took place in the reign of Henry II., when the remains of William and

Gundrad were transferred from their tombs in the original church of the Priory, to the Chapter-House of the new and more splendid edifice, the building of which was begun, in 1243, on the anniversary of the founder's death. The bones are of firm texture, and in a good state of preservation. Those of Gundrad comprise nearly the entire series of a female skeleton, and indicate the stature of the Countess to have been about five feet eight inches. Of the bones of the skeleton of William many are missing: the lower jaw with teeth is well preserved, and denotes a man of iron mould: the stature of the Earl must have been above six feet.-A Day's Ramble in and about Lewes. By G. A. Mantell, LL.D., &c.

ANECDOTE OF JOHN DE WARREN, SEVENTH EARL OF LEWES.

Hɛ was but five years old when his father died, May, 1239. He was under the wardship of the Crown twenty-two years. He then married Alicia, half sister to Henry III., and became a staunch supporter of the King in the civil commotions that followed. He appears to have inherited the impetuosity and martial firmness of his house, without the prudence and sagacity by which some of its members had been distinguished. But an occasion on which this indomitable spirit was exerted for the public benefit is recorded by our old chroniclers. Edward I., in 1280, with the view of extorting large sums from his subjects, issued writs of quo warranto,* which were designed to question the validity of the title which the holders of land could produce; and as, in those illiterate and turbulent times, but few persons were in possession of written documents, the estates of those who had not such were declared to be escheated to the Crown, and a large sum was exacted as a fine or composition. When Earl de Warren appeared before the Commissioners, in reply to their questions, he suddenly drew out an old rusty sword, and said, “By this do I hold my lands, and by the same I will defend them.

* So termed from their commencing phrase. They to whom they were addressed, were required to show by what warrant they held certain property, certain offices, &c..

Our ancestors coming into this realm with William the Conqueror, conquered their lands with this sword; and with the same will I defend me from all those that shall be about to take them from me. He did not make a conquest of this realm alone: our progenitors were with him, as partakers and helpers." The King, hearing this, and fearing the results, put a stop to the proceedings.-Ibid.

INSCRIPTION ON THE TOMB OF THE SEVENTH EARL DE

WARREN.

He died in September, 1304, aged seventy. The inscription of his tomb calls upon all passers-by to pray for the soul of him whose body reposed beneath; telling them, in quaint Norman French rhyme,

"As he was yesterday like thee,

So as he is thou soon shalt be."

It then gives his name, and enforces the request for prayer by the offer of analogous benefits.

"Sire John, Count de Gareyn, gyst icy;

Dieu de sa alme eit mercy.

Ky pur sa alme priera,

Trois mill jours de pardon avera."

(Sire John, Count de Warren, lies here: God have mercy on his soul. Who for his soul shall pray, shall have three thousand days of pardon.)-Ibid.

A CHAPTER OUT OF EUROPEAN HISTORY;
OR, VIENNA DELIVERED.

A NARRATIVE OF 1683.

SECTION FIRST: INTRODUCTORY.

CHARACTER AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE REIGN OF LOUIS XIV.

IN 1683 the King of France was Louis XIV., called by some historians, Le Grand Monarque. He had great Ministers, a splendid court, and many great men flourished in his time. But his greatness was subsequently paid for

dearly by the French. His splendour and his wars, designed to gratify his vanity and ambition, impoverished the State beyond recovery, and ultimately produced the financial exhaustion and embarrassment which were the proximate occasion of the French Revolution. He was proud, vain, haughty, ambitious, narrow-minded, and mean. He was his own idol. He persecuted the Protestants to the ruin of his country, subjecting them to the domiciliary visits and exaction of his Dragoons, drove them into exile, broke the solemn engagements of the State by revoking the Edict of Nantz, which had secured toleration to the Protestants, and destroyed some of the most important branches of commerce, by banishing Protestant manufacturers and merchants. Moved like a puppet by the Jesuits, he persecuted some of the best members of his own Church. The Jansenists of Port-Royal were evangelical as well as Catholic, and numbered among them many who were alike eminent for knowledge and sanctity. Pascal, Nicole, Fenelon, the Arnaulds, belonged to this school; but the establishment was crushed, and its members met with no more favour than if they had been Lutherans and Calvinists. Occasionally Louis was, in his way, extremely devout, retiring from the gaieties of the Court and his mistresses for penitential exercises; and then returning absolved to all his former pursuits. It is a credit to Protestantism that the eloquent Bossuet, its vehement opponent, was patronized by Louis, and, according to his position, patronized him in his turn.

But though Louis boasted of his title as "the Most Christian King," and "Eldest Son of the Church," when his ambitious animosities sought gratification; he, who was too pious to suffer a Protestant in his kingdom, leagued with the bitterest enemies of the Christian faith. He hated the House of Austria because its monarchy was as great as his own, and he desired to be the acknowledged head of European Potentates. He found the Turkish ruler anxious to embark in those schemes of western enterprise which had so often engaged his predecessors, and successfully negotiated with him for an invasion of the Austrian dominions. Whether he contemplated the destruction of the Austrian