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appointed, 15th June, 1215, at Runnymede, between Windfor and Staines; a place which has ever fince been extremely celebrated on account of this great event. The two parties encamped apart, like open enemies, and, after a debate for a few days (19th June) the King, with a facility somewhat fufpicious, figned and fealed the charter which was required of him. This famous deed, commonly called the GREAT CHARTER, either granted or fecured very important liberties and privileges to every order of men in the kingdom." Mr. Hume then enters into curious particulars refpe&ting the contents of this charter-as it regarded the clergy, the barons, and the people. It is an interefting detail, in which the happiness and welfare of every British fubject are involved.

At the British Museum I lately was fhewn what is faid to be the very copy of the charter figned on this memorable occafion. It bore all the marks of antiquity, and being much injured by the ravages of time, a facfimile laid clofe to it by way of interpretation.

Near Staines ftands Egham, famous for its races, at the diftance of four miles from Windfor. It abounds with inns, being a thoroughfare into the Weft, and has an handsome charity fchool. Here are alfo alms-houfes, one of which was built, and is endowed by fir John Denham, a Baron of the Exchequer in the reign of Charles the Second, for five poor old women, who have each a little orchard to themfelves. This Sir John, was the father of Denham the poet, who took particular delight in this fpot. He immortalized himself by a poem, entitled Cooper's Hill, in which the River Thames is thus expreffively characterized:

"O! could I flow like thee, and make thy ftream
My great example, as it is my theme!
Though deep, yet clear--though gentle, yet not dull,
Strong without rage-without o'er-flowing full,"

From

From Egham we came to Bagshot, paffing over a long and dreary heath, remarkable only for the roads by which it is everywhere interfected, and which were made for the convenience of his Majefty, when he indulges himself in the pleafures of the chace. At first fight they make a fingular appearance, but are, certainly, well calculated to answer the ends for which they are intended. Thefe parts lying in the vicinity of Windfor, accounts for the purposes to which they are frequently appropiated. Baghot affords good accommodation to travellers. The fterile tract of country with which it is furrounded, seems scarcely capable of much improvement.

Having drank tea at our next ftage, Murrel's Green, only a fingle inn, with a pleasant garden, we got to Basingstoke before ten, where we flept that night. The town was in a buftle with foldiers, who were directing their courfe to Southampton, with the intent of joining the Secret Expedition. This is a large populous place, with three charity fchools, in one of which twelve boys are maintained by the Skinner's Company, in London. It has a great market for corn, efpecially barley, and a confiderable trade in malt. The chief manufacture is in druggets and shalloons. A fine brook runs by the town, which abounds with trout; for which, indeed, the Hampshire ftreams have been long famous. Into thefe delightful waters, whofe tranfparency and rapidity pleafe the eye even of the paffing traveller, I longed to throw my angle

"I in these flowery meads would be,
These chrystal streams should folace me,
To whose harmonious bubbling noise,
I with my angle would rejoice."

In the neighbourhood of Basingstoke, there was, formerly, a feat of John Marquis of Winchester, which in the great civil wars was turned into a fortress for the King, and held out a long time, to the great annoyance

of

of the Parliament army; at length Cromwell took it by ftorm, and provoked by the obftinacy of its defence, put many of the garrifon to the fword, and burnt the houfe to the ground. It was, we are told, a manfion fitter for a prince than a subject; and, among other furniture deftroyed with it, there was one bed worth 1,400l. yet fo confiderable was the plunder, that a private foldier got for his share no lefs a fum than 3001. The fury of civil wars is well known, and, therefore, its outrages excite little aftonishment.

The next morning we were seated in our chaife before five, and foon got to Andover, a large pleasant town, on the edge of the downs, for which Wiltshire ftands diftinguished. It is faid to have its first charter from king John, and was laft incorporated by queen Elizabeth. I could not help remarking, that at the inn in this place, an engraving of Duns Scotus was placed over the bar, where the liquors were mixed for their customers. Whether the effigy of this profound and fubtle doctor, was thought neceffary for the due mixture of the ingredients, or whether this grave metaphyfician ever indulged in fuch delicious draughts, I am not able to fay. The walls of colleges are, fometimes, decorated with his portrait; but I should never have expected to have caught his features in the bar of a tavern *.

*This curious character, Duns Scotus, was of the order of St. Francis; by the acuterefs of his parts, and especially by his manner of difputing, he acquired the name of the Subtil Doctor. He was very zealous in oppofing the opinions of Thomas Aquinas, which produced two parties in the schools, the Thomifts and the Scotifts. He was a writer of prodigious fubtility, and, like all fubtle writers, refined upon every suhject he handled, till it had no meaning at all left in it. This indefatigable fcribbler left behind him ten volumes in folionow mere waste paper. He died 1308, at Cologne, in Germany. Biographical Dictionary.

On

On the weft fide of Andover lies Weyhill, remarkable for one of the greatest fairs for hats, cheese, and fheep, in England. It is, however, only a village, containing a defolate church, on a rifing Hill, and a few ftraggling houfes.

From Andover we directed our courfe to Salisbury, where we arrived to break faft. This city, and its adjoining plains, will be noticed in a future letter; fince, upon our return only, they became the fubjects of examination. It may be proper, however, juft to remark, that the very appearance of this place conveys an idea of refpectability, and its lofty fpire demands univerfal admiration.

Blandford, in Dorsetshire, was our next place of deftination. It lies upon the Stour, at the diftance of 107 miles from London. Twice has it been burnt down by accident; first in the reign of queen Elizabeth, and the fecond time in the year 1731, when the fire raged fo violently, that few of the people faved any of their goods. It moft unfortunately happened, at this laft conflagration, that the inhabitants were afflicted with that fcourge to humanity, the fmall-pox, fo that many of the fick were carried from amidst the flames into the fields, where they expired. The town, however, was foon re-built in a more beautiful manner. I furveyed this place with particular attention, on account of the handfome epithets with which Mr. Gibbon, the celebrated hiftorian, has honoured it. In his own life, when Captain in the Hampshire militia, he mentions his paffing fome time at "the hofpitable and picafant Blandford;" and, afterwards, remarks ..we again

returned to our beloved Blandford."

Our next stage brought us to Dorchefter, a place of great antiquity, and particularly famous among the Ro. mans. It confifts chiefly of three streets, and the houfes, though old and low, yet are regularly built. St. Peter's church is a handsome structure, and there is a traditiVOL. VIII.

C

onal

onal barbarous rhime, which imports the founder of this church to have been one Geoffrey Van:

"Geoffrey Van,
With his wife Ann,

And his maid Nan,
Built this church."

It

The county goal, in this town, is a large building, erected upon the plan of the late Mr. Howard. is furrounded by an high wall, and can boast of an healthy fituation. At the time I vifited it the convicts were few, not more than half a dozen, part of whom I faw white-washing the walls, and the remainder were weeding the yard, all in irons, Here Mr. Wakefield, one of the first claffical fscholars in the king- | dom, is confined, during the space of two years, for certain paffages in his anfwer to a pamphlet, written by the bishop of Landaff. In the neighbourhood of this town the Romans had an amphitheatre 140 feet wide, and 220 long, now called Maumbury, having a terrace on the top, which is ftill used as a public walk, and commands a profpect of the town and country around it. The principal bufinefs of the place, at prefent, is breeding of theep, of which it is faid no less than 60,000 are fed within fix miles of this town; the ewes generally bring forth two lambs, which is imputed to the wild thyme, and other aromatic herbage, which grows upon the adjacent downs in great plenty.

Leaving Weymouth, about the distance of nine miles on the left hand, we entered the road for Bridport, whither we foon arrived. It is fituated at the distance of 138 miles from London, upon a fmall river, near the coaft of the English Channel. The corporation are principally diffenters, who are here both numerous and of great refpectability. The entrance to the harbour was, formerly, choaked by fands, which the tides threw up; and though an act of parliament was paffed in 1722, for reftoring and rebuilding the haven and piers,

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