continues to be now used at the administration of the Sacrament at Goodrich church,

Mr. Williams will accept my public thanks for his kind assistance in promoting the interest of these pages, by the preceding particulars relating to this cup.

THE reflecting mind, in contemplating the persecutions of Mr. Thomas Swift, for his zeal in the cause of his King, to which he was bound by his oath, as a clergyman, to adhere, must render his family the involuntary sigh of compassion for his sufferings, more especially when we consider, that it resulted from a dignified and disinterested attachment, from which, if we allow the distress of his majesty after the battle of Naseby, and subsequent flight to Ragland castle for refuge, he had little prospect of future remuneration. For a country minister, who had to support a wife and ten children on less than 200l. a year, to detach from his income so large a sum as 751. (taking his broad pieces for crowns only), does honor to the heart from whence it flowed; and if any thing could render the gift more acceptable, it must have been the unaffected simplicity with which it was delivered. The sum indeed was not large for a single sacrifice,--but it should be remembered, that he had been laid under contribution very frequently and severely by the opposite party.

The fact is, that his opulent neighbour, Col. Kyrle, of Walford Court, was equally attached to the opposite interest, by whom, and under the authority of the Earl

of

of Stamford, who commanded in these parts, Mr. Swift and his family were reduced to great necessity.

"And if the world would know (says my authority)* what so exasperated these rebels against this gentleman, the Earl of Stamford (a man that is not bound "to give an account of all his actions), gave two reasons for it-First, Because he had bought armes, "and conveyed them into Monmouthshire, (which un"der his Lordship's good favor was not so);-And,

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Secondly, Because not long before he preached á sermon in Rosse, upon that text, Give unto Cæsar "the things that are Cæsar's; in which, his lordship "said, he had spoken treason, in endeavouring to give "Cæsar more than his due. These two crimes cost "Master Swift no less than three hundred pounds !”

BRIEF

NOTICES OF GOODRICH.

THE parish of Goodrich, whose history adds so in

teresting a portion of information to these pages, is in point of richness and fertility, equal to most parts of the delightful county of Hereford, the soil being of a fine loamy nature, producing rich crops of all sorts of grain, besides abounding in large and valuable orchards.

*A scarce and curious Tract, called "Mercurius Rusticus."

1

In addition to the pleasantness of the situation, the great turnpike road leading from all parts of South Wales to London runs thro" the centre of the parish, and several respectable families add to the sociability of the neighbourhood. No part of the kingdom affords more delightful views than those which present themselves at

PEN-CRAIG AND THE COPFET-HILL,

And persons who are fond of the exercise of riding or walking, wil seldom be long confined at home; for, from the nature of the soil, the roads soon become dry even after a succession of wet weather. The market towns of Ross and Monmouth are placed at the easy distances of four and six miles,-which afford every gratification to be derived from more enlarged society,

THE FERRY HOUSE.

Protected by a beautiful hanging wood, and fronted by the river Wye, from whose shore it recedes about twenty yards, stands the above house, where a HORSE FERRY keeps open the communication of the neighbourhood. This passage over the stream gave name to the opposite parish, WALFORD, derived from the Saxon, Wael-ford, the strong, or rapid, ford, which its current so justly implies. It has been asserted, that & Roman way, from Monmouth, Fed through Goodrich, across the Wye, to Bollitree in the parish of Weston, and from thence to Glocester;-but this opinion did not receive the slightest credit from Dr. Griffin. The Ferry House is much admired for its retired situation.

CON

CONTINUATION OF THE EXCURSION

DOWN THE WYE.

LEAVING

WEAVING Goodrich Castle, the banks on the LEFT, which had hitherto contributed less to entertain, began now principally to attract attention; rearing themselves gradually into grand steeps; sometimes covered with thick woods, and sometimes forming vast concave slopes of mere verdure; unadorned, except here and there, by a straggling tree; while the flocks, which hang browzing upon them, seen from the bottom, were diminished into white specks.

THE VIEW AT RUER-DEAN CHURCH

Unfolds itself next, which is a scene of great grandeur. Here both sides of the river are steep, and both woody; but in one, the woods are intermixed with rocks. The deep umbrage of the Forest of Dean occupies the front; and the spire of the church rises among the trees. The reach of the river, which exhibits this scene, is long;

This is the general complexion of the adjacent country,-for, every ten or twelve years, the woods are cropped quite close to the ground, principally to supply the forges and furnaces with charcoal, &c. and as they sprout again, this delightful verdure appears scarce distinguishable, at some distance, from the most luxuriant crops. As in other spots their vigor is increased, or come to full growth, different tints and shades are seen, which constitute the wonderful variety so peculiar to these scenes. Even the cheerless and rocky hills, which overlook the river, contribute a considerable portion of advantage to their neighbourhood; for possessing a limestone quality, and the Forest of Dean affording a cheap supply of coal, the land is conveniently enriched with lime at an easy expence,

and,

and, of course, the view, which is a noble piece of na tural perspective, continues some time before the eye; but when the spire comes directly in front, the grandeur of the landscape is gone.*

THE STONE QUARRIES

On the right, from which the Bridge of Bristol was built; and on the left, the Furnaces of Bishop's Wood, vary the scene, though they are objects of no great importance in themselves. The whole here greatly improves, and the stream flows through an avenue of richer cloathing.

For some time, both sides of the river continue steep and beautiful. No particular object indeed characterizes either, but here Nature characterizes her own scenes. We admire the infinite variety with which she shapes and adorns these vast concave and convex forms. We admire also that varied touch with which she expresses every object.

In the reach below this is

LID BROOK,

Where, from a large Wharf, Coals are shipped for Hereford and other places. Here the scene is new and pleasing. All has thus far been grandeur and tranquility. It is now life and bustle, A road runs diagonally along

* Ruer-Dean is a small parish. in the hundred of St. Briavels, in the Forest division. It is called Ruer-Dean (supposed to be a corruption of River-Dean), because it is situate on the River Wye, and to distinguish it from the neighbouring places of Mitchel-Dean and Little-Dean, which abound with pit coal and iron ore. The church is a curacy, in the deanery of Ross, worth about twenty pounds a year, and to which the Vicar of Walford has the presentment,

the