of the kingdom of Ireland. His lordship rebuilt Belvidere House, and made it his principal residence. The only apartment left of the former structure is an elegant drawing Toom, built by his lordship's father. The collection of pictures contains many capital productions of the greatest masters. Among them are the following: View of Venice, and ditto with the Doge marrying the Sea, its companion, CANALETTI; Time bringing Truth to Light, a sketch, RuBENS; the Alchemist, TENIERS; Portrait of Sir John Gage, HOLBEIN; a Landscape, G. POUSSIN; Battle of the Amazóns, ROTTENHAMER; the Unjust Steward, QUINTIN MATSYS; Noah's Ark, VELVET BREUGHEL; St. Catherine, LEONARDO DA VINCI; Van Tromp, FRANK HALS; Vulcan, or the Element of Fire, BASSAN; Horses, its companion, WOUVERMANS; two Insides of Churches, small, DE NEEF; a Dutch Woman and her three children, MORE; Rembrandt, painting an Old Woman, by himself; a Courtezan and her Gallant, GIORGIONE; the Golden Age, VELVET BreugHEL; Snyders, with his Wife and Child, RUBENS; Rebecca bringing presents to Laban, DE LA HYRE; Boors at Cards, TENIERS; the Element of Earth, J. BASSAN; Marriage in Cana, P. VERONESE; two landscapes, G, POUSSIN; the Genealogy of Christ, ALBERT DURER; Beggar Boys at Cards, S. ROSA; Herod consulting the Wise Men, REMBRANDT; Marriage of St. Catherine, OLD PALMA; the Conception, for an altar-piece, MURILLO; the Flight into Egypt, its companion, Ditto; Vulcan, Venus, Cupid, and sundry figures, an emblematical subject, TINTORET; Mars and Venus, P. VERONESE; Christ among the Doctors, L. GIORDANO; Duke of Buckingham's Mistress, her three children, and a Son of Rubens, by himself; a Landscape, CLAUD LORRAIN; Leopold's Gallery, TENIERS; Teniers's ewn Gallery, Ditto.

Erith has been in the possession of several noble families, by various grants from different monarchs, till it devolved in the crown in the person of Edward IV. King Henry VIII. granted it to Elizabeth, countess of Shrewsbury; it afterwards became the possession of the noble family of Comp

ton. That family conveyed the manor to Mr. Lodowick, who sold it to Nicholas Vanacker, a London merchant, whose son, Sir John Vanacker, bart. dying without issue, Erith came into the possession of his kinsman, Sir William Hedges, alderman of London, in right of his wife, sister of Sir John. From the family of Hedges it came to that of Wheatley; William Wheatley, Esq. is the present possessor; this gentleman was high sheriff of Kent in 1769, and built a new manor house on the edge of Northumberland Heath, near this village.

On the Thames, opposite the town of Erith, the East India ships, in their passage up the river, frequently come to an anchor, and lay some time there, in order to be lightened of part of their burden, that they may proceed with greater safety. This makes a great resort to Erith, not only of the friends and acquaintance of the officers and seamen belonging to the ships, but for some continuance afterwards, in the carrying on a traffic between the inhabi tants and their country neighbours, for the several kinds of East India commodities which have been procured from on board. This, no unprofitable branch of trade, together with the conveyance and delivery of goods to and from London, and some few fishing vessels, employ the generality of the neighbours of this place. Large quantities of corn and wood are yearly shipped here, and it supplies. the country for some miles round with coals. The large plantations of fruit-trees are also a lucrative article to the inhabitants of the parish, as the cherries are observed to ripen very carly.

The church, dedicated to St. John Baptist, is antient, and consists of three aisles and three chancels.

The spire contains six bells, and is thus noticed by Mr. Bloomfield in his Wild Flowers:

O'er eastward uplands gay or rude,

Along to Erith's ivied spire;

I start with strength and hope renew'd,

And cherish life's rekindling fire.

Now

Now measure vales with straining eyes,

Now trace the church-yard's humble names,
Or climb brown heaths abrupt that rise,

And overlook the winding Thames!

Within the church are some curious monuments, particularly to the memory of EMMA, wife of JOHN WODE, citizen of London, and merchant of the staple at Calais, she was daughter of John Walden, alderman of London, and sheriff in 1453, and died in 1471. ELIZABETH, countess of SHREWSBURY, who died in 1568. Her only daughter ANNE, Countess of PEMBROKE, who died 1589. Sir RICHARD WALDEN, and his lady, father and mother to the countess of Shrewsbury. Grave stones, with brasses, to the memory of the families of AILMER, HAWKE, and ROGER SENCLER, formerly servant to the abbey and convent of Lesnes, who died on New Year's Day, 1421. There are also modern tombs for the families of VANACKER and WHEATLEY.

In this church, during the reign of king John, a treaty was held between several commissioners, appointed by his majesty, and Richard earl of Clare, and others, on behalf of the discontented barons, respecting a peace between the king and them; for which purpose, the latter had a fafe conduct, dated November the 9th in that year.

Erith is mentioned by Lambard to have been antiently a corporate town; but from what king it acquired this pri vilege, and when it ceased to enjoy it, cannot be traced. Bartholomew lord Badlesmere, a powerful baron, who was possessed of this manor, certainly obtained from Edward II. the grant of a weekly market to Erith; this has, however, been long discontinued.

To the south of Northumberland Heath is a tract of land denominated THE CRAYS, supposed to be the most beautiful spot in the county of Kent. It receives its denomination from the many parishes which bear the name of Cray, on account of being situated on that rivulet.

FOOT'S CRAY PLACE, is twelve miles from London, and was built by Bourchier Cleve, Esq. originally a respectable pewterer