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1828.]

Moyles Court.-Murder of Lady Lisle. MR. URBAN, June 10, THE accompanying view of Moyles Court, in the parish of Ellingham, near Ringwood, in, Hampshire (for nearly two centuries the residence of the Lisle family), is taken from a painting done about fifteen years ago, in the lifetime of the late Charles Lisle, esq. (the last male of that branch), who died in 1818; since, which the house has been sold to Henry Baring, esq. of Somerly, the present possessor, who has taken down great part of the building, leaving only sufficient to serve as a habitation for the farmer renting the estate. (See Plate II.). :

It was here that an event took place, which is recorded in all our histories of James the Second, namely, the har bouring of two of the adherents of the unfortunate Monmouth by one of the Lisle family. Alicia, or Alice, the wife of John Lisle, a severe republican, who sat as one of the judges at the trial of Charles the First, and was in such favour with Cromwell, as to be promoted to the office of Commissioner of the Great Seal, and to a seat in the Upper House of Parliament; hence the title of lady, or dame, given to his wife. Upon the restoration he went in exile to Switzerland, where he was assassinated in open day; and, it is said, by or at the instigation of some of his own countrymen! The wife, who by no means approved of her husband's poli tical principles, lived in retirement at Moyles Court, where she received Mr. John Hicks, a Non-conformist Minister, and his companion, named Nelthorpe. A military party, under the command of a son of the loyal Colonel Penruddocke, having traced these men to Moyles Court, secured them, together with the Lady Lisle. The latter was conducted to Winchester, where she was tried on a charge of high treason, before the infamous Judge Jefferies, then on the Western Circuit, holding what was termed the "bloody assize." His conduct on this occasion corresponded with his general character.

The proceedings on the trial, which was held on the 27th August, 1685, afford a shocking display of scurrility and violence, cloaked with a pretended zeal for truth, and hypocritical appeals to the Majesty of Heaven, delivered in a style of solemn blasphemy. Lady Lisle. employed no counsel. Her des GENT, MAG. July, 1828.

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fence was artless: simply stating the truth of the case, that she had given an asylum to Mr. Hicks as a persecuted minister, without suspicion of his having been concerned with Monmouth; and had received Nelthorpe as Hicks's friend, not even knowing his name. She represented the improbability of her risking her own life, and the ruin of her family, in harbouring known traitors; and proved, that she had always instilled principles of loyalty into her son, by his having actually borne arms against Monmouth. Jef feries gave the Jury a very partial charge; notwithstanding which, they were so little satisfied with the evidence, as to incline to acquit the prisoner. The Judge, enraged, sent them Lo reconsider the matter; until at length, intimidated by his ferocity, they re turned a verdict of guilty. The next morning sentence was passed that she should be burned in the afternoon. However, at the intercession of some Clergymen of Winchester, a few days reprieve was obtained, and her life was asked of the King, by Royalists who had found in her a friend, and well affected to their cause, but in vain! James told the Earl of Feversham, when he applied to the King, that he had promised Jefferies he would not pardon her! All the mercy that was extended to her, was an alteration of the sentence from burning to beheading. On the 2d September the venerable victim, then about seventy years old, was brought to the scaffold, where she resigned her life with Christian fortitude. Just before her execution she gave a paper to the Sheriff, expressing her sentiments, in which she declares herself a Protestant, deprecates the return of Popery as a judgment, vindicates her character, forgives her enemies, and prepares to die, in the expectation of" pardon and acceptance with God, by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.' She was bu ried in Ellingham Church-yard, as appears by the inscription, noticed in the next page.

Among the earliest acts of William and Mary, was one for annull

Hicks (or Hickes) is stated to have been brother to George Hickes, Dean of Worcester, and was executed at Glastonbury, ac cording to Echard. Of the fate of Nelthorpe no mention is made.

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Lisle Family.-Letter of Bp. Tanner.

ing and making void the conviction and attainder of this injured lady (granted upon the petition of two of her daughters, Tryphena, the wife of Richard Lloyd, and Bridget, the wife of Usher), by which Parliament declared their sense of her wrongs, and made her family all the reparation in their power. It is a most gratifying circumstance to all who venerate the efforts by which our ances

tors have made the British Constitution

what it is, that this Bill received the Royal Assent on the very same day (24th May, 1689) as the Act of Toleration, a day never to be forgotten in the annals of British freedom.

I have no where found recorded the maiden name of Alicia Lisle; but, through the kindness of a gentleman*, whose intelligence and liberality are well known, I am enabled to state some particulars respecting her family. It appears that she was daughter and co-heir to Sir White Beconsawe, knt. of Moyles Court, who was son of William Beconsawe, esq. by Alice, sole daughter and heir to William White, esq., also of Moyles court. The subject of our inquiry was five years old at the Heralds' visitation in 1623, which makes her age at the time of her death to have been rather under seventy years. By her husband before mentioned she had two sons and six daughters; but the heirs male failing in the second descent, the estate of Moyles Court, &c. devolved to the descendants of Sir William Lisle, knt. brother to John aforesaid, who were seated at Crux Easton, in the same county; and finally ending in Charles, who died unmarried, as before stated, thus became extinct a family who was of great note in the Isle of Wight from the Conquest, and where it had large possessions; hence the name De Insula, or De L'isle. Edward Hales Taylor, esq. son of Mary, sister and coheir to the late Charles Lisle, esq. by Christopher Taylor, D.D. has taken the surname and arms of Lisle.

In the church of Ellingham is a monument, inscribed, "Here lyeth interred the body of Alice Beconsawe, the wyfe of Willm. Beconsawe, of Ibsley, esquire, the sole daughter and heire of Willm. White, of Moyles Court, esquire. She lyved virtuously, and dyed in the fear of God, the 19

* G. F. Beltz, esq. F.S.A. Lancaster Herald.

[July,

July, Ann. D'ni 1622." There is also
a head-stone in the church-yard with
this inscription, "Here lies Dame
Alicia Lisle, and her daughter Ann
Hartfall, who dyed the 17 Febr. 170-
Alicia Lisle dyed the 2 Sept. 1685."
These are the only memorials existing
for these families there.
Yours, &c.

Mr. URBAN,

C. S. B.

July 10. an original letter from Bishop F the following literal transcript of

Tanner to Browne Willis, the anti-
quary, may be deemed worthy of inser-
tion in your Magazine, it is at your
disposal.
G. L.

"For Browne Willis, esq. at Mrs. Hemings, in St. Martin's-lane, London. June 21, 1708.

I hope dear Mr. Willis will pardon my troubling him with the inclosed old copy of verses; which, if he has not before met with, may not, perhaps, be unwelcome to so great a lover of Bells, and not the less for its relation to the Church.

Whenever the Notitia Monastica is reprinted, I think it must not swell much bigger than it is, being designed only for a manual, and repertory, with directions to the printed books and MS. registers. But I should be glad to be corrected and improved in any thing about the founder, time of foundation, order and dedication of any religious house, I have left out or mistaken. Any arms also of religions houses would be acceptable. I had a good handsome sheet of observations on the arms of monasteries from a country schoolmaster here lately, in which were many things I had not before met with.

I wish Mr. Madox, after he has done his Exchequer book, would furnish us with a volume or two more of Monasticon, which the Augmentation Office would furnish him with choice of materials for. Mr. Newcourt's History of the Diocese of London, I hear, is almost finished, which book I want to see. Pray does Mr. Strype's edition and enlargements of Stow's Survey go on?

I wish you and your lady a good journey to Whaddon, and all health and happiness in that charming situation, and myself half a day's conversa tion with you there among your old books; though. I shall be always and

1628.]

Tom of Christ Church-Samuel Jones the Poet.

every where, dearest Sir, your most
affectionately obliged,
THOM. TANNER.
My humble service to Dr. Hutton,
Mr. Wotton, &c.

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That ne'er outrung the tinker and his kettle;
Cease all your petty 'larums, for to day
Is young Tom's resurrection from the clay :
And know when Tom shall ring his loudest
kells,

The * of you will seem but dinner bells.
Old Tom's grown young again, the fiery cave
Is now his cradle, that was once his grave;
He grew up quickly from his mother's earth,
And all you see is not an hour's birth;
Look on him well, my life I do engage
You ne'er saw prettier baby for his age.
Brave, constant Tom, none could make thee
turn,
[did thee burn;

Tho' hang'd, drown'd, quarter'd, till they

Yet not for this, nor ten times more, be sorry, Since thou wast martyred for our Churches But for thy meritorious suffering [glory; Thou shortly shalt toward heaven in a stringe; And tho' we grieved to see thee thump'd and banged,

Wee'l all be glad (great Tom) to see thee banged."

I have met somewhere that the inscription on the old bell was,

"In Thomæ laude resono bim-bom sine fraude."

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I will be my endeavour by the pree sent communication to throw some light upon the inquiries of your Correspondent, "The Hermit of Eskdaleside," respecting the poet Samuel Jones; p. 388. It appears by the books in the archives of the Custom-house of Whitby, that Mr. Jones entered into that service as Deputy Customer on the 23d May, 1709, and on the 17th August following he was appointed Queen's Searcher, by deputation from Gilbert Wigginor, esq. who was then Patent Searcher. He remained in that office, at least, until the 11th May, 1731, a period of twenty-two years. The last time he subscribed his name officially, indicates age or infirmity. On the 19th March, 1732, his successor, George Dickinson, was sworn

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into office; and according to the register of burials at the parish church of St. Mary, Whitby, he was interred on the 24th of December in that year. Thus nearly twenty-three years of his life is accounted for.

Whence Mr. Samuel Jones came I have not the means of ascertaining with so much certainty. His volume of Poetical Miscellanies, published in 1714, is dedicated to Hugh Machell, of Appleby, in the county of Westnoreland, esq. and he inscribes himself"his most obedient son." He might be the son-in-law, or the natural son of that gentleman. The Machell family resided during several generations at Crackenthorpe Hall, near Appleby. The late Lord Lonsdale purchased the property several years since, and no branch of the family now remains in the neighbourhood. It is said to have removed to Beverley.

It will hence appear somewhat improbable, that Mr. Samuel Jones was "a Dissenting Minister at Manchester. Nevertheless it may be possible that he was the brother of the learned Jeremiah Jones; for the same mystery, the same "shadows, clouds, and darkness," hang upon his origin and early life. It is merely "apprehended that he (Jeremiah) was a native of the North of England, and that his father was a gentleman in affluent circumstances."

I shall not encumber your pages with critical observations upon the merits or demerits of the Poetical Miscellanies of Jones; they consist of thirty-three pieces, and occupy eighty-two pages.

will just mention the title of one piece, "On a Lady's carrying £10,000 to King Charles the First, when a Prisoner in the Isle of Wight," which consists of fifty-nine lines in verse. The lady's name and memory deserve to be rescued from oblivion, for such a spontaneous act of devotion and loyalty to that unhappy member of the ever unfortunate house of Stuart. I do not remember to have met with the anecdote, or her name, in Granger, or in any of the lives, memoirs, or journals of Charles, and the events of his times.

There is a copy of Jones's Poetical Miscellanies in the Whitby Museum, as well as in the British Museum.

In the days of the Saxons, the famous Streoneshalh Abbey stood on the eastern cliff of Whitby. St. Hilda was the first Abbess, and she greatly promoted the cause of learning in Britain

T

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• Samuel Jones.-Whitby Spa, Yorkshire.

There Cadmon composed his spiritual poetry, some remains of which have come down to our times. His hymn is said to be the oldest specimen of Anglo-Saxon poetry extant. It is preserved in King Alfred's translation of Bede. Is not Cadmon, therefore, entitled to the honourable appellation of "The Father of English Poets?"

The inhabitants of Whitby, emulating the ancient fame of Streone shalh, have recently caught the growing spirit of improvement. In 1823, a Literary and Philosophical Society, with a Museum attached, was founded. Some of the most respectable noblemen and gentlemen of the county patronize and support the effort. The collection of petrifactions, minerals, rock specimens, fossil bones, auimal teeth (especially from the Kirkdale cavern), antiquities, shells, and miscellaneous organic remains and curiosities deposited in the Museum, are rich and curious, and many entirely unique. It possesses a complete petrified crocodile, discovered in 1824. There are few places in this country which afford such facilities for collecting all sorts of specimens connected with mineralogy and geology. The Society is also forwarding the general interests of science and knowledge by lectures, papers, and conversational meetings.

[July;

have the means of restoring it to light, or of intimating where copies may be seen, or from whence Gough obtained his information.

It is not known whether Samuel Jones was the author of any other volumes besides the "Poetical Miscellanies," and "Whitby, a poem."

It may not be superfluous to give a short account of the situation and properties of Whitby Spa.

"It rises up at the bottom of a high cliff of clay, within the sea-mark, in the roadside from the town to the allum works. It bubbles up through the sand, was formerly walled up, had a house, and several conveniences for drinkers, being found a great diuretic, anti-icteric, and emenagogic, purged some, but most not at all. But now the sea has washed down all, and filled the place with stones. It is ouly to be discovered from its glaring scum and oker. Three pints of it exhaled left twenty grains of black sediment, which affords chiefly a little marine salt and some nitre."

Such is the description which Dr. Short gave of this salubrious fountain in his History of Mineral Waters, published in 1734, sixteen years after the publication of Jones's poem. It is the only scientific account, if it can be so called, which has been published. The professors of the healing art at Whitby, feeling it to be but a sorry With regard to Mr. Samuel Jones's and imperfect exposition of its nature "Whitby, a poem, occasioned by Mr. and qualities, are now employed-in Andrew Long's recovery from Jaun, making a new analysis; so that if we dice, by drinking of Whitby Spaw cannot have Jones's poetical developWaters," said by Gough (Topography, ment of the spring, and the story of vol. II. p. 449,) to have been publish- the miraculous cure of Andrew Long, ed in 8vo in 1718, I am not able to by drinking its waters, in verse, we give any distinct information. It is shall at least possess a scientific and evident Mr. Gough had seen the vo- useful exposé in prose. The Spaw is lume somewhere. Upon the authority near the bathing ground, which is the of a letter in the addenda to old Gent's most commodious in England; and the History of Hull, it appears that the ladies of Whitby have lately, in a very poet expatiated in that poem on "the spirited mauner, resolved to erect by virtues and nature of the waters, the subscription an appropriate structure wholesomeness of the air, and the over it for the convenience of visitors beauty of the piers, affording the and valetudinarians. sweetest view of the ocean, which abounds with the finest fish." It is not very probable that the whole impression of a poem upon such a subject should be destroyed. It will perhaps occur bound up with other tracts, or may be found among the pamphlets and literary lumber of a book-worm, or the descendant of a book-worm, in some neglected closet of an old family house. I have no doubt some of your readers, on search being made, will

Besides partially answering the inquiries of "The Hermit of Eskdaleside," I shall state some particulars, which may not be considered devoid of interest.

Since Gent's time the piers of Whitby are greatly improved. They are now magnificent moles. Some of the stones of which they are composed weigh upwards of six tons. They have been erected principally by the same

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