or in a private school in his native town, perhaps by the Minister of the Parish, or one of the ejected Clergy of the lately dissolved College. Previous to the Reformation, the youth of this Kingdom were educated in their earliest years either in the schools held in the Monasteries, where they officiated as Choiristers, or in the families of the Bishops and great Ecclesiastics, where those of some rank and degree served as Pages. Young women also, were taught in the Nunneries. Young Goodman's education commenced about the time these Establishments were dissolved, but it is not likely the opportunities of grammatical instruction fell with thein, when we consider the great number of the ejected religious orders who must have depended for subsistance on their ability to instruct youth. We are informed by himself that he was a Member of St. John's College, Cambridge. Probably he entered about the year 1542, when he was fourteen years old, the age at which the youth of that period usually commenced their Academical career. The date of his admission is not to be found in the records of the Society, as the Register of that particular was very imperfectly kept in those very early days from its foundation. It is clear, however, he never was Fellow of his College, or his name would appear. All there to be found is, that he gave the College an Estate at Brausdale, in Yorkshire, of Eight Pounds per annum, subject to a Lease of a thousand years, for the foundation of two scholarships. From the University he became an inmate of the Family of Sir William Cecil, afterwards Lord Burleigh, who continued his friend and patron through life, and procured him the Preferment he afterwards enjoyed. At what precise time he left Cambridge does not appear, but as he had no emolument there, it was probably early, and soon after he had attained his M. A. degree, which would bring him to his twenty-first year. In taking this step, he followed the general bent of his Countrymen of that day, who, we learn from Humphrey Llwyd in the Publication before referred to, were particularly partial to entering into the service of the English nobility. His words are, Henricus septimus qui cum esset ab avo Oeno Theodoro Cambro in Monâ Insulâ prognatus, omnes Cambros multis quibus alii Reges eos premebant servilibus legibus liberavit, et ejus filius potentissimus Henricus octavus immunes ab omni servitute et Anglis omnibus in rebus consimiles fecit. Quibus rebus effectum est, ut mores antiquos exuti qui parcissime vivere solebant, nunc ditiores facti, Anglos victû et vestitû imitantur, quamvis laboris impatientes et nimium de nobilitate generis

gloriantes, Regis et Nobilium famulitio potius quam manuariis artibus seipsos dederunt. Unde fit ut paucos per totam Angliam invenies nobiles quorum famulitii (quâ in re Angli omnes gentes superant) magna pars non sit de Cambriâ oriunda. Nam homines lacticiniis maximè educati, agilibus et benè compactis corporibus, ad omnia munia agenda aptissimi sunt. Prætereâ animis cum sint elatioribus ac in summâ paupertate nobilitatem generis agnoscentes, cultui corporum (ut Hispani) magis quam divitiis dediti, aulicosque mores citissimè discentes, ab ipsâ nobilitate Anglicâ suis Anglis præferuntur.”

"Henry VII. being descended from Owen Tudor, a Welshman of the Isle of Anglesea, relieved all Welshmen from many of the slavish laws with which other Kings had oppressed them, and his most potent Son, Henry VIII. freed them from every species of slavery, and placed them on a footing with the English in every particular. By which it is brought about, that having thrown off their antient manners, they who used to live most frugally, having become more wealthy, now imitate the English in their mode of living and dress, though they continue impatient of labour, and being too boastful of the nobility of their race, have addicted themselves rather to the service of Noblemen than the manual arts. Hence it is that you will find few of the English nobility, a great part of whose Establishments (in which respect the English surpass all people) is not of Welsh origin. For men nurtured for the most part on milk diet, of active and compact frames, are excellently adapted to all employments. Add to this, since they are of more lofty spirits, and in the midst of the greatest poverty, mindful of the nobility of their descent, like the Spaniards, preferring the adorning their persons to riches and high living, and most apt in attaining courtly manners, they are preferred by the English nobility themselves to their own conntrymen."

In confirmation of the truth of these remarks, Shakspeare has introduced in the Play of Henry VIII., Griffith, peculiarly a Welsh name, as the faithful and accomplished attendant on the oppressed Queen Catherine. If the name of this honest adherent were the mere invention of the Poet, it would equally shew the justice of H. Llwyd's assertion, but the Writer owes to Miss Angharad Llwyd, of Caerwys, who, in her zeal for illustrating the antiquities of her country, is a true daughter of her late eminent father, the information that Gryffyth was a real person and a native of her own Parish

of Caerwys. A zealous Welshman is at liberty to conjecture that Cecil was partly induced to select our young Welshmen, because he was acquainted with, and of course proud of, his own Welsh descent, his family name being only a corruption of that of Seisyllt, a Welsh Chief from whom the Cecils are descended. But it is more to the credit of Goodman to believe that he was adopted by his Patron for his own individual merit. On application to his own College, St. John's, this great man would naturally select a young scholar of most merit to be admitted into his family, and such we must fairly suppose the object of his choice to have been. It is thus that the most eminent Dignitaries of the Church have at all times attained their elevation. The envious and illiberal may attribute their preferment to nothing but the interest of the great, independent of personal merit, but a liberal view of the subject might convince them that industry, early proficiency in literature, and good morals, originally procured them the honourable connection which led to subsequent advancement; so much does it depend, in most instances, on diligence and good conduct in early life.

From this connection with Sir William Cecil, it may be deemed certain he was from the first attached to the principles of the Reformation. He may have been admitted into holy orders in the latter part of the reign of Edward VI., though nothing appears of him as a Clergyman until the beginning of that of Elizabeth. During the Marian persecution, he would remain officiating as Secretary or Chaplain, or, as is supposed by Widmore, Tutor to his son, unmolested in the family of his Patron, who, though dismissed from his employments, was still respected and often consulted by the Queen and her Ministers. If he served in the last mentioned capacity, he is the person alluded to by Lord Burleigh, in his letter of advice to his son, under the honourable epithet of his "zealous and excellent Tutor."-[Vide Seward's Anecdotes.] Here he must have benefitted by the society of the most learned men of the Age, Cheke, Ascham, Smith, his Patron himself ranking high in that class. This was a singular advantage which must have greatly assisted in maturing the stores of learning he had previously acquired, and rendering him the useful scholar he was afterwards reputed.

On the accession of Elizabeth he rapidly attained the height of his Preferment, by the friendship of his Patron. Soon after that event, he appears as Prebendary of

Chiswick in St. Paul's Cathedral, in Bishop Grindal's visitation mentioned in Strype's life of that Prelate, which he retained to his death. In 1560 he is named as tenth Prebendary of St. Peter's, Westminster, in the Letters Patent for converting that Monastery into a Collegiate Church. On the 23rd of September, 1561, he became Dean of his Church, on the death of Dr. Bill. His Monument in St. Benedict's Chapel calls him the fifth Dean of Westminster, which will appear in the following short account of Westminster Abbey.

We are informed by Dugdale that its site had been consecrated to God, and particularly appointed as the Burial Place of our Kings, from the first introduction of Christianity among the Britons. It was then called Thorney Island, being surrounded by the river Thames. As to Christian holiness, it was desecrated in the Dioclesian Persecution by the erection of a Temple of Apollo. After St. Austin had converted the Pagan Saxons, Sebert, King of the East Saxons, in the former part of the seventh Century, demolished this Pagan Temple, and built there a Monastery in honour of St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles. This Fabric was taken down, and a more stately one erected by Edward the Confessor, in the middle of the eleventh Century. Pope Nicholas, by his Bull, appointed it the place of Crowning the King, the Repository of the Regalia, and an Habitation for Monks under the rule of St. Benedict. King Henry III. again demolished this Building and erected the present one, which has been much enlarged by successive Abbots. Henry VIII. in the year 1539, took possession of this as well as other Abbies, when it was valued at £.3277, great wealth for that time. The Abbot was Mitred, and sat as a Peer of Parliament. On this event the Church was ordered to be governed by a Dean and Prebendaries; William Benson, the last Abbot, conforming to be the first Dean. Soon after, Henry altered his mind, and converted it into a Bishop's See, appointing Thirlby the Bishop and Cox the second Dean, with twelve Prebendaries. The County of Middlesex, except the Parish of Fulham, was severed from the See of London and made the Diocese. Cox's successor was Weston, the third Dean. Edward VI. dissolved the Bishoprick, and translated Thirlby to Norwich, but continued the Dean and Prebendaries. Queen Mary, as might be expected, restored the Popish Monastery, appointing Thomas Feckenham, Abbot, with fourteen Benedictine Monks. Her

successor, Elizabeth, almost immediately disposessed the Monks, and formed the present College, of a Dean, twelve Prebendaries, petty Canons, two Schoolmasters, forty Scholars, besides Almsmen, and Officers of various descriptions, appointing Dr. Bill the fourth Dean. This dignity next descended, as above stated, to Doctor Gabriel Goodman, who was a person, says Camden in his account of these Revolutions, (Britan. Middlesex), "of singular worth and integrity, and a particular Patron both of me and my studies," and who it thus appears was the fifth Dean. Annexed to this Church is the Office of High Steward of Westminster, which is usually held by a Nobleman of high consideration, and is in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter.

From the period of his advancement to this dignity, Doctor Goodman appears as a principal person in the Ecclesiastical acts of this reign, for the furtherance and establishment of the Reformation of our National Church. The name of Doctor Gabriel Goodman is among the original subscriptions to the present thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England, drawn up in convocation the 5th of February, 1562.

In 1563 he received into his house Thomas Feckenham, the late ejected Abbot of Westminster, of Queen Mary's appointment. Perhaps this measure was not altogether voluntary, for it is to the honour of our Reformation, that many of the greater Ecclesiastics had the support of their ejected Popish Predecessors imposed upon them. It would certainly have evinced a most unchristian temper in the Government had these men, notwithstanding the atrocities of the former reign, been suffered to endure the pressure of want. They had resigned their high stations from the most conscientious feelings, for conformity in most cases would have secured them in their emoluments. Yet it should be noticed, in proof of the humane and tender feelings of our Dean, that he seems to have petitioned for the care of Feckenham in particular.

In the following year Queen Elizabeth's celebrated visit to Cambridge took place. Sir William Cecil being then Chancellor of that University, was of course busily employed in the necessary preparations for the Royal visitor. An account of this event was drawn up by Doctor Nicholas Robinson, afterwards Bishop of Bangor, in which Doctor Goodman's name does not appear. But that he was present and took