course operate on their habits and manners, that Chichester suddenly became the most opulent place in Britain. The Romans adorned this city with four gates of uncommon strength and beauty, These four gates were removed above fifty years ago, in order to admit a freer circulation of air. The wall, which surrounds the city, is supposed to have been built by the Romans.

The residence of the proprætor stood on the spot which now forms the site of the episcopal palace. In the year 1727, when this structure was rebuilt, a Roman pavement was discovered, which places this fact beyond conjecture.

In the reign of King Edgar, about the year 967, a mint was established here, subordinate to the king's exchequer at Winchester; which Stowe informs us was revived in the reign of King John, and placed under the controul of his master of the mint in London.

Chichester, in common with every other place in the kingdom, felt the sweeping hand of conquest, shortly after the battle of Hastings; with few exceptions, property of every denomination changed its master; and they, who a few months before had moved in prosperity and independence, were reduced to the condition of slaves.

For the Montgomeries, who were Earls of Chichester, See Page 302. Comes Roger was one of the most favoured captains of William of Nor

mandy; the princely fortune of these Earls of Chichester, Arundel, and Shewsbury, excited the envy of most of their contemporaries; and the cruel policy by which they were, perhaps, commanded to repress the Saxons, may possibly have been exaggerated, for this family has been represented to have committed great enormities. In Sussex, which was the seat of King Harold's family, and which contained so many of the royal domains, a vigorous hand was requisite to prevent that re-action against the Norman forces, which might have otherwise eventually overturned the dynasty of the Norman kings. The family dissensions which ensued upon the decease of William I., and were renewed with more violence upon the death of William II., caused the total ruin of the Montgomeries, for they were esteemed the main support of the party of Duke Robert; and although, on the pacification which ensued after the establishment of Henry I., it was stipulated that the barons who supported the cause of Robert should receive immunity for their past actions, yet, contrary to that article, Henry I. besieged Robert de Belesme, or Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury, in Arundel, who fled thence to his strong castle at Bridgenorth, on the border of Wales; and the king's troops capturing it also, Montgomery was totally ruined, and was imprisoned until his death; some have said he was allowed free passage as an exile, on horseback,

unattended, to the sea coast. His brother Arnulph, the great captain, is supposed to have shared in the same ruin, for equal loyalty to Duke Robert, the eldest son of the Norman Conqueror. It often happens that those who fail in a good and righteous cause, are the most severely punished.

Chichester stands on a small acclivity, in a valley of irregular dimensions, remarkable for the salubrity of its air, the fertility of its soil, and the purity of its water. It is situated in the western part of Sussex, about seven miles from the borders of Hampshire; and it is a curious fact, which has been confirmed by repeated observations, that less snow falls in this plain than in any other part of England, of equal extent.

The river Lavant washes it on the south, and part of the east and west sides. In West-street is a school founded by Bishop Story, A. D. 1497, for the education of sons of the freemen; and, in the same street, is another school, founded by Oliver Whitby, in the year 1702, who endowed it with lands for the maintenance of a master, and twelve boys, to be instructed in the science of navigation. The city sends two representatives to Parliament, who are chosen by the inhabitants paying church and poor rates. The number of electors is about four hundred and fifty, besides several honorary freemen.

PLATE CXXX.

Spacious Crypt, near the Vicars College,
Chichester.

THIS has been by some considered to be a refectory of Roman foundation, and (accidentally) that name has been affixed to the plate; this idea arose from the dissimilar style of architecture of the upper part of the building, and its disparity with this grand vaulted chamber, whence the conclusion that the latter was built at so remote a period; but it is more justly to be considered a crypt of Saxon or Gothic construction; the groined arches are of great width, and rest upon a row of massive pillars, with bulky capitals, which stand in the centre of the floor; these vaultings at their other ends, both to the right and left, are affixed to the side walls, in clusters of solid ribs, descending to a nucleus or point, but without any side pilasters. The line of pillars in the centre, are round, and rather short; they are placed in a direction from west to east: the entrance gate is seen to the left of them, and opens by an ascending flight of steps, out of the crypt, into South-street; the level of the street is considerably higher than the floor of the crypt. In this plate, South-street is represented through the arched gate at the termination

of the antique vaults. This has evidently been a religious edifice, perhaps connected with the cathedral, but entirely of a monastic or sacred character, which is evinced by the grand, though simple font, and an ancient cross, in the chambers above this crypt. The solidity of the walls is very great. This representation of the principal part of the crypt, as far as came within the angle of sight, was taken with the permission of the present occupant. There have been, we imagine, certain monks of Chichester, in former days, who would have much relished the actual stores contained in this "modern cellar," the production and stock of Mr. H. Parker, the Milk Punch Maker to His Majesty; nor should we ever be disposed to quarrel with the taste of the aforesaid monks, if such excellent punch as he manufactures were really to their palate. The erection of this ancient building is referred to the era of the Heptarchy; it forms the north side of the quadrangular enclosure and garden of the Vicars' College. Some interesting particulars of the upper rooms are given in the ensuing article.