baronial grandeur, for the melancholy gratification of many a succeeding age.

These ruins are very extensive, and present various combina tions of the most romantic and picturesque description. They are in many parts screened and defended from the rain and winds by nestling shrubs and clinging ivy, which impart a lovely mellowness to the general display. Of the original fortress it is believed that only one portion remains. This comprises three sides of a square tower, popularly termed Cæsar's tower, an ap pellation often bestowed on buildings of a similar construction. The walls of this structure are in some places sixteen feet thick. The additions made by John Duke of Lancaster were large and massive. Considerable parts still remain, in different stages of decay, and they are yet distinguished by the term of Lancasterbuildings. That division of the pile that owes its foundation to the Earl of Leicester was of a magnificent character, and is likewise known by the name of its noble designer. In this part of the castle-ruins are to be seen the relics of the great hall of entertainment, a fine baronial room, 86 feet in length and 45 feet in width. The Leicester buildings were composed of a brown friable stone, not well calculated to stand the weather; and this part of the pile, though the last erected, is perhaps the most ancient in appearance. The great Gate-House raised by the Earl is in better preservation. The entrance was formerly through an arched way, now walled in; and the building is at present occupied by a farmer. In one apartment is a large and curious chimneypiece of alabaster, ornamented with the armorial bearings, crest, and motto of the Leicester family. This chimney piece, together with the oaken wainscotting of the room in which it is placed, was removed to its present situation, from one of the principal apartments of the Leicester buildings. The fine lake, which formerly ornamented three sides of the castle, and was the scene of much pageantry during Queen Elizabeth's visit, is now nearly dried up, and has long ceased to be an attractive object.

The MONASTERY before noticed as the foundation of Geoffrey

de

de Clinton, in the reign of Henry I. was for canons regular of the order of St. Augustine, and stood to the east of the castle. This religious house was well endowed, and was valued at the Dissolution at 5331. 15s. 4d. clear. The remains are now few, and consist chiefly of some fragments of wall, and the mutilated gate of entrance. On digging in the vicinity of the ruins, about the year 1795, some considerable traces of the foundation, including part of an aisle, or cloister, were discovered.

The village of STONELEIGH is three miles from Kenilworth, on the east. In this place was an abbey of Cistercian Monks, which religious foundation was moved hither from Radmore, Staffordshire, in 1154, the first year of Henry II. At this time there were in the manor, according to Dugdale, "sixty-eight villains, four bordars,* and two priests; all which held xxx carucates of land. As also four bondmen, or servants, whereof each held one mess, and one quartrone of land, by the services of making the gallows, and hanging of theeves: every one of which bond men was to wear a red clout betwixt his shoulders, upon his upper garment; to plow twice a year; to reap as oft; to give aid to the Lord at the feast of St. Michael; to make the Lord's malt, and do other servile work." Concerning two of the abbots of Stoneleigh, the same historian mentions circumstances by no means creditable to the Cistercian monks of this house. WilJiam de Gyldeford, the ninth abbot, was deprived, in the year 1235, for "countenancing a shepherd belonging to the monastery to fight a duel, and to hang a thief that had privately stole away some cattell of theirs ;" and "there was a complaint nade in the 38th of Edward III. against Thomas de Pipe,† the then abbot, that he granted estates to divers persons, for lives, of

"

Probably tenants who paid poultry, and other provisions, for the use of the Lord's board. See Blomef. Nor. &c.

+ This Thomas de Pipe had some erudition and industry, to palliate the recollection of his errors. By him was composed the Leger-Book of Stoneleigh, a work of great assistance to Dugdale in several parts of his historical Jabours.

of several fermes and land, without reserving any rent to be paid, to the great prejudice of the monastery; and this was alledged to be for the support of a concubine that he had, called Isabell Beushale, and his children by her, which were more in number, as the record says, than the monks then in the convent." At the time of the Survey taken in the reign of Henry VIII. the revenue of this abbey was found to be 1517. 38. Id. On the dissolution the property was bestowed by Henry on Charles Brandou, Duke of Suffolk; and it afterwards passed to Sir Thomas Leigh, Alderman of London. This gentleman shortly made large purchases of land in the neighbourhood; and, in the 4th year of Queen Elizabeth, he obtained a patent of confirmation for the whole, together with the manor of Stoneleigh. By this Sir Thomas a spacious mansion was constructed on the site of the abbey, and here his descendants have resided to the present time. Sir Thomas Leigh, his great grandson, was a faithful adherent to Charles I. through the whole series of his troubles, and was created by that sovereign a baron of the realm, by the title of Lord Leigh, of Stoneley, in the 19th year of his reign. It is curious that a strong attachment to the Stuarts pervaded this family, through the whole succession of its Lords, even to the last who died near the close of the 18th century. They never attended Parliament, and resided entirely at Stoneleigh, in eccentric seclusion. Their house was ornamented with numerous portraits of that fallen family, whose calamities the liberal must commiserate, but whom the judicious had long perceived the propriety of discarding from political recollection. Here the Lords Leigh passed existence, with rural sports for employment, quite indifferent to the public affairs of a world, where their fanciful hereditary gratitude could not hope for efficient exercise. The last Lord became subject to entire mental derangement previous

• When the king could not obtain such an admittance as he chose to ac sept, at Coventry, in August 1662, he repaired for the night to Stoneleigh, where he was received with zealous loyalty. On this occasion it appears that he bestowed the honour of knighthood on the eldest son of his host,