personally attended the King when he put himself in the hands of the Scots. The Parliament made great efforts to take Dr. Hudson, and at last succeeded. He escaped, was taken again, and again escaped Making his way into Lincolnshire, where his living of Uffington, some seven miles from Woodcroft, was situated, he raised a party of horse and established them in the Manor House here. Before long the Parliamentarians attacked the place, and on June 6 effected an entrance. The Doctor, with several of the garrison, withdrew to the battlements at the top of the round tower, and they continued to defend themselves from that superior position. At last they were induced to surrender, according to one account on promise of quarter. But such promise, if made, was not kept, and the enemy advancing threw the intrepid Doctor over the parapet, to which he clung for a little time, till his fingers were hacked off, and he fell into the moat; as he was crawling forth from the water, he was killed by the butt-end of a musket.

Readers of the Waverley Novels will remember the vivid account given by Sir Walter Scott, in Woodstock, of the attack upon Clidesborough Castle. Master Holdenough, much unnerved by the weird noises and appearances during a night at Woodstock Lodge, describes himself as having been reminded by them of a sad incident in his own career. He had been present when an attack was made upon a strong house, situated on a small island, accessible only by a small and narrow causeway. There is no doubt that the attack on Woodcroft was in Sir Walter's thoughts. Master Holdenough says that he urged on the soldiers to renew the attack when they had all but given up hope. He found the garrison encouraged by a clergyman, who proved to be an old college friend, Joseph Albany. Recognising him too late to save him, he could only with horror watch the end. "Forced over the battlement, but struggling for life, I could see him cling to one of those projections which were formed to carry the water from the leads, but they hacked at his arms and hands. I heard the heavy fall into the bottomless abyss below."

In the note in the Waverley Novels, it is suggested that Dr. Hudson was the original of the character of Dr. Rochecliffe. The story in the novel is not true to actual history, for the Joseph Albany of the novel escapes after all, and reappears later as Dr. Rochecliffe.

Colonel Waite was at the head of the party that took Woodcroft. The place is in the parish of Etton, in Northamptonshire. In the parish register there is only one burial entry relating to the fight. One Edward Rossiter was shot before Woodcroft house, receiving "two wounds whereof he presently died."

NOTES ON VISIT TO HELPSTON.

A hurried visit was paid to Helpston Church. There were severa features of interest. The greater part is of good Decorated date, the west tower, with its octagon top and dwarf spire, being especially noticeable. The east window of the south aisle, of two lights with segmental head, is perhaps the gem of the church. The string below has ball-flowers the entire length of the wall, and it runs round a bracket at the south end. The tower was taken down and rebuilt stone for stone in 1865. During the work, some features of interest were discovered. The foundations were found to be Saxon. In the masonry of the tower, above the level of the aisle roof, were found numerous sepulchral slabs, and several stones that formed part of a Norman arch. Some of these are built into the present tower, on the inside, showing the designs. Two at least were of Saxon date, but the greater number were of Early English design. The old tower, though within the church, had solid walls north and south. In the new work there are arches instead, built in the Norman style.

Some are

On the altar-steps are some remarkable ancient tiles. figured in Parker's Glossary, and the date there assigned to them is the early part of the 13th century. They are arranged in circular patterns, with borders. On each side of the chancel are stone seats with curious elbows. Besides the three sedilia on the south of the chancel, there are three similar arches on the north, a very unusual feature. The nave arcade, and most of the chancel walls, are earlier than the tower, being perhaps as early as 1260 or 1270.

In the village is a very graceful 14th century cross. The head itself is unhappily gone, but the steps, base, and shaft remain. Old inhabitants can remember when it was surrounded by a penthouse, like a market cross. It is the custom to surmount the shaft with a large cross of evergreens at the Club anniversaries. Not far off is a monument to the Northamptonshire peasant-poet, John Clare, who was born at Helpston, and is buried in the churchyard. It is a cumbrous and inelegant erection, and contrasts very unfavourably with the beautiful village cross on the opposite side of the street.

NOTES ON VISIT TO MAXEY.

Before entering the church, the Vicar, the Rev. W. D. Sweeting, took his stand upon a table monument near the south porch, and drew the attention of the visitors to a building joining the churchyard wall on the south. This is now divided into three cottages, but was formerly one residence. It is known as Church Hall. In consequence

of its being known that persons of means and position lived at Church Hall, it has usually been thought that there was a considerable mansion not far off, and that these cottages were the residences of gardeners or grooms connected with it. But the vicar has satisfied himself that this building was itself always the Hall. It was, in fact, the house belonging to the rectorial glebe. In old deeds, it is described as the Parsonage. This was, of course, never the residence of the vicar. An old description of the Parsonage says that it had a hall, a parlour, and a kitchen, and four chambers. This is exactly what there is now. It is interesting as shewing the moderate style of dwelling which was considered sufficient for persons of some substance three or four hundred years ago. The tomb on which the vicar stood was erected by one Thomas Smith, who lived at Church Hall, and died in 1608. He was a man of education (this is the only tomb outside the church that has an inscription in Latin), and substance. His will shews that he had a long lease of the rectorial tithes, and divers other leases, and a large amount of stock; he leaves legacies in money amounting to about £200; and makes provision that his son shall be sent to the Grammar School at Peterborough until he is of an age to go to the University, and when at the University he was to be allowed £20 a year. These amounts may probably be multiplied by five or six to represent the present value of money. The monument is massive, with heavy overhanging slab. All the inscriptions are in capitals. Those at the east and west ends are perfect; but the slabs at the sides are evidently misplaced, and some lost. The inscription at the east and west ends are these:-THOMAS. SMITH. DE. CHVRCH. HALL. HOC. FIERI . FECIT. SECVNDO. DIE. IVLI. ANNO. DOM. 1608. (East). REBECCA. ET. MARIA. SMYTH. SVB. HOC. SIMVL. DORMIVNT. (West). On the north side the first letters of three lines are in their right positions, and also the concluding portions of four lines, because they are carved on the very same stones that are correctly placed at the ends. A portion is missing after the first piece. This inscription looks as if, when complete, it formed two hexameters, and the fragment left of the second verse reminds one of Ovid :

Jamque opus exegi quod nec Jovis ira nec ignis,

Nec poterit ferrum, nec edax abolere vetustas.

The letters printed in ordinary type below are conjectural restorations of the lost piece.

The Vicar invited any suggestions for the completion of the lines, but none were offered. If any reader of this account can complete them, and would communicate with the Vicar, he will be doing a very great kindness. On the south side the beginnings and endings of the lines are left; but as these relate to a person or persons interred beneath, it seems hopeless to try to recover the missing words. In the second line, the first part only of the sixth letter is left; but it seems certainly to have been N.

The will of Thomas Smyth was proved 10 Sep., 1608, two months after he erected this monument. But he seems not to have been buried here himself, as his burial is not entered in the register.

Inside the Church, the Vicar pointed out the noticeable features. Nearly everything of importance had been described in the paper read the evening before, which is printed in this volume. The general feeling of the visitors was that his enthusiasm was justified, and that the Church was one of singular interest. A roughly-drawn plan of the eastern part of the Church was exhibited, showing what the Vicar thought had been the gradual process of extension. One very puzzling feature is a stranded half-pillar by the side of the arch from the chancel to the Lady chapel. It seems to prove that before the Lady chapel was erected, there had been a north chapel with a quasi-chancel, and that this pier was part of the quasi-chancel arch. Although most singular, if such is the true explanation, the company seemed disposed to acquiesce in the suggestion. The restoration of the Church was completed before the present Vicar came, and he is only responsible for the new pulpit and oak seats for clergy and choir in the chancel. It is worth noting, as an instance of the speed and efficiency of the late Mr. John Thompson's staff of workmen, that all this work was set up in the church in two days. On the Saturday, a local carpenter removed all the old fittings of the chancel, and on the Sunday the choir used chairs. On Monday morning, the workmen from Peterborough arrived, and all went away on Tuesday evening.

Besides the architectural features, there was exhibited a very good specimen of an alms-dish of Flemish work. It is of latten, of the usual large size. It had two inscriptions, one in old church text, and one in Roman characters, round the edge. The former has been