APPENDIX,-No. VIII.

DISCOVERY OF STONE COFFINS.

EXTRACTED FROM A BRISTOL NEWSPAPER.

On February the 10th, 1814, the workmen who were making a cistern adjoining to the sugar-house in the Quakers' Fryars, between Merchant-street and Rosemary-lane, discovered three stone Coffins, about 7 feet below the surface of the ground, con‐ taining the entire skeletons of two men and one woman. The place formerly belonged to the Dominican or Black Friars, and the bodies were probably buried in the Chapel of the Monastery. The dimensions of the Chapel are thus given by William of Worcester: "Length of the choir 26 yards, breadth of it, eight ditto. Length of the nave 31 yards, breadth of it, 21 ditto." The follow ing memoranda, among others, were copied by the same author from the register of the Monastery:— "William Courteys made the great cross in the

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burying-ground. Matthew de Gourney was one "of the Founders.-Sir Maurice de Berkeley of "Beverstone and the lady Joanna his wife were "buried in the choir on the left hand of the Altar. "-Sir William Daubeny, Knight, was buried in "the choir. The heart of Robert de Gourney was "buried in this church." It is not improbable that the female skeleton and one of the males lying next to her, are those of Sir Maurice de Berkeley and his Lady.

APPENDIX,-No. IX.

CURIOUS EXHUMATION OF A CORPSE.

FROM A BRISTOL NEWSPAPER.

On Tuesday the 15th of March 1814, orders having been given to open a vault, near the vestry, in the north aisle of St. Maryport Church, in this city, it was discovered that the vault was already too full to admit another coffin, without being sunk deeper. The situation is precisely under the remains of a monument, which, from its style, must have belonged to the times of HENRY VII. and has been always called the Tomb of William Little, the Bristol Grammarian-over which is a Tablet, erected to the memory of Thomas Kington, of Notton, Wilts, Esq. The oldest of the four removed coffins had been in the vault only 16 years; but all of them were quite decayed, and their inhabitants nearly mingled with their kindred dust. Upon breaking the bottom of the brick work, and digging down a few feet, the spade struck upon a hard substance

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which was soon discovered to be a Coffin of Lead, being about fifteen feet below the surface, without any inscription. It was taken up, and the next morning examined in the presence of several gentlemen. The lead was of considerable thickness, and contained a thick shell, of red deal, with the interstice stuffed closely with straw. When the lid was lifted up, some gas, of a soapy odour, escaped, and the whole became perfectly inoffensive. A very interesting spectacle now presented itself-There lay, in a most perfect state of preservation, the body of a robust man, measuring six feet two inches. The flesh in some parts resembled supple brown leather-in others it was quite white, and bore a natural appearance-in others again, it appeared fatty. The features were perfectly distinct; the teeth regular; the nose projecting; the eyes so little injured that the transparent part was still pellucid, like horn. The hands, in admirable preservation, rested upon the upper part of each thigh; and scarcely a bone of the toes was wanting. The throat was swollen very much under the lower jaw, giving the idea of strangulation. The hair was quite cut off, in a ragged manner, over the whole head, and was not to be found at all. The head itself rested upon a pillow, composed of blue and white striped

tick, stuffed with feathers, not different in any respect from those in common use. The body was wrapped up in a quilted counterpane, blue outside, and worked within curiously, with red roses in bud. There was nothing resembling what we now call grave-clothes. Under the counterpane was a wove doublet, buttoned down in front with small wooden buttons, worked with thread; with long skirts, and an over-flap collar, in the costume of Oliver Cromwell's time. Under this was a fine linen shirt, with a worked neckpiece. On the legs, a pair of wove brown woollen stockings, but no shoes. Upon the hands had been a pair of leather gloves, which had fallen to decay. From the chin to the top of the head, passed a blue and white linen handkerchief, figured, and tied very firmly in a handsome knot, probably to retain the lower jaw in its place.

The body having been carefully lifted from the shell, the latter was minutely examined, as well as all its furniture, together with a quantity of hemp, forming a bottom layer:-but not the slightest trace of any thing metallic could be found; not a mark upon his linen, not an iota which could lead to a knowledge of his person. Two professional gentlemen, Mr. Richard Smith and Mr. William Gold