which had nearly coft him his life; he was however pardoned, and permitted to retire to Hinlip, which was fettled upon him by his father, in confideration of his marriage with Mary, eldest daughter of Edward Lord Morley, by Elizabeth his wife, daughter and fole heir of Sir William Stanley, Knight, Lord Monteagle. Notwithlanding this efcape, Mr. Habington could not help engaging in the gunpowder plot; wherein if he was not directly concerned, yet, for entertaining Garnet, Oldcorn, and others, he was committed to the Tower, and condemned to die; but by the interceffion of his wife's father, Lord Morley, and being Queen Elizabeth's godfon, he was reprieved, and pardoned on condition that he should retire to Hinlip, and never again ftir out of Worcestershire. In this retirement, he gave himself up entirely to study the antiquities of the county. He died Ottober 8, 1647, aged 87. His portrait is fketched under the article Hinlip.

His papers were transcribed by his fon William Habington, who made fome few additions to them, though his ftudies were chiefly in the poetic line. The hiftory of Edward IV. written and publifhed at the request of Charles I. was chiefly compiled from his father's papers. He died November 30, 1659, leaving his collections to his fon Thomas Habington of Hinlip, who dying without issue, left his eftate to Sir William Compton.

The MSS. luckily fell into the hands of Dr. Thomas, the induftrious antiquary of Worcefter, the publisher of Dugdale's Warwickshire, the Survey of Worcefter cathedral, and many other pieces. He died July 26, 1738, without iffue male, after having taken much pains in collating the registers of the Bishops, and Dean and Chapter, and making many other valuable additions to Habington's papers. A mezzotinto portrait of him is hereto annexed.

After Dr. Thomas's death, all the papers were purchased by Dr. Charles Lyttelton, late Bishop of Carlisle, and Prefident of the Society of Antiquaries, who made many additions to them from the old Chapter-house Westminster, the Tower records, and other public offices. He died 1768, and by will left his collections to the Society of Antiquaries of London; in whofe library they remained till the year 1774, when they were entrusted to me for the purpose of revifing and publishing. His Lordship's portrait was engraved at the expence of the Society of Antiquaries.'

In this introduction we have the antient hiftory and a general furvey of the county in various interefting points of view, its political and ecclefiaftical ftate, its natural hiftory, tillage, and productions and the introduction is followed by a very curious fac fimile copy of the Domesday furvey of the county, in thirteen plates. After all the trouble and expence bestowed. on this work, the indefatigable and learned author, with a modefty not always to be met with, declares- I do not prefume to call this account an hiftory, but only parochial collections for an hiftory; and it is hoped, that, in fome future day, an able band will felect from all the provincial hiftories what is really ufeful or curious, and add it, by way of notes, to a new edition of Camden's Britannia. Much of what is here written may, to indifferent perfons, appear triking and uninterefting; but to fuch as

have property or connections in the county, the fame things may be amufing, if not useful and instructive: and it must always be remembered, that a county hiftorian is by profeffion a dealer in fmall ware.'

A writer, who views his fubject in fo proper a light, leaves an obferver nothing to do but to fubfcribe to the juftice of his remarks. These parochial collections, accordingly, confift of the ufual materials; paraphraftical tranflations of the Domesday records of the refpective manors; copies of antient grants, and other deeds; genealogical tables, armorial bearings, patrons of benefices, lifts of incumbents, monumental infcriptions, with other occafional particulars, and peculiar objects of attention where they occur. The parishes are arranged in alphabetical order, and not according to the hundreds, or course of the rivers; for which the Author alleges the irregular fhape of the county, and the disjointed manner in which the parishes lie: and thefe circumftances appear to juftify the order he has adopted as the more regular, and eafieft for reference; especially as the work is fupplied with an Index of places and family names.

Such materials are, for the most part, as the Author truly remarks, merely of local importance; but they are of fuch importance that a county hiftory would perhaps gain little honour or regard in its own province, were it deficient in celebrating the names, paft and prefent, of all the neighbourhood. Matters of more general confequence, however, attract the attention of the public; and though a county hiftorian cannot give more importance to his fubject than it affords him, yet much depends upon the turn of his own mind, and what he confiders, as the "principal objects of attention. In the work before us, we find, -under the parish of Claines, fome very judicious remarks on the imperfections of parish registers, the careless cuftody, and, above all, the ignorant mode of making entries; with hints for their reformation. Dr. N. obferves, when one reflects how often parish regifters are produced in courts as evidences in matters of the highest 'confequence, how often they affect the intereft and property of indivi duals, one cannot but lament they fhould be fo carelessly kept, and often entrusted to the cuftody of an ignorant conceited parish clerk, who may neglect to make entries, or give what nicknames he pleases.

It becomes more neceffary to be careful about parochial regifters and monumental infcriptions, because they are now the only means of fettling family pedigrees, as the inquifitions poft mortem are determined by act of parliament, and there has been no heraldical vifitation fince the revolution.'

Under Droitwich, we are furnished with a particular account of the falt works for which that town has been for fo many ages noted. Records of them are traced from the year 816; they are mentioned in Domefday, where fhares in them were annexed to feveral eftates in the county; and King John granted

to the burgeffes of the town whatever he had in the village of Wich, with the falt pits, and all their appurtenances, &c. in fee farm, for the fum of 1007. fterling yearly. Under several fubfequent grants from the crown, and the Stat. 1 W. & M. the governors and proprietors of the falt works prevented every one from finking new pits; until Robert Steynor, Efq; a gentleman of above 1000!. a year eftate, difcovered and funk two pits on his own ground about the year 1690. He was fued by the corporation, and defended himself at the expence of above 6000 7. and after various trials established his right; in confequence of which determination many perfons funk in their own lands, and found as good brine as in the old pits: the monopoly was destroyed, the trade was greatly extended, and the price of falt reduced from 2 s. a bufhel to 4 d.

It is a fad difcouragement to undertakings for the public good, to learn that this gentleman, like many other projectors, and perfons intangled in law, lived to receive a parish allowance in confideration of his former fervices; and a daughter of his was living a few years fince, on the fame kind of support!

In 1725, the old proprietors understanding, from fome perfons concerned in the Chefhire falt works, that the strongest brine there lay lower than the pits at Droitwich, were commonly dug; ordered the talc at the bottom of their pits to be funk through: upon which, the ftrong brine burft up with fuch violence as to kill the two labourers then at work. Since this, fuch a profufion of brine has been obtained, that not a tenth part of it has ever been used, but has run to waste.

In finking these brine pits, it is generally found to be about 35 feet to the talc; through the ftratum of talc 150 feet; under the talc a river of brine 22 inches deep; and under this river a hard rock of falt. The talc is fo hard, that the workmen never fink the pit through it; but bore a hole four inches in diameter, through which the brine rifes and fills the pit. A person that has land may fink a pit at the expence of about 40%. from whence he might get brine enough to ferve the kingdom; but it is fcarcely worth while, as from feveral of the pits already funk, any one, for the eafy rent of 31. may have as much brine as he pleafes. Such is in fubftance, omitting the analysis of the brine, and process of making the falt, the account given, by Dr. Nafh, of the brine pits at Droitwich.

In the account of the parish of Hagley, we have fome hiftorical memoirs of the family of the late Lord Lyttelton; and under Hales Owen, part of which is in Worcesterfhire, we find fome anecdotes of the poet Mr. Shenftone of the Leafowes. Under that of Holt, the ingenious writer has given fome critical remarks on the difference between the old Saxon and the Gothic architecture,

architecture, afterward introduced by the Normans; illuftrated by a plate of Saxon architecture.

We have feen at the beginning of this article, from Dr. Nash's introduction, that Mr. Thomas Habington of Henlip was the firft collector of materials for a hiftory of Worcestershire; a labour which we owe to his fhare in the famous gunpowder plot. As a conclufion to the Article, and for the entertainment of our Readers, we fhall, from the defcription of the parifh of Henlip, extract the account of Mr. Habington's houfe, with the apprehending Garnet the Jefuit, and others, who were very artfully fecreted there by the owner.

The manfion house here is fupposed to have been built by John Habington, cofferer to Queen Elizabeth; the date in the parlour is 1572. His fon, who was concerned in various plots, for the releafing Mary Queen of Scots, and fetting up a Papift to fucceed her, contrived many hiding-holes in different parts of the building. The access to fome was through the chimney, to others through neceffaryhoufes; others had trap doors which communicated to back ftaircafes fome of thefe rooms on the outfide have the appearance of great chimnies. As the houfe is uncommonly constructed both within and without, I have had it engraved, together with the head of the builder. I have likewife given a flight sketch of Mr. Thomas Abingdon and his wife Mary, who was fifter to Lord Monteagle, fo called during the life time of his father Lord Morley. Tradition in this country fays, he was the perfon who wrote the letter to her brother, which difcovered the gunpowder plot. Percy, whofe picture is at Hinlip, was very intimate both with Abingdon and Lord Monteagle, and is fuppofed by Guthrie to have written the letter; but the ftile of it feems to be that of one who had only heard fome dark hints of the business, which perhaps was the cafe of Mrs. Abingdon, and not of one who was a principal mover in the whole, as was Percy, a defperado, who thought himfelf perfonally offended, and who was fit for the moft horrid defigns. Mr. Abingdon, hufband to this lady, was condemned to die for concealing Garnet and Oldcorn, as mentioned in the paper which follows; but was pardoned at the interceffion of his wife, and Lord Monteagle.

Among the MSS. in the Harleian Library, marked 28 B. 9. is the following account, which agrees with that given by Mr. Abingdon, in fome MSS. now before me, found in the houfe at Henlip.

"A true difcovery of the fervice performed at Henlip, the house of Mr. Thomas Abingdon, for the apprehenfion of Mr. Henry Garnett, alias Wolley, provincial of the Jefuits, and other dangerous perfons, there found in January last, 160;."

"After the King's royal promife of bountiful reward to fuch as would apprehend the traiters concerned in the powder confpiracy, and much expectation of subject-like duty, but no return made thereof in fo important a matter, a warrant was directed to the Right worthy and worshipful Knight Sir Henry Bromlie; and the proclamation delivered therewith, defcribing the features and fhapes of the men, for the better difcovering them. He, not neglecting fo weighty a bufiness, horfeing himself with a feemly troop of his own attendants,

S 3

and

and calling to his affiftance fo many as in difcretion was thought meet, having likewife in his company Sir Edward Bromley; on Monday, Jan. 20, laft, by break of day, did engirt and round befet the house of Mayfter Thomas Abbingdon, at Henlip, near Worces ter. Mr. Abbingdon not being then at home, but ridden abroad about fome occafions best known to himself; the house being goodlie, and of great receipt, it required the more diligent labour and pains in the fearching; it appeared there was no want; and Mr. Abbingdon himfelf coming home that night, the commiffion and proclamation being fhewn unto him, he denied any fuch men to be in his houfe, and voluntarily to die at his own gate, if any fuch were to be found in his houfe, or in that fhire; but this liberal or rather rafh fpeech could not caufe the fearch fo flightly to be given over, the cause enforced more refpect than words of that or any fuch like nature; and proceeding on, according to the truft repofed in him, in the gallery over the gate there were found two cunning and very artificial conveyances in the main brick wall, fo ingenioufly framed, and with fuch art, as it cost much labour ere they could be found. Three other fecret places, contrived by no lefs kill and induftry, were found in and about the chimnies, in one whereof two of the traitors were clofe concealed. These chimney conveyances being fo ftrangely formed, having the entrances into them fo curiously covered over with brick, mortared and made faft to planks of wood, and coloured black like the other parts of the chimney, that very di ligent inquifition might well have paffed by, without throwing the leaft fufpicion upon fuch unfufpicious places. And whereas divers funnels are ufually made to chimneys according as they are combined together, and ferve for neceffary use in feveral rooms, fo here were fome that exceeded common expectation, feeming outwardly fit for carrying forth smoke; but being further examined and feen into, their fervice was to no fuch purpose, but only to lend air and light downward into the concealments, where fuch as were inclosed in them at any time fhould be hidden. Eleven fecret corners and conveyances were found in the faid houfe, all of them having books, maling ftuff, and popish trumpery in them, only two excepted, which appeared to have been found on former fearches, and therefore had now the lefs credit given to them; but Mayfter Abingdon would take no knowledge of any of these places, nor that the books, or maling ftuff, were any of his, until at length the deeds of his lands being found in one of them, whofe cuftody doubtless he would not commit to any place of neglect, or where he should have no intelligence of them, whereto he could then devife no fufficient excufe, three days had been wholly fpent, and no man found there all this while; but upon the fourth day in the morning, from behind the wainscor in the galleries came forth two men of their own voluntary accord, as being no longer able there to conceal themselves, for they confefsed that they bad but one apple between them, which was all the fuftenance they had received during the time that they were thus hidden. One of them was named Owen, who afterwards murdered himself in the Tower; and the other Chambers; but they would take no other knowledge of any other mens being in the house. On the eighth day the before-mentioned place in the chimney was found, according

as