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Sir Henry Baynton's regiment.
John Duckett in Richard Burley's place.

Sir William Button's regiment.
Thomas Hynton in Richard Young's place.
Richard Hunton in [blank]

Sir Thomas Thynne's regiment.

John Price in Mr. Thomas South's place.

John Lamb in Edmund Lambert's place.

LETTER X.

The Mayor and his brethren of Salisbury to Lord Hertford, claiming the muster of their own private company of 100 foot.

RIGHT HONOURABLE,

We lately received a warrant directed to the Mayor and chief Officers of this City, from Sir Thomas Gorges and Sir James Mervin, Knights, two of your lordship's Deputy Lieutenants of this County of Wilts, for the summoning of all the trained men within this City, to appear before them with their armour and furniture the 26th day of this instant month of September; and that if any of the trained men be dead or removed since the last musters, that then two of the sufficientest men both of person and ability within this City should be warned to appear before them, and that we should present unto them the names of the ablest in the City to supply the armour wanting, and that the Mayor should be present to attend that service: all which they required by virtue of your lordship's letter. Upon receipt thereof, we have as heretofore, we and others in our places, by special letters from your lordship and other your lordship's predecessors in the office of Lieutenancy of this County, entered into consideration of the men and armour that were used at the last muster and to supply the defect, but finding that we have not that authority from your lordship by your special letters as heretofore hath been used, before we further proceed therein, we thought it our duties to inform your lordship hereof, and what hath been used heretofore both by your lordship and your lordship's predecessors, that is, that you have been pleased to employ and commit the trust of this service unto the Mayor and Justices of this City, both for the supply of men and armour, and not to leave it to the direction of any other, otherwise than upon shew thereof either to the Lord-Lieutenant or to any other by his lordship's special appointment; and if any defaults should be found, then the same to be reformed, either upon notice given by them appointed, or by your Lordship-Lieutenant's letter. This having

been our ancient use heretofore, we do hope your lordship will be pleased to continue the same; whereunto we the rather are induced for that, having experience of your lordship's love towards this City many ways besides, we were heretofore relieved upon our suit to your lordship for continuance of our ancient custom touching the using of the colours of this City and not the Captain's, at mustering; at which time your lordship was pleased by your lordship's letters, and otherwise, so far to favour this City as that thereby we are assured your lordship will not suffer any breach of our ancient customs or any disgrace to the City to be offered. Hereof we are bold to inform your lordship, humbly leaving the same to your lordship's wisdom and good consideration. And even so with the remembrance of our duties to your lordship in all humbleness take our leaves. Sarum, this 8th of September, 1608." Your Honour's to be commanded.

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[Lord Hertford immediately granted their request, and having written a reply to the Mayor, dispatched the following to Sir Thomas Gorges].

LETTER XI.

GOOD SIR THOMAS GORGES,

I received lately a letter from the Mayor of Salisbury, the copy whereof I have sent you. Their desire is, that according to the old custom, the band of one hundred foot within that City may be mustered apart from the forces of the County, because it hath been their custom, as well in my predecessor's time the Earl of Pembroke, as mine, and always allowed by me, and that the City is a corporation of good regard, they ever carrying themselves respectively [respectfully] in the service of his Majesty and tractably and lovingly to me, I have granted their desire, and have thought good to give you knowledge thereof, that you may be satisfied of the reason wherefore it is altered. Thus with my very loving commendations to yourself and your good lady, I rest your loving friend.

Sent from Easton the 13th of the same, with

the Mayor's letter, by Robert Atkins.

HERTFORD.

(To be concluded in the next.)

Boyton Church, in the Vale of Wylye.

(Six Miles from Warminster, Sixteen from Salisbury).

One primary object of the Wilts Archæological Society was declared at their inaugural meeting, to be, the notice of Parochial Churches, the history or architecture of which, might illustrate either our national or local history, or provide subjects for the researches of the student or amateur of Ecclesiastical Architecture. The Parish Church of Boyton seems to afford considerable data for both these laudable purposes; and the following memoir, partly gleaned from the labours of others, and partly the fruit of personal knowledge and observation, is submitted to the Society, with the hope that it may be followed by papers of deeper research, and more engrossing interest.

In a quiet and retired corner of the Vale of Wylye stands the ancient Church of St. Mary, Boyton.

It shows in the clearest characters the riches and nobility of the former owners of the soil and Patrons of the Church, as well as the miserable neglect and wretched taste of the later days of the English Church.

The dimensions of the Church are as follows:

Chancel 38 feet 6 inches by 19 feet.

Nave

North Chapel 13

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South Chapel 26 0

Tower...... 10

The general plan is a Latin Cross, the two side Chapels forming

the arms.

The entrance is somewhat singular, being through the Tower which is placed on the North side, with an ancient Vestry forming a lean-to on the West side of the Tower.

The materials of which the Church is generally built, consists of stone and flints in rough courses, and no better testimony can be given to the stability of such construction, than the fact that the

Tower facing due North, and of considerable height, has remained from the reign of Henry III. to the present time as perfect as on the first day of its dedication.

The entrance under the Tower is through a remarkably fine It has a sharp pointed Segmental Arch,

Early English doorway.

without any drip-stone.

orders.

The archway itself is composed of three

The first consists of a plain chamfered continuous Impost.

The architrave is of the second order, and has a hollow between two rounds, with dog-tooth moulding in the hollow; the Impost is banded with a plain chamfer below.

The Arch of the third order has the architrave square.

The inner walls of the Tower are of extremely perfect flint masonry, without a sympton of crack or decay, and demonstrate the admirable settings, which to this day retain such small masses as the flints without any crumblings of the wall.

A very ancient ladder of the rudest materials leads to the Belfry, which is situated in the upper part of the Tower, and is of considerably later date than the lower stages of the Tower.

On the right hand an ancient Vestry or Priest's chamber is situated against the West wall, and contains a small aumbrye, probably for relics, and a fire-place of Early English stamp; two small lancet windows seem also to mark this singular chamber as of Early English construction.

Passing into the Nave our attention is arrested by the richness of the work of past generations, and the neglect or want of taste of more recent times. Thus we observe the massive effigy of a Crusader, and the once richly adorned chantry erected by his descendants, for the benefit of the souls of the departed; whilst the eye is painfully impressed with a flat plaster ceiling, unseemly for a meeting house-much more for the Parish Church of the lordly Giffards: a hideous gallery shuts out the West window, or rather the remains of what once was a handsome perpendicular window, but now gapes without mullion or tracery in naked ugliness. The Nave once was of ample proportion both in height and width. The West end contained (as we have observed) a handsome perpen

dicular window, under which a square-headed doorway still existing, by its Lioncels, attests the dignity of the Baronial Family to which the Parish and the patronage of the Church belonged. At the West end of the Church the ancient Norman Pilaster Buttresses may be observed, which, doubtless belonged to the original Church which was restored in Early English times.

The roof of the Nave seems to press upon the head of the visitant, and with its broad plain of whitewash, and hideous uniformity to tell of the days which Bishop Butler witnessed when he wrote as follows:-"Unless the good spirit of building, repairing, and adorning Churches prevails a great deal more amongst us, and be more encouraged, an hundred years will bring a huge number of these sacred fabrics to the ground."

The Chancel Arch is cut off by this roof, and the whole proportions of the Nave are utterly disfigured. The Pews of decayed materials of various heights and shapes, all tell the same tale of bad taste, and penury towards God, which we trust ere long will be remedied, and that under these better days for the Church, this ancient Temple of God will be made somewhat worthy of its holy purpose.

Projecting from the Nave North and South are two Chapels. That to the South is replete with objects of interest to the historian and the architect. Two small Early English Arches open into this Chantry, which from its foundation has belonged to the Lords of the Manor of Boyton.

The Archways consist of two orders of pointed Segmental Arches. The Arch of the first order has on the Chantry side a plain chamfered edge; that of the second order consists of a hollow round and a quarter round, with a square edged soffit. These Arches spring from a simple pier and two responds. The capitals are well shaped and very bold in character, exactly similar to several specimens in Salisbury Cathedral; the responds are finished with two engaged half columns, answering in size and proportion to the clear columns of the Pier; the Bases consist of two rolls, and a roll faced with a fillet on a circular plinth.

In the wall is to be observed the remains of the roodloft staircase and passage-the staples for the hinges yet remaining in the wall.

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