century; the upper parts of the houses project, as was customary in ages when a free circulation of air formed no part of the builder's calculations; the streets are merely of the width that was judged necessary when the transit of carriages was slow and of rare occurrence :-and the eye accustomed to modern amplitude of dimensions is not agreeably surprised at the view.

But the circumstance that tends to the displeasure of the ordi nary examiner, affords a harvest of high gratification to the lover of domestic architectural antiquities. Houses replete with the venerable traces of the fifteenth century are yet standing in seve ral divisions; the freshness of complexion only injured by age, and the main works still firm in massy, and almost impregnable, oak. A person imbued with such a taste must derive true plea sure from a perambulation of this city. The specimens of the style prevailing in different eras are strongly marked, and of the most gratifying description. To some are attached circumstances of local story, which add to their interest; and others possess peculiarities of construction well worthy of the antiquary's notice. In many instances, where the front has experienced alteration, the interior still remains untouched; and the costly character of the carved embellishments here to be seen, explain, without the trouble of appeal to record, the prosperity of the place during the reign of the latter Henries.

The city is viewed to much advantage from the north-east. The whole of its churches stand here disclosed with great picto rial effect. St. Michael's, beautiful and attractive when seen from any point, forms the prominent feature. Its sister-spire (that of Trinity church,) rises modestly beyond, as if retiring in confessed secondariness of pretensions. The tower of St. John's, and the steeple of the Grey-Friars, ascend on either hand, and complete the display. The spot from which the two steeples that so eminently ornament Coventry are seen with the most striking effect, is in the neighbourhood of the now desolated priory, on the margin of Priory-Mill Dam. This view conveys in so satisfactory a manner an idea of the architectural beauty of the two

fine elevations, that we have caused an engraving of it to be made from a drawing by the late Clarendon Smith.*

The length of the city of Coventry, from Hill Street Gate to Gosford Gate, is about three-quarters of a mile, exclusive of the suburbs. The walls, no longer necessary to the preservation of civic security, are completely reduced; but traces of these, and of several of the gates, are yet discernible. The progress of their erection, and the period at which they were demolished, will shortly be noticed. The streets are numerous, and intersect and deviate from each other without any resemblance to regularity of design, but merely as an extension of need required, and a possession of property favoured. Though less has been done towards improvement than might be expected in so populous and commercial a place, some new domestic buildings have lately been raised, and 'these are uniformly substantial, commodious, and eligible. Previous to 1762, many of the streets had but one channel, which ran down the centre. In that year was passed the Scavenger Act, under the regulations of which the thoroughfares meet with a commendable increase of notice.

The religious, and other public edifices of Coventry, are truly worthy of attention. The Churches are three in number. That of St. Michael is a beautiful specimen of the Gothic, or English style. The first mention of a religious building so dedicated on this spot, occurs in the reign of Stephen, at which time Ralph, Earl of Chester, rendered it to the monks of Coventry, by the term of the Chapel of St. Michael. Ralph, the last earl of that name, gave to this church the tithe of his lands and rents in Coventry. The Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield shortly claimed the advowson; but, by an agreement between the prior and that prelate, it was arranged that the monks should provide secular priests, and other fit ministers, to serve the several chapels appended to the structure. In the 44th of Henry III. the church was regularly appropriated to the prior and monks. In

Obligingly offered for that purpose by Mr. John Nickson, of Coventry.

the

the year 1291, it was valued, with its chapels, at fifty marka per annum, and the vicarage at eight marks and a half. In 1534, the vicarage was rated at 651. 10s. 6d. per annum, out of which 27. 15s. 4d. were paid annually to the archdeacon of Coventry, for procurations and synodals. The Prior of Coventry, likewise, received a yearly pension of five pounds, and the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield 17. 13s. 4d. The patronage is now vested in the Crown. The chantries founded in this church, and endowed with a yearly revenue for the maintenance of priests, who were daily to sing mass for the souls of the donors, or of persons named by them, were as follow:-Merynton's Chantry, founded by Hugh de Merynton in the 17th of Edward II.-Shepey's Chantry, founded in the 4th of Edward III. by Laurence Shepey, of Coventry, and endowed with one messuage and two shops, for the maintenance of a priest to sing mass daily at the altar of St. Lawrence within the same church, for the soul of the said Laurence, and the souls of his father and mother, Maud, his wife, and others."-Haye's Chantry, founded in the 12th of Richard II. by Henry del Hay, of Coventry, girdler.-Preston's Chantry, founded by John Preston, of Coventry, during his lifetime, in the 13th of Henry IV. for two priests, to sing mass daily at the altars of the Holy Trinity and the Blessed Virgin.→ Crosse's Chantry, founded in the 13th of Henry IV. for a priest to sing mass at the altar of St. Katherine.—Pyseford's Chantry, founded by one William Pyseford, but at what period is not ascertained. The revenue, in the 37th of Henry VIII. was 261. 9s. and it is pleasing to find that the superstitious zeal created in the donor's mind by the force of custom, was blended with a charitable inclination, the offspring of genuine philanthrophy-the larger portion of the income was dedicated to the assistance of six poor men and their wives, who had been honest householders within the city, and had fallen to decay. Two other

John Crosse was mayor of Coventry in 1394. He erected a font in this church; and afterwards, in conjunction with other citizens, began the building of St. Mary's Hall,