culated to convey ideas of the building and dependencies, when perfected by the labour of many ages:-" The circuit within the walls, containeth 7 acres, upon which the walks are so spacious and fair that two or three persous together may walk upon most places thereof. The castle, with the 4 gatehouses, are all built of free-stone, hewen and cut; the walls in many places of xv and x foot thickness, some more, some less, the least 4 foot in thickness square. There runneth through the grounds, by the walls of the castle, a fair pool, containing exi acres, which at pleasure is to be let round about the castle. The circuit of the castle, mannours, parks and chase, lying round together, contain at least xix or xx miles, in a pleasant countrey; the like, both for strength, state and pleasure, not being within the realm of England." Prince Henry, to whom the estate was resigned by the King, avowed his readiness to pay to Sir Robert Dudley the sum of 14,500/. for his title to the castle and domaius, notwithstanding the legal incapacity to which he had rendered himself subject; but, owing to the death of the prince, not more than 30007. were actually forwarded; and no part ever reached the fugitive Sir Robert. The estate was possessed by the King at the commencement of the last civil war, and it shared the disastrous fortunes of its regal owner. The castle of Kenilworth may figuratively be said to have died an inglorious death. A mighty building, like a mighty chieftain, seems to fall with consonant magnificence when it sinks beneath the pressure of conflict, amid the general havoc of a wide field of chivalry; but this castle crumbled into ruins under the petty assaults of sordid hands,-bannerless, and without one contending hero to sigh over its destruction. Cromwell granted the whole manor to certain officers of his army, who demolished the splendid fabric in order to make a market of its materials. The turrets once dismantled, the relics were open to every spoliator. But the hand of depredation is now stopped, and the fragments, if left to the slow inroads of time, are likely to remain the memorials of

baronial

baronial grandeur, for the melancholy gratification of many a succeeding age.

These ruins are very extensive, and present various combinations of the most romantic and picturesque description. They are in many parts screened and defended from the rain and winds by nestling shrubs and clinging ivy, which impart a lovely mellowness to the general display. Of the original fortress it is believed that only one portion remains. This comprises three sides of a square tower, popularly termed Cæsar's tower, an ap. pellation often bestowed on buildings of a similar construction. The walls of this structure are in some places sixteen feet thick. The additions made by John Duke of Lancaster were large and massive. Considerable parts still remain, in different stages of decay, and they are yet distinguished by the terin of Lancasterbuildings. That division of the pile that owes its foundation to the Earl of Leicester was of a magnificent character, and is likewise known by the name of its noble designer. In this part of the castle-ruins are to be seen the relics of the great hall of entertainment, a fine baronial room, 86 feet in length and 45 feet in width. The Leicester buildings were composed of a brown friable stone, not well calculated to stand the weather; and this part of the pile, though the last erected, is perhaps the most ancient in appearance. The great Gate-House raised by the Earl is în better preservation. The entrance was formerly through an arched way, now walled in; and the building is at present occupied by a farmer. In one apartment is a large and curious chimneypicce of alabaster, ornamented with the armorial bearings, crest, and motto of the Leicester family. This chimney piece, together with the oaken wainscotting of the room in which it is placed, was removed to its present situation, from one of the principal apartments of the Leicester buildings. The fine lake, which formerly ornamented three sides of the castle, and was the scene of much pageantry during Queen Elizabeth's visit, is now early dried up, and has long ceased to be an attractive object. The MONASTERY before noticed as the foundation of Geoffrey

de

de Clinton, in the reign of Henry I. was for canons regular of the order of St. Augustine, and stood to the east of the castle. This religious house was well endowed, and was valued at the Dissolution at 5337, 15s. 4d. clear. The remains are now few, and consist chiefly of some fragments of wall, and the mutilated gate of entrance. On digging in the vicinity of the ruins, about the year 1795, some considerable traces of the foundation, including part of an aisle, or cloister, were discovered.

66

The village of STONELEIGH is three miles from Kenilworth, on the east. In this place was an abbey of Cistercian Monks, which religious foundation was moved hither from Radmore, Staffordshire, in 1154, the first year of Henry II. At this time there were in the manor, according to Dugdale, sixty-eight villains, four bordars,* and two priests; all which held xxx carucates of land. As also four bondmen, or servants, whereof each held one mess, and one quartrone of land, by the services of making the gallows, and hanging of theeves: every one of which bondmen was to wear a red clout betwixt his shoulders, upon his upper garment; to plow twice a year; to reap as oft; to give aid to the Lord at the feast of St. Michael; to make the Lord's malt, and do other servile work." Concerning two of the abbots of Stoneleigh, the same historian mentions circumstances by no means creditable to the Cistercian monks of this house. William de Gyldeford, the ninth abbot, was deprived, in the year 1235, for "countenancing a shepherd belonging to the monastery to fight a duel, and to hang a thief that had privately stole away some cattell of theirs ;" and "there was a complaint made in the 38th of Edward III. against Thomas de Pipe,† the then abbot, that he granted estates to divers persons, for lives,

of

Probably tenants who paid poultry, and other provisions, for the use of the Lord's board, See Blomef. Nor. &c.

+ This Thomas de Pipe had some erudition and industry, to palliate the recollection of his errors. By him was composed the Leger-Book of Stone leigh, a work of great assistance to Dugdale in several parts of his historical Jabours,