10d.; the POPULATION, by return of 1821, was 83,716; and the number of houses 15,412. So that the poor-rates amounted to a fourth part, within a fraction, of the whole of the rental; and there were, on an average, 1 pauper to every two houses throughout the county. According to the same return of 1818, the annual poor-rates of this whole county amounted, in 1776, to only 16,310l. There are, in this county, on an average, 181 persons to each square. mile, which is about 4 acres of land to every person; and there are, within a fraction, 18 acres of land to every inhabited house, including the most miserable houses in town and country, and not excepting alms-houses.-The male population of the county is 40,385. The return states 10,754 families to be employed in agriculture; 4,827 families in trade and handicraft; and 1,792 families to consist of all other descriptions of persons. The male agricultural population must, therefore, be 25,000 all but a fraction. Of these we must allow one half to be children, men past labour, or men infirm there then remain, including the farmers themselves, 12,500 agricultural labourers; that is to say, one labourer, on an average, to every 234 acres of land.

AMPTHILL, 45 miles N.W. from London. Popula. 1527. Market, Thurs. Fairs, May 4, Nov. 30, for cattle.

ARLSEY, 26 miles S.E. from Shefford. Popula. 562.

ASPLEY GUISE, 2 miles N.E. from Woburn. Popula. 848.

ASTWICK, 4 miles S.E. from Biggleswade.
Popula. 99.
BARFORD (Great), 5 miles N.E. from
Bedford. Popula. 635.
BARFORD (Little), 5 miles N.W. from
Potton. Popula. 123.
BARTON-IN-THE-CLAY, 3 miles S.
from Selsoe. Popula. 668.
BATTLESDEN, 3 miles S. from Woburn.
Popula. 151.

BEDFORD, the county town of Bedford-
shire, seated on the river Ouse, 50 miles
N.W. from London. It has five parishes:
St. Cuthbert, St. John, St. Mary, St.
Paul, and St. Peter Martin. It is a cor-

porate town, having a mayor, record

er, deputy recorder, two bailiffs, two chamberlains, thirteen common-councilmen, and an uncertain number of aldermen, and sends two members to parliament. At or near this place there were,

an Hospital of St. Leonard's Hospitalers, founded in the reign of Edward IV., by a townsman, whose yearly revenue was 16l. 6s. 8d. in 26 Henry VIII.; now worth 3261. 13s. 4d. A Franciscan Friary, founded by Mabilea de Plateshull, in the reign of Edward II., valued yearly at 51., now worth 100l.; granted, 31 Henry VIII., to John Gostwyke; at Caldwell, an Augustine Priory, founded in the reign of John, by Robert of Houghton. Revenue 148l, 15s. 10d., now worth 2,975l. 16s. 8d.; granted, 5 Elizabeth, to Thomas Leigh; and at Newenham, a Monastery of Augustine Canons, founded in the reign of Henry II., by Simon Beauchamp. Yearly

revenue 343l. 15s. 54., now worth 6,8751.8s. 4d.; granted, 32 Henry VIII., to Urian Brereton. Popula. 5446. Market, Mond., Tues. and Sat. Fairs, first Tues. in Lent, Apr. 21, July 5, Oct. 11, Dec. 19 for cattle of all sorts.

BEESTON, in Sandy parish, and popula. included therein. 3 miles N.W. from Biggleswade.

BIDDENHAM, 2 miles W. from Bedford. Popula. 393.

BIGGLESWADE with Holme and Stratton, seated on the river Ivel, 45 miles N.E. from London. Popula. 2778. Market, Wed. Fairs, Feb. 14, Sat. in Easter week; Whit-Monday; Aug. 2, Nov. 8. At this place there was a Chantry; revenue 71., now worth 1401. BILLINGTON, in Leighton-Buzzard parish, and popula. included therein. 2 miles S. from Leighton-Buzzard. BLETSOE, 6 miles N. from Bedford. Popula. 383.

BLUNHAM, 44 miles N. from Biggleswade. Popula. 945.

BOLNHURST, 5 miles N.E. from Bedford. Popula. 264.

BROMHAM, 3 miles N.W. from Bedford. Popula. 298.

BROOK-END, in Northill parish, and popula. included therein.

BROOM, in Southill parish, and popula. included therein. 1 mile from Biggleswade.

BUDNOR, in Northill parish, and popula.

included therein.

CALDICOTTS (Upper and Lower), in Northill parish, and popula. included therein.

CAMPTON with Shefford, 1 mile S.W. from Shefford. Popula. 1,028.

HOCKLIFFE, 3 miles N.E. from Leighton

Buzzard. Popula. 393.

HOLCUTT, 4 miles N. from Woburn. Popula. 62.

HOLME.-See Biggleswade.

HOLWELL, 4 miles S. from Shefford. Popula. 179.

HOLYWELL, in Shetlington parish, and

popula included therein. HOUGHTON-CONQUEST, 24 miles N. from Ampthill. Popula. 651. HOUGHTON-REGIS, 2 miles N.E. from Dunstable. Popula. 1,283. HUMBERSHOE, in Studham parish, and popula. included therein. HUSBORN-CRAWLEY, 2 miles N.E. from Woburn. Popula. 572. HYDE (East and West), in Luton parish, and popula. included therein. KEMPSTON, 2 miles S.W. from Bedford. Popula. 1,419.

KEYSOE, 8 miles N. from Bedford. Popula. 649.

KNOTTING, 11 miles N.W. from Bedford. Popula. 185.

LANGFORD, 2 miles S. from Biggleswade Popula. 631.

LEEGRAVE, or LIGHTGRAVE, in Luton parish, and popula. included

therein.

ford. Popula. 244. At this place there was a Preceptory of Knights Hospitalers, with a Manor and a Church, settled by Lady Alice, or Adelize, de Claremonte, Countess of Pembroke, in the reign of Henry J. The Lands belonging to this Preceptory were valued at 2411. 9s. 10d., now worth 4,829l. 16s. 8d. Granted, 3 Edward VI., to John Earl of Bedford. MEPPERSHALL, 2 miles S.W. from Shefford. Popula. 397.

MILLBROOK, 2 miles N.W. from Ampthill. Popula. 405. MILLO.-See Dunton.

MILTON-BYANT, 2 miles S.E. from Woburn. Popula. 346.

MILTON-ERNEST, 4 miles N.W. from
Bedford. Popula. 364.
MAULDEN, 13 miles N.E. from Ampthill.
Popula. 1,017.

MOGGERHANGER, in Blunham parish, and popula. included therein. NORTHILL, 3 miles N.W. from Biggleswade. Popula. 1,001. At this place there was a Collegiate Church, founded, 6 Hen. IV., by Sir Gerard Braybroke, Knt., Thos. Pevre, John Harvey, John Ward, Edm. Hampden, and John Hertshorne, for the souls of Sir John Traylly and son. Yearly value at the dissolution, 611.5s.5d., now worth 1,225l.8s. 4d.; granted, 2 Edward VI., to William Fitzwilliam.

OAKLEY, 3 miles N.W. from Bedford. Popula. 486.

ODELL. 7 miles N.W. from Bedford. Po

pula. 439. Fairs, Thurs. in Whit-week, cattle of all sorts.

burn. Popula. 739.

Popula. 455.

PERTENHALL, 10 miles N.E. from Bedford. Popula. 324.

POTSGROVE, 2 miles S.E. from Woburn. Popula. 183.

POTTON, 45 miles N.E. from London. Popula. 1,498. Market, Sat. Fairs,

WOBURN, 43 miles N.W. from London. Popula. 1,656. Market, Friday; fairs, Jan. 1, Mar. 23, July 13, Sept. 25, for cattle. At this place there was a Cistercian Abbey, founded, in the year 1145, by Hugh de Bolebec. Valued at 430l.13s.114d, now worth 8,613l. 19s. 2d.; granted, 1 Edward VI., to John Lord Russell.

Popula. 944.

WRESTLINGWORTH, 24 miles S.E. from Potton. Popula. 400. WYBOSTON, united with Eaton Socón, which see.

WYMINGTON, 12 miles N.W. from Bedford. Popula. 262.

YIELDING, or YELDEN, 10 miles N.W. from Bedford, Popula. 279.

AN INLAND COUNTY of England, bounded on the North by Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, being separated from them by the river Thames; on the East by Surrey; on the South by Hampshire; on the West and North-west by Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. Its length is about 40 miles, and its breadth about 30. Its form is uncommonly irregular; but it is taken to be about 140 miles in cireumference. It contains 756 square miles, and 483,840 acres, statute measure; about one half is estimated as arable, two-thirds of the remainder pasture, and the rest woodlands and waste, of which latter, and of a very poor description, that is a considerable tract, beginning, on the east, near to Windsor Great Park, and, with little intermission, continuing on nearly to Hungerford ; that is to say, from one end of the county to the other. This tract is a strip of sandy and gravelly land, all along on nearly the southern edge of the county. With the exception of this tract, the land of Berkshire is generally good; and especially in the Vale of Berkshire, in nearly the centre of which lies the ancient town of WANTAGE, the name of which (it being the birth-place of ALFRED) ought to be dear to every Englishman. This is a pleasant county, very beautifully wooded, salubrious for the far greater part, well watered and assisted by the RIVERS Thames, Kennett, Loddon, Ock, and Lambourn, and by the canals, which have been made in the county. As to the PRODUCTS of this county, they are chiefly agricultural, there being hardly any manufacturing carried on in any part of it; and, the soil being generally good, these pro

ducts are abundant in proportion, and rather of superior quality. Berkshire is in the PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY; in the DIOCESE OF SALISBURY; and is one of the counties of the OXFORD CIRCUIT. It is divided into 20 Hundreds, named as follows:-Beynhurst, Bray, Charlton, Compton, Cookham, Faircross, Farringdon, Ganfield, Hormer, Kintbury-Eagle, Lambourn, Moreton, Ock, Reading, Ripplesmere, Shrivenham, Sonning, Theale, Wantage, Wargrave. There are in the county 148 PARISHES; there are 12 MARKET-TOWNS, namely, Abingdon, Farringdon, Hungerford, Ilsley, Lambourn, Maidenhead, Newbury, Oakingham, Reading, Wallingford, Wantage, and Windsor. Of these Abingdon, Reading, Wallingford, and Windsor, are boroughs, the first sending 1 member to parliament, and the last three sending 2 members each, which, together with the 2 members for the county, make 9 members for this county. READING is generally looked upon as the CAPITAL of the county; but, as the scene of elections and other county affairs, Abingdon shares with it. Before the Protestant "Reformation," or devastation, there were 14 Monastic establishments, at the following places; Abingdon, Bisham, Chaddleworth, Farringdon, Henley, Newbury, Reading, Donnington, Shottesbrook, Steventon, Strathfield-Sav, and Wallingford; under the names of which places, a particular account of these establishments is given. There are 57 PUBLIC CHARITIES (most of them very ancient) in this county, 8 of which are at Abingdon, and 12 at Newbury. Of the 148 parishes which the county contains, there