We are much obliged to the Rev. John Graham, and to another Correspondent, who have both sent us Drawings of what they conceive to be a very curious Medal. We have before, vol. XCI. ii. p. 482, given our opinion of the Medal, in answer to H. R. D. who first sent us the notice of it, which appeared in a provincial journal.

J. O. may obtain the information he requires almost in any public Library.

A CONSTANT READER is referred to his Dentist.

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ANTIQUARIOLUS says, "I am glad that A. C. R. has furnished an additional proof to the scene of Adam Gordon's combat, by placing Shortgrave in Bedfordshire: perhaps he can also identify Altun wood.

Dr. Brady, in his History of England, relates that in 1265 the King being obliged by the rebellious Barons, sent letters, dated at Monmouth, June 28, "per Regem, comitem Leicestriæ, &c. to Adam de Gurdun and others, commanding them to suppress the efforts made in his favour."

CLERICUS suggests to Mr. FRANK HALL STANDISH, the Editor of the Life of Voltaire, the propriety of correcting, in another edition, an uncharitable disposition towards a very respectable body of men, which, while it leads him into error, may bring down contempt upon him. He wishes to call Mr. Standish's attention to the following acrimonius and unjust attack upon the Clergy at large. Speaking of satire as a libel, he says, "It proceeds generally from an hireling author, or from some little, low, contemptible, and foolish man, of a bad disposition, with imaginary talents, who has neither sufficient courage nor good nature to suppress the paltry venom of his own conceptions. A libel is the natural offspring of a weak head and corrupt heart, and is sometimes to be found still emanating even from a Christian Teacher or Protestant Clergyman of the present Century." Our Correspondent then remarks, "Now let Counsel, learned in the law, or let any man of plain understanding, say if this last charge be not a solemn and a cruel libel; and if it be so, see how the earlier part of the sentence characterizes its author, as an hireling, or as some little, low, contemptible man, of a bad disposition, with imaginary talents, who has neither sufficient courage nor good nature to suppress the paltry venom of his own conceptions"."

A. Y. Z. asks, "Was Sir John Clere of Blickling in Norfolk of the family of Clare, whose pedigree appeared in vol. LXXXIX. ii. p. 411? This Sir John Clere possessed Blickling in right of his wife, daughter of Sir William Boleyn, and received Queen Elizabeth there. He was descended from

Clere de Montè, a Norman Baron, who is described on a monument erected to his memory in the chapel of Blickling, as having 'come to England with William Duke of Normandy, to assist him in the Conquest of England.'-Blomefield's "Norfolk.'

PUFF observes, "If there be in any chamber a recess, deep or shallow, above or below, it does not occasion any peculiar current of air to make one sensible of being in its vicinity; but convert this recess into a closet, and however well fitted and compacted the door may be, yet through every little crevice the air will draw and become painfully troublesome. Nay, I have seen a candle nearly extinguished through the keyhole of a closet not six inches deep. Pray solve this problem."

W. F. C. observes, "I beg leave to point out what I consider a very material error in the new Coinage, inasmuch as it would mislead any person seeking information of the armorial bearings of our nation. I allude to the false heraldry of the shield, in which the whole field is made to appear Argent; neither does it, as a medal, look so rich and handsome, from the want of the usual distinguishing lines. I should be glad to learn the reason which led to this new mode of displaying the arms?"

A. Š. wishes to know whether the Charge given by the present Bishop of Winchester to his Clergy in the last summer at his primary Visitation in Surrey has been printed; and if it has, where it may be procured?

W. R. K. ARMIGER observes; "Inquiries having been made respecting the family of Knivett (XCI. i. pp. 286, 482), some of your Correspondents may probably say what became of the descendants of Sir Philip Knivett of Birkenham Castle, Norfolk, bart. whose sons were, Philip, heir apparent; John, of Leatherhead, Surrey; Thomas, who married, and had issue (query, of what family was his lady?); Sir Robert, the fourth son, bart. died in London, at an advanced age.Eleanor married, first, to Sir Henry Hastings; secondly, to Sir Thos. Waldron, of Chorley, knt.; Dorothy or Elizabeth, wife to James Erskine, Earl of Buchan, in Scotland. Catherine is said to have died unmarried."

The recommendation of the Thetford Spa can only be used (if paid for) as an Adver tisement on our Cover.

T.B. expresses his disappointment at finding the Compendiums of County History discontinued; and hopes that BYRO will again favour us with his communications in this wish, we heartily join with T. B.

The hints of "Clericus, M. A." (of Bury, L.) we adopt as far as is easily practicable. To the extent he mentions, they would alone fill the whole of our pages.

his dominions, and ravaged Scotland and Wales. His successes, however, were not long to be enjoyed unmolested; for one of the most powerful confederacies that ever had been formed sprung up against him, and threatened his whole kingdom with present annihilation.

Anlaf (who had been driven from Northumbria), assisted by Constantine King of Scotland, several of the Welsh princes, and the Anglo Danes, North of the Humber, and also augmented by fleets of warriors from Norway and the Baltic, formed "an attack of such magnitude, it seemed a certain calculation that the single force of Athelstan must be overthrown;" he so managed, however, as to gain time, and be prepared to meet the storm; and, finally, in the Battle of Brunnenburgh, he completely defeated their combinations.

In this battle the contending armies were so numerous, the circumstances so particular, the slaughter so great, and the consequences so important, that it may not inaptly be compared to the modern Waterloo.

Every reader of Mr. Turner's History will no doubt be delighted with his description of the particular events of this most important period, and especially with his representation of this Battle; and it only leaves a regret that the scite of such events should not have been identified with his description.

In my edition (being the first) of Mr. Turner's History, with reference to the Battle of Brunnansburgh, he subjoins the following note:

"It is singular that the position of this famous Battle is not ascertained; the Saxon Song says it was at Brunnanburh. Ethelwerd, a contemporary, names the place Brunnandune; Simeon of Durham, Weoudune or Ethunnanwerch, or Brunnan byrge; Malmsbury, Brunsford. Ingulf says, Brunford in Northumbria. These of course imply the same place. But where is it? Camden thought it was at Ford near Bromeridge in Northumberland. Gibson mentions, that in Cheshire there is a place called Brunburgh. I observe that the Villare mentions a Brunton in Northumberland."

Accidentally looking into Macpher. son's Geographical Illustrations of Scottish History, with reference to this same event, and under the title Brunnanburgh, I found the following observa

tion:

[Jan.

Coupling these queries and observations with my own, I have ventured to presume that I am able to determine this hitherto doubtful point, and to lay down the exact position where this Battle was fought; in order to which, however, I must again refer to Mr. Turner's History for information,

"that Anlaf commenced the warfare

by entering the Humber with a fleet of 615 ships;" and also, “that he soon overpowered the forces which Athelstan had posted in Northumbria." It does not appear how far Anlaf's force was personally engaged in producing these advantages North of the Humber; and from the silence of our Historians, we may infer that the magnitude of the invading force was such as made it necessary that Athelstan should withdraw his troops from the North, and concentrate them in a more Southerly position; although the ships of the period we are now speaking of were not vessels of large burthen, yet from the number which entered the Humber, it has been inferred that Anlaf had with him an army of 30,000 men, at the least; and in order to engage and divide Athelstan's attention from the North, he would naturally, and with as little delay as possible, debark and take up a position on the South bank of the river Humber.

My conjecture is, that Anlaf landed the main body of his army at Barrow, taking up a position at the head of the creek or haven there, about three quarters of a mile distant from the river, where he threw up entrenchments, and that he in a similar way posted his allies at Barton; which conjecture is founded on the natural positions these

two

two places present for debarkation, both having a creek or haven running in land, and capacious enough together to harbour the whole or most of Anlaf's ships; and also having poзitions called the Castles or Castle Dikes to this day at Barrow; indeed, the remains of what I consider to be Anlaf's intrenched camp are yet undemolished, and comprise an area of about eight acres of land, now called the Castles. At Barton we have only two positions, known by the name of the Castle Dikes, one at a little distance from the head of the present haven, on the West of the town; and the other in advance on the East: the one commanding the antient road Westward from Barton to Ferriby; the other, the two roads Eastward and Southward, viz. the road to Barrow on the East, and the road from Barton in a South-Easterly direction to Grimsby and Louth, called the Old Street; and which three roads were most probably the only public roads then existing.

Drawing a line from the mouth of Barton Haven to that of Barrow, along the river bank, and which in extent may be calculated at about two miles; and making this line the base of a triangle, the apex of the angle at a point perpendicular to the centre of the base, and at the distance of four miles, will give the advanced position I have laid down for Athelstan's forces, this point being within the manor or lordship, and a little in advance of the present hamlet or vill of Burnham, antiently called Brunnum or Brunnen.

The lordship of Burnham is bounded on the North by the lordships of Barrow and Barton, and on the South by the lordship of Wootton, and I have no doubt but that the Brunnendune and Weondune of the Saxon Chronicles are the same as the present Burnham Dale and Wootton Dale, a little way in the rear, or South of the present hamlet of Burnham.

The manor and estate of Burnham is within the parish of Thornton Curtis, and was formerly belonging to the Abbey of Thornton.

In Bishop Tanner's "Notitia," amongst other references to the grants of property to Thornton Abbey, you will find this manor amongst others (in Cart. 29 Edw. I. n. 26), noted as the manor of Brunnum; and upon a late inspection of the documents relating to these estates, I found a sheep pas

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ture, part of the Burnham property, described as being known by the name of the Black Nold, evidently a corruption from Black Knoll, or the Bloody Hill as we may term it; and no doubt, having reference to the scite of the bloody contest we have now in contemplation. This knoll is also in our day pointed out by the name (Black Mould) given to the extreme Northern point, or front of the position I have laid down for Athelstan, and which is within the lordship of Barrow.

From the account given of the engagement, it appears that the confederates were pursued down the hill, quite into the plains, so that they must have been driven quite out of the lordship of Burnham into the adjoining lordship of Barrow, where the hill terminates with a deep narrow valley. On the opposite hill, within the lordship of Barton, a thorn-tree some years ago stood (denominated St. Trunnian's Tree); and as a spring of water on the West of the town of Barton, adjoining the Castle Dikes (where Í suppose part of Anlaf's forces were stationed), bears the like name of St. Trunnian's, I could in fancy connect this with some sainted person among the confederates who may have lost his life in this engagement; for we know that Bishops as well as Lord Chancellors, in those days, took a prominent part in the military services of their country, and are remarkably particularized in this battle.

The front of the encampment of Anlaf was to a considerable distance defended by an impassable bog, and having the haven on its right flank. It was well defended on all sides against surprise, although, according to modern tactics, it would be commanded by the rising grounds in front as well as on the left of the latter eminence; however, Anlaf had no doubt some troops posted, as this part of the lordship of Barrow to this day bears the name of the Hann Field.

Dr. Stukeley visited this encampment; and, in his "Itinerariuın, makes the following observations on it:

"At Barrow we were surprised with a castle, as the inhabitants call it, upon the Salt Marshes. Upon view of the works, I wondered not that they say it was made by Humber, when he invaded Britain, in the time of the Trojan Brutus; for it is wholly dissonant from any thing I had seen before :

but