fireplace; and behind it, projecting into the outer ballíum, a vast mass of solid stonework, or buttress, which, in its upper part, appears to have had some little apartment, or guard-chamber. The hall communicated towards the north with a kind of withdrawing or retiring room, about twenty-nine feet by seventeen and a half, in which appears to have been a window looking into the hall. From this second apartment, a passage led into what seems to have been the great

State-room, which was fifty-five feet and a half long by twenty broad. At the upper end, or towards the north, are two beautiful pointed arches, springing from a well-wrought octagon pillar in the middle of the apartment, and resting on corbels at the sides. Here seem to have been two large windows; but the walls are so much broken, or closely mantled with ivy, that this cannot with certainty be affirmed. The architecture of this part of the building is of the time of Henry the Fifth or Sixth. At the north angle of this room is an opening leading into the north or Ladies' tower, which is so situated on the brow of a high and steep precipice, as to be the most defensible part of the castle. From the apartment within, which is a neat octagon, about fifteen feet in diameter, is a most beautiful view over the adjacent country. From the common appellation of this tower, there can be little doubt of its having been appropriated as a "Ladies' bower." Beyond the state-room, in the north-east wall, is a square recess and loophole, supposed to have been formed for the lodging and seat of the warden.

war.

Such was the original construction of Goodrich Castle; but almost every part has yielded to the iron tooth of age, and to the more speedy demolition of The ruins, however, are extremely grand; the massive towers are finely mantled with ivy; and even the great moat is embellished with the luxuriant foliage of tall forest-trees. From the adjoining woods the crumbling turrets have a very striking and interesting effect; and seen from the water, the view has been truly characterized as "one of the grandest upon the Wye."

Whoever was the original founder of this Castle, "whether Godricus Dux, who witnessed King Canute's charters, or any chieftain prior to him," it is certain that the earliest authenticated record yet discovered, is of A.D. 1204, when it was given by "King John to William Strigul, Earl Marshall, to hold by the service of two knights' fees." His son Walter, Earl of Pembroke—as noticed in a former page of this volume-died here in December, 1245. It was afterwards conveyed by a female to William de Valentía, Earl of Pembroke, whose third son, Aymer de Valence, became his heir, and was murdered in France in 1323. From him it passed to the Talbots, by the marriage of Elizabeth Comyn, daughter of Joan, his second sister, with Sir Richard, afterwards Lord Talbot, who procured the license from Edward the Third to have a

1

GOODRICH CASTLE.]

THE CASTLE ANNALS-SURRENDER.

127

prison here. This Richard was a renowned soldier and statesman; and is thought to have expended a considerable part of the ransoms, obtained from his prisoners taken in the French wars, on the reparation and improvement of Goodrich Castle. His descendant, John Talbot, the great Earl of Shrewsbury, who was killed at the battle of Castillon, in the year 1453, was first buried at Rouen; and in enumeration of his titles on the monument raised to his memory, he is styled "Lord of Goderich and Orchenfield." His successors were equally distinguished for bravery, and were frequently employed in offices of great trust. George,* the sixth earl, had the custody of Mary, Queen of Scots, committed to his charge. That these places were really alienated is improbable, as Gilbert, seventh Earl of Shrewsbury, was in possession of this castle and manor at the period of his death in the 14th of James the First. Elizabeth, his second daughter and co-heiress, conveyed them in marriage to Henry de Grey, Earl of Kent, in whose family they continued till the year 1740, when, on the death of Henry, Duke of Kent, they were sold to Admiral Griffin.

In the civil wars between Charles I. and his Parliament, Goodrich Castle was alternately possessed by both parties. It was first seized by the Parliamentary army; but afterwards fell into the hands of the Royalists, who sustained a siege of nearly six weeks against Colonel Birch. The colonel began the siege on the 22nd of June, 1646. On the third of August, as appears from Whitelocke, "Colonel Birch entered some of the works of Gotherich Castle, whereupon the garrison hung out a white flag for parley, which Birch refused, and went on storming, until they all submitted to mercy. In the castle, besides

governor, were 50 gentlemen and 120 soldiers, with arms, ammunition, and provisions." On the twenty-fifth the Parliament gave orders that the Countess of Kent should be informed that there was a necessity for demolishing the castle; and that "on the demolishing thereof, satisfaction should be made to her. On the first of March following, they finally resolved that the castle should be totally disgarrisoned, and slighted. The breaches of the Ladies' tower, which is the most effectually ruined, were said to have been chiefly occasioned by the battering of the cannon during the siege." †

* By Gertrude, daughter of Manners, Earl of Rutland, his first wife, he had issue four sons and three daughters. His second wife was Elizabeth, widow of Sir William Cavendish, whose son Henry married the

Lady Grace, one of the earl's daughters by his first wife.

Messrs. Brayley and Britton: 1805. King, Whitelocke, Itinerary, and other sources.

RAGLAN CASTLE,

Monmouthshire.

"Stranger! ponder here awhile;
Pause in Raglan's ruined pile;

All that wealth and power, combined,
With skill to plan, and taste refined,
To rear a structure fit to be

The home of England's Chivalry,

Was lavished here!-where, met in hall,
Mailed Barons kept their festival;
The night in lordly wassail spent-
The day in tilt and tournament:
Yet still, when England's woes began,
Were first to arm and lead the van;
To shield the Monarch in his need,
In Freedom's glorious cause to bleed;
To Loyalty surrendering all-
Then, with their falling King to fall!"

The Castle of Raglan is one of the most picturesque ruins in the kingdom, and closely associated with a momentous period of our national annals. Though roofless, tenantless, and dismantled, it still presents a majestic and venerable aspect. No visitor of taste or sensibility will ever traverse its spacious but long-deserted halls, without feeling a deep interest in its eventful history.

It was on a bright autumnal evening that we quitted the comfortable little inn, the "Beaufort Arms," at Raglan, to make our first survey of this baronial stronghold; and at that hour, and season of the year, it was seen through its embowering trees in all its glory. Ascending the gentle eminence on which it stands, we came to the outer gate, or barbican, portions of which still remain, and crossing the ballium, now covered with rich verdant pasture, we were received by the intelligent Warden, who conducted us to the majestic gateway, and pointed out to us, as we proceeded, the more imposing features of the Castle, as they alternately met and receded from the eye.