taken from a slab in the pavement. It represents a gentleman of the time of Henry VIII. kneeling, on the dexter side, with two sons behind him, and on the sinister side his lady with one daughter. Between them are two blank spaces, once probably filled up with their emblazoned armorial bearings and some other device: while above, between two figures of st. John and the rgin, is a representation of the Trinity, consisting of the Father seated with the Son ructied between his knees, and the Holy Dove hovering between the mouth of the Father and the head of the ton. From the month of the gentleman proceeds a scroil, with the vorts excelsis: and from that of he another, with he veria. Jure Eleyson. In a compartment neata these kneeting igures s te Z inscription Hoe tetur "mnis Beanitus -Ale Bake Hajus etrator - me" 128. Elizabeth I TIME iden Cajuptionen, or marmore Júcta Deo 17y Terat Post Citi Banest We will t of the last ere. that, at the time viza engraved, he Wrane na "The a representative of this noble family the owner of Plas Goch and Baro Hill, if he were to prevent the total de struction of this cradle of his family The house might be so far repaired a a moderate expense as to make it fi for the residence of a respectable family; and, even if this were not the case. it might with great advantage to the town of Beaumarais, be converted nto a museum for the reception Local antiquities, where the numerou ret.es of ther days, found in various parts of the sand, might obtain secure resting-diace, and where eve a mail cabinet of natural histor dat je waded to a purely antiquaria Ay ng that would attract msitors ná his watering place Brear rang nm fashionable note, 701 1 erase the valce of landed Hocery win the precincts of the md he trie sow received for of the tasemest might be más en vraag fee of admissio B to procee a men the mansion itself_ sman of the vide smesed by = taken from a slab in the pavement. It represents a gentleman of the time of Henry VIII. kneeling, on the dexter side, with two sons behind him, and on the sinister side his lady with one daughter. Between them are two blank spaces, once probably filled up with their emblazoned armorial bearings and some other device: while above, between two figures of St. John and the Virgin, is a representation of the Trinity, consisting of the Father seated with the Son crucified between his knees, and the Holy Dove hovering between the mouth of the Father and the head of the Son. From the mouth of the gentleman proceeds a scroll, with the words, Osanna in excelsis; and from that of the lady another, with the words, Kyrye Eleyson. In a compartment beneath these kneeling figures is the following inscription: Hoc tegitur tumulo Ricardus nōie Bulkley Cōjugiique sub hoc marmore clausa jacet. We will not criticise the scansion of the last verse, but will observe, that, at the time when this plate was engraved, the saying of Sir John Wynne might have been anticipated: "The lawyers of Caernarvon, the merchants of Beaumarais, and the gentlemen of Conway." The house in question, or at least the greater portion of it, and especially that represented in the plate, is of the same date as this monument, and the mansion may have been erected by the person therein commemorated, or one of his immediate descendants. In subsequent times, probably in the reign of Elizabeth, a large and stately addition was made at the back, its style being indicative of the Italian taste then introduced into this country. At the present day, however, the mansion has been allowed to go to ruin, and is now tenanted by numerous poor families, who will probably reside in it until the walls and roofs crumble about their ears. Without meaning to convey any impertinent hints as to the disposal of his property, we cannot avoid observing that it would be a proof of good archæological taste on the part of the present representative of this noble family, the owner of Plas Gôch and Baron Hill, if he were to prevent the total destruction of this cradle of his family. The house might be so far repaired at a moderate expense as to make it fit for the residence of a respectable family; and, even if this were not the case, it might with great advantage to the town of Beaumarais, be converted into a museum for the reception of local antiquities, where the numerous relics of other days, found in various parts of the island, might obtain a secure resting-place, and where even a small cabinet of natural history might be added to a purely antiquarian collection. Any thing that would attract visitors to this watering place, already rising into fashionable note, would increase the value of landed property within the precincts of the town; and the trifle now received for the rent of the tenement might be quadrupled by a trifling fee of admission paid by the curious. But to proceed to a description of the mansion itself. The principal portion of the older part of the house is occupied by a large hall, extending at right angles to the street from the middle of a building placed athwart it, and formed into two series of rooms: those on the ground-floor having been used as butteries and pantries, those above as dormitories. The family appears to have had their own chamber and parlours in the building behind, looking partly into the court-yard, partly into a spacious garden. The best feature of the house is the hall, the entrance to which is seen in the plate through a pointed doorway. Its dimensions was about 40 feet by 20, and 15 feet in height: the upper end is a canopied and paneled dais, once embellished with a large coat of arms. On the northern side of the hall is a large plain fire-place, and on the southern side is an ample square bay window, represented in the plate, with a small chamber above. The ceiling of this hall is remarkably elegant, consisting of a beautiful series of panels in plaster, with 18 pendents of most elaborate design,-no two being alike; while the inferior cornices were charged with scroll-work, flowerings, and armorial devices. In general design it resembles the ceil ing of the great saloon at Audley End: and is certainly posterior to the interior of the hall itself, which formerly exposed to view the rafters of the queen-post roof, constructed with much skill and attention to ornament. Some small pointed windows of two lights each, with cinque-foliated heads, admitted the sun's rays and at the lower end of the hall the butteries were concealed from view by an oaken screen, which, to judge from what is still preserved, must have been richly ornamented. The chambers in the back part of the house have been so much altered and mutilated by the tenants, that they can hardly now be described. A little paneling of no great value still exists in them, and in a long uppermost room, which served as a gallery of state, the ceiling is richly decorated with stucco devices, similar to those. of the hall. This part of the building is of stone; but that towards the street has only the ground-floor of that material. The upper part is of the timber and plaster construction once universal in England, and which has proved itself to be infinitely more durable than the wretched brick-work of the present day. On an iron plate running beneath the lights of the large window near the street, seen in the plate, is a bull's head, the crest of the Bulkeley family, and the inscription, IF GOD BE FOR VS WHO CAN BE AGAINST VS? We would strongly recommend every visitor of Beaumarais to inspect this curious old mansion, uninviting as its outward appearance may be. Houses such as these are unfortunately becoming daily more scarce in our towns and cities. A few years ago a finer mansion than this was destroyed at Caernarvon; but, on the other hand, a similar building at Conway has been lately rescued from destruction, and judiciously repaired. Yours, &c. H. L. J. SIR THOMAS GRESHAM AND THE ROYAL EXCHANGE. THE Visit of Queen Victoria to the City of London for the purpose of opening the new Royal Exchange, naturally carries back the mind to the olden visit of our first female Sovereign to the original structure, an occurrence from which it derived the name it has ever since borne, and which is the acknowledged example of the present solemnity. Now that the Exchange of Sir Thomas Gresham has again risen from its ashes, in renewed magnificence and beauty, we shall take the opportunity thus given us to direct the notice of our readers to a very meritorious historical work, Mr. Burgon's "Life and Times of Sir Thomas Gresham," published a few years ago, but not noticed in our critical columns at the time of its publication. It is a work upon which the author bestowed his utmost "The Life and Times of Sir Thomas Gresham, Knt. Founder of the Royal Exchange; including Notices of many of his Contemporaries. By JOHN WILLIAM BURGON." 2 vols. 8vo. Now repub care and diligence, and for which he pursued his researches into every avail. able source of information, both public and private, and abroad as well as at home; and, though we might have preferred a somewhat different treatment of his materials, we mean one which would have brought his biography into a more condensed and continuous narrative, and have given his original correspondence and other documents in their integrity, instead of dishing them up as entremets, yet their intrinsic value, and their originality, besides their being derived from the State Paper Office and other sources not generally accessible, give his volumes a positive claim to a place on our historical shelves, at the same time that his efforts to be agreeable will not be thrown away upon those who read for mere amusement. The fame of Sir Thomas Gresham rests on three particulars. In the first place, he was our earliest native financier of great ability he rescued his sovereign and his country from lished at a reduced price by Effingham and placed the profitable as well as the hands of foreign money-lenders, Wilson. |