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jects, was profligate and wasteful; and after a few years of extravagance, found himself compelled to alienate the possessions of his ancestors. Farley-Castle was disposed of to the family of Bayntun, in 1686; soon after which, it came into the possession of that of Houlton, to whose descendant, Joseph Houlton, esq; it at present belongs. The estate consists of two manors, within a ring fence, and comprises a park, close to the old family seat, stocked with deer, well wooded, and agreeably varied with hill and bottom.

The chapel of the castle, which was dedicated to St. Leonard, is nearly perfect. The performance of divine service in it has been omitted for many years, but by the laudable attention of the present owner, the fabric is in good repair, and the curious monuments within it are in tolerable preservation. This building consists of a single nave fifty-six feet in length and twenty in breadth, and a chantry on the north side, twenty feet in length and fourteen in breadth, erected and endowed by Sir Walter Hungerford; in the former is an old wooden pulpit, an immense slab of rich granite which forms the altar, and some pieces of ancient armour-rude remains of the age of chivalry.

A flat grave stone also is seen on the floor, cut with the figure of a knight in armour, and an imperfect inscription running round its edges, commemorating Sir Giles Hungerford; and attached to the south wall is a table monument of free-stone, with this inscription:

"Tyme tryeth truth, quod (quoth) Walter Hungerford, "knyght, who lyeth here, and Edward hys son, to God's (6 mercy in whom he trusts for ever. An°. Di. 1585, the vi of Desbr."

But the chapel contains the rarest curiosities of this fabric. Under its arch stands an old table tomb, highly sculptured on the sides and ends, with coats of arms and human figures, the full-sized representations of a knight and his lady are recumbent upon the top, the former cased in armour, with a lion at his feet; the latter in the dress of the times, her head resting on two cushions, supported by angels, and two dogs at the other extremity-the effigies of Sir Thomas Hungerford, who died Dec. 3d, 1508, and Johanna his wife, who followed him in 1512. Connected with the north wall is another tomb of the same kind, built of free-stone, gorgeously painted and gilt. It bears this inscription

"Edward Hungerford, knight, sonne to Walter Lord "Hungerford, and late heir to Sir Walter Hungerford,

"deceased, the 5 daie of December, 1607, and lieth here "with Dame Jane his wife, daughter to Sir Anthony "Hungerford, of Downe-Amny."

A third monument occurs on the west side of the chapel without any inscription, so that we cannot tell for whom it was erected. It should seem, however, to be the burial place of some. pious and prolific dame, as there are the effigies of an old lady kneeling at a desk, accompanied by four sons and five daughters, all in the same devout posture. Another small tomb is seen against the north wall, in which a brass plate contains the following lines:

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"If birth or worth might ad to rareness life, "Or teares in man revive a virtuous wife; "Lock't in this cabinet, bereav'd of breath,

"Here lies the pearle inclos'd-she which by death "Sterne death subdu'd, slighting vain worldly vice,

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Achiving Heav'n with thoughts of Paradise.

"She was her sexes wonder, great in bloud,

"But what is far more rare, both great and good.

"She was with all celestial virtues stor'd,
"The life of Shaa, and soul of Hungerford."

AN EPITAPH.

"Written in memory of the late Right Noble and most truly virtuous Mrs. Mary Shaa, daughter to the Right * Hon. Walter Lord Hungerfofd, sister and heyre generall "to the Right Noble Sir Edward Hungerford, knight, "deceased, and wife unto Thomas Shaa, esq; leaving be

hind Robert Shaa, her only sonne. She departed this life, in the faith of Christ, the last day of September, "Ano. Dni. 1613."

But these costly specimens of ancient sepulchral masonry are entirely eclipsed by the magnificent monument which stands in the centre of the chapel, and is, perhaps, one of the finest morsels of the kind in England. It is composed entirely of white polished marble, placed on steps of black marble, and supporting the effigies of Sir Edward and Lady Margaret Hungerford; the one in compleat armour, his feet resting on a wheat-sheaf, (the family crest) the other in a loose dress, with a lion and anchor at her feet. The workmanship, as well as materials, are most choice; the name of the sculptor does not appear, but as it was constructed at a time when the nobility went to an immense expence in these last mementos of their grandeur, it was probably the work of the first artist of the day. A long Latin inscription is cut on the south side of the monument, which is otherwise enriched with a profusion of quarterings. The date is 1648. A painting of the Resurrection covers the ceiling, and beneath it appear the representations of the two Saints James, Saint

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John, St. Philip, St. Matthew, St. Thomas, and St. Bartholomew. The crypt, or vault, under this chapel, exhibits a very extraordinary family party, the pickled remains of eight of the Hungerfords, ranged by the side of each other, cased in leaden coffins, and assuming the forms of Egyptian mummies, the faces prominent, the shoulders swelling out into their natural shape, and the body gradually tapering towards the feet. The first of these, on the right, contains the remains of Lord Hungerford; second, those of his wife; third, the first wife of Sir Edward Hungerford, jun.; fourth, Sir Edward Hungerford himself; fifth, the second wife of Sir Edward Hungerford; sixth, (in the left hand corner) Mary Hungerford, who married Thomas Shaa, esq; and whose monument is in the chapel above. The two children inclosed in lead, and lying on the breasts of the larger coffins, are the offspring of two of the wives of Sir Edward Hungerford, (for he had three in all) who both died in childbed. One of the full-sized leaden coffins has a perforation on the right shoulder, through which a stick may be introduced, and the embalming matter extracted; this appears to be a thick viscous liquid, of a brown colour, and

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