afforded birth to King Edward the Confessor. The palace of his father, King Ethelred, is supposed to have stood to the north east of the village. Plot says that some footsteps of the edifice may still be discovered; but no traces are now to be seen. In this direction, however, is a close termed the Court-Close; from which, in the early part of the last century, several loads of lead were dug, which lay in irregular masses, as if melted. Still, allowing that a large building probably once occupied this site, it will be seen that the term Court-Close is no safe authority for concluding that this building was the palace of Ethelred; as such a term might be bestowed on the appurtenance to a mere ordinary manorial mansion.

The Charter of Restoration of the Abbey of Westminster, in which Edward gives to his new church the town of Islip, proves the fact of his birth at this place. Edward styles Islip " a small village," and spells the name Githslepe. The chapel in which it has been supposed he was christened, stood at a small distance from the church. This building was maintained in decent preservation by the monks of Westminster till their dissolution in 1540; and was not desecrated till the usurpation of Cromwell. In the 18th century it was converted to a barn. Every lingering fragment was destroyed before the year 1783. When last inspected by Warton, the roof was of thatch, but the stone walls still retained traces of an oblong window at the east end. The occurrences connected with the presumed font of Edward's baptism, we have noticed in our mention of Kiddington.

Every rational enquirer must remain in doubt, as to whether Islip has cause to take pride from its regal native. Edward appears to have possessed great legislative wisdom, and to have studied invariably the solid welfare of his subjects. We discover little of weakness, till the priests meddle with his character. His ungallant propensities are offensive to recollection. It is obvious that even fanciful piety had nothing to do with his abstinence from the arms of his fair Queen, Editha, the daughter of

Earl

Earl Godwin.* Political hatred led him to neglect the blandishments of connubial love; and political fear, perhaps, induced him to become the accuser of his parent. But, in forming an estimate of the character of a sovereign at so remote a period, we merely exercise our ingenuity on the colours perceptible in the chief pageant of a fable; for the interested and the poetical combine to render ambiguous history the rival of ro

mance.

MIDDLETON STONEY, three miles from Bicester, on the northwest, is ornamented by the handsome seat of the Earl of Jersey. His lordship has lately enlarged the house, and has made many tasteful alterations in the gardens and grounds. The manor was part of the estates of the Longespes, Earls of Salisbury; and, on the failure of male issue in that family, it was carried, in marriage, to Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, by Margaret, the sole daughter and heir. The latter earl obtained from Edward I. the grant of a weekly market, (long since disused,) and a yearly fair. In this parish was a castle, supposed to have been erected on the ruins of a Saxon work. The structure belonged to the Camvils, in the reign of King John; and remained many years after most other castles in the county were demolished.

SOMERTON,

Few persons, unconnected with the busy parts of history, are more interesting than Queen Editha. Condemned to use the same apartment with a disdainful husband for many years, she endeavoured to blunt the edge of scern only by the practice of humility. Her footsteps were enveloped by Meshes more dangerous than the fiery ordeal to which Queen Emma was subjected; yet modesty and integrity enabled her to tread right forwards, and to escape every snare. The passage of Ingulphus respecting this virginqueen is so forcibly descriptive of her simplicity of manners and accomplishments of mind, that we cannot refrain from quoting the translation of it: "When I was a schoolboy I frequently met the Queen. On these occasions she would stop me, and examine me in the Classics, and pose me, with wondrous readiness, in my grammar and logic; and then generally ordered a little maid who waited on her to give me three or four pieces of money."

SOMERTON, about three miles south by east, of the town of Deddington, was possessed by the Arsic family. The estate was forfeited to the crown in the reign of John, by Robert de Arsic, who sided with the barons against that king. A part, however, was retained by the family, of whom it was bought by Grey, Archbishop of York. That powerful prelate bestowed the property on Robert Grey, of Rotherfield, and his heirs, who held it under the name of a moiety of the manor of Somerton, by the service of keeping Dover Castle. It was carried, by a female of the Greys, to the family of D'Eincourt; and afterwards formed a part of the large possessions in this county of Jasper, Duke of Bedford.

Dr. Juxton, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, held the living of this place. In the church are buried several of the Fermors of Tusmore.

The manor of SOULDERN, was purchased in the reign of Heury III. by Ralph de Bray, of Philip Basset, for forty marks of silver. In the church are buried several of the family of Gough; among whom are Ferdinando, who died in 1664; and Richard his father, who died in 1638. *

TUSMORE is the very desirable residence of William Fermor, Esq. whose family have long flourished on this spot. Dr. Plot mentions several circumstances creditable to the taste and ingenuity of the representative of this antient family, at the period of his visit to Tusmore. Many Roman coins have been found here.

The neighbouring district termed Bayard's Green, was one of the three places appointed by King Richard I. for the first authorised tournaments that were held in England. The lion-hearted King retained to the last a predilection for his

*

native

Several of this family are, likewise, interred in the church of Upper Heyford, or Heyford Warren (Warine.)

* This tournament is mentioned in a letter from Richard I. to his attached friend, Hubert, Archbishop of Canterbury,

native county; and the number of cross-legged effigies connected with Oxfordshire families prove the ardour with which the gentry entered into his romantic views. A second tournament was held on Bayard's Green, in the 33d of Henry III.

END OF OXFORDSHIRE,