miums to poor children for spinning and knitting, and also to deserving young persons on other occasions; as well as to parents who have brought up without parochial assistance four or more children to the age of fourteen years. As far back as 1794 it was but in its infancy, but Mr. Crutchley, in his report to the Agricultural Board, asserted, that even then it had tended much to the diminution of the Poor's Rate: to prove this, it has been shewn that the rates in 1780, were 28861.; in 1785, the year of the Society's first formation, 35371.; in the very next year they were only 34151.; in 1787, reduced to 30081.; in 1788, they were stationary, but in the succeeding year they began to increase, owing to the circumstances connected with the times, particularly the increase of prices, the necessary support of the families of militia-men, and of those raised by bounties for the naval service, &c.

Even now, though the rates are much higher than when the Society was first instituted, there is every reason to believe, that its beneficial effects are still felt, in keeping down the annual increase; an effect, however, not so apparent as when an absolute comparative diminution takes place, yet equally deserving both of praise and of imitation.

The CHARITY-SHOOLS in this county are not very numerous, but will be noticed in their respective places; but we must not omit one good example of a bequest about a century ago, when 601. per annum were left for the establishment of six schools for the poor children of the six parishes of Oakham, Empingham, Exton, Greetham, Langham, and Thistleton.

The ZOOLOGY will require but little notice, as this is not a breeding county on a large scale, in any class of animals. When Mr. Parkinson wrote, the cows (which it has been remarked, gave but little milk, though extremely rich,) were in number 2729; calves 1244; and store calves 700; there were no working cattle except ten oxen, kept by the Earl of Winchelsea; but as there was much grazing of cattle brought from other counties, and these after one summer's grass sent up to Lon

don,

don, it was estimated, that there were 2775 fatting cattle, and 332 sucklers.

At the same period the horses and mares were 2118, and foals 339, making a total of 2,457.

At the same time the sheep were estimated at 57830, and lambs 23316, or 81146 in all. These consisted of old and new Leicesters, a few Lincolns, and some South Downs. Their fleeces then run from four to five pounds; but Mr. Parkinson adds, that of late years the fleeces had declined one-fourth in weight; and though some considered the wool more valuable, as being finer, yet Mr. P. was of opinion, that the deficiency in weight arose principally from their breed of sheep being too diminutive. On this head we have made many enquiries, but without being able to say that any melioration has taken place.

The hogs were 4991 in number; there were 122 pigeon houses, and 1276 bee-hives.

The MUNICIPAL and PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY of Rutland require but little elucidation, except with respect to its antiquity as a county, on which subject there have been various opinions.

Camden says, "this small tract was very lately made a county; for in the Confessor's time it was accounted part of Northamptonshire; and our historians, till these last 300 years, have not reckoned it amongst the counties." Now supposing Camden to have written this passage in the middle of Elizabeth's reign, or in 1580, his calculation would run only as far back as 1280, in the reign of Edward I.; this also agrees nearly with a note which has been found inserted in Domesday-book, but of a late date, describing an inquisition before William de Saham and his fellows, "inter Rageman de anno quarto Edward II." and in which the sworn inquisitors of the hundred of Sutton, in Northamptonshire, appointed to ascertain how many hundreds were in that county, declare that the county of Rutland formerly belonged to that county, until" our sovereign Lord the King, Henry (third of that name) father of our present Lord, gave it to the King of Almain; but they know not in what manner."

That

That part of this county was also in Nottinghamshire, as far down as the time of Henry III. appears from its entry in Domesday-book, and also from the historical fact, that in Henry's fiftyfirst year the sheriff of Notts was appointed Escheator of Rutland, or at least of part of it, extending over several towns and hamlets in Okeham Soke, Alsto, and Martinsley wapentakes. The sheriff of Notts must indeed have had a municipal authority over the same district, at an earlier period, for he is described in the Norman Survey as levying the king's tax to the amount of one hundred and fifty pounds of silver. Yet, notwithstanding all these facts, we are still of opinion that part of the present was, even then, a distinct county; for in another part of the Survey we find, that Morcar, Earl of Northumberland, is recorded as possessing "Casterton, in the county of Rutland," and Rutland also had its sheriffs before the reign of Henry III. which could not have been the case if it had not been a distinct county.

The first sheriff on record, in the 2d year of Henry II. 1155, was Richard de Humet, who enjoyed it for twenty-five years, with the exception of an interval of four, when it was in the hands of Robert Fitz Goebald. After these came Malduit, Albini, Fresnei, Normanville, and Basset; then Geoffrey de Rokingham for twenty-two years, in the long reign of Henry III. and afterwards Greneham and Markinghall. In Edward the first's reign, it passed through the hands of the Boyvilles, Waykerles, and Whitlebers, after which it was granted to Edmund Earl of Cornwall, and next to Margaret his wife, who held it for thirteen years at the close of Edward's reign, and in the commencement of that of the second Edward, who granted it soon after to Gaveston his favourite, and to his wife. By Edward III. it was conferred upon Audley Earl of Gloucester, and afterwards upon Bohun Earl of Northampton. In the 13th of Richard II. the shrievalty was given to Edward Earl of Rutland; but from the twenty-first year of that monarch, 1397, it became an annual office, and, like the other counties, was held by various individuals of the rank of gentry.

It

It was not under the direction of a Lord Lieutenant, until the 1st of Elizabeth, 1558, when Henry Earl of Rutland was constituted to that office over this county and Nottinghamshire.

To enter into the various municipal jurisdictions would be beyond our plan; but there is a curious fact recorded by a letter from Thomas Barker of Lyndon, Esq. in the Archæologia*, which shews that the Crown possessed, or claimed, a power of taxation independent of Parliament, it appearing from many old MSS. in his possession, that in the reigns of James I. and of his son Charles, assessments were made upon this county for the Royal household. One of the orders for this purpose is so illustrative of the fact, that we shall insert it.

"To the high constables of the hundred of Martinsley.

These are in his Majesty's name, by virtue of his Highness commission to me directed, straightly to will and require you, and every of you, all excuses set apart, that presently upon sight hereof, you leavey and gather up within your said hundred and the liberties thereof, capons XII, chickens XII dozen, good, large, and serviceable, for his Majesty's most honourable household; and also one bushel of barley, or oats for pullen corn; and that you cause the said service of poultry to be brought safe in baskets with their legs untied, and good store of straw under them for bruising, to the sign of the Falcon, in Uppingham, on Monday the XIIth day of August, by eight of the clock.

Signed, Edw. Dickinson

His Majesty's Yeoman Purveyor of Poultry." The PARLIAMENTARY ARRANGEMENTS of this county are on a very circumscribed scale, this being the only one which has no representative except Knights of the Shire, being without city, borough, or even corporation. The influence has been said to be in the various interests of the Earls of Exeter, Cardigan, Winchelsea, and that of the late Earl of Gainsborough; but this is saying nothing more than that men of large landed property, whether Peers or Commoners, will always have influence; and as there

there is such a division of property throughout the county, we have no doubt, if any just reason should require at any time an active opposition, that Rutland would shew itself as independent as any county in the kingdom.

In JUDICIAL AFFAIRS Rutland is in the Midland Circuit. In the ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY of Rutland, we cannot help adverting to that observation of Fuller, when he says, "how it will appear to the reader I know not, but it is wonderful in my apprehension, that this county, so pleasant, so fruitful, almost in the middle of England, had not an absolute, or entire abbey-house therein; producing only two small appurtenances (of inconsiderable value) to convents in other counties, viz. Okeham under the custody of the Priory of St. Anne by Coventry, and Brooke.”

This he accounts for, by supposing, that perhaps because Edward the Confessor had given it by his will to the Church of Westminster, though that bequest was rescinded by William the Conqueror, other convents might be scrupulous of accepting the plunder of the church. We can scarcely believe, indeed, that the monks at any time would have shewn such delicacy, particularly when we advert to the frequent fact of the nobility leaving their dead bodies to particular churches, and the monks of other establishments actually seizing them in transitu by force, in order to enjoy the various benefits of alms, and of masses to be said for their souls: nay, they may be said to have seized the souls also, as their future destination was supposed to depend upon the clamorous petitions of these pious gentry.

The monasteries, noted above, will be more fully described under their respective heads; and we have only further to notice, that the county was always within the Archdeaconry of Northampton, and part of the diocese of Lincoln, until 1541, at which time, on the erection of the new Bishopric of Peterborough, the archdeaconry was given to that see. It is now a Rural Deanery, and is in the province of Canterbury.

In the reign of Edward III. 1371, there were but forty-four parishes in the county, and the whole were assessed, to the ParVOL. XII.

D

liamentary