from the year 1299, until that of 1308, when such privilege was taken away, nor was it restored until 1622. This town formerly boasted possession of a brass and copper manufactory, at a place called the Temple Mills, though now gone to decay at the present time its inhabitants are chiefly employed in the manufacturing of paper and the making of lace. Like every other town in Britain, (to her credit be it said), Marlow is not without its charities, of which it possesses many too numerous to mention.

Its church is a gothic structure, having a wooden spire. Among the many monuments within its walls is one to the memory of Sir Miles Hobart, who was killed by the overturning of his coach, while in London for the purpose of attending his parliamentary duties, he being member for Marlow; this was in the year 1632, and the event, as it happened, is pourtrayed in basso relievo, and is well worthy a minute attention.

When the army of the Parliament, during the civil wars, occupied Marlow, some of the troops were quartered in the church; and it may also be as well to mention another circumstance as connected with that eventful period-namely, that when Charles the First passed through the town a prisoner, on his way to London, the bells were rung for joy; and there is an item in the parish books of five shillings paid to the ringers for that service this was in the year 1647.

Marlow, till very lately, had communication

with the opposite shore by means of a wooden bridge, erected by subscription; it had one of a similar kind as early as the reign of Edward the Third; a suspension bridge of iron was in progress at the time the author visited the place, which has since been finished and opened to the public. It is a very handsome affair, and is highly ornamental as well as useful to the town from which it takes its name.

Leaving Marlow in our rear, and once again roaming "free as mountain air," a fine view is gained of Bisham Abbey, the seat of the Vansittarts. It stands on the Berkshire side of the river, looking full to the town of Marlow, and on a general view has an imposing appearance.

Bisham manor was given by Robert de Ferrarii to the Knights Templars, who built a preceptory. From them it passed to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, thence into the Hoby family, and afterwards into that of the Montacutes, who built a priory. Queen Elizabeth often visited the house, and there is still shown an apartment which goes by her name.

The appearance of the abbey and the scenery. around is peculiarly soft and pleasing; it stands in a lawn which slopes from the side of the Thames towards Bisham church on its right, whose square tower is not the least attractive part of the scene. At its back are seen lofty woods, while in the front the lawn before-mentioned falls gently down to the river's brink; and on the opposite shore are

fertile meadows and shady bowers, the scene being terminated by Marlow town and bridge, and the range of Chiltern hills.

It was in the year 1138 that William, Earl of Salisbury, founded the priory above-mentioned, of which Bisham church is the remains. In it was buried that unfortunate youth Edward, Earl of Warwick, who was basely murdered on Tower Hill, in the reign of Henry the Seventh, who being at that time in negociation with the Court of Spain for a marriage between his son Arthur and Catherine of Spain, and that Court objecting that his title was not perfect while the unfortunate Edward remained alive, he was accordingly doomed to death, and in him perished the last heir male of the House of Plantagenet.

Passing onward we behold many beautiful seats, and among them that of Temple Hall, worthy of observation, as well for the situation in which it is placed, as for the advantages it derives from art. The appearance of things at this point is peculiarly interesting; on whichsoever side the eye turns is beheld lovely groves, romantic cottages, green lawns, blissful bowers; while the water rolling gently on, softly murmuring as it flows, gives an agreeable finish to so excellent a picture. The number, too, of ladies and gentlemen who are to be seen in their skiffs enjoying the gentle motion of their fairy vessels as they are slowly wafted over the silver wave, or engaged in their punts, "studious the finny creatures to deceive," all these

tend to throw a charm over the scene more easily felt than described. But

HURLEY is before us, a small village of Berkshire, either of Saxon or Danish origin. It is mentioned in Domesday-book as the property of Geoffrey Mandeville, doubtless a gift for the eminent services rendered by that Norman warrior to William, at Hastings. This Geoffrey founded a monastery, which, in the reign of Elizabeth, was the seat of a private family, and known by the name of Lady Place. It is famous on account of the secret meetings that were held in a vault under the mansion, which meetings had for their object the placing the Prince of Orange (afterwards William the Third) on the British throne. It is believed that the principal papers used in that negociation were signed there; be this as it may, this vault has been esteemed an object of curiosity, and has been visited by high and distinguished personages: among others may be mentioned his late Majesty George the Third, and General Paoli, some time King of Corsica, and since a prisoner for debt in the King's Bench. In his schedule he is said to have registered his Kingdom of Corsica for the benefit of his crediAt the end of this vault has been affixed by a former proprietor a brass plate, bearing the following inscription :

tors.

"Dust and ashes! Mortality and vicissitude to all! Be it remembered that the Monastery of Lady Place (of which this vault was the burial

cavern), was founded at the time of the great Norman revolution, by which revolution the whole state of England was changed,

Hi motus animorum, atque hæc certamina tanta
Pulveris exiqui jactu compressa quiescunt.

"Be it also remembered, that in this place, six hundred years afterwards, the revolution of 1688 was begun; this house was then in the possession of Lord Lovelace, by whom private meetings of the nobility were assembled in this vault; and, as it is said, that several consultations for calling in the Prince of Orange were likewise held in this recess, on which account this vault was visited by that powerful Prince after he had ascended the throne. It was visited by General Paoli in 1780, and by King George the Third and his Queen 14th of November, 1785.

The few remains of Medmenham Abbey now engage the tourists attention, seated on the margin of the stream on the opposite shore: this monastery was founded in the year 1204, but never reached to such size or extent as to be of importance, for at the dissolution its estimated annual value was under 31. Its abbot was epistolar to the order of the garter. It had not long

been established before it was annexed to Bisham Abbey. The abbey house is pleasantly situated, is in good repair, inhabited, and commands an extensive prospect of the meanderings of the Thames, which are, at this point, numerous and engaging.