that the pleasure of laying his bones among his own and the monastic edifice was transformed into a submonks was denied him. stantial farm-house, in which state it remains to this day.

The order of religious placed here was that of Canons Regular of St. Augustine, sometimes from the colour of their habit designated Black Canons. The house was dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, and endowed with the following possessions:

The Church of Legton (Laughton.) The Church of St. Mary, Haylesham. The Church of St. Andrew, Alfriston. The Church of Flechynge, (Fletching.) The Manors of Michelham, Brighthelmston. Michelham, Broughton, and Marsefeld. Among the benefactors of Michelham, the Pelham family seems to have stood conspicuous, as appears by the last will of William Pelham, of Lawton, Armiger, who (by will, bearing date 12th Feb. 1503) bequeathed his body to be brought to the church of Lawton, there to have exequies and masses performed for his soul and the "soules of his fader, and moder, and wyff;" and directed that his body should thence be had unto the New Priory (Michelham), and there to be buried within ye chancel." After several bequests to Laughton Church, he directs "VI. VIIJ. to be gyven to everie church as the waye lieth between Laughton and ye new Priorie." The testament goes on to order :—

66

"I wyll that myn executor do ordeyn a plaine stone of Marble to lye ouer my burial at the Priory to be graved with my (crest?) and arms,

Cromwell's greatness was not of long continuance. Upon his attainder, the lands and other property were granted to Anne of Cleves, the repudiated wife of Henry, in the year 1541. The king, however, appears to have reserved the site of the priory to himself. Having conceived a liking for some of the estates of William Fitz Alan, Earl of Arundel, soon after the Reformation, Henry was determined to have them in his own possession. He therefore forced from him the manors of Hibernooe and Shillingly, giving him in exchange the site of the Priory of Michelham and the Rectory of Rype, in Sussex. In this, Henry's behaviour did not well comport with the dignity of a Reformer of Religion and a Defender of the Faith.-At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Michelham was in the hands of the Pelham family: subsequently in that of Sackville, until the death of Arabella Diana, Duchess of Dorset, when it fell to Earl Plymouth, her son-in-law, who is the present owner.

The remains of Michelham occupy a low woody site in the Parish of Arlington, and rape of Pevensey. The conversion of the monastic edifice into a farm-house accounts for the comparatively perfect state of the remains. There is, however, no doubt that the ancient house was of much greater extent than at present; this is often proved by the discovery of my name, and ye day of my death." foundations in various directions. When in its prosAt a last holden at Westham, October 3d, 24th perity, and prior to the invention of cannon, it must Henry VIII. for the purpose of preventing unautho-have been almost impregnable, as it was, and still is, rized persons from setting" nettes, pottes, and innyances, or anywise taking fish within the privileges of the March of Pevensey, the king's commission was directed to John, Prior of Lewes; Richard, Abbot of Begeham; John, Prior of Mychillym; Thomas lord Dacre, and others." Upon the proceed-square, Gothic building of great strength, which, with ings of this meeting, which was held at Gotham, near Pevensey, the facetious Andrew Borde, a native of that town, founded his "Merrie tales of the wise men of Gotham."

Michelham was suppressed in the twenty-ninth of Henry VIII. when the revenues of its lands, &c. amounted to £191. 19s. 3d. which sum (though the lands were most probably underrated) was found sufficient only to maintain eight canons and their servants: such was the luxury of the monks at that period, and such the misappropriation of the donor's generosity. The whole of the possessions were granted by King Henry to Thomas Lord Cromwell, his Vicar General,

surrounded by a wide square moat, formed by diverging the streams of the river Cuckmere from their channel. This moat, which covers about 5 acres, encloses an area of eight acres. On the western side stands the Tower, or gateway of the priory, a heavy,

its drawbridge, formed an excellent defence. This is of
stone, embattled at top, and entered by an arch in the
Tudor style; over which are four diminutive windows
with trefoil heads, that gave light to two dingy rooms
over the gateway.
Under the building is a gloomy
vault called the dungeon, used probably in times of
Popery as a prison for those who were so unfortunate
as to incur the displeasure of the prior or his brethren.
There is nothing evincing high antiquity on the exte-
rior of the house itself, if we except some pillars and
arches on the north side, the remnants of splendid
apartments. The site of the chapel may still be
traced ;-

"And questionless, here in this open court,
Which now lies naked to the injuries
Of stormy weather, some men lye enterred
Who lov'd the church so well and gave so largely to 't,
They thought it should have canopied their bones
Till Doomsday."-

The only rooms of the interior requiring notice are
those which formed the crypt. Springing arches
support the groined roof, and concentrate on the
capital of a massive round pillar in the centre. The
intersections of these arches are ornamented with an
ogre's head, a rose, and other devices. The greater
part of the buildings appears in the style of the latter
Henries; and as we find, in the reign of Henry VII.,
Michelham designated, (in Pelham's Will), the "New
Priorie," we have presumptive evidence that it was
rebuilt about that period.
M. A. LOWER.

MISERIES OF CIVIL WAR.

the Maners of Maynoth and Rathmore in the Counte of Kildare, hath caused more destruccionne in the said Counte of Kildare and liberte of Mith w'in short tyme now late passed, and dayly doth, then was done by Irish ennemys and english Rebelles of long tyme befor, and is likly to be fynall destruccionne of the said Counte of Kildare and liberte of Mith:--for Henry Bonyn Knyght constituted Tresorer of the said lande under the grete seall of the said land, assemblyng with hym Edmound Botiller cosyn germayn to the said Erle of Wiltesshire and William Botiller cosyn to the said Erle with thar Sequele (followers) of the which the moost partie was Irish ennemyes and english rebelles, came into the said Counte of Kildare and ther brant (burnt) and destrued dyvers and many tonnes and poche (parish) Chirches of the trewe liege pople, and toke dyvers of tham prisoners and spouled them of ther godes: and after the departyre of the said Henry and Edmond, the said William abydyng in the said Counte of Kildare, by the advice and consaill of the said Henry and Edmond, did so grete oppressionne in the said Counte of Kildare and in the Counte and liberte of Mith that vij** (seven score) Tounes and more which was well enhabite in the feste of seynt Michele last passed been now wasted and destrued. And forasmuch as thes pties so destrued with a lytell partie more that remayneth not destrued in the said Counte of Kildare is the dayly sustenaunce of the Cite of Dyvelyn, and the destruccionne of hit is like to be the fynall destruccionne of the said cite, and the destruccionne of said Cite wilbe cause of the

MR. EDITOR.-The following petition preferred to Richard, Duke of York, A° 32, Hen. VI. (1454) transcribed from the original amongst the Cottonian Deeds in the Museum, IV. 35, exhibits so frightful a picture of the miseries to which the feuds of contending chiefs gave rise, in Ireland, and of the anarchy which attended their contests, that it may, perhaps, be deemed worthy of insertion in your pages,-as a beacon to those persons, whose rashness and incon-destruccionne of the said lande, whiche God defend; siderate conduct might again plunge that country into all the calamities of civil war.

J. B.

RIGHT hye and myghty prince and oure right gracious lorde Richard Duke of Yorke we recomaunde us unto you as louly as we can or may and please youre gracious hynes to be advertised that this lande of Irland was nevir at the poynt fynaly to be destrued sethen the Conquest of this lande as it is now: for the trew liege pople in this parties dar ne may not appiere to the Kyng oure said sov'rayn lordes Courtes in the said lande, ne non other of the trew liege pople ther to go ne ride to market Townes, ne other places, for dred to be slayne lake (like) other, (or) spouled of thar godes: also the mysrule and mysgouvernaunce had done and dayly contynued by dyvers gentlemen of the Counte and youre liberte of Mith, the Countes of Kildare and Uriell, and namly of a variance had betwix therle of Wiltshire lieutennt of this said lande and Thomas fitz Morice of the Geraldynes, for the title of

the Maire and Coes (Commons) of the said cite wrote dyvers tymes unto the right reverend fader in God John Archiebisshop of Ardmagh depute lieutennt to the said Erle of Wilteshire to have this remedyed: and at thar instance the Kyng oure said sov'rayn lordes Consaill here wrote to the said depute lieutennt for dyvers of thes oppressionnes and mysgovernaunces that they shuld be remedyed, and he remedyed thi not. Also the said William Botiller after this destruccionne so done, assessed upon smale villages and Tounes in the said Counte and liberte of Mith and in the said Counte of Kildare certeyn sumes of mone to be reced accordyng to hys will, be cause of which he and his men reced in dyvers of the said villages grete and notable somes of mone, and in dyvers villages toke all the plowbestes and other bestes of the said villages and the moost sufliciaunt husbandes and held tham his prisoners and ostages ther, to that ende that they shuld make fyne and Raunsom with hym: upon the which mat'e the said Maire and coes com

as represented in the view, erected upon corbels before | by exploring ancient ruins and remains, seeks to draw each of them. It was probably considered, that as the knowledge and inspiration from the fountain head. chapel formed a distinct and independent mass, the All this is very good, as far as relates to the mapenetration so far would not endanger the security of terials or elements of architectural science; and he the fortress. The chapel, and some other vaulted who has been enabled thus to store himself abundantly apartments, have been of late years, appropriated as with them, has every advantage (arising from the cyder cellars and offices. possession of ample means) for forming his taste and maturing his judgment; by which he may eventually look forward to distinguish himself in his profession. But success in art must be the result of study, whereby to deduce from every thing excellent the principles upon which that excellence is founded, and so to apply them in practice as to produce a similar result. The mere acquaintance with the details of ancient works, however accurate and extensive, can no more constitute an architect than can the possession of a good collection of the books in which those details are described :---yet, to judge from many instances of modern practice, it is the correctness of the copy of some renowned work of antiquity which has been the ambition of the architect, and he humbly contents himself with the reflected fame of his great prototype, instead of employing his own genius and inventive faculties.

This Castle stands in a low and uninviting spot, although in the midst of a luxuriant country, abounding with the most beautiful situations; so that we may presume the considerations which determined the choice of the site by the founder were wholly different from those which would influence a baronial possessor in modern times. We may conclude, indeed, that if its original owners had any taste for the beauties of scenery, they did not care to indulge it by viewing the landscape through their windows; as this was rendered utterly impracticable by the screen-like machicolations before noticed, which were doubtless intended for a defence against hostile assault. Besides the remains shewn in the cut, part of the north front, with its embattled tower and arched gateway, is yet standing.

ON AFFECTATION IN ARCHITECTURE. EXEMPLIFIED BY REFERENCE TO MODERN PRACTICE. AFFECTATION, în every shape, is reprehensible, and especially so in regard to architecture ;---a science which, prima facie, might be thought to consist too strictly in solid matter of fact to admit of such a vice; yet, on inquiry, it will be found that this baneful propensity has a most extensive influence over the works of modern architects, and is likewise one of the chief causes of their inferiority to those of the ancients. It becomes important, therefore, to expose it to public obloquy, in order to check, if not destroy, so pernicious an evil.

In tracing the causes of Affectation in Architecture to their source, it will be seen to have arisen from the delusive pursuit, or misa pplication, of a good principle. It has long been an established axiom in the fine arts that excellence is to be found only in the works of antiquity; consequently it becomes almost the sole object of the modern aspirant to acquire an intimate acquaintance with these works: he therefore applies himself with indefatigable zeal to storing his mind, his portfolio, and his shelves with all the history and details of ancient buildings of celebrity; and not content with the sources at hand, of books, drawings, and models, he laudably embarks on foreign travel, and,

Should any person be rash enough to exercise his common sense in questioning the appropriateness of character, situation, &c. of these imported copies, he is stopped short by the high sounding assurance that it is correctly wrought, or designed, after such or such an authority of acknowledged celebrity, and therefore is most chaste, classical, and apposite.

Upon this principle, (or rather want of principle,) we see continually produced a number of exotic structures, altogether unsuited to the situation, purposes, materials, and other circumstances, which ought ever to guide and to controul the disposition, style, and construction of every building. Instead of bespeaking their own proper character and station, they serve only to remind us of the greatness of distant times and nations; and, by a natural association, whilst they proclaim the grandeur of antiquity, betray the wretched diminutiveness of modern art.

So then, the boasted march of intellect is limited to this result;---to follow implicitly in the path of the ancients, without considering the object it leads to, and without taking advantage of the additional lights afforded by the vast advances made in almost every kind of knowledge!

But to proceed to examples, of which our new Churches present many sufficiently striking. In these, an affectation of Grecian, or other antique and classic style of architecture, has led to servile imitations, in