REDGRAVE CHURCH.

THE little Church of Redgrave, contains the dust of several individuals eminent in their appointed walks of life, and to whom the nation, or the world of literature, are much indebted for the exertion of their talents. One of these is no less important a personage than Chief Justice John Holt, who had made the Hall his residence for several years. He presided in the Court of King's Bench during the Reign of William the Third, and died in 1709. His tomb is formed of a most splendid material, and executed in the most beautiful manner. The Judge is represented sitting in a chair, clothed in the robes of office, and supported on one side by a figure of Mercy, and on the other by that of Justice.

There is also another very fine monument in black marble, of Sir Nicholas Bacon, a descendant of Sir Nicholas Bacon, Queen Elizabeth's, Lord Keeper. The Knight who lies in the tomb now mentioned, was made premier Baronet of England, by James 1st, in 1611. His effigy, in white marble with that of Anne his wife, lies on the top of the monument. The colour of the material in which the figures are sculptured, contrasts most beautifully with that of the altar slab on which they lie-the figures being in white, and the rest of the tomb in black marble.

The present Redgrave Hall, was built in 1770; but on its scite stood an ancient residence dating its erection as early as

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1211, and was one of the "granges" of Abbot Sampson, the superior of the Monastery of St, Edmund. Like other ancient things, it was in the year mentioned, removed, and the present mansion built in its place. Rowland Holt, a descendant of Judge Holt, was the builder, and being a strong admirer of a beautiful prospect, enlarged, and beautified the park, at an expence exceeding thirty thousand pounds.

Thomas Wolsey, was instituted to the Rectory of Redgrave on the 8th of June, 1506, by the gift of the Abbot of Bury.

The following anecdotes of Holt, will afford a striking indication of his judicial character. The last is taken from Chalmer's Biographical Dictionary.

"When Lord Chief Justice Holt presided in the Court of King's Bench, a poor decrepit old creature, equally bowed down by age poverty, and infirmity, was brought before him, charged as a criminal, on whom the full severity of the law might be visited with exemplary effect. The terrors of impartiality never sat on any Judge's brow with more impressive dignity or threatening aspect, than on that of Judge Holt. The trembling culprit was overwhelmed with her fears. The charge was opened. "What is her crime?" asked his Lordship. "Witchcraft." 66 And how is it proved?" "She uses a powerful spell." "Let me see it." The spell was handed to the bench; it appeared to be a small ball of variously coloured rags or silk, bound with threads of as many different hues; these were unwound and unfolded, until there appeared a scrap of parchment, on which were written certain characters now nearly illegible from much use. "Is this the spell?" The prosecutor averred it was; the Judge, after looking at this potent charm a few moments, addressed himself to the terrified prisoner. "Prisoner, how came you by this?" “A young gentleman, my Lord, gave it me, to cure my child's ague." "How long since?" "Thirty years, my Lord.” “And did it cure her?" "O yes and many others." "I am glad of it." The Judge paused a few moments, and addressed himself to the Jury. "Gentlemen of the Jury, thirty years ago, I and some companions as thoughtless as myself, went to this woman's

dwelling, then a public-house; and, after enjoying ourselves, found we had no means to discharge the reckoning. I had recourse to a stratagem. Observing a child ill of an ague, I pretended I had a spell to cure her. I wrote the classic line you see on a scrap of parchment, and was discharged of the demand on me by the gratitude of the poor woman before us, for the supposed benefit; nature, doubtless, did much for the patient, the force of imagination the rest. This incident but ill suits my present character and the station in which I sit, but to conceal it would be to aggravate the folly for which it becomes me to atone, to endanger innocence and countenance superstition." The verdict may be imagined, and the effect of this trial was, that no other persons were ever after accused of witchcraft in that county."

"There happened in the time of this Chief Justice a riot in Holborn, occasioned by an abominable practice then prevailing, of decoying young persons of both sexes to the Plantations. The persons so decoyed they kept prisoners in a house in Holborn, till they could find an opportunity of shipping them off, which being discovered, the enraged populace were going to pull down the house. Notice of this being sent to Whitehall, a party of the guards were commanded to march to the place; but they first sent an officer to the Chief Justice to acquaint him with the design, and to desire him to attend the soldiers, in order to give it the better countenance. The officer having delivered his message, Holt said to him, "Suppose the populace should not disperse at your appearance, what are you to do then?" "Sir," answered the officer, 66 we have orders to fire upon them." "Have you, Sir?" (replied Holt) then take notice of what I say; if there be one man killed, and you are tried before me, I will take care, that you and every soldier of your party, shall be hanged. Sir, (added he) go back to those who sent you, and acquaint them, that no officer of mine shall attend soldiers; and let them know at the same time, that the laws of the kingdom are not to be executed by the sword; these matters belong to the civil power, and you have nothing to do with them." Upon this, the Chief Justice, ordered his tipstaves with a few constables to attend him,

went himself in person to the place where the tumult was; expostulated with the mob; assured them that justice should be done upon the persons who were the objects of their indignation, and thus they all dispersed quietly."

BURY ST. EDMUND'S.

THE ABBEY.

DELIO."Yond's the Cardinal's window. This fortification
Grew from the ruins of an ancient abbey:

And to yond side o'th' river lies a wall,
Piece of a cloister.-

ANTONIO.-I do love these ancient ruins;
We never tread upon them but we set
Our foot upon some reverend history;
And questionless here in this open court,
Which now lies naked to the injuries
Of stormy weather, some men lie interred
Lov'd the Church so well, and gave so largely to't,
They thought it should have canopied their bones
Till doomesday. But all things have an end:
Churches and cities, which have diseases like to men,
Must have like death that we have."

DUCHESS OF MALFY.

THE ancient and renowned Abbey of Bury St. Edmund's, is situated in the town of that name, in the western division of the county of Suffolk, and the hundred of Thingoe. The ruins of the monastery lie embosomed in a small valley along the skirts of which a portion of Bury St. Edmund's itself is situated. These remains, consist of mere fragments of the noble buildings which formed the establishment, excepting an almost perfect