This stone is a large rough pebble. William Norice, who was twice mayor of the town, had three wives, and "gave thrice fifteen groats yearly to All Saints poore,”—also five marks yearly to the second master of the free-school. He died in 1615, in his ninety-seventh year.

An epitaph on Joseph Wright, a gardener, is couched in terms allusive to his profession:

"My mother Earth, though mystically curst,
Hath me, her son, most bountifully nurst;
For all my pains, and seed on her bestow'd,
Out of which store that I of her receiv'd,
My painfull wantfull brethren I reliev'd;
And though this mother I full well did love,
I better lov'd my father that's above;
My mother feeds my body for a space,
My soul for aye beholds my father's face."

The following may also be noticed among those ludicrous ins scriptions which are too frequent in church-yards, and which serve as public memorials of reproach to the clergy, churchwardens, and writers. Churches, and places of human interment, are not the proper spots for illiterate and ridiculous jesting. A father, whose name was John, had two children baptised in the same name, and both dying infants, he wrote this stanza for their tomb;

"Both John and John soon lost their lives,

And yet, by God, John still survives.”

Bishop Thurlow, at one of his visitations, directed the words by God," to be altered “thro' God.”

The Church of St. Martin, formerly called St. Crosse, is a large old building, consisting of a nave, three ailes, and a tower, with a lofty crocketted spire. In the south aile the Archdeacon of Leicester holds his court; and the chancel, which belongs to the king, was built in the time of Henry the Fifth, at an expense of 341. This church is considered the largest in the town, and of the county, and is used at all the public meetings of the district

for

for the bishop, members of parliament, judges at assizes, &c. Within it were formerly two chapels, or oratories, and before the dissolution it contained three altars. Several carvings, sculptures, and tabernacles, also contributed to adorn the interior of this fabric: but these were systematically destroyed, and sold at the time of the reformation. The churchwardens' accounts respecting this church and parish are copious and well preserved. They begin in 1544, and contain many curious notices, descriptive of the peculiar manners and customs of the different times. In this church was held St. George's Guild; a fraternity which was in vested with peculiar privileges, and annually ordained a sort of Jubilee in the town, called "the Riding of St. George." The master of the guild gave public notice to the inhabitants of the day appointed for this ceremony. In an old hall-book, 17th of Edward IV. is an express order, enjoining all the inhabitants, by general sunimons, to attend the mayor-" to ride against the king, or for riding the George, or any other thing, to the pleasure of the mayor and worship of the town." Another order occurs, the 24th Henry VII. specifying, "that every one of the forty-eight should contribute towards the support of St. George's Guild; those who had been chamberlains sixpence, and the others fourpence annually." In the 15th of Henry VIII. the master having neglected to notice, or proclaim, this annual custom, an order was made, subjecting him to a fine of 51. in default of appointing a day between St. George's day and Whitsunday. In St. George's chapel, the effigy of an horse harnessed, or decorated with gaudy church trappings, was formerly kept. "When the reformation had overthrown the monkish mummeries, that so inconsistently blended religion with pastime," this horse was sold for twelvepence.-In St. Martin's church was also another Guild, called Corpus Christi, which, Mr. Throsby says, "was the most ancient and principal in Leicester," To all public charges this guild con tributed largely. There were two masters presided, who had great interest in the corporation. They had power, in conjunction

Walk through Leicester, p. 138.

with the mayor, to inflict penalties upon the members of the corporation for misconduct; and, upon the mayor's neglect to obtain these penalties, they had power to levy them upon him." The present hall of the borough belonged to this guild.

St. Martin's church was converted into a barrack, or citadel, during the civil wars, when the parliamentary soldiers, who had been driven from their garrison at Newark by the royalists, took a temporary refuge here; but many were slain in this building, and in the market-place. Among the entries in the churchwardens' accounts are the following, which serve to exemplify many ancient customs, and shew the value of money, and of different articles, at the respective periods here mentioned:

A. D. 1545. "Paid to Robert Goldsmith, for mending the chalis belonging to Sent Georges chapell, and a pix, xvid."

"Paid for III1lb. of wax, and ..... weke for a torche, and nakyng the same, IIS. vd."

"Paid to Robert Crofte for a day wark at the store hows, vd."

"Paid to the plumar for a dais ware on of Lady Chappell, vild.

"Paid to the Viker, Prests, and Clarks, for the presesshon at St. Mgetts, on Whissun Moday, Xiiid.

"Paid for a yard of grene silke, and x skeynes thred, viid.” "Paid on Palme Sonday to the proffit, and for ale at the reding the passon, Id."

Paid for chercole on Est'. evin. Id."

"Paid for the charges of the presshon on Whissun Monday, as doth appeyr in a bill, xs. 11d.”

"Paid to ij pore wemen for scowring the eygle of brasse, the candilstix, and ali wat'. stop, xxiid.”

"Paid for this chirche boke, bought at London the XIV day of February, Anno. Dom. 1544, IIIIS. VIIId*"

A. D.

This folio contains 773 pages of writing-paper, bound in rough calf, with strong brass clasps.

A. D. 1546. "Item, paid in expenses ii days at Covetre, when we sold the plate ther, for our horses and owreselves, 111s. Id.” “Item, for a lode of lyme 111s. a lode of sand, 111id.” "Sold a hundred and a quarter and seven pound of iron for 6s. 24d."

"Solde to Jhon Eyryke the organe chamb', VIIIS. vid."

"Solde to Symon Nyx the florth and the vente that the George stood on, IIIS."

Four hundred and a quarter of brass was sold for 19s. per cwt. to one man, and 3 cwt. and 3 qu. was sold to another at the same price, and one hundred to a William Taylor.

"Solde to Ryc. Raynford the sepulchre light, waying iii score and xvlb. at 111d. ob, a lb. xxis. xd. ob."

"Solde to Mr. Newcome c pounds waight of the organ pypes, XVIS."

In the year 1550.-" Item, recd for the post horse, XXVIS. Ixd." -In the same year is a charge of "VIIId. for grasse for the post horse;" and IIIS. vd. for grass for the same in Beaumont Leys.

In.1553. "Receivid of Nictles Goldesmethe, for ij sherts yt was for Seynte Nicoles, and a hold towell of dyap. worke, IIS, VIIId." By an entry of this year, 11. 6s. 8d. was paid for the priests' wages for "twelve months."

In 1554, there was "på for dressyng and hesyng Sent George, harnes, VIS. VIId.”

In 1559. "Recd in Lincolne farthyngs, IIS. IId.-Recd for the Maurys dance for chyldren, 111s."-Ale for the ringers, "when the quenes grace was pilamyd, vIIId."

In 1561. "Recd for serten stufe lent to the players of Fosson vid."-" Paid for Birdlime, 111id,”

In 1563. "Paid for wyn for the communiun at Estur, iij quartes of maness, and IX quartes of claret wyne, IIIIS. VId."

In 1570-1." Paid unto Yreland, for cuttynge downe the ymages hedes in the churche, xxd." and x11d. was paid for taking down the angels wings.

the times when his Majesty touches for healing."-This "declaration" is a curious "state paper," and shews at once the super stitious credulity of the people, and the pliable policy of the king and his courtiers; who, instead of endeavouring to enlighten the age, rather countenanced its folly, in giving royal sanction to a species of supernatural agency.-By a paper, which was carefully preserved in the vestry of this church, it appears that, at the Court of Whitehall, Jany. 9th, 1683, King Charles IId. with twenty of his noblemen and privy councellors, drew up and signed a declaration respecting the efficacy of the Royal touch in cases of King's Evil. It states, "Whereas, by the grace and blessing of God, the Kings and Queens of this Realm, by many ages past, have had the happiness, by their sacred touch, and invocation of the name of God, to cure those who are afflicted with the disease called the King's Evil; and his Majesty, in no less measure than any of his royal predecessors, having had good success therein; and in his most gracious and pious disposition being as ready and willing as any king or queen of this realm ever was in any thing to relieve the distresses and necessities of his good subjects: yet, in his princely wisdom, foreseeing that in this (as in all other things) order is to be observed, and fit times are necessary to be appointed for performing this great work of charity: hiş Majesty was therefore this day pleased to declare in council, his Royal will and pleasure to be, That the time of public healings shall henceforth be from the feast of All Saints, till a week before Christmas;" the above time being most convenient, and the sea+ son not so likely to produce contagion to his "Majesty's sacred person." Patients are to bring certificates that they have not previously "been touched by his Majesty." The order to be publicly read in all churches, and then affixed to some conspicuous place. The year 1729 is rendered memorable in this church and town, by a violent and passionate controversy, that arose between Mr. Carte, the vicar of the parish, and Mr. Jackson, some time cons frater, and afterwards master, of Wigston's Hospital. By public discourses from the pulpit in the morning, the former supported,

and