Mr. URBAN, Aug. 1, 1818. PERMIT me to offer you a Drawing which I have lately made from the Parish Church of Witham, in the county of Essex. (See Pl. I.) The Church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is situated on Chipping Hill, about half a mile from the London road. It is rather a spacious building, consisting of a middle pace and two ailes. The chancel is lofty, the inner roof of which is composed of small pannels curiously wrought. Both the Church and steeple walls are of Roman bricks and flint, except the Tower, which, containing six bells, used to be of timber; but, in the year 1743, it was rebuilt with bricks. This Church may vie, in neatness, with most others in the county of Essex. Between the years 1701 and 1706, the sum of 3141. Ss. for repairs, was collected under the care, and partly by the charge of the Vicar, Dr. Warly, who himself contributed upwards of 291. The names of the subscribers are painted upon boards, which were fixed on one side of the Pulpit; but they have since been removed and fastened to the wall in the North aile. An organ was also given by Dr. Warly, with this proviso, that it should continue to be used, as long as the parishioners should think fit; otherwise, to be removed, by the consent of the Diocesan, to any Church or Chapel the then Vicar (Dr. Warly) This or his heirs should nominate. organ, however, is still in use; though it is now much impaired by the hand of Time. In the year 1805, an additional gallery was erected on the South side of the Church, which will contain about 250 persons. The pews of the nave, North and South ailes, are of an uniform construction, corresponding with the pulpit and reading-desk, which are situated on the left of the middle pace in going to the altar. Here, the Lord's Prayer, Decalogue, and Creed, are well painted in gilt upon tables neatly decorated, and which are affixed to the wainscot on each side of the Communion-table. The whole Church, I guess, will contain about 1700 persons. MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS. Within the rails of the Altar, on a stone slab, in capital letters: "Here lyeth the body of Robert Tinly, Doctor in Divinity, late Vicar of this GENT. MAG, March, 1819. Church, and Prebendary and Archdeacon of Ely; who, for his great learning and integrity of life, was a worthy light in God's Church. He dyed Nov. 25, 1616." In a niche in the wall, on the South side of the Chancel, are two figures elegantly carved, with this inscription in capitals: "Here lyeth Mary, daughter and sole heire of Sir Thomas Nevell, of Holt, in the county of Leyceter, knight, and Dame Clare, his wife, daughter and coheire of Raff Nevell, of Throrton Bridge, in the county of Yorke, esquier; dissended by both father and mother from th' auncient and honorable name of Nevell, of Rabie, from whom Therles of Westmoreland are also dissended, was first married to Thomas Smethe, esquier, the second sonne of Sir John Smethe, knight, sometime one of the Barons of th'exchecuer; and she had by him 5 Smethe dyed xth of March 1584, in the sones and 2 daughters, which Thomas 6 yere of Queen Elizabeth. Her second busband was Francis Harve, one of the sones of John Harve, of Inkeworth, in the county of Suffolk, esquier, and the same Francis Harve was one of the honorable band of the Gentlemen Pencioners to the Queen's most excellent Majestie, and there continued, and kept house in worshippfull estate and creditt, at Cressing Temple, in the county of Essex, the space of xxvii yeares. And she departed this worlde the xxiii of January 1522, and lyeth buried under this tombe, made by the said Francis Harve, Justice of Peace and Quorum in the same shier, 1593." Arms: Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Gules, a bend Argent, charged with 3 trefoils Vert. 2d, Sable, a lion rampant Argent in a bordure gobony of the second and first. 3d, Argent, a chief Vert, charged with a cross taw between 2 mullets pierced Or. On a mural Monument near to the above: "M.S. Viri dignissimi et ab omnibus bene meriti, multumque desiderati, Gulielmi East, de Medio Templo, Armigeri, qui uxorem duxit Elizabetham, Jeremiæ Gough Civis Londinensis unicam Filiam. Ex qua Filias quatuor (quarum tres, Maria, Sara, et Anna, è cunabulis premittuntur: quarta vero, Martha, Philippo Parker, Baronetto, inque hujus regni Comitijs Senatori, nupsit); Et filios duos, Gulielmum natu majorem, unicæ Filiæ Georgij Cook Militis, in Curia Domini Regis de Banco Protonotarij Capitalis, matrimonio junctum; Alterum, Gilber tum, tum, de eodem Templo, adhuc cœlibem, suscepit. "Qui Fortunam paternam, satis amplam, propria virtute, et singulari quidem integritate et industriâ, bene auctam et bene partam, filiis charissimi Patris Vestigia proba prementibus ipsiusque Obitum debitè morentibus Amicitite Sinceritate insignis. Vità semper alacri et hilari (perpetuo pietatis proventu) quamvis morbo arthritico diu et acerrime gravata, morte tamen non minus suavi gaudebat. "Occasum in Terris, in Cœlis vero Ortum splendidum (tantæ integritatis præmium) et æternum Sabbatum, Die Sabbati iv. Id. Martij, Anno Æræ Christianæ MDCCXXVI. annum agens septuagesimum tertium, felicissime obtinait." Arms: East, Sable, a Chevron between 3 nags' heads, erased Argent.Gough, a fesse between 3 boars' heads erased, charged with a lion rampant. On a black mural, to the left of the above: "Near this place lieth interred the Rev. George Lisle, Minister of the Gos pel, and late Rector of Riuenall, who died in the 75th year of his age; buried March 27th, 1687: as also Ann, his wife, who died in the 70th year of her age: buried the 21st of February 1696-7." Arms: a fesse dancette between 3 spread eagles, with 2 heads. At the East end of the nave is a Quæ tanti fletus? tanti quæ causa doloris ? [ordo Durior en sors est alijs, quos longior Morborum cruciat: facile hic descendit ad umbras, [cessit." Vixque mori dicas; potius sua vita reArms: quarterly, Azure; 1st and 4th, on a bend Or, three stars Sable. 2d and 3d, a chevron invected Or, between 3 griffins segreant Or. A little to the left of the above, are two recumbent figures, upon an altar-tomb, opposite to which is a mural, with this inscription in capitals: "Monumentum Johannis Southcotte, nuper vnivs Jvsticiary' d' Elizabethæ Reginæ ad Placita cora' ipsa tene'da assignati, qvi prædictvm ivdicii locum 23 annos inteDvxit in uxore' Elizagros tenebat. betha' Robins ex civitate Londinensi orta, et ex illa xiii svscepit soboles, ex quibus tres v'vi solummodo supersunt, scilicet Johannes filius svvs et hæres, Martha nupta Francisco Stonour armigero; et Anna in conivgem data Francisco Cvrsor armigero. Postquam annos septvaginta qvatvor plvs minus compleverat, in Christo obdormivit xviii die Aprilis, anno D'ni 1585." Arms: quarterly, 1st, Argent, a chevron Gules, between 3 blackbirds proper. 2d, Argent; on a fess Sable, between 3 blackbirds proper, 3 stars proper. 3d, Azure, 3 oars erect proper. 4th, Argent, a lion rampant marble Monument, with this Inscrip- Gules; a chief Azure. On a pale to tion: "Juxta hoc Marmor Conditæ sunt reliquiæ Roberti Barwell, Generosi, filij D'nj Roberti et Martha Barwell, plusquam Annos bis octoginta enumerantium; Ipse tamen, proh dolor! subito apoplexia ictui succubuit anno salutis 1697, Julij 27, ætatis suæ 44. In uxorem sibi ascivit Saram, Josephi Newman, Gen. de Colcestria filiam; quatuor supersunt liberi, duo filij, totidemq; filiæ, ipsi charissimi, Newmanus, Rober. Sarah, et Martha, qui præmatura bonæ indolis edunt specimina. Primo-genitus Pietatis ergo boc posuit Monumentum. ΕΠΙΚΗΔΕΙΟΝ. "Dum multos longæva parens numeraverit annos, [senectus! Filius ante diem rapitur; quam rara Quid Medicina valet? nil plus; ars victa Galeni. [mor; Contendunt luctu proles et flebile Mar Some words are here evidently omitted in the transcript communicated by cur Correspondent. EDIT. the fess point, Azure, a bend engrailed between two cotices Argent. In the North aile are several slabs, one of which is thus inscribed: "To the memory of the late Right Hon. William Lord Stourton, who departed this life the 3d of October, 1781, aged 77. R. I. P." Arms: Sable, a bend Or, between six fountains proper. Near to the above: "Here lye the bodies of Mr. W. Bartlett, surgeon, and Elizabeth his wife. He departed this life the 27th of Sept. 1725, aged 51. She departed this life the 25th of Aug. 1719, aged 43." On a mural marble Monument, at the end of the North aile: "Here lyes the Rev. Jonas Warley, D.D. Archdeacon of Colchester, Prebendary of Cantlows, Vicar of Witham, and sometime Fellow of Clare-hall, in Cambridge. "He was diligent and constant in the discharging of his archidiaconal and pastorall pastorall office, a great promoter of good works, witness this Church, and recovering 181. per an'um for four almshouse people, which had been lost nearly 80 years. He was ready to oblige every one in his power, and willingly offended none; was always steady to the principles and interest of the Church; yet, of so courteous a temper, as all parties respected him. He did not only in life do a great many good works, but left considerable sum's to several charitys of divers kinds when he died, and lamented by most who knew him. Obijt August 9, 1722; ætat. 73." Middle aile : "To the memory of Archibald Doug. las, esq. General of his Majesty's forces, and Colonel of the 13th regt. of dragoons, who departed this life on the 8th day of Nov. 1778, aged 65, &c. &c. &c." Arms: Argent, a heart Gules, crowned imperially; Or, on a chief Azure, 3 mullets of the first. In the South aile, beneath the stairs leading to the gallery, on a stone slab: "Heare lyeth interred the body of Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Wall, of Witham, gent. deceased June the 28th, 1664; aged 40 yeares 6 months." Near to the above: "Here lyes the body of Mary Walker, widow, who departed this life the 12th day of December, 1724, aged 68 yeares." On a mural at the end of the South aile: "At her own desire, near this place, lyeth the body of Mary, the wife of John Wright, who departed this life the 21st of Aug. 1727, aged 43." By the return to the Population Act 1811, it appears that Witham contained 878 houses and 420 families; consisting of 1173 males, and 1206 females; total 2379. S. DUNN. CONCE Upper Montagu Mr. URBAN, street, Feb. 15. NONCEIVING every thing relating to the eminent men of the country, or to the topography of the counties, acceptable to you, I take the liberty of sending to you an Epitaph transcribed by me from the original, at Luckham in Somersetshire. The Monument is interesting in both those respects, inas much as it relates to a distinguished person of the reigns of Charles the First and Second, and the Common wealth of England; and to a portion of County History which has hitherto been but inaccurately de scribed. Henry Byam, D. D. the sub- "HENRY BYAM, D. D. was a learned preacher and loyalist in the seventeenth century, the son of Laurence Byam, of Luckham, Luckham, or East Luckham, near Dunster, in Somersetshire, born there Aug. 31, 1580, and in Act term 1697, was entered of Exeter college, Oxford, when, in 1699, he was elected a student of Christ-church. In both colleges his application was such as to make him be considered as one of the greatest ornaments of the university; and when he took orders, one of the most acute and eminent preachers of the age. After taking the degree of B. D. in 1612, he succeeded his father in the rectory of Luckham, and a Mr. Fleet in that of Selworthy, adjoining. In 1631 he became a prebendary of Exeter, and on the meeting of parliament, was unanimously chosen by the clergy of his diocese, to be their clerk in convocation. In the beginning of the rebellion he was one of the first who were apprehended for their loyalty; but making his escape, joined the king at Oxford, where he was, with others, created D. D. In the king's cause his zeal and that of his family could not fail to render him obnoxious. He had not only assisted in raising men and horse for his majesty, but of his five sons, four were captains in the army. His estate, therefore, both clerical and private, was exposed to the usual confiscations; and to add to his sufferings, his wife and daughter, in endeavouring to escape to Wales by sea, were both drowned. When the prince Charles, afterwards Charles II. fled from England, Dr. Byam accompanied him first to the island of Scilly, afterwards to that of Jersey, where he officiated as chaplain until the garrison was taken by the parliamentary forces. He contrived afterwards to live in obscurity until the restoration, when he was made canon of Exeter, and prebendary of Wells, but we do not find that his services were rewarded by any higher preferment. He died June 16, 1669, and was buried in the chancel of the church at Luckham, where a monument with an inscription by Dr. Hamnet Ward was erected to his memory. His works were : "Thirteen sermons, most of them preached before his majesty Charles II. in his exile," Lond. 1675, 8vo. These were published after his death by Hamnet Ward, M.D, vicar of Sturminster-Newton-Castle, in Dorsetshire, with some account of the author. Dr. Byam was the father of the governor alluded to in Southern's play of Oroonoko, whom the profligate Mrs. Behn endeavoured to stigmatize from private pique." ЕРІТАРН АТ LUCKHAM. "Non procul hine sub marmore congenito sepultum jacet corpus Henrici Byam, ex antiquissimâ Familia Byamo rum oriundi, sacrosanctæ Theologiæ Doctoris insignissimi, bujus Ecclesiæ Cathedralis Canonici, Ecclesiæque Wellensis Prebendarij, serenissimæ Majestatis Caroli secundi Regis Capellani et Concionatoris ordinarij, necnon ejusdem, sæviente illa Tyranide et semper execranda Phanaticorum Rebellione, Terra Mariq' Comitis, Exulisque simul. Ex meliore luto ejus constructum corpus post annos tandem octoginta et novem, Anno salutis millesimo sexcentesimo sexagesimo nono (1669), Morti, non tam triumphanti quam invitanti, placide cessit:sed extat adbuc viri hujus optimi celebrius multò hoc, et ornatius monumentum, non Marmore perituro, sed Typis exaratum perpetuis, scripta scilicet ejus planè Divina, ubi animi vires et summum ejus ingenij acumen intueberis simul et miraberis. Lugubrem hunc Lapidem honoris et reverentiæ indicem posuit Filius ejus obsequentissimus Francis Byam. Instauratum Maria et Cecelia Wood, An. Dm. 1713." Arms: Arg. 3 Dragons beads erased Vert, each holding in its mouth a sinister hand, couped at the wrist, Gules; drops of blood flowing from the hands. Yours, &c. EDWARD S. BYAM. Journal of a Tour taken in 1701, from LONDON to PARIS. (Concluded from p. 127.) DEPARTURE FOR NORMANDY. 1701. HAVING discharged our 20 Sep. accounts, dined for the last time at Paris, where as usual, we did not fail to drink to the health of our friends in England, and taken leave of our host and acquaintance, we set out for Rouen in Normandy along with the King's messenger, who carries the Government edicts and orders into the provinces, to whom we paid twelve livres per head, for which he found us horses, and maintained us all the way. We rode a trotting pace, through several villages and a fine country, with rising hills, generally covered with vines, to Pontoise; a large town, having in it five parish Churches, and seven Convents, one of which is a nunnery of English dames. This place is divided by a river, which rises in the forest of Ardennes, passes Soissons, and empties itself a league below Pontoise into the Seine. That part of Pontoise which is next to Paris, and on that side of the river, is in the Isle of France; and the other side in High Normandy. We travelled on towards St. Magoy, through a fine corn |