panned by the Parliamentary party, carried before a court-martial, at Chester, sentenced to death, and unrelentingly and barbarously executed at Bolton, in this county, where he fell with the firmness of a soldier and piety of a Christian, April 1, 1651. Collins, in the Peerage, has detailed an affecting account of the heroic conduct and speech of this nobleman, when on the scaffold *. He was not only a warrior but an antiquary, and wrote a small topographical work, which has been printed in Peck's Desiderata Curiosa †. Portrait of CHARLOTTE DE LA TREMOUILLE, COUNTESS of DERBY, wife of the preceding nobleman, and daughter to William, Prince of Orange. Portrait of CHARLES, EIGHTH EARL of DERBY, who joined Sir George Booth, and other insurgents, in 1659; but being taken prisoner, he was confined 'till the following year gave freedom, but not content, to the long depressed royalists. During the civil wars, this family lost most of its landed property; and after the restoration, some of the Lords, in parliament, formed a private bill, for the purpose of restoring, to this loyal Peer, the estates which had been sequestrated. This bill was strongly opposed, and rejected, without coming to a second reading, or being this occasion, I will burn the paper, and hang the bearer. This is the immutable resolution, and shall be the undoubted practice of him who accounts it the chiefest glory to be His Majesty's most loyal and obedient subject, Castle-Town, July 12, 1649. DERBY." * See also Lord Somers' Tracts, Coll. II. Vol. II. p. 507. It is entitled, "The History and Antiquities of the Isle of Man, by James, Earl of Derby, and of Man; with an account of his many troubles and losses in the civil war, and of his own proceedings in the Isle of Man during his residence there in 1643. Interspersed with large and excellent advices to his son Charles, Lord Strange, upon many curious points. From the original (all in his Lordship's own hand writing), in the hands of the Hon. Roger Gale, Esq." ing submitted to the King; though the inscription already quoted states otherwise, and reproaches the monarch for refusing his assent to the bill *. Exclusive of the above, here are several other portraits; and also a large collection of pictures, by the old masters, some of which are works of acknowledged merit. The chief of these were collected by James, Earl of Derby, who patronized a Mr. Winstanley, a native of Warrington, and sent him abroad purposely to purchase themt. I shall briefly specify the titles and subjects of a few of these. A holy family-TITIAN. The feast of Belshaz zar-Rembrandt. The Roman Augur-S. Rosa: Banditti in a rocky Landscape; also Hagar and Ishmael with the angel, by the same sublime master. The Angel driving Adam and Eve from Paradise-Denis Calvert. A Wild Boar Hunt-Snyders and Rubens. The feast in a gallery, and The Wife of Pilate interceding in behalf of our Saviour-Paul Veronese. Our Saviour delivering the Keys to Peter-Vandyck: and The Descent from the Cross, by the same master. The Love of the Arts, represented by a beautiful figure of Cupid leaning over rich armour, musical instruments, pictures, and pieces of sculpture; a fine picture, said, by Winstanley, to be the joint production of Snyders and Vandyck. St. Bartholemew, by Spagnolet, which Mr. Pennant calls, "a horribly fine picture." Nicodemus communing with our Saviour by night-Tintoret. WIGAN, A borough and market town of considerable importance, in a commercial point of view, is situated near the rise of the river Douglas, whose banks are celebrated as the scene of the memorable defeat of the Saxons by King Arthur. So far back as the time of Leland, Wigan is called, a "paved town, as big as Warrington, * See Drake's Parliamentary History, XXIII. 50, 53. + He etched twenty of these pictures, which are published. rington, but better builded, and inhabited by some merchants, artificers, and farmers." In its present state, it has a neat, though irregular appearance; and has been lately much improved, by the opening of two new streets, and the erection of several handsome buildings. An extensive trade is carried on in the manufacture of coarse home made linens, checks, calicoes, fustians, and other cotton goods. Here are also large brass and pewter works. Wigan is a borough, by prescription, and has had its privileges confirmed by the several charters of Henry the Third, Edward the Second, Edward the Third, Richard the Second, and Charles the Second. Its corporate body consists of a Mayor, Recorder, twelve Aldermen, and two Bailiffs. Two Members are returned to Parliament; and the right of election is vested in the free burgesses, in number about 200. The representation of this borough has occasioned some very expensive contests; and it is said to have cost George Byng, Esq. 10,000l. in his opposition to the interest of Sir Fletcher Norton, and Simon Luttrell, Esq. Returns appear so early as 23d and 35th Edward the First, after which the privilege was suffered to be dormant for 240 years, no other return being made till 1 Edward the Sixth. The Parish Church, which is ancient beyond any traditionary account, is commonly called an handsome structure, composed of a nave, a spacious chancel, and two side aisles. The original chancel was taken down and rebuilt on a larger scale, about the middle of the seventh century, in a style corresponding with the rest of the fabric, by an ancestor of the present Lord Bradford, who is the patron of the living. The only monuments worthy notice are, one to the memory of Sir Roger Bradshaigh, who eminently distinguished himself by his zealous loyalty in the civil war of Charles the First-and an altar and tomb, now much obscured by successive coats of white-wash, of Sir William, and Lady Mabel, Bradshaigh, who died in the reign of Edward the Third. Within the Communion-rails, are deposited the remains of Dr. GEORGE HALE, rector of this church, and bishop of Chester, who died August 23, 1668. The rectory is one of the best endowed endowed in the kingdom: and the incumbent is always Lord of the Manor. Within the town is a chapel of the establishment, also three dissenting meetings, and a Roman Catholic place of worship. A Town-hall was built in 1721, at the joint expense of the Earl of Barrymore and Sir Roger Bradshaigh, the then representatives of the borough. A Free-school was erected, and liberally endowed, about the beginning of the last century, by voluntary contribution; and upwards of thirty years ago, the same liberality established a Blue-coat-school for thirty boys. A commodious Workhouse has been also built at the town's expense, where the necessitous, and superannuated poor are comfortably accommodated; industry, in the more able, is furnished with the means; and the meritorious are encouraged and rewarded. A Dispensary, built of stone, has been lately erected, and is supported by the benevolence of the town and its vicinity, where the poor, when properly recommended, have the benefit of the advice of an able and experienced physician, and are provided with medicines gratis. The best surgical assistance is administered in cases requiring it. At the north end of the town, is a monumental pillar, erected in 1679, by Alexander Rigby, Esq. then Sheriff of this county, to commemorate the valour and loyalty of Sir Thomas Tyldesley, who was slain on this spot, in 1651, in the action wherein the Earl of Derby was defeated by Lilburne. In a field near Scholes Bridge, contiguous to this town, a spring was lately discovered, which has obtained the name of WiganSpa, or New Harrowgate, as the water resembles that of Harrowgate, in Yorkshire. It is highly impregnated with sulphur, and has been successfully recommended in various cutaneous disorders. An appropriate building has been erected for the use of the invalids resorting to this spring, with conveniences for drinking the water, and for using it either as a cold or hot bath. The population of Wigan, which has been progressively increasing, was, in the year 1801, according to the return to parliament, 10,989, the number of houses 2236, The The parish of Wigan contains twelve townships, in three of which, besides that in the town, are chapels of the establishment, subordinate to the mother church. Three of these townships, HAIGH, ASPINALL, and HINDLEY, are worthy notice, for the production of the finest cannel or candle coal, which is found in large blocks, as black as jet, and will bear a beautiful polish. The beds are about three feet in thickness; the veins dip one yard in twenty, and are at considerable depths, with a black bass above and below. This coal is not only an agreeable species of fuel, but is capable of being manufactured into various ornamental utensils. On an eminence in this township, about a mile north of Wigan, is HAIGH-HALL, the ancient seat of the Bradshaighs, a family of high antiquity and distinction, but now extinct; from whom it descended, by marriage, to the Earl of Balcarras, who now resides here. This venerable mansion was built at different periods; the chapel is supposed to be coeval with the reign of Edward II. In the front are the arms of Stanley and Bradshaigh. The house contains some excellent portraits and other pictures. Adjoining to the hall is a summer-house, entirely built of cannel coal, under the direction of the last Lady Bradshaigh, whose virtues and accomplishments are displayed in Mr. Richardson's Correspondence, of which her letters are a distinguishing ornament. Sir Roger, her husband's father, represented Wigan during twelve parliaments, from 1695 till his death, February 25, 1747. In the vicinity of Wigan originally stood the ancient family mansion of the Marklands. The estate was appropriately called the MEADOWS, and on the site of the old dwelling has recently been erected a substantial farm-house. From a deed of the 29th of Henry VIII. the Meadows appears to have been an hereditary estate of the Markland family, who were seated in this county as early as the reign of Edward the First. Of this family was JEREMIAH MARKLAND, A. M. at the time of his death, senior fellow of Peter-House, Cambridge. He was one of the most distinguished classical |