be from 6000 to 9000, according to the measurement of the carucate.

At the dissolution here were 110 fodders of lead, 516 ounces of plate, and 5 bells

The valuation in 26 of Henry VIII., A. D. 1534, according to Dugdale, amounted to the sum of £278. 10s. 2d. per annum ; according to Speed £351. 14s. 6d. At the surrender here were twenty-three monks and the abbot.

The site was granted in exchange for other lands, in 30 of Henry VIII., to Thomas earl of Rutland, a descendant of Walter Espec, the founder of the abbey; and by Catherine, daughter and heir of Roger earl of Rutland, (by Elizabeth, daughter and heir of the famous Sir Philip Sidney,) married to George Villiers, duke of Buckingham, who in her right became possessed hereof: from him it descended to his son, the second duke of Buckingham; and from him by purchase to Sir Charles Duncombe, Knt. ; from whom it passed to his grand-nephew, Thomas Duncombe, Esq., M. P. for Morpeth, who in 1758, made one of the finest terraces in England, just on the brink of the hill that overlooks the ruins of the abbey, and a temple at each end of the walk; from whence there is a most beautiful view of the ruins of the abbey, almost perpendicularly underneath. It is now the property of C. S. Duncombe, Esq.

The first abbot, William, was instituted in 1131; and the last was Rowland Blyton. There were in all 31 abbots.

In 1153, 18 of king Stephen, Walter Espec was buried in this abbey; whose relict was patroness of it and Kirkham priory.

Peter de Ross about 1156, was interred here; and Henry le Scroope, by will, ordered his corpse to be buried before the altar of our lady Pitty, (Piety.) 1328, Sir William Malbys, Knt., had a license to translate the bones of Sir John Malbys, and Agnes, his parents, from the church of Acaster Malbys, where they had been buried many years, and inter them in the conventual church of Rieval, amongst the bones of his progenitors.

In 1384, Thomas de Ross was buried here in the choir, in the 17 of Richard II., Sir John de Ross was buried on the side of the choir, near the altar. Lady Mary Ross of Oryby, by will proved 29 of August, 1394, ordered her corpse to be laid by her husband, Sir John, in this monastery, and ordered £100. for a marble tomb, like that of dame Margaret de Oryby, her mother, in Boston church.

Monasticon. p. 358.

Sir Walter l'Espec took the habit of a monk in the monastery of Rievaulx; where after two years he died, and was there buried at the entrance of the chapter on the 7 of March, A. D. 1154; and in the 19 of king Stephen.

In 1819, the bones of Henry le Scroop were taken up and buried in Helmsley church-yard, near the porch of the south door.

The remains of this once splendid house are more entire and more magnificent than any in this part of the country. The nave of the church is wholly gone; but the choir, one of its aisles, great part of the tower, and both the transepts, still exist. The form and extent of this building are nearly the same with

those of the abbey church of Whitby. The most ancient part appears in the transept, particularly in that part which is towards the nave; where we see two rows of the small Norman windows, with semicircular arches, and with bands running along the wall, above and below; which from its general appearance together with the flying buttresses of the aisle, prove the architecture to be comparatively modern. The church, instead of being east and west, approaches more to the direction of north and south; so that the choir is at the south end, and the aisle which should have been north is on the east. Some have supposed this anomaly to have been produced at the re-building of the church; but Drake, in his "Evenings in Autumn," thinks it was in consequence of the disposition of the ground. At the altar end of the choir a large flat stone, about nine feet long, has been raised up, which has been the altar, or part of a monument. Adjoining the ruins of the nave on the west are the remains of the cloisters, the square of which is above 100 feet each way; one side of the square comes close to the nave of the church, with which it must have communicated. On the opposite side stands a splendid building, extending in length toward the west 100 feet, and in breadth 30. This structuré appears to have been the refectory, accompanied with a music gallery. Parallel to this, and in a line with the transept, is another extensive ruin, several feet longer than the refectory and about the same breath, corresponding with the breadth of the transept, to which it approaches; this was perhaps the dormitory, as it

communicated with the church; such communication being necessary to accommodate the monks in repairing from their beds to the church, for their nocturnal devotions. This building lies partly on the south of the refectory, a space being left between, and partly on the south of the cloister square. In the west end of the dormitory, the lower part of the walls is ancient ; and is perhaps coeval with the original abbey. Beyond the dormitory, on the west of the choir, is another range of buildings, which were probably the abbot's chamber and offices. The great kitchen must of course have joined the refectory. At a considerable distance north of the church is a small detached building; and the ruins near are seen in the same direction: these are probably the remains of the infirmary and the almshouse.

How beautiful is this ruin! What a specimen of the ability, spirit, and taste, of the day in which the fabric was erected! The light reeded pillars possessing excellence peculiar to that department in architecture; and here may be traced one of the earliest transitions from the ponderous and massy style of the Anglo-Norman. The transept pillars are adorned with a species of moulding, of which probably this is the first specimen, which made its appearance in the twelfth century. There is also a combination of richness and delicacy truly admirable, both in the tower and choir; forming very striking deviations from the costume of the pre eeding ages. In the former these peculiarities consist of columnar decorations, terminating gracefully

in what has been denominated the corbel style; while in the latter they are prominent in the narrow Lancet shaped windows; and in the quarter adornments which distinguish its eastern side. Another peculiarity in this building is, that the church is carried to the height of three stories: this has contributed much to its lightness and beauty. This abbey no doubt was enriched by numerous specimens of painted glass; a very rare and costly embellishment in the twelfth century.

Aelred, the third abbot of Rievaulx, wrote a chronicle, beginning with the creation, and ending with Henry I. He also wrote the life of David, king of Scotland, and other works, and died in 1167.

Beneath is seen the representation of part of a tesseræ, which was found in this abbey, (and formed part of a tesselated pavement,) in 1821, as workmen were clearing away rubbish,

These letters seem to have been part of the sentence "Ave Maria gratia plena;" but as only Ave Maria gr appears upon the tesseræ, it must have joined with