medallions, all of the lower empire. There was not much virtù stirring at that time in this neighbourhood; however, some of the gentry and clergy around bought what pleased them best and some dozens fell to the share of the author.

The owners at first held their commodity at a high price but, finding that they were not likely to meet with dealers at such a rate, they soon lowered their terms, and sold the fairest

as they could. The coins that were rejected became current, and passed for farthings at the petty shops. Of those that we saw, the greater part were of Marcus Aurelius, and the Empress Faustina, his wife, the father and mother of Commodus. Some of Faustina were in high relief, and exhibited a very agreeable set of features, which probably resembled that lady. The medallions in general were of a paler colour than the coins. To pretend to account for the means of their coming to this

place would be spending time in conjecture. The spot, I think, could not be a Roman camp, because it is commanded by hills. on two sides; nor does it show the least traces of intrenchments; nor can I suppose that it was a Roman town, because I have too good an opinion of the taste and judgment of those polished conquerors to imagine that they would settle on so barren and dreary a waste.

LETTER II.

THAT Selborne was a place of some distinction and note in the time of the Saxons we can give most undoubted proofs. But as there are few, if any, accounts of villages before Domesday, it will be best to begin with that venerable record. "Ipse rex tenet Selesburne. Eddid regina tenuit, et nunquam geldavit. De isto manerio dono dedit rex Radfredo presbytero dimidiam hidam cum ecclesia. Tempore regis Edwardi et post, valuit duodecim solidos et sex denarios; modo octo solidos et quatuor denarios." Here we see that Selborne was a royal manor; and that Editha the queen of Edward the Confessor, had been lady of that manor; and was succeeded in it by the Conqueror; and that it had a church. Beside these, many circumstances concur to prove it to have been a Saxon village; such as the name of the place itself,1 the names of many fields, and some families,2 with

1 Selesburne, Seleburne, Selburn, Selbourn, Selborne, and Selborn, as it has been variously spelt at different periods, is of Saxon derivation; for Se signifies great, and burn torrents, a brook or rivulet: so that the name seems to be derived from the great perennial stream that breaks out at the upper end of the village. Sel also signifies bonus, item, fæcundus, fertilis. “delgæpr-tun: fœcunda graminis clausura; fertile pascuum: a meadow in the parish of Godelming is still called Sal-gars-ton."-LYE's Saxon Dictionary, in the Supplement, by Mr. Manning.

2 Thus the name of Aldred signifies all-reverend, and that of Kemp means a soldier. Thus we have a church-litton, or inclosure for dead bodies, and not a church-yard: there is also a Culver-craft near the Grange-farm, being the inclosure where the priory pigeon-house stood, from culver a pigeon. Again there are three steep pastures in this parish called the Lithe, from Hlithe, clivus. The wicker-work that binds and fastens down a hedge on the top is called ether, from ether a hedge. When the good women call their hogs they cry sic, sic, not knowing that sic is Saxon, or rather Celtic, for a hog. Coppice or brushwood our countrymen call rise, from hris, frondes; and talk of a load of rise. Within the author's memory the Saxon plurals, housen and peason, were in common use. But it would be endless to instance in every circumstance: he that wishes for more specimens must

"Eika, porcus, apud Lacones; un porceau chez les Lacèdemoniens: ce mot a sans doute esté pris des Celtes, qui discent sic pour marquer un porceau. Encore aujour'huy quand les Bretons chassent ces animaux, ils ne disent point autrement que sic, sic.”—Antiquité de la Nation et de la Langue des Celtes, par PEZRON.

a variety of words in husbandry and common life, still subsisting among the country people.

What probably first drew the attention of the Saxons to this spot was the beautiful spring or fountain called Well-head,1 which induced them to build by the banks of that perennial current; for ancient settlers loved to reside by brooks and rivulets, where they could dip for their water without the trouble and expense of digging wells and of drawing.

It remains still unsettled among the antiquaries at what time tracts of land were first appropriated to the chase alone for the amusement of the sovereign. Whether our Saxon monarchs had any royal forests does not, I believe, appear on record ; but the Constitutiones de Foresta of Canute, the Dane, are come down to us. We shall not therefore pretend to say whether Wolmer Forest existed as a royal domain before the conquest. If it did not, we may suppose it was laid out by some of our earliest Norman kings, who were exceedingly attached to the pleasures of the chase, and resided much at Winchester, which lies at a moderate distance from this district. The Plantagenet princes seem to have been pleased with Wolmer; for tradition says that King John resided just upon the verge, at Wardleham, on a regular and remarkable mount, still called King John's Hill, and Lodge Hill; and Edward III. had a chapel in his park, or inclosure, at Kingsley. Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and Richard, Duke of York, say my evidences, were both, in their turns, wardens of Wolmer Forest; which seems to have served for an appointment for the younger princes of the royal family, as it may again.

I have intentionally mentioned Edward III. and the Dukes Humphrey and Richard before King Edward II., because I have reserved for the entertainment of my readers a pleasant

frequent a farmer's kitchen. I have therefore selected some words to show how familiar the Saxon dialect was to this district, since in more than seven hundred years it is far from being obliterated.

1 Well-head signifies spring-head, and not a deep pit from whence we draw water. For particulars about which see Letter I. to Mr. Pennant.

2 The parish of Kingsley lies between, and divides Wolmer Forest from Ayles Holt Forest. See Letter IX. to Mr. Pennant.

anecdote respecting that prince, with which I shall close this letter.

As Edward II. was hunting in Wolmer Forest, Morris Ken, of the kitchen, fell from his horse several times; at which accidents the king laughed immoderately: and, when the chase was over, ordered him twenty shillings; an enormous sum for those days! Proper allowances ought to be made for the youth of this monarch, whose spirits also, we may suppose, were much exhilarated by the sport of the day but, at the same time, it is reasonable to remark that, whatever might be the occasion of Ken's first fall, the subsequent ones seem to have been designed. The scullion appears to have been an artful fellow, and to have seen the king's foible; which furnishes an early specimen that his easy softness and facility of temper, of which the infamous Gaveston took such advantages as brought innumerable calamities on the nation, and involved the prince at last in misfortunes and sufferings too deplorable to be mentioned without horror and amazement.

LETTER III.

FROM the silence of Domesday respecting churches, it has been supposed that few villages had any at the time when that record was taken; but Selborne, we see, enjoyed the benefit of one: hence we may conclude that this place was in no abject state even at that very distant period. How many fabrics have succeeded each other since the days of Radfredrus the presbyter, we cannot pretend to say; our business leads us to a description of the present edifice, in which we shall be circumstantial.

Our church, which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, consists of three aisles, and measures fifty-four feet in length by forty

1 6 Item, paid at the lodge at Wolmer, when the king was stag-hunting there, to Morris Ken, of the kitchen, because he rode before the king and ofteu fell from his horse, at which the king laughed exceedingly-a gift, by command, of twenty shillings."-A MS. in possession of Thomas Astle, Esq., containing the private expenses of Edward II.