Carhampton is a little double-bodied church, without a tower, which also contains some Early work. There is a small lancet at the west end, and a square-headed Decorated window on the north of the chancel, rather of a Northamptonshire pattern. But the arcade is Perpendicular, with four-centred arches, and the roodloft here also runs right across the church. This omission of the chancelarch, and this extreme prominence given to the roodloft, is certainly a sign that we are here approaching the borders of Devon. It is quite different from what is usual in the more eastern part of Somersetshire.

This is unfortunately all I have to lay before you relating to the churches and other antiquities of the Deanry of Dunster.

On the Charters and other Archives of Cleeve Abbey.

BY THE REV. THOMAS HUGO, M.A., F.S.A., F.L.S.,

F.R.S.L., ETC.; HON. MEMBER.

I

AM painfully sensible that the subject on which I have to solicit your attention is of necessity so deeply covered with the dust of ages as to be disregarded by many, and repulsive to more. The examination of ancient Records is a branch of archæology which none but professed antiquaries are accustomed to cultivate as its importance demands or as its interest deserves. Many causes, doubtless, concur to bring about this result. Our ancient Records are presented to us in characters strange and obsolete-are not only unintelligible, but altogether illegible, by any save an initiated eye, and, whether in Latin or in English, have little in common with the classical aspect of the former language, or the prevailing dialect of our own age. And yet I need not say, in the presence of such an auditory as I have now the honour of addressing, that on the knowledge with which ancient Records furnish us, VOL. VI., 1855, PART II.

C

depends, in no inconsiderable degree, our ability of pursuing with success any other branch of archæological science. A pilgrimage to some picturesque ruin is of itself delightful: but the gratification is increased a hundred-fold when we are in possession of its previous history, the affecting mutations which it has witnessed, the strange sights on which the old walls have looked down, and the wondrous words which they have heard. Who, for instance, can look at an Abbey intelligently, and as ruins of holy places ought to be looked at, unless he know something of its pious founder, its saintly benefactors, and the part which it has played in our country's annals. For this species of information we must go to those sources to which I have alluded-our manuscript collections of record lore. Or we must be miserably content, as are only too many readers, and alas ! writers also, of archæological productions, to write or to read what has been written and published over and over again, to take our information at second, third, or tenth hand, and oftentimes to lose the truth, bewildered in the labyrinth which copyists and retailers are unhappily certain to

create.

ago

And yet, perhaps, apology is due from me for confining myself so closely, as I shall be found to do, to a department confessed to be to general students so repulsive and uninteresting. My excuse must be found in the fact that such a procceding is obligatory on me. A few weeks my reverend friend, Mr. Warre, kindly invited me to furnish a paper for the present meeting, a proposal which, after the honour done to me by the Society last year, I could not bring myself to decline. I therefore mentioned Cleeve Abbey as a subject for as a subject for my address to you, but was sorry to find that it was already in other hands. It was

suggested to me, however, by more than one, that the department to which I proposed to devote special attention, that of the Archives, was still open to me, and that I should undertake an investigation which my residence in the metropolis, as well as other advantages, by opening to me the rich stores of our national depositories, afforded me peculiar facilities for pursuing to a successful issue. On this desire I have acted. But see to what it has reduced me! I cannot now lead you by some green path in the glade, with the honeysuckle hedges in full perfume alongside of us, and discourse with you as we pause every here and there, where the solemn arches are rising above the covert, or where the ivy all but conceals the sculptured foliage or the benignant lineaments of some angel or angelic man. I cannot take you through some fair portal, or bid you mark the wondrous adaptation of some architectural arrangement, or point out to your delighted eyes the rich curves of some superb moulding, the delicate crotchets of some ornamented niche, or the graceful tracery of some exquisite window. I cannot speak of the lights and shadows, the deep silence, the hallowed repose of a spot, dilecta tabernacula Domini, which, from times of old, religion has chosen for her home. Neither can I present you with a retrospect for your imagination to revel in, the imposing ceremonial of some early age, the prayers which irradiated the House where they were offered, or the music which carried the soul to Heaven. All this I must leave to my more fortunate coadjutor. I have, however, to say a few words about, and to put into a literal English dress, those dozen or two documents, which, be it remembered, alone enable us to know for certain that these walls are the veritable remains of a House dedicated to God, and used for His service; which,

quaint, obsolete, jejune as they may be considered, will make us, nevertheless, far more able to enjoy our personal examination than we could have been, had the information afforded by them been through their absence lost beyond recal.

I shall arrange the documents to be brought under your notice in three divisions:

1. Charters already printed, of which I shall give entire translations.

2. Charters not hitherto printed, which shall be accurately given in their original forms, as valuable and interesting additions to our English Monasticon; and translated or abstracted, as most desirable.

3. Other documents illustrative of the subject, distinguishing those now for the first time printed, the originals of which shall of course be presented. And I am happy to add that these also are of considerable interest.

Cleeve Abbey was founded in the year 1188, for monks of the Cistertian Order, by William de Romare, youngest son or nephew of William de Romare, Earl of Lincoln. "This William, youngest son of the foreseid William de Romare, and of the seid Luce hys wyff, found the Abbey and Monastery of our seid blissed Lady of the Cliff, in the foreseid countie of Somerset, in the nyneth yere of the reigne of King Richard the First, late King of England; and that by the hondes and oversight of oone Hugh, then Abbat of the foreseyd Monastery and Abbey of Rewesby, the which stalled and made then first Abbot of the foresyd Monastery of Cliff aforeseid, oone Raff, as hit apperith by old wretyngs in the seide Abbey of Cliff."*

* MS. Cott. Tib. E. 8, f. 208.