SOMETHING ABOUT EDWARD II., OF ENGLAND.

Count Nigra, not many years ago Italian Ambassador in London, sends me the following narrative, which he requests me to translate and have published in London.

"From Acqui, in Piedmont, where I am taking the baths at the winter establishment, Le Nuove Terme, I went the other day to the Castle of Melazzo, where, according to local tradition, was for two years hidden Edward Plantagenet (Edward II.), King of England, after he was dethroned, and had succeeded in escaping from the hands of murderers bribed by the King's wife to do the deed. The fact is authenticated by an inscription, here subjoined, which was put up by the present owners of the castle, the brothers Arnoldi. Melazzo rises upon a hill at the meeting of the waters of the Erro and the Bormida, on the right bank of the latter stream, and overlooks both valleys. The view from the castle is stupendous. The distance from Acqui is three English miles, and there is a carriage way.

By what strange tide of events the ill-fated English King, upon his escape from England, and after a stay at Avignon, at the Court of Pope John XXII., came for a refuge to Melazzo, during the years 1332-33, if you think the subject worth the trouble, you may inquire in the proper quarter! and if you think it may induce any of the English tourists to undertake a pilgrimage to the most picturesque mountain districts of Upper Monferrat, you can also, if you think it matter of interest, publish this letter and inscription."

(The Inscription.)

"NIGRA."

"Edward II., Plantagenet, King of England, deposed from the throne by a vote of the Parliament in 1327, and imprisoned in Berkeley Castle, having providentially escaped from the daggers of two cutthroats, Sir Thomas Gorney and Sir Simon Esberford, Knights, bribed by the King's wife, the cruel Queen Isabel of France, and afterwards hospitably sheltered by Pope John XXII., at Avignon, after long and eventful wanderings, resided secretly in this Castle of Melazzo, then a dependence of the diocese of Milan, between the years of the Lord, 1330-33."

The inscription is in one of the halls of the Castle of Melazzo, near Acqui. In reply to which the following letter appeared in the issue of November 10th.

"The information transmitted to England by Count Nigra, in The Times of the 4th inst., is certainly startling, but it is somewhat at variance with the unerring evidence of English documentary history, as I may, perhaps, be allowed to show.

In the Parliament held at Westminster in the fourth year of Edward III. (1330), proceedings were taken against Sir Thomas Berkeley touching the death of the late King. He admitted that he, being ill at the time, had placed the King in charge of Thomas de Gournay and William de Ocle. In the same Parliament judgment of death was passed on Roger Mortimer, Simon de Bereford, and others for treason; Gournay and Ocle were similarly condemned, but only these two men were expressly charged with the murder of Edward II. They both fled, and

Ocle got clear away. As to Gournay, he took refuge in Spain and was thrown into prison by the King of Castille at Burgos.

Edward III. at once took active steps to obtain possession of Gournay's person by writing letters to the King of Castille, issuing writs to persons in authority, and sending, on May 30th, 1331, Egidius de Ispannia, "dilectus valettus noster," to take Gournay captive and bring him to England. Impediments of all sorts were placed in Egidius's way, and it was not until February, 1332, when success seemed assured, that he found the prisoner had contrived to escape. Egidius returned home in June, and, Gournay being heard of at Naples in January of the following year, Edward, not to be deterred, despatched Sir William de Thweng thither, who obtained possession of the prisoner and conducted him as far as Bayonne, where Gournay fell ill and presently died. His body was brought by ship to England, ariving July, 1333. We know from the irrefragable testimony of contemporary documents that the search for and capture of Gournay were conducted with great persistence and vigour. They show how strong was the anxiety of Edward III. to bring his father's murderer to justice, and it is utterly impossible that there was any idea at that time that Edward II. was alive and in shelter in Italy.

Moreover, six years before the pursuit of the murderer was set on foot another and more significant scene had been enacted in Gloucestershire, between the dates October 22nd and December 20th, 1327. The accounts of the expenses for conveying the dead body of Edward II. from Berkeley to the Abbey of Gloucester still exist in full detail, and the Cathedral itself, with its Norman work overlaid, as it were, with a veil of perpendicular, is a witness of the culte of the murdered Monarch which, bringing such treasures and offerings to the Abbey, made the grave of a King the cradle of a new style.

The authors of the inscription at Melazzo have given us a chapter of history, new and curious indeed, but not, perhaps, of such a kind as to induce English students to make a pilgrimage so far as Melazzo to study it."

I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,

Bradbourne-hall, Ashbourne, Nov. 6th.

ALBERT HARTSHORNE.

And another letter from G. G. appeared on the same date.

"With respect to King Edward's escape from his would-be murderers' hand (as mentioned in The Times of November 4th) and surviving for years at Avignon, in France, and near Acqui, in Piedmont, there is a second inscription on the walls of Melazzo Castle (Acqui) stating that the document correcting the account of the King's death by the hands of assassins is by Manuel Fieschi, the Pontifical Notary at Avignon, a contemporary of Edward III., son and successor of Edward II., and was discovered by the French historian, Germain, in a mass of papers of the Bishopric of Maguelonne, compiled in 1368, and laid in the archives of the Departement de l'Hérault in 1879.

The names of the alleged murderers of the King are given in English histories as Sir Thomas Gornay and Sir John Maltravers. In the Melazzo inscription the latter is described as Sir Simon Esberford (Elberfeld?) "

Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club.

AUGUST 26TH, 1890.

By a

ON Tuesday, August 26th, the Club visited the Breconshire Beacons. singular fatality circumstances have always combined to thwart the projects of the Club in their visits to these Beacons, the elements even lending themselves as it were to join in a conspiracy of disapproval. Profiting by the experience of former years, which has shown us the futility of relying upon Brecon for a supply of carriage conveyance equal to the large demand when so attractive a locality is opened for exploration, it was determined to try the route by Railway, and the experiment proved so favourable as to recommend itself for repetition upon any future occasion. Tickets were accordingly taken at Hereford by the Midland Railway through Hay (where a contingent of fifteen members and visitors, including ladies, from the Golden Valley district joined) so far as Talyllyn Junction, whence, by arrangements with the Brecon and Merthyr Railway authorities, a special train conveyed the party to Torpantau, where they found themselves landed on the platform at an elevation of 1,314 feet above the sea-level.

The scenery between Talyllyn Junction and Torpantau is very grand. Upon the left are seen: Llangorse Lake, the largest lake, except Bala, in the whole of Wales, being three miles in length, one and a half miles broad; the Mynydd Troed range of hills, and in the left back-ground the range of the Black Mountain, terminating in the conical peak of Crow's Foot, stretching far away in the distant horizon; the Allt standing proudly ahead. The river Usk is crossed, and near the junction of the river Cavanog the station of Talybont is reached after a run of three miles. From this point the scenery increases in grandeur, and can be viewed leisurely as the train is slowly creeping along, and up, the hill on the left as it makes the ascent for a distance of 71⁄2 miles to Torpantau. Upon the right is the valley of the Usk, the river Collwn winding its way down the mountain; the valley Glyn Collwng, seven miles in length; innumerable hills, of varying magnitude; with the noble Tor in front, and the splendid heights of the Breconshire Beacons in the background, presenting a prospect gloriously grand.

From Torpantau the line continues to ascend as far as Dowlais Top, six miles further, on the road to Newport. The highest inhabited cottage in Wales1,600 feet above the level of the sea-Twyn-y-waun, is close to the Railway line here, between Pant and Dowlais Top.

At Torpantau the road leading to the Beacons was entered without delay. After proceeding for a distance of a mile and a half a farmhouse on the left is

reached, soon after passing which a road is seen bearing to the left. This road conducts to the dam over the reservoir which, collecting the waterflow from the southern side of the three Beacons supplies the town of Dowlais. Avoiding this road, the members proceeded onwards through a pelting shower for more than a mile, the road gradually ascending, until they found themselves at a pass called Bwlch-y-ddwy-allt (the pass of the two cliffs). The clothing as well as the ardour of the botanists by this time had become considerably damped, insomuch that the majority, abandoning their botanical researches with one common consent prudently kept themselves in active exercise, and seeing the summits of the Beacons in front of them, made them the goal of their pursuit. Ascending gradually and obliquely along the southern flank of the rounded hill, which in the Ordnance Map is spelled Y-Fan-big, and pursuing the same course with the next succeeding heights, the elevation of 2,910 feet above the sea was eventually reached. The two contiguous highest Beacons are within rifle range of each other. Without the aid of levelling instruments it is impossible to determine which is the highest of the two. In Transactions, 1870, p. 94, we read that the most eastern is the highest, whilst in Transactions, 1882, p. 199, we are told that the most southerly is the highest. The same locality is referred to in each statement, which will be less misleading if we say that the one which lies most south easterly is the highest. In the Ordnance Map the name Pen-y-fan is given, but to local authorities the name Cader Arthur or Arthur's Chair is more familiar. Owing to the uncertainty of the weather only a short time was spent on the summit, but fortunately the passing away of heavy clouds was temporarily succeeded by a ray of sunshine exposing a clear but limited proportion of the grand panorama exhibiting beauties and grandeur which proved a sufficient reward to the toilers who had made the ascent.

The descent was made by various routes. Some members descended into Brecon by the narrow path which skirts the intermediate Beacon upon its very steep and lofty northern slope overlooking the Cwm Serre valley so rich in rare botanical productions, thence over the shoulder of Bryn-leg into the road at Pont Cynedydd; some reached Brecon after a walk of about six miles by following the prolongation of the road from the narrow neck of Bwlch-y-ddwyallt; others returned to Torpantau by the same route as was taken in the ascent, whilst one more adventurous, regardless of boggy ground and mountain torrents visibly increasing in volume, arrived home safely by the direct line in the valley by the stream Taf-fechan leading to the reservoir dam, a route not to be recommended after rains. The members who returned to Torpantau enjoy a grateful recollection of the thoughtfulness of the more wise ladies, who had prudently returned in the earlier part of the day and had prepared afternoon tea under the hospitable roof of the Station-master's gude wife. Here clothes were dried, and notes were compared, there being amongst the ladies some excellent botanists. The finds of the day included Saxifraga hypnoides, oppositifolia, and sponhemica ; Drosera rotundifolia in blossom, some very fine specimens of Narthecium ossifragum (the bog asphodel), Asplenium viride, Sedum Rhodiola, Silene maritima (so far from the sea), Caltha palustris, var. minor, Rubus ramosus, Galium boreale,

Myosotis repens, Ranunculus Lenormandi, Hieracium nitidum, and last, but not least, a variety of this same genus whose name has not yet been determined, although it has been submitted to Rev. A. Ley, Rev. W. H. Purchas, and Mr. Hanbury.

The return train left Torpantau at 5.10 p.m. Shortly after leaving Torpantau the train enters a long tunnel, on the immediate emergence from which a grand prospect is revealed. The seven miles descent is rapidly made overlooking the valley of Glyn Collwng, seven miles in length. At the bottom of the incline the pretty little village of Aber with its picturesque bridge is reached, the Brecon Beacons on the left rear occupying the back ground in all their grandeur, the Black Forest range beyond stretching far away towards the horizon, and after passing the seventh milestone from Torpantau, the station is situated at the pretty village of Talybont.

There are many objects of antiquarian interest in this neighbourhood, which will at present only be casually referred to, as we are in hopes of the Club revisiting this locality before long. One of our members, Mr. Robert Clarke, promises us a list of the inscribed stones in this neighbourhood with drawings from rubbings taken by himself. Shortly after leaving Talybont upon the righthand is Llansaintfraed Church, about six miles from Brecon; its interior contains some interesting old monumental slabs, and in the churchyard is a flat grave-stone to the memory of Henry Vaughan, obiit 1695, physician and poet, who wrote under the signature Siluria. About four miles and a half from Brecon is Scethrog; upon the left side of the road is a cylindrical stone, about three feet six inches high, commemorating the interment of a son of Victorinus, who is supposed to have been slain in battle between the Romans and Britons. The word VICTORINI is plain, the remainder of the inscription is illegible, but Mr. Robert Clarke by burrowing traced the inscription carefully downwards, and succeeded in obtaining a correct rubbing from the original, which he exhibited. This cylindrical stone is situated at the bottom of the little dingle on the east which is called Cwmgelleddion, or Cwmgelainion or Cwmgelanedd-the dell of the slaughter, or the heaps of carcases. At Scethrog also are the remains of an old castle consisting of a large square tower with entrenchments, now the site of a farmhouse. Approaching Brecon, at the third milestone, is Llanhamlach; in the Church is fixed a portion of an Anglo-Saxon cross with interlaced scroll work, and the following inscription :-IOHANNIS, MONIDIC, - SVNEXIT. HVNC. LAPIDEM. The word sunexit is peculiar! but so it is reported. Mr. Robert Clarke has taken rubbings of an interesting effigy of a female, with this inscription :-"Here lieth the body of IAN. VZ. Humfry Standley, Earle of Darby. She married Phyllip sonne of Sir William sonne of Sir John Walby Knight and Marget VZ. IOHN AP IOHN BARON OF Scethrog and Penkelly. This IAN was mother of Sir Elipot Walby." But we must leave the remainder for Mr. Clarke to present to the memoirs of the Club upon some future occasion, when they explore this ancient road leading from Y Gaer or Caer Bannau, the ancient Bannium, to Caerleon, the head quarters of the second Roman legion. Bannium is two miles and a half distant east from Brecon, on the north side of the Usk; traces of its