Arrow glanced that flew Rufus. In King Charles II.'s time, the Tree was ordered to be furrounded with a Pale, great Part of which is now fallen down: and whether the Tree they fhew us, be really fo old, or not, is to me a great Question, the Fact being above 600 Years ago.

I cannot omit mentioning here a Propofal made fome Years ago to the Lord Treafurer Godolphin, for repeopling this Foreft; which I can be more particular in*, than any other Man, because I had the Honour to draw up the Scheme, and argue it before that noble Lord, and fome others, who were principally concerned, at that time, in bringing over, or rather providing for, when they were come over, the poor Inhabitants of the Palatinate; a thing in itself commendable; but, as it was managed, made of no Benefit to England, and miferable to thofe poor People.

Some Perfons being ordered by the noble Lord abovementioned, to confider of Measures how thofe People fhould be provided for, without Injury to the Public, NEW FOREST in Hampshire was fingled out to be the Place for them.

Here it was propofed to draw a great fquare Line, containing 4000 Acres of Land, marking out two large Highways or Roads through the Centre, croffing both Ways; fo that there fhould be 1000 Acres in each Divifion, exclufive of the Land contained in the faid Cross-roads.

Then to fingle out 20 Men, and their Families, who fhould be recommended, as honeft induftrious People, expert in Husbandry, or at leaft capable of being inftructed in it. To each of these fhould be parcelled, but in equal Diftributions, 200 Acres of this Land; fo that the whole 4000 Acres fhould be distributed to the faid 20 Families; for which they should have no Rent to pay, and be liable to no Taxes, but fuch as would provide for their own Sick or Poor, repairing their VOL. I.

P

The Writer of this Part, was the fair ous Danil de Fos.

own

own Roads, &c. This Exemption to continue for 20 Years, and then to pay each 50l. a Year to the Crown.

To each of thefe Families it was propofed to advance 2007. in ready Money, as a Stock to fet them to work, and to hire and pay Labourers to inclose, clear, and cure the Land; which, it was fuppofed, the first Year, could not be fo much to their Advantage, as following Years; allowing them Timber out of the Foreft to build themfelves Houses and Barns, Sheds and Offices, as they fhould have Occafion; alfo for Carts, Waggons, Ploughs, Harrows, and the like neceffary Implements.

Thefe 20 Families would, by the Confequence of their own Settlements, employ and maintain fuch a Proportion of others of their own People, that the whole Number of Palatines would have been provided for, had they been many more than they were; and that without being any Burden upon, or Injury to, the People of England; on the contrary, they would have been an Advantage, and an Addition of Wealth and Strength, to the Nation, and to the Country, in particular, where they fhould be thus feated.

Two Things would have been answered by the Execution of this Scheme; viz.

1. That the annual Rent to be received for all those Lands, after 20 Years, would abundantly pay the Public for the first Disburses.

2. More Money than would have done this, was thrown away upon them here, to keep them in Sufpence, and afterwards ftarve them; fending them a begging all over the Nation, and shipping them off to perifh in other Countries.

The Spot, where the Defign was laid out, was near Lindhurst, in the Road from Romfey to Lymington: whither I now directed my Course,

Lymington

Lymington is a little, but populous Sea-port, standing oppofite to the Isle of Wight, in the narrow Part of the Streight, through which Ships fometimes pafs in fair Weather, called the Needles; and right against the antient Town of South-Yarmouth, in that Ifle. This Town of Lymington is chiefly noted for returning two Members to Parliament, and for making excellent Salt: from whence all these South Parts of England are fupplied, as well by Water, as Land-carriage.

From hence are but few Towns on the Sea-coast Weft; though feveral confiderable Rivers empty themselves into the Sea: nor are there any Harbours or Sea-ports of Note, except Pool; which I fhall take notice of in my next Letter. As for Chrift-church, though it stands at the Mouth of the Avon, which, as I have faid, comes down from Salisbury, and brings with it all the Waters of the South and Eaft Parts of Wiltshire, and receives also the Stour and Piddle, two Dorfetfhire Rivers, which bring with them all the Waters of the North Part of Dorsetshire, yet it is a very inconfiderable poor Place, fcarce worth feeing, although it returns two Members to Parliament.

But here I will clofe this my Fifth Letter, with afsuring you, that I am,

VI.

LETTER

Containing a Defcription of the County of DORSET, Part of SOMERSETSHIRE, DEVONSHIRE, CORNWALL, &c.

I

SIR,

NOW enter into the County of Dorfet; and firft I rode North-weft into it, to fee the antient Town of Wimburn, or Wimburnminfter. The Churches hereabouts, as well as the neighbouring County of Hants, called Minfters, were built by the Saxon Kings on their Conversion to Chriftianity. The Town ftands in a large extended fertile Vale, like a Meadow, with much Wood about it. The Rivers abound with Fish. Here was a Nunnery built in the Year 712. by Cuthberga, Sifter to King Ina. The Church is a very great one, antient, and well-built, with a very firm, trong fquare Tower, confiderably high; but was, without doubt, much nobler, when on the Top of it ftood a most exquifite Spire, finer, and taller, if Fame may may be credited, than that of Salisbury; and, by its Situation, in a plainer, flatter Country, visible, no queftion, much farther: but this most beautiful Ornament was blown down by a fudden Tempeft of Wind, as they tell us, in the Year 1622.

In this Church are the Monuments of several noble Families, and of King Etheldred, who was flain in Battle by the Danes. He was a Prince famed for Piety; and, according to the Zeal of thofe Times, was efteemed a Martyr, because he died fighting for his Religion and his Country, against the Pagan Danes. The Infcription upon his Grave is preferved, and has been carefully repaired, fo as eafily to be read, and is as follows:

In hoc loco quiefcit Corpus S. Etheldredi, Regis
Weft Saxonum, Martyris, qui Anno Dom.
DCCCLXXII. xxiii. Aprilis, per Manus
Danorum Paganorum occubuit.

That is,

Here refts the Body of St. Etheldred, King of the Weft Saxons, and Martyr, who fell by the Hands of the Pagan Danes, in the Year of our Lord 872. the 23d of April.

Here alfo are the Monuments of the great Marchionefs of Exeter, Mother of Edward Courtney, Earl of Devonshire, and laft of the Family of Courtneys, who enjoyed that Honour; as alfo of John de Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, and his Wife, Grandmother of King Henry VII. by her Daughter Margaret, Countefs of Richmond.

This laft Lady I mention, becaufe fhe was Foundrefs of a very fine Free-fchool; which has fince been inlarged, and had a new Benefactress in Queen Elizabeth, who augmented the Stipend, and annexed it to the Foundation. The famous Cardinal Pool was Dean of this Church before his Exaltation.

The Inhabitants of Wimburnminfter are numerous, but poor, and chiefly maintained by the Manufacture of knitting Stockens; which employs great Part of the County of Dorfet; of which this is the firft Town Eastward.

Wimburn St. Giles's in this Neighbourhood, is a very handsome Seat belonging to the Earl of Shaftesbury.

From hence I went to Ringwood, upon the River Avon, over a deep fandy Moor. It is a large thriving, Place, full of good new Brick Houfes, feated by the Side of a great watery Valley; the River dividing itfelf into feveral Streams, and frequently overflowing large Quantities of the Meadow. Here they deal pretty much in Leather, Stockens, Druggets, and narrow Cloth.