among their embellishments. The chapel also contains portraits of the Archbishop, Alderman Jackman, and Sir Nicholas Kempe; and the inscription, Clamamus Abba, Pater, having a quaint reference to the name of the founder, appears on scrolls in several windows of the house. The handsome apartments of the master are in the south-east part of the quadrangle: many of them are wainscoted with carved oak, and in one of them is preserved the old arm-chair used by the founder. The dining-room has another portrait of the Archbishop, together with those of the reformers, Wycliffe, Fox, and others. In the record room at the top of the spiral staircase, which occupies one of the turrets, the Duke of Monmouth was confined in 1685, on his way from the west of England to London. The late master of the institution was Mr. Russell, bookseller, of this town, to whom the public are indebted for its history in an octavo volume (published in 1801), and who served the office of mayor several times, and died father of the corporation at the advanced age of ninety-five. With an attention to the interests of the hospital highly praise-worthy, he not only added considerably to the comforts and allowances of the inmates, but laid out a large sum in repairs and improvements. His eldest son, John Russell, R. A., previously mentioned, was eminent as a crayon painter, and particularly excelled in the delineation of female beauty. He was crayon painter to the King, Prince of Wales, and Duke of York; and, notwithstanding his increasing professional employment, was enabled to complete his Selenographia, or model of the moon, a work of the highest importance to astronomy, just before his death, which took place at Hull, in 1806, in his 61st year.

Among other eminent persons born in Guildford, and whom this may be our most favourable opportunity to mention, were Robert Abbot, elder brother of Arch

bishop Abbot, who was educated with him at Baliol College, Oxford; appointed chaplain in ordinary to James I.; afterwards regius professor of divinity at Oxford; and finally raised to the see of Salisbury, a preferment which he enjoyed but two years, and died in 1617. Maurice Abbot, a younger brother of the two prelates, though bred to trade, was equally fortunate in rising to the highest dignities of which his line of life was susceptible. He became a director of the East India Company, in 1625 was chosen one of the representatives of the city of London, was lord mayor of the same city in 1638, and died in 1640.

John Parkhurst, born at Guildford, about 1511-12, became Bishop of Norwich, in 1560.

3

Guildford, in its present state, may with justice be considered one of the best inland towns of its size in the kingdom. It consists principally of one capital street, measuring from east to west something more than three furlongs; the spaciousness of which, added to the declivity of its situation, exhibits a very striking appearance, particularly to strangers. By the return. made under the act of 1811, it appeared that this towncontained 495 inhabited houses, and that the total amount of the population was 2974.

Guildford is a corporation by prescription, being con

sidered as such in the earliest of its written charters extant, which is that of Henry III., A. D. 1256, and the precise reign in which its privileges were granted being unknown. Its government is vested in a mayor, recorder, seven magistrates, and an indeterminate number of bailiffs, who very seldom, however, exceed twenty. By these a court is held every three weeks, and they have the power of adjudging criminals to death at the general sessions.

The county assizes are held here alternately with Croydon and Kingston. The borough has sent two members to parliament ever since the 23d of Edward I. :

these are chosen by the freemen and freeholders, who pay scot and lot, and reside within it; but the size of the present town nearly doubles that of the ancient borough. The election for the county members, also, always takes place at Guildford. It has two annual fairs, on May 4th, and November 2d, for horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs; and a weekly market on Saturday. The distance from London is thirty miles. The noble family of North enjoy the title of Earl of Guildford.

The Bridge of five arches, at the western extremity of the town, originally constructed of stone, has been some years widened with brick, and the centre arch made passable for barges. A cold bath was formed at a house in its neighbourhood, for the use of the inhabitants, by the late Lord Grantley, in 1775. And perhaps we should not omit to mention that Guildford contains also a Charityschool, a Roman-catholic Chapel, and Meeting-houses for congregations of Quakers, Presbyterians, and Baptists. Various recent improvements in the town and its vicinity are sufficient evidence that its wealth and importance are yearly on the increase.

Eastward of the town, in the parish of Stoke, is Spital House, where the court leet, and court baron of the manor of Poyle, are annually held. By whom, or at what time, the Spital, as it is sometimes called, or hospital, was founded, is unknown. Speed mentions a house of Crutched Friars at Guildford, which, it is probable, might afterwards dwindle into this hospital; and the opinion is supported by the circumstance, that a small and evidently very ancient building, which from appearances might have been the chapel, is still to be seen contiguous. More latterly, the house has been appropriated to the reception of a cripple, on the alternate recommendation of the town of Guildford and the county at large; but since 1698, it has been usual to admit on a vacancy any person who is recommended by the magistrates of the corporation. About two miles from the