Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/497

 S. NO 25., JUNE 21. '56.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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apartment which contained a concealed closet. . . one of those refuges from the intolerant and persecuting spirit of other times, commonly called a ' priests' hole.'

" Here in those days, when papists were hunted down like noxious animals, and the external observance of the Romish ritual subjected its officiating ministers to the pains and penalties of felony, Catholic families were wont to secrete their domestic chaplains when the informer and the legal functionary were in search of their destined victims." This house, and the adjoining estate, was long 'possessed by the family of Venables. In default of male heirs, the property and mansion of Woodcote descended to three sisters, one of whom, under the rustic title of Madam Venables, is still 'remembered as ably supporting the dignity and formality of a lady of the manor of the olden time.

The old family mansion of the Tichbornes of TICH- BORNE exhibited many of the characteristics of feudal times. On entering through a massy porch, a passage presented itself, with the buttery hatch on one side, and a row of open arches leading to the baronial hall on the other. A gallery ran round this venerable apartment. . . . A wide chimney yawned on one side; and on the other, deeply embayed in the thickness of the wall, were two large windows, whose recesses, as was the fashion of former days, were frequently filled with implements of sylvan sport. At the farther end, a raised step led to the parlour, and a staircase of black oak conducted to the gallery and the various rooms with which it communi- cated. A complication of secret passages, apartments, and stairs ; a court yard, surrounded by the offices ; a chapel, and a moat ; completed the picture of one of the halls of our forefathers. . . The old house at HINTON AMPNER was subjected to the evil report of being haunted, and Mr. Duthy adds, "that strange and unaccountable circum- stances did occur there : for it was within the recollection of some then living, that the peace and comfort of a most respectable and otherwise strong-minded lady, at that time the occupant of the house, were essentially inter- fered with by noises and interruptions that to her ap- peared awful and unearthly, impressing on her mind a belief that they had their origin in something more than human agency. The lady's brother, no less a personage than he for whom fate had in reserve the glorious tro- phies of the victory off St. Vincent, endeavoured in vain to penetrate the mystery. The gallant officer watched night after night, eager to detect the imposition which it was suspected was practised by the servants of the family; and although he heard the noises, and experi- enced the interruptions so frequently repeated, he was unable to ascertain their source, while he was compelled to acknowledge the reality of their existence. Indeed it was difficult to eradicate from the long harassed mind of the lady of the house, a belief in the existence of some super-human agency, or to convince her that the domes- tics of her family were the contrivers of the artifices which so cruelly injured her peace of mind, and induced her to give up possession of the mansion ; but afterwards, when the house was taken down, it became obvious how the mystery had been carried on. It was then discovered, that in the thickness of the walls were private passages and stairs not generally known to exist, which afforded secret means of communication; and, independently of that gloom and intricacy of arrangement pervading most old edifices, offered peculiar facilities for carry- ing on without detection the mysteries of a haunted hoiise."

Fortunately we live in better times. The days, when priests were compelled by the severity of unjust laws to seek for hiding-places, and their

friends for their protection under the necessity of raising and circulating idle stories of ghosts and haunted houses, are gone never to return ; edu- cation and intelligence having superseded tyranny and bigoted intolerance. HENRY EDWARDS.

EARLY MISSAL : ABP. RICHARD SCROPE.

The following is a copy of a memorandum written by Dr. Harbin, librarian to the first and second Viscounts Weymouth at Longleat, de- scriptive of an early Missal, which had been lent to him by Mr. Thomas Fairfax, and which was remarkable for its pictures of Archbishop Scrope, and the allusions to his canonisation. Is it known whether this Missal is at present in existence ; and, if so, where ? A. MX.

" Out of a MS. Missal on vellum 8 VO, written before the year 1445, as is evident from a note in the Kalendar, in. y c month of August of that year, by a different hand.

" This MS. was in the hands of M r Tho 3 Fairfax of London, who lent it me, 1715, July 21 st.

" Among the illuminations or pictures of Saints in that book, is one of Richard Scrope, A. BP of York, in his pon- tificalibus, his mitre on his head, and his crozier in his hand ; to whom one is represented kneeling, w th a labell round his head, on w ch are these words : Sancte Ricarde Scrope ora pro nobis. Then follow some versicles and a prayer to him, viz. :

" ' Gemma lucis et virtutis, Laus et decus Senectutis, Eboraci gloria. Prassul vice veritatis, Imitator paupertatis, Spernens mundi gaudia. O Kicarde Martyr Christi, Dira passus morte tristi, Ex magna dementia Due nos illuc quo Isetaris, Tu qui tot opitularis,

Mira cum potentia, Confer nobis relevamen, Mentis tolle nunc gravamen

Ttia? precis gratia, Ut possimus te laudare Et laudando congregare

In ccelesti patria.'

' " Oratio.

" ' Deus qui beatum Ricardum Prtesulem tuum et Mar- tyrem virtute constantia; in su, passione roborasti, ct gloriosissimo Martyri tuo Thomaj, per Martyrii palmam meritis coasquasti : tribue nobis, quffisumus, ejus gloriam celebrantibus prospera inundi despicere et nulla ejus ad- versa formidare.

"'Amen.'

" At the end of the book is another picture of St. Richard in his pontificalibus, his mitre on his head, his crozier in his left hand, and a small wind-mill held up in his right.

" This St. Richard was no other than Richard Scrope, A. UP of York, who took up amis ag l K. Henry IV. w th the Earl of Northumberland, for which crime they were both beheaded."