Fortified, and the Castle strengthened-by order of William I.

the last instance of its suffering from hostile attack: and, in tracing the early history of Warwick, it will be thought not a little remarkable that, from its foundation to the period of the Norman conquest, the town was either greatly injured, or totally destroyed, no less than six successive times; nor can a more decisive proof be demanded of its ancient consequence, than that it should have been so often assailed and destroyed, and as often repaired or rebuilt. From all the injuries it suffered, in the last attack of the Danes, the town quickly recovered: and, at the era of the Conquest, it is not only mentioned,* in Domesday Book, as a borough " burgus" containing 261 houses; but was also evidently regarded as a place of considerable strength and importance.

Ar that period, the name of its Earl or Ficecount, was TURCHILL, a nobleman of great power and vast possessions in this and the neighbouring counties. As the conqueror, in order to secure his newly-acquired authority had determined to repair the fortified places, and to erect others in various parts of his dominions; TURCHILL was directed by him to fortify the town and the castle of Warwick. In pursuance of this order, the town was surrounded with strong walls and a ditch: and the castle was strengthened and enlarged-which, till that time, consisted of little more than the keep or dungeon. On this occasion, four houses, belonging to the Priors of Coventry, were demolished.

• For an extract from Domesday Book of all that relates to Warwick, see Appendix, No. 1.

A long catalogue of his numerous Estates, amounting to no less than 48, may be seen in DUGDALE, Orig. Edit. p. 392 and THOMAS's Edit. p. 376-7.

Ancient Churches and other Edifices.

THESE original fortifications were afterwards repaired, and the pavement of the town was begun in the reign of EDW. I. by GUY DE BEAUCHAMP, though not finished till long after; who, in order to defray the expense, obtained from that prince and from his successors, patents for receiving a certain toll upon all commodities, brought for sale at the public markets. Some remains of these fortifications were visible in the time of LELAND, who began his Itinerary in the reign of HENRY VII. 1538. "The towne of Warwick" says he, "has beene right strongly ditched and walled, having the compasse of a good mile within its walls. The dike is most manifestly perceived from the castle to the West gate; and there is the great crest of earth that the walles stood on. Part of the walles neere the gates are yet

seene. The East and West gates still remaine. The The strength of the bridge, by

north gate is downe.

the castle, stood for the South gate."*

THE religious edifices of Warwick, those, at least, established by public authority, were in former times much more numerous, than in the present. But this difference is nearly compensated by the introduction of other places of worship, which, tho' not established or supported, are, however, wisely and liberally protected by the state. Besides the two churches of St. Mary and St. Nicholas, which now remain; there were formerly one dedicated to All Saints, within the precincts of the castle; another to St. John the Baptist, in the market place; a third to St. James, over the West. gate; a fourth to Saint Peter, over the East gate; a fifth to St. Sepulchre, where the Priory now stands;

✦ Itin. vol. iv. p. 61.

Religious Institutions dissolved-Represented in Parliament.

a sixth to St. Helen, near the Bridge-end; and two others, to St. Michael and St. Lawrence, the former at the lower end of the Saltisford, and the latter at that of the West Street. There were, also, besides the Priory, a Nunnery, a House of Templars, a Hospital for the reception of strangers, called St John's, all situated near St. Nicholas' Church: a hospital for Lepers, near St. Michael's; a House of Preaching Friars, commonly called the Black Friars, near the West-street, and two Guilds, or Lay Fraternities, at the upper end of the same street.

Of the original foundation, and subsequent history of these various ancient edifices, little is known; but it appears that, in the reign of EDW. III. the churches of St. John, St. Michael, St. Lawrence, St. Peter, and St. James were falling fast into decay; and that some of them were, besides, without the convenience of ground for sepulture. It was found, also, that the church of St. Mary, together with that of St. Nicholas, was of a size sufficient to accommodate all that usually resorted to the public services of religion. To these two churches only, by an ecclesiastical decree, bearing date 1367, all the inhabitants were, therefore, required to repair, for the purposes of public devotion. The other churches were then abandoned to their fate; and, in the progress of time, by decay and dilapidation, most of them disappeared, leaving not a trace behind. The other religious or charitable institutions continued till the time of the Reformation, when they were all dissolved.

Ar what period of time Warwick began to send Members to Parliament, cannot be ascertained. From the Rolls of Parliament, however, it appears that it

Office of Mayor instituted—Town incorporated.

was represented in that Assembly, as early as any of the boroughs. DUGDALE* refers to an order, in the 28th of EDW. I. addressed to the municipal officers of the town, to defray the reasonable expences of WILL. DE STODELY and PHILIP DE ROUS for their services in Parliament, in that year at Westminster; and also to a similar order, in the reign of EDWARD III.

NOR does it appear when the office of Mayor was first instituted; nor whether, after its institution, it continued without interruption. The first of the orders just mentioned, was addressed to the Mayor and Bailiffs; the second, to the Bailiffs only; and yet in the 7th of Edw. I. one THOMAS PAYN is mentioned, as bearing the office of Mayor.

Whatever prescriptive right, the inhabitants might claim, it was not, according to DUGDALE, till the reign of PHILIP and MARY, that they were INCORPORATED by royal charter, under the name of Bailiff and Burgesses, with powers to elect certain officers, and enact laws, for the regulation of the town. But from LEONARD'S Visitation of Warwickshire, taken in 1619,|| it appears that the town was certainly incorporated as early as the 37th of HEN. VIII. by the name of Burgesses only. In the reign of King JAMES I. a new charter was granted, which did little more than give confirmation to the former. This was followed, in the reign of WILL. and MARY, by another and a last charter, bearing date March 5, 1694, under the authority of which the Corporation now act; and of which, therefore, an abstract will be given in the Appendix.§

DUGDALE'S Warwickshire, Orig. Ed p. 341.

the possession of WM. STAUNTON, Esq.

B

This ancient M. S. is in

Appendix, No. 2.

Town destroyed by a great Fire.

In the same year, 1694, happened the GREAT FIRE, which left more than half the town a heap of smoaking ruins. On the 5th of September in that year, about two in the afternoon, it is related, as a person was crossing a lane, with a piece of lighted wood in his hand, a spark flew from it, and fell on the thatch of an adjoining house, which was soon in flames. Thus commencing near the south-western extremity of the High Street, the fire rapidly spread, aided by a most violent and boisterous wind, utterly destroying both sides of that street, and extending thence some way down Jury Street. It then changed its direction, and advancing up the Church Street, it entirely consumed the eastern side; and extended on the western, with destructive fury, as far as the Market Place, great part of which was laid level with the ground. Some houses in Sheep Street were also destroyed; and the flames were unfortunately communicated to St. Mary's Church, from some half-burnt goods which were conveyed into it, as a place of safety. The body of that venerable structure was burnt down; but happily the chancel, the chapterhouse, and the Beauchamp chapel escaped. In the short space of six hours, the habitations of no less than 250

The following is taken from the HARL. M. S. 6839. F. 342. in the British Museum.—

"An account of the dreadfull fire at Warwick, which happened the 5th Instant, at 2 in the afternoone.

"This irresistible fire in five hours time consumed all the High Street, Church Street, Ship Street, the Great Church, many Lanes, and other Buildings: the how ses are numbered at present at 460lb.; the damage at the least amounts to 120,000lb.; this account was sent yesterday to our Bishop, with a particular of the money already sent for their Reliefe, Coventry, 200lb, Birmingham, 100lb. Lord BROOKE, 40lb. Lord COVENTRY, 30b. in all about, 600lb. and wee are just going to make a collection for the support of the miserable Inhabitants.—Worcester, Sept. 10, 1694."