Huic peperit natam; â partu, cum septimus orbem
Sol illustrasset, mors trueulenta necat.
Defunctam madidis famuli deflemus ocillis.
Humescit tristes terra Britanna genus;
Nos infelices mæror consumit acerbus-
Inter cœlestes gaudet at illa choos.-

The Rev. Mr. Haggett, a very accurate antiquary, has given undoubted authority for the death of this Queen, in the castle of Sudley, in Gloucestershire, September 5, 1548; and, for her interment, in the chapel there. Probably he alludes to a very ancient M.S. in the Herald's College, intitled "A Book of Buryalls of trew Noble Persons. No. 15, P. 98, 99, entitled a Breviate of the interment of the Lady Katherine Parr, Queen-Dowager;" which goes on

"Item. On Wednesdaye the 5 Septembre, between 2 or 3 of the clocke in the morninge, died the aforesaid Ladye, late Quene Dowager, at the castle of Sudley com. Gloucestershire, 1548, and lyeth buried in the chapell of the said castell.

"Item. She was cearid and chested in lead accordinglie, and so remained, &c."

This account being published in Rudder's new History of Gloucestershire, raised the curiosity of some ladies, who happened to be at the castle, in May 1782, to examine the ruined chapel, and observing a large block of alabaster fixed in the north wall of the chapel, they imagined it might be the back of a monument formerly placed there. Led by this hint, they opened the ground, not far from the wall, and not much more than a foot

from the surface, they found a leaden envelope, which they opened in two places on the face and breast, and found it to contain a human body, wrapped in cerecloth.

Upon examining what covered the face, they discovered the features, and particularly the eyes, in perfect preservation. Alarmed at this sight, and with the smell, which came principally from the cerecloth, they ordered the ground to be thrown in immediately, without judiciously closing up the cerecloth, and lead, which covered the face; only observing enough to convince them that it was the body of Queen Catherine.

In May, 1784, some persons having curiosity again to open the grave, found that the air, rain, and dirt, having come to the face, it was entirely destroyed, and nothing left but the brain. It was then immediately covered up.

October 14, 1786, the body was perfect, as it had not been opened. The cerecloth consisted of many folds of coarse linen dipped in wax, tar, and, perhaps, some gum. Over this was wrapt a sheet of lead, fitted exactly close to the body. On that part of the lead which covered the breast, was the following inscription:

К. Р.

Here lyethe Quene
Katheryne wife to Kyng
Henry the VIII. and
the wife of Thomas,
Lord of Sudeley, high
Admy.... of Englond,
And ynkle to Kyng
Edward the VI.

.......y..MCCCCC
XL VIII.

The Queen must have been of low stature, as the lead which inclosed her corpse was but five feet four inches long. The letters K. P. above the inscription, was the signature she commonly used; though, sometimes, she signs herself Keteryn the Quene.'