We cannot sufficiently censure such irreverence to
"hoar antiquity," or the contracted and grovelling ideas
which actuate such village Vandals.
[4] The following letter was addressed by Layton, one of the
emissaries of the Dissolution, to Lord Cromwell, at the
Reformation:--
"Please your worship to understand that the Abbot of Fountaynes
hath so greatly dilapidated his house, wasted ye woods,
notoriously keeping six ------; and six days before our coming,
he committed theft and sacrilege, confessing the same; for at
midnight he caused the chapleyne to stele the keys of the secton,
and took out a jewel, a cross of gold with stones; one _Warren_,
a goldsmith of the Chepe, was with him in his chamber at the
hour, and there they stole out a great emerode with a rubye, the
said _Warren_ made the Abbot believe the rubye was a garnet,
and so for that he paid nothing for the emerode, but L20. He
sold him also plate, without weight or ounces.
"Subscribed, your poor Priest
and faithful servant,
R. LAYTON."
* * * * *
THE ANECDOTE GALLERY
* * * * *
PALEY.
Paley would employ himself in his Natural Theology, and then gather his
peas for dinner, very likely gathering some hint for his work at the same
time. He would converse with his classical neighbour, Mr.
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