
By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.8.A. 347 
d’Armes’ by Christine of Pisa, an Italian Lady of the fifteenth 
century; and another by the same authoress, called “ Hector and 
Othea,” translated into English by Stephen Scrope, of Castle Combe, 
in Wiltshire, son-in-law of Sir John Falstaff (not the fat knight of 
Shakespeare). “The Temple of Glasse,” a poem commonly said to 
have been written by Chaucer, and included in his works. But it 
was not by him. It is now called the “Isle of Ladies.” The 
Longleat copy is the only MS. of it known. Also several other 
MSS. of the poems of Chaucer and Lydgate. In one called “Ipo- 
medon,” by Lydgate, there is the written autograph (of great rarity) 
of Richard III., when Duke of Gloucester, with a motto “ Tant le 
desirée.” I may just mention as a sample of the value of MSS., 
especially when, as in this case, they happen to contain any rare 
autograph, that only a few weeks ago at an auction in London,.a 
little MS. which happened to have this very autograph signature 
in it was sold for the marvellous sum of £331. 
Besides all the books and MSS. to which I have only very slightly 
referred there is a vast quantity of original documents at Longleat, 
which have been all arranged. For easier classification they may be 
distinguished as 1. Prrsonat, and 2. TopograpHicaL. The Personal 
documents relate to families, and include a great deal that refers to 
many of the historical houses of the country. I only name, very cur- 
sorily, a few: Stafford Duke of Buckingham, the Veres, Seymour 
Duke of Somerset: Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, (among which 
was found an original letter from Amy Robsart) and the three 
Earls of Essex of the Devereux family. Also twenty eight volumes 
of Papers collected by Whitelocke the ambassador to Sweden, and a 
chest full of documents, State-papers and correspondence of Henry 
Coventry, Secretary of State in 1672. Likewise a quantity of 
original letters of celebrated historical characters, among which is 
_ the autograph letter of Cardinal Wolsey, written on the day of his 
degradation,to Gardiner Bishop of Winchester, signed “'T. Cardina- 
lis Ebor miserrimus.” 
The Topographical department is very large and curious, contain- 
_ ing documents relating to ancient estates in a great many counties in 
England and Wales, especially, of course, Somerset and Wilts. There 
