226 S"HREWSfiURV, 



following week he climbed up, taking with him a 

 drum, and a long bow and arrows. He flood up- 

 right on the crofs, beat the drum, and fhot an arrow 

 from the bow. On the 13 th of March he again 

 went up, and turned the weather-cock round like a 

 wheel : he fhook about his hands and legs, and con- 

 tinued hallowincc and fhouLin^r there for more than 

 two hours. In every one of thefe daring exploits 

 the man was in a (late of intoxication. 



If we may believe a manufcript written by the 

 reverend Dr._ Taylor, and depofited in the Free 

 School library, the devil appeared in St. Alkmund's 

 church in the year 1533, as the prieft was at high 

 niafs. - During a great temped and darknefs he 

 pafTed through the church, mounted up the ileeple, 

 and, tearing avN^ay the wires of the clock, left the 

 print of his claws on tlie fourth bell ; and in his 

 v/ay out took off one of the pinnacles ! This is a 

 fmgular mode of accounting for a violent thunder- 

 ftorm, and it will appear the more fmgular when 

 the reader is informed, that the prince of darknefs 

 on this occafion appeared clad in the habit of a grey 

 friar ! 



Si. Maj-ys church bears the appearance of great 

 antiquity. The fouth and weft entrances are be- 

 neath arches of Norinan architedure. This church 

 v/as founded by l^ing Edg:\r, and it formerly had a 

 dean and feven prebendaries. Before the founda- 

 tion of the abbey, it V\-as efteemed the principal 

 church in the town, 'It is a donative, and in. the 



nomi- 



