MUCHELNEY ABBEY. 93 



Westminster Abbey, to the Memory of the late D r . Grabe. 

 I wish I hacl the Inscription. 



" I am, Dear Sir, 



" Your most obliged humble Servant 

 " Tho. Hearne. 



" Edm. Hall 



" Oxford Dec. 20. 



«1726. 



" We lately drank your health 



witb the Token you sent. I fre- 



quently drink it my seif. But 



when will you be here again ?" * 



I have thought proper to furnish complete copies of 

 these two letters, not only with a view of illustrating the 

 history of Muchelney, but also of em-iching my memoir 

 with the hitherto unpublished compositions of one to 

 whom every English archreologist is under such special 

 Obligation — an antiquary so well known and a scholar so 

 unwearied as Thomas Hearne. 



The subject of the Visitation of Monasteries is involved 

 in considerable obscurity. Whether it was systematic or 

 of uncertain occurrence, we have no positive knowledge. 

 Some accounts would lead us to suppose that official inves- 

 tigations into the State of the monasteries were ordinarily 

 made, and at certain intervals ; while others can hardly be 

 reconciled with such a supposition, and incline us to think 

 that the examinations in question were instituted as com- 

 plaints arose of particular and local irregularities. The 

 Benedictines assembled at Oxford in general chapter, in the 

 year 1249 ; and one result of their meeting appears to have 

 been the appointment of certain Visitors, who should inves- 

 tigate and correct abuses. By the rules which were then 



* M8. LaiisiJuvii. 778] 11. 23. 



