108 PAPEKS, ETC. 



y^ breaking up of y^ House, and their sorrowfull departlng, 

 & y^ sudden Spoil y' feil y*^ same day of thelr depar- 



ture from y^ House The Cliurch was y^ 



Ist tliing that was put to y'' Spoll, and then y'^ Abbat's 

 Lodgine, Dortor and Frater, with y^ Cloister and all y*' 



Buildings thereabout within y'= Abbey AYalls 



It would have pitied any Heart to see what tearing up of 

 y'' Lead there was, & plucking up of Boards, and tlirow- 

 ing down of y^ Sparres, and when y'' Lead was torn off and 

 cast down into y'^ Cburch, and y*^ Tombs in tbe Church 



all broken, and all things of Price either 



spoiled, carped away, or defaced to the uttermost." •>' 



It is not improbable that on the very day that, as I 

 believe, the former of these extracts was written a slmilar 

 scene was exhibited at Taunton. The Surrender had been 

 signed, as we have already noticed, on the 12tli of the 

 previous month ; and we may be sure that it was not long 

 before the demons of destruction were let loose to do their 

 work. The demand for help just quoted, however, is suffi- 

 cieiit proof that little assistance was obtained from the 

 neighbourhood of the Monasteries. The agents of the 

 tyrant had to bring abandoned and hardened ruffians from 

 London to do their will and to execute their maudates. 

 I need not attempt to draw more minutely the fearfnl 

 picture of outrage, turmoil, blood, and fire. The walls 

 Avhich had for so many centuries resounded to the praises 

 of God and the sounds of piety and learning were now 

 invaded by a crew, whose very presence was a poUution 

 and whose very aspect was a curse. The work of whole 

 ages of faith and patience Avas in a few dreadful hours 

 mercilessly destroyed and utterly ruined. But I forbear 



* MS Cole, vo!. xii., pp. 31, 32. 



