AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. 131 



yacht, the Victoria and Albert, to which important post 

 he had just been appointed. A portrait of this gentleman 

 appears in the "Graphic" of December 27th, 1873. 



The Church at Portlemouth, which is dedicated to 

 St. Onolaus, stands on very high ground, and commands 

 extensive views of the neighbourhood. It is an ancient 

 cruciform edifice, somewhat dilapidated, but contains a very 

 beautifully carved oak screen. The stone font is also very 

 ancient ; but we could not learn the probable date of either 

 font or screen. At the west end of the churchyard there 

 is a lych-gate, not uncommon in Devonshire, but seldom 

 seen elsewhere. ? Some of the inscriptions on the tombstones 

 are becoming almost obliterated by time and exposure to the 

 weather — indeed we looked in vain for some of the old 

 epitaphs which were legible a few years ago, and failed 

 altogether to discover a curious one which we copied not 

 many years since, respecting a master who had been 

 poisoned by his servant girl. It was as follows : — 



"Through poison strong he was cut off, 

 And brought to deajh at last; 

 It was by his apprentice girl, 

 On whom there's sentence past. 

 may all people warning take, 

 For she was burned to a stake !" 



The tombstone bears date May 25th, 1782, and the 

 execution of the criminal was performed at Exeter; but in 

 her case the burning did not take place until after death 

 by hanging. This is the last recorded instance in the 

 country, it is believed, of the infliction of burning as a 

 punishment for poisoning. 



Very different are the relations between master and 

 servant recorded in the following inscription : — 



