PART II. 



CHAPTER I. 



WORTHIES. 



[ IN this chapter Aubrey has transcribed that portion of Fuller's Worthies of England which 

 relates to celebrated natives of the county of Wilts ; but as Fuller's work is so well known, it is un- 

 necessary to print Aubrey's extracts from it here. He has interspersed them with additional matter 

 from which the following passages are selected. J. B.] 



PRINCES. There is a tradition at Wootton Basset that King Richard the Third was born at 

 Vasthome [Fastcrne] , now the seate of the earle of Rochester. This I was told when I was there 

 in 1648. Old Mr. Jacob, then tenant there to the Lady Inglefield, was then eighty yeares old, 

 and the like other old people there did affirme. 



[According to the best authorities, this tradition is incorrect : Richard was born in Fotheringhay 

 Castle, Northamptonsliire, on the 2d of October, 1452. J. B.] 



Anne, eldest daughter of Sir Edward Hyde, Knight, was born at Purton, in this county, and 

 married to His Royal Highnesse James Duke of Yorke, [James II.] by whom she left issue Mary 

 Queen of England, and Anne Princesse of Denmark [afterwards Queen]. 



SAINTS. St. Adelm. There was a great bell at Malmesbury Abbey, which they called St 

 Adelm's bell, which was accounted a telesman, and to have the power, when it was rang, to drive 

 away the thunder and lightning. I remember there is such a great bell at St Germain's Abbey at 

 Paris, which they ring to the aforesayd purpose when it thunders and lightens. Old Bartlemew 

 and other old people of Malmesbury had by tradition severall stories of miracles donn by St. Adelm 

 some whereof I wrott down heretofore ; now with Mr. Anth. Wood at Oxford. [St Adelm, or 

 more correctly Aldhelm, is mentioned in page 42, ante. His life was written by William of 

 Malmesbury, and published by the Rev. Henry Wharton, in his " Anglia Sacra." (fol. 1691.) 

 J. B.] 



Methinkes it is pitie that Ela, daughter of [William] Longespe Earl of Salisbury, should be here 

 omitted. [See ante, p.70 ] 



PRELATES. Since the Reformation. Alexander Hyde, LL.D r ., sonn of Sir Laurence Hyde, and 

 brother to Sir Robert Hyde, Lord Cheif Justice of the King's Bench, was born, I believe, at Hele, 

 in this county. He was made Bishop of Salisbury 1665. 



STATESMEN. William Eark of Pembroke [the second of that name] . In the east windowe of the 

 south aisle of the church at Wilton is this following inscription in gothick black letter : " . . . 



