1843.] 
THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE. 
349 
in Pall-mall, consisting of avaluable collection of autograph 
letters, &c., by the most celebrated literary and political 
characters of the last century. The chief object of attrac- 
tion, however, was an autograph by Shakspeare, affixed to 
a deed of bargain and sale of a house in Blackfriars, pur- 
chased by him from Henry Walker, dated March 10, 1612, 
with the seals attached. The situation and boundaries of 
the tenement in question are fully described in the deed, and 
the interest is greatly enhanced by a detail of places in its 
immediate vicinity, and a list of persons who rented the 
adjacent property, as follows :—‘* All that dwelling-house 
or tenement, with the appurtenances, situate and beings 
within the precinct, circuit, an compasse of the late 
Blackfiryers, London, sometymes in the tenure of James 
Gardyner, Esquior, and since that in the tenure of John 
Ffortescue, Gent., and now or late being in the tenure 
or occupation of one William Ireland ; abutting upon a 
streete leading down to Puddle Wharffe on the East part, 
right against the King’s Maiesties wardrobe; part of 
which said tenement is erected over a great gate leading 
toa Capitul Mesnage, wch was sometime in the tenure 
of William Blackwell, Esquior, and since then in the 
occupation of the right honourable Henry, now Karle of 
Northumberland.” The indenture is stated at the com- 
mencement to be “ Betweene Henry Walker citizein and 
minstrell of London of the one partie, and William 
Shakespeare, of Stratford upon Avon, in the countie of 
Warwicke, gentleman, William Johnson, citizien and 
vintener of London, John Jackson and John Hemyng of 
London, gentlemen, of the other ptie ;” the property being 
conveyed to all four ; that Shakespeare himself is declared 
to have paid the consideration-money, amounting to 1402. 
The document, moreover, contains internal evidence, 
showing that Shakespeare was the sole purchaser of the 
~premises, which he afterwards bequeathed in his will to 
his daughter Susanna Hall, in the following words :— 
“All that messuage or ten’te, wth th’app’tennes, lyeing 
and being in the blackffryers in London, nere the Ward- 
robe”—evidently the same house. n the back of the 
ng witnesses, “ Sealed 
and delivered by the said William Shakespeare, William 
Johnson, and John Jackson, in the pnee of Will. Atkin- 
son, Ed. Overy, Robert Andrewes, scrivener, and Henry 
Lawrence, servant to the same scrivener,” whose seals it 
bears, with the initials “* H. L.” upon them. This im- 
portant document was sold by Messrs, Evans about two 
years since, when it was purchased by a Mr. Poynder, of 
Christ's Hospital, for the sum of one hundred and sixty- 
five guineas. After a few preliminary observations from 
Mr. Evans, the relic was produced, Mr. S insbury, the 
proprietor of the Napoleon Museum putting it up at 1002. 
The bidding was carried on with considerable spirit be- 
tween that gentleman and Mr. R. L. Jones for some 
minutes, the document being ultimately secured by the 
latter for one hundred and forty-five guineas. Jt was 
stated immediately after the sale, that Mr. Jones had 
purebased the relic for the City library at Guildhall. 
During the life of Shakespeare, the Lord Mayor and 
aldermen successfully resisted the performance of a single 
play by Shakespeare within their walls; and now they 
give 145/. for his signature! Nevertheless, the Jity- 
library is an appropriate depository for a document so 
interesting to the topographical antiquary of London. 
Custom-House.—A seizure was made a few days since 
by the Custom-house officers of some foreign manufac. 
tured goods, supposed to bear the brands of British manu- 
facturers. It appears that 400 bales of goods had arrived 
from Boston, in the Niagara, now lying in the St. Kathe- 
rine-dock, addressed to the house of Baring, Brothers, 
and Co. The entry was passed, in the name of that firm, 
for warehousing the goods at the warehouses of Messrs. 
Taylor and Bell, at the Legal Quays, and 375 bales were 
in the course of removal in lighters belonging to the 
wharfingers in question. The discovery was made through 
the circumstance of 1 bale being landed on the quay of 
the dock in error; the officer on the station causing it to 
be opened, when each piece of goods was found to bear 
the brad of “ Stark Mills, Manchester.” The whole of 
the 400 bales were, in the first instance, detained by the 
Customs’ officers ; but they have since been given up, on 
the receipt of an explanation from Messrs, Baring, show- 
ing that the goods are totally different in texture and style 
from English manufactures, and that the ‘* Manchester ”’ 
on the brand is the town of that name in New Hampshire. 
Of the 400 bales, 200 are branded as heing the fabrics of 
the ‘ Lowell ’”’? mills (near Boston), 100 bales as those of 
the “ Boott Cotton Mills ’’ (America), and the remaining 
100 balesas those of the “ Stark Mills, Manchester, N.H.” 
(New Hampshire). ‘This explanation has been considered 
Satisfactory, and the charge of deception alleged against 
the correspondents of Messrs. Baring has of course fallen 
to the ground. 
Destruction of the Stone Pier at Greenwich.—On 
‘Tuesday morning, between nine and ten o'clock, the inha- 
ditants in the vicinity of the stone pier at Greenwich were 
alarmed by a loud report li he explosion of a piece of 
artillery, succeeded within a few seconds by the announce- 
ment that the pier was falling. At the time several people 
Were on the pier as it gave way, and others were on the 
barge which is moored in front. The damage extended 
to at least three-fifths of the entire length, which is 320 
feet and it is in depth, from the bottom of the piles, 80 
feet. At about 11 o'clock on Tuesday night, just as the 
tide was rising, another crash was heard, which was at 
once attributed to the bursting of the piles in front of the 
Pier. AS soon as daylight appeared, boats put out to see 
the extent of the damage, and the appearance the pier 
tas presented left not the | slightest hope of saving 
ie penon —pile after pile of ponderous timber, 
un with iron, and fixed at the foundations in massive 
plates of iron, had been split and shivered, some ‘falling 
inwards and others outwards, whilst the parade gave way 
in every direction, the fissures extending nearly the whole 
length, and the plates of iron being shivered like glass. 
It is now, therefore, scarcely safe for any person to go on 
the pier, as the only remaining stairs leading to the float- 
ing-barges have been affected by the shock, and the whole 
of the frontage wall and iron railings must ultimately give 
way. The eastern end, near Ship Dock and the Royal 
Hospital, is opening in fissures, and is likely also to burst 
away in that direction. It is quite impossible to stay the 
damage, jbut the whole must be left to its fate, and be 
washed down by the tides, when the greater part of at 
least 10,000 tons of earth, &c., which had been laid in 
between the wall and the road to form the parade, will 
also be washed away. The present appearance of this 
extensive pier is that resembling an earthquake; the iron- 
work, masonry, and timbers are lying about or leaning in 
every direction. The cost of the pier was about 30,0002., 
and it was only completed about three yearsjago. 
The National Society.— On Wednesday the annual 
general meeting of the National Society for Prom ting 
the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Esta- 
blished Church, was held in the Central School-rooms, 
Westminster. The Archbishop of Canterbury was in the 
chair, and a numerous assembly of clergymen and persons 
interested in the schools of the National Society and the 
cause of education filled the room, among whom were the 
Bishops of Winchester, St. David’s, Chester, Ripon, 
Salisbury, ‘and Bangor; Lords Kenyon, Radstock, Cal- 
thorpe, and Sandon, M.P. The! proceedings commenced 
by an examination of the children of the Society’s school, 
in Scripture knowledge and history, geography, grammar, 
arithmetic, and music. The Apostles’ Creed and Magni- 
Jicat were chanted with good effect by the boys and girls 
attending the schools in the course of the exhibition. 
The examination having been concluded, the report was 
read and adopted, and the meeting was addressed by the 
Bishops of St. David's, Bangor, and Chester, Lord Rad- 
stock, Lord Calthorpe, and other friends of the Society. 
Inclosure of Hampstead Heath.— On Monday ‘a 
numerous meeting of copyholders and inhabi of 
Hampstead took place, for the purpose of considering a 
bill now before the House of Lords, entitled “ The Wilson 
Tnclosure Bill,” the object of which is to empower the lord 
of the manor, Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson, to let land on 
the part of the lord of the manor. Mr. Riply concurred 
in the observations of the last speaker. He had on a 
former occasion, not only taken the opinion of Lord Ten- 
terden as to the right of the lord of the manor to obtain 
such powers under an act of Parliament, but he had also 
obtained the opinion of Sir Charles Wetherall, Lord 
Abinger, when Attorney-General, Mr. Vernon Richards, 
and many other eminent lawyers, the whole of whom were 
adverse to such being a right vested in the lord of the 
manor.—Mr. Powell then moved a resolution, to the 
effect “‘ That the proposed bill was highly injurious to the 
interests of the copyholders resident in Hampstead and 
its vicinity, and that it was their bounden duty, and they 
were resolved to oppose it, and endeavour by every means 
to prevent it being passed into a law.’’—The Rev. Dr. 
Burgh seconded the resolution, which was adopted unani- 
mously.—Mr. Toller said that if the bill were carried, the 
whole of the eastern and south-western sides of the heath 
would be inclosed, and thus a view, in the latter instance, 
even as far as Windsor, would be obstructed. He had 
prepared a petition against the bill, which he would now 
read. It set forth that the petitioners would sustain irre- 
parable injury if such a measure were passed; that pre- 
vious attempts had been made in 1829 and 1830 to pass a 
similar measure, which was rejected. It therefore prayed to 
be heard by their counsel or agents against the passing of 
such bill. The petition having been unanimously adopted, 
a committee was appointed to watch the bill, and take all 
measures necessary for a determined opposition, for which 
purpose the sum of 2007, had been subscribed. 
Hanwell Asylum.—On Wednesday a sale of fancy work, 
made by the female patients of the institution, was held 
at the Hanwell Lunatic Asylum, in aid of the Adelaide 
Fund for the Assistance of the Convalescent Patients upon 
their discharge. It was at first intended to hold the 
bazaar in the grounds of the asylum,and several marquees 
were already erected for the occasion, but from the un- 
settled state of the weather the committee found it neces- 
y to alter that arrangement, and two of the long 
galleries on the west side were tastefully decorated with 
evergreens and flowers, in which the stalls were laid out, 
while two of the galleries, similarly decorated, were appro- 
priated for the visitors to promenade in. The company 
were attended through the apartments by several of the 
visiting committee of justices. The band of the 13th 
Light Dragoons, from Hounslow barracks, were stationed 
building leases, form roads, squares, &c., and thus entirely 
to inclose and destroy that beautiful spot of recreation 
for the public of the metropolis, Hampstead Heath. Mr, 
Samuel Hoare, the banker, was called to the chair. The 
vestry-clerk read the copy of the Bill introduced into Par- 
liament, which referred to Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson’s 
estates in Middlesex, Essex, Kent, Suffolk, and Sussex, 
and gave him gereral ‘powers of inclosure of such lands, 
and for the granting of leases for 99 years, making of 
squares, roads, &c. thereon, the inclosure of Blackheath 
as well as Hampstead-heath tbeing a part and parcel of 
the Bill. Mr. White said he was one of the trustees of 
the fund raised to oppose a former attempt of the lord of 
the manor, in 1830, to inflict a similar injury on the copy- 
holders and the public, by a Bill to inclose and destroy 
the beautiful prospect of Hampstead-heath. He had felt 
it his duty to come forward and oppose this Bill on public 
grounds, and deny the right of the lord of the manor to 
make roads and build houses for his own benefit, at the 
sacrifice of the rights and benefits of the public. ny 
Cooper observed that the lord of the manor had no right 
whatever to improve his property to the manifest injury 
of the public. Nothing was more clear than thatno man 
was at liberty to build houses for his own advantage to the 
prejudice of the copyholders on such a manor. Most of 
the inhabitants of Hampstead were induced to reside there 
solely on account of its beautiful heath and the extensive 
views obtained therefrom of the surrounding country, as 
also the metropolis views of which could not be equalled 
within 40 miles of London. The character of the place, 
by the proposed measure, would be lost. There were 
numbers of houses at present untenanted 3 clearly showing 
that an increase was not needed. Houses held under 
copyhold powers had been built in various parts of Hamp- 
stead in the first style, under a belief that their prospects 
were not to be interfered with. This attempt would by 
no means be, if carried, a public improvement ; on the 
contrary, it was an act of monstrous injustice to the public 
and to the copyholders, who he trusted would unite, and 
in every shape oppose this measure. They and the public 
had one common interest in the preservation of Hamp- 
stead-heath. The Rev. Dr. Burgh said he considered it 
was the duty of every inhabitant of Hampstead, whether | 
2 copyholder or not, to oppose this bill, and to defend | 
their rights against that which he could only designate as 
an illegal assumption. On the former eccasion, when a 
similar attempt was made, Lord ‘Tenterden not only | 
opposed, but gave a very strong opinion against the claim of | 
the lord of the manor to have such powers granted to him. 
He (Dr. Burgh) considered that in accordance with the | 
bill of the late Sir Thomas Wilson, the present lord of the 
manor had no right whatever to i 
build thereon.; If this bill wer ed it would be 
ruination to the town of Hamps the copyholders 
would get rid of their property, and he had understood 
that Lord Mansfield had declared his determination to 
leave Caen Wood, and dispose of his property there, The 
object of the copyholders in residing at Hampstead was 
its quietude, its retirement, and for the benefit of their 
health ; and if they were to he deprived of all these, pro- 
perty would be completely annihilated. The public no 
doubt would look atter their own rights and interests in 
this matter, but it was the duty of every copyholder to 
come forward boldly, and resist these encroachments on 
= 
= 
at the basement of the principal circular staircase. Late 
in the afternoon, when, owing to the heavy rain, the com- 
pany began to thin, several of the female patients were 
permitted to pass through the ornamented wards ; and it 
was most pleasing to witness the order and quietness they 
manifested, and the delight and pleasure they expressed 
on recognising any of the medical officers, attendants, and 
magistrates acting on the committee. In the evening, 
after the stalls had been cleared, about 100 of the female 
patients were regaled with tea and cake in the ornamented 
wards, and passed apparently a pleasant hour in singing 
and other recreations. - 
The Royal Yacht.—The new steam-yacht Victoria and 
Albert,'intended for the especial use of her Majesty, was 
hauled on Monday into the East India export-dock, and 
a great number of men were immediately set to work to 
complete her fittings, which will be finished in the most 
superb style. Her engines, which are of 650 horse-power, 
will be fixed by Messrs. Maudslay, and every exertion is 
making to get ber ready in time for her Majesty’s in- 
tended visit to Ireland in the course of the present summer. 
Accidents.—We learn from a correspondent that Mr. 
Cook, of Brooklands, was thrown from his horse on Satur- 
day, and sustained such severe injury as to leave very 
little hope of his recovery. He has been insensible ever 
since, and the physicians on Monday announced that if 
there were not a change for the better in a few hours all 
hope of recovery was vain. We are happy, however, to 
learn that the symptoms have taken a favourable turn, and 
that Mr. Cook is better. 
Mortality of the Metropolis.—The following is the 
number of deaths registered in the week ending Saturday, 
May 6th—West districts, 160; North districts, 159 ; 
Central districts, 190; East districts, 177; South dis- 
tricts, 193. Total, 879 (451 males, 428 females). Weekly 
average for the last five years, 903 (461 males, 442 females), 
and for the last five springs, 85 
854, 
Brovmetal Webs. 
Bridgend.— The adjourned inquiry into the double 
murder at Laleston ‘terminated on Saturday. After the 
-xamination of se’ 1 witnesses, and particularly of Mr, 
Herapath, the chemist, who deposed to the fact of arsenie 
mo 
tat 
being found in the bodies of the deceased persons, ihe 
jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against the 
and her husb 
ster 
id. The magistrates, who believe that they 
ome additional facts, have further adjonmmed 
their investig it is not, therefore, expected t 
Coron arrant of committal will issue immediately, 
but that the prisoners will still remain in separate confine- 
ment at the county gaol. 
Bristol.— Our readers who have taken an interest in the 
Ja dent to Mr. Brunel will be glad to learn that the 
coin was dislodged on Saturday last, in the presence of 
Sir B. Brodie, Mr. Aston Key, Mr. Hawkins, and Dr. 
Seth Thompson. On Sunday 7 it 
the above-named gentlemen and Dr. Chambers, and was 
So much improved that’he was allowed to go out for an 
hour. ving statement of the treatment adopted 
i Seth Thompson, has 
been published in the daily papers :—‘* The accident hap- 
pened on the 3d of April. Sir B. Brodie was consulted 
on the 18th, and his opinion was, that the half-sovereign 
had passed into the windpipe. .- The following day Mr. 
discov 
