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of other religious houses and was surrendered to the 

 Crown in 1540, by William Dent, the last abbot ; the 

 clear rental at the time being £1650 — equal to about 

 $80,000 of our money. 



It was then, says an old chronicler, occupied by 50 

 monks and perhaps, by 150 servants. One of the most 

 remarkable portions of the monastery, I visited, was 

 the Hospitiurn or Guest-Hall ; the lower-story said to 

 have been the refectory, is of stone. The upper-story is 

 now used as a museum of Egyptian and Eoman anti- 

 quities : one's attention is invariably directed to the 

 hair of a Eoman lady ; some maintain, of a British 

 princess, 15 or 16 years of age, which was nearly perfect 

 when discovered in a stone coffin, lined with another 

 of lead and filled in with gypsum. In the hair are two 

 fine pins of polished jet. Specimens of valuable Samian 

 ware are also stored here ; in the lower room, are some 

 remarkable Eoman altars and probably the most unique 

 collection of Eoman coffins in the world, stone and 

 lead coffins, soldiers' graves, Eoman baths, &c. The 

 coffin of the lady who owned the hair is conspicuous. 



The museum of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society 

 with its collection of statues, minerals, birds, &c, next 

 claimed my attention ; in continuing our walk, we 

 reached York Castle, which now, in an area covering 

 about four acres, comprises the Prison, the Assize Court, 

 and Clifford's Tower, built on the site of the old castle, 

 which was founded by William the Conqueror after 

 his attack on York, in 1068. It was for centuries the 

 residence of the High Sheriffs of the county ; it took 

 its name from Francis Clifford, Earl of Cumberland, 

 who in 1542 put it in a state of defense. We were 

 told of many curious legends, and historical incidents 

 connected with the old pile : here, was confined Walter 

 Calverley the hero of the " Yorkshire Tragedy, " in 

 1604, Eugene Aram, in 1759, the poet James Mont- 

 gomery, in 1795-6, for alleged political libels in his 

 newspaper, whilst that accomplished highwayman, 



