48 Westbury under the Plain. 



great naval victory at Helvoetsluys, in which fight the French ships 

 were drawn up in line chained together. Edward seeing this, had 

 recourse to a stratagem. He steered off as if in flight. The French 

 loosed their ships to pursue. Edward then suddenly turned about, 

 and dashing through the centre of the French, broke the line and 

 won the day. It might be thought that the application of the text 

 of Scripture savoured rather of boldness, or worse : but, no doubt, 

 it was used religiously. Many members of the Government in those 

 days were high ecclesiastics, who would not quote Scripture carelessly, 

 and it was certainly intended that the victory should be regarded as 

 a providential deliverance from overwhelming numbers. The gold 

 noble got its name from its handsome appearance and purity of 

 metal. The market value is said to be 20*., but that is increased 

 to any amount, even to fabulous prices, by the rarity of a coin. 

 Only a few weeks ago, what is called the Pattern Crown of Charles 

 II., of which only two specimens are known to be in existence, 

 fetched the stupendous sum of £500, The Bremridge nobles were 

 sent up to the Treasury, according to law. Two or three specimens 

 only were detained for the National Museum, the rest were returned 

 with the request that the workmen might receive suitable compen- 

 sation. There is no fear, therefore, of anyone being shabbily treated 

 by the Crown officers, so that it is the best way always to obey the 

 law, for there is a heavy penalty if any infringement of it in this 

 point is discovered. I may add that if the number of thirty-two 

 nobles was really all that were found it is singular that this was 

 precisely the annual sum of thirty due from Bremridge to the 

 Cathedral of Sarum and two to the landlord. We may suppose, 

 therefore, that the tenant had got the money ready and was actually 

 going to pay when some disturbance or other induced him to hide 

 it, and that some accident having happened to himself it was never 

 recovered. 



Chalford. 



A correspondent acquainted with this part of the parish, between 

 Westbury and Westbury Leigh, says that tx there used to be here 

 an old place of meeting of the magistrates, and that the house, now 



