THE OAK. 



91 



in ; but around it there was not the least symp- 

 tom of decay. The rings in the butt were care- 

 fully counted, and amounted to upwards of four 

 hundred in number ; a convincing proof that this 

 tree was in an improving state for upwards of four 

 hundred years ; and, as the ends of some of its 

 branches were decayed and had dropped off, it is 

 presumed that it had stood a great number of 

 years after it had attained maturity. The bark 

 of this tree, Burnet says, was sold by the mer- 

 chant for the scarcely credible sum of 200L This 

 Oak was purchased for 100 guineas, under the 

 apprehension of its being unsound ; but Burnet 

 tells us that it was resold while standing for 

 405/., and that the cost of converting it was 82/., 

 amounting altogether to 487/. ; it was subse- 

 quently resold for 675/. There were at least 

 four hundred rings or traces of annular growth 

 within its mighty trunk."* 



There yet remains one Oak to be mentioned 

 which, if not so celebrated as any of the forego- 

 ing for size and expansion, is yet well worthy of 

 note, as bearing testimony to the piety of our 

 forefathers. This is the Gospel Oak, a boundary 

 Oak which divides the parishes of Stoneleigh and 

 Baginton. The name is common to many other 

 trees, and is derived from the custom of peram- 

 bulating the bounds of a parish on Rogation days 

 by the inhabitants, in order that the localities 

 might be impressed on the memories of the young. 

 The minister, accompanied by the Churchwardens, 

 took the lead, and stopped at remarkable spots 

 and trees to recite passages from the Gospel, the 



* The account of this tree is furnished by Loudon (Arboretum 

 Britannicum, p. 1777), being compiled from various sources. 



