( M5 > 
Mr. Jofeph Ttougharty of Worcefier, who is an 
ingenious and reputable Perfon, and lives in the 
Houfe over the Gate-way on which this Infcription 
is : He likevvife inform’d me, that his Houfe goes 
by the Name of The oldefi Houfe in five Counties ; 
and it is the current Opinion thereabouts, and re- 
ported by the ancient People in that Place, That the 
Houfe was built by King Edgar , wherein they fay, 
he Ibmetimes kept his Court. I confefs I am 
not fo well acquainted with the Hiftory of thofe 
Times, as to fay whether King Edgar either 
built, or kept his Court there ; but all Hiftorians 
agree that IVorcefier was then a very confiderable 
Bifhoprick ; and that Ttunfian and OJwald , who 
were both fucceffivelyBiihops there inZs^r’sTime, 
were both his great Favourites, efpecially ( Ttunfian , 
for whom King Edgar had a very great Regard : 
for it appears that the firft Thing Edgar did after 
he came to the Crown, was to recal Ttunfian from 
Flanders , where he had been three Years in Exile, 
and was immediately thereupon made Prime Mini- 
fter, Favourite, and ConfefTor, at firft Bilhop of 
IV orcefier, and afterwards Archbifhop of Canter- 
bury ; upon which laft Promotion his great Friend 
O five aid fucceeded him in the See of IVorcefier : 
And ’tis very likely that either Ttunfian or OJwald 3 
as having fo much Power, Intereft and Riches, 
might ere<ft a Building there, of which this Gate- 
way might have been a Part for as Edgar died in 
the fame Year 97J, if we fuppofe the Date to be 
fix’d upon the Building the Year it was fmiihed, as 
is now commonly done, Edgar could not live or 
keep 
