$26 Walks in 
robleman who descended to “ the tomb 
of those whose honours gilded his dawn,” 
at so early a period of life, that there 
appeared quite sufficient time for alter- 
ation,; were it not necessary to remark 
the baneful effect of such an example on 
the manners of a rural neighbourhood. 
All that simplicity of feeling and deport- 
ment, so much praised by the poets, and 
which, in a limited degree, does really 
exist-in the generality of English villages, 
inevitably fell before the influence of the 
low and dissipated herds who con- 
duced to his lordship’s amusement. ¥ime 
may wear out the most prejudicial im- 
pressions ; yet it seems probable that 
the residence of lord B. in this hamlet 
will operate on the posterity of the pea- 
sants a century hence; and that a lesson 
in boxing, or a“ genteel” way of shaking 
a dice-box, will pass, in lieu of a family 
recipe, down to the great-grandchildren 
of those who were witnesses of the re- 
velry which once prevailed. 
The manor of Wargrave formed a part 
of the valuables possessed by queen 
Emma, mother of Edward the Confessor ; 
and by this lady it was presented to the 
sce of Winchester. It is a singular proof 
of the tenacity with which the ‘unlettered 
preserve oral information, that a dwell- 
mg, supposed to be built onthe site of 
that ancient manor-house which was 
once occasionally visited by the queen, is 
still called Queen Emma’s House; and 
the neighbours talk of their former illus- 
trious lady of the manor, with as much 
ready familiarity, as if she had dwelt in 
the great house of the village not more 
than a century back. 
A second legend describes a house in 
the village as having belonged to John 
of Gaunt (Ghent), duke of Lancaster. 
But here the more sober details of those 
‘sho write the chronicles of towns and 
villages, do not corroborate the testimony 
of our traditionary historians. I cannot 
discover that the “time-honoured Lan- 
caster,” as Shakspeare terms this tur- 
bulent and imperious son of the third 
Edward, ever stood possessed of an 
estate in Berkshire. Yet it is certain 
that, in the year 1359, he was married at 
Reading, to Blanche, the younger daugh- 
ter of Kienry Plantagenet. Nearly all tra- 
ditional report, huwever vague and de- 
sulrory it may appear, has a connexion 
with fact. Perhaps the newly-married 
couple visited Wargrave, during the 
festivities which succeeded their nup- 
tials; and we may readily apprehend, 
that the*mansion honoured with their 
Berkshire: 
{May t, 
presence, became known to the neighs 
bouring country-people by the appella- 
tion of “ John of Gaunt’s House.” His- 
torical circumstances of amuch more im=. 
portant description, have experienced 
greater misrepresentation, 10 the course 
of their descent through the stiches 
of the prejudiced or illiterate. 
Like many other places of httle con- 
sequence, Wargrave possessed a weekly 
market during those early periods. at 
which the wants of thé people were few, 
and the means of comrasnication more 
dificult than at present. 
A Roman coin was found near Ware. 
grave, some few years back; but this is 
the only indieation of the Romans having 
visited the spot. They had a military 
Station at White Waltham, which is not 
more than five miles distant ; and the coin 
was probably dropped by some careless: 
straggler, whose curiosity indueed him to 
cross the soft and pleasing expanse of 
green-sward that lies between the two 
villages.* : 
Fhe chureh contains a monument te 
the memory of Mr. Day, the author of 
Sandford and Merton, who lost his life 
by a fall from his horse in the neighbour= 
hood. Perhaps it may not be imper= 
tinent to copy the epitaph iascribed on 
the monument of so good a man and so 
respectable a writer, when it 1s obsefved 
that the lines were produced by himself 
in honour ofa deceased friend, and were 
selected as a funeral - tribute by his 
widow, under the persuasion of their 
justly. expressing his talents and virtues > 
‘* Beyond the reach ef time or fortune’s 
' power, 
Remain, cold stone, remain! and nak the 
hour 
When all the noblest gifts which heav’n e’er 
gave 
Were centred in a dark untimely grave. 
Oh! taught on reason’s boldest wings to 
ris@y f 
And catch each glimmering of the opening 
Sores 
Oh gentle bosom! oh snsulhicd mind! 
Oh friend to truth, to virtue, to mankind! 
Thy dear remains we trust to this sad 
. shrine, | 
Secure to feel no ‘second loss like thine.” 
If the pedestrian follow the track of 
the chief road through Wargrave, he 
will leave to the left Bear Hill, (from the 
* I was not able to procure a description 
of this coin frorn Mr. Taylor, the liberal and 
inteHigent medical practitioner at Wargraves 
who obliged me’by mentioning the circume- 
stance of a cein having been discovered. 
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