He bowed low, and advanced into the hall, saying:

"I am sorely grieved, Madame, to hear of this mishap. May I ask if Captain Monteagle's wound is very dangerous? I should indeed sorrow if so gallant a gentleman were to come to an untimely end by the rash violence of my men."

.

"I fear there is but little chance of his life," answered Lady de Carteret, her eyes filling with tears. "He only arrived last night, and we all thought he was in security; but his brave spirit would not suffer him to remain quiet, while the chapel was plundered and profaned, so he went forth alone, poor youth! and frankly gave his life in the good cause. Alas! after having passed through so many dangers, 'tis sad that he should die thus."

"Only arrived last night!" repeated Colonel West, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "Where has he been, then ?—but I will not ask. I fear there is no surgeon in attendance ?"

"Madame de Rozel's steward is skilled in medicine, and is doing all he can; but I fear-nay, I am sure that he cannot live long. He was weak from his imprisonment, and from the anxiety and hardships through which he has passed, as well as from the effects of that illness which prevented his crossing with the king."

Colonel West's manner was kindly and sympathizing, and they talked on in the hall for a little time, till Madame de Rozel's waiting-maid came out of the parlour door, and told them that Arthur had recovered consciousness. Lady de Carteret instantly returned into the room, Colonel West following her to the door with an earnest request that he might be permitted to enter also. Madame de Rozel, when she heard his name, gave permission, so he came in, and bowing reve rently to her, stood near the door, watching the sorrowful scene. Arthur, lying back on his pillows, was murmuring a few faint words into Christine's ear, as she leant fondly over him. Every vestige of colour had fled from his face, and the shadow of death was creeping over it, while the purple lines beneath his eyes made them look unnaturally large and dark. Old Drouet was

kneeling at his other side, while Madame de Rozel stood at the foot of the couch watching him; and behind her, towards the front windows, were Clement, Helier, and one or two others, who had helped to carry him in. Anna, and another woman, were also in the room.

Clement, " said Christine, suddenly raising her head, "come hither: he would speak with you;" and as the carpenter slowly approached, she made a sign to Drouet, who moved aside.

"I must bid you farewell, my brave fellow," said Arthur, in a stronger voice, trying to raise himself, but sinking back again. "We have seen troublous times together; we shall meet again, one day, in the land of peace. How come you to be here, Clement? I saw you not in the chapel."

"One of the lads brought tidings to Maison Jaquet of the fray," answered Clement, succeeding, with a great effort, in speaking distinctly; "and Helier and I, who chanced to be there, set off straightway. Had we but been a minute sooner! -but it avails not wishing."

""Tis all for the best," answered Arthur, a faint smile lighting up his face. "I thank thee, Clement, for all thy faithfulness, and Helier too, and all my friends. Ha! Colonel; you have your prisoner again."

His eyes at that moment fell on Colonel West, who stepped forward, wondering at his happy peacefulness.

"I had far sooner you should have escaped to France, and returned with an army to drive us out, than have found you thus, Captain," he replied, kneeling down by the couch, and taking Arthur's hand. "Had you but remained in the Castle, this could scarce have chanced.".

"Worse might have chanced: and now I have perfect freedom for evermore."

He closed his eyes, seeming exhausted by these few words, and there was silence in the room, only broken by the sigh of pain that now and then escaped from his lips. Colonel West presently went out, thinking it better to leave him with his friends, but remained walking up and down

Do you hear those voices? surely they are angels singing."

He closed his eyes, and seemed to fall away into a quiet sleep.

After a few minutes, Madame de Rozel came round to where her daughter knelt, and while Lady de Carteret looked on in speechless sorrow, smoothed back the hair from his brow with a gentle hand.

"My child, he is in heaven. You must live in hope to be with him one day,'where the wicked cease from, troubling, and the weary are at rest.""

18.-Dr. Hook, in his Life of Archbishop Cranmer, vol. ii. p. 407, states that Cranmer transcribed a paper containing his seventh and last recantation, but that, in private, he changed the document; and that it is believed that he determined to avail himself of this opportunity for recalling his previous recantations, and for refusing the pardon.

What authority is there for this belief? Dr. Hook names none. It is generally supposed that Cranmer was prepared to profess, or deny, the Catholic Faith, according as he found that his life would be spared or not.

The point is an important one, for on it depends his claim to be styled a Martyr,-a claim which Lord Macaulay would not admit. M. J. B.

21.-E. L. would feel very much obliged if you, or any of your correspondents, could recommend any amusements for wet Sundays for children from five to ten years of age?

22.-Can you, or any of your correspondents, inform me, and give reliable proof thereof, who is the author of the well-known hymn beginning

"The spacious firmament on high." I have always been under the impression that Addison was the writer, but have lately heard it stated that the hymn was written by Andrew Marvel. J. G.

23.-Can you, or your readers, kindly give me the reason why Rome is called the Eternal City? SISTER FRANCES.

24.-Why is it the custom in some churches to bow in the Magnificat at the words, "And holy is His Name?" C. B. S., ALICE H.

25.--Who drew up the Preface to the (present) Book of Common Prayer? W. M. B.

7.-Can any of your readers give me a short account of the History of the Canons and Prebendaries of the Church from the earliest times? What are their particular duties, and are they obliged to perform them in the Cathedral or College to which they belong? Does a Canon rank higher than a Prebendary? W. J. H.

The following is from Hook's "Church Dictionary:"

"The Dean and Chapter is the style and title of the governing body of a cathedral. A chapter consists of the dean, with a certain number of canons, or prebendaries, heads of the church. The origin of this institution is to be traced to a remote antiquity. A missionary bishop, when converting our ancestors, would take his position in some central town, with his attendant priests: these, as opportunity offered, would go to the neighbouring villages to preach the Gospel, and administer the other offices of the Church. But they resided with the bishop, and were supported out of his revenues. By degrees parochial settlements were made; but still the bishop required the attendance of certain of the clergy at his cathedral, to be his council; (for the bishops never thought of acting without consulting their clergy ;) and also to officiate in his principal church or cathedral. These persons, to qualify themselves for their office, gave themselves up to study, and to the maintenance and decoration of their sanctuary; the services of which were to be a model to all the lesser churches of the diocese. Forming, in the course of time, a corporation, they obtained property, and ceased to be dependent upon the bishop for a maintenance." S. P.

Prebendaries and Canons formed part of the Cathedral body of Sarum as founded by Bishop Osmund, the author of the famous Use of Sarum. In Salisbury Cathedral the Canons are four; 'Prebendaries (till lately) six, who reside for three months in the year, and perform certain duties for which they receive a house with a certain emolument. Until lately the Canons were elected by the Prebendaries, except one by the Bishop, but now the Bishop elects all. They take precedence of the other Prebendaries, but have no distinguishing seat. But though they do not hold a very high rank in the Cathedral Church, yet practically they are second in importance to the Dean alone, for they with the Dean form the governing body of the Cathedral, for as a rule the other members of the Chapter are not consulted.-ZEBEDEE.

8.-Could you, or any of your readers, tell me the author of the legend of Sintram, mentioned in the "Heir of Redclyffe?"—MARIE.

I beg to tell MARIE that the author of "Sintram" is F. H. K. de la Motte Fouqué, He was born in February, 1777, at Brandenburg, was lieutenant in the Prussian army, which he left as major after having fought in the war of 1813. He died in Berlin in the year 1843. He was one of the chief poets of the Romantic school. His best works are, Undine, 1812, Fahrten Theodolfs des Isländers, 1815, and der Zauberring, 1816. LINA M.

The beautiful legend, or rather allegory, of "Sintram and his Companions," was written by the Baron de la Motte Fouqué, author of "The Magic Ring" and "Undine." Respecting its origin, it may be as well to subjoin the author's own explanation, contained in the postscript to "Sintram:"

"Several years ago there lay among my birthday gifts a beautiful engraving by Al. brecht Dürer:-A knight in full armour, of an elderly appearance, rode along on his tall steed, accompanied by his dog, through a dreadful valley, where rocky clefts and roots of trees twisted themselves into horrid shapes, while poisonous fungi grew from the earth, and noxious reptiles crawled about among them. Near him rode Death, on a lean, miserable horse; and behind, a demonform reached forth its clawed arm after him: horse and dog looked strange and fearful, as if infected with the poisonous influence of the horrors around; but the knight rode on his way peacefully, carrying on his lance's point an already impaled lizard. In the distance a castle, with its noble friendly battlements, looked down upon him, causing the awful solitariness of the valley to press still more heavily upon his soul.

"My friend, Edward Hitzig, the donor, had added a note, requesting me to illustrate these enigmatical figures in a ballad. The task was not allotted me, however, at that time, nor for long after; but I carried about the picture continually in my mind, through peace and war, until it has now distinctly spun and fashioned itself out before me; but, instead of a ballad, it has be come a little romance, if the friendly reader will accept it as such. "FOUQUE."

The original intention of Albrecht Dürer in the above-mentioned engraving has, I find, never been ascertained.

There is a good English edition of "Sin

tram," beautifully illustrated by H. C. Selous, published by Edward Lumley, price 5s. G. G.

An edition is published by Burns, both in a separate volume, and in a book called "The Seasons." Messrs. Sampson Low and Son have also issued a translation of it in a cheap form. A. K. M., H. W. L. To the same effect as the above by URSULA, ZEBEDEE, R. F. T., H. A. W., N. Y. R., ELLEN, J. E. M., M. I. L., RITUALISTICA, C. R. P., ELLINORA, A. W., MARY, E. F. B.

10.-Will you, or any of your readers, tell me the origin or meaning of the Fleur-de-lis, and why it is used as an ecclesiastical pattern? WAVERTON.

Fleur-de-lis is the emblem of France, said to have been brought from heaven by an angel to Clovis, he having made a vow that, if he proved victorious in a pending battle with the Alemanni near Cologne, he would embrace Christianity, 496.

It was introduced into the arms of France about the year 1140, being first borne by Louis VII. Some suppose from this circumstance its present name may be derived, being a corruption of Fleur-de-Loys, or "flower of Louis;" others believe it to be so called, because it grew in great abundance on the banks of the Lys, a river rising in the north of France, and joining the Escant near Ghent. HOLMESDALE, H. D. M., LINA M.

Fleur-de-lys,-The beautiful heraldic device so long identified with the history of France, and derived, it would seem, from the flower of a lily resembling the iris. It is said to have been brought from heaven by an angel to Clovis, he having made a vow that if he proved victorious in a pending battle with the Alemanni, near Cologne, he would embrace Christianity, A.D. 496. It was the national emblem borne on the royal armorial shield of France. Lord Macaulay, in his "Ivry, a Song of the Huguenots," puts it into the mouths of those "fair gentlemen of France" as a war-cry when he says,

"Charge for the golden lilies,

Upon them with the lance."

With the Revolution of 1789, however, the royal arms were (with everything else thought constitutional) swept away, and the tricolour (white, red, and blue) adopted in its stead. It is used for an ecclesiastical device, as being the emblem of the Trinity. J. S.

"Fleur-de-lys-(Delices, Flos deliciarum, 'the delightsome flower,' so spelt in time of Edward I.), a symbol of the Holy Trinity. The derivation from S. Louis is modern and erroneous."-Walcott's Sacred Archæology.

R. F. T.

I beg to inform WAVERTON that the "Fleur-de-lis," or lily (representing purity), being the emblem of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is sufficient to account for its general introduction into ecclesiastical decoration. Moreover, its graceful and cruciform shape, together with the endless varieties of its pattern, would recommend it to the good taste of the designer.

JOHN, A. B., ZEBEDEE, F. E. M. The "Fleur-de-lis" means "the flower of whiteness," or "purity," from its derivation from the Celtic word li, which signifies whiteness, purity, and innocence. This flower has been used in ecclesiastical history, in consequence, for ages past. It is not improbable that its being a native of Syria was the reason why it was chosen by the Church, the Syrian lily (or Iris) being of a trefoil form; it thus became symbolical of the Trinity. SISTER FRANCES, ALICE.

12.-At Bemerton, near Salisbury, of which George Herbert was Rector, there is a small chapel adjoining the Rectory, which is about a quarter of a mile from the church. Can any of your readers give other examples of such buildings?

S.

S. would seem not to be aware that the "small chapel" referred to by him as adjoining the rectory at Bemerton, but which is really on the opposite side of the road, was until 1861 the ancient parish church, or parochial chapel of Bemerton, wherein the saintly Herbert officiated, and where he lies buried. This building being too small for the requirements of the parishioners, a new church was built at some little distance from the old one, and duly consecrated in 1861; an account of the laying of the foundationstone of the new church will be found in the PENNY POST, vol. ix. p. 138. The old church has since been nicely restored, and I believe Matins have for some time past been daily said there. M. E. C. U.

14.-Can any of your readers state the origin of the right exercised by the Crown to nominate to Benefices vacated by the elevation of their holders to the Episcopate, whoever may be the patrons, whether Lay or Clerical? H. F. G.

The right of presenting to a benefice rendered vacant by the promotion of the incumbent to an English bishopric belongs to the Crown, as making an avoidance which would not otherwise happen; and the right sprung from the practice of the Popes, and is now an uncontested prerogative of the Crown, which has not only been established by long practice, but by many judgments

given upon full and solemn hearings. (Vide Burn's Ecclesiastical Law, vol. i. p. 141.) M. E. C. U.

16.-R. B. wishes to receive information as to the progress made during the last three years in the establishment of Cottage Hospitals, including the number established during the time named, the size and accommodation of them, and the cost of building. If there are any published statistics, R. B. would be glad to be directed where to find them.

G. informs R. B. that valuable information on the subject of "Cottage Hospitals" is contained in a pamphlet by Mr. Crossman, to be had on application to the Secretary, Hambrook Village Hospital, Bristol, enclosing six stamps. Also in another pamphlet by Waring, published by Churchill and Sons, New Burlington-street.

directly under the altar, which tradition had assigned as the burial-place of Jeremy Taylor. It contained seven skulls, and had already been disturbed. There was no leaden coffin, as stated by Bishop Mant and others, nor had there ever been one, as a mason, who constructed a flue over it at the time the leaden coffin story originated, informed me. The vault is 10 ft. by 8 ft. Three bishops only besides Taylor died in possession of the see, Rust, Wiseman, and Marly; Saurin and Percy have separate vaults, I therefore except them. Taylor's wife, Joanna, is said to be buried here, and also Mrs. Rust. These make up six of the skulls.

CHARLES B. KNOX. Any further information will be given by the Rector of the parish, the Rev. C. B. Knox, Dromore, co. Down, by whom subscriptions will be thankfully received and acknowledged.

ST. CHAD.

In reply to an enquiry received from PASCHA, There are thirty-one churches in England named in honour of St. Chad :

Eight in Cheshire, as follow, Farndon, Holt, Chadkirk or Romilly, Wyhunbury, Malpas, Hanmer, and Over.

Two in Derbyshire, namely Longford and Wolne.

Five in Lancashire, namely Rochdale, Saddleworth, Kirkby, Poulton le Fylde, and Claughton.

Three in Lincolnshire, namely Welbourn, Harpswell, and Dunholme.

Seven in Shropshire, namely Kinnersley, Norton-in-Hales, Stockton, Bierton, Montford, Prees, and Shrewsbury.

Four in Staffordshire, namely Pottingham, Seighford, Stafford, and Lichfield.

Two in Warwickshire, namely Wisham and Tachbrook.

You will observe that all these counties were in part or wholly in the ancient diocese of Lichfield, and hence it is one of the best instances of the local influence of a particular dedication.

MEMORIAL TO JEREMY TAYLOR. The following letter has been received in reference to our article on Bishop Taylor:SIR,-It may be interesting to you, and perhaps to your readers in the PENNY POST, to hear that a memorial chancel is at present being built in Dromore Church in honour of Bishop Jeremy Taylor, and that in the course of our works we have come upon a vault,

ROUND AND OCTAGONAL CHURCHES.

-IN your answers to correspondents on the cover of the PENNY POST, I notice one in your last volume to ASSISTANT ORGANIST which may, I think, be supplemented.

It is many years since I was in St. Dumstan's, Fleet-street, but I have an impression that it is an octagonal church in the strict use of the phrase. There is also a church, or rather a proprietary chapel at Bath, called the Octagon Chapel, which is of that shape. These are the only specimens that have come under my notice, and I can well believe that there are no ancient parish churches of a form so ill adapted for purposes of worship, though they may be admirable preaching-houses.

As to the round churches, it is as well to remark, for those who have not seen them, that the word round does not apply to the body of the church itself; but alludes to their having at the west end a circular addition, as it were a kind of vestibule or baptistery.

In addition to the Temple and St. Sepulchre, Cambridge, there is a third, St. Sepulchre, Northampton, said to be, like the two former, modelled after the church of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. I have heard of at least one more of the so-called round churches, but cannot trace it at present. E. T. W.

[We ought to have added Northampton and Little Maplested, Essex, to complete the list of the four round churches. The apsidal churches are far more common, as our pages have already shewn. See vol. xviii., P. 24.]