Mr. URBAN,

W

ITH this you will receive a View of a beautiful Religious Structure in the neighbourhood of Liverpool, (see Plate I.) accompanied with a description, for which I am indebted to Mr. Britton's "Beauties of England and Wales," and Enfield's "History of Leverpool."

SEFTON is a parish and manor, formerly belonging to the Molyneux family, who had a seat here, which they possessed from their Norman ancestor, William de Moulins, who. settled here on the grant made him by Roger de Poictiers, by consent of the Conqueror. Previously, this property had been held by the Thanes, who were the gentry of the Anglo

Saxons *.

The Church at Sefton is a large and handsome pile of building, with a nave, two ailes, and a tower with a steeple. It is said, that this building was erected in the time of Henry VIII. by Anthony Molyneux, a rector of this place, and who was distinguished for his preaching, and for many acts of piety +. The chancel is divided from the nave by a screen, and contains sixteen stalls, of elegant carving.

In this place are deposited the remains of many of the Molyneux family, and several curious and fine monuments are still remaining to perpetuate the race. Among these are two cross-legged figures in stone, with triangular shields, which, Mr. Pennant says, are expressive of their profession of Knights Templars. These effigies are drawn in a book in the Herald's' office, from a fine pedigree sent them by Lord Sefton. Around an altar-tomb, of white marble, is an inscription in memory of Sir Richard Molyneux, who died in 1439, and Joan

* See Pennant's Tour from Downing to Alston Moor, 4to.

+ See Lodge's Irish Peerage.
GENT, MAG. December, 1814.

his wife. He was Lord of Bradley, Haydike, Warrington, Newton, Burton-wode, and Newton-in-the-dale; distinguished himself in the battle of Agincourt, and received the honour of knighthood from Henry the Vth.

In the chancel, on a flat marble, are inlaid the effigies, in brass, of Sir William Molyneux and his two wives, with their respective arms over their beads, and underneath, his own shield, quartering 11 coats, besides that of Molyneux, with the motto, Endroit Devant. On a brass plate is the following inscription:

Gulielmus Molyneux, Miles, Dominus de Sefton, ter adversus Scotos, reg

nante in Anglia Rege Henrico Octavo, in prælium missus, fortiter se gessit; maxime vero apud Floydun, ubi duo Armorum Vexilla, Scotis strenue resistentibus, suo manu cepit. In Pace cunctis charus, amicos consilio, egenos eleemosinis sublevavit: Duas uxores habuit, priorem Jonam, Richardi Rugge, in comitatu Salopie, Militis, unicam filiam & hæredem: ex quâ Richardum, Janam, & Annam; posteriorem ElizaClifton, Armigeri, ex quâ Gulielmum, betham, filiam & hæredem Cuthberti Thomam, & Annam, genuit. Annos LXV vixit: hic in spe Resurrectionis cum majoribus requiescit, Anno Domini M.DXLVIII, mense Julii."

Sir William Molyneux signalized bimself in three actions against the Scols, in the reign of Henry VIII. and in that of Flodden took two ban

ners.

The Lancashire archers con

tributed much to the victory: and Henry, under his own seal, sent Sir William a letter of thanks for his share of it.

In the same part of the church is an handsome tomb, with the effigies in brass of Sir Richard Molyneux between his two ladies and their children; by the first of whom he had 5 sons and 8 daughters; and by the second, 5 sons and 1 daughter, who are all arranged by their respective mothers, with the following inscription, and quaint epitaph, underneath.

"Sir Richarde Molyneux Knighte and Dame Elenore his Wyffe whose Soules God p'don.

Dame Worshope was my guide in life,
And did my doinges guide;
Dame Wertue left me not alone,
When Soule from Bodye hyed.

And

And thoughe that Deathe with dinte of Darte

Hath brought my corps on sleepe, The eternal God, my eternall soule Eternally doethe kepe,"

In Lord Molyneux's chapel, on the South side of the chancel, are several modern monuments of this family; one in particular of white marble to the memory of Caryll Lord Viscount Molyneux, who died in 1699, father to William Lord Viscount Molyneux, who died in 1717. On this elegant tomb, the family arms are well carved.

1

Caryll Lord Molyneux was an eminent but unsuccessful Royalist : his family raised a regiment of foot and another of horse in support of Charles I.5 for which he was subjected to heavy penalties during the Usurpation; but after the Restoration was advanced to high honours.

Near it is the tomb of his lady, who was daughter of Alexander Barlow, esq. of Lancashire, as appears by a brass inscription to her memory. There is also another monument of black marble, to the Lady Bridget, wife of William Lord Molyneux, the daughter and heiress of Robert Lucy, esq. of Charlcot in the county of Warwick, with her family arms.

There are two achievements in this chancel with the arms of Molyneux and Brudenell; and on the East window, in painted glass, is this inscription: Orate pro bono statu- Moly neux Militis, Qui istam fieri fecit Anno Dom. Millmo. CCCCCXLIJmo. With three shields of arms anderneath.

On the middle South window of the Church is the following inscription Of yor Charitye pray for Margett Bulcley, daughter of Rich MoTynex, Knyght; and Wyff unto Joh. Dutton, and Willm Bulcley, esq. whose goodness caused this window to be made, of the will of Sir Robert Pkynson, executor to the said Margett, the yere of or Lord 1543. Which said Margett decessed the xxj daye of Februa' the yere of or Lord 1527. of whose soule ihu have m'y. ame'.

On the next window, Westward, is this:-Orate pro bono statu - Ireland Armiger. de Lydiate e ElenAnno Dom. 1540.

In the East window are a great aumber of illegible inscriptions, and

According to the Parliamentary Re turn in 1811, the parish of Sefton contained six uninhabited houses, one building, and 460 houses occupied by 484 families (318 of whom were chiefly employed in agriculture, and 75 in trade, &c.) consisting of 1392 males and 1460 females; total 2852. Yours, &c. B. N.

Mr. URBAN, Dudley, Nov. 16. SOME years ago, a very intelli. gent, handsome, and promising youth, whose name is Henry Parge ter Lewis, the son of a respectable attorney in this town, was placed, for a probationary time, previously to an intended apprenticeship, with a surgeon and apothecary, of the name of Powell, in the immediate neigh bourhood of one of our great public schools. He had not been there loug, before one of the scholars, who lodged at the surgeon's (in league with the servant-boy of the house) devised the following stratagem to frighten him.-One night, during an absence of the master, the servantboy concealed himself under the bed of Henry, before the latter retired to rest; and remained there till the hour of midnight; when, on a preconcerted signal of three raps at the chamber-door, it suddenly opened, and in stalked the school-boy, habited in a white sheet, with his face horribly disguised, and bearing a lighted candle in his hand; the servant-boy, at the same moment, heav ing up the bed, under Henry, with his back. How long this was acted, is not known. It was done long enough, however, completely to dethrone the reason of the unfortunate youth; who,it is supposed,immediately covered himself with the bed-clothes; and so continued till the morning. On his not rising at the usual time, some one of the family went to call him and, not answering-except by incoherent cries, was discovered in the state just described.

The