culiar reverence of posterity, as it was intended to exhibit to after ages materials for a fair estimate of the character of a man, unquestionably great from his connection with national story, and whose public and private virtues far overbalanced the venial errors of judgment to which he was betrayed by a mistaken zeal of piety. But this monument is now nearly hidden by a mean flight of stairs, leading to the gallery constructed between the chancel and the nave of the church. This is the more reprehensible, as a small area might have been. left, when the stairs were erected, with trifling inconvenience. The chapel built by Sir T.. More continued in the possession of the proprietors of his house, till Mr. A. Gorges sold that mansion to the Earl of Middlesex; at which time he reserved the chapel to himself. But, in 1665, it was purchased, with the house subsequently occupied by Mr. Gorges, by Thomas Pritchard, Esq. It has since passed through several hands, and was lately the property of Sir Francis Millman, Bart. M. D. The cemetry beneath has been used as a place of burial for the various families who have possessed the property; and at the east end, is a monument of elaborate workmanship to Sir Robert Stanley, K. B. who was the second son of William, sixth Earl of Derby, and who died in 1632.

The chapel built by the Lawrence family remained in their possession for many generations. In the year 1783 it was purchased of Colonel Needham, with part of the east side of Lawrence Street, to which it is an appendage, by Mr. Lewer of Pimlico; and this gentleman is now the proprietor.

There are several monuments here, to the family of Lawrence, who formerly had their chief places of residence at Chelsea, at London, and at Iver, Bucks.

Incorporated with the north wall of the chancel, is a mutilated altar tomb, supposed to have been raised to a member of the Bray family.*

On

See a curious account of the funeral of the last Lord Bray, who died in 1557, (copied from the original in the Herald's College) in Lysons, Vol. II. p. 61, and Faulkner, p. 71, et seq.

On the same wall of the chancel is the monument of Tho. mas Hungerford, Esq. who died in 1581, with the effigies of himself and his three sons, kneeling on one side of an altar, and his wife and daughter on the other. Beneath is a biographical inscription.

On the wall of the north aisle is the monument of Lady Jane Cheyne, which is the work of Bernini.* The effigies of the deceased (a haggard figure, apparently worn thin by disease and premature old age) is represented, in a seini-recumbent attitude, on a black sarcophagus; the left elbow leaning on a cushion, and the hand on a book. Over the effigies is an arch, sustained by veined marble columns of the Corinthian order. A Latin inscription relates that she was the eldest daughter of the Duke of Newcastle, and the beloved wife of Charles Cheyne, Esq. " whom she never grieved, but in her death." Her Ladyship died in the year 1669, at the age of 48. Underneath, on the sarcophagus, is an inscription to the memory of her husband, who died in 1698, having been created Vicount Newhaven of the kingdom of Scotland.

Attached to the south wall is the monument of Jane, Duchess of Northumberland, who died on the 22nd of January 1555. Over the tablet bearing an inscription to her memory, is a Gothic canopy, once supported by pillars of Mosaic work; but the whole monument is now in a ruinous condition. On one side of the tablet are brasses, coarsely executed, containing the effigies of the Duchess and her five daughters; and on the opposite side were the effigies of her eight sons, but these latter brasses are now torn off.

Against the wall of the south aisle is likewise, a large marble monument, to the memory of Gregory Lord Dacre, who died in 1594, and Anne, his wife, who died in 1595. The deceased are represented in white marble, to the size of life, under

• Bernini is said to have received 5001. for executing this monument. An engraving of this tomb is inserted in Faulkner's History of Chelsea.

under an arch, supported by marble pillars of the Corinthian order. Lord Dacre is in armour, with a long beard; his lady in a gown and long cloak, with a ruffi At the feet of each is a dog. Over the arch are the arms and quarterings of Dacre, and the whole monument is much embellished with flowers and mosaic work. The parish of Chelsea have, by Lady Dacre's will, some presentations to her alms houses, on condition of keeping this monument in repair."*

The monuments and inscriptions within the church, not no. ticed by us, are very numerous; but the above appear to contain the greatest interest..

Against the south wall of the church, on the outside, are placed the monuments of Dr. Chamberlayne, three of his sons, his widow, and his daughter; for the erecting of which, and making a vault, Dr. Chamberlayne obtained a grant from the parish, in 1694, in consideration of a promised bequest to the charity school of Chelsea.

Dr. Chamberlayne died in 1703, and the Latin inscription ou his monument informs us that he was "an English gentleman, a Christian, and Doctor of Laws; descended from the ancient Norman family of the Earls of Tanquerville. He was so studious of good to all men, and especially to posterity, that he ordered some of his Books, covered with wax, to be buried with him ; which may be of use in times to come. This monument, not to be rashly violated, his friend, Walter Harris, Doctor of Physic, caused to be erected, as a testimony both of his respect and grief."

Edward Chamberlayne, LLD. and F. R. S. was the author of several publications, of which the most popular is "Angliæ Notitia, or the present state of England, with divers reflections on the ancient state thereof, 1668." This work went through thirty-eight editions. His other original pieces were on religious and political subjects, but were not of a weighty PART. IV. E character

Faulkner, p. 103.

character. He, likewise, made some translations from the Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.

The mysterious peculiarity relating to the buried volumes. which occurs in his epitaph, did not fail to excite much curiosity; and it is said, in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1791, that there was a serious project of obtaining a faculty, to open the tomb, and investigate the hidden treasure.

Time, however, the great solver of mysteries, has saved the projectors this trouble. The following decisive intelligence is conveyed in Mr. Faulkner's work respecting the history of this village:-" It appears probable that the books alluded to were in manuscript. Dr. Harris evinced some singularity of opinion in his supposition that posterity might gain information from works thus entombed with the body of their author. But whatever might have been the intention of the ingenious Doctor, his views in depositing the books in the tomb of his friend have been entirely frustrated and destroyed; as Dr. Chamberlayne's tomb, but a few years since, yielded to the injuries of time; and, on examination, the damp and moisture admitted by the decay, had totally obliterated every appearance of them."*

Peregrine, the eldest son of Dr. Chamberlayne, was a naval officer of much bravery; and Edward, the youngest son, also entered into the sea service; but the most celebrated of this Gentleman's children was a heroine of a peculiar cast, and who was well worthy to be his daughter, even if he were more eccentric than is indicated by his epitaph.

The name of this lady was Anùe. She was born in 1667, and we are told by the Latin inscription on her monument, that, "having long declined marriage, and aspiring to great atchievements, unusual to her sex and age, she, on the 30th of June 1690, on board a fire-ship, in man's clothing-as a se cond Pallas, chaste, and fearless fought valiantly, six hours, against

Historical Account of Chelsea, p. 346—7.

against the French, under the command of her brother. Returned from the engagement, she after some few months, married John Spragg, Esq. with whom, for sixteen months, she lived most amiable and happy. At length, in childbed of a daughter, she encountered death, on the 30th October, 1691." Her husband laments" that she died, unhonoured by a progeny like herself, worthy to rule the main."

In the south east corner of the churchyard, and therefore conspicuous to the view of the passenger, is the monument of Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. and his lady. Under a portico supported by four square pillars, is placed a large vase of white marble; the only embellishments of which are four entwined serpents, On the south side of the table part is the following inscription:

In the memory of

Sir Hans Sloane, Bart,
President of the Royal Society
And of the College of Physicians;
Who, in the year of our Lord 1753,
The 92d year of his age,

Without the least pain of body,

And with a conscious serenity of mind,
Ended a virtuous and beneficial life,
This monument was erected

By his two daughters,

Eliz. Cadogan and Sarah Stanley.

This distinguished inhabitant of Chelsea was born at Killeleagh, in Ireland. At a very early period he discovered a love of natural history, and an inclination to patient study. An habitual weakness of constitution suggested the propriety of rigid temperance and a seclusion from the gay scenes of life. He was happy in finding, in his chosen pursuits, an ample consolation for all which infirmity caused him to decline. Making physic his professional study, he attended to chemistry and botany as auxiliaries to necessary knowledge; and was,