the Tower—a captivity shared in by his wife, the union ith whom first made him familiar with its gloomy walls. t was during this confinement that he became an ardent tudent, and the elevation and beauty of his life during hat period are strongly marked. At length he was released from his confinement, and again set sail for the "mine of gold." Disasters, however, followed this new venture, and Raleigh returned to England and to incarceration. The Spaniards had been offended by this last expedition. Raleigh's death was demanded, and, failing in all other attempts to complete his ruin, the sentence passed thirteen years previously was revived, and Raleigh passed from the Tower to the scaffold:

"On through that gate misnamed, through which before
Went Sydney, Russell, Raleigh, Cranmer, More."

He was executed on Thursday, October 29th, 1618, in Old Palace Yard, Westminster. Feeling carefully the edge of the axe, he, smiling, said, "This is a sharp medicine, but it will cure all diseases." Raleigh went to his rest in the sixty-seventh year of his age, and St. Margaret's received his body.

In St. Margaret's church, also, were interred the remains of Skelton, the satirical poet of the reign of Henry VIII.; and likewise those of Catharine, the wife of Milton, buried here in February, 1657, and referred to in one of the poet's sonnets as his "late espoused saint." Whilst looking round upon the monuments of the church-and a sumptuous one is to be found here to Lord Howard of Effingham, the gallant lord high admiral of Elizabeth— the eastern window frequently attracts our attention.

The Crucifixion is here gorgeousl history of the window is curious. Dort, in Holland, had it made, as Henry VII. for his chapel in the Ab pletion, however, Henry died, when t received the window, which was re until the Dissolution. It was then was purchased with its new home Duke of Buckingham, and again so To save it from destruction it was Restoration it again saw the ligh Hall, in Wiltshire, when fresh dange the chapel there being destroyed Preserved and cased up, it found i finally reached its present home Margaret, Westminster.

Leaving both church and wind Raleigh to their slumber-we may remains are said to have been th Abbey into the adjoining graveyard.

THOMAS MAY

the friend of Ben Jonson, and the Parliament, of which, on his ruptu had been his patron, he became th was the eldest son of Sir Thomas the ancient palace of St. Dunstan's, 1595. In early youth he made gr quisition of the learned languages, Cambridge, made himself acquaint

THOMAS MAY-THOMAS HULL.

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and historians of antiquity. He took his degree at the early age of seventeen, and three years later was admitted a student at Gray's Inn. The cultivation of poetry, however, occupied the principal attention of May, who, on the death of Jonson, was a candidate for the vacant laureateship, but which was conferred upon Dryden. He wrote both tragedies and comedies, but his merits appear the greatest in his translations, more especially in Lucan's Pharsalia." His father having squandered his estate, May was left with limited resources; but he brought his mind to his fortune, and was continually occupied with his parliamentary services and his compositions. He died suddenly on the 13th of November, 1650, and was buried, according to Dr. Fuller, near a good and true historian indeed, viz., the great Mr. William Camden, in the west side of the south isle of Westminster Abbey." The ceremony was attended, by order of the parliament, with much pomp and solemnity; whilst an inscription on a marble monument recorded the historian's virtues. On the return, however, of Charles II. from his exile, this monument was torn down; and the body of Thomas May-after resting quietly for more than ten years-is said to have been disinterred, and thrust into a pit dug for the purpose in the churchyard of St. Margaret's.

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In that same churchyard, with its numerous and timeworn gravestones, lie the remains of two who in their day were connected with the theatre. The memory of one,

THOMAS HULL,

has been materially preserved by his having originated the institutions known as "Theatrical Funds," by which the

actor is taught to provide, in his son, for the hour of affliction, or w yellow leaf" he falls into need. years the "father of the stage," and of the gay and sprightly Lewis a Covent Garden Theatre. Whilst cor establishment he conceived the idea vision for the distressed actor in his was effected one year previously to its Lane. At this period (1765) Garric nent; and though displeased, upo having been consulted on the questio the cause. Hull was intimate with He died in April, 1808, and the written upon the occasion by John T

MRS. BLAND-ST. MARY OVERIE, SOUTHWARK.

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brought to England, and developing some vocal powers, she was introduced to the public, when a mere child, at Sadler's Wells Theatre. Subsequent years found her at Drury Lane and at the Haymarket, where very many original characters were intrusted to her. It was in 1790 that Miss Romanzini exchanged her name for that of Bland, her husband being a brother of Mrs. Jordan. She continued before the public until 1822, when a malady which had occasionally evinced itself assumed a serious form. This was an aberration of intellect, from which, however, she recovered. The proceeds of a benefit given her at Drury Lane in 1824, augmented by private contributions, were invested by the late Earl of Egremont, from whose estate Mrs. Bland received £70 per annum until her death, which occurred in January, 1838, in the sixtyeighth year of her age. Mrs. Bland was an excellent musician, and gave popularity to many pleasing ballads. She was long the evening star of Vauxhall Gardens.

Whilst in the Abbey we gossiped over the grave of Chaucer, and have just left that of his first printer, Caxton. Let us now, disregarding any precise order in our rambles, seek a church in which we shall find Chaucer's contemporary, Gower, and likewise Fletcher, so linked in friendship with Beaumont, the companion of Chaucer in the Abbey. Such is the church of

ST. MARY OVERIE, OR ST. SAVIOUR, SOUTHWARK.

There is much poetical romance connected with the story of this cathedral-like edifice, a romance which, for nearly ten centuries, has spoken gratefully of Mary Overie,