The metrical Tract which it is the design of the following remarks to introduce is peculiarly valuable to the English antiquary and historian. It refers to a series of events, the chief of which, though involving the fate of the kingdom, took place in a remote part of it; but the whole of them, from the various manner in which they have been recorded by different writers, seem to have been little understood, or much misrepresented at the period in which they occurred. It is also highly interesting to the general reader; for it offers an original circumstantial account of the fall of Richard the Second, who, whatever may have been his errors, is rendered by his misfortunes an object of commiseration. It bears sufficient internal evidence of it's authenticity, is the production of an eye-witness; and, so far as we have hitherto ascertained, is the best document of that kind, relative to the above fact, which has been transmitted to posterity.

There is perhaps no important event in English history which is involved in greater obscurity than the death of Richard the Second. It is much to be regretted, therefore, that so little light has been thrown upon it by the very curious contemporary narrative which you lately communicated to the Society through the medium of Mr. Webb's spirited translation. Had the writer remained in England till after the King's decease, it cannot be doubted that he would have enriched his work with such details of it as his honest diligence could not have failed to collect. As it is, we have merely his testimony that suspicions were entertained of foul play, and that he himself believed the body which was exposed to public view was not Richard's, but was that of Maudelen his chaplain; not knowing (by reason, probably, of his absence from England) that Maudelen, who is said to have counterfeited his Master in the revolt of Richard's adherents, had already paid the penalty of his fraud, by suffering public execution in a way which rendered further deception impracticable. Availing myself of the strong interest which this chronicle has attracted towards the fate of Richard, I shall not hesitate to submit to the Society a brief notice of such early authorities as have presented themselves to me on this doubtful question.

In the subjoined letter, which, as a family relic, I lately communicated to Mr. Lister Parker, and which has since been read to this Society, allusion is made to a stage-coach in 1663. This led me to enquire into the antiquity of wheeled carriages, and the modes of travelling formerly adopted in this country, and should you consider the fruits of my researches sufficiently interesting to merit the attention of the Society, you are at liberty to lay them before that body.

By the kindness of Mr. Fenner, of Eye, I have now the pleasure of sending you the Seal, of which I before forwarded you the impression, for the inspection of the Society.

It appears to have been the Seal of Ethilwald Bishop of Dunwich, of whom the “Profession of Faith,” addressed to Celnoth Archbishop of Canterbury from A.D. 830 to 870, is referred to by Wharton in the Appendix to the Anglia Sacra, vol. I. p. 801, as existing in the Cottonian MS. Cleopatra, E. 1. in the British Museum.

There exists in France a Monument which tradition ascribes to the “Flower of English Chivalry,” Sir John Chandos, who fell in a skirmish near the bridge of Lusac in the year 1370. A friend of mine, Major Smith, has lately visited this spot, and from his letter, and some other sources, I have drawn up the following, which through your means I beg leave to submit to the notice of the Society of Antiquaries. The subject seems to me interesting on two accounts; first, from the great celebrity and renown of the hero intended to be commemorated, and next for the peculiarity of the monument itself.

I consider the interesting communication of my friend Mr. Douce, published by the Society of Antiquaries, in the xviith volume of the “Archaeologia,” p. 290, so very instructive, that I am induced to trouble you with this Letter. My object is to shew what application of it may be made, so as to bring us more intimately acquainted with the manners of our ancestors; and if you think I have succeeded, you will probably favour me by reading it to the Society.

I have the honour of transmitting to your Lordship the Account which I received at Valleyfield from Sir Robert Preston. I accompanied him to the Abbey-church of Culross, and saw the plate containing the inscription relating to the Heart of Lord Edward Bruce there interred. The plate contains likewise a delineation of the Silver Case containing it; being in the shape of a heart, with all its ramification of veins, which I was unable to copy.

I inclose a curious Account of the first Battle of St. Albans, which may prove interesting to the Society of Antiquaries: it is copied from a manuscript, in a co-eval hand, found in the Tower, among a large quantity of private letters and accompts of Sir William Stonor, Knt. who, from his correspondence, appears at that time to have been much about the Court, and was also a Steward of the Abbot of St. Albans. The original is written in a book consisting of a few leaves of a small quarto size, and, on comparing the writing with some of the other papers, it seems to be in the hand of Sir William himself.

Having lately had occasion to examine the Subsidy Roll of the 51st year of Edward the Third, printed in the seventh volume of the “Archæologia,” I am induced to offer you some remarks on the degree of information which that curious document appears to supply, with reference to the population of our ancient Cities.

Will you allow me to communicate to the Society of Antiquaries the inclosed Papers relating to Charity Boxes? The accompanying drawings are taken from three different churches in Norfolk, and are curious for their contrivances in preventing the money deposited therein from being stolen. They were generally secured by two keys, most probably kept by the two Churchwardens, and although many were “honest men and true,” a few may have had some inclination to finger “the gode red golde;” as in the following quotation from one of the plays of Ben Jonson:

“1 Gyp. On Sundays you rob the poor's-box with your tabor;

The Collectors would do it, you save them a labour.

Pup. Faith, but a little they 'll do it non upstant.”a

I herewith send for your inspection, and that of our learned brethren of the Society of Antiquaries, should you judge it worthy of that honour, an ecclesiastical instrument of ancient use in the Roman Catholic Church, though now hardly known to the members of it, called a Pax.

In doing myself the honour of transmitting to you the following admirable remarks of my friend Mr. Arthur Taylor, permit me briefly to preface them with some explanatory observations, which, on perusal, you will allow are demanded of me.

The late discovery of a Vessel under the ancient bed of the river Rother having given rise to various conjectures and contradictory statements, respecting her age and former service, and the subject being of some interest in naval architecture, I was directed by Sir Byam Martin, at the request of Lord Melville, to repair to the place where she was found, and to obtain a true account of her build and situation; in order, if possible, to ascertain the country she belonged to, and the period of her submersion. My Report has been subsequently transmitted to the Admiralty; and, at the suggestion of Mr. Barrow, I have taken the liberty of addressing to you a Letter, containing the substance of that Report; and should the subject be compatible with the regulations as to Papers usually read at the Society of Antiquaries, it will afford me much satisfaction if you will do me the favour to introduce it at the ensuing meeting.

During the summer months of the last ten years, I have been engaged in excavating the site, and tracing the walls and dimensions of the Abbey Church of Evesham, which was destroyed at the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIIIth. no traces of which were visible above the surface of the ground. A regular Ground Plan and Survey of the Buildings is made, which, when completed, will be laid before the Society.