derable, and much surpass my expectation. He hath been at a great charge on that account. I am of opinion, that he hath rather too much than too little for the Antiquities of Bucks, which is an undertaking he hath been engaged in several years, though diverted from so vigorous a prosecution as I could wish by other affairs.

Among other pictures, I saw at his house these following, which I took particular notice of, viz. (1) Archbp. Dolben, by Sir P. Lilly, a most excellent piece. (2) An old Picture done upon wood, found at Snelshall Priory, above mentioned. This picture, which is a very great curiosity, represents our Saviour, St. John, and St. Peter. (3) A large Draught of Ipswich, by Ogilby, which I do not remember to have seen before. (4) A large Draught of the South Prospect of York Cathedral, done with a Pen. (5) A Picture of Bp. Fell. (6) Mr. Willis's own Picture, done excellently well by Daul, and by it is his Lady's also, done some years since, I do not know by what hand; but it is a good picture.

As I cursorily run over Mr. Willis's Collections I found a note in one of them, that not one of the Monks of Snelshall was found incontinent at ye Dissolution, and that there were at that time 8 servants there, besides the Prior's Father and Mother, who brought all their goods to the said Priory, in hopes of having their living there. At

the same time I also met with another note, signifying, that it does not appear at the Dissolution that (so far as we have surveys) there were any of the Religious found incontinent, in the County of Bucks, excepting one Nun at Ankerwike; which is a very considerable argument to me of the virtues of the Religious.

I saw only two old MSS. at Mr. Willis's. The first of which is a Folio Bible in Vellum of the vulgar Latin Translation, towards the beginning of which is this Note: Hunc librum dedit magister Johannes Rudyng, archidiaconus Lincoln. cathenand. in principali disco infra cancellum ecclesiæ suæ præbendal de Buckyngham ad usum Capellanorum & aliorum ibidem in eodem studere volencium quam diu duraverit. Just by is another Note in Capitals, viz. FVNDATOR CANCELLORUM, signifying that he was founder of the Chancell where the Library was built, which consisted of several Stalls or Desks of Books, the word discus being the same in signification in this place with pluteus. There is also another Note written likewise in a later hand, which shews yt the said Rudyng was ye founder of ye said Chancell, & withall it points out to us the time in wch he lived. It is this: Johannes Rudyng collatus fuit ad Archi-diaconatum Lincoln & Præbendam de Sutton cum Buckingham Aug. 6. 1471. Moriebatur 1481. In another

Leaf of the Book are the sd Rudyng's Arms.*

And 'tis remarkable, that there are Escallops and a Crescent to be seen at this time in the Windows of the Church, and they are also carved in Stone on the outside of the wall.

[As Hearne has left nearly ten pages blank in his MS. volume, it is probable that he intended to continue this account of his Whaddon Journey.]

*Hearne has drawn the Arms with a pen, in a very rough manner. They consist of six escalops and a crescent, with the Motto-" May God All Amend."

No. III.

AN ACCOUNT OF T. HEARNE's JOURNEY TO
READING AND SILCHESTER, 1714.

From HEARNE's MS. DIARIES, in the Bodleian Library. Vol. 50, Page 104.

1714, May 22, Saturday.

ON Sunday morning last, being

Whitsunday, I rode over very early in the morning to Reading, and taking with me the 2d. volume of Leland's Itinerary, I examined many particulars that that excellent antiquary hath noted, and found every thing to be so exact, that I have every day a much better opinion of his great industry, care, learning, and judgment. He tells us that at the north end of Causham Bridge, as we come from Reading, there stondith a fair old Chapelle of stone on the right hand, piled in the foundation for the rage of the Tamise." I could find nothing of this Chapelle, but was told that there was lately built a new

house (which I saw) where it stood, and that remains of an old building were taken up where the said house was erected. I went to Reading on purpose to renew my acquaintance with the Ruins of the Abbey. I took particular notice of all the Remains of it, and am inclined to think that the old Castle certainly stood where this Abbey was afterwards placed, for tho' from the name of Castle Street, some would imagine that it stood in that street somewhere, yet I believe that street was so denominated from some inn of note, that carried the sign of the Castle.

Mr. Leland also observes that there is a Park coming into Reading town, belonging to the late Monasterie there. I made enquiry after this Park, but they told me there was no other Park now than Whitley Park, (commonly called Whitley Farm) about a mile south from the town,

The town of Reading is very pleasantly situated, and it is large, but nothing near so famous now for cloathing as it was formerly. The houses are very mean, and the streets, tho' pretty large, unpaved. The occasion of the houses being so mean is this. The greatest part of them belong to one Blagrave, and his interest in them being only for lives, there is no likelihood of their being rebuilt as yet. The names of the

*See Page 72 of this Volume.