a yardland in "Bedesdon"-one yardland in "Newton' Tony," &c. From hence I cannot but think, that these nominal quantities of land included a much greater extent, than they did in later periods. I have now, gentle reader, closed my slender Memorials of the worthy John Halle. Peace to his Manes! "He was a man, take him for all in all," we "shall not see his like again!" NOTES TO ESSAY I. NOTE 1-(p. 1.) "AUBREY." John Aubrey (or Johannes Albericus, as his contemporaries thus latinised him) was born about the year 1626, at Easton Pierse, in the parish of Kington St. Michael, in North Wilts. He was descended from a highly-respectable, and ancient, family, and inherited considerable landed property, which came into his hands burdened with debts, and involved him also in much litigation. He consequently died in great indigence. Aubrey received a liberal education, and his mind was swayed by a natural bias in favour of the study of antiquities; but, from his intimacy with Elias Ashmole, and other visionaries of that day, it was drawn aside from more useful pursuits to the vain study of astrology, and, mayhap, to the more injurious one of alchymy. He, therefore, became credulous, and superstitious. Ill-fated as he was as to his property, his study of astrology did not aid him in his pursuit of matrimonial happiness: "On Nov. 1, 1661," (says this most unfortunate Wiltshire Antiquary,) "I made my first addresses in an evil hour to Joan Somner." He associated with the principal literati of that æra, and with them he joined in founding the Royal Society, of which he became a member in 1662. Aubrey was the school-fellow of Hobbes, the celebrated Philosopher of Malmesbury, and retained an intimacy with him during his life. He was closely connected with Harrington, the famed author of the "Oceana," and frequented a club, where he, Harrington, formed the nucleus of a debating society on politics, &c. He was the friend, also, of the celebrated Dugdale, and of Anthony à Wood; to the former he gave his best assistance in that most invaluable work, the "Monasticon Anglicanum," and to the |