soned at Lincoln, he was appointed chaplain at Colonel King's at Ashby, near Sleaford, where he preached publickly till the Colonel's death; when he removed to Roxholm, in the parish of Leasingham, and took a small farm. In Monmouth's time he, together with Mr. Wright and Mr. Drake of Leasingham, was committed to Grantham gaol. He died in 1696, aged sixty-three years, and was buried at Sleaford,a where he most probably had lived during a few of his latter years.

BENJAMIN FAWCETT,

Pastor for thirty-five years of a congregation of Baxterians, at Kidderminster, the author of several small works, and an abridgment of Baxter's "Saints' Everlasting Rest," and some other pieces by that divine, was born at Sleaford, A. D. 1715.

ANDREW KIppis,

That celebrated English Biographer, though not, strictly speaking, a native of this place, yet was, on the death of his father, A. D. 1730, when he was scarcely five years of age, removed to his paternal grandfather's at Sleaford. In this town he received his education at the Grammar School, under the Rev. William Seller, Vicar, and early exhibited proofs of great abilities and vast proficiency. In June, 1746, he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity, from the University of Edinburgh, on the unsolicited recommendation of the late learned Professor Robertson, and in the year 1779, was chosen a fellow of the Royal Society.

The interests of literature, science, and religion, have received, from the exertions of his talents as a writer, the the most essential advantages; but the work by which he will

a The inscription to his memory may be seen at page fifty-eight.

ever be distinguished, is the "Biographia Britannica." This great national publication has given him a high rank among the literati of his country, and will carry down his name with distinguished reputation to posterity. This great and good man died on the fifth day of October, 1795, when he had attained the age of seventy years and six months.

FRANCES Brooke,

Whose maiden name was Moore, was the daughter of a respectable divine, and the wife of the Rev. John Brooke, rector of Colney in Norfolk, and of St. Augustine in the city of Norwich. This lady was no less admired for the gentleness and sweetness of her manners, than for the various talents she possessed. Her first literary performance was a periodical work, entitled "The Old Maid,” which has since been formed into one volume. In 1756, she published " Virginia,” a tragedy, and being dissatisfied with the conduct of Mr. Garrick respecting this piece, she wrote a novel, called the "Excursion," which she made the vehicle of her complaints; But fancying she had treated him with too much severity, the mildness of her disposition induced her to retract the work. To the tragedy of Virginia, she published several odes, pastorals, translations, &c., but amongst her dramatic productions, "Rosina" claims the pre-eminence; the simplicity of the story, and the elegance of the language, have justly rendered it a most admired piece. The domestic happiness which subsisted between Mrs. Brooke and her husband, was of the most tender and lasting kind, and when death put a period to his existence, she survived his loss only a few days. He expired the twenty-first, and this amiable woman the twenty-third of January, 1789, at Sleaford, in the chancel of which church she lies buried, and where a fine mural monument remains to her memory.

ANCASTER.

WE enter upon our sketch of this place, without any view whatever of settling the much agitated point, whether or not it was the celebrated Crococalana of Antoninus, the Segelocum of the geographer Salmon, the Causenna of Horsley, or simply an une caster or Roman encampment. Such a discussion would lead us into much too wide a field for a work like this, embracing so many towns and villages under so cheap a form; a few extracts from ancient histories will, we conceive, be all that can reasonably be expected.

The laborious antiquary Leland says, "Ankester standith on Wateling as in the highe way to Lincolne; it is now but a very pore strete having a smaule chirch, but in tymes past it hath bene a celebrated toune, but not waullid, as far as I could perceive: the building of it lay in length by southe and north. In the southe ende of it be often tymes founde in ploughing great square stones of old buildings, and Romaine coynes of brasse and sylver. In the west ende of it, were now medowes be, ar founde yn diching great vaultes.

The area wher the castelle stoode is large and the dikes of it appere, and in sum places the foundation of the waulle. In the highest ground of the area is now an old chapel, dedicate to S, Marie, and there is an heremite; this area is right again the east ende of the paroche chirch.

"The tounelet of Ankester is divided into 2 lordeshipes; the east side of it, at the southe ende whereof the castelle is sette, is of the lordship of Wilesford; the west side of the toune, where

the paroche chirch stondith, was the Vescy's, and the patronage of the chirch, with impropriation, was gyven by one of the Vescys, to the Priory of Malton in Ridesdale.

"The toune of Ankester hath on eche side of it a spring, and they cumming to one botom a none, after ren ynto Willesford streame; and so, as I remember, the broke goith thens to Uerby."a

He likewise gives us the then computed distances between this place and several other towns, as "From Sleforde to Ankester, a 4 miles by chaumpaine. From Ankester to Temple Bruere al by chaumpaine of Ankester, hath a 4 miles. From Bichefield to Ankester, a poor thorough fare, al by playne and much hethy ground. From Ankester to Lincolne 16 miles, al by like playne ground in Kestene. Here marke that al this hethe or playne ground from Bichefield to Lincolne berith the name of Ankester. The Hethe of Ankester conteynith in length about a 14 miles, and in bredth a —, and cummith within a two miles of the fenne."b

Holinshed remarks of this place, "It seemeth that Ancaster hath been a great thing, for many square and coloured pavements, vaults, and arches are yet found, and often laid open by such as dig and plough the fields about the same.”

Dr. Stukeley, a native of this county, and a resident therein for many years, who had great facilities for exploring especially traditional and local testimonies, supposes "Ancaster to have been a very strong city, intrenched and walled about. The bowling green, behind the Red Lion Inn, is made in the ditch; when they were levelling it they came to the old foundations. At the end of the town, where a dove cote stands, is Castle close, full of foundations above ground, the

a Itinerary, vol. i. p. 30. b Ibid.

ditch and rampire encompass it. Here are great quantities of Roman coins found, they are found too upon the hills all about the town, especially southwards, and towards castle pits. After a shower of rain, the school-boys and shepherds find them on the declivities. Coins of Faustina, Verus, Commodus, &c. have been found here.

"There is a spring at each end of the town, and this was, no doubt, the reason why the Romans pitched their situation at this place, for no more water is to be met with from hence to Lincoln.

"" 'There is a road on the west side of the town, which was for the convenience of those that travelled when the gates were shut."a

The learned Camden also, speaking of this place, says, Antoninus gives the name of Crococalana to that town which we call Ancaster, which is nothing at present but a long street on the military road, one part of which lately belonged to the Vescys, the other to the Cromwells. On entering it from the south I saw a rampart, and a camp appears to have been higher up, as on the other side to the west appear some summer camps of the Romans. It seems to have had its British name from its situation, lying under a hill. Cruc maur signifies in British a great hill, and Cruc occhidient a western hill in Giraldus Cambrensis and Ninnius; but the meaning of Colona others must.determine. The monuments of antiquity in this town, are the Roman coins and subterraneous passages frequently discovered; its situation on the military way, and the fourteen miles distance between it and Lincoln, on the grassy plain called Ancaster Heath; for so many miles Antoninus reckons between Crococalana and Lindum."b

a Itinerarium Curiosum, p. 85. b Britannia, vol. ii, p. 335.