draughts of the passage to the pantries and butteries. The ingle-nook, or fireplace, is of later date than the hall itself, for if the hall were warmed or attempted to be warmed in the good old days there would only be a fire at Christmas, or on special occasions, which fire would be in a brazier in the middle of the room, with the smoke distributed by the draughts. The high table and canopied dais are at the southern end, with dole window toward the court, and private stairs of winding stone to the withdrawing rooms for "the quality." This smaller hall, now called the feoffee's room, is very interesting with its richly ornamented carvings, frieze, and furniture. It was too confined, too full of furniture, and too dark to get a satisfactory photograph, therefore we do not illustrate it, and instead of attempting to describe one hundredth part of this most interesting old home, half secular, half religious, converted and reconverted, feudal hall, cloistered cell, poor boys' school, library for the learned, I must advise the reader to see it for himself, for it is easy of access, and the intelligent will be well repaid.

Perhaps it would be as well to shortly tell the history for a few more centuries. At the spoliation of the religious houses this one was "conveyed, the wise it call," to the Stanleys, Earls of Derby, to whom so many more of the broad acres of Lancashire were conveyed. The original deed of conveyance from Edward the Sixth to Edward, Earl of Derby, dated 9th of July 1549, is now framed on the mantelpiece of the room that was once the Countess of Derby's, where it is the privilege of the Council of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society to have their monthly meetings. The church lands were restored to the church again, but not the college, which fell on evil days when the Earl was executed on the scaffold. Fortunately, better times were dawning, and in 1656 the dilapidated buildings were rescued by the trustees of Humfrey Chetham's will for a public library and an hospital or home for forty healthy boys, born in wed

lock of honest and industrious parents. The widowed Countess of Derby, who signed the sale of the college to the trustees, was the woman famous for her undaunted courage and high spirit during the long siege of Lathom House. Round the cornice of the reading-room are alternately the eagle's foot of the Stanleys, and the portcullis, the badge of their relatives, the Beauforts. This curious room, with its curious furniture, would beggar my description. The photograph shows the Jacobean work of the north side. Aloft on the left is the cock which the lads say crows (as they would like to do), when it smells roast beef. Reflected light spoils the reproduction of the ancient portraits in oil. There is Bradford, the martyr; Nowell, Dean of St. Paul's, the inventor of bottled beer and the first catechism; and other famous worthies. The portrait in the middle is of Humfredus Chetham, Fundator.

From the forthcoming life by our city librarian I find that when Humfrey Chetham was High Sheriff of Lancaster, he assumed a coat of arms to which he had no right, and got into trouble thereby. In those days it was a great offence to "take arms," nowadays no one bothers about it. An alderman and magistrate of Manchester lately showed me his signet-ring and motto, telling me some stationers had "give it" him. Humfrey got out of his troubles and penalties by cash and diplomacy. His friends and retainers were very cute, and managed well. They distributed "pieces" in odd amounts, and wrote "Wee could not have been more sparinge without ecclipsinge your glory .. better suffer in your purse rather then in your reputation and creditt." Sir Henry St. George Norroy, King of Arms, made some alterations in the coat he had assumed (it was too like that of the Traffords); told him to spell his name "with two H and one E," Chetham; to take what motto he pleased; and pay. So all ended amicably, Cheetham became Chetham, though his senior kinsman at the time spelt it Cheetam.

The pronunciation remained the same, for even the august Norroy, King of Arms, has no power there. The "pretty" motto chosen was "Quod tuum tene" (Hold your own), a variation on the Trafford's "Gripe Griffin Holdfast." To hold does sound more gentlemanly than to gripe or grip, and may be quite as efficacious. These mottoes are often brutally cynical. If any one calmly judges that close, hard face of Humfrey Chetham, with the keen eyes, determined mouth, and strong nose, it certainly looks as if he would act up to his motto while life lasted.

Humfrey Chetham was a tradesman of Manchester, who made money, and lent it largely at 8 per cent. to county families during the troubles of the Civil War. He left his money to be expended in land, the college if it could be got, and for the purposes stated above. As in all other charities where the lands are kept, the value of them must increase with the increase and prosperity of the people. If the funds had been kept in cash or lent on loan they would probably have been lost or of little value. The good business man, Humfrey Chetham, well knew that, and planned accordingly.

The new charity was dedicated on the 5th of August, 1656. That is the anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Oswald, the charter of collegiation, and the once great festival of the rush-cart and wakes at Didsbury. The first minute-book records very concisely the history of the house. "This house had formerly been the haule or manor house of the Grelles or Gresleys, Lords of Manchester, and was then called Baron's Court or Baron's Yerde, and afterwards it was built colledge wise . . . and called the Colledge; and about one hundred years agoe was alienated to the Earl of Derbie. . . . From henceforth the sayd house could fitly and justly be called by noe other name than Mr. Chetham's Hospitall."

Chetham's Hospital is now the home of one hundred boys with their caretakers, and sixty thousand volumes of books. Another popular name for the place locally was the Blue Coat School. The lads were dressed in