to him of their own accord! Imagine allowing oneself to be outwitted by the carp in one's own moat!

Baddesley Clinton has always remained a Roman Catholic house. The form of worship, during all the days of Protestant persecution, never changed here, - Protestants sometimes forget that there were Roman Catholic victims of their zeal, as well as the fact that Protestants were martyred. While most of the important families gradually changed their form of worship to conform with that of the Church of England, the Lords of Baddesley remained in the original faith in which they had been reared.

An interesting story is told of one of the early masters of the grange, Robert Greswold. When he was one day walking between Broadway and Baddesley, he met his friend John Sugar, who was a noted Roman Catholic of much influence, who had once been a Protestant. As they walked together towards Baddesley Clinton, they met the constable who was out on a special hunt for papists. With the constable walked Clement Greswold, a cousin of Robert. Knowing the probable fate of John Sugar, Clement said to Robert, "Come our way, Cousin, and you may go in peace." Robert replied, "Not unless my friend come also."

Then the constable spoke up, exclaiming," Nay, John Sugar goes with me before the judges. Greswold said: "Then I too will go with him." He accompanied Sugar to his trial. Greswold could have been set free had he so wished, but we are told that" for the love of Mr. Sugar and zeal for martyrdom he would not." So on the sixteenth of July, 1664, they were both executed.

When they were led forth to death, John Sugar was dragged upon a hurdle, but Greswold walked behind him. It was a rainy day, and much mud had accumulated in the road. Some one saw how Greswold was ploughing through the mire, and said to him, "Walk at the side, friend, instead of going behind the hurdle, where there is so much mud." To which the martyr answered, "I have followed him through life and to death, and I am not to be deterred by a little mire in the road!" This scene forms the subject of one of the paintings by the present lady of Baddesley. It hangs at Erdington monastery.

Shakespeare Hall lies near Baddesley Clinton, a little over a mile, perhaps; it is believed to have been the home of Thomas Shakespeare, an uncle of the poet. In Wroxall Priory, also near Baddesley, lived Adam Shakespeare, in 1389, and his descendants in all probability

were cousins and neighbours of William, so that it was a natural and easy thing for Shakespeare to visit this neighbourhood if our conjecture is correct.

CHAPTER III

BANBURY CROSS AND OTHER QUAINT SPOTS

T

HERE is one thing about England

it

is true also of France: there is not a town that is not worth a visit. You often think, "Oh, there is nothing there to see! only a Roman wall and a Norman church-it hardly pays! It pays every time. The less there is advertised to be seen, the fewer tourists there will be, and the more real English town remains for those who can appreciate it.

Banbury is one of these nice towns, with its old cross to which we have all been admonished to" ride a cock horse." The present cross is not the original one, but you do not have to remember that. When we were there it was surrounded by pens enclosing a sheep market. The responsibility of their position was weighing rather unduly upon four sheep dogs, who continuously barked at the corners of the pens. The inoffensive sheep stood quietly regarding the excitement of these dogs, and reminded me