low lately pretending to have dreamed of money concealed in this place, made an unseemly gap in the wall with a pickaxe, and, finding nothing, left the broken niche as a monument of his stupidity.

We now enter the church, by the south transept or cross aisle; the building having been originally cruciform, though the north transept is now destroyed. A few years since, a part of the elegant roof was to be seen; but it has now fallen, and its ruins lie on the ground. Among them various arms and devices may be traced. At the corner of this transept, on the right from our entrance, is a spiral stone staircase, which conducts to the upper parts.

Netley church, in its present state, affords few traces of its original elegance. Fine Gothic pillars and arches, of the same kind with those still remaining in the transept, supported the beautifully ramified roof; while the windows were probably decorated with painted glass, the aisles

adorned with tombs and chantries, and the altar rich with ornaments. The east end retains somewhat of its original appearance.

The view of part of the south transept, which accompanies the present publication, is taken from a spot about thirty paces from the ruin that it represents; near a tree, on the right, which shoots up from a single trunk into two tall stems, having a mass of ruin at its root.

Netley church is about two hundred feet in length, and sixty broad. When the cross aisles were entire, the breadth at that part appears to have been about one hundred and twenty feet. The roof, when perfect, is said to have had pinnacles, which served as landmarks.

From the present ruined state of this once sumptuous and elegant pile, imagination recurs to the services which were performed on this spot, in ancient days, when the monks attended to the rules by which they were bound.

About half past one in the morning, the monks were obliged to rise, in order to begin the night office, called Nocturna Vigilia, by two. Immediately after this, they performed the Matutina Laudes; the whole taking up about two hours. There was now an interval of an hour, in which they were at liberty to repose! though some are said to have spent the time in private prayer. At five began

the service called Prime; at the conclusion of which they went in procession to the chapter house, to attend to the instructions and admonitions of the abbot. After this, they proceeded again to the church, to assist at what was called the Capitular Mass. This being finished, there was an interval of an hour, or hour and half, to be employed in manual labour or study. At eight they again met in the choir, to perform the office called Terce, or the third hour; which was followed by the High Mass, and that again by the Sext, or the office of the sixth

hour. These services lasted till nearly ten o'clock; at which time, when it was not a fasting day, they proceeded to the refectory to dine. They returned after dinner, in procession to the church, to finish their solemn grace. There was now about an hour of relaxation, in which they might repose, or walk. At one o'clock, None, or the ninth hour, was sung; as were Vespers at three. At five, they met in the refectory for supper; which was to consist chiefly of what was left at noon; except on fasting days, when very little was allowed to be taken. The intermediate spaces were to be occupied with reading, study, manual labour, and transcribing books. After the even

Perhaps this was almost the only occupation of the monastic life, which has proved really beneficial to posterity; as by this means the Scriptures have been preserved. But whether we are at all indebted to monks, for our enjoyment of the Bible, is surely to be questioned. If they preserved the sacred volume, it was to keep it in their own hands, and to monopolize the interpretation. Had they foreseen the reforma

ing refection, a spiritual conference or collation was held, until the office called Complin began; which, with other services, lasted till seven o'clock; when all retired to their respective dormitories: which were long galleries, containing as many beds as could be ranged in them, separated from each other by thin boards. or curtains. On these they took their rest, without undressing themselves.*

Though it was in this manner that the monks were enjoined to pass their time, there is no reason to think they paid much attention to their rules, even a short time after their first institution. An early writer of their own testifies, that in his days, "all the monkish and regular orders, which began with so much fervour

tion, they had never employed their pens in this way. The benefit we derive from their labours, must. be ascribed to the Author of all Good, making use of them as his unconscious instruments, and leading them eventually to promote a cause the farthest from their wishes.

* Milner's Hist. Win, ii, 100, 101.