The record-union., 1891-10-03

SDlre.
Sir William Catesby. grandson of
ruled England under Richard H., the
others being Sir Richard Radcliffe and
Viscount Lowell, giving rise to the MEM
orable distich-
The rat, the cat and Lowell our dog,
Rule all England under the hog
the "hog' being an allusion to King
Richard having adopted boar as one Of
the heraldic supporters upon his regal
escutcheon. For this poetical libel Col
lingbourne, its author, was expeditiously
hanged, headed and quartered' on
Tower Hill, London.
Sir William Catesby obtained grants of
various forfeited manors and lucrative
wardships, and attending King Richard
in his last expedition against the Earl OF
Richmond, he was taken prisoner in Bos-
worth Field, fighting valiantly for his
master, and three days after was beheaded
at Leicester. His lands were eScheated
to the Crown and granted to Sir James
Blount, but were restored by Act of Par
Lament to his son George in 1886. George
Catesby, Esq, was succeeded by his son
William, a minor, who, dying without
issue, the estates descended to his young
er brother, Richard, who was member
from Warwickshire in the famous Parlia-
ment which proved SO destructive to the
English mOnasteries.
Sir William Catesby, grandson and sue
cessor to Richard, was cited, with others,
before the infamous Court OF Star Cham
ber in 1881, charged with harboring Jesu-
sis and being present at q secret celebra-
ton of the mass, of which offense they
were convicted. Sir Robert Catesby, his
son and successor, who originated the
gunpoWder plot on these grounds, lived,
until pursued and shot to death at Hol
beach, Staffordshire, in 1905, in this pic
turesque old manor house.
Catesby's estates having been coniis-
Gated by the Crown, the lordship and adj
vowson Of the manor We're granted, in
l0ll, to Sir William Irving in fee. They
were subsequently sold by Irving to
Brian Panson and Ann, his wife, with
whose descendants they continued until
1903, when they were purchased by Jo-
seph Ashby, ESD, and from him they
descended to the late Lady Senhouse,
who, dying in 1850, left the property to her
only surviving child, Captain VIM. SEN
house, bachelor and confirmed woman
hater. On his decease, in 1884, Major
Humphrey POclington Senhouse was
called from his estates in Cumberland to
act as executor, and found to his sur
prise that the splendid old property had
been devised to him. This is long
search or abstract Of title" as the
real estate lawyers would cali it. But
what q grand historic sweep it has!
w hat a host OF men in armorand ''ladyes
taire" 1t marshals from the dim and
knightly days! What sacred pilgrim
ages, bloody wars, desperate and victori-
Gus dynasties, kingly pageants and hor-
fld plotS II summons Tor solemn review,
and how glorious historic romance
could be wrought within Ashby st.
Ledgers' grim and ghostly old walls!
Approaching the place along the high
way from the southwest, you suddenly
come upon the daintiest and most flower
spangled village in England. Il is a tiny
collection Of dependencies upon the ma
nor, but there can nowhere else be found
such hower-e powered homes. Just at
the northern edge Of this, the whole form
ing striking background to the side
broidcry Of one of the finest wide, high
oVerarchings OF ancient ash trees / have
ever seen, first appears huge wall, high
thick, ivy-hung and messy. Surmount-
ing this is a wonderfully picturesque old
gatehouse with two stories OF chambers
and an attic-the veritabe meeting-room
OF the cOnsplrators- over capaciOus
archWay, which formed the ancient sole
entrance to the domain in the good old
days, there also being etl1gies of saints at
the archway sides and convenient inches
in which meudicant travellers could sit
and appeal to passers for aims. Behind
this are other venerable outbuildings, half
thousand years old and in perfect maze
To the right and higher, shows a grim.
square Norman tower and the mosSy
roof of the parish church, whose ''living''
IS within the gift of the lord of the manor
Behind and above all are the many mas
sive gables OF this most splendidly fan
tastic manor house within the England
midland shires.
The church itself is study in ancient
English ecclesiastic architecture, is ex-
traordinarily rich in monuments and
braSSeS, and possesses many evidences of
having been largely restored and beauti-
1iod by John de Catesby about 14l2 It's
age, however, dates from many hundred
years before that time. Many monu-
ments Of the Catesbys are found in the
chancel which escaped destruction, from
the place being so SequeStered one at
the time Of the terrible public outburst
against the fatal treason OF Robert Gates
by. But a portion of its floor is covered
with flags, a suggestion of extraordinary
antiquity, as well of the beautiful village
'rushbearing" professionals, which were
certain to have annually been seen within
ii. It's traditional south porch is as quaint
study as that Of ancient Grasnere
Church in Westmoreland. And, as from
time immemorial, has been the custom
with English parish churches under
memorial and demesne benefices, a pri-
vate way leads TO the hall of the lord of
the manor.
AT Ashby st. Ledgers it passes through
the ancient courtyard wall and winds
across noble-terracedla and garden.
At the rear Of these, marking the bound
aTy OF the highway, is a majestic line of
ash trees, Half way between the manor
house and these stands,the historic tulip
tree Of st. Ledgers, indeed, if not of Eng
land. Its gIrth at four feet from the
ground is is feet and inches. Just above
this it breaks into three forks with girths
OF feet inches, Z feet inches, and
feet inches. It's greatest spread of
branch Is So feet from north to south, rs
feet from east to west and it's hight is IL
feet.
The manor house is believed to be
nearly 700 years old. Its south and west
fronts certainly date from the time of Ed
ward III. They retain their original
character, and are finished with gables
and an open parapet. The east frontis
modernized. In the hall of the most an
eient portion every oak panel bears now
almost indistinguiShable painting of a
head or an armorial device. Many por-
traits of the Catesbys are still intact. The
entire interior is a labyrinth of Wainscot-
ing, curious sunken and secret reposito-
ries, dark old Railways, wondrously
carved chimney pieces and fantastic stair
ways, balustrades and landings. It is be-
lieved that the cellars contain walled up
secret passages to distant places of exit.
and in one l found huge stone altar,
where formerly Christian England com
PEELED the pious to worship for fear Of the
gallows ofTower Hill.
EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.
MY GRANDMoTHER's WAFFLE
IRON.
Tho old wa file iron baI70s r,r,d or +I,o e+o;r