The glory of Dunstable was its once celebrated priory; yet of this extensive building little remains, but the part now appropri ated for the parish church, and a few fragments in the adjoining wall. It was founded by Henry the First, about the year 1131, for black canons, in honour of St. Peter. At the dissolution of the religious houses, its revenues, according to Dugdale, amounted to 3441. 13s. per annum. The priory church was originally in the form of a cross, with a tower in the centre, supported by four lofty arches; parts of which, belonging to the two western pillars, still remain; these are of a large size, with clustered columns surmounted with hexagonal capitals. This fabric appears to have been very extensive and magnificent. Henry the Eighth intended it for a cathedral, and Dr. Day for the first bishop. When this design was abandoned, it is probable, that a considerable part of the structure was demolished, as the whole now standing only reaches from the west door to the cross aisle, or choir entrance; a space containing a nave and two side aisles, and extending to the length of about forty yards. These remains exhibit an interesting combination of ancient architectural ornaments. On each side the nave are six circular and lofty arches, consisting of four mouldings, with a pilaster in the middle between each arch. The arches of the upper windows are also round, as well as the groined arches at the east end. The windows are of a later date than the building itself, which is mended with brick in various places. A flat wall closes the east end; and the two nearest arches on each side form the present choir. A beautiful stone rood-loft, of four pointed arches, with clustered columns, ranges over the west door: beneath it is a rich wooden screen. The roof is of oak, finely carved with knots of flowers, &c. The beams are supported by angels, horizontal and perpendicular. About the church are several grotesque figures. The west front has been considered as "one of our great national curiosities;" from its singular intermixture of circular and pointed arches, and the curious manner in which its ornaments are arranged. The great door* had four pillars on each side, with Saxon capitals supporting five mouldings, the outermost of which is ornamented with zigzag work: the second has angels, and foliage in alternate ovals: the third, beast's heads, jessant foliage: the fourth, a spread eagle, and the signs of the zodiac, of which Pisces and Capricorn still remain: the fifth, flowers, &c. The capitals have David playing on the harp, a figure prostrate to him: a bishop in pontificalibus, with mitre and crosier, and a bearded man in a cap: two more bearded men hold a scroll perpendicularly, on whose top is a headless beast, &c. The lesser door has seven mouldings, on five pillars, exclusive of the inner, composed of roses, and laced work, nail-headed quatrefoils. The arch between the two doors is half a zigzag and half a straight moulding; and the interlaced arches within it, rest on capitals charged with grotesque figures: one seems to have a number of souls and a devil. The space over the small door is ornamented by various compartments displaying flowers. Above the doors are three rows of arches: the first consists of seven flat arches, with pedestals for statues; the second, of six small and two large, open to a gallery leading to the bell tower, with a seventh arch between the latter, placed over the door, all on treble clustered pillars. The third row has five pointed flat arches, with single pillars. Over the west door, under the arch, are three ornamental niches; and under the west windows of the tower are four roses in squares. In the annexed print, this front is represented, and will be found to correspond with the above description. The small turret, or tower, that appears on the right-hand corner of the building, has fallen down since Mr. Arnald made his sketch. The tower is attached to the north west angle, and has two rows of niches, now deprived of their statues. Anciently another tower on the opposite side corresponded with this. The Chronicle of Dunstaple records the falling of two towers in the year 1221. In falling The door way of Malmsbury Abbey, in Wiltshire, is somewhat similar but larger, in better preservation, and more richly ornamented, falling they destroyed the prior's hall, and part of the church. The body was repaired in 1273 by the parishioners, but chiefly at the expense of one Henry Chedde, Within the church are a number of curious monuments; many of them belonging to the Chew family, whose benefactions to this town have caused their names to be repeated with reverence. In the middle isle was formerly a very long slab, the inscription on which was so quaint and barbarous, that it gave rise to the incredible report of one woman having had nineteen children at five births! viz. three several times three children at a birth, and twice five two other times. Fuller, in his Worthies of Bedfordshire,. gave currency to the error, and the tradition of the place has ever since continued it. The slab was inlaid with the figures of a man and a woman in brass, both dressed in gowns, with their hands in the attitude of prayer; and at their feet an inscription. Beneath the latter, two groups, one of boys, the other of girls, with the types of the evangelists at the corners. The inscription was in these words: Hic William Mulso sibi quem sociavit et Alice, Per sponsos binos. Deus his clemens miserere. This, literally translated, is as follows: "Qne general fate has shut up here, under hard marble, William Mulso, and Alice his wife. She is reported to have had three times three, and twice five, children, by two husbands." This conceited mode of informing the world that a woman had nineteen children, undoubtedly gave rise to the mistake of their having been produced at five births; but how Fuller, who was a man of considerable learning, could assert that it was so represented in the epitaph, is indeed surprising: yet our surprise at his error is somewhat lessened, when we reflect on the conduct of Bishop Gibson, who repeats the story im plicitly. How easily would the exertion of a little common sense, have enabled the Bishop to rectify this gross misrepresentation! Who for a moment can believe that such an unprecedented cir |