Brief Lives, Vol. 1 - John Aubrey

He gives there (fol. 31^v) these dimensions of the town:—'From St. John's Bridge <south limit of the town> to the abbey <north> is about a quarter of a mile; and from the same bridge to Westport church <west limit> is neer about a mile. Height of the borough from the levill belowe is about 100 foot high.'

The references on the plan of Malmsbury (see the facsimile) are:—

'α = the house of his birth.
ω = Westport church.
W = the West port (olim).
β = the smyth's shop.
δ = the private house where Mr. Latimer taught him.
ξ = Three Tunnes (as I take it), opposite to the smyth's shop.
= the religious <house> dedicated to Our Lady: the chapell is yet standing.
H = <Hobbes's> house at the upper <end> faces the Horse fayre.
= quaere if not a chapell here?'

On fol. 31^v of MS. Aubr. 9, Aubrey has these remarks about these plans, etc.:—

'If these notes are not now inserted, probably they will be lost: or should it not be a marginall commentary?'

'I have drawne this rude sketch meerly for your clearer understanding, not that I think it worth while to grave it for 'tis at randome. I intended if it had pleased God that I had prospered in the world to have had taken an exact map [1244] of Malmesbury.'

'Whitechurch, about a mile ferè off:—quaere ubi stat?' 'Vide Speed's mappe in Wiltshire.'

'Burnevall, quasi Bournevall.'>

<Description of Westport.>

[1245]Westport [FJ] is the parish without the west-gate (which is now demolished), which gate stood on the neck of land that joines Malmesbury (vide verses [FK]) to Westport. Here [FL] was, before the late warres, a very pretty church, consisting of 3 aisles, or rather a nave and two aisles (which tooke up the whole area [1246]), dedicated to St. Mary; and a fair spire-steeple, with five tuneable bells, which, when the towne was taken (about 1644; quaere William Aubrey) by Sir W. Waller, were converted [1247] into ordinance, and the church pulled-downe to the ground, that the enemie might not shelter themselves against the garrison. The steeple was higher then that now standing in the borough, which much added to [1248] the prospect. The windowes were well painted, and in them were inscriptions that declared much antiquitie; now is here rebuilt a church like a stable.