WOODCROFT HOUSE, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.

THIS very curious mansion, represented in the accompanying engraving, is situated in the parish of Etton, a few miles north of the city of Peterborough. Though now only used as a farm-house, it was apparently in former times a place of strength, being almost entirely surrounded by a moat, over the western part of which there was originally a drawbridge.

The doors of the long passages entered through the great gateway, here seen, also two large arches and seats of stone, together with the staircases and many other things within the house, are of ancient workmanship. The round bastion or tower towards the northern end of the building is very old, and seems to have been constructed as a defence to the rest of the mansion: it has, as is usual in fortifications, openings in its sides from which those within might shoot arrows at their assailants, while they were not liable to be hit by them in return, as the openings on the outside were so narrow that it was a great chance if any of those on the opposite side of the moat could succeed in shooting any arrows into them. Over the great gateway is a chamber, which was formerly a chapel in the wall is still to be seen the basin which, in the Roman Catholic times, used to contain holy water: there are also in the same chamber a stone seat and a large window, part of which has been filled up.

In 1648, Woodcroft House was made a garrison for the royalists under the command of Dr. Michael Hudson. This divine, who had been confined in the Tower for his attachment and fidelity to King Charles I., contrived to make his escape from thence, and immediately went into Lincolnshire, where he raised a party of troops, with whom he retired into Woodcroft House. The rebels on the 6th of June having forced an entrance into the house, and taken many prisoners, Mr. Hudson with the bravest of his soldiers went up to the battlements, and defended themselves a considerable time, but at length yielding on a promise of quarter, which was not observed, Mr. Hudson was thrown over the battlements: he however con

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trived to catch hold of a spout, and thus save himself from falling. The cruel rebels seeing him hang there, cut off his hands, so that he tumbled much wounded into the moat, and was killed by those below, who cut out his tongue and carried it about as a trophy. After the departure of the enemy, he was taken out of the water and decently buried in Uffington church-yard, of which place he was the rector.

Remains of domestic fortifications like that just described, are by no means common in England; there are, however, those of another at no great distance from Woodcroft, situated in a village called Long Thorpe, a view of which was given in a former number of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. O. W. D.

A "NAVIGATOR," OR RAILROAD LABOURER.

LUKE iii. 13.

"Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, What shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages." SUCH was the answer which John Baptist made to the publicans and soldiers. He did not bid them change their employment, but do their duty in that state of life to which they were called. And in this a very useful example is set to all of us. We are apt to lay our faults upon our situation. We talk of the difficulties which lie in our path; we speak as if our situation and our temptations were beyond the influence of religion, and that we are therefore excused from obeying the precepts of the Gospel. But if our calling be a lawful calling, depend upon it we may carry it on in a lawful way, and may do our duty in that calling as fully and as acceptably to God as in any other. It may be more difficult, it may require more care to do this in one situation than in another, but still it may be done, and God has promised to give us strength in proportion to our need. In judging of our own situation, we must remember that we are likely to over-rate the difficulties and under-rate the advantages of it. When every point is considered, the

difference between one situation and another is very little. The temptations are different, but pretty nearly equal in number and strength.

I have been led to make these reflections by hearing one class of labouring men spoken of as if they must, by their employment, be idle, drunken, and riotous ; -- I mean those who work on the rail-roads now making in all parts of England, and who are commonly called "navigators." These men have certainly made a bad name for themselves, but it arose, I believe, from this circumstance: the work being hard and dangerous, the wages high, and character not strictly enquired into, all the idle and distressed applied for it, while men of good known character, and in steady work, naturally held back. There may be cases in which the most steady and industrious labourer may fall into great poverty and distress; but these cases are rare, and the unemployed and distressed are commonly the most idle and immoral part of the population.

When the rail-roads were begun in the town where I reside, I took some pains to find out whether there was any thing in the work which should prevent honest and religious men from undertaking it; and I observed with interest the conduct of those among my poor neighbours who joined in it. There was one man in particular who had always borne a high character as a labourer. He had worked for ten years in a gentleman's garden, and was thrown out of employment in the beginning of winter, in consequence of that gentleman leaving the place. He attended church regularly, and was always to be seen on Sunday neatly dressed with his family. He had a wife and six children depending upon him, and therefore it was of great importance to him not to be out of work. He applied to the superintendent of the works on the rail-road. There was no vacancy here, but he was offered to be put on the line further on, with the promise that he should have the first vacancy which occurred here. This promise was made in consideration of his ten years' character. James agreed to do this. He resolved not to move his wife and children, as it would be only for a time. He made some inquiry among

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the "rail-road men," and found that their wages were only paid to them once a month, but there was a Tommy-shop," at which they might have credit to the amount of their month's wages. The articles were sold, however, at a very high price at this shop. James therefore resolved to have as little to do with it as possible. His wife packed up a basket for him, a loaf of her own baking, some cheese, bacon, tea, sugar, and candles, in short, all which she thought he could want for the first week, and he took 5s. with him. I went to the cottage the day before he started, and I found them debating as to the necessity of packing up the Sunday suit of clothes. "You do not know where you may have to lodge," argued the wife, "and your things may be spoilt." "I must run chances for that," answered James, "but how am I to go to church on Sunday if I have only my working-dress? you would not wish me to go to church in my flannel jacket and dirty trowsers." "You do not know that you will be able to go to church," persisted the wife; "Harry Long told us it was quite out of the question." "I have inquired about it," said James, " and I find that some of the men are employed every Sunday to keep out the foul air, but the others are not employed, and this work on Sunday is done by turns."

The wife yielded rather reluctantly, and James on his part promised to get as tidy a lodging as he could, and to take care of his Sunday clothes. I was very glad to see James rolling up his coat, &c. &c. in a sort of knapsack bundle which he was to carry on his back. It may seem a point of little importance, but it is not so. When the men cannot appear clean and respectable, as they are accustomed to do on Sundays, they feel ashamed, and instead of going to church, they skulk into public houses. Then comes the danger of idleness, and they are soon tempted to drink or gamble. It always grieves me to see men in their working dress idling away hour after hour on Sundays.

Ashford was the name of the station where James was going to work, and he made inquiry from those who knew the village for the respectable people who let

lodgings. He found that the grocer at whose shop he dealt here, had a brother at Ashford who kept a baker's shop, and he gave him a line of recommendation to him, as no respectable person liked to take in the navigators without knowing something about them. By this forethought, James was able to secure a clean and quiet lodging with a widow whose two sons worked on the rail-road. She afterwards told him, that not even the baker's good word would have made her consent to take him in, had she not seen by the knapsack on his shoulders, and his tidy basket in his hand, that he wished to be respectable, and could keep himself clean and neat. All went on pretty smoothly the first week; James worked hard when on the line; and when not, kept quietly in the good widow's cottage. The night-work tried him at first; but by taking a good sleep in the day, regularly undressing and going to bed, he found he could stand it pretty well. The first Sunday he was not required to work, and he went to church at Ashford, looking as neat and respectable as the widow herself could wish. The next week there was a failure in the supply of bricks, and the greater part of the men were out of work for two days. James went to the superintendent, and asked if he might go home one day to return the next. This was granted, and James thus escaped the first temptation to idleness on these two days. His wife and children were right glad to see him; and when the basket was filled, a little cake was not forgotten, which had been baked on purpose for the widow. He had brought back his dirty things, which his wife contrived to wash while he remained, and with a light heart and full basket he went back the following evening to his work. He rejoiced that he had been away, when he heard from the widow's sons how the other men had spent their holiday. They had clubbed together Is. each, and had a great dinner at the public-house, and went on smoking and drinking all the evening.

On Friday in this week, James had to work at night, and also in the afternoon of Saturday, to make up for some of the lost two days. He found it was his turn to work on the following Sunday. In the evening of Satur