Professor Cooke's Lecture on English History.

Last evening Professor Cooke delivered the third of his lectures on English History to an audience which filled Boylston Hall completely. To begin with he showed a number of very interesting views of Westminster Abbey, telling how the whole style of Gothic architecture was developed during the reign of Henry III. When only thirteen years old, Henry led the procession which bore the coffin of one of the greatest saints of that time, Beckett, to interment in the Abbey in 1213. Fifty years later, Henry III again led a procession which was to bury another great saint, Edward the Confessor The shrine in which he was then buried is still standing in its original place.

After showing a number of views of Westminster, Professor Cooke passed on to Salisbury Cathedral. This famous cathedral was also built during the reign of Henry III, between 1222-60, and the outlines of the old Norman cathedral can still be discerned.

The present cathedral was built during the period when Gothic architecture was in its prime. It is uniform in style and has a spire 404 feet in length, which is at least twenty inches out of plumb, due to the settling of some of the arches.

Although the cathedral escaped almost entirely during the civil war, a great amount of damage was done by an architect by the name of Wight, who was "let loose" inside, and who "did more harm than the whole of Cromwell's army could have done."

One of the oldest of the few remain castles in England is Berkeley Castle in Gloucester shire., where Edward II was confined and murdered. The room is still shown, which he occupied, and it is claimed that the furniture is the same that he used.

Another beautiful castle is Trintern, built in the time of Henry III and in the early English style. Not far away is Raglan Castie, an edifice of a later period, chiefly of interest because of its connection with the civil war. It is one of the finest feudal fortresses now in existence.

The next castle was Ludlow, near Worcestershire. It was long a royal residence and dates from a very early period. This is the place which was occupied by the young princes Edward and Richard, sons of Edward IV.

Worcestershire Cathedral was restored in 1857 by the Earl of Dudley, and contains one of the oldest tombs in England.

Ludlow and Ely are magnificent specimens of early architecture, and were prominent during the Norman invasion.

One of the most interesting of cathedrals in England is that in York. The city itself was the seat of Roman power, and here the Emperor Hadnan resided for a time.

The cathedral is a very remarkable one, and is still very magnificent, not withstanding the fact that it has been on fire several times. Professor Cooke finished his lecture with the City of York, after having shown a number of interesting views of it.