“On September 25 the Archduke and Duchess of Austria with their suite arrived in town from Bath.  On the road, as they came through the Devizes, they met with a singular occurrence, which afforded them some entertainment.  A custom has prevailed in that place, of which the following story is the foundation:  A poor weaver passing through the place without money and friends, being overtaken by hunger and in the utmost necessity, applied for charity to a baker, who kindly gave him a penny loaf.  The weaver made his way to Coventry, where, after many years’ industry, he amassed a fortune, and by his will, in remembrance of the seasonable charity of the Devizes, he bequeathed a sum in trust, for the purpose of distributing on the anniversary of the day when he was so relieved a halfpenny loaf to every person in the town, gentle and simple, and to every traveller that should pass through the town on that day a penny loaf.  The will is faithfully adminstered, and the Duke of Austria and his suite passing through the town on the day of the Coventry loaf, on their way from Bath to London, a loaf was presented to each of them, of which the Duke and Duchess were most cheerfully pleased to accept, and the custom struck the Archduke so forcibly as a curious anecdote in his travels that he minuted down the circumstance, and the high personages seemed to take delight in breakfasting on the loaf thus given as the testimony of gratitude for a favour seasonably conferred.”

[Illustration:  BISHOP’S CANNINGS.]

St. James’ Church, with its fine Perpendicular tower, will be passed if the main road is taken toward Avebury.  A better way for the traveller on foot is to go by the beautiful avenue called Quakers’ Walk to Roundway Down and Oliver’s Camp, the last named being actually an ancient encampment, given its present name because the battle for Devizes in the Civil War took place close by.  The fight was not a Parliamentary success and Waller was forced to retire before the King’s men under Lord Wilmot.  The Down was in consequence renamed “Runaway” by the jubilant Cavaliers.  Below the face of the hill to the south-west is the picturesque village of Rowde, famous for its quaint old inn.  If the Roundway route is chosen a descent should be made to Bishop’s Cannings lying snugly under the steep side of Tan Hill.  Here is a magnificent church of much interest and beauty.  The cruciform building is in the main Transitional and Early English.  The dignified central tower has a spire of stone.  The corbels supporting the roof are carved with representations of Kings and Abbots.  The interior is impressive in its splendid proportions and graceful details, and of especial beauty are the Perpendicular arches inserted in the nave.  The fine triple lancets of the chancel, transepts and west end also call for notice.  To the east of the south transept is the former chapel of Our Lady of the Bower.  This has been the Ernle chantry since 1563.  It contains monuments of