Stratford to Coventry.



This is the walk referred to by the two Englishmen who laid a wager as to
which was the finest walk in England. "After the money had been put up,
one named the walk from Stratford to Coventry, and the other from Coventry
to Stratford. How the umpire decided the case, is not recorded." It was
late in the afternoon on Saturday, July 10th, when I bade adieu to
Stratford, and went away rejoicing, in the hope of soon seeing the
beauties of England's most charming agricultural section.

After two hours, I entered Charlecote Park, where I disturbed several
herds of deer, some hundred head in all. From this park, as lame tradition
has it, Shakespeare once stole deer, and became an exile for the crime!

On Sunday forenoon I attended service at



St. Mary's Church,


in Warwick. The choir, lady chapel and chapter-house are among the purest
examples of Decorated work, and date from 1394. The tomb of Richard
Beauchamp (Bee'cham) in the Lady Chapel, is considered the most splendid
in the kingdom, with the single exception of that of Henry VII. in
Westminster Abbey.