Melbourne Church, Derby/hire. 305

" King Henry [</] the 111, in the thirty-fourth year of his reign, creeled a biihoprick at Carlifle ; and Henry the I lid, in the fifty- fourth year of his reign, granted to God and the church of the bleff- cd Mary at Carlifle, and to Walter then bilhop of Carlifle, and his fucccflbrs, and to the prior and canons of Carlifle in the faid church, and their fucccflbrs, the parfonage of Melbourne, with the lands, rights, and appurtenances. This biihop Walter, or fome of his immediate fucceflbrs, creeled a palace here, near to the church, and imparked a part of the adjoining lands ; and there they had their refidence occafionally for fome centuries during the frequent inroads and devallations of the Scots in the neighbourhood of their palace at Carlifle. In later times the bifhops have leafed this pa- lace and the lands and tythes belonging to the parfonage ; and by virtue of an acl of parliament of the third year of queen Anne, to confirm an agreement made between Thomas, then bilhop of Car- lifle, and Thomas Coke, Efq. refpecling the faid parfonage, the faid Thomas Coke being then leflee thereof, the fame is now held in fee farm of the faid biflioprick by the prefent lord vifcount Mel- bourne. The park hath been difparked many years ; but the houfe and gardens have been much improved by his lordfliip's anceftors, and make a pleafant fummer refidence. The patronage of the vicarage ftill belongs to the bifhoprick of Carlifle. The manor of Melbourne was granted by king Henry the Hid. to Edmund his younger fon, created by his father earl of Lancafter ; and in the 19 Edw. I. he had grant of Free- warren in his manor of Melbourne from that king^his brother; and in 2, Edw. III. Henry earl of Lan- b~ This account of Melbourne has been collected (and tranfmitted to me, by Ed- ward Dawfon, Efq ) from the archives at Doningtou Park, belonging to Francis earl of Moira. VOL. XIII. R r cafter