“There is a gentle nymph not far from hence, That with moist curb sways the smooth Severn stream: Sabrina is her name, a virgin pure; Whilome she was the daughter of Locrine, That had the scepter from his father Brute. She, guiltless damsel, flying the mad pursuit Of her enraged stepdame Guendolin, Commended her fair innocence to the flood, That stay’d her flight with his cross-flowing course. The water-nymphs that in the bottom play’d Held up their pearled wrists and took her in, Bearing her strait to aged Nereus’ hall; Who, piteous of his woes, rear’d her lank head, And gave her to his daughters to imbathe In nectar’d lavers strow’d with asphodil, And through the porch and inlet of each sense Dropt in ambrosial oils till she reviv’d, And underwent a quick immortal change, Made Goddess of the river.” Crossing the grounds of St. Pierre, and passing Pool Meyrick, a brook falling into the Severn, we turned to the right in search of MATHERN PALACE, formerly a seat of the bishops of Landaff. This building, situated in a gentle hilly country pleasingly diversified with wood and pasturage, in its present appearance conveys but a very faint idea of the splendour and good cheer that no doubt reigned there when it was the seat of the episcopacy. The structure surrounds a quadrangular court, and was raised by different bishops; the north and north-east parts, comprising the tower, porch, &c. are supposed to have been erected by John de la Zouch, who was consecrated anno 1408. Miles Salley, who came to the see in 1504, built the chapel, hall, and other apartments. Some specimens of dilapidated grandeur appear in the east window; and until lately the entrance was through a lofty ornamented porch; but this is now destroyed, and the building only occupied as a farm-house. In the north side of the chancel of Mathern church, a Gothic structure, but of British origin, is the following epitaph written by bishop Godwin; the substance of which accounts for the manor of Mathern’s becoming ecclesiastical: