ago, and who had requested, in his will, to be buried by _Milton_, was deposited in the above-mentioned spot of the present chancel, in pious intention of compliance with his request. The church is now, August, 1790, under a general repair, by contract, for £1,350, and Mr. _Strong_, Mr. _Cole_, and other parishioners, having very prudently judged that the search would be made with much less inconvenience to the parish at this time, when the church is under repair, than at any period after the said repair should be completed, Mr. _Cole_, in the last days of July, ordered the workmen to dig in search of the coffin. Mr. _Ascough_, his father, and grandfather, have been parish clerks of _St. Giles_ for upwards of ninety years past. His grandfather, who died in February, 1759-60, aged eighty-four, used often to say that _Milton_ had been buried under the clerk’s desk in the chancel. John _Poole_, aged seventy, used to hear his father talk of Milton’s person, from those who had seen him; and also, that he lay under the common-councilmen’s pew. The common-councilmen’s pew is built over that very part of the old chancel, where the former clerk’s desk stood. These traditions in the parish reported to Mr. _Strong_ and Mr. _Cole_ readily directed them to dig from the present chancel, northwards, towards the pillar, against which the former pulpit and desk had stood. On Tuesday afternoon, August 3rd, notice was brought to Messrs. _Strong_ and _Cole_ that the coffin was discovered. They went immediately to the church, and, by help of a candle, proceeded under the common-councilmen’s pew to the place where the coffin lay. It was in a chalky soil, and directly over a wooden coffin, supposed to be that of _Milton’s_ father; tradition having always reported that _Milton_ was buried next to his father. The registry of the father of _Milton_, among the burials, in the parish-book, is ‘_John Melton_, Gentleman, 15th of March, 1646-7.’ In digging through the whole space from the present chancel, where the ground was opened, to the situation of the former clerk’s desk, there was not found any other coffin, which could raise the smallest doubt of this being _Milton’s_. The two oldest found in the ground had inscriptions, which Mr. _Strong_ copied; they were of as late dates as 1727 and 1739. When he and Mr. _Cole_ had examined the coffin, they ordered water and a brush to be brought, that they might wash it, in search of an inscription, or initials, or date; but, upon its being carefully cleansed, none was found.