From hence runs a Walk of incredible Beauty, three hundred and eighty Paces in Length, fet round on every Side with Supporters of Wood, which sustain a Balcony, from whence the Nobility and Perfons of Diftinction can take the Pleasure of feéing Hunting and Hawking in a Lawn of fufficient Space; for the Fields and Meadows clad with Variety of Plants and Flowers, fwell gradually into Hills of perpetual Verdure quite up to the Caftle, and at Bottom ftretch out in an extended Plain, that strikes the Beholders with Delight

Befides what has been already mentioned, there are worthy of Notice here two Bathing-rooms, cieled and wainscotted with Looking-glafs; the Chamber in which Henry VI. was born; Queen Elizabeth's Bed-chamber, where is a Table of red Marble with white Streaks; a Gallery every where ornamented with Emblems and Figures; à Chamber in which are the royal Beds of Henry VII. and his Queen, of Edward VI. of Henry VIII. and of Anne Bullen, all of them eleven Feet fquare, and covered with Quilts fhining with Gold and Silver; Queen Elizabeth's Bed, with curious Coverings of Embroidery, but not quite fo long or large as the others; a Piece. of Tapestry, in which is represented Clovis, King of France, with an Angel prefenting to him the Fleurs de lis, to be borne in his Arms; for before this Time the Kings of France bore three Toads in their Shield, instead of which they afterwards placed three Fleurs de lis on a blue Field. This antique

Tapestry

Tapestry is faid to have been taken from a King of France, while the English were Mafters there. We were shewn here among other Things the Horn of a Unicorn, of above eight Spans and an Half in Length, valued at above 10,000l.; the Bird of Paradife, three Spans long, three Fingers broad, having a blue Bill of the Length of half an Inch, the upper Part of its Head yellow, the nether Part of a **** colour*, a little lower from either fide of its Throat ftick out fome reddish Feathers, as well as from its Back and the rest of its Body, its Wings of a yellow Colour are twice as long as the Bird itself; from its Back grow out length-ways two Fibres or Nerves, bigger at their Ends, but like a pretty strong Thread, of a leaden Colour, inclining to black, with which, as it has no Feet, it is faid to faften itself to Trees, when it wants to reft: A Cushion most curiously wrought by Queen Elizabeth's own Hand.

In the Precincts of Windfor, on the other Side the Thames, both whofe Banks are joined by a Bridge of Wood, is Eaton, a well-built College, and famous School for polite Letters, founded by Henry VI. where, befides a Mafter, eight Fellows and Chanters, fixty Boys are maintained gratis: They are taught Grammar, and remain in the School, till, upon Trial made of their Genius and Progress in Study, they are fent to the University of Cambridge.

The Original is optici; it is impoffible to guess what Colour he

meant.

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As

As we were returning to our Inn, we happened to meet some Country People celebrating their Harveft-home; their laft Load of Corn they crown with Flowers, having befides an Image richly dreffed, by which perhaps they would fignify Ceres; this they keep moving about, while Men and Women, Men and Maid Servants, riding through the Streets in the Cart, fhout as loud as they can till they arrive at the Barn. The Farmers here do not bind up their Corn in Sheaves, as they do with us, but directly. as they have reaped or mowed it, put it into Carts, and convey it into their Barns.

We went through the Town of Staines,

Hampton-Court, a Royal Palace, magnificently built with Brick by Cardinal Wolfey in Oftentation of his Wealth, where he enclofed five very ample Courts, confifting of noble Edifices, in very beautiful Work: Over the Gate in the fecond Area is the Queen's Device, a golden Rofe, with this Motto, DIEU ET MON DROIT: On the inward Side of this Gate are the Effigies of the twelve Roman Emperors in Plaifter. The chief Area is paved with fquare Stone, in its Center is a Fountain that throws up Water, covered with a gilt Crown, on the Top of which is a Statue of Juftice, fupported by Columns of black and white Marble. The Chapel of this Palace is moft fplendid, in which the Queen's Closet is quite tranfparent, having its Windows of Cryftal. We were led into two Chambers, called the Prefence,

2

Prefence, or Chambers of Audience, which fhone with Tapestry of Gold and Silver and Silk of different Colours: under the Canopy of State are thefe Words embroidered in Pearl, Vivat Henricus Octavus. Here is befides a small Chapel richly hung with Tapestry, where the Queen performs her Devotions. In her Bed-chamber the Bed was covered with very coftly` Coverlids of Silk: At no great Distance from this Room we were fhewn a Bed, the Tefter of which was worked by Anne Bullen, and prefented by her to her Husband Henry VIII. All the other Rooms, being very numerous, are adorned with Tapestry of Gold, Silver, and Velvet, in fome of which were woven History Pieces; in others, Turkish and American Dreffes, all extremely natural,

In the Hall are thefe Curiofities:

*

A very clear Looking-glafs, ornamented with Columns and little Images of Alabafter; a Portrait of Edward VI. Brother to Queen Elizabeth; the true Portrait of Lucretia; a Picture of the Battle of Pavia; the Hiftory of Chrift's Paffion, carved in Mother of Pearl; the Portraits of Mary Queen of Scots, who was beheaded, and her Daughter; the Picture of Ferdinand Prince of Spain, and of Philip his Son; that of Henry VIII. under it was placed the Bible curiously written upon Parchment; an artificial Sphere; feveral musical Instruments; in the Tapeftry are reprefented Negroes riding upon Elephants. The Bed in which Edward VI. is faid to have been

Here are feveral Mistakes.

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born, and where his Mother Jane Seymour died in Childbed; in one Chamber were feveral exceffively rich Tapestries, which are hung up when the Queen gives Audience to foreign Ambaffadors; there were Numbers of Cufhions ornamented with Gold and Silver; many Counterpains and Coverlids of Beds lined with Ermine; in fhort, all the Walls of the Palace shine with Gold and Silver.. Here is befides a certain Cabinet called Paradife, where, besides that every thing glitters fo with Silver, Gold and Jewels, as to dazzle ones Eyes, there is a mufical Inftrument made all of Glafs, except the Strings. Afterwards we were led into the Gardens, which are most pleasant, here we faw Rosemary fo planted and nailed to the Walls as to cover them entirely, which is a Method exceeding common in England.

Kingston, a market Town.

Nonefuch, a Royal Retreat, in a Place formerly called Cuddington, a very healthful Situation, chofen by King Henry VIII. for his Pleasure and Retirement, and built by him with an Excess of Magnificence and Elegance, even to Oftentation; one would imagine every thing that Architecture can perform to have been employed in this one Work; there are every where fo many Statues that seem to breathe, fo many Miracles of confummate Art, fo many Cafts that rival even the Perfection of Roman Antiquity, that it may well claim and justify its Name of Nonefuch, being without an equal; or, as the Poet fung,