Is ornamented with feveral mafterly Portraits.

Henry VIII. by Hans Holbein, in his higheft finifhing; Charles I. with Charles II. at his knee, by Vandyck; Sir Harry Lee, with the Maftiff that faved his life, by Johnfon.The ftory of this piece is founded on an escape of Sir Harry from being affaffinated by one of his own Servants, who had formed a defign of robbing the house, after having murdered his master. But on the night it was to be put in execution, the dog, though no favourite with, nor ever before taken notice of by his mafter, accompanied him up ftairs, crept under the bed, and could not be driven away by the fervant, when Sir Harry ordered him to be left and in the dead of night the fame fervant entering the room to execute his defign, was inftantly feized by the dog, and upon being fecured, confelfed his intentions.

In one corner of the piece is the following line.

"More faithful than favoured.??

Lord Henry, by Richardfon; and the old Dowager Lady, by Vanderbank, both in their Coronation Robes. The Duke of Monmouth and his Mother; Prince Arthur, by Johnfon; Sir Charles Rich, killed at the fle of Rhée, 1627 Sir Chriftopher Hatton; four Portraits of Sir Henry Lee's Brothers, by Corn. Johnson, in his best manner.

THE DAMASK BEDCHAMBER.

The Tapestry, which is executed with uncommon expreffion, reprefents Boys engaged in feveral sports and employments, fome fqueezing grapes, others at play, &c.

PAINTINGS.

Admiral Lee; the Queen of Bohemia, by Johnfon; Lord and Lady Tenham.

TAPESTRY DRAWING-ROOM

Is furnished with Tapeftry not lefs mafterly than that

laft

laft defcribed. The fubjects are, the Mufes and Apollo finging and playing on their feveral inftruments; Bacchanalian Scenes, and a Vintage.

The Paintings are,

The Countess of Rochester, by Sir Peter Lely; the Countess of Lindefey, by the fame; Sir Francis Harry Lee, by Vandyck; Sir Harry Lee, full-length, in the Robes of a Knight of the Garter, by Johnfon.

In this room we are fhewn a large beautiful India Cheft.

From this apartment we have an entertaining view of a winding valley with a ferpentine canal, over which is thrown an elegant bridge, from a defign of Palladio's.

THE SALOON.

The Ceiling and Walls are richly ftuccoed; in the middle compartment of the Roof, Flora and the Zephyrs; and on the Walls, Minerva and Diana.

ANTIQUES.

The Goddess Health, three feet in height, formerly in Dr. Mead's Collection. On its Pedestal is a Bas Relief of Æfculapius. A Medallion of a Sleeping Cupid, the Diameter of which is nine inches.

THE GREEN DAMASK DRAWING.ROOM. The marble Chimney-piece and Table in this room are of the most beautiful forts. The two Corinthian Columns to the Chimney piece, and high finishing of the whole, are worthy of Scheemaker, who was the Artist. The Landscape in the middle is by Mr. Wotton, who has gained great applaufe in this fpecies of painting. Over the Doors are Atriking Paintings of Ruins, Rocks and Cafcades. The Italian Table in this Room is a valuable and beautiful Curiofity.

GILT DRAWING-ROOM.

This was formerly called the Best Dining-Room,

Paintings, viz.

A full-length Portrait of Charles II. and of the

E5

Duchefs

Duchefs of Cleveland, by Lely; the prefent Duke of Grafton's Great Grandfather, and Lady Charlotte Fitzroy, his Lordship's Grandmother, by Kneller..

The decorations of the Wainscot are gilt; and the ftuccoed Ceiling is correfpondent to the taste and fplendour of the reft. Here are two Tables of Ægyptian marble, which juftly demand our observation. The Chimney-piece of this apartment is finely executed ; and over it a Landscape, by Wotton.

THE VELVET BEDCHAMBER,

So called from the Bed and Hangings, which are of a fingular figure, made at Genoa. The elegant Chimney-piece is by Scheemaker, ornamented with an Italian Profpect of a Ruin. The Dreffing Table is of Tortoisehell, curioufly inlaid. It was made in France.

THE TAPESTRY ROOM, The last we are fhewn, is curiously ornamented in the Chinese tafte, and has two elegant and coftly Sconces. The Tapestry reprefents the Cyclops forging the Armour for Æneas, and Neptune, properly attended, directing the refitting a veffel, which has been shipwrecked. The Chimney-piece is of white marble. Over it is a capital Picture, by Sir Peter Lely, of the Duke and Duchefs of York, and the Princeffes Mary and Anne. Two Landscapes over the Doors are by an Italian Mafter. The Chairs in this Room are each ornamented with one of the Fables of fop. In this apartment is a beautiful Fire-Screen of needle-work, by the Dowager Lady of Henry Earl of Litchfield. The Subject is the Rape of Proferpine. Proper to this apartment are the Chinese Lady and the Porter with a Cheft of Tea. Two rich Branches on each fide the Chimney-piece; one fupported by a Blackmoor, the other by a Mulatto.

"

HEYTHROP,

S fituated feventeen miles north of Oxford, and about

I four and ev half from the Seat of the Earl of Litch

field. It ftands on an eminence, and has every delight that can refult from a diverfity of wood, water, eminences, and vales.

An avenue of above two miles, planted on each fide with foreft trees, interfperfed with clumps of fir, leads from the north to the grand area before the house, and, by its length and variety, forms an exceeding magnificent approach. The Architect of this houfe, though fo modern a building, is not known.

The house is a regular edifice, confifting of four fronts, built in a moft elegant ftyle of architecture, and is joined to the offices by open arcades. We enter the houfe by a flight of steps under a great portico, fupported by four lofty Corinthian columns.

THE HALL

Is a well-proportioned room, thirty-two feet by twenty-feven feet nine. It is finished in plain ftucco, and adorned with Vafes and Lamps upon highly finished Brackets. The eye is agreeably furprifed on our firft entering, by the reflection of the Avenue, and part of the Hall, from two large mirror Safhes on each fide the

E 6

Door

Door leading to the Saloon, which raises the idea of another Room of equal dimenfions and magnificence.

From the Hall, we go to the grand Stair-cafe, the walls and ceiling of which are ornamented with Pannels and Feftoons of ftucco. We next come to

T

THE BREAKFASTING PARLOUR,

Over the Chimney

A neat and commodious room. is a fine Landscape, by Pouffin; and four other Landfcapes, by an eminent Italian Mafter; as likewise an excellent Portrait of fome unknown Perfon, by Hans Holbein with fome other Landscapes and Portraits.'

From hence we are conducted into the Family Apartments. To the right of the Ante-chamber, enriched with fome Prints and fome Family Portraits, is his Lordship's Dreffing-Room; on the left is her Lady.. hip's Dreffing-Room.

THE LITTLE BLUE DRAWING ROOM.

This is an apartment of twenty-one feet by eighteen and an half, and enriched with an elegant Chimneypiece, of Sienna marble, executed by the late Mr. Carter.

Over the Chimney is a Family Piece of King Charles II. by Vandyck and on the fides of the Room the Portraits of the late Earl and prefent Countess of Shrewsbury, by Mr. Hoare.

THE PRINCIPAL BEDCHAMBER

Is fitted up with Tapeftry, with a rich blue Damafk Bed and Furniture. The adjoining Clofet is an elegant Apartment hung with Chinese Paper; from whence we command an extenfive prospect over the adjacent Country.

From the Bedchamber before mentioned we come to

THE