Page images
PDF
EPUB

while refident here. Henry I. inclofed the Park with a wall, the greater part of which is now remaining. His fucceffor Henry II. principally refided at this feat, and erected in the park a house, encompaffed with a Labyrinth of extraordinary contrivance, for the habitation of his concubine Fair Rofamond. This romantic retreat, commonly ftiled Fair Rosamond's Bower, was fituated in the valley, to the north-west of the bridge, near a remarkable bath, or fpring, called at prefent Rofamond's Well.

The fame King received homage in this palace, from Rice Prince of Wales, and his nobles. He likewife knighted his fon Jeffery here, at his return from Normandy: And foon after he here gave his coufin, the Lady Ermengard, daughter of Richard Viscount Beaumont, in marriage to William King of Scotland.

Edmund, the fecond fon of Edward I. was born here, and thence denominated Edmund of Woodstock; as was Edward the Black Prince. The Princess Elizabeth, afterwards Queen, was here kept a prisoner, under the perfecutions of Queen Mary.

This Palace fubfifted in its fplendor, and was inhabited by our Kings, 'till the reign of Charles I. but began to be demolished in the fucceeding times of confufion. Its magnificent ruins were remaining within the memory of man, near the bridge to the north, on the fpot where two elm trees have been fince planted as a memorial.

The Park and Manor of Woodstock were granted, with the concurrence of parliament, by Queen Anne, in the fourth year of her reign, to John Duke of Marlborough, and his heirs, in recompenfe of the many illuftrious victories obtained under his command against the French and Bavarian armies; particularly at Blenheim.

The grant of the Crown, and the fervices of the Duke, are fully specified on the pedestal of a stately column,

K 2

column, 130 feet in height, on the top of which is a ftatue of the Duke, fituated in the grand avenue. On one fide is the following infcription, fuppofed to be written by the late Lord Bolingbroke.

The Caftle of Blenheim was founded by Queen ANNE, In the Fourth Year of her Reign,

In the Year of the Christian Era 1705.
A Monument defigned to perpetuate the Memory of the
Signal Victory

Obtained over the French and Bavarians,
Near the Village of Blenheim,

On the Banks of the Danube,

By JOHN Duke of MARLBOROUGH;
The Hero, not only of this Nation, but of this Age;
Whofe Glory was equal in the Council and in the Field;
Who by Wisdom, Juftice, Candour and Addrefs,
Reconciled various, and even oppofite, Interests;
Acquired an Influence

Which no Rank, no Authority, can give,
Nor any Force but that of fuperior Virtue;
Became the fixed important Centre,

Which united in one common Cause,
The principal States of Europe;

Who by military Knowlege, and irrefiftable Valour,
In a long Series of uninterrupted Triumphs,
Broke the Power of France,

When raifed the higheft, when exerted the moft: Rescued the Empire from Defolation;

Afferted and confirmed the Liberties of Europe.

The Caftle was finished at the public expenfe; but the bridge, the column above-mentioned, and the portal contiguous to the Town, were erected at the charge of Sarah, first Duchefs-Dowager of Marlborough.

DITCHLEY,

The SEAT of the Right Honourable

The EARLS of LITCHFIELD.

ITCHLEY is a modern fabric, lofty, and ele

Dgantly built of ftone, fituated on an hill, which

commands all the country, having Blenheim, Oxford, and the hills beyond it in full view. Over the front of the house are two grand statues, Loyalty and Fame, with their proper emblems. The offices, which form two beautiful wings, have a communication with the principal building by circular colonades. In the house are many valuable and mafterly portraits by Rubens, Vandyke, Sir Peter Lely, Johnson, and Wotton.

The HAL L.

This Room is finely proportioned, and elegantly decorated. Its fides and roof are ornamented with stucco, which is at once bold and delicate. Its door-cafes, pediments, entablatures, and columns of the Corinthian and Compofite Orders, are all richly ornamented with gildings, &c. The cieling contains an affembly of the Gods, painted by Kent. Two of the compartments are filled with hiftorical pieces from the Eneid, by the fame hand; one of which reprefents Æneas meeting Venus, his mother, in the Wood near Carthage; and the other, Venus presenting Æneas with the new armour. The Sciences are introduced as ornaments, with

K 3

bufts

bufts of philofophers, poets, hiftorians, and orators, viz. Socrates, Virgil, Homer, Cicero, Sappho, Shakespeare, Dryden, Milton, and Livy. Over the Statues are bafreliefs, copied from antiques out of the Florentine Mufeum, properly difpofed; and a statue of the Venus de Medicis. And there is here a curious model of the Radclivian Library at Oxford.

The chimney-piece is fuperb and lofty, decorated with a portrait of the Lord Henry, by Akerman.

The MUSIC-ROOM

Has feveral paintings in it, viz.

The Grandfather and Grandmother of the late Earl of Litchfield.

The late Earl.

The two late Dukes of Beaufort.

The Honourable Mr. Lee, and Sir Watkin Williams Wynne, by Hoare, who excels in Crayons.

<

Rubens and his Son, hunting wild beafts.

Two Venetian Courtezans.

A Shooting-piece, and two hunting-pieces by Wotton. In the Shooting-piece, his Lordship and the Hon. Mr. Lee are introduced.

The DINING-ROOM

Is ornamented with feveral valuable and mafterly Portraits.

Henry VIII. by Hans Holben.

Charles I. with Charles II. at his Knee, by Vandyke, Sir Henry Lee, with the Mastiff which once 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 fervants, who had formed a defign of robbing the house, after having murdered his Mafter. But on the night it was to be put in execu

tion, 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 Servant; when Sir Harry ordered him to be left: and in the dead of night, the fame Servant entering the Room to execute his defign, was inftantly feized by the Dog, and upon being fecured, confeffed his intentions.

In one Corner of the Piece are the following lines. "More faithful than favoured.

"Reason in Man cannot effect such Love,
"As Nature doth in them that Reason want:

[ocr errors]

Ulyffes true and kind his Dog did prove "When Faith in better Friends was very fcant.

66

My Travels for my Friends have been as true, "Tho' not as far as Fortune did him bear; "No Friends my Love and Faith divided knew, "Tho' neither this nor that once equall'd were. "But in my Dog, whereof I made no Store, "I find more Love than them I trufted more." The late Lord by Richardfon; and the present Dowager Lady, by Vanderbank, both in their CoronationRobes.

The Duke of Monmouth and his Mother.

Prince Arthur, by Johnson.

Sir Charles Rich.

Sir Chriftopher Hatton,

Four Portraits of Sir Henry Lee's Brothers, by Corn
Jobufon.

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.

PAINT

« PreviousContinue »