Though there were nothing, as that Lord modestly told him, worth his desire, considering his foreign travels; although percase, added he, you may see as much "Three things he bequeathed to such as have the honour to succeed him: 1. All letters that concerned him, since of years filed. 2. All occurrences since he was capable of observation, registered. 3. All expences, since he lived of himself, booked." There were published from the Advocates Library at Edinburgh, 1720, 8vo. "Letters and negociations of Sir Ralph Sadleir, Ambassador of Henry VIII. of England to Scotland, containing the transactions of two memorable embassies, the first to King James V. in 1540, in order to dispose him to a Reformation; the second to the (Earl of Arran) Governor, and the States of Scotland, 1543, concerning a marriage between Mary their young Queen, and Edward VI. then Prince of Wales, and a perpetual friendship and union between the two nations." Sir Ralph Sadleir*, son of Sir Thomas, entertained James I. two nights here in his way to Scotland, 1606, and died the same year, having succeeded to the estate on the death of his wife's brother Rafe, 1660 †. His sister Gertude was married to Sir William Aston of Tixall, in the County of Stafford, created Baron Forfar for his services in the match with Spain, where he resided almost to the King's death. This estate came, on the death of the last Lord James, 1755, to his two sisters, of whom Barbara the younger married the Hon. Thomas Clifford, and died in August 1786. She went to live at the family seat in Staffordshire, and carried the family pictures thither, and with them probably the tapestry representing the marriage of Prince Arthur, mentioned by Mr. Walpole, vol. II. p. 68. The manor-house which Sir Ralph built at Standon, on the site of the old one, is still remaining, with his initials over the hall-door in wooden spandrils, and over a stone porch in the right hand corner of the court, R. S. with a lion rampant sinister parted per fess in a field Ermine, and the date 1546 twice. It is a noble building, finely mantled with ivy. The house is built of brick, a model on a small scale of the great mansions of that time, and forms a quadrangle about 25 by 32 feet, entered by a gate sided by two octagon embattled towers, and one more at the North end of the front. On the South side is an oriel window to the hall; but most of the other windows have been sashed. On the North side is a gallery, over the kitchen; in one of the rooms were rondeaux of Royal heads painted on the wall, and in the kitchen an old press carved with Roman busts in rondeaux. The chapel was not to be distinguished but by tradition. In the garret floor was found a singular trap-door, opening to a matted well-like place. Such an one is at Hever Castle in Kent. There was a second quadrangle of offices, mostly pulled down to repair farms. On the North side was the garden, surrounded by a wall, in which is a pointed gateway. A brick octagon pigeon-house remains on the South side, and at a distance a brick bridge of one arch over the river Rib. The situation is beautiful and picturesque, in the bottom of an amphitheatre of wood and corn-fields. * Weever, 594, calls him "that bountiful good house-keeper, now living, 1680." † Chauncy says, he fell in love with her as he came hither to buy horses against the creation of Prince Henry Prince of Wales. Or, a lion rampant parted per fesse Azure and Gules Sadleir. Motto, Servire Deo sapere. to content you as in Muscovia [that barbarous country]. With no other I will offer any comparison." He told him further, "That my Lord of Hunsdon would also meet with him there at dinner; and the Queen's Majesty was privy, and well liking of this his invitation; and as the Ambassador should assent, so to send him word." This was dated at Theobalds, the 21st of July, at night, 1578. And after one or two removes, she came to Audely End, where the University of Cambridge waited upon her, with Speeches and Disputations made before her, as we shall hear by and by. Thence she intended to proceed in her Progress to Suffolk, to the house of the Master of the Rolls; and if she went not further, which was not presently concluded upon (as the Lord Burghley writ to the Vice Chancellor), then she would A View of this venerable pile, as it appeared at the close of the 17th century, contributed by the then Lord Aston, was given by Sir Henry Chauncy, in his History of the County; but is now so scarce as rarely to be found in the best copies of this valuable work. In 1786, a small View of it as it then existed, was drawn and engraved by T. Cook. This house was leased in 1776 to one Longchat, to fit it up as a hunting-inn; which did not answer, and the whole was soon shut up and unoccupied, except the North half of the front, which was let to one Rowley, with a farm of £80. a year. Standon was then let to a Popish seminary; and was afterwards sold to William Plumer, Esq. of Blakemere, Representative for the county of Herts. who refused to suffer the continuance of the Popish seminary on his estate. The establishment was removed therefore, to Old Hat's Green, at a little distance, where a spacious building has been erected for its convenience. Mr. Plumer opened a good road in front, communicating with the road at Collier's-end, about four miles from Ware. Of his son William Plumer, Esq. who was also Representative in Parliament for the County, and died January 17 1922, aged 80, and of some of his ancestors, see Gent. Mag. vol. XCII. part 1, pp. 94. 370. This was Long Melford Hall, the mansion of Sir William Cordell, who at this time held that office, as he had done in the preceding Reign (see p. 118.)-This noble seat retains its venerable appearance in a good situation, built of brick, with four small round towers in front. Sir William dying without issue, left it with his estate to the youngest of his two sisters Jane, married to Richard Allington, of Horse-heath, in the county of Cambridge, Esquire. He sold it to Savage Earl Rivers, in which family it continued till the Restoration, when the Cordells re-purchased it. Robert Cordell, of Melford, Esquire, was created a baronet 1660. From the Cordells it descended to the family of Firebrace, and was occupied 1764 by the relict of Sir Cordell Firebrace, Bart. late one of the Representatives of the County. She re-married to the Hon. William Campbell, of Leyton Hall, Essex; and died in 1782, upwards of 80 years old. After her death, Mr. Campbell sold it to Sir Henry Parker, Bart. from whom it descended to her son, Sir William Parker. |