The Queen was at Theobalds on the 14th of May 1577; and, on the 18th, Sir Nicholas Bacon (having incurred the Queen's displeasure, like the Earl of Hertford, and from a somewhat similar occasion, the suspicion of favouring a book written in defence of the claims of the House of Suffolk to the Crown, in preference to that of the Queen of Scots,) took an opportunity of confirming himself in the Royal favour, to which he was with some difficulty restored by Cecil. On the 18th of May, and five succeeding days, the Queen was sumptuously entertained by the Lord Keeper', at an expence of nearly £600. as appears by the following documents: "The Charges expended at Gorhambury 3, by reason of her Majesty's coming Pantry and Pastry. First for wheat in the Pantry and Pastry £. s. d. 47 12 8 24 16 S Melford, Esq. who in 1764 was Lord of the Manor of Lavenham.-See Parsons's "Kentish Monuments," p. 508; and Kirby's "Suffolk Churches," p. 20, where Mr. Copinger's monument is engraved. An immediate ancestor of these Divines is thus noticed by Dr. Fuller: "William Coppinger, born at Bucks-Hall in this county, where his family flourisheth at this day in a good esteem. He was bred a fishmonger in London, so prospering in his profession, that he became Lord Mayor, anno 1512. He gave the half of his estate (which was very great) to pious uses, and relieving of the poor. His bounty mindeth me of the words of Zaccheus to our Saviour, " Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold." Demand not of me whether our Coppinger made such plentiful restitution, being confident there was no cause thereof, seeing he never was one of the publicans, persons universally infamous for extortion; otherwise, I confess, that that charity, which is not bottomed on justice, is but built on a foundred foundation. I am sorry to see this gentleman's ancient arms (the epedemical disease of that age) subtracted, in point of honour, by the addition of a superfluous bordure." 'It is probable that the Queen visited the Lord Keeper at Gorhambury, in August 1568, when she was at St. Alban's (see Vol. I. p. 254.) She was certainly there in the Summer of 1572 (see p. 309); and repeated the Visit in 1573-4, her Charter to the Corporation of Thetford bearing date at Gorhambury, March 12, in the 16th year of her Reign. ⚫ From a MS. in the British Museum. Bibl. Birch, 4100. "Goreham-berie, Goar-ham, or Guer-hambury, a house rased from the foundation by the right worthie Syr Nicholas Bacon, Knight, deceased, sometime Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England to our most mighty Queene Elizabeth, who for his excellent virtues and rare wisdom, liveth yet in honourable memory amongst the most venerable." Norden's Hertfordshire, p. 24. Mr. Pennant, who visited Gorhambury in 1750, gives the following interesting description of it. "The manor was, from very antient times, part of the lands of the Abbey of St. Alban's: the original name is not delivered to us; that which it has at present was derived from Robert de Gorham, elected Cellar. Item, in Wine of all kinds 57 5 5 8 Ewery and Chaundry. Item in Cotton Lights, and in Quarnirs', 15 18 9 Abbot of the House in 1151. Mr. Salmon conjectures, that he might have built here a villa, a luxury not unfrequent with the Abbots of the richer houses. In 1540 Henry VIII. made a grant of it to Ralph, afterwards Sir Ralph Rowlet, who sold it to Sir Nicholas Bacon, the worthy and able Lord Keeper, and father of the great Lord Verulam. The elegance of his taste was apparent in his buildings, which confirm the observation of Lloyd, that "his use of learned artists was continual." To him we are indebted for Redgrave in Suffolk, and the seat in question. In both he adhered to his rational motto, Mediocria Firma. [It was at Gorhambury (not at Redgrave, as has repeatedly been stated) that he departed from his rule, but not till after his Royal Mistress, who had honoured him with a Visit there, told him, "You have made your house too little for your Lordship." No, Madam," replied he; but your Highness has made me too big for the house." But after this he added the wings.]-The building consists of two parts, discordant in their manner, yet in various respects of a classical taste.-On the outside of the part which forms the approach is the Piazza, or Porticus, with a range of pillars of the Tuscan order in front, where the philosophic inhabitants walked and held their learned discourse; and within side is a court with another piazza: the one being intended for enjoying the shade, the other to catch, during winter, the comfortable warmth of the sun. The walls of the piazzas are painted al fresco with the adventures of Ulysses, by Van Koepen. In one is å statue of Henry VIII.; in the other a bust of Sir Nicholas Bacon, and another of his Lady. Mr. Clutterbuck has preserved the following account of the erecting of this house, from a MS. in the Lambeth Library: "A brief of the whole charges bestowed upon the building Gorhambury between the 1st day of March 1563, and the last day of September 1568, viz. by the space of five years and 14 days: 1563, £315. 9s.: 1564, £463. 7s. 1d.; 1565, £177. 6s. 74d.; 1566, £562. 3s. 9d. ; 1567, £171. 8s. 84d. 1568, £204. 16s. 8d.—Memorandum. There is not accounted for in this brief any timber felled with the Lord Keeper's woods, or otherwise; neither is there valued any freestone from the Abbey of St. Alban's, lime, sand; nor the profits that might have accrued, of burning and making of brick, within the time above mentioned." This House (of which a good View, engraved by Mazell from a drawing by Moses Griffith is here given) appears to have formed a quadrangle; but the chief parts that are now standing are the ruins of the Hall, which constituted the inner side of the Court, and a high octagonal tower, commanding some good views over the surrounding country, though now too ruinous to be ascended. These remains form the principal objects in a View given in the " Beauties of England and Wales," vol. VII. p. 114, where may also be seen, p. 122, a very neat view of the present mansion. The modern house, built at a small distance from the old, is a spacious stone edifice of the Corinthian order, connected with two wings, built of brick, and stuccoed. It was erected between the years 1778 and 1785, by the present Earl Verulam, from the designs and under the direction of Sir Robert Taylor. The grand entrance is by a flight of steps leading beneath a handsome pediment, supported on well proportioned columns; the summit of the central part is finished by a ballustrade and cornice. The Hall, with the Library, and the other principal apartments, are large, and are decorated with a rich collection of portraits, chiefly of the age of Queen Elizabeth. Mortar, morteir, a lamp or torch. 'Q. a light of a certain weight. 2 Kitchen. Item, in Beef 8 Oxen, 317. 3s. 6d. In Mutton 60 Car- Knots 1 dozen, 4s. Saltery. Item, in Vinegar and Verjuice Spicery. Item, in spice of all sorts Confectionary. Item, in Banquetting Stuff Colehouse. Item, in Coles Necessaries, Herbs, Flowers, and Artichokes. Item, in Necessaries, Carriage. Item, in Carriages from London to Gorhambury, and from Gorhambury back again to London Item, to an Upholsterer for things hired Item, to them of the Rach 2 Item, to the Cooks of London for their Wages 25 1 7 22 1 0 Item, to Labourers for their Wages Cates, dainties. Achetour, a caterer. Gloss. to Tyrwhitt's Chaucer. Achets in Scotland still sigpifies little dishes. • Sic MS. Item, for feeding of Fowl |