knight of the shire, burgess for St. Alban's, and Hertford. He married Mary, second daughter of Baptist Hicks, vis.. count Campden (formerly a citizen of London) and left an only daughter, Elizabeth, married to Arthur lord Capel, (a descendant of Sir William Capel, lord mayor of London, 1503) who was inhumanly beheaded, during the Civil Wars*. The son of this worthy nobleman, Arthur earl of Essex, in 1670, was sent ambassador to Denmark, where he bravely supported the honour of his country, and refused to lower the colours, though fired on by the governor of Croninberg castle, to oblige him to comply; and for which the governor was afterwards compelled to beg pardon on his knees. George earl of Essex, the present possessor of

* Lloyd, speaking of this nobleman, observes, "His privacy before the war was passed with as much popularity in the country, as his more public appearance in it was with valour and fidelity in the field: in our too happy times of peace none more pious, hospitable, charitable and munificent: in those more unhappy of our differences none more reserved, loyal, and active. The people loved him so well, that they chose him one of their representatives; and the king esteemed him so much, that he sent for him as one of his peers in that parliament, wherein the king and people agreed in no one thing, save a just kindness for my lord Capel, who was one of those excellent gentlemen, whose gravity and discretion (the king saith) he hoped would allay and fix the faction to a due temperament (guiding some mens well-meaning zeal by such rules of moderation, as are best both to preserve and restore the health of all states and kingdoms) keeping to the dictates of his conscience, rather than the importunities of the people; to what was just, than what was safe, save only in the earl of Strafford's case, wherein he yielded to the public necessity with his royal master, but repented with him too, sealing his contrition for that miscarriage with his blood, when he was more troubled for his forced consent to that brave person's death, than for losing his own life: which he ventured throughout the first war, and lost by his engagement in the second. For after the surrender of Oxford, he retired to his own house, but could not rest there, until the king was brought home to his; which all England endeavouring as one man, my lord adventured himself at Colchester to extremity, yielding himself upon condition of quarter, which he urged by the law of arms, that law that (as he said on the scaffold) governeth the world, and against the laws of God and man (they are his own words) for keeping the fifth Commandment, dying on the scaffold at Westminster, with a courage that became a clear conscience, and a resolution befitting a good Christian."

Cashiobury,

Cashiobury, assumed the name of Coningsby, on succeeding to the estates of his grandmother, Frances, daughter of Thomas, earl Coningsby, of Hampton Court, Herefordshire.

The seat is elegant, and the situation is the best in the county, upon a dry spot, within a park of large extent: the house is built in form of an : the middle and the east wing are modern, and in good repair; but the west wing is very old, and by no means corresponding with the other parts of the house. The front faces the south-east, and looks directly on the house in More Park, and which has a noble aspect from Cashiobury House. In the front of the house is a fine dry lawn of grass, which, immediately after the heaviest winter rains, may be rode or walked on, as on the dryest downs; and a little below the house is a river, which winds through the park, and in the driest seasons constantly runs with a fine stream, affording great plenty of trout, cray-fish, and indeed most other kinds of fresh-water fish. On the north and east sides of the house are large wood walks, which were planted by the famous Le Notre, in the reign of Charles II. The woods have many large beech and oak trees in them; but the principal walks are planted with lime-trees, and these are most of them too narrow for their length, and too regular' for the modern taste. On the other side of the river the ground rises to a considerable height, which affords an agreeable variety; part of which being covered with stately woods, appearing at a proper distance from the front of the house, have a fine effect on the eye.

The house is spacious, and pleasantly situated in a fine park, through which passes the Grand Junction Canal. The present owner has contrived a kind of cloister, embellished with windows of stained glass, which has a very impressive appearance; the apartments are elegant, and among the pictures are the following:

DINING ROOM. Algernon, earl of Northumberland; his daughter Elizabeth, wife of Arthur, first earl of Essex, and their son and daughter, LELY. Algernon, second earl of Essex, in armour.

LIBRARY.

LIBRARY. Mrs. STRANGEWAYS*, LELY. Lord and lady Percy, VANDYCK. The earl and countess of Clarenden, LELY; the carving of the chimney piece is by GIBBONS. In an adjoining room are the portraits of Sir Charles Hanbury Williams; William, earl of Essex, and his lady, REYNOLDS. Arthur, first lord Capel, and his lady. The pre, sent earl and his lady, by EDRIDGE.

DRAWING ROOM. Various fine miniature copies from originals of the first masters, by the present countess of Essex. ¡ SMALL DRAWING ROOM. A fine picture of the Madona, CARLO MARATTI; a monk's head, CARLO DOLCI; two small views, CANALETTI; sea piece, VANDEVELDE; landscape, GAINSBOROUGH; ditto, WOUVERMANS.

The STATE BED ROOM, is hung with beautiful Gobelin tapestry, exhibiting a village wake, &c. from TENIERS, > KING CHARLES'S ROOM. Charles I. full length, VANDYCK. Countess of Ranelagh, KNEller: Three children of

Charles I. VANDYCK. Charles II. LELY.

The manor of THE GROVE, belonged to the family of Heydon as early as the year 1400, whence it came to that of Hampton, &c. and was ultimately purchased by Thomas Villers, earl of Clarendon, related to the earl of Jersey;

* This lady was youngest daughter of Arthur, first lord Capel, of Hadham, the loyalist, and wife of colonel Giles Strangeways, of Melbury Sampford, Dorset, "who," says Granger, "had the command of a regiment in that part of the royal army which acted under prince Maurice, in the West. In 1615, he was imprisoned in the Tower for his active loyalty, where he continued in patient confinement for two years, and upwards of six months. There is a fine medallion of him, struck upon this occasion; on the reverse of which is represented that part of the Tower which is called Cæsar's; with this inscription, Decusque adversa dederunt. When Charles II. fled into the West, in disguise, after the battle of Worcester, he sent him three hundred broad pieces; which were, perhaps, the most seasonable present that the royal fugitive ever received. But this was but a small part of the sum, which is to be placed to the account of his loyalty, as the house of Strangeways paid no less than 35,0001. for its attachment to the crown. This worthy gentleman was descended from one of the most antient and respectable families in Dorsetshire, was representative in parliament for the county, and one of the privy council to Charles II. He died, 1675."-Hist. of England, Vol. III. p. 378. Collins's Peerage, Vol. I. 210. ed, 1707.

whe

who having married lady Charlotte Capel, daughter of William, earl of Essex, by lady Jane, daughter of Henry Hyde, last earl of Rochester, and grandson of the great earl of Clarendon, was created baron Hyde, of Hindon, in the county of Wilts, in 1756, and earl of Clarendon, in 1776, in whose family THE GROVE still remains.

In the house is a valuable collection of portraits, and other fine pictures, mostly brought from Cornbury, in Oxfordshire.

The HALL contains portraits of Francis, lord Cottington; the earl of Kinnoul, VANDYCK; Elizabeth, queen of Bohemia, JANSEN; William, marquis of Hertford, VANDYCK; Weston, earl of Portland, son of the lord treasurer; queen Elizabeth; James I.; William, lord Burleigh; his son Robert, first earl of Salisbury; lord chancellor Clarendon; Edward, earl of Jersey, 1697; the earl. of Rochester.

SALOON. Lady Anne Hyde, duchess of York; her daughters, queens Mary and Anne; William III. James II. lord chancellor Clarendon; Henry, earl of Clarendon; Lawrence, earl of Rochester, and his first lady; lady Charlotte Hyde; duchess of Queensbury; Jane, countess of Essex; queen Catharine of Portugal. Here are also two fine portraits of a bull and horse, the property of lord Clarendon, by STUBBS,

DRAWING ROOM. The countess of Clarendon, second wife of the lord chancellor; her father and mother, Sir Thomas and lady Ailesbury, VANDYCK; James Stuart, duke of Richmond, "who offered to be a vicarious victim for Charles 1." Mary, duchess of Beaufort, LELY; Thomas, earl of Arundel, VANDYCK; lady Newport; Sir Henry Capel; Waller, the poet; and Sir Geoffrey Palmer, LELY; lord keeper Coventry, JANSEN.

DINING ROOM. Villiers, viscount Grandison, VANDYCK; George Villiers, duke of Buckingham, JANSEN; William and Philip, earls of Pembroke, VANDYCK; lord and lady Cornbury, LELY; lady D'Aubigny, count de Borghe, earl

and

and countess of Derby, Sir John Minns, lord Goring, all by VANDYCK; lady Barbara Villiers, Philip Villiers, grand prior of France, 1521.

STAIRCASE. The duke of Saxony and the Reformers; Selden, and Spelman.

LIBRARY. Duke of Monmouth.

Near the centre of Watford stands the parish church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary; it is a large structure, of stone, and has a square tower about ninety feet high, surmounted by an hexagonal spire about twenty feet high. In the tower are eight good bells, and a clock, with chimes. The inside of the church is spacious, having three aisles, two galleries with pews, and the gallery in which is a fine organ, and seats on each side for the boys and girls of Mrs. Fellows school, and in the front are pews. In the chancel is a large pew belonging to the right honourable the earl of Essex; and opposite another, built for the right honourable the ladies Capel. On the left hand side of the chancel is the cemetery, or burial place belonging to the earl of Essex; where are many fine monuments, beautifully sculptured.

Among these are a memorial for Sir Charles Moryson, with a long Latin inscription, descriptive of his good quaJities, preferments, and connexions. The figure is dressed in armour, leaning on his right arm; the figure of his lady reclining, a little below; both are cut in white marble, and dressed with neck ruffs, of the time of queen Elizabeth. At the left end is the figure of a woman, kneeling.

Two little tablets against the south wall of the chapel are the following words slightly inscribed, in gilt letters:

Non humi serpit alata Virtus,

Virtuti, Honori, et æternæ Memoriæ.

"Clarissimi et ornatissimi Viri Dni. Caroli Morisoni equitis aurati, istius Ecclesiæ Patroni hereditarii, et hujus Sacelli Fundatoris; Patris optimi et longe charissimi, Carolus Morisonus eques auratus ac baronettus pientissimus filius, hanc Aram sepulchralem (supremum Amoris et Pietatis officium Parenti bene merenti evolvendo) in Spem certissimam Gloriosa et beate Resurrectionis pienter et officiose consecravit."

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