Leicester ; and flatter myself, that the motive which induced me to stray fo far from the banks of the Avon, will be found to carry with it my apology to the reader. FEELING it, as I do, an interesting duty as well as a grateful employment, to trace any thing that bears relation to the works of that immortal bard, the native of Avon's banks, I cannot forego even the flight opportunity that now offers. THE town of Leicester boasts two curious remains which must be admitted to have reference to his works: the house and bed in which Richard the third slept the night before the battle of Bofworth, or rather Sutton,' field. The house, of which the adjoining sketch is a faithful reprefentation, is known by the appellation of the Blue Boar Inn, a name probably derived from the crest of Richard, which was that of a boar. In allufion C allufion to this creft, the lord Haftings fays to Catesby, "Stanley did dream the boar did rafe our helms, The house is still in good prefervation, and the room in which the king flept, is so spacious as to cover the whole premises; it is fituated on the first floor, agreeable to a style of building at that time very common in most of our ancient inns. SHAK SHAKSPEARE, in introducing Richard in the tent scene, has, beyond a doubt, heightened the interesting part of the tragedy, by using a poetical licence, though he has deviated from the first historical authority, from whom that inference, which is confirmed by the traditional account it obtains in the town, seems to arife. This historian, Speed, fpeaking of his being at Nottingham at the time the news was brought of the earl of Richmond's advance to Litchfield, fays, "Hee (the king) marchelled his fol"lowers; and like a valiant captaine and politicke leader, fet forward his battailes, "five and five in a rank. In the midst of "his troops he bestowed his carriages, and " himself mounted upon a white courfer in"vironed with his guard, followed by his "footman and the wing of his horsemen, ranged on every fide with a frowning countenance, but yet in great pompee, en"tered the town of Leicester after the fun was fet; being full of indignation and "fwelling in anger, which fomewhat he "affwaged with threat of revenge." THE bedstead, from which the above sketch is made, is now in the poffeffion of Mr. Alderman Drake, who purchased it for about forty fhillings of one of the servants of of the forementioned Inn about twenty years ago. It is of oak, and richly carved with Gothic ornaments fuitable to the taste of the time, but at what period it was made, is not clearly ascertained: though a date I am informed appeared on one of the feet, when it was last taken down, but no person had the curiosity to notice it. When purchased by Mr. Drake, much of the old gilding appeared about the ornaments. Some particulars of this bedstead I also understand are preferved in the records of the corporation. THE following brief account, is the traditional history as received on the spot; viz. That Richard, when travelling, always carried among his baggage this bedstead, which, having a falfe bottom, enabled him with fecresy to convey his treasure unsuspected, and that he slept in it in that house the night before the battle. After the battle of Bofworth field, the bed remained in the house undif |