His Majesty was pleased to constitute Anthony St.
Leger, * Esq; one of the Commissioners to settle the
Affairs of Ireland, and in 1539 he was appointed
Lord Deputy, and afterwards made Knight of the
Garter : He died in 1542, and was buried in Kent
among his Ancestors.
In his Time (Anno 1541) an Act of Parliament

I
passed for erecting Ireland into a Kingdom, and
from thence the King of England was stiled King
of Ireland ; whereas before he was only called Lord
of Ireland. This Act was afterwards confirmed by
an Act passed in England.

THE Cardinal, notwithstanding his Affairs of Eng- clofe Attention to Business, enjoyed at land. 1528.

convenient times the Pleasure of a The Cardinal Retreat at his Palace at Hampton-courtt presents Hamp- (now compleatly finished, and elegantton-court to the King

ly furnished) where the King often vi

sited him, being much taken both with the Situation and Beauty of the Structure. Upon this Wolsey, ever studious to please his Royal Master, very generously presented it to him, who as readily accepted of it, and, in Return, gave his Minister Richmond Palace to reside in: And Rapin allows, “ That this grand Present of Hampton-court

was a stately Palace, and outshined all the King's " Houses."

In those Days it was esteemed one of the most magnificent Structures in Europe; and Cambden, upon this Occasion, is pleased to give Wolsey this Character : " That he built it out of Oftentation to shew “ his great Wealth, and that he was on all Ac

counts * From this Lord Deputy + The Ground, whereon the the Right Honourable Arthur Cardinal built this famous PaSt. Leger, Viscount Donerayle, lace, was purchased of the Lord is descended.

St. John

“ counts exceeding prudent, but Infolence had carried “ him beyond himself.” But if there is any Consistency in it, we wish our Readers may discover it.

No sooner was this Palace in the King's Hands, but he enlarged the Buildings, which were so exceeding curious, that Leland celebrates them in the following Lines.

A Palace which Nature's choicest Gifts adorn,
Where Thames' kind Streams in gentle Currents run,
The Name of Hampton bath for Ages borne.
Here such a Palace Mews great Henry's Care,
As Sol ne'er views in his exalted Sphere,
In all his tedious Stage.

} }

And on the Marriage of the Thames and Isis thus :

To HAMPTON runs, whose State and Beauty shews,
A City here contra£ted in a House.
This the grave Prelate Wolsey's Care begun
To whom blind Fortune's Arts were fully known,
And all her Smiles dash'd in one fatal Frown.

}

a

This Royal Palace is environed on three Sides with the River Thames, and consequently enjoys as pleafant a Situation as the Prudence of its Founder could select ; for it was indeed, as our Author says, a Work of great Magnificence, for the Age it was built in. *

It

a

* Whoever knew Hampton- being made one of the most deCourt before it was begun to be lightful Palaces in Europe ; as rebuilt, or even altered by the that sagacious Prince well knew, late King William, must acknow- and his penetrating Queen was ledge it was a very complete so senlible of, that when the King Palace, and fit for a King; and had ordered the old Apartments though it might not, according to be pulled down, in order to to the modern Taste of Building be built in the most beautiful or Gardening, pass for a Thing Form we see them now appear exquisitely fine ; yet it shewed a in, her Majesty, impatient of enSituation exceedingly capable of joying so agreeable a Retreat, further Embelishments, and of fixed upon a Building, formerly

It is a just Observation, from the Situations of the old Abbies and Monasteries, that the Clergy were ex

cellent

made use of chiefly for landing or cold Bathing, as the Season from the River, called the Wa- should invite ; also a Dairy with ter-gallery ; and here, as if her all its Conveniencies, in which Mind had suggested The had but she took great Delight. All these a few Years to enjoy the fame, Places and Offices were finished the ordered all the neat and cu- with great Expedition, that their rious Things to be done, which Majesties might repose_thither suited her own Conveniency, and while they saw the main Building made it the pleasanteft Place, go forward. And the Gardens were within Doors, that possibly could now laid out, the Plan of them be imagined ; though, its Situa- being devised by the King himtion being such as that it could self; and especially the Amendnot be allowed to stand after the ments and Alterations were made great Building was finished, we by the King, or Queen, or by now see no Remains of it.

both their particular Directions The Queen had her Gallery for their_Majesties agreed well of Beauties, being the Pictures in their Fancy in that Respect, at full Length of the principal and had both good Judgment in Ladies attending her Majesty, or the juft Proportion of Things.

, that were frequently in her Re. Here the fine Limes, which form tinue ; and they were the more the Semicircle in the South Front agreeable Sight, as the Originals of the House by the Iron Gates, were all in being, and often to looking into the Park, were by be compared with their Pictures. the dexterous Hand of the head The Queen had here a fine A. Gardner removed, after some of partment, with a Set of Lodg- them had been almost thirty ings for her private Retreat, moit Years planted in other Places, curiously furnished ; particularly though not far off, which thrive a fine Chints-bed, then a great perfectly well. Curiosity ; another of her own While the Gardens were thus Work, while in Holland, very a laying out, the King also dimagnificent, and several others. rected the Pipes for the Fountain Here also was her Majesty's Col- and Jetted É au's; and particulection of Delf Ware, very large larly their Dimensions, and what and fine, gether with a vast Quantity of Water they fhould Stock of the finest China Ware, caft up, the Number of which the like not then in Europe, the were increased after the first Delong Gallery, and every other fign. Place, where it could be lodg- The Ground, on the side of ed with Advantage, being filled the other Front, has received with it.

fome Alterations since the taking Her Majesty had also here a down of the Water-gallery; but small Bathing room, made very not that Part immediately next fine, and suited either for hot the Lodging.

The