Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-04-27
CoRREsPoSpESCE or THE FREE pRr.s.l
Letters from England.
NJ. y ANl.
LONDON, March %


LONDON, March %, 1855.
| To the Editor 9TH, Free Press,
| am never tired of visiting those places OF
historic interest which lie about Whitehall
and Westminster. 90 as naturally in that
direction on leisure afternoon. as n school
boy to the fields on holiday. If have not
tired you already, come with me once more
down Charing Cross.
We stop again by the a." Horse Guards, +"
an odd looking cluster Of stone buildings used
for the Army Offices. In the middle of the
group is an arch-way leading into ST. James
Park, Country, NJ. Ps are brushing past us
on the pavement, and splendid carriages are
rolling under the Arch into the Park We
call to mind the remark of johnson, made a
hundred years ago, that tho tide of life no.
where pours so freely as here. Yet two hun
dred years ago all this space was the en-
closed Court yard OF the Palace of Whitehall,
end we are standing upon the very spot which
on that memorable Both of January, l649,
witnessed the execution of Charles the First.
That tasteful building on the other side of
the street was the monarch's BanquetinC
Hall its interior was one of the most sump
tuous in England, for lingo Jones was its
Architect and Rubens painted its ceiling
From one of the windows facing us, the
royal convict stepped upon the black seat
fold which had been erected for his execution
ton in front Of his Hall And then came
the scene which unnerved 40 many enemies,
which 50 endeared the memory Of tho suf-
terer to the church of England, and which AS
narrated by loyal historians, almost beguiles
us of our resentment against the tyrant,
Will" we admire the calmness and dignity Of
lhe King If Charles had died like coward,
or if his last acts and words had appeared
less kingly or less christian than they did,
that reverence for his memory which has ele-
waited him TO the rank Of martyr, could
never have so thoroughly deluded generous
people.
In those stirring periods of English hlsto-
ry hitehall figures most conspicuously as
the royal mansion. This Palace was original. |
ly built by Cardinal Wolscy, and was the
scene of that lordly prelate's magnificent dis.
plays. have before alluded TO its becoming
the residence of Henry in preference to the
decayed Palace at Westminster. James |.
the work of rebuilding it entire.
ly, and erected among other parts the Ban.
quoting Hall now before as, the ceiling of
which was painted by Rubens under the
patronage of Charles. Here lived Cromwell
after his elevation, and here he died. The
otuarts were it's last royal occupants the
whole pile' excepting only the Banqueting
Hall, was burnt in 1928 The Hall has since
been fitted up for chapel, and multitudcs
'i strangers worship in it every Sunday. |
I'm afraid, however, that much of their vor.
ship goes no higher than the ceiling.
We P'-s IA &" Aostmnster and entering
''r I"i'cr l"Td,atdiId ia front OF time huuorod
y estml"Stcr iiall, Very old, and black, aud
%" IT appears amid the graceful and lofty
tiueiuEes OF magnesian limestone by which
lr Barry has surrounded and almost hidden
t. Yet ITS black front-a part added by the
econd Richard to the original 4" Bsnqueting 4