The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-01-17
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Little Pilgrim.
COUNTRIES | HAVE SEEN.
Travels, Descriptions, Tales and HIS
. toricdl Sketches.
BY GRACE GREEN WOOD.
HAMPTON COURT.


How we'll [ remember one pleasant
morning in September--more than two
years ago, l declare when merry par
ty of US, English and Americans, met at
the counting-house Of our noble friend,
Mr.. B, to go from thence TO Hamp.
ton Court 1t was in the city Of Lon
don that we met. This is entered from
the town, which holds most of the parks
and palaces Of royalty and the nobility,
by An old, old gateway, called Temple
Bar. When the Queen is to pay visit
to the city, Temple Bar gate is closed, md
she must respectfully ask sd,nttance Of
the lord mayor, and he must graciously
present the keys to her before she may
come in. The lord mayor is the real king
OF London-and takes precedence Of roy
atty in all professions in the city, as, for
instance, tue funeral procession Of the
Duke Of Wellington, after it passed Tenn
pie Bar. All lord mayors arc elected
from the board Of aldermen they serve
but one year, during which time they
livo in very handsome residence, called
The Mansion Uouse," and ride in splcn.
did, but rather gaudy and old fashioned
coach--somethiug such-as you have seen
pictures of in the story Of Dick Whit
: tington.
Every lord mayor gives one grand ball
at Guildhall, when the Queen and all the
court attend, and there is magnificent
display both on the part Uf the aristocrs-
~ aud the citizens. aS
GuiilhalI is large building, where the
alJermsu and councilmen meet, to trans.
act business and eat good dinners. In
the hall where bulls and great banquets
are given stand two gigantic painted tiy-
ures, called Cog anil Magog. which are
very quaint and odd.looking, AMI don't
know how many years old.
"But what" you will SAY, has all this
to do with Ii unpton Court I"
Well, we started from the city, social,
merry party, Of FIVE or six-and, after
laughing and chatting in a comfortable
English railway carriage, for a few minu.
tes, arrivei at the station, near the palace.
The old palace Of Hampton Court
stands on the northern bank OF the
Thames, about twelve miles west Of Hyde
Park. and is situated in the .arish of
HNnpton, AMI county Of M,llIesex.
In the reign Of Henry the Eighth.
when the great prelate, Gard nal Wolsey.
was At the height Of his power, he lease !
the old manor and manor.house Of the
knights. Hospitallers OF Jerusalem, 10
whom it then belonged, for the purpose
OF building palace suitable to his rank
and splendor. He erected structure so
magnificent, and SO far surpassrng any of
the royal residences, that he quite over
shot his mar :, and reused the jealousy Of
the king, who bluntly askei him what he,
priest, aud butchers son, meant by
building for himself n palace handsomer
than any Of his kings. Then the cum
ming Q udinal putting the best f,ce lac
could on the matter, sud that is b,l only
been trying to build residence worthy
OF so great aud glorious u nouarch-an.l
that Hampton Court was At King Henry
service, he king jumped at the o!fer,
but in return bestowed upon Wolsey the
old manor Of Richmond, the favnrile resi-.
dence Of his father, Henry the Seventh.
IL was observed, when the great Cardinal
his royal master. that he scowIei ani
growlel at his followers, aud belabore
the poor mule that hs 70 10 most unmerci-
fully.
So, by gilt from. Cardinal WoIsey,
Hampton Court became the property Of
che crown.
Edward the Sixth vas born in this pal.
ace, and mostly resided here, during his
short. but happy reign. GLOOMY Queen
Mary aud her false-hearted husband,
Philip OF Spain, spent the honey moon,
or rather yinegar-moon here. Queen
Elizabetn here gave several great festivals.
and her successor, the mean and peian-
tic James the First, held great religious
conference in the chamber he, the
most immoderate Of pigots, sitting as
noderdtoy. Here he entertained some
great French princes At one time. very
handsomely everything being on u roy
al scale. except the host here he lost
hiA wife. Anne Of Dsnnsrk --s very rs
spectable sort Of woman, much too 20 ID
Cor him.
Charles the FirAl, with his queen and
court sought refuge at this place from the
plague, which was resaging London.---
But there was another trouble that came
upon him from which he could not es-
cape. even here. Death, with his scythe
passed by the healihful shades Of the
country palace, bat the esecaliouer viii,
bis axe, was not TO be evsled.
The Lori PROTECTOR, Oliver Cromwell,
resided sometimes At this palace; bat his
favssite slaughter. Elizabeth, = very love.
" womsn. lied here. and AFTER that. Il
was the sadisst plsee 10 all the world 70
hiSn