Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-12
ANCIENT STATE BEDsTEADs.
Tho One Queen Elizabeth USED 10
Sleep On.
0OndOn Standard

U4OnQOn SldUudlusj
The stateist ancient bedsteads are Oh
course, those in the state chambers
sometimes the haunted" ones Of his
toric houses, wherein they have stood
for some three centuries, at least.
Usually these have been slept in-once,
M any rate-in the dim and distant past
nv ROYALTY. There is curious story
which. after the recent accounts OF the
Windsor ghosts, will be more respect
fully treated than 1t has BEEN OF George
" sleeping I'm such a room, and doubt
less such q bed, at Houghton, ana seeing
the Brown Lady, who Is, we beleVe'
the Walpole spectre. sucn experiences
were among the uneasy honors OF inc
great who were installed IN some Oh
The state chambers of the stately homes
of England" and occasionally or the
humber guests, who. from the mouse
being crowded. and nobody else caring to
eieen there. were lin blissful Ignorance
mt into the state, but haunted, chamber.
Queen Elizabeth appears TO have been
the record-breaker, If one may be so
Ninnant I'm this connection, in the way OF
occupying state bedsteads, for In all dl-
rections she made those progresses
which have resulted in so many magnin-
cent bedsteads and rooms being SHOWN
as having been slept in by the TUDOR
Queen. ..,,..
Her successor Uames) had thrifty
taste for thus favoring his distinguished
subjects, though neither he nor any otner
monarch come near to Elizapeth IN inns
resnect AS Hampstead is always In
tAresting to Londoners-on aesthetic,
historical, or bank holiday grounds. ac-
cordine TO their tastes-it may De
mentioned that there was 1--WE do not
know II there is now an ancient Drlck
mansion there, known as Chicken House
and the description from which we quote
states that there was formerly some
nainted glass in the windows, part OF
which exhibited small portraits of James
and the Duke of buckingham. Under
the former was the inscription: icy
dams cette chambre coucha nostre Roy
Jacoues, premier de nom, lie % mo Aoust,
1919" Doubtless. tho bedstead which stood
under tho inscription matched the re-
ouirements Of its position. The romance
Of the ancient four-poster is OF mingled
character. Both grave and gay are the
associations. OF all these perhaps the
griumest is that which is attached 10
the bed which stood In the chamber that
was the scene Of the tragedy OF Little
cote Hail.
There is a bedstead OF more ancient
date that has also a tragic history-that
i'm which Richard III. slept, and whlcn
was left behind at Leicester on his
march TO Bosworth Field. After various
yicissitudes this fine carved structure
became the property of the landlady o.
| an inn many years later. She discovered
what none had guessed-and probably
none save Richard himself had known
that In the woodwork was concealed
large store Of gold coin The find. o
course. delighted the labdlady, but sh'
did not keep the secret of her luck u
| herself. The money or the last Plan
| tagenet king was like the traditional
! opal-unfortunate for its possessor. IN
| landlady was murdered by her servants II
/, orJer 10 obtain the treasure. What be
| came OF the bedstead tradition says not
probably IT was hacked up for ilrewood
| even as the stone coffin in which Richar'
was laid was. II Is said. ultimately use'
as watering trough for horses.