ding, with the quaint gatehouse now used as an avenue
of approach up the hill from the town to the stables. There is a fine
view of the town through the ancient gateway. Here lived the princess
Elizabeth, and in the halls where kings have banqueted the marquis's
horses now munch their oats. Immediately below, in the town, is
Salisbury Chapel, in which repose the bones of his ancestors.

[Illustration: THE CORRIDOR, HATFIELD.]

Also in Hertfordshire are Cassiobury, the seat of the Earls of Essex,
whose ancestor, Lord Capel, who was beheaded in 1648 for his loyalty to
King Charles I., brought the estate into the family by his marriage with
Elizabeth Morison; and Knebworth, the home of Lord Lytton the novelist,
which has been the home of his ancestors since the time of Henry VII.,
when it was bought by Sir Robert Lytton. The "Great Bed of Ware" is one
of the curiosities of the county--a vast bed twelve feet square,
originally at the Saracen's Head Inn. It was built for King Edward IV.,
and was curiously carved, and has had a distinguished place in English
literary allusions. The bed still exists at Rye House in Hertfordshire,
where it was removed a few years ago. A dozen people have slept in it at
the same time.

[Illustration: VIEW THROUGH OLD GATEWAY, HATFIELD.]

AUDLEY END AND SAFFRON WALDEN.

[Illustration: AUDLEY END, WESTERN FRONT.]

Journeying farther from London, and into the county of Essex, we come to
the little river Cam, and on the side of its valley, among the gentle
undulations of the Essex uplands, is seen the palace of Audley End, and
beyond it the village of Saffron Walden. Here in earlier times was the
abbey of Walden, which, when dissolved by Henry VIII., was granted to
Sir Thomas Audley, who then stood high in royal favor. But almost all
remains of this abbey have disappeared, and Sir Thomas, who was Speaker
of the House, got the grant because of his industry in promoting the
king's wishes for the dissolution of the religious houses, and was also
made Lord Audley of Walden. This, as Fuller tells us, was "a dainty
morsel, an excellent receipt to clear the Speaker's voice, and make him
speak clear and well for his master." But he did not live long to enjoy
it, although giving the estate his name, and it passed ultimately to the
Duke of Norfolk, after whose execution it became the property of his
son, Lord Thomas Howard, whom Queen Elizabeth made Baron Walden, and
King James appointed lord treasure