,--"One William
Boonen, a Dutchman, brought first the use of coaches hither; and the
said Boonen was Queen Elizabeth's coachman; for, indeed, a coach was
a strange monster in those days, and the sight of them put both
horse and man into amazement." Dr. Percy observes, they were first
drawn by two horses, and that it was the favourite Buckingham, who,
about 1619, began to draw with six horses. About the same time, he
introduced the sedan. 'The Ultimum Vale of John Carleton', 4to,
1663, p. 23, will, in a great measure, ascertain the time of the
introduction of glass coaches. He says, "I could wish her (i. e.
Mary Carleton's) coach (which she said my lord Taff bought for her
in England, and sent it over to her, made of the new fashion, wide
glasse, very stately; and her pages and lacquies were of the same
livery,) was come for me," &c.]

The ladies were afraid of being shut up in them: they greatly preferred
the pleasure of showing almost their whole persons, to the conveniences
of modern coaches: that which was made for the king not being remarkable
for its elegance, the Chevalier de Grammont was of opinion that something
ingenious might be invented, which should partake of the ancient fashion,
and likewise prove preferable to the modern; he therefore sent away
Termes privately with all the necessary instructions to Paris: the Duke
of Guise was likewise charged with this commission; and the courier,
having by the favour of Providence escaped the quicksand, in a month's
time brought safely over to England the most elegant and magnificent
calash that had ever been seen, which the Chevalier presented to the
king.

The Chevalier de Grammont had given orders that fifteen hundred louis
should be expended upon it; but the Duke of Guise, who was his friend,
to oblige him, laid out two thousand. All the court was in admiration
at the magnificence of the present; and the king, charmed with the
Chevalier's attention to everything which could afford him pleasure,
failed not to acknowledge it: he would not, however, accept a present
of so much value, but upon condition that the Chevalier should not
refuse another from him.

The queen, imagining that so splendid a carriage might prove fortunate
for her, wished to appear in it first, with the Duchess of York. Lady
Castlemaine, who had seen them in it, thinking that it set off a fine
figure to greater advantage than any other, desired the king to