that at dawn the following morning Roger beheld his sister's lover or
husband entering the gates of a large and well-timbered park on the
south-western verge of the White Hart Forest (as it was then
called), now known to everybody as the Vale of Blackmoor. Thereupon
the sailor discarded his steed, and finding for himself an obscurer
entrance to the same park a little farther on, he crossed the grass
to reconnoitre.

He presently perceived amid the trees before him a mansion which, new
to himself, was one of the best known in the county at that time. Of
this fine manorial residence hardly a trace now remains; but a
manuscript, dated some years later than the events we are regarding,
describes it in terms from which the imagination may construct a
singularly clear and vivid picture. This record presents it as
consisting of "a faire yellow freestone building, partly two and
partly three storeys; a faire halle and parlour, both waynscotted; a
faire dyning roome and withdrawing roome, and many good lodgings; a
kitchen adjoyninge backwarde to one end of the dwelling-house, with a
faire passage from it into the halle, parlour, and dyninge roome, and
sellars adjoyninge.

"In the front of the house a square greene court, and a curious
gatehouse with lodgings in it, standing with the front of the house to
the south; in a large outer court three stables, a coach-house, a
large barne, and a stable for oxen and kyne, and all houses
necessary.

"Without the gatehouse, paled in, a large square greene, in which
standeth a faire chappell; of the south-east side of the greene court,
towards the river, a large garden.

"Of the south-west side of the greene court is a large bowling greene,
with fower mounted walks about it, all walled about with a batteled
wall, and sett with all sorts of fruit; and out of it into the feildes
there are large walks under many tall elmes orderly planted."

Then follows a description of the orchards and gardens; the servants'
offices, brewhouse, bakehouse, dairy, pigeon-houses, and corn-mill;
the river and its abundance of fish; the warren, the coppices, the
walks; ending thus--

"And all the country north of the house, open champaign, sandy
feildes, very dry and pleasant for all kindes of recreation, huntinge,
and hawkinge, and profitable for tillage.... The house hath a large
prospect east, south, and west, over a very large and pleasant vale
... is seated from the good markett towns of Sherton Abb