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later times Greenwich and its vicinity have been the residence of royalty; the Duchess of Brunswick, sister of George III., lived in a mansion on Blackheath, adjoining the Park, during many years, when the

beans; and over it a mantle of black silk, shot with silver threads; her train was very long, the end of it borne by a Marchioness; instead of a chain she had an oblong collar of gold and jewels.

"As she went along, in all this state and magnificence, she spoke very graciously, first to one, then to another, whether foreign ministers, or those who attended for different reasons, in English, French, and Italian; for, besides being well skilled in Greek, Latin, and the languages I have mentioned, she is mistress of Spanish, Scotch, and Dutch: whoever speaks to her, it is kneeling; now and then she raises some with her hand.

"While we were there, W. Slawata, a Bohemian Baron, had letters to present to her; and she, after pulling off her glove, gave him her hand to kiss, sparkling with rings and jewels, a mark of particular favour. ever she turned her face, as she was going along, every body fell down on their knees.

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"The ladies of the court followed next to her, very handsome, and wellshaped, and, for the most part, dressed in white; she was guarded on each side by the gentlemen pensioners, fifty in number, with gilt battle-axes. In the ante-chapel, next the hall, where we were, petitions were presented to her, and she received them most graciously, which occasioned the acclamation of, Long live Queen Elizabeth! she answered it with, I thank you, my good people.

"In the chapel was excellent music; as soon as it and the service was over, which scarce exceeded half an hour, the Queen returned in the same state and order, and prepared to go to dinner. But, while she was still at prayers, we saw her table set out with the following solemnity; a gentleman entered the room bearing a rod, and along with him another who had a table-cloth, which, after they had both kneeled three times, with the utmost veneration, he spread upon the table; and, after kneeling again, they both retired. Then came two others, one with the rod again, the other with the salt-cellar, a plate, and bread; when they had kneeled, as the others had done, and placed what was brought upon the table, they too retired with the same ceremonies performed by the first. At last came an unmarried lady (we were told she was a countess), and along with her a married one, bearing a tasting knife; the former was dressed in white silk, who, when she had prostrated herself three times, in the most graceful manner, approached the table, rubbed the plates with bread and salt, with as much awe as if the Queen had been present; when they had waited there a little while, the yeomen of the guard entered, bare-headed, clothed in scarlet, with golden roses upon their backs, bringing in at each turn a course of twenty-four dishes, served in plate, most of them gilt; these dishes were received by gentlemen in the same order they were brought, and placed upon the table, while the lady taster gave to each of the guard a mouthful to eat of the particular dish he had brought, for fear of poison. During the time that this guard, which consists of the tallest and stoutest men that can be found in all England, being carefully selected for this service, were bringing dinner, twelve trumpets, and two kettle drums, made the hall ring for half an hour together. At the end of all this ceremonial, a number of unmarried ladies appeared, who, with particular solemnity, lifted the meat off the table, and conveyed it into the Queen's inner and more private chamber, where, after she had chosen for herself, the rest goes to the ladies of the court. The Queen dines and sups alone, with very few attendants; and it is very seldom that any body, foreigner or native, is admitted at that time, and then only at the intercession of somebody in power."

almost universal subjection of Europe to the gigantic power of France, rendered this country the general asylum of unfortunate princes; here also resided her unhappy daughter Queen Caroline; and the Princess Sophia, a sister of his present Majesty, is still an inhabitant of the neighbourhood*. Dr. Johnson resided in Church Street in 1737, and composed his powerful satire called "London," and perhaps the still finer "Vanity of Human Wishes," as he walked in the Park.

The population of Greenwich was, in 1821, stated at 20,712 persons; its increase since that time must have been considerable.

HARBLEDOWN is a village near Canterbury, with an Hospital, founded by Archbishop Lanfranc in 1084, and confirmed in all its rights and property by Edward VI. in 1549. It maintains 26 brethren and sisters, with a Master, Prior, Prioress, and a Clergyman who is called the Reader. The present edifice is of brick, and was for the most part rebuilt in the time of James II.; but the original Chapel still remains, and is a curious relic of Norman architecture.

HAWKHURST, formerly a market town, and one of the principal seats of the clothing trade, is still a large village, four miles from Cranbrook. It has a handsome Church, built in the reign of Edward III. by the Abbots of Battel, to whom the manor then belonged; and a Free School and Alms-house, founded by Sir Thomas Dunk in 1718. The population of the parish is 2250.

HAYES is a small and pleasant village, two miles from Bromley, with a neat Church, in which are suspended the banners borne at the funeral of the

*It is said to be owing to the personal interference of this Princess,' who is Ranger of the Park, that that delightful spot is still open, at Easter and Whitsuntide, to the poor but merry visitants, whose comforts and enjoyments have been so studiously abridged in almost every other quarter, by the exertions of pharisaical pretenders to extraordinary purity; this regard for the meanest, evinced by one of the highest individuals in this country, joined to the well-known charity and benevolence of Her Royal Highness, affords a further proof of the truth of Goldsmith's assertion (in speaking of Dr. Johnson) that "the greatest cheerfulness may exist in a character, without impairing the most unaffected piety."

great Earl of Chatham, who resided at Hayes Place in this parish, where his son, the celebrated William Pitt, was born, May 28, 1759; after receiving a domestic education, he was sent at 14 years of age to Cambridge, and was introduced into Parliament before he had attained 21. Here his talents and brilliant eloquence soon raised him to the situation of Prime Minister; a post which he maintained, with but a short intermission, till his death in 1806. His conduct in that arduous office will, of course, be viewed in various lights, according to the political feelings of his judges; but of his abilities there can be but one opinion-that they were not surpassed by any of his talented contemporaries, nor have been equalled by any of his successors.

HERNE BAY is on the coast between Reculver and Whitstable, about six miles from Canterbury, and has latterly been resorted to, principally by the inhabitants of that city, as a sea-bathing place, for which it has many requisites, the water being clear, the air good, and the views pleasing; while the tranquillity which at present may be found there, induces many persons to prefer it to its more fashionable neighbours. Nearly opposite to this Bay is the "Pan Rock," a spot much more agreeable to antiquaries than to mariners; it derives its name from the numerous fragments of Roman pottery frequently discovered there by oyster-dredgers, and which are supposed to have formed the lading of a vessel wrecked upon it during the Roman government in this island.

The village called Herne Street, is about two miles from the Bay, inland, and has a large and ancient Church. The population of the parish, in 1821, was 1675.

HYTHE

Is a very ancient Market Town and Cinque Port, 66 miles from London, and 12 from Dover. It was formerly of much greater importance than it is at present, having contained four Churches, of which one only remains. The decay of this place is principally to be ascribed to the filling up of its harbour, beside which it has suffered much from fires

and pestilence. It has latterly, however, in some degree revived, its population in 1821 being 2181, exhibiting an increase since 1801 of 816 persons.

Hythe at present consists principally of one long street running parallel with the sea, and two or three smaller ones, branching off from it. The Church is situated on a cliff above the town, and is an ancient structure, built in the form of a cross, with a tower at the west end. It exhibits many remains of Norman architecture, intermixed with that of later ages; the Chancel, in particular, which has been lately restored with great taste, is in the style of Henry III.'s reign. Beneath this part of the building is a vault or charnel-house, containing an immense quantity of human bones and sculls, forming a pile nearly 30 feet long, and between seven and eight in height; these are said to be the remains of the Britons and Saxons slain in a great battle in 456, but there is no certain authority for this assertion. A Roman Catholic_chapel, and two places of worship for Protestant Dissenters, are established in this town, which also contains two Hospitals of ancient date, affording lodging and maintenance to sixteen poor persons.

Like almost every other town on this coast, Hythe has of late become a watering place, and has its library, reading-rooms, bathing machines, and favourite walks and rides. Having the barracks of the Royal Staff Corps in its neighbourhood, and being the permanent station of that body, its society is improved by the company of the officers, and there is a neat and well-conducted Theatre in the town.

The government of this place is vested in a Mayor, Jurats, and Common-Councilmen, who, conjointly with the freemen, elect two Members of Parliament. Here is a handsome Court Hall, situated in the Market Place, in which a good Market is held on Thursday; and the Royal Military Canal from Shorncliff to Rye, passing through this town, affords a convenient medium for the transmission of goods and merchandise.

About a mile from Hythe are the remains of SALTWOOD CASTLE, the foundation of which has been attributed to the Romans; but as it is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, it probably was not erected

at the period of that survey, although, within less than a century afterwards, we find it was the rendezvous of Fitz Urse and his companions on the day previous to their assassination of Becket. The Keep, or Gatehouse, is almost entire, and is occupied by a farmer, for whose use several of the surrounding buildings have been converted into barns, outhouses, &c.

LAMBERHURST is a village on the road to Hastings, 38 miles from London, situated partly in the county of Kent, and partly in that of Sussex. The Church, which is in the Kentish division, is an ancient and handsome structure, and the parish contained, in 1821, 1325 inhabitants, of whom about 540 reside in this county. A road has, recently been made from hence to Tunbridge Wells, which will be of considerable advantage to this village.

LEE, a respectable but small village, near Blackheath, and about six miles from London, has in its vicinity many handsome mansions. Its Church is ancient, and stands on the summit of an eminence, in a peculiarly rural and picturesque situation. In the church-yard, are tombs to the memory of Dr. Halley, the celebrated astronomer, who died in 1742; Lord Dacre, in 1794; Mr. Charnock, author of an excellent work on Marine Architecture, in 1808; and Parsons, the well-known comedian, in 1795. In this parish are extensive Alms-houses, lately erected by the Merchant Tailors' Company; the population, in 1821, was 750.

LEEDS, five miles from Maidstone, had formerly a magnificent Abbey, which has been totally demolished; its Castle, however, built in the reign of Henry I. still exists, and was once the property and residence of Lord Fairfax, the Parliamentary general. The Church is large and ancient, with a massive tower at the west end, and stands on a hill overlooking the village, the number of whose inhabitants is about 500.

LENHAM, an ancient but decayed town, about nine miles from Maidstone, had once a Market, which has

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