Fragmenta Regalia | Page 9

the Courts of Justice; and at
stated times are heard their trials in law, or concerning the king's
patrimony, or in chancery, which moderates the severity of the
common law by equity. Till the time of Henry I. the Prime Court of
Justice was movable, and followed the King's Court, but he enacted by
the Magna Charta that the common pleas should no longer attend his
Court, but be held at some determined place. The present hall was built
by King Richard II. in the place of an ancient one which he caused to
be taken down. He made it part of his habitation (for at that time the
Kings of England determined causes in their own proper person, and
from the days of Edward the Confessor had their palace adjoining), till,
above sixty years since, upon its being burnt, Henry VIII. removed the
royal residence to Whitehall, situated in the neighbourhood, which a

little before was the house of Cardinal Wolsey. This palace is truly
royal, enclosed on one side by the Thames, on the other by a park,
which connects it with St. James's, another royal palace.
In the chamber where the Parliament is usually held, the seats and
wainscot are made of wood, the growth of Ireland; said to have that
occult quality, that all poisonous animals are driven away by it; and it is
affirmed for certain, that in Ireland there are neither serpents, toads, nor
any other venomous creature to be found.
Near this place are seen an immense number of swans, who wander up
and down the river for some miles, in great security; nobody daring to
molest, much less kill any of them, under penalty of a considerable
fine.
In Whitehall are the following things worthy of observation:-
I. The Royal Library, well stored with Greek, Latin, Italian and French
books; amongst the rest, a little one in French upon parchment, in the
handwriting of the present reigning Queen Elizabeth, thus inscribed:-
To the most high, puissant, and redoubted prince, Henry VIII. of the
name, King of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith;
Elizabeth, his most humble daughter. Health and obedience.
All these books are bound in velvet in different colours, though chiefly
red, with clasps of gold and silver; some have pearls and precious
stones set in their bindings.
II. Two little silver cabinets of exquisite work, in which the Queen
keeps her paper, and which she uses for writing boxes.
III. The Queen's bed, ingeniously composed of woods of different
colours, with quilts of silk, velvet, gold, silver, and embroidery.
IV. A little chest ornamented all over with pearls, in which the Queen
keeps her bracelets, ear-rings, and other things of extraordinary value.

V. Christ's Passion, in painted glass.
VI. Portraits: among which are, Queen Elizabeth, at sixteen years old;
Henry, Richard, Edward, Kings of England; Rosamond; Lucrece, a
Grecian bride, in her nuptial habit; the genealogy of the Kings of
England; a picture of King Edward VI., representing at first sight
something quite deformed, till by looking through a small hole in the
cover which is put over it, you see it in its true proportions; Charles V.,
Emperor; Charles Emanuel, Duke of Savoy, and Catherine of Spain, his
wife; Ferdinand, Duke of Florence, with his daughters; one of Philip,
King of Spain, when he came into England and married Mary; Henry
VII., Henry VIII., and his mother; besides many more of illustrious
men and women; and a picture of the Siege of Malta.
VII. A small hermitage, half hid in a rock, finely carved in wood.
VIII. Variety of emblems on paper, cut in the shape of shields, with
mottoes, used by the mobility at tilts and tournaments, hung up here for
a memorial.
IX. Different instruments of music, upon one of which two persons
may perform at the same time.
X. A piece of clock-work, an Ethiop riding upon a rhinoceros, with four
attendants, who all make their obeisance when it strikes the hour; these
are all put into motion by winding up the machine.
At the entrance into the park from Whitehall is this inscription:-
The fisherman who has been wounded, learns, though late, to beware;
But the unfortunate Actaeon always presses on. The chaste virgin
naturally pitied: But the powerful goddess revenged the wrong. Let
Actaeon fall a prey to his dogs, An example to youth, A disgrace to
those that belong to him! May Diana live the care of Heaven; The
delight of mortals; The security of those that belong to her! {5}
In this park is great plenty of deer.

In a garden joining to this palace there is a JET D'EAU, with a sun- dial,
which while strangers are looking at, a quantity of water, forced by a
wheel which the gardener turns at