most melodious and delightful harmony, persons inclined to walk and to divert themselves may breakfast on tea or coffee as cheap as at their own chambers. Twelve stout fellows, completely armed, are always at hand, to patrol timid females or other who consider such escort necessary between Bellsize and London."

"On July 15, 1721, the Prince of Wales and suite paid it a visit, and dined at Bellsize House, attended by several of the nobility. They were entertained with several games at hunting, with which they expressed themselves pleased, and at their departure they were very liberal to the servants.

At the date of the above visit, the house was kept by a man named James Howell, who was nicknamed and known to its frequenters as the "Welsh Ambassador." This Welsh Ambassador, as he was called, had races by footmen in velveteens and silk-fleshings, and on one occasion he gave a plate of ten guineas to be run for by eleven of these "John Thomas's." Under Howell's management, however, it became the scene of much debauchery and gambling, and the proprietor himself appears to have been a not very creditable character, having for some crime or other once been incarcerated in Newgate. In a poem written upon Bellsize in 1722, the following lines in reference to Howell's proceedings are commented upon :

"But since Howell hath obtained his liberty
By Hæbeas, the wicked may see,
Whom he by advertisements now delights,
To visit him amidst his false delights,
Assuring them that thirty men shall be,
Upon the road for their security;

But whether one-half of this rabble guard,
(Whilst t'others, half asleep on watch and ward),
Don't rob the people they pretend to save,
I to the opinion of the reader leave."

The sentiments expressed do not certainly say much for Howell's offer of guarding people to town.

From this time Bellsize House became the seat of dissipation and lewdness: to such a degree was it carried that it would not have been tolerated in the lowest tea-gardens of the present day. Accordingly it is stated that, on June 7, 1723, "the Court of Justices, at the General Quarter Sessions, have ordered the High Constable of the Division to issue his precepts to the petty constables and head boroughs of the parish of Hampstead to prevent all unlawful gaming, riots, &c., at Bellsize House and the great room at Hampstead." The same year a pamphlet was published by a "Serious Person of Quality," who in the commencement refers to the doings here—

"This house, which is a nuisance to the land,
Doth near a park and handsome garden stand,
Fronting the road, betwixt a range of trees,
Which is perfumed with a Hampstead breeze;
And on each side the path a grenadier-
However, they cannot speak, think, see, or hear-
But why they're posted there no mortal knows,
Unless it be to frighten jackdaws and crows,

For rooks they cannot scare, who there resort
To make of most unthoughtful bubbles sport."

In 1733 they opened a race ground in addition to the other amusements, of which the following advertisement is a specimen :—

To be RUN for at BELLSIZE,

"ON Thursday the 31st of May, a Coffee-Pot of eight Pounds Value, by Ponies 12 Hands three Inches high, to carry seven Stone, all under to be allow'd Weight for Inches, as usual; to pay 25 Shillings Entrance, and to enter three Days before the Day of Running; none to enter at the Post; six Times round the Course; the best of three Heats; no less than three to start. Mr. Treacle's Black Pony, that won the Plate at Hampstead Heath last Year, is excepted against Running.

"The Ponies to be enter'd at the George, in Hampstead, and to be kept there, or at the Stables at Bellsize, from the Day of Entering till the Day of Running. Each Person to pay 6d. going in.

"All Gentlemen are desired not to bring in any Dogs, least they are shot.

"All Persons that are taken getting over the Wall, will be sued for a Trespass with the utmost Rigour the Law will allow. "Good Grass and Plenty of Water for Horses."

This place of amusement continued open as late as 1745, after which it again fell into private hands, and now the whole estate is being covered with houses.

ARUNDEL HOUSE.

Arundel House, famed in English history as the residence of the Earls of Arundel, was situated a little way up the hill, on the bank, past the well-known redbrick building called "Cromwell House." It was partially pulled down in the year 1825, but the present building still bears the name, and the walls which were left standing of the old house bear evidences of great antiquity. The history of Arundel House is very interesting on account of two incidents which took place there the death of Lord Bacon in 1626, and the imprisonment of Lady Arabella Stuart in 1611. Originally it was a building in the Elizabethan style, with spacious windows commanding a magnificent view of the surrounding country.

ESCAPE OF LADY ARABELLA STUART FROM

ARUNDEL HOUSE.

The unfortunate Lady Arabella Stuart was a near relation to James I., and the crime for which she was imprisoned was that of marrying a man whom she loved

in defiance of the Court to which she was allied. The king having issued an order for her arrest, she was first taken to Sir Thomas Perry's house, at Lambeth, but was afterwards removed to Arundel House, from whence she managed to make her escape, but was re-taken.

Lady Stuart having induced her keepers into securitie, by the fayre show of conformity and willingness to goe on her journey towards Durham, whither she was to be conducted by Sir James Croft, in the mean time disguised herself by drawing a great paire of French-fashioned hose over her petticotes, and putting on a man's doublet, a man-like peruke, with long locks, over her hair, a black hat, black cloake, russet boots with red tops, with a rapier by her side, and walked forthe, between three and four of the clock, with Mr. Markham. After they had gone on foot a mile and a half, they reached a sorry inn, where one Crompton attended with their horses. She here grew very sick and fainte, so that the ostler who held the styrrup said, 'That gentleman would hardly hold out to London ;' yet being on a good gelding, astride in the wonted fashion, the galloping of the horse brought the blood to her face, and so she rode towards Blackwall, where arriving about nine o'clock, and finding there in readiness two men, and a gentleman and a chambermaid, with one boate full of Mr. Seymour's* and her trunks, and another boate for their persons, they hasted from thence towards Woolwich. Being come so far, they bade the watermen rowe on towards Gravesend; there the watermen were desirous to lande, but for a double freighte were contented to goe on to Leigh, yet being very tired by the way, they were faine to lie still at Tilbury while the oar-men went on lande to refresh

*Mr. Seymour was her husband, and he had concerted a plan of escape in a French vessel to Calais.

themselves. They then proceeded to Leigh, and by that time the day had appeared, and they discovered a ship at anchor a mile beyond, which was the French barque which waited for them. There the Ladye would have lyen at anchor, expecting Mr. Seymour, but through the importunity of her followers, they forthwith hasted to seawarde.

"In the meanwhile, Mr. Seymour, with a peruke and a beard of black hair, walked alone without suspicion, from his lodging, out of the great west door of the Tower, following a cart that had brought in some billets of woode. From thence he walked along by the Tower wharfe, by the warders of the South-gate, where Rodney was ready with a boate to receive him. When they came to Leigh, and found that the ship was gone, the billows running very high, they hired a fisherman for twentie shillings, to set them aboard a certain ship they saw under sail. That ship they found not to be the one they looked for, so they made for the nexte under sail, which was a shippe of Newcastle. This, with much ado, they hired for forti pounds to carry them to Calais, but whether or no the collier performed his bargain is not as yet knowne.

"On Tuesday, my Lord Treasurer having been advertized that the Ladye Arabella had made her escape, sent forthwithe to the Lieutenant of the Tower to set stricte guarde over Mr. Seymour, which he promised to doe; but on coming to the prisoner's lodgings, he founde to his greate amazement that he was gone from thence one whole daye before. Now the king and the lords being much disturbed at this unexpected accident, my Lord Treasurer sent downe orders to a pinnace that lay in the Downes to put presently to sea, first to Calais Road, and to saile up the roade towards Dunkirke. This pinnace, spying the aforesaid