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“ For, round about, the wals yclothed wereWith goodly arras of great variety,

Woven with gold and silk so close and nere,

That the rich metall lurked privily,

As faining to be hidd from envious eye;

Yet here and there, and every where, unawaresIt shewed itselfe, and shone unwillingly :

Like to’ a discolour’d snake, whose hidden snares

Through the green gras his long bright burnished back declares.”

Spencer's Faery Queene, Book III. Canto 28.

Of the historical and fabulous subjects represented on these hangings,the siege of Troy, the story of Hercules, and the parable of the prodigalson, seem to have been the favourites, as they are the most general.“ Parke-work,”* [landscape,] and heraldry particularly, held high places

* In the great chamber at Hengrave were “ eight large peeces of fine arras hangings,parke-work, w th great beasts and fowls, 160 yards.”— Mr. Gage’s History.

The stories of the tapestry in the royal palaces of Henry VIII . are still preserved.In the tapestry of the Tower of London , the original and most ancient seat of our monarchs,there are recited, Godfrey of Eulloign, the three Kings of Cologn, the Emperor Constantine ,St. George, King Erkenwald, the History of Hercules, Fame and Honour , the Triumph ofDivinity, Esther and Ahasuerus, Jupiter and Juno, the eight Kings, the ten Kings of France ,the Birth of our Lord, Duke Joshua, the riche History of King David, the seven Deadly Sins ,the riche History of the Passion, the Stem of Jesse, [this was a favourite subject for paintedglass; and also composed a branch of candlesticks, thence called a not unusual in

ancient churches:] Our Lady and Son, King Solomon , the Woman of Caronony, Meleager ,and the Dance of Maccabre. At Durham Place, the Citie of Ladies, the tapestrie of Thebes and Troy, the City of Peace, the Prodigal Son, Esther , and other pieces of Scripture . AtWindsor Castle , the Siege of Jerusalem , Ahasuerus, Charlemagne , the Siege of Troy , andHawking and Hunting. At Nottingham Castle, Amys and Amelion. At the More, a palacein Hertfordshire , King Arthur, Hercules, Astyages , and Cyrus. At Richmond, the arras ofSir Bevis, and Virtue and Vice fighting. Many of these subjects are repeated at Westminster,Greenwich, Oatlands, Beddington in Surrey , and other seats, some of which are now

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