Charles John Palmer

“ It is thirty feet long by eighteen feet wide. The walls are panelled from floor to ceiling, and richly adorned with carved work. At one end is a chimney-piece of massive but elegant design, profusely and exquisitely carved. ”

“ Clarendon tells us, that after the unfortunate monarch had been brought to Hampton Court, and the army had mastered the parliament, “there were many secret consults what to do with the king;” the Independents being of opinion that “they should never be able to settle a new form of government whilst he lived.” It is certain that a secret conference of great importance was held in the chamber above alluded to, by some of the friends and adherents of Cromwell, and many of the leading officers of the army. ”

“ On the Quay, at Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk, described in a recent number, [1] there stands a house, built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth by a wealthy merchant named Benjamin Cowper, who represented that borough in parliament, when it was the custom, if not the law, for towns to return resident “burgesses,” and for counties to send up veritable “knights.” He was a member of the company of “Merchant Adventurers” incorporated by that queen, and their shield of arms, put up by him, still remains in one of the apartments. ”