Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume II.djvu/243

 C 231 ]

ment the more, there were then knighted here, Sir Thomas Cecil, son and heir to the Lord Treasurer; Sir Henry Cobham, brother to Lord Cobhamj Sir Francis Stanhope, and Sir Thomas Tresham. The cost and expence of this entertainment may be guessed at, by the quantity of beer then drank, which amounted to three hundred and twenty hog- shead i of the ordinary sort, as I have been credibly informed. Shortly an;-r which, viz. the year next ensuing, Lord Leicester obtained, by grant of the Queen, a weekly market here, upon the Wednes- day, and a fair ye; riy on Midsummer-day. "

This was the proudest crra of the history of Kenilwoiah-Castle, which coming, after the Earl of Lexester's death, to his infamously-treated son Sir Robert Dudley, by Lady Sheffield, was wrested from ban by a Star-Chamber decree, and confiscated to James!. On this occasion a survey was taken of the premises, preserved in Ducr dale, worth trans- ion, as it affords a pretty clear idea of the resi- dence of a great nobleman of the sixteenth century.

" The (si. ale of Ke-nilworih-, situate on a rock, i St. I he circuit thereof, within the v. alls, contain-

��'-,.

��e walks

��ctli sewn acres; upon which (the walls) t! are so aracio: and fair, that two or three persons together, may walk upon mo.-a places thereof. 2d. Thecastle, with the lour gate-liouses, all built

�� �