1 6 OLD I.OUGHTON HALL. 



he says, he was " forced to buy to keep my Lord of Lester^ for 

 cominge so neere, who was earnestly in hand to have bought them." 

 After a general allusion to his own services to the Queen, he adds 

 that, if it be his fortune to obtain it in time, he purposes to make 

 such an alteration of the house (being very ruinous, and part of it in 

 such decay that, if it be not repaired, it will fall down) that it shall 

 be fit to entertain her Majesty. The letter concludes with a request 

 to Hickes to use his influence in the matter. 



Although Sir Robert lived for some time" after preferring this 

 request, his death, as we shall see later on, anticipated the proposed 

 purchase. But in the interval a survey of the Manor' was made, 

 which furnishes some interesting particulars as to the house, in 

 which, albeit he gave so unpromising a description of it, he seems to 

 have entertained his sovereign for two nights in July, 1605.** But 

 some repairs may have been effected in the meanwhile. For, in 

 consequence of his representations as to the great decay in which 

 the house and buildings were, commissioners were appointed, and in 

 their report, dated June i 7, 1602, they state that they repaired to the 

 Manor House, and then, as well by view of the defects in the said 

 house and the gate-house, and other tiled buildings, as by conference 

 with artificers and workmen, determined what the charges, both in 

 stuff and workmanship, would be. The buildings specified are — the 

 gate-house and fore-house adjoining ; the brew-house; the corn-barn; 

 the cow-house ; the hay-barn. Coming to the house itself, they find 

 the kitchen and offices are most needful of speedy repair, being in 

 danger of ruin, but that they are supported for the time being ; and 

 that the chimneys and ovens, by reason of some cracks therein, are 

 to be taken down and new builded, while the larder and pastry need 

 repair. The cost of all this, " after conference had with workmen in 

 their several trades," is found to be — in carpentry, ^26 13s. 4d. ; in 

 tiling, walling, and underpinning, with the stuff, £\2,- Mention is 

 then made of " three payre of stayres within the howse," which, with 

 the roof over them, are greatly decayed, and the walls and ceilings 

 overhead also. The cost of repairing them is set down at ^18 for 

 carpentering ; and the tiling over the parlour and chambers, with 

 repair of the walls, will cost another ^16. The total cost of the 



5 Robert Dudley, the great Earl of Leicester, who, in 1578, acquired the Manor of Wanstead, 

 where he lived and built much. He died in 1388. (Morant.) 



6 He was buried at. Enfield, Jan. 28, 160^ {Par. Reg.)- 



7 Duchy of Lancaster : Surveys and Depositions (44 Eliz.). 



8 Nichols' " Progresses of K. James L" : i., 517 ; and Lansdowne MSS. S3, fo. 127. 



