GARDENS OF THE STUARTS 177 



covers are shut up ; the floor paved with painted tile 

 in the angles and with squared stone in the middle; . 

 in one of which angles stands a table of artificial stone 

 very well polished ; and in every of the said angles, 

 besides the said benches, there stands one wainscot 

 chair. There are to the said banqueting house two 

 double leaved doors, the one pair of which doors 

 opens in the very middle of the said tarras, the outside 

 thereof being gilt, with several coats of arms ; the other 

 of the said leaved doors opens into a fair walk within 

 the Park, planted with Elms and Lime trees, extend- 

 ing itself from the said banqueting house in a direct 

 line eastward, to the very Park pale. The round of 

 the said banqueting house is handsomely arched; 

 within which thirteen heads or statues, gilded, stand 

 in circular form, adding very much to the beauty of 

 the whole room." 



A quaint feature was the private walk, where, un- 

 observed, many important interviews took place. It 

 was enclosed by a high thorn hedge. 



At Theobalds, the general idea of the gardens was Theobalds, 

 much the same as at Wimbledon. But there are 

 one or two additional and characteristic features. 

 Among them a knot "compassed aboute with a 

 Quadrangle or square squadron Quicksett hedge of 

 white thorn and privett of nine foot in height, cutt 

 into a compleate fashion with fower round arbors with 



