HATFIELD HOUSE 205 



Passing round to the front of the old Palace 

 and along the drive, a gateway is reached leading 

 down into yet another Garden in early Summer 

 a perfect blaze of colour. Against the low brick 

 wall which separates the two Gardens, are Flower- 

 beds filled with Phloxes, Delphiniums, and every 

 variety of Herbaceous plant. Three flights of 

 steps lead up to the Privy Garden above, and 

 from there lovely vistas of the smaller Garden 

 can be seen. A path runs from the centre steps 

 down the middle of the Garden, flanked on each 

 side by two quadrant shaped Lawns surrounded 

 by shrubs and flowers. This path, ornamented 

 with a Sundial, leads right round past the south end 

 of the Privy Garden into the " Wilderness." 



At Edward VI. 's death and by Queen Mary's 

 command, Elizabeth left Hatfield to return as a 

 prisoner under the care of Sir Thomas Pope, the 

 founder of Trinity College, Oxford. His genuine 

 admiration for his illustrious charge made him do 

 all in his power to relax the severity of the Queen 

 to her step-sister, of whom she was bitterly jealous. 

 Sir Thomas Pope writes of his future Queen in 

 glowing terms ; he says: "She is not only gracious, 

 but most learned, as ye right well know." 



Perhaps these last years of Mary's reign, full as 

 they were of intrigues and cruel religious persecu- 

 tions, were for Elizabeth the most peaceful years of 

 her life. She was living in the midst of a glorious 



