HOLLAND HOUSE 225 



It is evident that Lord Holland felt remorse 

 for the part he had played, as towards the end of 

 the struggle between the King and Cromwell he 

 made a brave stand for the Royalists at Kingston, 

 was defeated, taken and imprisoned in his own 

 house at Kensington. Horace Walpole alludes to 

 his death thus : "It was a remarkable scene, 

 exhibited on the scaffold on which Lord Capel 

 fell. At the same time was executed the once 

 gay, beautiful, gallant Earl of Holland, whom 

 neither the honours showered on him by his 

 Prince, nor his more tender connection with the 

 Queen, could preserve from betraying and engaging 

 against both." 



Cromwell and Ireton (the latter being deaf) dis- 

 cussed their secret designs in the middle of the 

 field in front of Holland House, thus making it 

 impossible for any one to overhear their plans. 



For some months after Lord Holland's death 

 General Fairfax took up his quarters at Holland 

 House. " The Lord General Fairfax is removed 

 from Queen Street to the late Earl of Holland's 

 House at Kensington, where he intends to reside." 

 Later the House was restored to the Countess of 

 Holland, who lived there till her death. 



During the Commonwealth, when the theatres 

 were closed, the players who had bravely joined 

 the King's army, were almost starving only being 

 able to act privately with the greatest caution. 





