ZTbc Earl of StamforD 599 



gloomy November morning, "wearing a black gown 

 clothe, a French hood all black, a black velvet book 

 hanging before her, and another book in her hand 

 open," to plead guilty to the indictment of high tre.i 

 brought against her, and hear the doom of death passed 

 upon her. Who that has ever visited the Tower of 

 London has not felt his heart touched as he called up 

 the picture of the young bride, gazing with eyes wide 

 open with horror on the bleeding corpse of her dead 

 husband, as she passed it on her way to the scaffold 

 where a few minutes later her own fair head fell beneath 

 the headsman's axe. 



Bradgate was of all his seats the one which the 

 seventh Earl of Stamford liked best, and there he built 

 himself a stately home worthy of the romantic and 

 picturesque surroundings, the exquisite blending of rock 

 and river, rugged heath and wooded glen, which make 

 it one of the most beautiful demesnes in the Midlands 

 of England. 



Bradgate Park had been from time immemorial a great 

 sporting Chase. The place was formerly parcel of the 

 manor of Groby, and belonged at an early period to 

 Hugh Grentesmainell, from whom it passed, by marriage, 

 to Robert Blanchmains, Earl of Leicester, and after- 

 wards, by marriage again, to Saher de Quency, Earl 

 of Winton. A park was here in 1247, when Roger 

 de Quency, Earl of Winton, granted permission, by 

 written agreement, to Roger de Somcry, to " enter at 

 any hour on the forest of him, the earl, to chace in it 

 (ad versandum) with nine bows and six hounds, accord- 

 ing to the form of a cyrograph before made between 



