NEWTON MANOR. 51 



in the earliest years of the 16th century, not long after the conquest 

 of Granada by Ferdinand and Isabella. Unfortunately, it had 

 served for a century or two before I acquired it as a carpet in front 

 of the altar of a Spanish church, and its condition has not improved 

 since it has been here. I should think this piece of tapestry 

 contains the earliest known representation of tho giraffe. The 

 beasts are fairly well drawn, and may possibly have been taken from 

 actual animals kept in the gardens of the Alhambra. The piece at 

 the other end of the hall is also an unusual specimen. The design 

 is a fine decorative treatment of conventional acanthus scroll work ; 

 it is taken from a very rare Italian engraving at the end of the 15th 

 century. The other piece is purely Flemish, both in design and 

 execution j it represents a musical party in the grounds of a 

 Flemish chateau. The date of both pieces is about 1520. 



Of the three suits of armour the one at the end of the hall is a 

 tilting suit with its helmet and other pieces of about 1560. 



The standing suit in the bay window is complete in almost every 

 detail. It is of English work of the time of James I. ; it is an 

 interesting suit, but I don't think it was ever worn. It was 

 originally obtained from a church in Warwickshire, where it had 

 been hung over a tomb to a member of the family of Chadwick of 

 that county. "When it came here it was packed in a coffin-shaped 

 case, and my old gardener who unpacked it was quite taken aback 

 when he saw the contents ; evidently he thought that there was 

 either a skeleton or a mummy inside. All he could say was, in 

 awe-stricken tones, " Is it Blucher, sir ? " The poor old man's 

 historical souvenirs went back, at all events, as far as Waterloo ! 



The other suit in the corner is a pikeman's demi suit of Eliza- 

 beth's or James I.'s period, also English ; a good many helmets, 

 bills, swords, &c., are scattered about other parts of the house, and 

 several rather curious and very ancient Japanese helmets. 



The drawing room comes next. Here the principal thing is the old 

 carved oak chimney piece in the front room ; this is, I think, a capital 

 and quite complete specimen of Elizabethan work. I obtained it 

 about 20 years ago, through the agency of the late Mr. Pouncy, from 



