1G6G.] AUDLEY END. 261 



of quality, left London en route to Newmarket, and arrived at 

 Audley End the same day at noon. Pepys says the royal 

 visitors returned to London on the 12th "with a fine train of 

 gentlemen." During the king's visit the corporation of Walden 

 presented his Majesty with a silver cup and cover filled with 

 native grown saffron at a charge of ;^20. In October, 1668, 

 the king, queen, and court occupied Audley End ; but Lord 

 Suffolk retained possession of the mansion some time longer, 

 though the purchase had been agreed upon previously. The 

 conveyance of the estate, in fact, was not executed till May 8, 

 1669. It recites "that the King, upon his own personal 

 view and judgment, hath taken liking to the mansion called 

 Audley End, with the park, out-houses, court-yards, orchards, 

 gardens, stables, water-mills and appurtenances, as a seat fit 

 his Majesty's residence ; the ancient houses of the crown 

 having been in a great manner destroyed and demolished 

 during the late times of usurpation, and therefore thought fit 

 to purchase the same at the price of ^^ 50,000." Of this sum 

 ;^ 30,000 only was forthcoming, and the remainder was left 

 upon mortgage. 



The fact is that in all likelihood Charles IL never cared 

 much for Audley End. But prior to the year 1669, when he 

 purchased the premises which then became his " new " palace 

 at Newmarket, Audley End was a convenient centre for the 

 court during the race meetings at Newmarket. Up to this 

 date he had probably no habitable residence in Newmarket ; 

 and after this time Audley End was a useful sanctuary for the 

 queen and such of the moral ladies of the court who did not 

 care to be brought too closely in contact with fair and frail 

 beauties so prominently identified with Newmarket during 

 the royal sojourns there. At Audley End the stables and 

 paddocks were superior to Newmarket at this period, and this 

 circumstance doubtless was an important factor in inducing 

 Charles to close with Lord Suffolk for the so-called purchase 

 of the place. But the fact is the purchase was never com- 

 pleted ; and in most of the contemporary references to Audley 

 End it is alluded to as Lord Suffolk's seat. 



However, in October, 1670, the court was located here. 



