14^ Pahiters in the Reign of Henry VllL 



dubitable ; a letter of Erafmus is extant, 

 thanking Sir Thomas for fending him the 

 fketch of it , but there is great prefump- 

 tion, that though Holbein made the defign, 

 it was not he who executed the pidlure in 

 large, as will appear by the following ac- 

 counts of the feveral pieces. The molt 

 known is that at Burford, die feat of the 

 fam.ous Speaker Lenthall. To fay that a 

 performance is not equal to the reputation 

 of it's fuppofed author, is not always an 

 argument fufficient to deflroy it's authenti- 

 city. It is a well' known faying of Sir 

 Godfrey Kneller, when he was reproached 

 with any of his hafty (lovenly daubings, 

 *' Pho, it v/ill not be thought mine ; no- 

 body will believe that the fame man painted 

 this and the Chinefe at Windfor." 



But there is a fpeaking evidence on the 

 pidture itfelf againft it's own pretenlions. 

 Holbein died in 1554. The picture at 

 Burford is dated 1593. It is larger and 

 there are more figures than in it's rival, the 

 piece in Yorkfhire, and fome of thefe Ver- 

 tue thought were painted from the life. 

 This was kept at Gubbins in Hertfordfhire, 

 the feat of the Mores s but by what means 



the 



