By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.S.A. 347 



into a half or quarter penny 1 : an old way, but, to our ideas, rather 

 a. novel one, of obtaining " small change." 



The manor of Winterslow was held of the crown by a curious 

 tenure. Whenever the King came to Clarendon the Squire of 

 Winterslow had to perform a little duty, perhaps not altogether 

 disagreeable. He had to appear at Clarendon, go into the royal 

 cellar, draw out of any vessel he pleased a pitcher of claret, and 

 help the King to a cup of it. He then carried home, as his per- 

 quisite, the vessel out of which he had drawn the wine, and all the 

 rest of the wine itself, together with the cup out of which the King 

 had refreshed himself. As kings do not generally drink out of a 

 sixpenny earthenware mug and pitcher, the Squire of Winterslow 

 appears to have held his estate on singularly favourable terms. 



The Winterslow property in course of time belonged to the family 

 of Fox, Lord Holland. The house there was destroyed by a fire in 

 the year 1774, one night when it was filled with company, and just 

 after the performance of some private theatricals, the play having 

 been " The Fair Penitent. " Of this disaster a full account is given 

 in the correspondence of James Harris, first Earl of Malmesbury, 

 in a letter from Mrs. Harris to her son. 



Winterslow House Burned. 



From the " Letters of the first Earl of Malmesbury," vol i., p. 277. 

 Mrs. Harris to her son. 



"Salisbury, January 9th, 1774. 

 " Yesterday we dined at Canon Bowles's. At 5 I set off in his coach in the 

 dark and rain, for the play at Winterslow, we got safe there, and were most 

 highly entertained. Mrs. Hodges does the Fair Penitent most finely, and Mr. 

 Fitzpatrick is the very thing for Lothario, dressed so elegantly, all white satin, 

 trimmed with silver : I never saw so fine a figure. Lady Mary Fox was Lavinia, 

 she looked and was dressed most prettily, but had the toothache, so was not in 

 spirits. Charles Fox was Horatio, Mr. Kent Altamont. All did well. After 

 the play we had " High Life below Stairs," and in the character of the Duke's 

 Servant, Mr. Fitzpatrick exceeded all comic acting I have yet seen. When that 

 was finished, we all repaired to the house to supper. The performance and com- 

 pany were very agreeable together. We got home in whole bones soon after one 



1 Ellis's " Domesday," p. 424. 



