Moor Park 
MANTELPIECE IN DINING-ROOM 
maduke till they gained a quaint garden, the 
wonder and envy of the time, planned hy an 
Italian of Mantua, and perhaps the stateliest 
one of the kind existent in England. Straight 
walks, terraces, and fountains, clipped trees, 
green alleys and smooth bowling-greens 
abounded; but the flowers were few and 
common, and if here and there a statue might 
he found, it possessed none of the art so 
admirable in our earliest ecclesiastical archi¬ 
tecture, but its clumsy proportions were made 
more uncouth by a profusion of barbaric 
painting and gilding. The fountains, how¬ 
ever, were especially curious, diversified and 
elaborate; some shot up as pyramids, others 
coiled in undulating streams, each jet chas¬ 
ing the other as serpents, some again branched 
off in the form of trees, while mimic birds, 
perched upon leaden boughs, poured water 
from their bills.” 
i he Archbishop was a mighty prelate. 
His mansion was a court of great magnifi¬ 
cence, and thither, as to a Medici, fled the 
men of letters and art. His palace was more 
Oriental than European in its gorgeousness. 
By the influence of “the King-maker” and 
the Chancellor, Edward IV. was at length 
seated upon the throne, and the monarch 
was often entertained at “the More.” All 
power in the kingdom seemed to have been 
absorbed by the Nevils. The King was 
actually in their power, and was sent as a 
prisoner to the castle of Middleham, in York¬ 
shire, but in a few days he was allowed to 
escape, accompanied by the Archbishop and 
the Earl of Oxford. They tarried at “the 
More,” where Edward forbad them to go 
with him further, and rode to London. In 
1470 the Archbishop attempted to entrap 
the King at his house. Edward was re¬ 
ceived with loyal protestations, but as he was 
washing his hands Sir John Ratclifte con¬ 
trived to whisper to him that a hundred armed 
men were ready to seize him and take him 
prisoner. He determined to attempt flight. 
With noiseless steps he gained the door, 
55 
