After The
Second Course Two Large Gold Cups, Nearly Two Feet High, Are Placed
Before The Mayor And Mayoress.
The herald then cries with a loud
voice:
"His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the American
Minister, the Lord Chief Baron," etc., etc. (enumerating about a
dozen of the most distinguished guests), "and ladies and gentlemen
all, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress do bid you most heartily
welcome and invite you to drink in a loving cup." Whereupon the
Mayor and Mayoress rise and each turn to their next neighbor, who
take off the cover while they drink. After my right-hand neighbor,
the Lord Mayor-elect, had put on the cover, he turns to me and says,
"Please take off the cover," which I do and hold it while he drinks;
then I replace the cover and turn round to Mr. Bancroft, who rises
and performs the same office for me while I drink; then he turns to
his next neighbor, who takes off the cover for him. I have not felt
so solemn since I stood up to be married as when Mr. Bancroft and I
were standing up alone together, the rest of the company looking on,
I with this great heavy gold cup in my hand, so heavy that I could
scarcely lift it to my mouth with both hands, and he with the cover
before me, with rather a mischievous expression in his face. Then
came two immense gold platters filled with rose water, which were
also passed round. These gold vessels were only used by the persons
at the head table; the other guests were served with silver cups.
When the dessert and the wine are placed on the table, the herald
says, "My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, please to charge your
glasses." After we duly charge our glasses the herald cries:
"Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, pray silence for the Lord Mayor." He
then rises and proposes the first toast, which is, of course, always
"The Queen." After a time came the "American Minister," who was
obliged to rise up at my elbow and respond. We got home just after
twelve.
And now let me try to give you some faint idea of Audley End, which
is by far the most magnificent house I have seen yet. It was built
by the Earl of Suffolk, son of the Duke of Norfolk who was beheaded
in Elizabeth's reign for high treason, upon the site of an abbey,
the lands of which had been granted by the crown to that powerful
family. One of the Earls of Suffolk dying without sons, the EARLDOM
passed into another branch and the BARONY and ESTATE of Howard de
Walden came into the female line. In course of time, a Lord Howard
de Walden dying without a son, his title also passed into another
family, but his estate went to his nephew, Lord Braybrooke, the
father of the present Lord. Lady Braybrooke is the daughter of the
Marquis of Cornwallis, and granddaughter of our American Lord
Cornwallis.
The house is of the Elizabethan period and is one of the best
preserved specimens of that style, but of its vast extent and
magnificence I can give you no idea. We arrived about five o'clock,
and were ushered through an immense hall of carved oak hung with
banners up a fine staircase to the grand saloon, where we were
received by the host and hostess. Now of this grand saloon I must
try to give you a conception. It was, I should think, from seventy-
five to one hundred feet in length. The ceiling overhead was very
rich with hanging corbels, like stalactites, and the entire walls
were panelled, with a full-length family portrait in each panel,
which was arched at the top, so that the whole wall was composed of
these round-topped pictures with rich gilding between.
Notwithstanding its vast size, the sofas and tables were so disposed
all over the apartment as to give it the most friendly, warm, and
social aspect.
Lady Braybrooke herself ushered me to my apartments, which were the
state rooms. First came Mr. Bancroft's dressing-room, where was a
blazing fire. Then came the bedroom, with the state bed of blue and
gold, covered with embroidery, and with the arms and coronet of
Howard de Walden. The walls were hung with crimson and white
damask, and the sofas and chairs also, and it was surrounded by
pictures, among others a full length of Queen Charlotte, just
opposite the foot of the bed, always saluted me every morning when I
awoke, with her fan, her hoop, and her deep ruffles.
My dressing-room, which was on the opposite side from Mr.
Bancroft's, was a perfect gem. It was painted by the famous Rebecco
who came over from Italy to ornament so many of the great English
houses at one time. The whole ceiling and walls were covered with
beautiful designs and with gilding, and a beautiful recess for a
couch was supported by fluted gilded columns; the architraves and
mouldings of the doors were gilt, and the panels of the doors were
filled with Rebecco's beautiful designs. The chairs were of light
blue embroidered with thick, heavy gold, and all this bearing the
stamp of antiquity was a thousand times more interesting than mere
modern splendor. In the centre of the room was a toilet of white
muslin (universal here), and on it a gilt dressing-glass, which gave
pretty effect to the whole.
I sat at dinner between Lord Braybrooke and Sir John Boileau, and
found them both very agreeable. The dining-room is as magnificent
as the other apartments. The ceiling is in the Elizabethan style,
covered with figures, and the walls white and gold panelling hung
with full-length family portraits not set into the wall like the
saloon, but in frames. In the evening the young people had a round
game at cards and the elder ones seemed to prefer talking to a game
at whist.
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