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once elegant saloon, where the splendid scene of Comus was first exhibited, where chivalry exhausted her choicest stores, both of invention and wealth, and where hospitality and magnificence blazed for many ages in succession without diminution or decay. Two pointed arches lead to a spacious tower attached to the west end of the hall, in which are several apartments, one of which is still called Prince Arthur's room. The room on the first floor measures 37 feet by 33. At the north-west angle is a deeply recessed closet: all the floors are much decayed, or entirely gone. On the opposite

end of the hall, with a pointed arched door of communication, is another large square tower of three stories, the principal apartment of which is pointed out as the banquetting room. A spacious chamber above, appears to have been more adorned than the rest; the chimneypiece has an unusual degree of rude magnificence; and the corbels of the ceiling are finely wrought into busts of men and women crowned. A door on the south side of the room on the ground floor, opens to a winding passage which ends in some small gloomy rooms, and on the left to two deep angular recesses terminated by narrow loops looking outward. Each of these towers has a newel staircase in an elegant octangular turret.

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On the left hand is a circular building, with window and doorway of the early Norman period; this is part of the Chapel, of which, the nave only is standing. There is a beautiful arch still remaining, but the choir with which it communicated is entirely destroyed; this, as well as that of the western door, is a rich Saxon arch, covered with chevron, lozenge, and reticulated ornaments. The outside of the building is encircled by a band with a billeted. ornament, and there are three windows, circularly arched, ornamented with chevron mouldings. In the interior, rising from the floor, are

fourteen

fourteen recesses in the wall, formed by small pillars with indented capitals, supporting round arches which have alternately plain and zigzag mouldings. About three feet above this arcade are projecting corbels, carved as heads, capitals of pillars, &c. The whole length of the Chapel, extending to the eastern wall of the Castle, was, when entire, 70 feet, of which the choir was 42, and the nave 28.

Churchyard, the Poet, who died in 1570, had the pleasure of beholding the Castle and its Chapel in the perfection of their beauty, the latter of which he describes as,

"So bravely wrought, so fayre and finely fram'd,
That to world's end, the beautie may endure.
About the same, are armes in colours sitch,

As few can shewe, in any soyle or place:

Which truely shewes, the armes, the blood and race

Of sondrie kings, but cheefly noble men,

That here in prose, I will set out with pen,"

All that follow are the armes of Princes and Noblemen.

Sir Walter Lacie was the first owner of Ludloe Castle whose armes are there, and so followes the rest by order as you may reade. Jeffrey Genyuile, did match with Lacie.

Roger Mortymer, the first Earle of Marchy, an Earle of a great house, matcht with Genyuile.

Leonell, Duke of Clarence, joined with Ulster in armes.

Edmond, Earle of Marchy, matcht with Clarence.

Richard, Earle of Cambridge, matcht with the Earle of Marchy.
Richard, Duke of Yorke, matcht with Westmerland,

Edward the fourth, matcht with Wodvile of Rivers.

Henry the seventh, matcht with Elizabeth right heire of England.
Henry the eight, matcht with the Marquese of Penbroke.

These are the greatest first to be named that are set out worthely as they were of dignity and birth.

Now followes the rest of those that were Lord Presidents, and others whose armes are in the same Chappell.

William Smith, Bishop of Lincolne, was the first Lord President of Wales, in Prince Arthur's daies,

Jeffrey Blythe, Bishop of Coventrie and Litchfield, Lord President.
Rowland Lee, Bishop of Coventrie and Litchfield, Lord President.
John Harman, Bishop of Exeter, Lord President.

Richard Sampson, Bishop of Litchfield and Coventrie, Lord President.

John Dudley, Earle of Warwick, (after Duke of Northumberland) Lord President.

Sir William Harbert, (after Earle of Penbroke) Lord President.
Nicholas Heath, Bishop of Worcester, Lord President.

Sir William Harbert, once againe Lord President.

Gilbert Bourne, Bishop of Bathe and Welles, Lord President.
Lord Williams of Tame, Lord President.

Sir Harry Sidney, Lord President.

Sir Andrew Corbret, knight, Vicepresident.

There are two blanks left without armes.

Sir Thomas Dinham, knight, is mentioned there to doe some great good act.

John Scory, Bishop of Hartford.

Nicholas Bullingham, Bishop of Worcester.
Nicholas Robinson, Bishop of Bangore.
Richard Davies, Bishop of Saint Davies.
Thomas Davies, Bishop of Saint Assaph.
Sir James Crofts, kuight, controller.

Sir John Throgmorton, knight, Justice of Chester and the three shieres of Eastwales.

Sir Hugh Cholmley, knight,

Sir Nicholas Arnold, knight.

Sir George Bromley, knight, and Justice of the three shieres in Wales.

William Gerrard, Lord Chauncellor of Ireland, and Justice of the three shieres in South wales.

Charles Fox, esquier and secretorie.

Ellice Price, Doctor of the Lawe.

Edward Leighton, esquier.

Richard Seborne, esquier.

Richard Pates, esquier.

Rafe Barton, esquier.
George Phetyplace, esquier.

William Leighton, esquier.

Myles Sands, esquier.

The armes of all these afore spoken of are gallantly and cunningly set out in the chappell.

From an inventory of the goods found in Ludlow Castle, bearing date 1708, the eleventh year of the reign of Queen Anne, we learn that about forty rooms were found entire at that period. Among these were the hall, council chamber, Lord President's, and my Lady's withdrawing rooms; the Steward's room, great dining room, chief Justice's room, second

Judge's

Judge's room, Prince Arthur's room, Captain's apartments, &c. also the kitchen, brewhouse, &c. and as in this inventory a table and altar are stated to have been found in the Chapel, we may presume the choir was at that time remaining.

The progressive stages of ruin to which this noble edifice was doomed to fall, may be distinguished in the accounts of travellers who visited it at various periods. In the account prefixed to Buck's Antiquities, published in 1774, it is observed, that many of the royal apartments were entire, and the sword of state, with the velvet hangings were preserved. An extract from a tour through Great Britain, quoted by Grose, as a just and accurate account of the Castle, represents the Chapel as having abundance of coats of arms upon the pannels, and the hall as decorated with the same kind of ornaments, together with lances, spears, firelocks and old armour. Dr. Todd, in his learned edition of Comus, says, a gentleman who visited the Castle in 1768 has acquainted me that the floor of the great council chamber was then pretty entire, as was the staircase. The covered steps leading to the Chapel were remaining, but the covering of the Chapel was fallen; yet the arms of some of the Lords Presidents were visible. In the great council chamber was

inscribed

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