feasted the King and Queen, with her Ladies, and all the Court.

The second Day Anthony Kingston and Richard Cromwel were made Knights there.

The third Day of May, the said Challengers did tourney on Horseback with Swords, and against them came 49 Defendants: Sir John Dudley and the Earl of Surrey running first which at the first Course lost their Gauntlets; and that Day Sir Richard Cromwell overthrew Master Palmer and his Horse in the Field, to the great Honour of the Challengers.

The fifth of May, the Challengers fought on Foot at the Barriers, and against them came 50 Defendants, which fought valiantly; but Sir Richard Cromwell overthrew that Day at the Barriers Master Culpepper in the Field; and the sixth Day the Challengers brake up their Houshold.

In this Time of their House-keeping, they had not only feasted the King, Queen, Ladies, and all the Court, as is afore shewed; but also they cheered all the Knights and Burgesses of the Common-House in the Parliament, and entertained the Maior of London, with the Aldermen and their Wives, at a Dinner, &c. The King gave to every of the said Challengers, and their Heirs for ever, in Reward of their valiant Activity, 100 Marks, and a House to dwell in of yearly Revenue, out of the Lands pertaining to the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.

Now to speak somewhat of later Time, concerning this Durham-House: It was well known and observed, for how many Years I know not, that the outward Part belonging thereto, and standing North from the Houses, was but a low Row of Stables, old, ruinous, ready to fall, and very unsightly, in so publick a Passage to the Court and to Westminster. Upon which Consideration, or some more especial Respect in the Mind of the Right Honourable Robert Earl of Salisbury, Lord High Treasurer of England, it pleased him to take such Order in the Matter, that (at his own Costs and Charges) that deformed Row of Stabling was quite altered, by the Erection of a very goodly and beautiful Building instead thereof, and in the very same Place. Some Shape of the Modelling, tho' not in all Respects alike, was after the Fashion of the Royal Exchange in London, with Cellars underneath, a Walk fairly paved above it, and Rows of Shops above, as also one beneath, answerable in Manner to the other, and intended for the like Trades and Mysteries.

This Work was not long in taking down, nor in the Erection again; for the first Stone was laid on the 10th Day of June, 1608, and also was fully finished in the next ensuing November after. Also on Tuesday, being the 10th Day of April following, divers of the upper Shops were adorned in rich and beautiful Manner, with Wares most curious to please the Eye; so ordered against his Majesty's coming thither, to give a Name to so good a Building. On the Day following, it pleased his Highness, with the Queen, Prince, the Duke of York, and the Lady Elizabeth, to come thither, attended on by many great Lords and choice Ladies. Concerning their Entertainment there, tho' I was no Eye-Witness thereof; yet I knew the Ingenuity and Mind of the Noblemen to be such, as nothing should want to welcome so great an Expectation. And therefore, what Variety of Devices, pleasing Speeches, rich Gifts and Presents, as then flew bountifully abroad, I will rather refer to your Imagination, than any Way come short of by an imperfect Narration. Only this I add, that it then pleased his most excellent Majesty, because the Work wanted a Name before, to entitle it Britain's Burss, or Buss.]

Next beyond this Durham-House, is one other great House, sometime belonging to the Bishop of Norwich, and was his London Lodging, which now pertaineth to the Archbishop of York, by this Occasion: In the Year 1529, when Cardinal Wolsey, Archbishop of York, was indicted in the Premunire, whereby King Henry the Eighth was entitled to his Goods and Possessions, he also seized into his Hands the said Archbishop's House, commonly called York Place, and changed the Name thereof into Whitehall.

This House was called anciently, The Archbishop of York's Inn by Westminster. Concerning which this may be noted: Anno 1399, October 19. In Capella Hospitii Archiep. Ebor. juxta Westmonast. In the first Parliament of Hen. 4. Tho. Samesten Epus. Karlelen. formerly Monk of Westminster, personally appearing, performed and did Obedience and Fealty to the Lord Archbishop of York, his Metropolitan, and to his Successors. Present then and there, the Abbot of Westminster, Tho. Walworth Rich. Conyngsbey, Canon of York, &c.]

The Archbishops of York being dispossessed, and having no House of Repair about London, Queen Mary gave unto Nicholas Heth, then Archbishop of York, and to his Successors, Suffolk-House in Southwark, lately builded by Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, as I have shewed elsewhere.

This House the said Archbishop sold, and bought the aforesaid House, of old Time belonging to the Bishops of Norwich, which (of this last Purchace) is now called York-House. The Lord Chancellors, or Lord Keepers of the Great Seal of England, have been lately lodged there.

While this House belonged to the Bishops of Norwich, there was a Presentment made in the King's Bench against one of the Bishops, 21 Edward 4. for Annoyance of a Way inter Hospitium Episcopi Norviensis & Dunelmensis in Parochia Sti. Martini in campis. Whereupon there was a Case.

This Place of the Bishop of Norwich, among all or the greatest Part of the Possessions of the See of Norwich, about 27 Hen 8. were conveyed to the King by a private Act of Parliament, in Recompence of the Union of the Monastery of St. Benet's de Hulmo, and the Possessions thereof, to that Bishoprick, being of far better Value than the ancient Lands of the Bishoprick of Norwich assured to the King, as is recited in the Statute of 32. Hen.8. whereby the Bishop fo Norwich is made Collector of the Tenths of his Diocess, as other Bishops were; being freed thereof by the said private Statute of 27 Hen 8.

The Bishop of Norwich was limited by the said private Act, to enjoy perpetually in Succession, a Prebend in the Free-Chapel of St. Stephen's at Westminster, and the House thereto belonging in Chanon-Row, whereof then was Incumbent one Knight. The House was said to be leased by the Bishop in Edward the Sixth's Time, for some small Rent, to Sir John Thinn, Kt. for many Years enduring.

This York House remained to the Archbishops of York in Archbishop Sandys Time: But then in the Year 1588. it was by some earnestly endeavoured to be gotten from the See. Whereat that Archbishop made a Complaint in a secret Letter to the Lord Treasurer Burghley; "That it was most unreasonably requested of him. He could not, he said, in Conscience yield to that Request, and remained resolute: Entreating that Lord to be a Means to the Queen, that he might refuse his yielding herein, without Offence to her; shewing, that her Speech to him heretofore, about the same Thing, had been such, that he was fully persuaded she would not deal against him in it."