beauty. The fine old porch also is well worthy of notice, and the hall contains many objects of interest, and has a gallery round it, as was the custom in those days, opening into the principal bed-chambers. In the sitting rooms are many | memorials of the patriot's family, as well as of Oliver Cromwell. One of the latter is a pleasing portrait of him when a boy, and is very like the numerous pictures taken in his more advanced age. Indeed, few kings, princes, or great men, have had so many portraits of them painted as the Protector. The one at Hampden is a full length, with a truncheon in his right hand, while his left rests on a helmet, with a boy tying his sash. There is also a small bust of Hampden carved in ivory, extremely well executed, and said to have been done in his life time. It represents him as being a thin, long-visaged man, with whiskers, and is very unlike the portraits said to be of him, the genuineness of which has been much doubted.

In the upper gallery, looking to the south, are many curious relics of the family, and a considerable number of books; amongst which are numerous volumes of scholastic divinity, and other philosophical treatises written in Latin. but which have been long forgotten and passed away under the increased light of the improved literature of a later age, and which very pro

bably were collected by Hampden himself; that class of books being characteristic of the libraries of his time.

From the windows of this gallery there is a good view of the distant country, and a long avenue of chesnut-trees, with some beech intermixed. Queen Elizabeth was entertained here during one of her progresses, and some rooms were then said to have been built for her greater accommodation. The bed in which she slept still remains, and indeed the whole room is nearly in the same state in which it was when she occupied it. It has considerable architectural beauty, and of a style I have seen no where else, and which might be copied with the best effect. In order to procure the queen a more convenient access to the house, an avenue was cut through a wood, which is still called the 66 queen's gap."

The more ancient part of the house is replete with interest. Besides the porch I have mentioned, the visitor should see the butteries and bakeries, and the charming old kitchen, which affords a proof of the hospitalities of the olden times, when barons of beef and whole sheep were roasted, flanked by geese, turkies, and poultry, in abundance. I may add in conclusion, that with the exception of Knowle, Hardwicke, Hever, and Haddon, there are few places which can afford more pleasure and deeper in

terest than Hampden, and it will amply repay a visit to it. It is about seven miles from High Wycombe.

I should be ungrateful if I did not make my acknowledgments to the kind-hearted rector of the parish who accompanied me to Hampden and Checquers, and who showed me the entry of the death of the celebrated patriot in the parish register. It is thought to have been an interpolation, having been probably entered some time after his death, although in the same handwriting as the other entries both before and after it. There were also in the same register some curious details of persons who died by the plague, or sickness, as it was then called.

Before I quit Hampden, I must draw the attention of the visitor to a noble lime-tree standing near the church. It is in full vigour, and the situation in which it is seen is quite perfect. Nothing incroaches upon it, and it may therefore be viewed in all its just proportions. The extremities of its branches extend thirty-six yards, and its girth is twenty-three feet. It is, without exception, the most perfect and beautiful tree of the kind I have yet seen. Indeed, till I had seen it, I had always believed that the lime-tree, supposed to have been the largest in England, was at Moor Park. There is one also, hardly excelled of the same species, at Mr. Heber's seat at Hodnett in Shropshire.

CHECQUERS.

Cromwell, our

of men, who through a cloud

Not of war only, but detractions rude,

Guided by faith and matchless fortitude,

To peace and truth the glorious way hast plough'd.

MILTON.

THIS place, like Hampden, is in the Chiltern hundreds, and it took its name, as Lysons informs us, from one of its ancient lords, John de Scaccariis (or of the Exchequer), from whose family it passed to that of the Hawtreys. It afterwards came into the Russel family, one of whom was a lineal descendant of Oliver Cromwell, by the marriage of Sir John Russel with Lady Frances, the Protector's daughter, widow of Robert Rich, Esq. In consequence of this connection, it may readily be supposed that Checquers, like Hampden, is replete with pictures and circumstances having reference to the times of the Commonwealth.

On

Checquers is pleasantly situate amongst woods, and is about two miles from Hampden. emerging from a wood at the back of the house, a fine view presents itself from a sort of downy

terrace, and from which, part of the rich vale of Aylesbury is seen, and also a portion of Oxfordshire, with churches and gentlemen's seats in the distance. An abrupt bank, or what is called a hog's back, extends some distance from the terrace, down the sides of which, and in the bottoms, there is a box-wood, evidently indigenous, and which flourishes with great luxuriance. It gives a pleasing feature to the land

scape.

Near the house there is a noble relic of an elm tree, called "King Stephen's tree," and which from its appearance, and great size and antiquity, may possibly have existed in that king's reign. Its circumference, as far as I could ascertain it, was about thirty-six feet. The elm is a very long lived tree, and as long as any part of it is left, it will continue to throw out branches, which is the case with the one in question. A fine old ash tree stands near it. The gardens are kept up with great care and neatness, and are such only as are seen in the possession of English country gentlemen.

The house, although not remarkable for any architectural beauty, is replete with what may be called real comfort. The gallery is very striking, and has an interesting collection of portraits, and and a fine collection of books and old china. Amongst the books is the bible of Charles the First. In a cabinet in an adjoining room are some