This rhiming Epitaph, likewife, was probably the Performance of fome Monk :

Hic jacet in tumbâ Rofamundi non Rofamunda,
Non redolet, fed olet, quæ redolere folet.

Returning from hence to Oxford, after Dinner we proceeded on our Journey, and passed through Ewhelme, a Royal Palace, in which fome AlmsPeople are fupported by an Allowance from the Crown.

Nettlebed, a Village.

We went through the little Town of Henley; from hence the Chilthern Hills bear North in a continued Ridge, and divide the Counties of Oxford and Buckingham.

We paffed Maidenhead.

Windfor, a Royal Castle, fuppofed to have been begun by King Arthur, its Buildings much encreased. by Edward III. The Situation is entirely worthy of being a Royal Refidence, a more beautiful being fcarce to be found: For from the Brow of a gentle Rifing it enjoys the Profpect of an even and green Country; its Front commands a Valley extending. every Way, and chequered with arable Lands and Pafturage, cloathed up and down with Groves, and watered by that gentleft of Rivers the Thames; behind rife several Hills, but neither fteep nor very high, crowned with Woods, and feeining defigned by Nature herself for the Purpose of Hunting.

The

The Kings of England, invited by the Delicioufness of the Place, very often retire hither; and here was born the Conqueror of France, the glorious King Edward III. who built the Castle new from the Ground, and thoroughly fortified it with Trenches and Towers of fquare Stone; and having foon after fubdued in Battle John King of France, and David King of Scotland, he detained them both Prisoners here at the fame Time. This Caftle, befides being the Royal Palace, and having fome magnificient Tombs of the Kings of England, is famous for the Ceremonies belonging to the Knights of the Garter; this Order was inftituted by Edward III. the fame who triumphed fo illuftriously over King John of France. The Knights of the Garter are ftrictly chosen for their military Virtues, and Antiquity of Family: They are bound by folemn Oath and Vow to mutual and perpetual Friendship among themselves, and to the not avoiding of any Danger whatever, or even Death itself, to support by their joint Endeavours the Honour of the Society: They are ftiled Companions of the Garter, from their wearing below the left Knee a purple Garter, infcribed in Letters of Gold, with HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE, i. e. Evil to him that Evil thinks: This they wear upon the left Leg, in Memory of one which, happening to untie, was let fall by a great Lady, paffionately beloved by Edward. while he was dancing, and was immediately fnatched up by the King; who, to do Honour to the Lady, not out of any trifling Galantry, but with a most serious and honourable Purpose, dedi.

cated

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cated it to the Legs of the moft diftinguished Nobility. The Ceremonies of this Society are celebrated every Year at Windfor on St. George's Day the tutelar Saint of the Order, the King prefiding; and the Custom is, that the Knights Companions fhould hang up their Helmet and Shield, with their Arms blazoned on it, in some confpicuous Part of the Church.

There are three principal and very large Courts in Windfor Caftle, which give great Pleafure to the Beholders: The firft is enclosed with most elegant Buildings of white Stone, flat-roofed, and covered with Lead; here the Knights of the Garter are lodged; in the Middle is a detached Houfe, remarkable for its high Towers, which the Governor inhabits. In this is the public Kitchen, well furnished with proper Utenfils, befides a spacious Dining Room, where all the poor Knights eat at the fame Table; for into this Society of the Garter the King and Sovereign elects, at his own Chioce, certain Perfons who must be Gentlemen of three Defcents, and fuch as, for their Age and the Straitness of their Fortunes, are fitter for faying their Prayers, than for the Service of War; to each of them is affigned a Penfion of eighteen Pounds per Annum and Cloaths; the chief Inftitution of fo magnificent a Foundation is, that they should say their daily Prayers to God for the King's Safety, and the happy Administration of the Kingdom, to which Purpofe they attend the Service, meeting twice every Day at Chapel. The left Side of this Court is ornamented by a moft magnificent

Chapel

Chapel of one hundred and thirty-four Paces in Length, and fixteen in Breadth; in this are eighteen Seats fitted up in the Time of Edward III. for an equal Number of Knights: This venerable Building is decorated with the noble Monuments of Edward IV. Henry VI. and VIII. and of his Wife Queen Jane. It receives from Royal Liberality the annual Income of two thousand Pounds, and that ftill much encreased by the Munificence of Edward III. and Henry VII. The greatest Princes in Christendom have taken it for the highest Honour to be admitted into the Order of the Garter; and fince its first Inftitution, above twenty Kings, befides thofe of England, who are the Sovereigns of it, not to mention Dukes and Perfons of the greatest Figure, have been of it. It confifts of twenty-fix Companions.

In the inward Choir of the Chapel are hung up fixteen Coats of Arms, Swords and Banners, among which, are thofe of Charles V. and Rodolphus II. Emperors; of Philip of Spain; Henry III. of France; Frederick II. of Denmark, &c. of Cafimir Count Palantine of the Rhine; and other Chriftian Princes, who have been chofen into this Order.

In the back Choir, or additional Chapel, are fhewn Preparations made by Cardinal Wolfey, who was afterwards capitally punifhed, for his own Tomb; confifting of eight large Brazen Columns placed

*This was a ftrange Blunder to be made fo near the Time, about fo remarkable a Perfon, unless he concluded that whoever difpleafed Henry VIII. was of courfe put to Death,

VOL. II.

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round.

round it and nearer the Tomb four others in the Shape of Candlesticks; the Tomb itself is of white and black Marble: all which are reserved, according to Report, for the Funeral of Queen Elizabeth; the Expences already made for that Purpose are estimated at upwards of 60,000 1. In the fame Chapel is the Surcoat + of Edward III. and the Tomb of Edward Fines Earl of Lincoln, Baron Clinton and Say, Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter, and formerly Lord High Admiral of England.

The fecond Court of Windsor Castle stands upon higher Ground, and is enclosed with Walls of great Strength, and beautified with fine Buildings, and a Tower; it was an antient Castle, of which old Annals fpeak in this Manner; King Edward, A. D. 1359, began a new Building in that Part of the Caftle of Windfor where he was born, for which Reafon he took Care it fhould be decorated with larger and finer Edifices than the reft. In this Part were kept Prisoners John King of France, and David King of Scots, over whom Edward triumphed at one and the fame Time. It was by their Advice, ftruck with the Advantage of its Situation, and with the Sums paid for their Ranfom, that by Degrees this Caftle ftretched to fuch Magnificence, as to appear no longer a Fortress, but a Town of proper Extent, and inexpugnable to any human Force. This particular Part of the Castle was built at the fole Expence of the King of Scotland, except one Tower

This is a Miftake; it was the Surcoat of Edward IV. enriched with Rubies, and was preserved here till the civil War.

which,