present inheritor from designs by Mr. Robert Mitchell, on whose taste and skill in architecture it reflects considerable credit. It is built with brick, and covered with composition. Each front is decorated with a portico of lofty composite columns. The interior is commodious, and fitted up with peculiar elegance. The entrance front commands an extensive prospect over a richly cultivated valley, bounded by the Surrey hills; whilst the other front embraces a much richer tract of scenery, in which the majestic forest of Windsor constitutes the prominent feature.*

MISCELLANEOUS.

AMONG the variety of singular tenures by which estates were held in the days of feudal tyranny, was that of taking care of the King's mistresses; nor was this an uncommon service; for several manors, in different parts of the kingdom, were only secured to their possessors by similar customs. At Bockhampton, in this county, half a yard-land was held by the tenure of keeping six damsels, i. e. whores,† at the King's charge. In the same place two hides of land were held by the service of keeping a kennel of the King's harriers. The extreme profligacy denoted by the first kind of tenure, has induced some writers to represent it as having been misunderstood. They observe, that the Latin word Meretrices was used in former times to designate laundresses, and as such should be translated in the passages in question. There is, however, full proof that persons of the latter description were called Lotrices; and that the King's houshold was in former times attended by Meretrices, according to the real meaning of the term, is evident from the rules devised for the establishment of good order in the houshold of Henry the Eighth. One of them is to this purport: "The Knight Marshal shall

take

Views of these two fronts, with a ground plan, and a perspective representation of an elegant music gallery, are engraved in a handsome architectural publication, by Mr. Mitchell.

+ See Beckwith's Fragmenta Antiquitatis. Ibid, page 138.