on this house are all emblematical; and we may infer from this last composition, that the wool trade then flourished in Ipswich, and was of great importance; and the other decorations in front are intended to imply that it was carried on with all quarters of the globe.

"The interior of this singular structure contains several fine rooms. The dining room is closely panelled in dark oak, carved in a manner which would do honour to the great genius of Grinling Gibbons. The fire-place, furnishing capacious chimney corners, exhibits the finest parts of the carver's skill, in wreaths of vine and pendent fruits. In the centre protrudes a strong bas relief of the arms and crest of the Sparrowe family, and on each side are panels inlaid in fanciful designs, with wood of a lighter colour than their ground work. A door to the right of the fire-place, also exhibits some fine inlaying and carving, and the beams of the room, an unusual circumstance, are as deeply chiselled as any portion of the wainscot. The dimensions of this room are twenty-two feet by twenty-one, and although the apartment, by reason of a low ceiling and its dark lining, is rather sombre to the eye, yet unquestionably in its tout ensemble, is one of the finest rooms of its size to be found in any house in Ipswich. Upon the first floor, spreads an apartment more fitting for the mansion of a nobleman than the residence of a private individual. It extends over the whole of the front part of the house. The ceiling is traversed by heavy oak beams, and divided into compartments ornamented by ponderous wreaths of fruit. The corners are filled with shields, containing the crests of the family. The dimensions of the room are forty-six feet by twenty-one feet. In this apartment hang several old paintings, to one of which is attached a tradition, that the individual whom it

represents was, for his extreme cruelty to the Protestants, consumed alive by vermin. The manner in which this extraordinary retributive death is believed to have taken place, is not known, nor indeed do those ancient members of the family who were the last recipients of the story, profess to be acquainted with the exceeding crimes which roused the creeping things of the earth to make war against and devour the persecutor. The name of this obnoxious individual was Gosnall. If we may be allowed to judge of his character by the benign repose thrown by the painter into the countenance of this monstrous traditional offender, history has much defamed him. The resemblance is that of a quiet old man, more desirous of enjoying silence and repose in his descent to the grave, than counselling and conducting persecution against any sect, as an amusement of his declining years. He appears habited in a blue dress, setting close to his figure. Next to this picture hangs a singular portrait of James I, painted in the first year of his reign. The extremes of meanness, cunning, and duplicity appear to mingle in the countenance of the Scottish inheritor of the British throne. Judging from this portrait, it may be safely said, that if James did really penetrate the horrible mystery of the Gunpowder Conspiracy, the English parliament were indebted for its safety more to the cunning of the "canny" king, than his boasted wisdom. It may be a curious question for historical physiognomists to decide, why it happens, that James, the child of two most beautiful persons-Mary Queen of Scots and Henry Earl of Darnley, should have possessed features so ordinary, and an expression of countenance so repugnant as that with which painters uniformly represent him.

In a bed chamber adjoining this room, the ornaments of the ceiling are changed-fleur-de-lis

being substituted for the usual garlands of fruit, and the family badges. No reason can be assigned for the alteration, but the difference is not thought to have arisen solely from the taste of the ancient proprietor. A small door in one corner of the large apartment opens upon a stair-case, leading to the roof of the house, from which issues a door-way to the leads over the wide eaves of the building. These leads are sufficiently wide to afford a safe promenade, and every part of the upper portion of the building can be reached by them. In the year 1801, a singular discovery was made in this upper story of the house, namely a concealed loft, without doubt forming the roof of a chapel, the body of which existed in a room immediately beneath. The existence of this apartment was discovered by the merest accident, the connection between the loft being separated by a built-up wall. Time and damp however, displacing a portion of the plaster, the light of day found its way through the cranny, and the place was discovered. The arched timbers of a slightly ornamented roof exist within it, and at the time of its being opened, the floor was strewed with wooden angels and such figures as usually serve to decorate a catholic oratory. It is supposed that the chapel existed in a perfect state at the date of the Reformation, but after that period, the open assumption of the prescribed faith becoming dangerous, the body of this place of worship was converted into a common sitting room, and the roof concealed by a beamed ceiling.

"There exists in the Sparrowe family a tradition descending from father to son, that through the agency of one of its members-a zealous loyalist-Charles II, lay sometime concealed within this house after the battle of Worcester. Previously to the discovery of the secret room, some difficulty had arisen with regard

to the locality of the hiding place of the royal fugitive, but the opening of this chamber seems to point to its solution. It is but fair to add, that the family are not in possession of any documentary evidence proving the residence of Charles within the habitation; but there is apparently a close, yet mysterious connection existing between the Sparrowe family and the then reigning House of Stuart, which might have been of the kind to which allusion has been made. Several portraits of Charles II are in possession of the Sparrowes; as also of other members of that branch of the Stuarts. The arms of Charles stand on the exterior of the front of the house, conspicuously emblazoned; and two portraits of the monarch, and one of Mrs. Lane, are sacredly kept by a member of the family to the present day, as memorials from the hand of Charles himself, upon leaving the place. The fact of one of these miniatures being a likeness of Mrs. Lane, the heroic deliverer of the monarch from the perils of captivity, is we conceive a proof, added to other evidences of probability, that partaking the protection of the Sparrowe family, Charles sent them his likeness, with that of a fellow contributor to his safety, as an appropriate remembrance of their peculiar service. This Mrs. Lane was a maiden lady, in the house of whose brother, at Bentley, in Staffordshire, Charles II took refuge, and was conveyed by her, (Charles being put in the disguise of a servant,) from that place to Bristol. Had Charles presented the likeness of any other lady to the Sparrowes, the chain of connection would have been broken. His gift however being the portrait of one distinguished by the performance of an heroic act for his safety, it was a proper token of remembrance to be transmitted to a person who had befriended him in equally perilous circumstances. Besides the two miniatures, the present possessor of

the house in the Old Butter Market, Ipswich, holds a third of Charles 1st, enclosed in a locket.

"The premises and grounds of this singular mansion, formerly extended some distance down St. Stephen's lane, as indeed is to be collected from Joan West's will, which expresses, that they abut upon the churchyard of Stephen. The old Turret garden and bowling-green formed a portion of the grounds attached, and were laid out as an orchard and shrubbery, diversified with gravel walks.

"There exists an absurd rumour, that this property, in consequence of a peculiar devise, cannot be held, or the house inhabited by any other person than one bearing the name of "John Sparrowe." The report has not the slightest foundation in truth, and it is presumed arises from the circumstance that after the sale of the property by G. Copping, to R. Sparrowe, in 1573, it has been inhabited by the Sparrowe family only. This Robert Sparrowe was son and heir of John Sparrowe, of Somersham, and served the office of Portman of Ipswich. Among other valuable paintings in this house are the following:

"Portrait of Charles II, by Vandyke. This painting is a chef d'œuvre of the real master.

"A portrait by Gainsborough of John Sparrowe, thirteen times Bailiff of Ipswich.

"Father of the above, painted by Sir Peter Lely.

"The great grandfather of the present John Eddowes Sparrowe. This ancient gentleman was parent of thirty-two children. The painting is said to be by the hand of Sir Peter Lely.

"Portrait of Judge Clench, of the Court of Common Pleas, who married Dorcas Sparrowe. The original of the portrait lies interred in Holbrook church. Hollar's engraving of the Judge is taken from this picture. "An old lady of the family, name unknown.