wn diet, as is reported."* The wheat of Heston, according to Middleton's Agricultural Survey, is still reputed the best that is grown in Middlesex.

The manor of Heston was granted, in the year 1570, by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Thomas Gresham, who made over the fee-simple of this, and other manors, to his wife. After the decease of Lady Gresham, the estate was inherited by Si William Read, her son by a former husband. About the year 1655, the manor was purchased by Sir William Waller, the Parliamentary general. It afterwards belonged to Nicholas Barton, M. D. and was purchased, about the year 1713, by Francis Child, Esq. from whom it descended to the late Robert Child, Esq. The widow of that gentleman remarried with Francis Lord Ducie, and died in 1793. This manor is now the property of the Earl of Jersey, in right of his Countess, who is the eldest daughter of John, Earl of Westmorland, and grand-daughter of Robert Child, Esq.

The Manor of Osterley, which had belonged for some years to the Prior and Convent of Sheen, and afterwards to the Abbess and Convent of Syon, was purchased, between the years 1557, and 1570, by Sir Thomas Gresham. The manor being thus united, as to possession, with that of Heston, has since invariably passed in conjunction with it, and is now the property of the Earl of Jersey.

OSTERLEY HOUSE.

Sir Thomas Gresham, one of the most enterprising, able, and useful characters of a reign fertile in men of worth; to whom the city of London is indebted for its Royal Exchange, PART IV.

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and

• Spec. Brit. p. 25. A further extract of Norden, praising the richness of the soil in Heston and its vicinity, is given in the first volume of "Lon. don and Middlesex,” p. 3, 4.

The name of Osterle, or Orsterlee, first occurs in the reign of King Ed.: ward I. when John de Orstelec held two carucates of land in Isleworth and Heston." Lysons, from Pat. 9 Edw. I. &c.

and for the foundation of periodical lectures calculated to produce great benefit; constructed a mansion on the manor of Osterley, which was celebrated for splendour and hospitality. This building, like most of the massy and highly-decorated structures of the same date, was many years in progress, and it was not completed till 1577. Norden, writing in 1596, (the year in which Lady Gresham died) thus notices the mansion: "Osterley, or Oysterley, the house nowe of the ladie Greshams, a faire and stately building of bricke, erected by Sir Thomas Gresham, knight, citizen, and marchant adventurer of London, and finished about anno 1577. It standeth in a parke by him also impaled, well wooded, and garnished with manie faire ponds, which affoorded not onely fish, and fowle, as swanes, and other water foule ; but also great use for milles, as paper milles, oyle milles, and corne milles, all which are now decaied (a cornemill excepted). In the same parke was a verie faire Heronrie, for the increase and preservation whereof, sundrie allurements were devised and set up, fallen all to ruine."

At this mansion Queen Elizabeth was entertained by Sir Thomas Gresham, with all the magnificence that wealth and zealous loyalty could suggest. Several exhibitions took place for her amusement in the intervals of the feast and dance. Among the publications of Churchyard, the poet, was one (not a single copy of which appears to have been preserved) intituledThe Devises of Warre, and a Play at Austerley, her highness being at Sir Thomas Gresham's."

There is a story in Fuller's Worthies, connected with this visit of the Queen, which although often repeated must not pass unnoticed. Her highness, it is said, found fault with the court in front of the house, which she thought too large, “affirming

* It appears that the structure erected by Sir Thomas Gresham did not occupy the site of the more ancient manorial dwelling. In his MS. additions to the Speculam Britanniæ, Norden says, "The place where the house tandeth was a ferme house, purchased by the sayd Sir Thomas, graced now with a house beseeming a prince."

firming that it would appear more handsome if divided with a wall in the middle." Sir Thomas Gresham, intent on at once surprising and gratifying his royal guest, sent for workmen, who, in the night-time, applied to work with so much speed and silence, that, in the morning, without any suspicion of the fact, the Queen beheld her suggestion reduced to the test of experiment.*

The courtiers, it seems, indulged in many witticisms on this occasion. One observed that it was no wonder he could so soon change a building who could build a change. Another, alluding with some cruelty of reflection to certain known differences in the knight's family, affirmed "that any house is more easily divided than united."

Shortly after the death of Lady Gresham, Sir Edward Coke, then attorney-general, appears to have resided at Osterley. George, Earl of Desmond, who married one of the coheirs to the estate, afterwards lived here for several years. Soon after the Desmond family quitted the mansion it was occupied by Sir William Waller, the celebrated Parliamentary general, who continued in this residence till his death in 1668.

Dr. Nicholas Barbon, (a great projector, and author of a treatise on the expediency of coining the new money lighter, in answer to Locke) was a subsequent possessor of the estate; and by him it was mortgaged to Sir Francis Child, a citizen whose opulence and respectability rendered him a worthy and 2 E2 becoming

* This memorable visit of Elizabeth is generally supposed to have been made between the years 1577, and 1579; but in that very curious publication (of which we believe only a few copies were preserved from the destructive fire in Red-lion passage) intituled "Illustrations of the manners and expenses of ancient times in England, deduced from the accompts of churchwardens," &c. there is the following entry, under the year 1570: St. Margaret's, Westminster, " Paid for ringing when the Queen's Majesty went to Sir Thomas Gresham's, and came back again, Ol. Os. 8d." As Queen Elizabeth, is believed to have paid one visit only to Osterley-park, it would appear, that the building was in a state of progress, and the workmen pro. bably close at hand, when the wall was so speedily raised in obedience to her hint of improvement.