16
OLD LOUGHTON HALL.
he says, he was "forced to buy to keep my Lord of Lester5 for
cominge so neere, who was earnestly in hand to have bought them."
After a general allusion to his own services to the Queen, he adds
that, if it be his fortune to obtain it in time, he purposes to make
such an alteration of the house (being very ruinous, and part of it in
such decay that, if it be not repaired, it will fall down) that it shall
be fit to entertain her Majesty. The letter concludes with a request
to Hickes to use his influence in the matter.
Although Sir Robert lived for some time6 after preferring this
request, his death, as we shall see later on, anticipated the proposed
purchase. But in the interval a survey of the Manor7 was made,
which furnishes some interesting particulars as to the house, in
which, albeit he gave so unpromising a description of it, he seems to
have entertained his sovereign for two nights in July, 1605.8 But
some repairs may have been effected in the meanwhile. For, in
consequence of his representations as to the great decay in which
the house and buildings were, commissioners were appointed, and in
their report, dated June 17, 1602, they state that they repaired to the
Manor House, and then, as well by view of the defects in the said
house and the gate-house, and other tiled buildings, as by conference
with artificers and workmen, determined what the charges, both in
stuff and workmanship, would be. The buildings specified are—the
gate-house and fore-house adjoining ; the brew-house; the corn-barn;
the cow-house; the hay-barn. Coming to the house itself, they find
the kitchen and offices are most needful of speedy repair, being in
danger of ruin, but that they are supported for the time being ; and
that the chimneys and ovens, by reason of some cracks therein, are
to be taken down and new builded, while the larder and pastry need
repair. The cost of all this, "after conference had with workmen in
their several trades," is found to be—in carpentry, £26 13s. 4d.; in
tiling, walling, and underpinning, with the stuff, £13. Mention is
then made of "three payre of stayres within the howse," which, with
the roof over them, are greatly decayed, and the walls and ceilings
overhead also. The cost of repairing them is set down at £18 for
carpentering ; and the tiling over the parlour and chambers, with
repair of the walls, will cost another £16. The total cost of the
5 Robert Dudley, the great Earl of Leicester, who, in 1578, acquired the Manor of Wanstead,
where he lived and built much. He died in 1588. (Morant.)
6 He was buried at Enfield, Jan. 28, 160 (Par. Reg.).
7 Duchy of Lancaster : Surveys and Depositions (44 Eliz.).
8 Nichols' "Progresses of K. James I." : i., 517 ; and Lansdowne MSS. 89, fo. 127.