Isaac Royall was a wealthy man; he brought to the estate twenty-seven slaves, for whom he paid as head-tax, five pounds each, the slaves acting as his body servants and coachmen. Immediately work was started on remodelling the whole building, and it took five years to complete it. The house was made three stories high throughout. Barns were laid out; the slave quarters and summer-house were built, and a high wall enclosed the grounds from the highway. This was broken by a low wall and a fence that ran directly in front of the house. In those days an elm-shaded driveway led from the main road to a paved courtyard that was on the west side of the house, its picturesqueness enhanced by flower-bordered walks that reached from the mansion on the west to the summer-house, and on the east to the road. The house was clapboarded on the north side, panelled and embellished with hand-carving, on the garden side, while the street front was not greatly changed. It is to-day in fine repair and probably contains the only slave quarters to be found in Massachusetts. There is still to be seen in the interior the original fireplace where the slaves did their cooking; the brick portion of this was built in 1732, while the wooden part is much older. An arch of masonry underneath the fireplace is one of the largest in existence and is used as a support for this portion of the building. At the west of the house is an extensive courtyard with a foundation of cobblestones. Here, in olden days, Royall's chariot, the only one north of Boston, with four horses, would come rolling up to the side door to leave the guests. This led to the erroneous idea that the western side of the house was the front. The Royalls were descended from William Royall, who came to Salem with Governor Craddock; during the time he lived here it was a rallying place for social life, no one of importance riding by without alighting. It was the scene of many a merrymaking and was the show place of the town. At the end of the garden was the summer-house that is still carefully treasured, being octagonal in shape, with carved pilasters, bell-shaped roof, and cupola surmounted by a winged Mercury that swings with the breeze, and was used as a weather-vane. This figure is a fine piece of carving that stands nearly five feet high. The summer-house stood on an artificial mound, within which was a walled cellar which was entered by a trap-door, adding great mystery to the structure. Tradition states that this was a prison for slaves, but it is more practical if less romantic to believe that it was used for storage purposes. This summer-house, with its arched windows and the tender sentiments scratched upon the woodwork, was a pleasant place in all weathers except the more severe. [Illustration: PLATE LXXIX.--Doorway, Royall House.]