"At the time the gallery in the late House of Lords was erected, the tapestry was removed from that portion of the wall which faced the throne, in order to make way for the gallery; and the tapestry so taken down, forming part of the ancient and well-known painting of the Spanish Armada, was placed for safety in a room appropriated to the Lord Chamberlain. The tapestry lay there for some time; but it would appear that little value was attached to it. Subsequently, a servant of Major McArthur, conceiving that the tapestry was little better than a useless piece of lumber, offered it, as a present, to a man named Ware, one of the ticket porters employed about the House of Lords; who, however, would not accept it as a present, but gave the servant five shillings for it. He, subsequently, sold it for fifteen shillings to a broker named Preston, who in turn, made cent. per cent. upon the article, having sold it for thirty shillings to Mr. Thorn, in whose possession it remained. The tapestry lay among other curious articles for some time in the ware room of Mr. Thorn; and, after the destruction by fire of the Houses of Lords and Commons, he considered that his purchase might be turned to good advantage. As it now became a precious relic of what the flames had destroyed, he set upon it a considerable price (said to be no less a sum than £400). The tapestry was, for some time, exhibited to the curious customers by whom his shop was frequented; and, at length, Mr. Thorn, conceiving that his Majesty's Government might feel desirous to become the purchasers of so curious a memorial, wrote to Lord Melbourne upon the subject, and, subsequently, to his Grace the Duke of Wellington; in consequence of which, the Commissioners of Woods and Forests ordered an inquiry to be instituted, with a view to ascertain by what means Mr. Thorn became possessed of the tapestry." The inquiry ended in the tapestry being restored to Mr. Thorn. Parliament, which had been prorogued to October 23rd, had to be further delayed in its meeting till November 25th, the library of the House of Lords being fitted up for the ceremony of prorogation. It represented the old House as nearly as possible. At one end was a gold-burnished chair, which had to do duty for the splendid throne (of Geo. IV.) which was destroyed; and in front of it appeared a seat or form for the Lords Commissioners, and a miniature representation of the woolsack; there were also benches on each side, and even cross benches, all duly covered with scarlet cloth. There was a large table in the centre of the chamber, and on it were the identical boxes that heretofore had appeared on the table of the old House. The Commons assembled in the committee-rooms, Nos. 4 and 5, which had not been touched by the fire.