he saw a book in French written by the Princess, afterwards Queen, Elizabeth, with her own hand, and inscribed to her father: _Elizabeth sa très humble fille rend salut et obédience_. “All these books,” continues Hentzner, “are bound in velvet of different colours, though chiefly red, with clasps of gold and silver; some have pearls and precious stones set in their bindings.” There are probably a few representatives of this library among the books which belonged to Henry VIII., and have his name or arms, in the British Museum. Hentzner also notices the furniture of inlaid woods, some stained glass representing the Passion, and a gallery of portraits and other pictures. He visited Whitehall in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when the place must have been very much as it was left by Henry VIII. He mentions, among other things, the Queen’s bed, “ingeniously composed of woods of different colours, with quilts of silk, velvet, gold, silver, and embroidery.” Among the portraits is one, the description of which puzzles me: “A picture of King Edward VI., representing at first sight something quite deformed, till by looking through a small hole in the cover, which is put over it, you see it in its true proportions.” Can this have been a device of the same sort as the distorted skull in Holbein’s picture of “The Ambassadors” in the National Gallery? [Illustration: _Whitehall, from King Street_. _From a Drawing by_ T. SANDBY, R.A. _Engraved by_ R. GODFREY, 1775.] Henry VIII. continued to date documents of all kinds at “Westminster,” meaning Whitehall. It is possible that St. James’s was similarly included in Westminster. In or about 1537 the King’s house there was greatly improved and beautified, it is said by Cromwell, in anticipation of Henry’s marriage with Anne of Cleves. The initials “H. A.” on some of the fireplaces and ceilings were probably put up in allusion to the same marriage, and have nothing to do with Anne Boleyn. It was intended that Henry and Anne (of Cleves) should pass their honeymoon at this remote corner of the park as it was then, there being no buildings whatever visible from the gate. The result we all know; and Henry, long before the honeymoon had waned, was back at “Westminster.” Events travelled rapidly in those days. Anne Boleyn was beheaded in May, 1536. In the same month Henry was married to Jane Seymour. She died in October, 1537. In January, 1539, Henry married Anne of Cleves, and divorced her in July. In April following Cromwell became Earl of Essex, and was beheaded in July of the same year. No doubt Whitehall was the principal scene of the long tragedy indicated by this dry list of dates. At “Westminster” Henry conferred a peerage on Cromwell’s son, Gregory; and there, too, he issued letters of naturalisation to the Lady Anne of Cleves, and gave her several manors. One more tragedy and we have done with Henry VIII. On a day unknown, in January, 1547, the King lay dying at Whitehall. So weak had he become