In the spring of 1660, after General Monk had taken up his quarters at Whitehall, he was invited to this house by Earl Algernon, and here, in secret conference with him and other nobility and gentry, some of those measures were concerted which led to the speedy restoration of the monarchy.

On the 7th of February 1749-50, this estate, with the title of Earl of Northumberland, devolved upon Sir Hugh Smithson, Bart., by the decease of Algernon, seventh Duke of Somerset, his father-in-law. That gentleman, pursuant to an Act of Parliament, passed in the same year, assumed the name and arms of the illustrious race of Percy; and on the 18th of October 1766, he was elevated to the Dukedom of Northumberland. Considerable improvements were made here by that nobleman; two new wings were annexed to the garden front, the quadrangular court was faced with stone, and great part of the northern front was rebuilt; but the central division, which includes the entrance gateway, still exhibits the original work of Gerard Christmas, and is a curious example of his time. Many other alterations and repairs have been since made, and particularly after the fire here in March 1780, which consumed most of the upper rooms on the Strand, or northern side.

SCOTLAND YARD.

SCOTLAND YARD derives its name from an ancient Palace of the Kings of Scotland, formerly standing on the spot, which, on the authority of Strype, who quotes from a pamphlet printed in 1548, was built by Kynald, or Kenneth III, King of Scotland, in the year 959, on

a piece of ground which had been granted him for that purpose by King Edgar, to whom he did homage for his kingdom, and by whom he was enjoined to come every year into England, to assist in the " forming laws."* His posterity enjoyed it till the reign of Henry the Second, when, in consequence of the defection of William the First, then King of Scotland, it was forfeited to the English crown. It eventually became the residence of Margaret, sister of Henry the VIIIth., upon the death of her husband, James the IVth. of Scotland, who was slain at Flodden Field in 1513. The same Queen was also entertained here with great magnificence, at the reconciliation with her brother, on her second marriage with Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus. It was afterwards deserted as a royal abode, and the old buildings gradually gave place to other and meaner erections, which occupied the ground until a recent period. In Charles the Second's reign, Scotland Yard formed an adjunct to Whitehall, as may be seen by referring to the ground plot of that Palace in the present volume. It was then inhabited, anno 1680, by officers and other per

*The Scottish Kings appear to have been anciently regarded as members of the English Parliament; and there are instances among the Tower records, of the issuing of writs to summon their attendance. In Pinkerton's " Iconographia Scotica" is an engraved representation of Edward the First sitting in Parliament, with Alexander, King of Scots, on his right, and Llewellyn, Prince of Wales, on his left band: this is stated to have been taken from a copy of an ancient limning, formerly in the English College of Arms. When the Scottish Sovereigns, in later times, attended to do bomage for their fiefs of Cumberland and Westmoreland, they usually lodged in their Palace in Scotland Yard.

sons belonging to the Court, amongst whom was Sir John Denham, the Surveyor Genral; the Comptroller of the Works, the master carpenter, glazier, and mason, clerk of the works, poulterers, &c.*

The celebrated Sir John Vanburgh had a house in Scotland Yard, in 1708, which excited the ridicule of several of his contemporary wits, and particularly of Dean Swift, who wrote two satirical poems on the subject, in one of which he says:

"Now Poets from all quarters ran,

To see the house of brother Van;

Look'd high and low, walk'd often round,
But no such house was to be found:

One asks the waterman hard by,

"Where may the Poet's palace lie ?”
Another of the Thames inquires
If he has seen its gilded spires?
At length they in the rubbish spy
A thing resembling a Goose-pye."

* As Edward, Lord Herbert of Cherbury, was riding through Scotland Yard, in James the First's reign, attended by two of his lackies, he was attacked by Sir John Ayres and four ruffians, who attempted to assassinate him, upon an ill grounded suspicion of a criminal connection between him and the Lady Ayres. Lord Herbert defended himself (one of his servants having immediately fled,) with great bravery, and a great part of the time with little more than the hilt of his sword, which had been broken in the commencement of the affray; and, at last, with the assistance of some gentlemen, who came up during the struggle, he put his assailants to flight, but not until he had received a stab in the right side. Sir John Ayres was afterwards apprehended, for this attempted murder; but it does not appear that he was ever brought to punishment.