Also the Dutchess of Richmond by Van Dyk. Now this rare collection of
pictures is sold and dispersed, and many of those eminent persons'
pictures are but images without names; all sold by auction and
disparkled by administratorship: they are, as the civilians term them,
"bona caduca". But, as here were a number of pictures sold, with other
goods, by the creditors of Philip (the second), so this earle [Thomas]
hath supplied it with an admirable collection of paintings by great
masters in Italy, when his lordship was there, and since; as he also
did for prints, and bookes of fortification, &c.
THE LIBRARIE.- Here was a noble librarie of bookes, choicely collected
in the time of Mary Countesse of Pembroke. I remember there were a
great many Italian bookes; all their poets; and bookes of politic and
historic. Here was Dame Julian Barnes of Hunting, Hawking, and
Heraldry, in English verses, printed temp. Edward the Fourth. (Philip,
third earle, gave Dame Julian Barnes to Capt. Edw. Saintlo of
Dorsetshire.) A translation of the whole book of Psalmes, in English
verse, by Sir Philip Sydney, writt curiously, and bound in crimson
velvet and gilt; it is now lost. Here was a Latin po?me, a
manuscript, writt in Julius C?sar's time. [See ante, p. 60.] Henry
Earle of Pembroke was a great lover of heraldrie, and collected
curious manuscripts of it, that I have seen and perused; e. g. the
coates of armes and short histories of the English nobility, and
bookes of genealogies; all well painted and writt.
Pages:
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205