This leads to the second, or
middle quadrangle, 133 feet 6 inches, north to south, and 91 feet 10
inches, east to west; this is usually called the Clock Court, from a
curious astronomical clock by Tompion, over the gateway of the eastern
side; on the southern side is a colonnade of Ionic pillars by Wren. On
the north is the great hall: as this is not mentioned by Cavendish,
probably it was part of Henry's building. It certainly was not
finished till 1536 or 1537, as appears from initials of the King and
Jane Seymour, joined in a true lover's knot, amongst the decorations;
this hall is 106 feet long, and 40 broad. Queen Caroline had a theatre
erected here, in which it was intended that two plays should be
acted weekly during the stay of the Court; but only seven plays were
performed in it by the Drury Lane company,[6] and one afterwards
before the
[1] An obsolete French term of salutation, abridged from _Bon prou
vous_, i.e. much good may it do you.
[2] Stow's Annals.
[3] Fuller's Church History.
[4] Rymer's Foedera.
[5] Clarendon's History of the Rebellion.
[6] Cibber tells us that the expenses of each play were L50.
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