of Rye; James Hayes, for Winchelsea; George Nailor, for Seaford.  As Gwynplaine was about to return the salute, the King-at-Arms reminded him in a low voice of the etiquette, “Only the brim of your hat, my lord.”  Gwynplaine did as directed.  He now entered the so-called Painted Chamber, in which there was no painting, except a few of saints, and amongst them St. Edward, in the high arches of the long and deep-pointed windows, which were divided by what formed the ceiling of Westminster Hall and the floor of the Painted Chamber.  On the far side of the wooden barrier which divided the room from end to end, stood the three Secretaries of State, men of mark.  The functions of the first of these officials comprised the supervision of all affairs relating to the south of England, Ireland, the Colonies, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Turkey.  The second had charge of the north of England, and watched affairs in the Low Countries, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, and Russia.  The third, a Scot, had charge of Scotland.  The two first-mentioned were English, one of them being the Honourable Robert Harley, Member for the borough of New Radnor.  A Scotch member, Mungo Graham, Esquire, a relation of the Duke of Montrose, was present.  All bowed, without speaking, to Gwynplaine, who returned the salute by touching his hat.  The barrier-keeper lifted the wooden arm which, pivoting on a hinge, formed the entrance to the far side of the Painted Chamber, where stood the long table, covered with green cloth, reserved for peers.  A branch of lighted candles stood on the table.  Gwynplaine, preceded by the Usher of the Black Rod, Garter King-at-Arms, and Blue Mantle, penetrated into this privileged compartment.  The barrier-keeper closed the opening immediately Gwynplaine had passed.  The King-at-Arms, having entered the precincts of the privileged compartment, halted.  The Painted Chamber was a spacious apartment.  At the farther end, upright, beneath the royal escutcheon which was placed between the two windows, stood two old men, in red velvet robes, with two rows of ermine trimmed with gold lace on their shoulders, and wearing wigs, and hats with white plumes.  Through the openings of their robes might be detected silk garments and sword hilts.  Motionless behind them stood a man dressed in black silk, holding on high a great mace of gold surmounted by a crowned lion.  It was the Mace-bearer of the Peers of England.  The lion is their crest. Et les Lions ce sont les Barons et li Per, runs the manuscript chronicle of Bertrand Duguesclin.

The King-at-Arms pointed out the two persons in velvet, and whispered to Gwynplaine,—­