94 THE CECILS
At the same time he was engaged in building the great mansion at Wimbledon, called Wimbledon Hall, which was completed in the following year (1588) - 1 Of this building no trace remains, but it must have been, as Aubrey calls it, "a noble seat." Camden says it was Wimbledon's greatest ornament, " as pleasant by its prospect and gardens as it was stately in its structure." On the north side a series of terraces, with seventy steps in all, led down to the park, across which a straight avenue of elms led to Putney Common. The gardens covered twenty acres and were specially remarkable.
The Earl of Exeter left the house at his death to his son, Sir Edward, who afterwards took his title of Viscount Wimbledon from it. By his heirs it was sold to Queen Henrietta Maria, and, after changing hands several times, it was finally pulled down by Sir Theodore Janssen in 1717.
By this time Robert Cecil who was, it must be remembered, twenty-one years younger than Sir Thomas was already making his way in the political world. In spite of one or two differences, there existed a very real affection between the brothers, and Sir Thomas, especially, makes frequent professions of his love. Writing from Snape, July gth, 1595, he apologises with charac- teristic humility, for his letter as " not much worth your reading," and adds " I can grace it
1 The manor of Wimbledon did not come into his hands till 1590, when it was granted to him in exchange for the manors of Langton and Wibberton, in the county of Lincoln (Hatfield MSS.> IV, 12 ; and see Gotch, The Homes of the Cecils, as before).
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