The mournful refuge of an injured queen;
Here flowed her pure, but unavailing tears,
Here blinded zeal sustained her sinking years.
Yet Freedom hence her radiant banner wav'd,
And Love avenged a realm by priests enslav'd;
From Catherine's wrongs a nation's bliss was spread,
And Luther's light from lawless Henry's bed.

The possessors of Ampthill are thus traced by Mr. Parry:--

The survey of Ampthill Park, made by order of Parliament, 1649, speaks of
the castle as being long ago totally demolished.[1] There was, however,
what was called the Great Lodge, or Capital Mansion. King James I. gave the
Honour of Ampthill to the Earl of Kelly. It soon reverted to the Crown. In
1612, Thomas, Lord Fenton, and Elizabeth his wife, resigned the office of
High Steward of the Honour of Ampthill to the King. The following year the
custody of the Great Park was granted to Lord Bruce, whose family became
lessees of the Honour, which they kept till 1738. In the 17th century, the
Nicholls's became lessees of the Great Park under the Bruces, who reserved
the office of Master of the Game. The Nicholls's resided at the Capital
Mansion. After the Restoration, Ampthill Great Park was granted by Charles
II. to Mr. John Ashburnham, as some reward for his distinguished services
to his father and himself (_vide_ Hist. Eng.) The first Lord Ashburnham
built the present house, in 1694. In 1720 it was purchased of this family
by Viscount Fitzwilliam, who sold it in 1736 to Lady Gowran, grandmother of
the late Lord Ossory, who in 1800, became possessed of the lease of the
Honour, by exchange with the Duke of Bedford. His family name, an ancient
one in Ireland, was Fitzpatrick; he was Earl of Upper Ossory in Ireland,
and Baron of the same in England. He died in 1818, and was succeeded by
Lord Holland, the present possessor, who has also a fine old mansion at