THE HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OE STOURTON, OF STOURTON, IN THE COUNTY OF WILTS. ."HF HTSTOR\- THI HOUSE OF STOURTON N.- IN THE COUNTY OF WILTS. a Official Documents, an^ Otbcr unber tbe- Snstructions i crvision of CHAP Eb B( ;ViO'vVBHAY, StbhAVi: A.KD b'luUHiOi ATELY PRINTT THE HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON, OF STOURTON, IN THE COUNTY OF WILTS. (Eomp^le^ from ©riginal ©fficial documents, all^ ©tbcr flbt)itional Sources, un&er tbc Snstructions anb Supervision of CHARLES BOTOLPH JOSEPH, LORD MOWBRAY, SEGRAVE AND STOURTON. VOL. I. ELLIOT PRIVATELY PRINTED. STOCK, 62, PATEItjXOSTER ROW 1899. LOXDON. One Hundred Copies only of this book have been printed, oj[_zvhich this Copy is number PREFACE. Though many profess a greater or less contempt for the traditions of the past, and for the history which their forefathers have helped to make, it would seem un- natural if this were actually the case ; and in reality there are indeed but few descendants of an ancient or historic family who do not take some interest in those who have gone before them and borne their name in the centuries which are passed. But when those of a later generation ask for the records of their ancestors, the pity of it is that the knowledge is so often lacking. Information of this nature has, and always must have, a fascinating interest for most of those whom it concerns, and whilst so much is left unwritten, and preserved only in the form of oral tradition, it has of necessity to run the risk of being misquoted or forgotten. In any family a single generation careless of, or indifferent to, these things can only result in an utter ending to all its family traditions. So that it has seemed to me to be in the nature of a duty that I should collect all the information relating to the Stourton family which was still to be obtained. By printing everything in these volumes I have taken the only possible step to perpetuate it and permanently record it all, for the benefit of future members of my house. That has been the reason which led me to this undertaking. During the progress of the book it has been brought painfully home to me how- great would have been the advantage to the family if some one of my predecessors, actuated by similar motives, had left behind him some written record. The Stourton pedigree commences at the Conquest, since which time there has been an unbroken male descent (I am the 29th in the direct male line of succession) ; and the 450th anniversary of the creation of the Stourton Peerage (which is the oldest Barony by Patent now existing) has just passed. And yet, in spite of these things, the strange fact remains that I neither possess, nor do I know of, any portrait of a Lord Stourton prior to those of William, i6th Lord Stourton, which are repro- duced herein. With one or two isolated exceptions, no records of any sort have descended to me from an earlier period. In fact, the only records of import- ance which have come to me, other than those of an essentially modern date, are an illuminated pedigree, which is dated i6S8, and a small manuscript account of the lands and manors held by my family at different periods. The traditions which have survived in the Stourton family are almost as few in number, yet there must have been many such traditions at one time or another. Beyond the abbreviated accounts to be found in Peerages, County Histories and books of that character, no attempt at a history of the Stourton family has ever hitherto been made except in connection with that one Lord Stourton who has un- fortunately acquired a somewhat unenviable notoriety. So that in writing this history of the House of Stourton it has been necessary from the beginning to collect anew even the main facts from the Public Records. So little was known that the very existence of Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, was utterly forgotten and overlooked until within the last three years. This having been the case, it is almost needle.ss to point out that there can be no question of unsubstantiated statements having been intentionally or carelessly inserted as facts upon the mere strength of family tradition; and throughout the progress of the book I have always insisted upon absolute accuracy and the omission of nothing of importance, whatsoever it might tend to show. I have not personally undertaken the collection of the whole of the facts and details which will be found herein, but those which have been obtained by others have been gathered together under my specific instructions, and I believe them to be correct. For the planning and construction of the book I am responsible, and I have in addition most carefully and scrupulously examined both the original manu- script before it was sent to the printers and the proofs, sheet by sheet, as the book has been put into type. In the form in which the volumes now appear, my wishes have, I believe, been fully carried out. The printing of the book was commenced at the end of May, 1S96, and the unusual length of time which has been occupied during the progress of the volumes through the press has been due to the unfortunate fact that I found it necessary to PREFACE. VII change the whole of the original arrangements which had been made for the printing and production of the worl-;. The completeness of a book of this character usually greatly depends upon the kindly assistance of the many individuals to whom it is necessary to apply for the detailed particulars which may be within their knowledge or contained in records in their custody. It is difficult to comprehend the childish reasons which have dictated the opposition I have met with in one or two quarters in my efforts to obtain various facts which I considered desirable or necessary for this book. My thanks are there- fore due in no small measure to the very many who have so cordially supplied me with information, or have responded to communications on such matters from my editors. But I am particularly indebted to Lord Clifford and to Lord Gerard for the facilities they have afforded me for the reproduction of portraits in their possession ; to Lord Bolton for the details of the Yeomanry services of various members of my family ; to Marquis Gandolfi for his assistance in obtaining details relating to the life of Chevalier Charles Stourton, Knight of St. Lawrence and St. Maurice ; and to Sir Henry Hoare, Bart., for the production of the deeds from which the signature of Edward, 13th Lord Stourton, was reproduced, and from which much other information has been obtained. I am indebted to Sir Henry Maxwell Lyte, K.C.B., for the opportunity of reproducing the Stourton arms, which were formerly set up in the Manor House of Lyte's Cary. From the courteous and extensive assistance of Mr. C. H. Athill, F.S.A., Richmond Herald of Arms, my book has gready profited, and for this my thanks are due to him. I have also to thank Sir Francis Jeune, K.C.B., President of the Probate Division, and Mr. Rodman, the Record Keeper at Somerset House, for the exceptional facilities which have enabled me to reproduce many of the signatures of the Lords Stourton and their wives ; and it was through the courtesy of Mr. H. J. Graham, C.B., Clerk of the Parliaments, that I was able to reproduce the Writ to my father calling the Barony of Mowbray out of abeyance. From other printed books only a comparatively small proportion of this history has been taken, and in most instances the sources are specified at the places in these pages at which the information is made use of But perhaps especial mention should be made of the books "Charles, Lord Stourton, and the Murder of the Harto-ills " by the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, M.A., F.S.A. (from which copious extracts will be found herein) ; " The Registers of Stourton, County Wilts," edited by the Rev. John Henry Ellis, M.A. ; " Salvage from the Wreck," by the Rev. P. Gallwey, S.J., and " The Complete Peerage " (the first Peerage to incorporate Francis, 4th Lord Stourton) by " G. E. C." VIU PREFACE. Various extracts, for which I have been grateful, have also been supplied to me from the records of the Convent of the Holy Sepulchre, New Hall, Chelmsford, and from the Archives of St. Lawrence's College, Ampleforth, Yorkshire. In conclusion, I can only express my desire that these volumes may prove of interest and of value to the present and future members of my house, and that this account will be found to be an accurate and trustworthy record of an ancient, historic and Catholic family, throughout the seasons of its prosperity and its misfortune. Allerton Park, Knarcsborough, May, 1899. THE HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON, OF STOURTON, IN THE COUNTY OF WILTS. " ) i O QO < THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE FAMILY. The ancient house of Stourton derives its surname and Baronial designation from the Manor of Stourton in Wiltshire. The Stourton family were seated here, at any rate from the time of the Conquest until the year 17 14. The parish of Stourton is situated at the e.xtreme west corner of the county of Wilts., bordering on the counties of Somerset and Dorset. It comprises the manors of Stourton, Bonham, and Gasper alias Brook. The two latter are in the county of Somerset, but the three together form one parish in the diocese of Sarum, in the poor- law union of Mere. Stourton is distant about 7 miles from Wincanton, 3 miles from Mere, 6 miles from Gillingham, 5 miles from Bruton, 9 miles from Frome, and 25 miles from Salis- bury. It is chiedy in the hundred of Mere, but partly in the hundred of North Ferris. It is in the Hindon Petty Sessional division, in the County Court district of Shaftes- bury, in the Archdeaconry of Salisbury and the Rural Deanery of Wylye. The area is now stated at 3,385 acres, but in 1851 it was 3,543 acres. The population, accord- ing to the census of 1801, was 649 ; it had risen in 1861 to 660 ; but at the census in 1881 it had fallen to 556. The name of Stourton is derived from Stour and Town, and is therefore originally Stour-town, or the town on the Stour, and through being the town in which the Stour rises, it naturally must have taken its name from that river. In other counties distinct families of Stourton obtained their patronymic in a similar manner, from the fact of the e.xistence of other places known by the name of Stourton in those counties, so that it should be borne in mind that all families of that name did not necessarily spring from one and the same stock. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Lower, in his " Patronymica Britannica," implies that Stour and Stower are synonymous, and that Stowers is the plural of Stower. The name is found spelled as Stouerton.* This surname is elsewhere found in various counties spelled as Sturton, which is the true phonetic form of the name. Stur is derived from the Latin Sturis, which stands for Stour in the English. The first syllable of the name is otherwise found varied as Stor, Stoor, Store, Stoure, Stowr, &c., while the last syllable is some- times found with an " e," as in Stourtone and Stortone. The former is found in use as early as 1237. Instances have been found where the name of the family of Stourton of Wiltshire has been written " Stoughton,"f a name which has a separate derivation. In many of the legal records down to comparatively modern times, it will be seen that the name of the Wiltshire family is frequently spelled in the phonetic form of " Sturton." This also applies to the different families of Stourton in the various counties, and the Nottinghamshire family, in recording their pedigree at the visitation of the county of Leicester, were entered as Sturton, whilst in the inquisitions and other records the name is spelled both as " Stourton " and " Sturton." As late as the reign of Oueen Elizabeth one of the Lords Stourton is described in the Latin form of " Sturtonus," which the author of " Norman People" says was the form, with the French style, for many names to be found in until the 13th century, the English translation, from the Latin or French forms, not appearing until the reigns of Henry 1 1 1, or Edward I. Before leaving the subject of the origin of the surname, it may be well to quote Ferguson in his river names of England, who considers that one Celtic dialect, the .Armorican, by inserting a phonetic " t," changed Sur into Ster, and that through this source is obtained Stour. Stur is the form of spelling the rivers Stour in Dorset, Gloucester, Hants, Kent, Suffolk, Warwick, and Worcester, in the Anglo-Sa.xon period,! while the Stour in Essex was at that period written both as Stur and Stuf§ Sir Richard Colt Hoare, the historian of Wiltshire, says : " The Parish of Stour- ton evidently derives its name from its situation near the source of the river Stour, which rises within the parish. Many rivers in England bear the name of Stour ;jj * Patent Rolls, Edward III. t Historical Manuscripts, Report VIII.; and Acts of the Privy Council, i6th December, 157-, In both these cases the entries undoubtedly relate to the Stourtons of Wiltshire. X Kemble. § Thorpe, 11 Kemble, in his Anglo-Saxon work, shows that the rivers Stour were in Dorsetshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Suffolk, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire, but he does not mention the Wiltshire one; while in the A/!,!^Io-Sa.ron Chronicle (Thorpe) the river Stour, in Essex, is mentioned The Dorsetshire one runs into the Avon near Canford-Lawn ; in Essex, one river Stour runs through Hen ordshire and falls into the sea at Hawsham ; and another, or the same, in Essex, runs through Suffolk into the English Channel at Orwell Haven, near Harwich. The river Stour in Leicestershire runs into the Trent at Thrumptnn ; that in Oxfordshire runs through Warwickshire, and falls into the Avon, below Stratford ; that in Shropshire runs through Staffordshire and Worcestershire, and falls into the Severn above Hanlebury Castle; and that in Worcestershire Passage. uns into the Severn by Redstone REMARKS ON THE SURNAME OF STOURTON. 3 and many villages from thence have derived the name of Stourton. The source of this river is somewhat singular, and its course very circuitous. It is, moreover, ennobled by the ancient family of Stourton, having derived their armorial bearings from the six springs from which the water draws its first source." The river Stour thence flows through Dorsetshire, and discharges its waters into the sea at Christchurch in Hampshire. The place called Sturton, in Co. Notts., is frequently met with in the records either as Streton or Estreton. Ster=Ester; Stor and Stour = Estor.* Whitney and other authorities give Stour as equivalent to Stor, Stoure, Sture, Store, and Stur, which would seem to afford the variations in the first syllable of Stourton mentioned above. Guillim, in speaking of the Stourton Arms, says : " He beareth Diamond, a Bend, Topaz, between si.\ Fountains, Proper, born by the Lord Sturton. This Coat, with a due difference, is born by John Sturton or Stourton, of the City of London, Gent, descended from the Sturtons,t of Sturton, in Nottinghamshire. These si.\ l-'ountains are borne in signification of six Springs, whereof the River of Sture in Wiltshire hath his beginning, and passeth along to Sturton, the seat of that Barony. And to this Head are referred Spaciosa Maria, Vada Speciosa, J^hizdi Laii, Forties Grati : The spacious Seas, the beauteous Shallows, Rivers spreading, Fountains pleasing. The Sea is the Riches of a Kingdom, and a fair River is the Riches of a City : and therefore their Waves are held good Bearing for one that hath done Service upon either. Fresh and sweet Waters are reckond among God's peculiar Blessings, promised to the Observers of his Laws, and those of chiefest rank : Fof ilie Lord thy God bringeth ihec into a good Land, a Land in zu/iick are Rivers of Waters, Fountains and Depths that spring out of the Valleys and Alountains, Lev. xxvi. 7." These six wells, from which the Stourton arms (sable, a bend or, between six fountains) originate, were situated in a little valley which to the present day is known as "Six Wells Bottom." Facing the next page will be found an illustration of the valley from a photograph, taken from a point looking down the valley. There is only one of the six springs still visible, and this one is under the group of the three trees, and is enclosed by an iron railing. The coping-stones of another spring are lying against the base of the cross. As this cross forms so prominent a part of the illustration of " Six Wells Bottom," perhaps the following extract in relation to it from "The ■*■ Godefroy's " Dictionary of the Ancient Language of France." t Visitation of the county of Leicester, i6i5. It is clearly shown by the said Visitation that the cominon ancestor of the family was of Sturton, in Notts, and although his descendant had grant of sintilar arms to those of the Barons Stourton, it is undoubtedly the fact that this particular family took its patronymic from Sturton = Streton = Estreton, in Notts, mentioned in Domesday. 4 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Hundred of Mere " (pages 68 and 69), by Sir R. C. Hoare, should be quoted, though naturally the cross has no connection whatever with the Stourton family : "Adjoining to these springs stands an old Cross of moderate workmanship ; and which, like the more elegant fabric before-mentioned, was also removed from the City of Bristol, about the year 1768, by Henry Hoare, Esq. This Cross appears to be the same mentioned by the historian of Bristol, Barrett, page 520, under the name of St. Peter s Pump, or Well of St. Edith ; remarkable for its fine water. It is a sexa- gonal building, with si.\ arches, over each of which is a circular niche, containing a figure, rudely sculptured in coarse stone. Over two of these niches are bas-reliefs, the one representing the keys of St. Peter ; and the other a vessel in a storm ; which alludes, perhaps, to the shipwreck of the saint. This Cross has been elevated on a base of rock work, close to the original sources of the river Stour." Stourton is mentioned in the Domesday Book, and was known as early as 656, when Cenwallus, King of Wesse.x, defeated the Britons there. At Stourton there formerly stood a large castle having two quadrangles, built (according to Leiand, the antiquary) "ex spoliis Gallorum " ; for John de Stourton,* who built it, was a celebrated warrior, and engaged during the time of Henry VI. in the wars in France and Normandy. Some writers,t however, have attributed the foundation of this castle to one of his predecessors, Robertus de Stourton. This castle was pulled down by Mr. Henry Hoare when the Manor of Stourton passed into his hands about the year 1720. In its tithing or Manor of Bonham stands the ancient Catholic chapel, which is still the property of Lord Mowbray, Segrave, and Stourton. By the name of a manor divers towns may pass, and by the name of a town a manor may pass ; and although a town be decayed so as no houses remained, yet it was still a town in law if it had, or once had, a church and celebration of Divine services, sacraments, and burials. A map showing the site of Stourton House, the parish of Stourton, and the tithing of Bonham, was published in Volume VIII. of the Wiltshh'c Archceological Magazine, and is reproduced and hereafter specially explained in the account given of the life of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, which forms a prominent part of the History of the House of Stourton. * The first Lord .Stourton, created by Letters Patent, the 13th of M.iy, 144S. f This is assumed by Joseph Edmondson, Mowbray Herald Extraordinary, in Volume IV, of his " Baronagiuni Genealogicum." EOTOLPH OF STOURTON IN KING ALFREd's TIME. 5 The Stourtons, of Stourton, Co. Wilts, were traditionally a powerful and warrior family in the Saxon period, and are stated to have fought under the banner of the Sa.xon line of the Kings of Wesse.x, and, after the Saxon divisions of the Heptarchy became united, under the Kings of England. According to tradition, King Alfred the Great* made the head of the Stourton family a Saxon Thane — and this probably testified to the ownership of the lands of Stourton — for his great valour and bravery while fighting in the service of the King probably at Bonham, in the County of Somerset. The royalty or sole privilege of fishing the river Stour appears by right and custom time out of mind to have belonged to the several Lords of the Manor of Stourton, from the place of its rise in Stourton, through all the manors and royalties through which it flowed, to about three leagues into the sea, and it also appears that the Lords of Christchurch, or their tenants, from time to time, paid their acknow- ledgment, in fish kind, to the manorial Lords of Stourton, for sanction to fish in the Stour throughout the Lordship of Christchurch. Britton, in his " Beauties of Wilt- shire," informs us that " The people of Christchurch formerly sent every year a salmon or brace of trout to the lords of Stourton as an acknowledgment of this prerogative." When the Hoare family purchased the Manor of Stourton, this Royalty or right of fishery, which appertained to the said manor, was specifically conveyed and passed to them therewith. Mr. Henry Hoare exercised his right (in pursuance of a notice under his hand, dated the i ith of September, 1722) on the Wednesday then following that date, and fished his draught royal in the river Stour with nets, to perpetuate the same, without being disturbed, in the presence of several gentlemen of the neighbourhood. The several millers and riparian owners, in pursuance of his said notice to them, drew their hatches and floodgates in and about Sturminster Newton Castle, in Co. Dorset. The Lord of Stourton who fought under King Alfred is traditionally said to have been a Botolph of Stourton, ancestor of that Botolphust de Stourton who flourished during the reigns of Edward the Confessor, Harold, and William the Conqueror, and who is said to have obtained a settlement from the last-named King on his own terms by which he presumably retained possession of part of the parish of Stourton. One of these Botolphs of Stourton was a man of gigantic stature. The positive reiteration of this fact is one of the few surviving traditions of the Stourton family, and it is proved by two circumstances, namely, this tradition and the actual existence of a * Bjtvveen Ilim and Ofir.i lay the disputed honour of having divided the land into counties, althou-rh Dugdale attributes the aivision, about 800, to Egbert, the last .Saxon King of Wessex, and first sole Monarch of England. Clothanus II. is said to have aivided his dominions so early as A.D. 595. t The tradition of the thigh-bone has at dilfcrent tunes been attributed to both the individuals bearing the name of Botolph, and this probably arose through the confusion of the identity of the two men. 6 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. large thigh-bone, the os femur of a human being, until recently preserved at Bonham House,* which was positively and confidently asserted to have belonged to him. The general belief is that this bone may have belonged more correctly to the Botolph temp. Conquesto7'is. This relic measured twenty-two inches In length, from the head to the lower end, which articulated with the tibia or shin-bone ; twenty-one inches in circumference at the head, or where it joins the os ilium, and the smallest part or middle eleven and a half inches. Aubrey, who wrote about 1650, says in his manuscript, now at O.xford, that "in the buttrey " (at Stourton House) "is preserved a huge and monstrous bone, which the tradition of the howse would have to be of a mighty man, or rather gyant, of this Family ; it is two foote long and . . . inches about. I had these verses there upon it ; Ijt Sturtoni satrapa admirand magnitudiuis coxain, gentihtid sepulturd Monasterii G lassenburiensis inventain asservatamque antiquitatis et adnm'ationis ergo, EPIGRAMMA. HERCULEAM VETERES MOLEM CECINERE POET^, CORPUS ET IMMENSUM PRODIGIUMQUE PEDIS ; SAXONICI HEROIS COXAM MIRANDO NEPOTES ANGLIA QUOS GENUIT, NUNC DIDICERE, VIROS ; TALIA SI NOSTRO FLORERENT CORPORA SECLO, SECTARUM NUSQUAM MONSTRA NOCERE PUTEM." Aubrey proceeds : " The knobbes at the end of this bone are about the bignesse of two fists ot a good substantial man, which e.xceeds the proportion of human thigh- bones, and, besides, they are not of the figure or shape of a human bone. There was such a kind of bone hung up in a chaine in the Cloyster of Aldermanbury Churchyard before the conflagration of London, which bone is now in the King's House at Gren- wyche. Mr. Camden makes mention somewhere in his Britannia,f I think Essex, of such bones ; which he believes to be fishe's bones, mistaken for men's. But why might they not be Elephant's bones ? for the Romans brought Elephants into Britain."]; * .According to an anonymous writer contemporary with Sir Richard Colt Hoare. "[" Camden mentions several instances of supposed elephant bones having been dug up in more than one county, and gives an instance in Wiltshire. X John Aubrey was the son of a Wiltshire landed proprietor, and was himself Lord of the Manor of Mere, &c., in the county. He is mentioned in several title-deeds relating to Wiltshire property, but lost the whole through litigation with a lady to whom he was at one time supposed to be engaged. He was a native of Easton Piers, and was about 25 years of age when he visited Stourton. His writings have gained him the reputation of being a credulous man, who was frequently imposed upon with ridiculous tales. THE ALLEGED THIGH-BONE OF BOTOLPH. 7 The Reverend Henry Bernard Bulbeck, O.S.B., now (1896) Chaplain to Lord Mowbray, Segrave, and Stourton, at the CathoHc chapel at Bonham, in Stourton, remembers having seen the bone about thirty years ago. The Reverend J. A. Morrall, O.S.B., St. Gregory's Monastery, Downside, Bath, in writing to Lord Mowbray, Segrave, and Stourton, on the 6th of August, 1895, says : " I am, I suppose, the oldest living Curator of the Museum here, as I held that office from 1849 to 1859. I had quite forgotten the existence of the (so-called) thigh-bone of your ancestor, but your letter has recalled to my mind the fact that there was a very large bone, almost as much as one could lift ; it was sometimes called Lord Stourton's thigh-bone, or the thigh-bone of a giant, but little credence was put in the designation, which was used to ' gull ' the innocents. By people of mature age it was regarded as the bone of some enormous animal. I never heard that it was sent here from Bonham.* But, whatever it was, it must have been destroyed when the Museum and the Observatory were utterly burnt down in January, i867.t The book containing the list of donations was fortunately not in the Museum when it was burnt down, and I will see if I can find any entry of the thigh- bone. . . ." The reverend gentleman, writing again to Lord Mowbray, Segrave, and Stourton in the beginning of 1896, says : " I am sorry that I have delayed so long in fulfilling my promise, and I am more sorry that my search through the list of contributors to our Museum has not thrown any light on the reputed or conjectured thigh-bone of your ancestor. I saw the bone once at Bonham, about the year 1840, and afterwards in the Museum at Downside, whither it was sent by the Rev. B. Wassell, for safety sake. During the long vacation, trips to Bonham were made by junior members of the community, and it was most probably conveyed by them, and thus reached Downside at a time when the Curator, being a priest, was absent, and thus no entry was made in the book. As I mentioned in my previous letter, there is no doubt that the bone was destroyed in the burning of the Museum and Observatory in January, 1867." An anonymous writer, contemporary with Sir Richard Colt Hoare, confirms the tradition as to the large thigh-bone having belonged to a Botolph Stourton, and says that " In Stourton Church is a monument for William the second LordJ (William, the 4th Lord) who died in 1523, and his lady Thomasine. In the windows are painted * Aubrey says he saw it in the buttery at Stourton House. t See report in the Times for the 23rd of January, 1867, page 4, column 4. X Fifth Lord Stourton, as recently discovered. 8 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. some hand-barrows, which they intend (sic) were used by Botolph Stourton,* whom they make nine and a half feet high, to carry off his dead when he fought the conquest on Bonhomme down." HAND-BARROW OR SLEDGE WHICH TRADITION ALLEGES WAS USED BY BOTOLPH OF STOURTON, AND WHICH HAS FROM A VERY EARLY PERIOD BEEN ADOPTED AS THE BADGE OF THE HEADS OF THE STOURTON FAMILY. The anonymous writer of Sir Richard Colt Hoare's time gives the dimensions of the thigh-bone as before shown, specifically stating that " this relic was then at Bon- homme House," In reference to the above assertion as to the monument in Stourton Church, Hutchins thought it related to William, 5th Lord Stourton, and Thomasine {n^e Wrottesley), his wife, while Hoare, confirmed by the Rev. John Ellis, Rector of the parish of Stourton, rightly says it related to Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, and Agnes(Kl^ Fauntleroy), his wife, in consequence of the arms of Stourton and Fauntleroy being impaled on the monument, although in the window in the south aisle of the church the arms of Stourton and Wrottesley appear in conjunction. This monument was the only one remaining when the anonymous writer of Hoare's time visited the Church, as it is the only early one spoken of by Sir Richard Colt Hoare. But it was undoubtedly the fact that before their time the church had contained some early monuments to some of the previous Lords Stourton, and other members of the family ; for Mr. Ellis remarks that the church (meaning the Parish Church of Stourton) formerly contained many memorials of the Stourtons, but that all the escutcheons in stone and glass, excepting the one of Edward and Agnes, Lord and Lady Stourton, were gone when he published his Registers of Stourton in April, 1887. But it would seem evident that the monument in question, which still remains, is that of Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, and his wife, and an illustration of it will be found under their names. The Kings of Wessex were apparently the most warlike of all the Kings under the Saxon Heptarchy, for, some seventy-five years before, Egbert, who afterwards * The unvarying tradition in the Stouiion family is that this Botolph fought with Harold both at the battles of Stamford Bridge and Hasiirgs. The lelationship which existed between them renders this highly probable BOTOLPH FIGHTING UNDER KING ALFRED, A.D. 879. 9 subdued the rest of England, signally defeated the Mercian army at Wilton, under Beornwulf, and the Danes eventually were victorious in Wiltshire over the Saxons. Stourton (says " Paul Plod ") dates its origin back to Saxon times, before the Conqueror had raised his victorious standard on the ridges of Senlac Hill, and before the valiant and patriotic Harold had received his fatal thrust from the Norman pike- men. Even 400 years before the Conquest (1066) this parish was the scene of battle. The wicked and bloodthirsty Offa, who knew how to use the secret dagger as well as the national sword, made his power felt among the West Sa.xons. Later on Cenwald, and later still King Alfred (the Great), appeared on the scene. Stourton at the present day is interesting on account of its picturesque gardens, with its temples and sculptures and the surrounding woodland scenery; it has a tower in honour of the brave and patriotic King Alfred, who more than a thousand years ago, before this fair country of ours had been invaded by Norman conquerors, raised his victorious standard on this spot, and bade defiance to the Danish hordes.* " Paul Plod " then draws some pertinent conclusions for contending that Stourton was peopled before the Saxon period, but, whether he is riaht or wrono- is not withm the compass of the present subject, especially where any uncertainty exists. He proceeds to say that King Alfred advanced against the Danes through the old British road, commonly known as Hardavvay, which runs through Stourton, and that Jack Castle's Mound had been the grave of an ancient British warrior. It is certain, as he points out, that Wiltshire was included in the Heptarchy of Wessex, and for many years the county shared, like England generally, in the battles and vicissitudes of the times. As early as 656 the West Saxon King encountered an army of Britons at Stourton, which he defeated with great slaughter, compelling them to retreat to Petherton, on the River Parrett, in Somersetshire. From this time many battles were fought in and near Stourton, till the Britons in Wiltshire were subjugated by the Saxons. Alfred the Great marched to Stourton in 879, planted his standard on the site of the present tower, and after receiving a brave body of adherents, including (says the tradition) a member of the Stourton family from the parish, he proceeded to the village of Edington, where his approach was little expected by the Danes. Stourton will always be associated with the King's goodness and great exploits in battle, especially from the fact of his having fixed his victorious standard on King.setde Hill, where now the tower lifts its lofty walls ; and Alfred will be remembered long after the tower is forgotten. When the Danes renewed their ravages in Britain, Ethelred II., who was a weak and foolish King, condescended to bribe them, in order to be saved * " Our Note Book" column, Gillingham Record, 1S84, over the signature of " Paul Plod.'' lO HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. trom their incursions. To raise money, he laid a tax, called Danegelt or Dane- money, on his subjects, and (like Stourton) every parish in Wiltshire suffered from the exaction.* It was when the Saxon army was led by Alfred the Great against the Danes that the power of the Saxon soldier was felt, and although in 871 the result of the conflict at Wilton between the Saxons and Danes was said to have been doubtful, yet in 879 the Saxons, led by that immortal King, gained the decisive victory which liberated his country. This was the great battle in which the Saxon ancestor of the Stourton family is said to have played so conspicuous a part, and to have been rewarded by the favours he then received from his illustrious leader and sovereign. It was in commemoration of the batde that the present tower in honour of King Alfred was erected in 1772, by Mr. Henry Hoare, in the neighbourhood of Stourton, though actually in the parish of South Brevvham, Co. Somerset. The tower, being erected on the highest and most exposed point, was built of brick instead of stone, as being of a less perishable material. The earliest writer, says Sweetman, was Mr. Loudon, who, in one of his gardening tours, describes the tower as standing on a fine piece of tableland, and states that the tower is a memorial of considerable historic interest, being of triangular form with round towers at each angle, built in red brick, standing 160 feet high, with 222 steps leading to the summit, where the prospect is grand and diversified, overlooking, as it does, a great part of W ilts, Somerset and Dorset, which three counties unite near this place. The tower, he tells us, is distincdy seen from Shaftesbury, and indeed from the rising ground for twenty miles round on every side. The tower has a greenstone base of great strength, the top is of freestone, about 26 feet above the gallery and for about 10 feet below it, apparently of Tisbury stone, while the stonework above the gallery is 39 feet in circumference. Sweetman adds there are really 220 freestone steps of the same rise and tread ; the other two only having about two inches rise each. Each side of the triangle measures 25 feet 6 inches, each tower from triangle to triangle 30 feet 6 inches, making a total girth of 16S feet, which is about the same girth as height, and the walls are 2 feet 9 inches thick the bricks being smaller than those usually made. Without carrying this description any further, it should be added that it contains a colossal statue of King Alfred, with an inscription embodying truthfully and graphically the noble and fearless character of that . King, immortalizing his supreme ability in administering justice, his powerful command over his army and navy, his most able governorship with Christian love, * " Paul Piod." TOWER ERECTED TO KING ALFRED ON KINGSETTLE HILL. II progress, and ability for the benefit of his subjects and country, thus proving that he, had laid a sure foundation for the advancement and happiness of his country. The inscription records : ALFRED THE GREAT, A.D. 879. On this Summit Erected his Standard Against Danish Invaders To him We owe The Origin of Juries The Establishment of a Militia The Creation of a Naval Force ALFRED The Light of a Benighted Age Was a Philosopher and a Christian The Father of His People The Founder of the English MONARCHY and LIBERTY.* Thus the settling of the Stourton family at Stourton must, according to tradition, date at least from the time of King Alfred the Great. As an old Saxon family, they remained on the soil of the parish of Stourton, presumably as the Lords there, and after the Conquest, as chief or under-tenants of the Crown, until the time of Henry HI. From that date Stourton was held direct from the Crown. Stourton, like other places in the kingdom, passed through the vicissitudes of those times during which England was governed jointly by the Danes and Sa.\ons. The Stourton family were therefore doubtless engaged in the conflicts which took place from Alfred's reign, and more especially in the wars against the Danes in England during the reign of Ethelred II. When in looi the Saxons encountered the Danes at Kingsetde Hill, and were beaten, Stourton parish and the inhabitants suffered severely from the ravages, cruelty, and plunder of the infuriated victors. The Danes (says " Paul Plod ") returned again in 997 in greater numbers even than before, and for more than five years ravaged Wessex. Wiltshire felt the power of their arms, and Stourton did not escape, for in looi Cola appeared in the parish at the head of an army. The Saxons were commanded by Edsigus. The combatants encountered each other near Kingsettle Hill, and an obstinate and bloody battle ensued, in which the Saxons, in spite of their bravery and courage, were entirely routed. The Danes, not content with their gaining a victory, now began to ravage the surrounding country, leaving in their track evidence of their cruelty and plunder. * From a copy kindly communicated by Sir Henry Hoare, Baronet. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. When the country, after the defeat of the Danes at Stourton and elsewhere, in 1016, was eventually under the government of the Saxon Kings, the Lords of Stourton again came into prominence, and another Botolph of Stourton was deemed of sufficient status and estate to marry a daughter of Godwin, Earl of Kent (after- wards the first Earl of the West Saxons), thereby becoming brother-in-law to two reigning Kings of England, viz., Edward the Confessor and Harold II. Godwin, as is well known, is handed down to posterity as the most illustrious and powerful noble of his day ; and, as the first Earl of the West Saxons, was actually next in rank to the King himself, and Canute gave the hand of his sister Githa to him in marriage. He was father of Harold, who, having the Regency placed in his hands, virtually ruled England, and gained many victories over his Welsh rivals, whom he drove into exile. His valour at the Battle of Hastings is history. The position of Botolph, Lord of Stourton, who lived during the reigns of his two royal brothers-in-law, Edward the Confessor and Harold II., and took an active part against the Norman invaders, and who himself made such a strong resistance against the Conqueror personally, led that monarch to arrange with Botolph on his own terms when the Conqueror invaded the Western parts of England. Botolph broke down the sea-walls of the river Severn, and in retiring to Glastonbury guarded the ]iass by land until the Conqueror acceded to the terms that were required. All this is history, and it has been chronicled that it was actually at the residence of Botolph at Stourton that the Conqueror came to meet his opponents to arrange there the terms which these Saxon warriors had demanded and actually obtained from him. One can therefore understand that Botolph, after his meeting with the Conqueror, could provide for his inheritance and retain Stourton, holding it either directly or indirectly under the feudal laws peculiar to the Normans. In 1041 the crown returned to the Saxon line in the person of Edward the Confessor, son of Ethelred, and half-brother to Edmund Ironside, who defeated the Danes at Stourton in 1016. The first mention, continues "Paul Plod," of the family of Stourton occurs during the reign of Edward the Confessor. Botolph de Stourton married Ann, daughter of Earl Godwin, the most illustrious and powerful noble of his day. For EARL GODWIN, HAROLD IL, AND BOTOLPH. 13 his distinguished service against the Swedes, Canute gave him the Earldom of Kent and Wessex (he was really the Earl of the West Saxons, and entitled to rank next to the King himself), and the hand of his sister Githa in marriage. Godwin died in 1053. Botolph de Stourton, being a brother-in-law of Harold, no doubt took part in the Battle of Hastings. That he embraced the Saxon cause would be inferred from the tradition which says that when the " Conqueror invaded the West of England, Botolph broke down the sea-walls of the Severn, and, in retiring to Glastonbury, guarded the pass by land until the Conqueror acceded to the terms that were required." In fact, the tradition which has survived is that he was present at both the battles of Stamford Bridge and Hastings. It is said (says " Paul Plod ") that, after the Battle of Hastings, the Conqueror came in person to the West of England to receive rendition from the Stourton family, and that the Lord Abbot of Glastonbury, and the rest of the Lords and Grandees of the Western parts, waited upon the Conqueror at Stourton House. This appears to be taken from Mr. Turner's work, and if any truth lies therein, the entry is important as proving that a Stourton House was standing before the time of Robertus de Stourton, who is said by Edmondson to have built one, and disputes the conclusion arrived at by some writers that John, ist Lord Stourton, of Stourton, built it. It would appear from this (proceeds " Paul Plod ") that the Stourton family held a high position at this time, and probably held land in this part of the country, although there is no mention of their possessing any in the county of Wilts till the reign of Edward I. (query Henry III.). Under the S axon Heptarchy, it would appear that that of the West Sa.xons included, from a.d. 519 to 800, the counties of Berks, Southampton, Wilts, Somerset, Dorset, Devon, and a part of Cornwall, in all of which counties the House of Stourton held landed estates, excepting in Berks. From 455 to 805 Kent, as a county, was not included therein, although in the days of Godwin, Earl of the West Sa.xons, it was included in his jurisdiction. Egbert, the last King of the West Saxons, who commenced to reign as such in 800, eventually became, after the union of the Saxon kingdoms, sole monarch of England in 827, reigning as such until 837. Historians agree that Godwin was the first Earl of the West Saxons, his 14 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. territory including Kent, and that if he were ever Earl of Kent, as a separate designation, it must have been prior to his obtaining the dignity of Earl of the West Saxons. But it is very doubtful to many minds whether he ever was the Earl of Kent. If this was so, the title must have been subordinate to that of Earl of the W est Saxons, in which Kent was included, and consequently would have become merged in the greater title. Thus Godwin is more correctly known as the Earl of the West Saxons. His ancestry is one of confusion, and contemporary writers differ in so many respects that no decisive opinion can be given here, without quoting the whole of the varied opinions, which would occupy so much space, with so little result, that it is not deemed necessary to dwell here on that subject. Earl Godwin has been called "the great champion of England against Norman iuHuence." From the beginning of Canute's reign he held high office under that Danish monarch, and was honoured by his matrimonial connection with the Royal House. Eventually he became the first subject of the realm. It is said, if anyone ventures to put any faith in the geography of the Kynt- linga Saga, that Earl Godwin must have come from some place near the borders of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, and one account makes him the son of a churl, seemingly on the borders of those counties. This is interesting to bear in mind when it is remembered that Godwin's daughter Anne had married Botolph of Stourton. Soon after Godwin married Gytha, sister of the Danish Earl Ulf, the husband of Canute's sister Estrith, he was created Earl of the West Saxons in order to raise his status in accordance with his high connections in the Royal House. Ulf was the son of Thurgils, whose father, Bicirn, according to the old legends, was the offspring of a bear, which is stated by the Saxon chronicler Florence, and other authorities, to have carried off a damsel. Biorn was called " Ursus." Gytha became wholly naturalized in England, and her brother, Earl Ulf ser\ ed in Canute's English wars. Godwin was the first, and Harold the second and last. Earl of the West Saxons, a title in rank next to the King. His possessions extended over the centre of iMigland, and many southern counties. GODWIN, FIRST EARL OF THE WEST SAXONS, AND HAROLD 11. 15 As is well known, during the whole reign of Ethelred England was infested by the Danes, and on the death of that King, in 1016, the country submitted to the rule of Canute, the victorious leader of the Danes; for in ioi6, while Edmund II., the last Saxon monarch of England, was reigning, the kingdom became divided, after the Danish and Saxon wars, between himself and Canute the Dane. It remained so until 1041, when Edward the Confessor, who had been educated in Normandy, and had married Godwin's daughter Edith, became sole monarch of England. His death on the 5th of January, 1066, precipitated the successful attempt of William, Duke of Normandy, to obtain the English Crown. There is no doubt that Edward the Confessor, having been educated in Normandy, was greatly attached to the people and the customs of that country, while his prejudices naturally drew over many Normans to England, who were preferred at Court, and appointed to many ofifices of trust, both in Church and State, which excited the jealousy of the English, and particularly, as a French historian says, "of Godwin, Duke {sic) of Wessex, one of the most powerful noblemen of the kingdom." This rivalry between Edward and Godwin developed eventually into hatred, enmity, and open war. The estates of Godwin were confiscated, and the Earl took refuge in France, where his son Tosti married the daughter of the French Regent, and in which country Godwin and his sons procured a sufficient force of men and ships to enable them to return and demand with success the restoration of the Earl's former property and privileges. Godwin, however, died soon after, and his son Harold succeeded him, inheriting his father's prejudices, but exceeding him in ambition and address. A French historian draws a picture of the character of Harold, from which we find that he was extremely popular among the English, yet so cautious as to secure the favour of Edward ; whilst " his influence was so great " that on Siward's death he procured the Duchy of Northumberland for his brother Tosti; and "he enter- tained sanguine hope of succeeding Edward in the Throne of England " ; that Edward " observed his aim, and disliked him the more on that account, entertained other views, and was willing to prefer almost any other as his successor." On the 1 6 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. death of Edward in io66, Harold, without opposition, ascended the Throne, and was next day solemnly crowned and anointed King. The details of the quarrel between Duke William of Normandy and Harold need not be repeated here. Harold declined to resign the Throne of England, and determined to reign or die, and the issue was fought out on Senlac Hill. In the hottest part of the Battle of Hastings Harold was slain by an arrow, and, his brothers also falling about the same time, the English became dispirited and gave way on all sides. Harold behaved with e.xtraordinary courage in this contest, which marked the termination of the Saxon monarchy in England, the duration of which had been more than 600 years. The bodies of Harold and his brothers being found, were honourably conveyed to their mother, by whom they were interred in Waltham .'\bbey, which had been given to Harold by Edward the Confessor, on condition that he built the monastery the ruins of which remain. Harold's Park there con- sisted of 460 acres of forest lands. His tomb, of plain gray marble, with the epitaph " Harold infelix," was in the church wherein Harold is said to have offered up his prayers for victory previous to his engagement with the Norman invaders. It has sometimes been stated that Harold escaped in the battle. According to Domesday, Radulphus tenet de W. (alscino de Dowai) Stortone. Alwacre tenuit T.R.E., et geldabat pro 8 hidis. Terra est 6 carucatK. De ea sunt in dominio 5 hidas, et ibi 2 carucatx, cum i servo. Et 6 villiani, et 13 coscez, et 8 cotarii, cum 4 carucatis. Ibi 2 molini reddunt 20 denarios. Et 60 acra; pastura;. Silva I Leuca longa, et i lata. Valuit 4 libra;, modo 7 libra;. Thus it is found that Ralph holds Stortone of Walter dc Dowai — a superior lord, tor Coke says, " Tener, to hold of some superior lord." Alwacre held it i^Stourtoii) in the time of Edward— mi, fo -U. f Harleian MS. SuC. fos. 59-61. HISTORY OF THE NOBLK HOUSE OF STOLRTON. pedigree with Sir Jolin Stourton, the first Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts. Mr. Munday is alleg-ed, from the same reference, to have lent his Manuscripts to some of the Heralds of his day, who took them when the)- went to the visitations. It is, however, a well known fact that surnames were not then in vogue, and that christian names were not correctly followed, for Mr. Edmondson, describes F^otolph Stourton as Bartholomew and as the first Lord of Stourton after the Conquest, inferring the family were Lords of Stourton previous to the Norman ! nvasion. That Botolph Stourton was a great personage and Saxon warrior, cannot be denied, seeing he was son-in-law to Godwin, first Earl of the West Saxons, and, consequently, brother-in-law respectively to Edward the Confessor and Harold n. Moreover, tradition cites that when William the Conqueror entered into the West of England, he (Botolph Stourton) was among those that broke down the sea walls of the river Severn, and entered Glastonbury, guarding the pass by land until the Conqueror granted what they required. This is confirmed b_\- William Turner*, who says, " Sturton, the seat of Lord Stourton, was belonging to his family before the Conquest. They say that after the victory at Bataill, William the Conqueror came in person into the West (of England) to receive rendition from the Stourton family, and that the Lord Abbot, of Glastonbury, and the rest of the Lords and Grandees of the Western parts waited upon the Conqueror at Stourton House, where the family continues to this (his) day." To Botolph Stourton tradition has attributed the thigh bone, but whether it really belonged to him, or to his ancestor of the same name, who fought under Alfred the Great, cannot for certain be determined. It is clear, however, that the Stourton family must have been settled at Stourtont early in the Saxon period, and also were there at the Norman conquest, and no other prominent family can at this remote time be, or has ever been, traced as having been seated there. 111 liis complete History of t!ie innst remarkable providences printed at London in 1697. and by other hist(jrians. I The tenure by which Baronies were held did not consist in Knight service alone, but there were particular services of a superior kind, as all manors were held by Knis;ht service in chief many of which were not Baronies, thon^^h every Barony was a tenure in chief, yet every tenure in chief was not a Barony, d'liis is admitted by ie-^al authoi-ities. THE STOURTON FAMILY DURING THE XORMAN PERIOD. 19 Unfortunately the grants of William the Conqueror, or any of his sons, are not in existence, and, therefore, one has only to fall back on Doomsday, and the most able authorities to ascertain facts. In the present case the authorities are unanimous in deciding- that the Stourtons were seated at Stourton as before described. They are likewise unanimous in deciding- that Botolph Stourton, his son, Sir Robert Stourton, his grandson, Sir William Stourton, and his g-reat grandson. Sir Michael Stourton, who was living in the reigns of King John and Henry III., were all styled " Dominus de Stourton," which must have been by tenure. Bnlulph d: Id Stourton. First=.-4 ii;:, daughter of Goduiii, first • Doiiiinns dc Stourton" after the Conquest. Earl of the West Saxons. Sir Robert ilc Stourton. " Dominus=.^/j«« is given as the Cliristian de Stourton." Built tlie Mansion name of iiis wite hy Eduiond- House at Stourton. son. 5:> Willinm de StOHrton = '• Dominus de Stourton" j Sir Michael de Stourton. Kt.'-^htary, dau. of John, Lord Mauduit. *' Douiiuus de Stourton." These were all undoubtedly feudal Lords of Stourton, who all presumably held Stourton under the feudal system of tenure. Botolph held presumably of a superior, thus being a Vassal of a Barony, and a Baron did not signify an immediate Vassal to the King nor an immediate tenant of the Crown, but still he t-nay have held the demesne lands in Stourton in chief of the Crown, and the Manor and Advowson of an immediate Vassal of the Crown as his great-grandson in the time of Henry HI. did. It would matter very little to Botolph Stourton, as a soldier, whether he held his Estates according to military duties, as he did in the Saxon period, or under the Norman feudal system, as he would have to do after the Conquest. The distinction between his services being annexed to his land, and their being annexed to the tenure ot his land, would not strike him as very important. The word Baron, of itself, origin- ally did not signify an immediate Vassal to the King, for immediate tenants of the Earls Palatine were their Barons, the Citizens of London originally were called Barons, as well as the representatives of the Cinque Ports. Baron, therefore, at first only signified the immediate tenant of that superior who held of the Crowii in chief. At the Norman period, there was very little difference between the tenure of Kriight service and a pure and perfect feu. The former was a "Service de 20 mSTORV OF THK XOBLE HOl'SE OF STOURTON'. Clicvalur,'' a species of feudal tenure being entirely of a military nature from which the Knight's fee, fcodnin niilitarc, measurement of land sprang. Thus when we read that Sir Michael or Sir Ralph Stourton, held (the Manor of) Stourton*, by the service of one Knight's fee, it is clearly shewn they held by Knight's service, of a purel)' military nature. It has been seen that Botolph Stourton was a soldier, and he may have held by knig-ht service, although he is not described, as his descendants were, as a knight, or he may have had a feu pure and simple, held on condition of fidelity and certain services (also in general of a military nature) under the oath of fealty. Now, supposing under this tenure any breach of the condition and oath was made by not performing the stipulated service, the lands which might have been voluntarily and gratuitously given him, would immediately have reverted to the donor. From his son right down to Sir William Stourton, the seventh generation of the famdy, these descendants are all called knights, which was undoubtedly through performing duties purely of a military nature, and holding by knight service, which was clearly the tenure under which the Manor of Stourton was held when first annexed to the honor of Castle Gary. Had therefore Sir Michael Stourton made a breach of his oath of fealty, as it is supposed he did in the time of John or Henry HI., it will be observed that he must have forfeited the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, if held by him of the chief Lords. Why do they call him the last Lord of Stourton, if he did not hold the Manor of Stourton ? for he was a Lord by tenure so long as he held the Manor, and if, as we find it to be a fact, his grandson. Sir Ralph Stourton, did not hold it, then t'aere is the strongest presumptive evidence for his not being called Lord of Stourton, although it does not prove he was not entitled to bear the title of knight as holding by knight service for services of a purely military nature, as well as being a knight of the Holy Sepulchre. So that although Botolph Stourton may not be shewn in Doomsday, still he may have then held the King's demesnes in Stourton, in chief of the Crown, and afterwards the Manor and Advowson may have been granted to the family. * Tlie entry is " Wiltes' Joh'is de Miinemue, Nich' de Sturton. tcnr. Sturtou />' fahla uiiiq mil' th- Rk' I uvell ■t Ricus de d'no Reg'e," which service of one knight's fee is how tlie Levels held in chief of the trown. It does not read one knight's fee in Stourton. ANCIENT CASTLE OR MANSION HOUSE AT STOl'RTON. 21 Coke clearly shews that tenet tenure was a Thane under the Saxon Dynasty, and a feudal dependant under the Norman one, and this was the tenure under which Ralph held Stourton of Walter de Dowai, the superior Lord, who held in chief of the Crown. Therefore, althoULfh there may be no contemporary evidence extant for satis- factorily provino- in these paofes all that one would like to do, still lookint,!- at the laws of the period there is the strongest chain of circumstantial evidence tor assuming the many conclusions formed by historians as to the early generations of the Stourton family, without going quite so far as Mr. Munday went, in identifying Botolph Stourton with Ralph, the Doomsday undertenant. Sir Robert Stourton when he got his licence to build the Castle at Stourton, so called from its castellated design and immense size, undoubtedly held the whole Parish In chief from the Crown, as his family did down to Sir iMichael, when the Manor and Advowson was held of Castle Cary, in Somerset, and they were not coextensive with the Parish. Although it is stated th;it Sir Robert Stourton built the Mansion House at Stourton, it is thought from Mr. Turner's description that an earlier edifice had stood in Stourton belonging to the family, unless the previous residence was tlie Manorial-House, which was distinct from the castellated Mansion spoken of by Leland and Aubrey, who both saw the latter. Doomsday helps very little in deciding the point, nor does its omission to mention such a Mansion House in anyway prove that there was no such house, for as similar omissions occur in other cases the fact is not conclusive. Recourse must therefore be had to the earliest writers thereon. Every Barony had a capital Mansion in which the Lord resided, this was often a Castle, which could not be trected without the King's licence, and was called Caput BaroniK, and where there was a Castle, the whole Manor was so called, but as Stourton was not so called, it is presumed the Mansion House was not a Castle in law, it should, however, be borne in mind that the Castle of Mere, the principal parish of that hundred in which Stourton was situated was not built until 1253, b)- King John's son, Richard Plantaganet, Earl of Cornwall. John Leland, in his journey through "Wiltshire in 1540-2, describes very graphically the Mansion House, the Stourton Arms, and river Stour. He says : — 22 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. "The Villagre of Stourton stondith yn the bottom of an hille, on the left ripe oftheStur* The Lord Stourton's place stondith on a meane hille, the soyle thereof being stony. This Maner place hath two Courtes. The fronte of the ynner Courte is magnificent, and high embatelid, castle lyke." . " The goodly gate-house and fronte of the Lorde Stourton's house in Stour- lon was buyldyd ex spoliis Gallorumt. Ther is a parke among hills joining on the maner place. The name of the Stourtons be very anciente in those parties." "Thcr be 4 campes that servid menne of warre about Stourton ; one towarde the north weste part within the park, double dichid. I conjecte that here stode a maner place or castle. My Lord Stourton sayith nay. Ther is another campe a mile dim: of Stoureton, doble dichid, in the toppe of an highe hill. This is called commanely Whiteshete Hill. The other 2 campes be abrode in the Lordshipe." " Ther is on an hill a litle without Stourton a grove, and in it is a very praty place called Bonhames, builded of late by my Lorde Stourton. Bonhome of Wile- shire, of the auncientcr House of the Bonehomes there is Lorde of it." Canon Jackson in his ' Leland ' says this place is still known as the tything of Bonham, south of Stourton. By Leland's account (the Canon proceeds (o say that) a house had been built liere by Lord Stourton before 1540, which was the year Leland, the royal antiquary, visited the place. Sir Richard Colt Hoare shews the property was some years af^cr the execution of Charles, 8th Baron Stourton, again leased to the Stourton family, and infers — although he somewhat confuses the leasehold with the freehold title — that the Stourton family acquired the fee, which they did as shewn later on. In 1300, Edmund Plantaganet, Earl of Cornwall, grandson of King John, died possessed of the profits of the tithing of Stourton, in the Hundred of Mere, Co. Wilts, and it is shewn he died at the Abbey of Ash- bridge, in Bucks, where he founded a College in honour of the blood of our Saviour, for certain brethren called Bonhomcs, and it is thought possible he or his father may have founded one in Stourton also, from which cause the name of the place and family of Bonham, arose. In very early records we find that the Bonhams, of Wiltshire and Essex+, held the Manor or Farm of Bonham, for on Sunday at New Saruni, after Decoll. of St. John the Baptist, being the 29th * Stur is according to the Anglo-Saxon form of spelling, and is phonetically correct, f With iMench Prize Money. The late Rev. J. E. Jackson adds a note to his edition of Leland, to tile effect that the builder of this part was Sir John Stourton, who for his services to the Henries in their French wars, was created tlie first Baron in 1448, lie had the Duke of Orleans in his custody at Stourton House fur 10 montlis, for which he was allowed ij/4 a day. + While searching up the family of Lainbert, of Mavden Bradley, it was discovered that both the Lambert and Honliaui faniiUes migrated into Essex. I.ELAXD AND AUBREv's VISITS TO STOL'RTON. 23 August, 1356, 30th EdwarJ III., Robert, son and heir of John dc Bonham, quit claimed a moiety of the Manors of Bonham and Great Wishford, with the Advowson of the Church of Great Wishford, to Nicholas de Bonham. Leland proceeds - " The ryver of Stoure, risith ther of six fountaynes or springes, wherof 3 be on the northe side of tlie Parke, harde withyn the Pale, the other 3 be north also, but withoute the Parke. The Lorde Stourton giveth these 6 Fountaynes yn his Annes." As some seem to imagine that Lord Stourton held the fee of Bonham when Leland visited the place, it should be noted that according to an Inquisition taken at Warminster, on the i8th March, in the ist Elizabeth, before John Bushe, Esquire, Escheator, after the death of Nicholas Bonham, who died the 13th January then preceding, that the Manors of Great Wishford and Bonham passed thereunder, John Bonham was his son and heir, aged sixteen years ; and the purchase of the fee by the Stourtons is shewn to be many generations later than this period. Turner, in his complete History of the most Remarkable Providences, printed at London, Anno Domini, 1697, confirms the contention that a Mansion House of the Stourton Family was standing at Stourton, close to Bonham, in the time ot William the Conqueror. Bonham House was where, the Latin Bill of Indictment states, William and John Hartgill were buried. The house that Leland saw was most probably the ancient Castle or Mansion House built by Sir Robert Stourton, although Leland ascribes it to the first Baron Stourton, who, he thought, built it out of F"rench prize-money. The first Baron probably rebuilt a portion of the old Mansion, or remodelled and renovated it. Aubrey* visited the place in 1650, about one hundred and ten years after Leland, and gives an interesting account of the Mansion House. Aubrey's Manuscripts at Oxford, written about 1650, give a sketch ot Stourton House, which is probabl\- the most ancient extant, and which he took from a South aspect, and a facsimile copy is given on the next page. * Modern biographers do not look on him as a careful writer, he certainly did not grasp his subjects, and seldom rose to any brilliancy in his descriptions, besides being a confused describer. He. however, left many works behind him, and is certainly cnlitied to praise for some of his productions. 24 HISTORY OF ti;k xori.t: Housn of stotrton'. STOl'RTON HOl'SE AS IT APPEARED FROM THE SOUTH. Taken fiinu Aubrey's MSS. itt Oxford. This sketch is also tjivcn b)- Sir Richard Colt Hoare, while the " W'iltshire Archieolog'ical Magazine, " volume one, gi\es «hat is called a more developed view of Stourton House, founded upon Au'ore_\ 's rough sketch of the Mansion, which vie^^' is to be found also illustrated here. I - : ■ I i I THE SOUTH PROSPECT OF STOURTON HOUSE, FOUNDED ON JOHN AUBREV's RI;DE SKETCH. liti'rojuccii from the Wilts. Anil, and Nat. Hist., I'ol. I Aubre\- says : — " In the glass w-indows arc single escutcheons of Stourton. In tlie court, o\er the parlour windowe, in stone, is an escutcheon, Stourton quarterings. ?i1em' -The Lord Stourton's supporters (now) are two horrid Aubrey's account of his visit to stourton. 25 things like sea-horses Sable, crested, instead of manes, with things like Dragon's wings Or. "In the Chappell, in the howse, the pavement is of brick annealed or painted with their coate, and Rebus. WS a tower and a ton Or. ws " N.B. — These enamelled bricks have not been used these last hundred yeares. The old paving of our Lady's Church at Sarum is so ; and at Gloucester excellent ; and the like in other places. 'Tis a pity it is not revived and improved — Mr. Dwight may much improve it. " The house is of gothique building, and standeth on a great deal of ground, and this and Farleigh Castle are the two howses that are almost entirely the same as they were in the time of the old English Barons. " Here is a great open-roofed hall, and an extraordinary large and high open- roofed kitchen." After giving an account of a huge and monstrous bone in the buttery, which has been dealt with before, Aubrey proceeds as follows : " The Estate that belonged to this (i.e. the Stourton) Family before the forfeiture, is judged to be worth ttoza not less than twenty thousand pounds per annum. " They were great benefactors to the Cathedrall Church of Sarum, as appears by their coate of arms every where about the Church, and in all the Prebendaries' Howses. They were also great benefactors to the Abbey of Glastonbury, where yet all about the Town their scutcheons flourish in the windowes, and in the remaining part of that stately Monastery : in the Church of which most of the Family, before the Reformation, were interred."* " I saw their Pedigree, which is drawn from Botolph Stourton before mentioned . . . who lived in the time of the Conquest, to about the beginning of King James's time. * That most of the family before the Reformation were buried in the Conventual Church of Glastonbury is not borne out by evidence, and the statement should have been limited to " some of the family." 26 HISTORY OF THE NOELE HOUSE OF STOURTON. "Man. King James is derived from this family in the Pedigree; one ofh is Progenitors marrying to a daughter of this family about 200 yeares ago, more or less.* " Mem. The Lord Stourton that is now, 1674, is named Botolph,t and his sonne is the ninetceitih from the first Botolph inclusive. 1 had a great curiosity to observe that so honorable and eminent a family should not, since the Conquest, lose a generation. Compare these generations with ours and others." " Three of the si.x springs in the Park, are all in the County of Wiltshire, whereas Mr. Camden has put them all in Somersetshire.;]: ■'N_B. — That the coate of the Lord Stourton is, S. a bend Or, between 6 fountains, which allude to these six springs, being the head of the River Stour which runns on to Blandford, &c. I believe anciently 'twas only Sable, a bend Or. " Mem. These fountaines I am sure those within the Park pale, are curbed with pierced cylinders of freestone, like chimney tunnes, the diameter of the concave being eighteen inches. " The Park is large, but bald for timber trees, only some old stagge-headed trees remayning. This tract of country was heretofore all horrid and woody ; it bordereth on the Forests of Bruton§ and Gillingham.]| " In the Parked on a hill, is a Toft, they say, of the Casde of Stourton : nothing now remayning but trenches."** The foregoing account from Aubrey's pen is very interesting and of great value in many particulars, and from Volume L of the Wiltshire Archceological Magazine, we learn that "Old Stourton House stood upon a site immediately in front of the present mansion,ff between that hou.se and the public road lejiding to Maiden Bradley. The site is still," the article proceeds to say, "to be recognised by an * A pedigree detailing this descent will be found later herein. t Should be William, but it has recently been discovered that there was a Francis, 4th Baron Stourton (see "The Complete Peerage," by " G. E. C"). { Sir Richard Colt Hoare said the spot was in his time called by the title of " The Six Wells "; they were not all above ground, those without the site of the old Park wall having been all covered in and stopped up, except one which served as a well. The Park wall, he says, is between the Springs. Those within the old Park were then still open and had their curbstones around them, as described by Aubrey. The place now (1896) is known as " Six Wells Bottom," but only one of the wells remains visible. It is not an improbable suggestion that the bend in the arms on each side of which are three fountains indicates the Park wall, on each side of which were three wells. § Selwood Forest. II Blackmere Forest. If Sir Richard Colt Hoare imagined the Park was never kept up after the purchase by Henry Hoare, though it still retained the name, and Sir Richard Colt Hoare himself pulled down a great part of the Park paling or wall, which had run in the direction described by Leland, separating the six springs. ** The same Authority says this alludes to a Camp on Whitesheet Hill, or perhaps may allude to a smaller circular work in the old Park, within which was the keeper's house. t+ The site of the old Castle or Mansion House of Stourton is shown on the map before referred to, in Volume VIll. of the Wiltshire Archceological Magazine. OLD CARVED CHIMNEYPIECE WITH THE STOURTON ARMS. 27 inequality of ground, a few old Spanish chestnut trees, and some subterranean vaults. A relic of the building is, or lately was, preserved in a house at Shaftesbury, formerly the ' King's Arms,' a carved chimneypiece bearing the shield of Stourton, between those of Chidiock and Berkeley." From the Gentleman s Magazine for 1826 is given below a sketch of the identical chimneypiece,* spoken of above, which was sent to the Editor, " Mr. Urban," in that year, by a correspondent, under the initials of " C. B.," together with a letter, the text of which is also given here. UPPER PART OF THE OLD CHIMNEVPIECE FORMERLY IN STOURTON HOUSE AND AFTERWARDS FIXED UP IN THE " KINg's ARMS," SHAFTESBURY. " C. B." writes thus : " I send you a sketch of the upper part of a chimneypiece now remaining in a house in this town, formerly an Inn, called the King's Arms. The arms in the first compartment are those of Chidiock, in the centre of Stourton, and in the last those of Berkeley, of Beverston. " This chimneypiece was probably removed from Stourton Castle, when it was pulled down, and had been originally placed there by John, third Lord Stourton, the eldest son of William, the second Baron, by one of the daughters and co-heiresses of Sir John Chidiock, of Chidiock, in Dorsetshire ; which John, Lord Stourton, the son, married the daughter of Berkeley, of Beverstone. John succeeded to the Barony in the year 1478, and dying in 1484, s.p., was succeeded by his brother, William." * It is also illustrated in Hutchins's " Dorset." 28 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. This is hardly correct, for William succeeded his nephew Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, as 5th Lord. There is an illustration of this same chimneypiece given in Hutchins's " Dorset,"* presumably copied from the old drawing thereof formerly in Sir Richard Colt Hoare's possession, hi the same work it is noted that this relic was carved in Bath stone, and was in 1867 in the possession of Richard, 2nd Marquis of Westminster, who built the Town Hall in Shaftesbury, and to whose memory the Westminster Cottage Hospital there, in Park Road, was dedicated. It was particularly stated that the chimneypiece had then been recently removed from a house in the High Street of Shaftesbury, where it was in use as such. Kelly, writing in 1875, says many of the very ancient houses in Shaftesbury had been replaced by a better class of house. It is said that the Rev. J. J. Reynold.s's conjecture that it probably formed part of the canopy of a tomb rescued from the ruins of Shaftesbury Abbey, and used as a chimneypiece by some citizens of the town, seemed highly improbable. The correspondent in the Gentleman s Magazine was probably correct in his statement. Botolph of Stourton, temp, conquesloris, had besides his elder son and heir. Sir Robert, a younger son, Galfridus. Mr. Edmondson starts his pedigree with Bartholomew Stourton, the first Lord of Stourton after the Conquest, whom Sir Richard Colt Hoare, quoting the College of Arms pedigree, presumed was identical with Botolph Stourton. This is confirmed by the official pedigree in the College of Arms, in which Botolph is given as the first known ancestor of the Lords Stourton, after the Conquest. It is thought possible that this Botolph may have had a younger son called Bartholomew, especially when it is considered that that name has the appropriate meaning of " son of him who made the waters to rise," and that as Botolph Stourton had inherited the fishery rights and customs of his ancestor, Botolph Stourton, the Saxon Thane, who had the original grant from King Alfred the Great, as before shown, he may have, as the then head of the family, named a son Bartholomew, in reference to the head or rise of the river Stour being in the parish of Stourton, and to the fact that that river is supposed to have been dyed by the blood of those slain in battle at Stourton. But if the meaning of the name has a relation to any particular episode, it might equally appropriately refer to the breaking down of the sea walls of the Severn. * Volume III., page 315, under Shaftesbury. SIR MICHAEL STOURTON, TEMP. KINGS JOHN AND HENRY III. Sir Robert Stourton, Lord of Stourton, son and heir of Botolph, also Lord there, had by his wife, Agnes, an elder son and heir, Sir William Stourton, Knight, also called Lord of Stourton, successor to his father, and who had a son and heir, Sir Michael Stourton, who was the last to be styled " Lord of Stourton." He lived in the troublous times of King John, and King Henry HL, when the risings of the Barons and feudal Lords against the Throne caused so many to lose their Estates, as presumably did this Sir Michael Stourton, for the Manor and Advowson of the Church of St. Peter's in Stourton, were granted to the Lovels of Castle Cary, in Somersetshire, to be held by them of the Barony and Honour of Castle Cary, in chief of the Crown. At the same time, it is probably correct to say that the Manor and Glebe lands of Stourton were not coextensive with the Parish of Stourton. This Michael is erroneously called Nicholas de Stourton, in "Testa de Nevil," written by Jollan de Nevil, a Justice Itinerant in the i8th and 24th of Henry HI. Most writers have made a distinction in the reading of Sir Michael Stourton's holdings in Stourton and that held by the undertenants in subsequent years of the chief Lords of Stourton, and it is clearly the fact that the entry must mean the same in the case of Sir Michael Stourton and the subsequent undertenants. " Testa de Nevil " says " Wiltes'. — Feoda Joh'is de Munemue, Nich' de Sturton, tcnz Sturton p' feodo imiq' mil' de Ric LtiveU, 7 Ric lis de d'no Rege."* Now, the subsequent undertenants of the chief Lords of Stourton are shown to have held the Manor of Stourton of the chief Lords by service 0/ one Knight's fee, and although all previous authorities have copied from each other that this Sir Michael Stourton held one Knight's fee in Stourton of Richard Lovel, who held of the King (Henry HI.), it, however, seems more probable that the entry relates solely and wholly to the Manor as shewn in subsequent entries regarding the undertenants of the same Manor, and all these authorities show the Manor was held of the chief Lords of Stourton, viz., by the service of one Knight's Jee. It is probable that Sir Michael Stourton held (the Manor of) Stourton, by the service of one Knight's fee, and not one Knight's fee in Stourton, which is by no means the same. This is confirmed by the same manner in which these authorities have translated the findings of the jury in the case of his grandson and heir, Sir Ralph Stourton, who is said by these authorities to have held one Knight's fee in Stourton, with the Advowson of the Church of St. Peter there, of Hugh Lovel, the chief Lord, whom they allow held ♦ Observe that Henry III.'s brother and nephew held the profits of the tithing of Stourton, and the Earl of Gloucester and Hertford claimed Stourton after the Crown had granted it to Casile Cary. 30 HISTORY OF THE NOBLl'; HOUSE OF STOURTON. the Manor and Advowson of the King, and practically admit he had no other under- tenants in Stourton, although not residing there himself. The service was one Knight's fee, and the translation must be the same in each case. With respect to the " Nich " in " Testa de Nevil," it is clear that it relates to Sir Michael Stourton, for his grandson and heir is proved to have held the Manor and Advowson of Hugh Lovel. It is a well-known fact that in these very ancient records there is often a mistake in the abbreviated forms Nich' and Mich' which is obvious to the reader. The feudal tenants were bound to render service to their Lords in recompense for the lands they held, which in original feods might be to do suit to their Lord, in his Courts in time of peace, and in his armies or warlike retinue, when necessity called the Lord to the field. It is shown that the tenants of the chief Lords of Stourton did suit of court at the Castle of Cary, from three weeks to three weeks. From ancient authors the seiince de chwalier were written as imum feodum militis, or feodum tmius militis, or duo feoda miliiis, among many other ways, while sometimes these fees are called feoda militaria, which tends to support the contention for thus reading " Testa de Nevil." As is before shewn those who held by Knights' service were called milites, and had in ancient times many privileges, which Henry I. confirmed on the day of his coronation by his Charter for the restitution of the ancient laws. When Sir John Stourton, ist Lord Stourton, held under the chief Lord the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, he held not only by fealty but by Homage as well. When the Stourtons became chief Lords thereof, the Manor and Advowson were held by the family of the Crown until the 12th of Anne, 1713, when an Act was passed " for divesting the Crown of the Remainder in Fee-simple of and in the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, in the County of Wilts, and several Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, to the same Manor belonging, expectant on certain Estates-tail, and for vesting the same in certain other Persons therein named, to the intent the same may be barred by proper Methods in Law, for the Purposes therein mentioned." All this will be found at greater length in the life of Edward, 1 3th Lord Stourton, who sold the Estate. All land was " Crown " land in this sense until the right of the Crown had been relinquished. Richard Plantagenet, Earl of Cornwall, Count of Poitou, King of the Romans and of Almaine, son of King John, by his wife, Isabella, daughter and heiress of Aymer Taillefer, Count of Angouleme, was born the 5th of January, 1209, died at Berkhampstead Castle, Herts, the 2nd of April, 1272, his body being buried at Hales .A.bbey, Co. Gloucester, which he had founded in 1251. He was with his brother, EARLS OF CORNWALL AND GLOUCESTER'S HOLDINGS IN STOURTON. 3 1 Henry III., taken prisoner at the Battle of Lewes, and had grant in 1253 to build a castle at Mere, in Wilts, at the same time having power to limit his property there, which undoubtedly mcluded the profits of the tithing of Stourto?i, to himself for life, with the remainder to his issue male on the body of his wife, Sanchia (whom he had married the 23rd of November, 1243, and whodied the 9th of November, 1261, being buried with her husband), third daughter and co-heir of Raymond Berenger, Count of Provence and Barcelona, and sister of Queen Eleanor, consort of Henry HI. Richard de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester, 6th Earl of Hertford, and 8th Earl of Clare, was the son of Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, Hertford and Clare, by Isabel, third daughter of William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, and who married in her widowhood, the yoth of March, 1231, as his first wife, the above Richard Plantagenet, Earl of Cormvall. Richard de Clare was born the 4th of August, 1222, and died at his Manor of Eschemerfield, near Canterbury, the 15th of July, 1262, and was buried at Tewkesbury the 28th of July. He married, the 2nd of February, 1 238, Maud, daughter of John de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, and had, inter alia, a. daughter, Matilda de Clare, who married the 6th of October, i2j 2, Edmund Plantagenet, ^th but eldest surviving son and heir of Richard Plantagenet, Earl of Cornwall, and from whom she was divorced. This Earl of Gloucester, Hertford and Clare, was, in July, 1256, on Richard Plantagenet becoming King of the Romans, sent to Germany, with full power to negotiate with the princes of the Empire, for the election of the Earl of Cornwall, and we read much of his being on bad terms with his stepfather, Richard Plantagenet, Earl of Cornwall, and with Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. When he died, on the 15th of July, 1262, we find that he held Stourton, presumably in Wiltshire, as 07ie of the fees of the Earldom of Gloucester,* and his descendant, Maud Badlesmere, is afterwards found holding Stourton in Wilts for her dower.t Edmund Plantagenet, Earl of Cornwall, his son-in-law, died at his Abbey of Ashbridge, Co. Bucks, the ist of October, 1300, where he had founded a college in honour of the blood of our Saviour for certain brethren called Bonhomes,\^\i\c\\ he may have done in Stourton, thus giving the name of Bonham to the place there. He was buried on Thursday after Palm Sunday then next, with his parents in the Abbey of Hales, dying seised of the Manor and Hundred of Mere, in Wilts, together with the * I. P. M., 47 Henry III., No. 34. t See account of the undertenants of Stourton. X Lei., " Coll.," Volume 1., page 78. 32 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. profits of the titlnng of Stoufton, to which he undoubtedly succeeded under his father's grant of 1253. This grant was limited to him as the eldest heir male of his father on the body of his said mother, and dying without issue and all issue male of his parents being then extinct, the Earldom reverted to the Crown, while Edward I. was found to be his cousin and next heir.* When the ruins of Shaftesbury Abbey were discovered as will be shewn later on, certain arms of the benefactors to the Abbey came to light, and as will be seen in the illustrations of these, the arms of the de Clares, Earls of Clare, Gloucester, and Hertford, are found together with those of Stourton, Barons of Stourton, Montacute, Earls of Salisbury, under whom the Stourtons held, and Bryan, of Tor Bryan, Co. Devon, who intermarried into the Montacute family. It is clear they were all con- nected with Stourton in Wiltshire. Living contemporaneously with Sir Michael Stourton was Sir Ivo de Stourton, Knight. The documents in which he is mentioned, being of an early date, are very important, and are as follows : " Perambucio facta anno gracie Millesimo ducentesimo xlvi,'j" die veneris proximo post festum sancti Gregorii pape, anno regni regis Henrici filii regis Johannis vicesimo primo, inter terram Abbatis Glastonie de Domerham in Comitatu Wilteschire, et ter- ram Abbatis Tewkesburie de Bowarthe in Comitatu Dorsetie ; per sacramentum Robert Broun, Roberti de Columbers, Thome de Hynetone, Roberti de Bosco, Ade Schirard, Reginaldi de LuUesworthe, G. de Warmeswelle, Willielmi de Faleyse, Wil- lielmi de Stokes, Willielmi Combe, Ivonis de Stourtone, de Comitatu Dorsetie ; et Gilberti Anglici, Ricardi Sturmin, Samponis de la Boxe, Henrici Caynel, Ricardi de Haseldone, Roberti filii PaganiX Rogeri de Langeforde, Willielmi de Tornei, Elie de Hulle, Mathei Wake, et Ricardi de Dourneforde, de comitatu Wilteschire. Incipi- endo a Butelesheite, eundo semper recta linea de longo in longum juxta vetus fossa- turn, quod fossatum plene remaneat Abbati de Teukesburi, et de illo fossato recta linea usque ad quandam arborem le hijs, et Overtone, et de angulo illius crofte usque ad magnum viam regalem et sic per longitudinem illius vie usque ad magnum fossatum de Blakedounesdich." * I. P. M., 28 Edward I. f Sir R. C. Hoare and others who set out the document give it as 1237, and not 1246, and, according to the regal year, 1237 is correct. % Presumably Robert FitzPayne, who took part against Henry III. at Lewes, and father of Robert FitzPayne, Lord of Stourton Manor and Advowson. SIR IVO STOURTON, KNIGHT, TEMP. HENRV Til. 33 There can hardly beany doubt but that "Ivonis de Stourtone" is identical with "domino Ivone de Stourtone, knight, witness to the foUowinq- charter of Sir Ralph de Baskerville, knight," of all his lands and tenements in Todput, Domerham, Co. Wilts., when it is compared with the above Perambulation of the lands of the Abbeys of Glastonbury and Tewkesburj'. Sciant presentes et futuri, quod ego Radulphus de Baskervile, mil'es, pro salute anime mee antecessorum et heredum meorum, dedi concessi et hac presenti carta mea confirmavi, pro me et heredibus meis, Deo et beate Marie sancto que Dunstani et Abbiti et Conventui ecclesie Glastonie et eorum successoribus imperpetuum, totum tenementum meum et totam terram mcam de Todeputte jiixta Domerham in comitatu Wilteschire, cum advocacione libcre capelle ejiisdem villc, et cum omnibus hominibus tam liberis quam villanis ejusdem ville, eorum servicijs, et cum tota sequela predictorum Villanorum, et omnibus pertinencijs suis, in liberam puram et perpetuam elemosinam sine aliquo retenemento mei vel heredum meorum. Ita videlicet, quod quosciens ipsam capellam de Todeputte vacare contigerit, prefati Abbas et Conventus et eonnn successores tanquam patroni ipsius capelle, ydoneam personam ad illam successive presentabunt, per quam ipsi capelle posset deserviri sicut prius fieri consuevit ; et prefati Abbas et Conventus et eorum successores acquietabunt predictum tenementum de regali servicio. Ego vero Radulphus et heredes mei totum predictiun tenementum et terram, cum advocacione predicte capelle et omnibus alijs pertinencijs suis ut predictum est, excepto regali servicio, prefatis Abbati et Conventui et eorum successoribus et ecclesie Glastonie, tanquam liberam pm-am et perpetuum elemo- sinam, contra omnes homines et feminas warantizare tenemur. In cujus rei testimonium huic scripto sigillum meum apposui. Hijs testibus, domino GodetVido de Skidemor, doinixo Johanm dc Vernnuii, domino de Aiingcns, domiini Ivonc de Stourtone, MUitibus, Willielmo de Mertone, Roggero le Eyr, ct alijs. 27 May, 1255. This Sir Ivo Stourton, knight, does not appear to have been noticed in an_\ of the pedigrees of the family, but some generations later it will be observed that the heirs of Ivo Stourton, held land of the Montacutes, Earls of Salisbury, whose arms were discovered as before mentioned, with those of Stourton, in the ruins of Sliaftesbury Abbey. Sir Michael Stourton was in the first )'car of King John, as Michael dc Sturton, fined 100 shillings that he might not he dislraijied for the debt for which 34 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. he was then surety, whilst the principal debtor had whereof to be distrained. He was no doubt holder of the Advowson in Stourton, as well as the Manor, as his g-randson and heir. Sir Ralph Stourton, is found holding- the same jointly of the chief Lord, of the honour of Castle Gary. He (Sir Michael) married Mary, daughter of John, Lord Mauduit*, and had, besides a younger son, Guy Stourton, an eldest son and heir. Sir John Stourton, knight, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., who predeceased his father and married Gracia, daughter of Thomas, Lord Hungerford, of Helsburyt, by Jane, his wife, daughter and heir of Sir Edward Hussey, and had issue : — i. — Eudo Stourton, whom Edmondson has evidently confused with Sir John Stourton, his father, in placing' his mother as his wife. Collins shews him as eldest son and heir apparent of Sir John Stourton, but as dying in his father's lifetime, which is probably correct for his young-er brother. Sir Ralph Stourton, is said to have succeeded his g-randfather. Sir Michael, as heir to the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, held of Hug-h Lovel, as of his Castle of Gary, Co. Somerset, which honour he held of the Grown in chief. The College of Arms pedigree, which Hoare printed, confirms Collins as to Gracia Hungerford being wife of Sir John Stourton. The Hundred Rolls, temp. Henvy H L, for Wilts., under the Hundred of Cuddeworth, have an entry, " Dicunt eciam quod Eudo (]c Sturtoiw et Willielmus de Wingham [query Byng-ham, see next entry] Vendiderunt vn^-\ querc' p' p'ceptu d'ni Reg'." And under the hundred of Eurstefeld, " Venit p' xij^:.'. — interalia — De statu boscorum, &c. — Dicunt quod dominus Rex vastavit quamdam dominici bosci sui de Melcet' per vendicionem quam fecit in eodem bosco per Eudonem de Sturtone et Willielmem de Bi ngham [query Wyng-ham, see above entry] hoc anno qui vendiderunt quater viginti et quatuor querc' pro xvii. marcis et xxid. Et similiter per maheremium quod in eodem prosterni fecit ad operaciones suas ad Clarendon' et apud Castrum de Sarum. Et similiter per dona sua." This presumably related to Eudonis Stourton, son ot Sir John Stourton. Eudonis Stourton had laid claim to the advowson of the Church of St. Peter in Stourton+, and Eudonis had been presented to that Churchjj, thought * Confirmed b)- Hoare's Copy of the College of Arms Pedigree. Edmondson says Lord Mandeville. The Mauduits were settled at Warnimster, Co. Wilts., and were CollalenU heirs of Helgofs Barony in Shropshire. Collins' Peerage gives no wife's name. I Must be Hevtesbnry in Wilts., where the Hungerford family settled. See under Roger Stourton, grandson of this Sir John Stourton, for the sale of the Manor of Horningshani and the custody of the Forest of Selwood to the Hungerford family. Many cross references are to bo lound afterward.^ relating to the Stonrtons and Hungerfords. ,[ Hoare's Wilts, Vol. IV. 5 See list of Vicars in Mr. Ellis' Stourton Registers- SIR RALPH STOURTOX, LORD A\D PATROX OF STOURTOX. 35 to be a Eudonis Stourton, if so, he was possibly presented by Sir Ralph Stourton, who is known to have been the Patron thereof. Castle Gary, under which honour the Manor and Advowson of Stourton were at this period held, was the Seat of the Lovel family, and stood in the small but ancient market town of Castle Cary, near the south eastern extremity of the beautiful and fertile County of Somerset, as Sweetman says in his historical gfuide of "Jack White's Gibbet." ii. — Sir Ralph Stourton, a knight of the Holy Sepulchre, who was buried in the North Aisle of Stourton Church, to which had been presented before 1316 and in 1318 a Eudonis supposed to have been a Eudonis Stourton. He (Sir Ralph) is said to have succeeded his grandfather. Sir Michael Stourton, as heir, as he must have survived his father and elder brother, Sir John and Eudonis Stourton. In 19th Edward I., when Hugo Lovel had an extent of his Knight fees and Advowsons of Churches taken, the jurors found that Ralph de Stourton, held Stourton, with the Advowson, by the service of one Knight's fee, of him, as of his Castle of Cary, Co. Somerset, presumably to do suit and homage there from three weeks to three weeks. He married Alice, daughter of Thomas, Lord Berkeley, b}' whom he had two sons : — (a) . — Sir Eudo or Edward Stourton, who is said to have died sine prole in his father's lifetime, and who might have been Eudonis, rector of Stourton, and identical with Eudonis Stourton who laid claim to that Church. (b ) . — 5/;- William Stourton, eldest living son and heir, of ii'hoin later on, and from whom the Barons Stourton descend. Sir Ralph Stourton is said by Edmondson to have had several children by a second wife, Laurencia. Richard de Stourton, who was presented 27 Eebruary, 1295, to the Church of Little Langford, Co. Wilts., in the diocese of Sarum, might very well have been one of those children. The Daungen family were originally ancient Lords and Patrons there, and we find as early as 1255, domino de Aungens, being one of the witnesses with domino Ivone de Stourtone, militdnis, ;ind (/i-;;i/;;o Johanne de Vernoun, to the aforesaid Charter of Sir Ralph Baskerville. From 1324 to 1435 the Daungen family are known to ha\ e presented to Little Langford, and in 1443 Sir John, afterwards ist Lord Stourton, with others, presented hac vice fecjjaf of William Daungens, late Lord of Langford, while in 36 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. 1527, John Barough, Esquire, ex coiiccss' of Sir William, 5th Lord Stourton, and in 1529, Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, respectively presented. To shew the Stourton interest in Little Langford it may be said that in 1456, Sir Reginald Stourton, knight, and in 1502, William, 5th Lord Stourton, respectively presented to //ic Chantry founded in Little Lnngford Church in 1355, by John de Langford, who had endowed it with messuages, meadow, and other land there, and in other places, to the prior of St. John in Wilton, for providing a chaplain to celebrate a Mass daily therein for the health of the souls of the donor, and Agnes, his wife. Stourton-Gatc led from the Common there and Stourton Hall was close to a small wood called Grovely, which was the same wood as Sir John Stourton, ist Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts., held in chief of the Crown*. When Stourton Manor and Advowson were annexed by Henry IIL to the Castle of Cary, Co. Somerset, it would appear from the extent of Hugh Lovel's Knights fees and advowsons of Churches, taken in ig Edward L, that he was evidently the first of his family who held that Manor and Advowson in chief of tlte Crown, which are shewn to be his only holdings at that period in Co. Wilts., but from the entry in Testa de Nevil, shewn previously, it would appear, his brother, Richard Lovel, son and heir of Henry Lovel, and aged 28 years, 47 Henr\' HL, had also held them, as we find Sir Michael Stourton was his tenant, although from Richard Lovel's Inquisition taken after his death, 48th Henry HI , it is apparent he died seised only of the Barony of Castle Cary, which passed to his brother and heir, Hugh Lovel, who was then of full age. The great Baronies created in England, were similar to the Fiefs called Honours in Normandy, to which Baronies many Manors and Advowsons were annexed without the same being always specifically mentioned in the very early records, but which Manors and Advowsons passed all the same, as did in all probability Stourton, in the description of the Barony of Castle Cary. As the Stourton family is mentioned in the jiccount of the Chief and under Lords of Stourton, before the descendants of Sir Ralph Stourton held in chief of tlie Crown, or of the Lords of Castle Cary, it will be as well to shew the holding of the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, while annexed to the latter Barony, before proceeding to carry down the descent of the aforesaid Sir William Stourton, son and eventual heir of Sir Ralph Stourton, who held the same of Hugh Lovel- Sfte gi'aut of Grovely Wood under Jolm, rst Loird Stouirton;- THE CHIEF LORDS OF STOUKTOX, CO. WILTS. 37 The following- tracing- of the Stourton family is broug-ht down from pagfe 19 to Sir William Stourton, whose descent is shewn later on. Sir Michael lie Stourton=Mary, daughter of " Dominus de Stourton." I John, Lord Maiuliiit. Sir Jolin Stourton, knight, of Stuurton, = Gracia, daughter of Tliomas, Co. Wilts. Eldest sou and heir. Pre- deceased his P^atlier. Lord Hungcrford, of Hels bury, Co. Wilts. Sii Ralph Stourton, Knight of the Holy Sepulchre. Lord=.4//a', daughter oi Thomas, ,nnd Patron ot Stourton. Heir of Sir Michael Stourton. I'.iuied in the North Aisle of St. Peter's in Stourton. Lord Ucrkcli-v. Sir William Stourton, eldest living son aud heir, ancestor of the Barons of Stourton, Co. Wdts., and of whom afteiwards. \Vc now shew the chief and undertenants of Stourton Manor and advowson, as narrated on the last page. Richard, Baron Lovel, succeeded his father, Hugh, as son and heir in 1303, while a minor, dying in 1351, having an only son and heir apparent, by Muriel, his wife, daughter and heiress of his guardian, John Soulis, of Old Rokesburgh, viz : — James Lovel, who having died in his father's lifetime in 1342, left an only surviving child and heiress, by his wife, Isabella, daughter of Lord Zouche, viz : — Muriel Lovel, who married Nicholas St. Maur, Lord St. Maur, who served in the wars in France, being summoned to Parliament as a Baron from the 25 to 34 Edward IIL, and who died on Friday next after the Assumption of our Lady, 35 Edward IIL, holding his wife's landed estates in her right and inheritance, as heiress of her parents and grandparents. Nicholas, their son and heir, having died a minor, they were succeeded by : — Their eldest surviving son and heir, Richard St. Maur, knight. Lord St. Maur, who received summons to Parliament as a Baron from 4 Richard II. until 2 Henry IV., and was chief Lord of Stourton Manor, with the advowson of the church there, as of his Manor of Castle Cary, being aged 9 years in 1342, died 15th May, 2 Henry IV., seised of a moiety of the hundred of Mere, in Wilts., having married Ela, daughter and coheir of Sir John St. Loe, knight, she making her will 28th Nov., 1409, directing her body to be buried in the new chapel ot Stavordale Priory next to the grave of her said husband. From Joan, another daughter of Sir John St. Loe, the Stourtons descend, as shewn in an atter- mentiotied pedigree. 38 HISTORY OF THE XOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. Sir Richard St. Maur, Lord St. Maur, their son and heir, was aged 23 years on his father's death, accompanied the Earl of Surrey into Ireland ; served in the w ars of France ; summoned as a Baron to Parliament from the 3 to 8 Henry IV., and died 10 Henry lY., in his mother's lifetime, leaving by Mary, daughter of Thomas Pevyer, of Todington, Beds., and Margaret, his wife, daughter and coheir of Sir Nigel Loring, of Chalgrave, Beds., K.G., who was buried in the Prior\- of Dunstable in 1385-6. Alice St. Maur, his posthumous daughter and heiress, who was born (as appears from the proof of her age in 2 Henry VI.,) in the house of Thomas Cressy, citizen and merchant of London, in St. Lawrence Parish, in Cripplegate A\'ard, London, on 24th July, 10 Henry IV., of whom Sir William Stourton, father of Sir John de Stourton, knight, the first Baron of Stourton, held the Manor and Advowson of Stourton as of her Manor of Castle Gary, although the Crown acted as Patrons of the Church. She married Sir William Le Zouche, 5th Baron Zouche, of Harringworth, who had in 2 Henry VI. livery of his wile's lands, and of whom Sir John Stourton, first Baron of Stourton, held the said Manor and Advowson of Stourton and presented to the Church. The Manor and Advowson of the Church of Stourton, were held in chief of the Crown, by John, Lord Zouche, of Harringworth, who married Dorothy Capel, daughter of Sir William Capel, Lord Ma3-or of London, ancestor of the Earls of Essex. In the ist Henry VII., Lord Zouche was attainted on the 7th November, when both the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, escheated to the Crown, by forfeiture with Castle Car)'. The reversion vested in the Crown imtil the I2th year of Oueen Anne, being held by the service of one knight's fee. This Act of Attainder is set out in the Minutes of Evidence (pages 135 to 139) taken on Lord Stourton's Petition in the Mcwbray and Segrave Baronies. Thus so far the chief Lords of the Manor of Stourton and Advowson of the Church there, have been shewn, and a note or two of their tenants, previous to the Stourtons holding of them will not be out of place, and will certainl)- serve as a future reference to the subject, especially as the Stourton family claim, as co- heirs, the Baron)' of Fitz Payne. The Manor of Stourton, with the appurtenances, is shewn to have been held of Richard Lovel by the service of one knight's fee*, by Robert Fit/- Pa)'ne, Lord Fitz Payne, Governor of Winchester, and Steward of the Household, who as son * Tliis is no doubt the correct reading ol the entry in Teslti de Kcvil relating to Sir Micliael Stourton, " Nich' de Sturton tenz Sturton feudu p' uniq uiil" *^c." THE CNDERTEXAXTS OF STOURTOX, CO. WILTS. 39 of Robert Fitz Payne, alias Pag-ani, succeeded his father in 1280, died 1315'*, and married Isabella, daughter and sole heiress of Sir John Clifford, knight, Lord of Frampton upon Severn, Co. Gloucester. He is written as Rob[ertu]s fil[ius] Pagani, and as Ro[ber]to fil[ius] Pagani, in the Close Rolls for 25 lulward I. and I Edward II., when writs of Summons to Parliament were issued to him. He received the honour of knighthood by bathing and other sacred ceremonies with Prince Edward in 34 Edward I., being summoned to Parliament from the 25 Edward I. to 8 Edward II., 1297 to 1314. Robert, Lord I'itz Payne, son of the foregoing, succeeded to the Manor and Advowson held of the chief Lord of the Crown. As Robert, son of Pagani, or Paghen, he presented to the church of St. Peter in Stourton, in 1328 and 1329, and as Roberto le Fuitz Payn and Roberto Fitz Pa)'n he was summoned to Parliament from the ist to 25th Edward HI., but no sitting as a Lord of Parliament is recorded. He died without issue male of his body in 28th Edward III., 1354, and the Percies, Earls of Northumberland, according to the additional case of Lord Stourton to the Barony of Mowbra)-, appear to have assumed the dignity of Fitz Payne as a territorial dignity, under an entail made by this Robert, Lord Fitz Payne in favour of Sir Robert de Grey, who is found afterwards assuming the surname of Fitz Payne. He was presumably twice married and had by his first wife a son and heir, Robert F'itz Pa_\-ne, (who married Maud Badlesmere and predeceased his father sine prole,) and married (2) Ela. widow of John Mareschal, a great territorial Lord in Co. Norfolk, who died in 10 Edward II., 1316, and had an only daughter and heiress, Isabelle Fitz Pa\-net, who was aged 30 years on her father's death, and married John Chidiocke, who died in 1387, they being great-grandparents of Margaret Chidiocke, who married William, Lord Stourton, second Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts., whose present representative. Lord Mowbray, Segrave, and Stourton, is heir to a moiety of the Barony of Fitz Payne. Maud Badlesmere, second daughter of Bartholomew 13adlesiuere, Baron de Badlesmerej, of Leeds Castle, Kent, called Ic Richc, grantee from the Crown of the Freewarren, &c., in Turville, Bucks., by Margaret, his wife, daughter and co- heiress of Thomas de Clare, grandson of Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester, and 2nd Earl of Hertford, (who claimed presumably Stourton, Co. Wilts., as Sir R. C. Hoarc erroneously gives the date as 1310, the regal year is 9 Edward 11. f I.P.M. 28 Ed. III. Isabella, filia Roberlus, filius Pagani, et uxor' de Johannes Chedioke, &c. I The Badlesmeres were Lords of Stert, Co. Wilts., written variously in ancient records as Stoerte. Steurte, and Sterte, which with the addition of " n " might be thought to be Stourton, but u i.') quite distinct. 40 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. before shewn), married istly Robert, son of Robert Fitz Payne*, and 2ndly Sir John de Vere, knight of Oxford, 7th Earl of Oxford, and 8th hereditary Lord Hio-h Chamberlaint. She was coheiress to her brother, Giles, Lord Badlcsmere, and sometimes written Mauld and Matild. Previous to her first marriag-e there was a marriage Contract dated 2nd May, 9 Edward IL, 13 15, between her father Bartholomew de Badlesmere, and her husband's father, Robert Fitz Payne, whereby her marriage with the latter's son and heir was then agreed to between the parties to take place before the feast of St. James then next following, she being dowered by Robert Fitz Payne with land to the annual value of 200 marks, and Robert Fitz Payn received with her 1200 marks, she to reside with and supported at the cost of her father for one year after her marriage+. Stourton Manor, Co. Wilts., was granted for her endowment, which her second husband held on the day of his death, 24th January, 1360^, in her right as her dowry, by service of one knight's fee, and suit of Court at the Castle of Cary, from three weeks to three weeks, of Nicholas, Lord St. Maur, chief Lord of Stourton, who held by right and inheritance of Muriel, his wife, only surviving child and heiress of James Lovel. John, Earl of Oxford, died before the walls at Rheims, and the heirs of his wife, as shewn in Lord Stourton's additional case to the Baron)- of Mowbray, bore the title of Lord Badlesmere as far back as the extant records proved the title to the Earldom of Oxford, although she was only coheiress of her brother, Giles, Lord Badlesmere, whose wife, Elizabeth, was sister of William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, who died 3rd June, 1397, under whom the heirs of Ivonis Stourton and William Stourton, held land respectively in Nutford and Selton, Co. Dorset. It is already mentioned that the Arms of de Clare, Bryan, Stourton, and Montacute, were among those found in the ruins of Shaftesbury Abbey, of which an account and illustration is given later on. This William Stourton was undoubtedly great-grandson of Sir Ralph Stourton, Lord and Patron of Stourton, and, in 1409 and 1412 respectively, he (William) was, as farmer of the Manor of Silton during the minority of his ward, William Bydyk, cousin and heir of John Bydyk, late Lord of Silton, patron to the rectory there. We know his grandfather, Sir William Stourton, with whom we shall presently deal, was actually seated at Stourton in March, 15 Edward IIL, when, on the 4th of that month and year, he appeared as the first named parishioner, at Malmes- * Esc. 40 Ed. III., No. 38, Sir R. C. Hoare erroneously s:\yii fi/lh husband. I Beltz's Memorials of the Order of the Garter ; Tiirville, I5ncks., ( Aldred) ; Add. Case of Alfred Joseph, 20tli Lord Stourton in Barony of Mowbraj-. I Charter 45 F.XI.-B.M. Game's History of Suffolk, Thin!;i)o Hundred, page C, and the Retrospective Review, 2nd Series, Vol. H., page 143. It is evident Mr. Gage was correct when he said the date was g Ed. II., 1315, and not g Ed. I. 1281, as quoted by the Retrospective Review. j Esc. 34 Edward III., and Hist, of TurviUe (Aldred), Sir R. C. Hoarc erroneously sives the date as 1310. THE UNDERTENANTS OF STOURTOX, CO. WILTS. 4' bun', before the vendors and assessors assigned to take presentments on oath of the siibsid)- of the ninth of garbs, fleeces and lambs of the Lord King in Co. Wilts., who were sitting there for that purpose, and, intcralia, to take presentment on oath in regard to Stourton. It is clear that Isabella and Ela were widows respectively of Robert, Lord Fitz Pa\'ne, father and son, so that Robert Fitz Payne, first husband of Maud Badlesmere, whom no one appears to have noticed as the third of the same name, was not identical with either of their husbands. It is possible he was son of Robert Fitz Payne, the ) ounger, and predeceased his father, leaving Isabella, his half-sister, only surviving issue of his father. Maud, Countess of Oxford, died 24th May, 1366*. Maud is a contraction of Mathildis, but some etymologists consider it as a mere corruption of Maudlyn or Magdelen. It is observed that both Robert and Ela, Lord and Lady Fitz Payne, and Sir Robert de Grey, alios Fitz Payne, had each a daughter and coheiress, Isabella, but it is correct to say there is no confusion in their identity. The extent of the Manor of Stourton, with the Advowson of the Church of St. Peter there, was held of Sir Richard, Lord St. Maur, son and heir of Nicholas, Lord St. Maur, and Muriel, his wife, as of his Manor of Castle Cary, Co. Somerset, by what services the jurors knew not, by the above Sir Robert de Grey, who had assumed the surname of Fitz Payne, when he died on the 21st May, 16 Richard II., 1393, and that Isabella, his daughter, wife of Richard de Poinings, was his heiress. She was senior coheiress to the Barony of Bryan, as also heiress of her mother, Elizabeth, only child by the first marriage of Sir Guy, Lord Bryan, of Tor Br)-an, in Co. De\ont. He, as Robert Fitz Payn, chivalier, granted in the 40th Edward III., unto Guy de Bryan, and others, interalia, " le Manoir de Stourtone, en le Counte de Wiltes.," with the appur- tenances, and the advowson of the Church, to hold of the chief Lords of the fee by the services, due and accustomed, one of the witnesses being John de Stourtone. Sir Robert de Grey is often written as Lord Fitz Pa^ ne and Bryan, and the Perc ies, Earls of Northumberland, not only assumed the dignity of Fitz Payne as before stated, but also those of Po\-nings and Brx an by descent as clearly notedj in the additional case of Lord Stourton to the Barony of Mowbray, in which it is shewn that the Earl of Northumberland was the heir general of Guy, Lord Br\ an. * Esc. 40 Edward III., No. 3S. her cluistian name is given as Matilda. Her name being Mauld, the first downstroke of tlie u was treated as t, hence iJatilda. t Beltz's Memorials of the Order of the Garter. ; Close Roll, 4th Henr_v VII., No. S. 42 HISTOKN' OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. loliii Stourton, witness to the above charter of Robert Fitz Payne in reg^ard to the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, was without doubt identical with John Stourton, son and heir of Sir William Stourton, son of Sir Ralph Stourton, for we find him appointed ist March, 137S, one of the Commissioners to enquire into complaint of Sir Guy Bryan, kni^afht, respecting a loan of ;^20,ooo to Stephen \\'\ dcslade. Lord of Frome and Valeyse Manors. Sir Robert de Grey, Lord Fitz Payne, and Flizabeth, his wife, had remainder under Settlement, of 17 Fdward IL, to them and their joint heirs, in default — 'u'liich event Iiappcjicd — of lawful male issue of the bodies of the settlors, Robert, Lord Fitz Payne (son of Robert, Lord Fitz Payne) and Ela*, his wife, in most of their estates, to which Sir Robert de Grey was found heir by devise, in 30 Kdward III., 1356, in right of his said wife, Elizabeth, by grant to the said Ela, wife of Robert, Lord Fitz Payne, whereupon Sir Robert de Grey assumed the surname of Fitz Pavne in lieu of de Grey. He died on the 27th May, i6th Richard II., holding on that day the Manor of Stoiu'ton, with the Advowson of the Church there. The said Isabella Poinings had livery of her father's lands in 17 Richard II. and died iith April the same year, holding only one Manor in Wiltshire, viz : — the Manor of Stourton, with the advowson of the Church there, of the Manor of C;!sllc Car\-, leaving by her said husband, Richard, Lord Poinings, (who was aged 17 vears, 49 Edward III., made proof of his age and had livery of his lands, 4 Richard II. , will dated 10 June, proved 26th Sept., 1387, bequeathing his body 10 be buried in Poinings Church), a son and heir, Robert Poining-s, aged 14, whose wardship was granted, in 12 Richard 1 1., to Richard, Earl of Arundell and who died 2nd October, 25 Henry VI., when the Manor and Advowson of Stourton did not pass under his Inquisition, as it is found to have been held in the meantime by Sir William Stourton, in i Henry V. Thus Sir William Stourton must have acquired the Manor and Advowson of Stourton between 17 Richard II. and i Henry V. during the lifetime of Robert Poinings, but he never presented to the Church, which the Crown did in 1396, 1398, 1403, and 1407, partly during the minority of the above son and heir of Isabella, Ladv Poinings, as if the Crown was in possession for the infant. He * Slic 15 tliouglil, froni a iiiiimisciipt in the Kiitisli Miisenni, to have been sister ti) EHzabcth, wife of Sir Reheit de Gicy alteiuards hilz I'ayne, lint Mr. George Frederick Beltz, K.H., the Lancaster Herald, dues nut i.;ive her as one u! the ciiiithen ui Guy. Lord Brv an. PEDIGREE OF FITZ PAYNE, LORDS OF STOURTON. 43 was a freeholder in Stourton as he is found dyinq' seised of certain Messuai^'es, lands and tenements there, apart from the Manorial estate in Stoiu'lon, held by him of the Lady of Castle Cary. It will have been observed that while Stourton Manor and Advowson were held of the Honour of Castle Cary, Co. Somerset, that the Stourton Family, who presumably held the other portion of Stourton Parish of the Crown in Chief, subsequently held also the former premises of the Chief Lords, and to whom, by their alliance with the Chidiocks above mentioned, the Stourtons became related. The following pedigree clearly indicates such relationship, and is important as shewing their claim to the ancient Barony of Fitz Payne, the first Writ of Sum- mons to Parliament to a member of which family now extant, was addressed 25 Edward L, 1297, to Robert Fitz Payne, but whether the same was acted on by a sitting as a Lord of Parliament is not known, as no sitting is recorded. Payne Fitz John, brother of Eustace Fitz John, ancestor of the Harons Vesci. T Robert Fitz Payne, Slicrill of Counties Dorset and Somerset, temp Henry II. Ro^cr Fitz Payne, died i^.jy. Robert Fitz Payne, s >n and heir. Took part against Henry III. at the 15attle of Lewes. Died 9 Edwardl., i^St. J Robert Fitz Payne, Lord of Stonrton, Co. Wilts., as tenant^ ot the Cliiet Lords. Received the Honour of knighthood I by bathiiig and other ceremonies with Prince Edward | J4 Edward I., and was suinnioned to Parliament from 25 i Edward I. to S Edward II., 1297 1314- Governor of | Winchester Castle, and Steward of Edward II's Ilonsc- ) liold. Died g Edward II., 1315. | Isabella, dan and sole heiress of Sir John Clit^ord, knight, of Frampton, Co. Glo'ster. She and husband seized jointly oi Manor of Stourton, Co. Wilts., 9 Edward II., 1315. She presented to the Church of Stoiu'tou in iji6 and 1318. koUrt Fitz Payne, son of Robert Viiz Payne, who granted to Maud Hadlesniero, as her dowry the Manor of Stourton, which jiihn de Vere held in her right tlic day lie died as before shewn. Wa? dead before 1354. -Robert Fitz Payne, son, heir and- successor to Stourton, Co. Wilts,, Had Writs of Summons as Roljerto le Euitz Payn, and Roberto Fitz Payn, to Parliament from the i to 25 Edward III., 1327 to 1351, but no sitting as a Lord of Parlia- ment is recorded. He presented to the Church of Stourton in and 1329. Died 28 Edward III., 1354. sine male prule. Sir John Chuiuick, of Westbury, Wilts. liy thi.s marriage the Chid- iocks became allied to the under- tenants in Stourton, and acipiaiutcd with the Sunutoii famiiv. -Ela, widow of Joliu Mare.sclial, a great territorial Lord in Cu, Norfolk, who died in 10 Edward II,, 1316. -Isabel Fiiz Paync^ only daughter and heiress. See entries under Chief and UndertenatUs of Manor and Advow.son of Stourton, Co. Wilts 44 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. 5;;' John Chidiock, inherited one - fourth of Westbnry. Co. Wilts. He had other large K^^tales in several Counties. He died iS Richard il. Sir John Chidiock, son, heir, and- sticcessor to his father's Landed Possessions, inclndiuji the Westbnry Property. He died circa 13 Henry V. By this alhance the Chidiocks broui^ht to the Stonrtons the coheir- | ship of the Barony, if any, of Fitz Warin. -Joan daughter and coheiress of Sir John St. Loe (who died 1374}, hy Ahce, his wife, daughter uf Sir John Pavely, Piior of St. John of Jerusalem, who died in i3'->i. Hy this marriage the Cliidiocks became aUicd to the Chief Lords of Stourton. -Eleanor, daughter and heiress of Sir Ivo Fitz Warin (who died Htii September, 1414, and was buried in Wantage Church, wliere he was represented by a Brass figure in the North Aisle and an Inscription to his memory), by Maud, his wife, daughter and cohen- of Sir John d'Argentine. Sir John Chidiock, who inherited^Catherine, daughter of Sir Ralph one-fourth of Westbnry, Co. Wilts., Lundey. See entries of her and lius- besides other large Estates in , band under William, second iUron Counties Wilts., Dorset, &c. Stourton, of Stourtou, Co. Wilts. Margaret Chidiocl{,= William, 2nd Lord daughter and heiress, as shewn in the History of the Noble House of Stourton. She re- married Sir John Cheyne who pre- sented to Stoui'ton in 1489. His fam- ily is shewn in the Account of West- bury Manor. Stourton, Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts. ■Humphrey, sine prole. Sir William Stafford- First husband,, whose sister, Alice ' Stafford married Sir Edward Cheyne, I Lord of Westbnry ' Cheyne in West- bury. I Earl of Devon, died ■Katheriuc Chidiock daughter and co- heiress, as shewn in the History of the Noble Honse of Stourton. I From -u'hom dcsccndcii the Barons Stourton, now represented by the 2-|tli Bai-on Mowbray, 25th Baron Segrave, and 21st Baron Stourton. I The Prcsdnt Co- heirs of the Bar- sny 0/ Fiiz Payne. ■Sir Joint Arundtl, second husliand, as shewn in tlie His- tory of the Noble House ot Stourton. Now represented by Barons Arun- del! of Wardour, and Clifford, of Chudleigh. Formerly there were undoubtedly many monuments in the Church of St. Peter there, to the memory of the early members of the Stourton Family. The earliest one now extant is to the memory of Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, and Agnes, his wife, nee Fauntleroy, as evidenced by the joint arms of husband and wife being- placed thereon. But the earlier escutcheons in stone, as well as the memorials and their arms in the windows, have all gone. The Magna Brittania of 1 731, says in reference to this Lord Stourton's burial in the North Aisle, that he was buried " in a chapel of which some other of his descendants were buried." From the wills and other records it is clear there must have been man)- early burials of the family in the Church, and Sir Ralph Stourton, a knight of the Holy Sepulchre, was buried in the North Aisle of St. Peter's Church in Stourton, as presumably was Eudonis Stourton, who had been presented to Stourton, but when BURIALS OF THE STOURTON FAMILY AT STOURTON. 45 these early memorials of the family disappeared is not known for certain, however the Church was enlarged and beautified during the lifetime of the late Lord Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton. The Parliamentary Gazette for England and Wales, published in 1S43, describes the church as a small neat edifice in tlic pointed style of the 14th Century, having a square embattled tower at the West end, supported by angular buttresses, and containing many interesting monu- ments. To this Mr. Britton, writing in 1814, says it is not, however, otherwise remarkable, except as containing some monumental memorials of the Stourton family, mentioning particularly that of Edward, sixth Lord Stourton. We read of the inside of the Church presenting mixed specimens of architecture, which would point to the fact that probably the early edifice had been pulled down, especially as the church before it was enlarged and beautified, as stated above, was, according to Mr. Lewis, in the decorated and later styles of English architecture. Mr. Thomas Moule, writing in 1837, says that in the Chancel of St. Peter's are several Monuments of the Stourton Family. It is clear from the will of Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, that he was buried in the North Aisle of St. Peter's, for he says, "I comende my soule to almightye god my maker, ni)- bodye to the eirthe willinge it to be buryed in the northe yle of my p'ishe churche the place of me before assig-ned." This was undoubtedly the same aisle or a new one on the same spot, where his ancestor, Sir Ralph Stourton, a knight of the Holy Sepulchre, was buried, which evidently pointed to the fact that this was the Stourton Mausoleum. Aubrey says that the north window of the Stourton Church is full of paintings, saints, &c., Stourton, in his Coat of Arms, kneeling, and "Jesu miserere mei, a white friar with a penitential whip, with an angel bearing an escutcheon." In the limb of the east window, he says, was an inscription to Thomasine, wife of William, son of Sir William Stourton, sixth (7th) Baron. Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, left a pecuniary legacy to " my parishe churche " of Stourton, and "Sir Thomas Jurdeyne priste " was one of the two witnesses. It is also clear from the will of his predecessor and brother, William, 5th Lord Stourton, to whom the anonymous writer erroneously ascribed the extant mon- ument, that he was also buried in St. Peter's, but his burial place is called the " noua capella b'te Marie Virginis in eccl'ia sancti Petri de Stourton." Would this point to the fact that this Lord Stourton had restored the Church by rebuilding the North Aisle, or was it an enlargement of the Church by the addition of another chapel, for it is said that in the window of the Soutli Aisle were the arms of Stourton impaling those of Thomasine Wrottesle)', his wife, or three piles sable, a canton ermine, erroneously ascribed by Aubrey to the above William Stourton, whose wife was Thomasine Fitz James. He left to his chaplain 46 HISTORY OF THE N'ODLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. William Ratch'f, and to Chaplain Johanne 20 shilling's each, and the former with " Joh'e S_\'lley, Rector de Stourton," were two of the witnesses to his will. John, 3rd Lord Stoin'ton was also buried in St. Peter's Church, as appears from his will, " in capella cantarie beate Marie infra eccl'iam p'och de meo," which clearly identifies the chapel as the old one belonging' to the Stourton family as a burial place, and undoubtedly rebuilt by William, 5th Lord Stourton. Unfortunately John, 3rd Lord Stourton makes no mention in his will of Francis, 4th Lord Stom ton, whose existence has been recently discovered, but it is presumed this Lord Stourton, as he died in infancy, would also have been buried in tlic Chantry Chapel of the blessed Virg'in Mary in St. Peter"s Church at Stourton, there is however nothing' to prove that this chapel was identical with the north aisle in the same Church. Sir Richard Colt Hoare speaks of the very ancient family of Stourton having- for its badge, a sledge, which (he says) is still visible in the parish Church of Stourton, on painted glass, as well as on a sculptured shield of stone in the Porta! of Little Langford. The Patrons of St. Peter's at Stourton, Co. Wilts., are tolerably well authenticated from the Records and the title to the Manor of Stourton. \ John Chidiocke, son and Maud, daughter and colieire.^s of Sir John d' Argentine. and heiress. Aged 30 years at father's death, and entitled to any right existing in the Peer- age Barony of Fitz Waryne. Died 1434-5, 13 Henry VI. heir of Sir John Chidiocke, by ; Joan, his wife, daughter and ' heiress of Sir John St. Loe. Died circa 13 Henry V. Sir John Chidiock, son and heiv. —Catherine, daughter of Sir Ralph Died 1449-50, 28 Henry VI. | Lumley. Margaret, da.ughtev= \ViUiani,LoTd Stour- and coheiress. ton, second Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts. Sir William Stafford^Katherine, daughterv5/> Joitn Arunde!. First husband. and coheiress. I Humphrey, Earl of Devon, died sine prole. of Lanherne, 2ik1 husband. From imhom descended the Barons Stourton, now represented by the 24th Baron Mowbray, 25th Baron Segrave, and 21st Baron Stourton. I The Present Co- heirs of the Ba r- ony of Fitz Waryne. If any Peerage Bar- ony exists. Now represented by Barons Arun- dell of VVardour, and Clifford, of Cliudleigh. It is thus conclusively proved that all the time the Manor and Advowson of Stourton was annexed to the Castle of Gary, Co. Somerset, the Stourton Family remained on the soil of the parish, and were recognised as an influential family there. Being- connected with the chief Families of surrounding parishes, and taking part in the business of the parish. They appear to have lost no prestige there, excepting that after Sir Ralph Stourton's death, the Manor and Advowson were not held by them until Sir William Stourton, great-grandson of Sir Ralph Stourton, acquired them after the death of Isabella, Lady Poinings. THE FAMILY DESCENT FROM SIR RALPH STOURTON. 53 To proceed with the descent of the Stourton family, from the stop which was made on page 37, with Sir Ralph Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., knig-ht of the Holy Sepulchre, who was buried in the North Aisle of St. Peter's in Stourton, and who had succeeded his grandfather. Sir Michael Stourton, as next heir in right of his own father, Sir John Stourton, and his elder brother, Eudo Stourton, by survivorship, in the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, Co. Wilts., holden by the service of one knight's fee, presumably to perform suit of court to the chief Lord at his Castle of Cary, from three weeks to three weeks. By his (first) wife Alice*, daughter of Thomas, Lord Berkeley, he had an eldest son : — Sir Eudo, or Edward Stourton, knight, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., who was presumed to have been identical with Eudonis, rector of Stourton, and said to have been identical with Eudonis Stourton who laid claim to St. Peter's Church there, died sine prole in his father's lifetime, on whose death. Sir Ralph was succeeded by his eldest surviving son and heir : — Sir William Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., knight, who is found wit- nessing the foundation charter of John de Mere in 1325, as " Will'o de Startone." The Chantry Chapel founded in honour of the annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary in the parish church of St. Michael's at Mere, is spoken of afterwards as the burial place of certain members of the Stourton family, and is shewn to have been identical with the Berkeley Chantry in the same Churcht. It was so called after the Berkeley family, a member thereof having intermarried with the above Sir Ralph Stourton. As the Chantry Chapel is of some personal interest to the present subject the Charter, which was dated at Mere, 19 Edward IL, 1325, is set out in extenso, for it shews the property in Mere and Seals, which John de Mere gave and granted, and by his said Charter confirmed to God and the blessed "Virgin Mary in perpetuity in founding his Chantry Chapel to the honour of the blessed Virgin Mary, on the north side of the Parish Church of St. Michael's in Mere, to pray for the soul of Lady Margaret, then late Queen of England, his own soul, the souls of Alianor, his wife, his father and mother, their heirs and ancestors and all faithful deceased. In 16 Richard IL, William Wymond, had gift and assignment of lands in Stourton and Mere, in perpetuity to him, and his successors for augmenting support of himself and successors in same Chantryj. From original Manuscripts before us it is clearly shewn that the Meares of Widbourne, in the parish of Corsley, Co. Wilts., were descended in a direct line from the Great Van Meares of Middleburg at Zealand, of the seven Provinces * .-^11 authorities appear to confirm this marriage, but Edmondson alleged a second \sifu, Laurencia. f Founded by his mother's Family. J Patent i6 Richard II., part I., M. 25. 54 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. in Holland, who in 1290 — the 13th Februar)' — was at the head of the Great Tribunal of Zealand, as evidenced from the Great Charter Book in the Great Senate House in Middleburg-, the said Seigneur Meares' authority decided the then late dispute between the Emperor and the seven united Provinces, that the River Schalest was the whole property of the Dutch, on both shores, to which the Emperor had no right. The name changed from Le Mare to Delemare and eventually to Le Meares. But the Meres mentioned in the following charter were of Nunney Castle, Co. Somerset, and from them the name of Fisherton-de- la-Mere is derived from the fact of their being-, temp, i Richard H., Lords of that Manor, the church of which was appropriated by them to the Priory or Hospital of Maiden Bradley, Sir John Mere's father having married Margaret, daughter of Thomas Mompesson, of that parish, a very ancient family there. There was a connection by marriage between the family of Stourton and that of Delemare, and again with the Hungerfords. As is seen on page 34, Sir John Stourton, knight, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., grandfather of this Sir William Stourton, married Grace, daughter of Sir Thomas Hungerford, of Helsbury (Heytesbury), by Jane, his wife, daughter and heiress of Sir Edmonde [Edward according to the official Record at the Heralds' College] Hussey, while Sir John de la Mere, whose charter is now set out, married Margaret, daughter and coheiress of Edmund Hussey. Ordinacio Cantarie ad instanciam Johannis de Mere. Sciant presentes et futuri quod ego Johannes de Mere dedi et concessi, et hac present! carta mea confirmavi, Deo et Beate Marie ac Domino Johanni de Mere capellano, dum singulis diebus in Ecclesia parochiana Sancti Michaelis de Mere ad altare in honore Annunciationis Beate Marie in eadem Ecclesia noviter erectum pro nnima DomincB Margairta, quondam Reginac Aiiglue, et anima mea, et anlmabus patnim et matrum, harcdum et antcccssoriim nostroriim, et omnium- fidclium dcfunctorum cclebratur, unum messuagium, 30 acr' terrse, sex acr' prati, et 30 solidis redd', cum pertinenciis in Mera et Seles, habendum et tenendum in perpetuum. Hoc obser- vato, quod ad ipsam cantariam Capellanus ydoneus Domino Decano Sar,&c., prima vice, et extunc quotiens eam vacare contigeret per me Johannem de Mere supradicte, et Alianoram, uxorem meam dum vixerimus, et post mortem nostram vel alterius nostrorum diutius viventis, Rogerus de Butesthorne, et Margareta, uxor' ejus, et heredes ipsius Rogreri in predictam Margniretam legitime procreati, &c., quotiens vacaverit cantaria predicta, infra mensem unum a tempore notitis vacationis ejusdem ad eandem cantariam Domino Decano, &c., Sar' presentabit, prefatusque Capellanus debet per diet' Decan', &c., ad diet' Cantar' admitti, SIR WILLIAM STOURTOK, SON OF SIR RALPH STOURTOK. 55 &c. Ttstihus, Rob" to de Bor, Mattheo Gwayn, Rad'o le Gras, Joh'e fil" Alani de Langford, WiWo de Sturtonc^ Joh'e de Winterborne, Joh'e de Sandhulle, Joh'e Hodel, Petro de Barton, Joh'e de Pymperlegh, Rogero de la Leghe, Nich'o de Horsyngtone, Nich' Cleymond, Hen' de Horsyngtone, Galfrido le F'rench, Waltero de Sharuntune, Stephano le Criour, Joh'e Hodel jun', ct aliis. DaV apiid Mere predict' die Lunoe in crastino Sancti Michaelis Archangeli anno Domini 1325, anno vero Regis Edwardi filii Regis Edwardi decimo nono'^. This Chantry was afterwards called Berkeley as previously stated and was a burial place of the Stourtons. It eventually vested in Sir John Th}'nne and Thomas Chaf\-n, of whom we read a great deal in subsequent pages. The Lady Margaret, late Queen of England, mentioned in the Charter of John de Mere, was the second Consort of Edward I., from whom some of the Barons Stourton, of Stourton, Co, Wilts, descended, as evidenced from the following tracing :- Edu'ard I. Kijigof England, Lord of- Ireland and Duke of Aquitaiiie, was born at Westminster, 17th June, 1239, Crowned igth August, 1274, died at Bnrgh on the Sands, 7th July, and buried in Westmin- ster Abbey. -Lady Murgavet^ daughter of Philip IIL, surnamed the Hardy, King of France. Married 8th Sept., 1299, died 14th Feb., 1317. and buried at Grey Friars', London. Called Domince Margaretcc, quondam Regince Anglicc in John Mere's foundation Charter. Thomas of Brotherton. Created Earl of Norfo]k=v4/ice, daughter by his half-brother, Edward II., on the resig- nation made by Roger Higod of that Earldom, to hold to him and his heirs. Became the ist Earl Marshal of England. Born at Brotherton, Co. York, and died 12 Edward III., 1338. of Sir Roger Halys, knight of Harwich. Margaret, dau. of John. Lord Wake, and sis- ter and heiress of Thomas, Lord Wake. Edmttfid of IVoodstork, created Earl of Kent by his half-brother, Ed- ward II. Beheaded at Winchester in 1329 and his estates confiscated. John, Lord Segrave, son and heir of= Stephen de Segrave, son and heir of Jolm. Lord Segrave, Summon- ed to Parliament from lo to 25 Edward IH., and present in Par- liament 13 Edward IIL In his Charters to Religious Houses he styled himself Doniinus de Segrave, and le Seigneur de Segrave. Died 27 Edward IIL, 1353. a -Margaret Plantagand, only surviv- ing child and heiress, and Countess of Norfolk in her own right. Created Duchess of Norfolk for life on 29th Sept., 21 Richard II., 1397, being the first lady on whom the dignity of the peerage was con- ferred in England. She died 23 Richard II., 1399!. I Joan Plantaganet. The Fair Maid of Kent. Married William Monta- cute, second Earl of Salisbury, K.G., one of the Founders of that Order, and under ichom the Jicirs of Ivo Stourton, and W'iliiam Stourton, (grandson of the Sir William Stourton now being dealt with.) held lands on the day this Earl died, 3rd June, 1397. This marriage was declared null and void, 13th Nov., 1349. Registrum Mortival. Lady Margaret then late Queen of England was the second consort of Edward I., whom she married 8th Sept., 1299, she bemg daughter of Philip IIL, surnamed the Hardy, of France, and died 14th Feb., 1317, being buried at Grey Friars', London. From this marriage descended the Noble House of Mowbray, as well as that of Segrave. by the intermarriage of Queen Margaret's granddaughter with John, Lord Segrave, which dignities are now borne by Lord Mowbrav. Segrave and Stourton, of Allerton Park, Co. York. Joan Plantagenet. the Eair Maid nf Kent, grand- daughter of this Queen Margaret, consort of Edward L, married William Montaciite, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, under whom the heirs of Ivo Stourton and William Stourton held land, but the marriage was decreed null and void. r3th Nov., 1349. ] She remarried to Sir Walter Manny, Lord de Manny, who died in London, 13th Jan.. 1371-2, buried in the Charterhouse, made his will 30th Nov. 1371, and proved [Wittlesey 121 b] 13th April, 1372. 56 HISTOR\' OF THE N'OBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOiV. Elizabeth, Lady Se^ravc, only daugh- ter an J heiress. Her husband had in her ri^ht hvery of her father's lands when she came of age in 27 Edward HI., and she died soon afterwards. -John, Lord Mowbray. Had livery of his father's lands 35 Edward in., and on his marriage the dig- nity and estates of Segrave vested in him. Summoned to Parliament from 36 to 39 Edward HI., wliere he sat in 38 and 40 Edward III. Slain near Constantinople on liis way to the Holy Land, 42 Edward III., 13^8. Now represented by Lord Mow- bray, Segrave and Stourton, of AUerton Park, Co. York. It is clearl)- proved the Stourtons were seated at Stourton, Co. Wilts., and the Itiquisitions A'owrtnn/j for the 4th March, 15 Edward III., contain an entry conccrnintr Stourton Parish, in which this Sir William Stourton, as Willi[elm]us de Sturtone is shewn to have been the first named parishioner, who attended at Malmesbury, before the vendors and assessors assigned to take presentments on oath of the subsid)' of the ninth of garbs, fleeces and lambs of the Lord Kino- in Co. Wilts., then sitting- there to take the presentment on oath from the parish- ioners of Stourton in regard to that parish, and from the entry there cannot be the slightest doubt that he was then considered to be the chief inhabitant of Stourton, where some of his ancestors had for certainty held the Manor and Advowson under the Chief Lords of the fee of Castle Cary, for his name heads those ot the other parishioners — the entry is : — Sturton — Comitatu Wiltes. — Willielmus de Sturtone, Reginaldus Artur, Joseline'l atte Schaghe, et Robertus atte Combe, parochiani Ecclesie de Sturtone juratores coram domino Roberto Selyman et sociis suis venditoribz et assessoribz none garbaz vellez et agnoz domino regine in comitatu Wiltes., concessor' apud Malmysburi quarto die Marcij anno regni regis Edwardi tercij post conquestum xv° dicunt per sacramentum scu' quod nona garbaz vellez et agnoz parochia de Sturtone predicte, valent Cvj Solid', vLij den', et sic minq taxa dicte ecclesie que taxata est ad x'.! eo quod dicta ecclesia dotata est de sexaginta acrse terre arabil' que valent p' annu' Ix solid' et de xiijs, iiijd de annuo reddit', et de vij acr' prati que valent p' annu' xiij sol' et iiij den'. Et de pastur' ceperabili et mora que valent p' annu' viij solid'. It'm decim' feni dicte parochiane valent x sol', decim' casei lacti lini canabi aucaz vituloz porcell' valent xx solid', et dec' triu' molen- dinoz valent xij sol', oblatones et obventoes valent xiij solid', et iiij venar'. Et sciend' est quod fere quarta p's dicte parochiane de Sturton est in Coinatatu Somcrsctsiae in episcopafu Bat/ion' el U'cl/ens' cujq taxa estimat' est ad xxvi sol' et viijd et que juxta discrecionem et auxiliu' venditoz pred'cor none levand' est. In cujus rci AKMS S lX)l ■ k ION iiiijialiiig llK.^L' of .MAi;i)l"l'r, iKLiiK-ly l:-!,/r 1688 prdiiirfrl ■" IJu.LrU'rly di- ami ,i;ults. " Sir MicilAKi, S iiii'k"l(JN ni,ii i-ir(l ^[ARV, dilUglUL'f ur juliii. r,iiid M.unluiL — .Sv/f 'I'huni.is, [,ord I kingcrfurd, -.SVr 34. j ARMS ui- STOrk'COX inipnling thosL- of liKRKJaj'A', namely - " Gulu.s, a cIk'x run belw een ten crubses ])atL'L' argent, :bi\ in chief and four in basL"." I Sir Rai.imi S'r(.)UKT()N niarrii'd Ai.irE, daughter of Thomas, Lord Berkeley. - -.S'(V /'",;''■ 35- i ARMS (!]■ S'rGL'RIX)N ini|.a]ing thohe of \'l'-kXOX, namely "Argent, fretty snbic " (rvVc 1688 pedigree). [Sir W'llJJAM St< a'RTriN rnai i ied JiiAN, dLius;liter of Sir Kielianl X'einon. - 57-1 SIK WILLIAM STOURTON, KNIGHT, AND HIS CHILDREN. 57 testimonium huic indentiir' predicti parochiani sig-iH' sua apposueru't &c." This William Stourton was possibly identical with William de Sturton, who, jointl)- with Thomas de Harpenden, was nominated by letters Patent, ist July, 1309, as an attorney for two years for Richard de Ludegarshale, the young-er, on the latter going on pilgrimage to the Holy land*. As William de Sturtone, he witnessed a deed, dated at New Sarum, on Friday after the Feast of Saint Michael, the 29th September, 17 Edward III., 1343, relating to property in Fenny Sutton and Newenham, Wiltst. He was buried in the north aisle of Bruton Church, Co. Somerset, of which his son, Robert de Stourton, was Canon and Prior, a priory for Black Canons erected in the reign of Stephen, by William de Mohun, or Moigne, upon the ruins of an Abbey, founded in 1005, by Algar, Earl of Cornwall, for Monks of the Benedictine Order, and which adjoined the forest of Selwood. He had married Jane or Joan, daughter of Sir Richard Vernon, or le Vernoun, Lord of the Manor of Horningsham, Co. Wilts., which Manor his son, Roger de Stourton, purchased of Richard, son of Richard le Vernoun, and in which Roger de Stourton resigned all his claim therein to Thomas Hungerford, 2 Richard ll^. It is said by Edmondson that by his said wife he had twenty one sons, but although many Stourtons appear at this period, none can be identified with any certainty as his children, excepting : — i. — Sir John Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., of whom afterwards. ii. — Robert Stourton, who is said by Edmondson to have been his second son. He was Canon and Prior of the Priory of Bruton, in Somersetshire, in the Church of which his father is said to have been buried as before shewn. His brother, Roger Stourton, Custodian of Selwood Forest, had purchased of Richard le Vernoun (presumably uncle on the mother's side of Sir John, Robert, and Roger Stourton,) called son of Richard le Vernoun, presumably his mother's father, their Manor of Horningsham, in Co. Wilts., which Roger Stourton passed to Sir Thomas Hungerford, of He)-tesbury, who purchased the Custody of Selwood Poorest of him. It is seen that Bruton Priory was close to Selwood Forest, which Roger Stourton, as evidenced b)- his charters, was forester of, and in one of Patent, 4 Edward IL, part 2, mem. 4. f Add. Charter 17410. J These Hungerfords were of the same family and of the Heytesbury stock, as Grace Hnngeiford, Sir William Stoiirton's paternal srandmothe'r. This Roger Stourton was undoubtedly one of his sous and identical with Roger Stourton, who had the custody of Selwood Forest in chief of the Crown, w hich he and his son, John Stonrton, sold to the same Sir Thomas Hungerford who purchased Horningsham Manor. Roger Stourton, Lord of Horningsham, must not be confused with Roger Stonrton of Preston, because both their w ives happened to be named .-Mice, for one was a generation before the other. gg HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. these charters, that of John Gary, brother and heir of Thomas Car)-, who confirmed his father's charter after the death of his brother, of the custody of the king's forest of Sehvood, to Roger Stourton, Alice, his wife, and John Stourton, their son, two of the witnesses were " Thnma de Hiingerfoni" and "Rob' to dc Stourton." It is probable the latter was identical with this Robert Stourton, the "Canon and Prior of Bruton. lii.— Roger Stourton, Lord of Horningsham, Co. Wilts., witnessed some of the deeds, in the 38 Edward III. and 5 Richard II., relating to lands and tenements in Heytesbury, and in the 11 Richard II., he, and others, had grant of one burgage in Heytesbury, of John Frankelegh and Matilda, his wife, who had a grant and confirmation in 18 Richard II., of all lands, &c., in Heytesbury of Roger Stourton, and others, which they then held of the gift and feoffment of the said John Frankelengh. In 2 Richard H., Rogerus de Stourton resigned to Thomas Hungerford all his claim of the Manor of Horningsham, where later it is shewn another branch of this family lived, which he had purchased of Richard, son of Richard le Vernoun, who was probably his maternal grandfather. In 5 Richard II., Rogerus Stourton and Johannes Bernard, are mentioned as the attornies then appointed by Elizabeth le Despencer, when she sold her Manor of Heytesbury, called West Court, with its hundred, &c., to Radulphus, Bishop of Sarum, Thomas Hungerford and Johanna, his wife, and their heirs. By the accompanying copies of the Letters Patent, Charters and documents relating to Selwood Forest it would seem that King Edward II. had by his Letters Patent granted the custody of the forest of Selwood*, Co. Wilts., to Reginald de Kingeston, for the full term of his life, after whose death King Edward III. had by Letters Patent, on the 8th September, tn the J 6th year of his reign, granted the same premises to Thomas Cary, and his heirs forever. Since the 13 Edward HI. and the date of the first Letters Patent afterwards set out, that King had become King of France, as well as of England, and had ceased to be styled as his royal progenitors had been from the time of Henry HI., his great-grandfather. This clearly proves the first Letters Patent to be those of Edward HI. as they were dated in the i6th year of his reign over England and the 3rd thereof over France. On the 8th July, 46 PZdward HI., that king by his Letters Patent granted and licensed the same premises with the appurtenances to Roger de « If all this evidence is followed closely it will be seen that no doubt remains that RoRCr Stourton, Lord of Horningsham, was identical with Roger Stourton, who held property in trust in Hej-tesbiiry and witnessed deeds there, for Sir Thomas Hungerford, of Heytesbury, purchased botll the Manor of Horningsham and the custody of Selwood Forest, of Roger Stourton. The Hungerfords were his cousius. ROGER STOURTON, LORD OF HDRTv'IXGSHAM, CO. WILTS 59 Stourton, and John de Stourton, his son, and the heirs of Rog-er de Stourton, to hold of John, son and heir of Thomas Cary, who had held in chief of the Crown under the Letters Patent of i6 Edward III. In the same year Roger de Stourton had license in consideration of lo '- by him then paid to have the custody of the forest of Selwood, with the appurtenances, Co. Wilts., to hold for his whole life of John Cary, called son and heir of Thomas Cary, who was chief tenant to the Crown of the same premises*. John Cary, called brother and heir of Thomas Cary, by his charter confirmed to Roger de Stourton, Alice, his wife, and John Stourton, their son, the custody of the king's forest of Selwood, Co. Wilts., with all the appurtenances, to have and to hold the same to them and the heirs of Roger Stourton, as Reginald de Kyngeston, and Thomas Cary, father of this John Cary, had respectively held of the gift of the Crown. The fact of John Cary being called " brother and heir" looks as if Thomas Cary was son and heir of that Thomas Cary, who had held of the Crown after the death of Reginald de Kyngeston, who had held in chief for hi-s life. That when Thomas Cary, the son, died presumably young and sine prole, John Cary, was his brother and heir, although the Letters Patent of 8th July, 46 Edward III., makes it appear that John Cary was son and heir of Thomas Cary, senior, who had held, to him and his heirs, in chief of the Crown. To this Charter Roberto de Stourton, was a witness with Thoma de Hungerford and Nicho' de Bonham, who was probably the Nicholas de Bonham, whom we find on page 23, holding a moiety of Bonham Manor in Stourton, which Manor was held in 13 Edward IV., by Thomas Bonham, and in 17th year of the same reign by Walter Bonham, his heir, both of Lord Ferrers, as of his Manor of Norton, &c., which Manor of Bonham passed 17 Edward IV. to William Bonham, heir of Walter Bonham. We now see that Roger Stourton became chief tenant of the Crown, and he, and his son, John Stourton, by their charter dated at Heytesbury, the 12th November, 3 Richard II., 1379, granted the premises to hold of the Crown in chief unto Sir Thomas Hungerford, knight, and his heirs male, with remainder to his heirs in fee, and that Roger Stourton, and John, his son, had themselves held the custody, bailiwick, and stewardship of Selwood Forest, of the Crown in Chief. Here we have John de la Mare, Sir John de Kingeston, knight, and Nicholas de Bonham, among the witnesses. On the 3rd February, 1380, Sir Thomas Hungerford, the elder, had pardon, on paying one mark into the Hanaper, for the trespasses committed in the acquisition by him in tail male, with remainder 10 his heirs in fee, of the custody of the forest of Selwood, Co. Wilts., from Roger * Abb. Rot. Orig., 46 Eduard IIL, Rot. 37. 6o HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOUKTON. de Stourton, and John, his son, tenants in chief, and in his entry thereon without Hcense from the Crown, and at the same time he had license to hold the same premises as acquired by the charter of Roger Stourton, and John Stourton, his son, above shewn, which Richard II. on the same day and year of his reign, by Letters Patent, confirmed to Sir Thomas Hungerford, to hold in chief of the Crown as acquired, without license, from Roger Stourton and Jolin Stourton, his son, as shewn in their charter of 12th November previously. This vested the entire premises to hold in chief of the Crown, in Sir Thomas Hungerford in trust for him, successively in his heirs male, and for default in his heirs in fee, and Roger Stourton witnessed, with Thomas Bonham, the charter of Sir Thomas Hungerford, dated at Heytesbury, 19 Richard II., regarding the same premises, shewing he was living in 1395. It seems clear that Roger Stourton, having had a son and heir, presumably of full age in 46 Edward III., 1371, one can only reasonably suppose he was himself then at least 45 years of age, and seeing he was alive in 1395, he would then have been nearl}' 70 years old, so that he could not have been living temp. Henry VI., when another Roger Stourton was alive. Edwardus Dei gratia, Rex Anglie et Francie et Dominus Hibcrnie. Omnibus ad quos presentes litere pervenerint salutem. Sciatis, quod cum Dominus Edwardus nuper Rex Anglie pater n'r per literas suas patentcs concessessit Rcginaklo dc Kingeston, custodiam Foreste de Selewode, in Comitatu Wiltes., habendam ad totam vitam ipsius Reginaldi sub certa forma in dictis literis con- tenta p'ut in eisdem literis plenius continetur. Nos pro bono servicio quod dilectus valectus Thomas Cary nobis hactenus impendit volumus et concedimus, pro nobis et heredibus nostris, quod idem Thomas post mortem diet Reginaldi habeat et teneat balliam predictam sibi et heredibus suis imperpetuum, reddendo nobis per annum ad scaccariam pro balliva ilia tantum quantum predictus Reginaldus jam nobis reddit p' eadcm. In cujus rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus patentes. Teste me ipso apud Castry, vicesimo octavo die septembris, anno regni nostri Anglie sexto decimo, regni vero nostri Francie tercio. Edwardus Dei Gratia Rex Anglie et Francie, et Dominus Hibernie. Omnibus ad quos presentes litere pervenerint salutem. Sciatis, quod de gratia nostra speciali et pro decern solidis quos Rof^crns cic Stourton nobis solvit, concessimus et licenciam dedimus pro nobis et heredibus nostris quantum in nobis est, Joliaiiiii filio ct hcredi Tliomc Cary, quod ipse de custodia Foreste de Selewode ciuu '£jertinciiciis ill Comitatu Wiltes., que de nobis tenet in capite, feoffare possit LETTERS PATENT AND CHARTERS RELATING TO SELWOOD FOREST. 6l prefatum Rogcvnm d Jalianncm filiain ejus habendem et tenendem eisdem Rogcro et Johaimi filid ejus ct hcrcdcs ipsius Rogcri de nobis et heredibus nostris pro summa indc debita et consueta imperpetuum. Et eisdem Rogcro et Johanni filio ejus quod ipsi dictam aistodiain/oreste, cum pcrtincnciis a prefato Johaime filio et hercdc Thome recipere possit et tenere sibi et heredibus ipsius Rogeri de nobis et heredibus nostris pro summa supradicta imperpetuum sicut predictum est tenore presentium simiUt' Hcenciam dedim' specialem. Nolentes quod predictus Johannes fihus Thorns vel heredes sui aut prefati Rogerus et Johannes films suns sen hcrcdes ipsius Rogeri ratione premissorum per nos vel heredes nostros justiciaries escaetores vicecomites aut ahos balHvos seu ministros nostros foreste nostre occ'onent'' molestenf in aliquo seu g-raventur. In cujus rei testimonium has Hteras nostras fieri fecimus patentes. Teste, me ipso apud Westm' octavo die Jvlti anno regni nostri AngUe quadragcsimo sexto, regni vero nostri Francie tricesimo tcrcio. Omnibus Xp'i fidehbus ad quos presentes scriptum pervenerit Johannes Can fralres et lieres Thome Cari sit salutem. Noveritis me dedisse et hac presenti carta mea confirmasse Rogero de Siourton, Alicie, uxori \cias\, et Johanni filio eisdem Rogeri et Alicie, custodiam foreste Domino Regis de Selewode, in Comitatu Wiltes., cum omnibus suis pertinenciis, habendam et tenendam predictam custodiam foreste et ballivam cum omnibus suis pertinenciis predicto Rogero, Alicie uxori ejus, et Johanni filio eisaem et heredibus ipsius Rogeri adeo plene et integre sicut Reginaldus de Kyngeston dictam balHvam, cum omnibus pertinenciis suis, habuit et tenuit de dono Domini Regis, quam quidem balhvam Dominus Edwardus Rex per cartam suamded it Thome de Gary patri prcdicti Johannes j)ost mortem dicti Reginaldi sibi et heredibus suis ut patet per cartam domini Regis eidem Thome inde factam tenendam de domino pro servicia que dictus Reginaldus facere et solvere solebat ad scaccariam domini Regis. Et ego vero predictus Johannes Cary et heredes mei predictam custodiam et ballivam foreste de Sele- wode predicte in omnibus suis pertinenciis predictis Rogcro, Alicie, et Johanni et heredibus ipsius Rogeri contra omnes gentes warantizabimus, acquietabimus, et defendemus. In cujus rei testimonium huic sigillum meum apposui. Hiis testibus, Thoma de Hnngcrford, Nicho' de Bonam, Joh'e de Legh, Nicholos de Bcnenger, Rob'to de Stourton, et multis aliis. Sciant presentes et futuri quod ego Rogerus Storton, et Johannes filiiis mens, dedimus et concessimus, et hac presenti carta nostra confirmavimus Thome Hungerford, militi, senioris, et heredibus masculis de corpore ipsius Thome legitime procreatis custodiam ballivam et seneschalliam foreste domini Regis de 62 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Selwode, in comitatu Wiltes., cum omnibus suis pertinenciis et p'ficuis quibus- cunque habendam et tenendam predictam custodiam ballivam et seneschalliam foreste predicte, cum omnibus suis pertenenciis p'ficuis predictis Tliome et heredibus masculis do corpore suo legitime procreatis imperpetuum tenendum de domino Retje pro summa inde debita et de jure consueta. Et si contingfat quod preJictus Thomas sine Ineredibus masculo de corpore suo leg-itime procreato obierit tunc custodia foreste predicta balliva et seneschallia ejusdem in omnibus suis pertinenciis et p'ficuis quibuscunque rectis heredibus ipsius Tliome intejTre permaneant imperpetuum. Et ego vero predictus Rogcrus, d Joliaiincs, filiiis incus, ct licrcdcs iiostri custodiam foreste predicte baUiam et seneschaUiam predictam, cum omnibus suis pertinenciis, et p'ficuis prefato Thome Hungcrford, ct heredibus inascidis dc corpore sua legitime procreatis, et si predictus Thomas sine heredibus masculo de corpore suo legitime procreato obierit, rectis heredibus ipsius Thome, contra omnes gentes warrantizabimus defendemus imperpetuum. In cujus rei testimonium presenti carte sigilla nostra apposuim. Hiis testibus, Joh'c de la Mare, Johaniie de KvngestoH, miHtibus, Nicho' de Bonhain, Johanna de Knottyngle, Thoma Laghfull, Will'o Langford, et aliis. Datum apud Heitredebury duodecimo die Novembris anno regni Regis Ricardi scciiiidi post conqucstum tcrcio (1379). Ricardus Dei gratia Rex Anglie et Francie, et Dominus Hibernie omnibus ballivis et fideUbus suis ad quos presentes litere pervenerint salutem. Sciatis, quod dilectus et fidelis Thomas de Hungerford, senior, nuper adquisivisset sibi et heredibus masculis de corpore suo exeuntib' custodiam foreste de Selewode, cum pertenenciis, in comitatu Wiltes, de Rogero de Stourton ct Joltannc, fdio ejus, qui custodiam illam de nobis tenuerunt in capita ut dicit'- Ita quod si idem Thomas sine herede masculo de corpore suo exeunte obierit, custodia ilia permaneat rectis heredibus ipsius Thomje tenand' sibi et heredibus suis de nobis et heredibus nostris per servicia inde debita et consueta imperpetuam custodiam illam ingrediendo licencia nostra aut p'genitor' n'ror' sup' p'missis non optenta. Nos pro una marca quam prefatus Thomas nobis solvit in Elanaperio nostro p'donavim' transgressiones factas in p'missis et concessimus et licenciam dedimus pro nobis et heredibus nostris quantum in nobis est eidem Thoma quod ipse custodiam predictam cum pertinenciis habeat et teneat et heredibus masculis de corpore suo exeuntib' imperpetuum. Ita quod si idem Thomas sine heredibus masculo de corpore sue exeunte obierit custodia predicta cuni pertenenciis remaneat rectis heredibus ipsius Thome tenend' heredibus suis de nobis at heredibus nostris pro summa predicta in forma supradicta imperpetuum sine occ'one vel impedimento nostri vel heredum nostrum justiciariorum eschaetorum vicecomitum aut aliorum ROGER STOURTON WITNESSED THOMAS HUNGERFORd's CHARTER. 63 ballivorum seu ministrorum foreste nostre quorumcunque. In cujus rei testi- monium has literas nostras fieri fecimus patentes. Teste me ipso apud Westm' tcrcio die Fcbritaf anno reg'ni nostri tcrc'w (1379). Sciant presentes et futuri quod ego Thomas Hungerford, chivaler, dedi, concessi, et hac present! carta mea confirm:ivi Waltero Hungerford, filio meo, totam illam ballivam meam de Selewood, in comitatu Wiltes., cumfeodis, p'ficuis, et omnibus pertinenciis suis quam nuper h'ui ex dono et concessione Rogcri dc Stoiiiioji, per confirmacionem et ratificacionem Domini Regis habendum et tenendum idem Waltero et heredibus de corpore suo leg'itime procreatis de capitali domino inde libere quiete integ"re bene et in pace hereditate imperpetuum per servicia inde debita et de jure consueta imperpetuum. Et si contingat quod predictus Walterus obierit sine herede de corpore suo leg'itime procreato, extunc predicta balliva, cum feodis, p'ficuis, et omnibus saliis pertinentibus suis integre, remanebit Johanni Hungerford, filio meo, et herede de corpore suo legitime procreatis de capitali domino inde libere quiete integre et in pace jure hereditarie imperpetuum per servicia predicta. Et si predictus Johannes obierit sine herede de corpore suo legitime precreato, extunc balliva predicta, cum feodis, p'ficiis, et omnibus aliis pertinenciis suis ad me predictam Thomam heredes aut assign' meos integre rev' tat tenend' de capitali domino predicto libere quiete integre et in pace jure hereditarie imperpetuum per servicia predicta. Et ego vero predictus Thomas, et heredes mei, totam predictam ballivam, cum feodis, p'ficuis, et omnibus aliis pcrtenenciis suis prefato Waltero, et heredibus suis predictis aut prefato Johanni, et heredibus suis procreatis contra omnes gentes warrantizabimus et defendemus imperpetuum in forma supradicta. In cujus rei testimonium huic carte indentate sigilla nostra alternatim apposuim. Hiis testibus, Rad'o Cheyne, chivaler, Rob'to Corbet, chivaler, Thoma Bonham, Joh'e de Knottynglegh, Rog'o dc Stoni'ton, Will'o Livedene, et aliis. Dated apud Heytredebury, anno regni Reikis Ricardi Sccuiidi, post conquestum dccimo nono (1395). The Hungerfords were settled at Heytesbur\', Co. Wilts., and they and the Stourtons were for many generations closely connected. Will'mo D'no Stourton, descended from Sir John Stourton, of Preston, elder brother to Roger Stourton, Lord of Horningsham, was one of the witnesses to the original foundation deed of the Hospital at Heytesbury, and the deed was dated there on the 4th April, 1472, his being the third attestation, coming after Will'mo, Counte Arundell, and Ricardo, D'no ie Warre, but precedes those of Hungerford, Berkele\', Willoughb)-, Si 64 HISTORY OP THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Long-, Mompesson, Tropnell, Bonham, &c., which tended to shew the prominence of the Stourtons in Wiltshire. In another deed dated there on the ^^th April, 1472, he heads the witnesses as Will'mo D'n's Stourton*. Roger Stourton, had by Alice, his wife, a son and heir :— John Stourton, who held with his father, in chief of the Crown, the custody, bailiwick, and stewardship of the King's extensive forest of Selwood, with the appurtenances, Co. Wilts., as shewn in the preceding Charters and Letters Patent. It is clear he was not the John Stourton, who had Alice as his wife, who was presumably his uncle, Sir John Stourton, buried in the Abbey of Stavordale, when it appeared that mass was to be celebrated daily in the Choir of the said Priory, within the Chapel of the blessed Virgin of SS. Peter and Paul and St. James under the Campanile, for the souls — iiitcralia — of William dc Stourton, and Johaniic, his ii'ifc, parents of t/ic said John- dc Stourton. In the Letters Patent of Sth July, 46 Edward III. he was mentioned as son of Roger Stourton, and in the next muniment of title relating to Selwood Forest, as son of the same Roger Stourton, and Alice, his wife. While on the 12th November, 3 Richard II., 1379, he joined his father, Roger Stourton, in a charter, then dated at Heytesbury, concerning these premises, which he, and his father, conveyed to Sir Thomas Hungerford in strict entail, which charter was recited in the Letters Patent of the 3rd February then following the date of that charter, because Sir Thomas Hungerford had to seek pardon of the king, for entering on the premises without license. This John Stourton is somewhat difficult to identify for the reason he was living contemporaneously with his said imcle, Sir John Stourton, but as son and heir of Roger Stourton, he was presumably of full age in 46 Edward III. As Hoare said in his copy of the College of Arms pedigree that Roger Stourton, son of Sir John Stourton, was a prior of Winton, it is probably the fact there were two Roger Stourtons living at that period, one a son of our John Stourton, and the Other a son of his uncle. Sir John Stourton, if Roger Stourton, the prior, was distinct from Roger Stourton, who had a wife Alice. Collins also makes Edmund Stourton a son of Sir John Stourton, whom Hoare omits from his pedigree, and Edmund may have been in reality a son of this John He was the second Baron Stourton, who died iSth February, 1477. This confirms the long connection of the Stourtons with tlie Hungerfords of Heytesbury, and in other ways they crop up in more than one instance in the later history. MARY STOURTON, A NUN AT SHAFTESBURY. 65 Stourton. Both Rog-er, the prior, and Edmund Stourton are said to ha\e died without issue. Nothing- seems rpore Ukely than that the difference between Colhns, Edmondson, and Hoare, in naming the children of Sir John Stourton, arose simply through the non-identity of these two John Stourtons. The present one is not shewn at all in any of the pedio;rees, and the same question may arise respecting the marriages of Sir John Stourton, on which we comment later on. iv. — Mary Stourton, who is shewn by Edmondson as a Xun at Shaftesbury, where her two nieces, Margaret and Anastatia Stourton, were respectively Abbess and Nun. In 1817 it was found that the floor of the Conventual Church there was comprised of Roman tiles, on which were the arms of Stourton and Bonham in painted Shields. Edith Bonham had been elected Abbess of Shaftesbury, 15th Nov., 1441, in succession to Marg-aret Stourton, the late Abbess, who had died 30th October previously, when it was proved Anastatia Stourton was then living as a Nun at Shaftesbury, as in fact she was in 1460, when Margaret St. John was elected as Abbess in succession to Edith Bonham. Again in 1861 the Stourton Arms were discovered in the ruins of Shaftesbury Abbey, engraved side by side with the Montacutes, Earls of Salisbury ; the Bryans, of Tor Bryan, Co. Devon ; the de Clares, Earls of Clare, Gloucester and Hertford ; besides others, all of which families have been proved to have had some connection with the Stourton family. When the title to the Manor and Advowson of Stourton is considered these arms have a very significant bearing thereon, as confirming many of the conclusions arrived at for elucidating the true history of the Stourton family and the descent of the Manorial Estate at Stourton. In the history references are shewn proving the Bonhams were of Bonham in Stourton, and Great Wishford, Co. Wilts., under whom the Barons Stourton for manv gener- ations leased Bonham Manor, the fee of which eventually passed from the Bonhams to the Stourtons, and remained vested in the family until the Manor of Bonham was sold. Thus far we have disposed of such children — excepting Sir John Stourton---of Sir William Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., as were capable of being identified. But Edmondson alleged Sir William Stourton had 19 other sons, besides Sir John Stourton and Robert* the Prior of Bruton, while Collins admitted he had a * In 1334. Nov. 2nd, Robert de Stourton was presented to the church of Leyre, in the diocese of Lincohi. by Edward III., as having the custody of the lands and heir of John de Hastynges, tenant in cliief to Edward I J. 66 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. nuiucroiis issue, besides the eldest son, Sir John Stourton. We have shewn Roger as one of those sons, and attention should therefore be drawn here to certain Stourtons appearing at this period in other Counties. Richard Stourton, appeared at Glentworth, Co. Lincoln, tcjiip. 43 Edward III. and 19 Richard II., as holding premises there. His wife was Matilda Stourton, and the family remained in that county for several generations. Benjamin de Stin-ton and John de Sturton, who appear at Westhangre, in Stanford, Co. Kent, some short time previous to 20 Edward III., as holding land there, which passed in that year to Sir John Keriel, of a well known family in that county. And it will be observed that Cecily Stourton, eldest daughter and coheir, of John Stourton, of Preston and Brimpton, Co. Somerset, son of Sir John Stourton, married as her second husband. Sir William Kuriel, knight, of Westhangre, Co. Kent. Thomas de Stourton appeared in 1343 as servant to Isabel, called the Queen of England, she being queen consort of Edward II., daughter of Philip IV., t/w Fair, King of France, and who died 22nd August, 1358. This Thomas Stourton was specifically retained to deliver an important letter from the Queen dowager to the Prior and Convent of the Monastery of Christ Church, Canterbury. Henry Stourton, living temp. Edward HI., whose daughter, Dionis Stourton, married circa 1379, Edivard Chute, of Taunton, Co. Somerset. Berry calls him Edmund Chute, and his wife, D}'onice. In an ancient tabular pedigree on parchment, compiled about 1709, which was in 1859 in the possession of Ariel P. Chute, of Lynnefield, Massachusetts, it is stated that Edward Chute, whose descent is shewn, sprang from one Alexander Chute or Chewte, of Taunton, who was living 1268, and the arms of Stourton are given as, [colour defaced] bctu'ccn six ruuiidlcs, [colour defaced] a bend, or. Peter Stourton is given as livings temp. Edward HI., whose daughter, D3-ana Stourton, says Berry in his Hants. Genealogies, married Robert Pistar, whose son, Anthony Pistar, married Mabel, daughter of Sir John Chidiock ; and daughter, Jane Pistar, married Robert Dennis, of Co. Gloucester. It is a curious coincidence that the families of Chidiock and Dennis are mentioned as being connected with the Stourtons, of Stourton, Co. Wilts. PROBABLE ISSl^E OF SIR \VILLIA:\t STOURTOX, KNIGHT. 67 Ivo Stourton appeared probably temp. Edward III., for on the 3rd June, 1397, the heirs of Ivonis de Storton held one knight's fee in Nutford, within Blandford and Pimperne, Co. Dorset, of William Montacute, second Earl of Salisbury, to whom several references have been made. Ivo Stourton, temp. Henry III., has been already dealt with. Under the same Earl we find that William Storton held, on the same day, one like fee in Selton juxta Gilling-ham, Co. Dorset, who was presumably identical with Sir William Stourton, who died in 1413. Previously, in 1310, there was a Julian de Sturton, and Richard de Sturton, her son, who had lease of premises in Croker's Frome, in Frome Whit- field, Co. Dorset, the reversion of which premises was subsequently granted to Richard de Sturton, who was living in 1348, when he sold and conveyed the property. The Stourtons of Counties Notts and Leicester bore officially the same arms as the Stourtons, Co. Wilts., but the Visitation commenced the pedigree some generations later than Edward III. We do not think they were connected with Wiltshire, at least there appears to be no evidence to support such a conclusion. Leland says that Stursley, or Sturton, Castle withoute fayle is in Stafordshir, and I hard, he proceeds, that there was a Lord Storton, a Baron of this Storton. It is, he alleged, the kinges. Pole lay at it by licens ; and there Cardinal Pole was borne. According to a tradition in the Long family, the common ancestor thereof married a Stotn'ton, probably about the time (judging from the pedigree) of Edward III. or Richard II. It was clear that Rogerus de Lang or Long's grandmother was a Berkeley of Beverston, that his mother was an heir of the Zouche family, and his wife a daughter and heir of that of St. Maur, probably of the same families as inherited Stourton. Again Sir Thomas Long, of Draycot Cerne, married Mary, a daughter by the second wife of Sir George Darell, of Littlecote, Co. Wilts., whose first wife was Margaret, daughter of John, ist Lord Stoin'ton. Thus far these evidences are shewn and w e proceed with : — • Sir John Stourton, the eldest son and heir of Sir William Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., who was Sheriff of the Counties of Dorset and Somerset in i.i77 ' • ' ''i^' same year, on the 2nd Juh", he was appointed Justice of the Peace • l-'iiic RuHs, 1 Ric, pt. I., ni. 14. 68' HISTORV OF THE KOBLE HOUSE OF STOl'RTON. m far Co. Somerset*. Althoug-h he is not found to be Lord of Stourton, Co. Wilts., stili John Stourton, of Preston, described himself in his will as " son of John Stourton, sometime Lord of Stourton," and it is true William Stourton, his son, died in possession of this Manor in 1413, and that Isabella, wife of Richard, Lord Poinings, had died possessed of it iith April, 17 Richard IL, 1393. The Manor as has been seen was then held by them of the Chief Lords, as of their honour of Castle of Cary, Co. Somerset, and from the time Sir Ralph Stourton held the Manor down to 1393, both the chief and mesne Lords have been dealt with, clearly shewing- that John Stourton was not mentioned as Lord of Stourton, in fact he actually witnessed the Charter of Lady Foining's father, Robert Fitz Piiyne, alias dc Grey, settling the Manor of Stourton in trust. But his son, John Stourton, must have had some good cause in stating his father was sometime Lord of Stourton. Was there a rf/>;//f(f Manor consisting of the lands surrounding the ancient family mansion, called after the family, not the parish, Stourton's Manor. The visitation for Co. Beds., called him John, Lord Stourton, which should probably have been Lord of Stourton, a Manorial Lord. On the 13th December, '377> he, as John Stourton, escheator in the County of Somerset, was, with others, commissioned upon the petition of the burgesses of Ivelchestre, Co, Somerset, to the King and Council in the then last Parliament— in which was recited the burgesses title to the town of Ivelchestre, with divers liberties and profits thereto appertaining, under respective grants of Kings Henry II. , John, and Edward III. — to survey the town of Ivelchestre and enquire how the wastes and defects thereof had arisen, how much the parcel, which King John had separated and given in exchange for the park of Northpetirton and the hundred ofStane, was worth at the time it was separated from the town of Ivelchestre, and what sum, at the time of the enquiry, the profits amounted to, whether the burgesses of Ivelchestre could pay the farm and arrears pardoned them by King Edward III., by reason of the then pestilence and other diversities, how many inhabitants had left and how many proposed to leave the town of Ivelchestref. On the 13th February, 1378, he, as John de Stourton, escheator of Dorset, was commissioned, with others, to enquire and certify touching the complaint of the inhabitants of Lym in that county, the burgesses of which had in 5 Edward III., granted to the the town of Lym, at a fee-farnt rent of 32 marks, the town then being well built and inhabited by rich and substantial merchants, but which since became for the most part destroyed and wasted by the sea, that the merchants, save six or eight, had died or withdrawn, shewing that the " Cobbe " or * Patent Roll, I Kicbird II,, mem. ig, dorso. | Patent Roll, i RicharJ IL,part II., mem, 1 1, dorso. ANCIENT CHARTER OF STOURTON MANOR AND ADVOWSOX. 69 " Connors " constructed to receive two or three barg'es were last Martinmas swept away by the sea, all navigation stopped, which prevented the inhabitants from paying the fee-farm rent, or their proportion of tenths and fifteenths granted to the king by the Commonalty of the realm*. On the ist March, 1378, John de Storton, with others, was commissioned to enquire into the complaint of 5/r Guy, dc Brycne, knight, in respect of a debt of ;£J'20,ooo borrowed and duly acknowledged by Stephen Wydeslade, Lord of the Manors of Frome and Valeyse, and in con- sequence of those Manors having descended as shewn in the title therein set out, Sir Guy de Bryene was wholly impeded, so he contended, from the execution of the statute 0/ Acton Burnell, because those Manors had been seised into the king's hands by his escheator, on the evidence that the tenant in possession was entitled to the fee simple thereof, and Sir Guy dc Brycne petitioned that a remedy might be provided, as when the Manors were escheated into the king's hands, as he was advised, the tenant in possession had only a life estate therein!. Of this Sir Guy de Br\-an we have seen he was closely connected with the undertenants of the Manor of Stourton, when that Manor was held of the Castle of Cary, Co. Somerset. He appears to have been a trustee for his son-in-law, Robert, Lord Fitz Payne, interalia of that Manor and Advowson, as evidenced by the following Charter, to which John Stourton, with whom we are dealing, was a witness. A tons iceaux qi cestes I'res verrount ou orrount Robcrd Filtz Payn ch'r salutz en dieu Sachetz moy avoir done graunte et p' iceste escript conferms a inou's' Guy dc Brian:, sire Martj'n Moulisch' chanoygne en leglyse de Novele Salesbyrs, Adam ate More, et Roberd Lough', le Manoir de Acfforde Filtz Payn en le counte de Dors', le Manoir dc Siourtonc en Ic counte de Wiltcs , et les Manoirs de Bryghamp- tone, Speckyntone, Staple, et Sedene en le counte de Soms' ove les app"tenaunces ensemblement one les avowesoncs dc les eglyscs ct chapcles de mesne le manoirs avaunditz. A avoir et tenoir, &c., as ditz mouns' Guy, &c., et a lour heirs a tous io"s des chef seigni'ages du feo p' les servises ent duez et custumables. Et jeo lavaundit Roberd filtz Payn et mes heirs touz les manoirs, &c., a dit mouns' Guy, &c., encountre totes gentz garaunteromps acquiteromps et defenderomps a touz iou"s. En tesmoignaunce de quelx choses a icestes mes I'res ai mys moun seal. P' iceux tesmoignes Willam de Botreaux, Richard Cattone, Hugh'e Curborghe, Estph'ne Turberuylle, chyvalers, Matheu de Slyndone,/o//'M Siourtonc, Patent i Ric. II., Pt. 3, mem. 3 dorso. At the Conquest Lyme was part of the demesne lands of Sher- Iiourne, and was afterwards annexed to the Crown, and became Lyme-Reikis or Kind's L\-me. Most liistories have 33 marks which they say came under the confirmation of Edward 11. For various reasons stated the rent became eventually reduced to a very small amount, t Patent i Ric. II., Pt. 4, rn 30 dorso, &c. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOirSE OF STOURTOX. Willam B3'ngham, Willam W}'nterbourne, et aultres. Escript a Acjfordc susdit le dsmeyngf^ ^'schiiyn -AVRunt la fcstc dc la conversion dc scynt Paul Laaii du rcgnc le Roy Edward ticrtc pus le conqticstc qaraiitesnic. This deed was sealed with a seal, ornamented with a border of trachery, exhibitino- a shield suspended from a tree, bearing- three lions passant argent, surrounded by a /jciidlct Azure, the legend broken away, an impression of which was given in the frontispiece to page 297, of Vol. xcv., part II., of the Gentleman's Magazine, and the grant was on the 17th June, 1825, in the possession of John Gage, Esquire, Barrister at Law, F.R.S., Dir. S. A., F. L.S., of Lincoln's Inn, and Hengrave, Suffolk, the Historian of Suffolk. This deed clearly proves that, although the Stourton family was not then holding the Manor there. Sir John Stourton, as the representative of the family, undoubtedly lived in and was connected with the parish, like his father, Sir Willian-> Stourton, had been in the early part of Edward Ill's reign, when he appeared as the first named inhabitant at Malmesbury, in relation to the ninths of garbs, fleeces, and lambs, concerning Stourton. In fact we have seen that John Stourton was called, by his son, sometime Lord of Stourton, and John, Lord Stourton, was Constable of Corfe Castle, 1st March, 4 Richard II. Which facts tend to prove that it was more likely to be this John Stourton, who witnessed Robert Fitz Payne's deed, than John Stourton, son and heir of Roger Stourton, Lord of Hor- ningsham. These two Johns living at the same period make it somewhat difficult to distinguish them unless great care is used, and, therefore, explanations are given which otherwise would have been omitted. Guy, Lord Bryan, the above trustee, came of an ancient family seated at Tor Bryan, Co. Devon, and we find that his daughter, Elizabeth, the only issue by his first wife*, became wife of Sir Robert Fitz Payne, the above grantor of the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, w ho was foi-merly Sir Robert de Gre\', and as before shewn, was found heir by devise of Robeit, Lord Fitz Payne, and Ela, his wife, in right of his said wife Eli::abeth, and assumed in 1356 the name of Fitz Payne in lieu of de Grey, dying on the 2ist May, 16 Richard II., holding the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, of the chief Lords, as of their Castle of Cary, Co. Somerset, which Manor and * Beltz saj-6, in his memorials of tlie Order of tlie Garter, that Genealogists differ respecting the name and family of his first wife ; who, by some is stated io have been Ann or Alice, daaghter and heir of William Holwey, of Holwey, Co. Devon ; and bv others, Joan, datiRhter of Sir John Carew. We have seen it asserted that Ehzabeth was sister of Ela, wife of John Mareschai and liobert, Lord Fitz Payne— see pedigree of Fitz Paynes. And it is asserted that Jane, daughter and coheir of Sir Guy de Bryan, knight, by Ann, his wife, daughter and heir of William Holwey, Esq., of Holwey, Co. Devon, became second wife to Sir John Carv, knight, of Castle Cary, Co. Soinerset, and Terr Abbey, Co. Devon, whose son. Sir John Cary settled at Holwev, This latter statement clearly shews how Mr. Beltz confu.sed his account, for the pedigree from'which the entry is taken was drawn up by the Herald's College at the express order of Queen Aune I5oleyne, and was preserved at Torr Abbey. The above Sir John Cary was probablj' "of the sanie family as the Carys mentioned under Roger Stourton, Lord of Horningshain. SIR }OHy STOURTON, OF STOURTOX, CO. WILTS. 7' Advowson passed to his daug'hter and heir, Isabella, wife of Richard, Lord Poining-s, when after her death the same vested, as tenant to the chief Lords thereof, in Sir William Stourton, son and heir of Sir John Stourton, with whom we are now dealings, who witnessed the above Charter of Sir Robert Fitz PaN'ne, iilins de Grey. So Sir William Stourton, the son, was undoubtedly identical with William Stourton, who held land of William Montacute, second Earl of Salisbur)-, whose sister Elizabeth, married as her second husband, the said Guy, Lord Bryan. The de Clares, de Badlesmeres, de Veres, Fitz Paynes, and Bryans, were all interested in the soil of Stourton, Co. Wilts., the following- pedigree shews their connection by marriagfe, and that Sir John Stourton possibly married as his first wife, the granddavig-hter of Maud Badlesmere, by her second husband, John, jth Karl of Oxford. Barfhohwicw, Baron de BciiihsiucrCy called le- Riche, was son and heir ol Goscelinus Bad- lesmere. He was of Leeds Castle, Co, Kent., and a^ed 26 years 29 Edward I. He was summoned to Parliament from 3 to 14 Kdward II., being present therein 12 Ed- waid II. He was captured in arms at Horouj^hbridge, attainted of Treason, hanged, drawn and quartered at Canter- bury m 1332. and his head set upon a pole at Burgate, Historians have fully recorded his liie, but he is best known as having joined witli Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, ^:randson ol Henry III., in aims against the king. -Margaret, daughter and coheir of Thomas, third son of Thomas, second son of Richard de Clare, Earl of Hertford and Earl of Gloucester, whose family is mentioned on page 31. She was imprisoned until after her husband's execution, and entered the Abbey of Nuns of the Order of Si. Clare, called the M inories, without Aldgate, in the Suburbs of London. Her I. P.M. taken 5 Edward III. dies, Lord Badlcsniere, son and heir, a.ged=Eliz^betJv''-, daughter ofWiUiam Montacute, 15, 1328. Summoned to Parliament from ist Earl of Salisbury-, 1336, King of Man, the 9 to II Edward III. Had seisen of and and Earl Marshal, by Margaret Gransonf, partly restored to father's estates which his his wife, father of William, 2ud Earl of Sal- mother petitioned for. Died sine prole, 1337. isbury. under luhom the heirs of Ivo Sloiirton I.P.M. taken 13 Edward HI. and William SU)iirUm held lands on the day that Earl died. She remarried respectively Hugh le Despencer, who died 23 Edward III., and Guy. Lord Bryan, with whom we have dealt, who was a great Mihtary Commander against the Scot.s. &c., temp. Edward III.. King's Valet 1330, Governor of St. Briavell's Castle, and Warden of the Forest of Dean 1341, K.G. 1349, died lylh Aug., 1390, being buried in Tewkesbury Church. \ In 28 Edward I. John de Tregoz held the decenna in Stourton, Co. Wilts, and Sibilla. daughter and coheir, w ith her sister, of John de Tregoz, married William de Grauson, who was of the House- hold of Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, through whose patronage. Beltz says, he obtained considerable grants, he being summoned to Parliament among the Barons from 1298 until 1325. dying 1335, and buried in the Lady Chapel of the Cathedral Church of Hereford. Edmund, Earl of "Lancaster, was grandfather of Lady Eleanor Plantagenet, who married John, 2nd Lord Beaumont, who was pns.'^ibly grandfather oi Catherine, first wife of Sir John Stourton, of Stourton ,Co. Wilts. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Robert Fitz Payne, first husband. = Settled the Manor of Stourton on his wife as her dowry, whicii lier second husband held the day he died. Predeceased his fatlier sinf prale. See pedigree page 43. " I Mauel Bjdlesmere, tliird daughter, and one of the four sisters and co- heirs of her brother, Giles, Lord Badlesmere. f^ady of Stour Ion, Co. Wilts., which she held as her dower by the grant of Robert Fitz Payne. Died 24th May, 1J65-6. John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford, and 8th Lord Great Chamberlain. Held Stourton Manor on the day he died in right of his said wife. Died before the walls of Kheims, 24th Jan., ijf-o. Henry, ^rd Lord Beaumont, = grandson of Henry, ist Lord I^eaumont, Earl of Buchan in Scotland, who died IJ40, by AliceConiyn, his wife, daughter and heir of Alexander Co- myn, and neice and at length heir of the hne of John Comyn, Earl of Buchan ; and son of John, 2nd Lord Beaumont, who was slain m 1342, aged 24, by Lady Eleanor Plan- tagenet, his wife, sister of Henry Plantagenet, creat- ed Duke of Lancaster. He was born in Brabant while his mother was in attend- ance upon Philippa, queen consort of Edward III., who by Letters Patent declared him to be a law- ful heir and enabled to inherit lands in England as if he was born tiicre, and by act of Parliament 25 Ed. in., was duly naturalised. He was sum- moned to and sat in Par- liament, and died July, 1369. Margaret de Vere. Burke= says she had by her first marriage an only child, a son John, 4th Lord Beau- mont. Buried with her third husband, John, 2nd Lord Devereux, under a raised Tomb, near the Altar of Grey Friars' Clmrch, London. ■Sir Nicholas Lonvaine, of= Burstowe, knight, 2nd husband. Will dated 2Cth Sept., 1375, desiring to be buried in Penshurst Church or in the Abbey of our Lady of Grace by the Tower of London. Catherine Beaumont, ist" wife according to Sir R. C. Hoare's copy of the College of Arms Pedi- gree, confirming Ed- mondson. Sir John Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., called by Collins and others, Lord of Preston, Co. Somerset. Witness- ed Robert Fitz Payne's deed concerning the Manor of Stourton, Co. Wilts. Sir William Stourton, father of Sir John Stourton, created Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts. Called son of this marriage by Hoare and Edmondson, but as issue of his father, by his second wife, by Brydges' Col- lins' Peerage. Sir John Devereux, 2nd Lord Devereux, K.G., Steward of the Royal Household. Summoned to Parliament among the Barons from 1385 to 1392, died 22nd Feb., 1393, will dated in June, 13.S5, and proved [18 Rousi 24th Feb-, 1393, he was buried with Margaret, liis wife, under a raised Tomb, near the Altar of Grey Friars' Church, London. In the additional case of the late Lord Mowbray, Segrave, and Stourton to the Peerag-e of Mowbray, it is said that Maud Badlesmere, and her heirs, bore the title of Lord Badlesmere as far back as the records enabled the tracing of the titles of the Earls of O.xford, notwithstanding that this lady was only a coheir of Iier brother Giles, Lord Badlesmere. From the same source is ascertained that the titles of Poinings, Fitz Payne, and Bryan, were borne by the Percies, Earls of Northumberland, who appear to have claimed through Elizabeth, daughter of Guy, Lord Bryan, and wife of Sir Robert Fitz Payne, alias de Grey, but they were only coheirs to the title of Bryan, with the descendants of Margaret, another ARMS OF STOURTON, BADLESMERE, SIDENHAM, PYNE, ETC. 73 dauo-hter of Guy, Lord Bryan, and wife of Sir Jolnn Erleg-h. These tliree last titles were borne by families whom we have seen were all interested in Stourton, Co. Wilts., Maud Badlesmere merely deriving her interest in that Manor by marriao-e with Robert Fitz Payne. Sir Robert de Grey only assumed the name of Fitz Payne in pursuance of a devise under a deed of Robert, Lord Fitz Payne, and Ela, his wife, his descendants could surely have no prior claim in the title of Fitz Payne, to that of the descendants of the only surviving child of the above grantors ; which coheirs are Lord Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton, Lord Arun- dell of Wardour, and Lord Clifford of Chudleigh. In the Miscellanea Gencalogica et Hcraldica* is an engraving of a book plate of Thomas Windham, of Tale, Co. Devon, Esq., third son of Sir Edmund Windham, of Cathanger, Co. Somerset, knight, with 12 quarterings : — I. — Windham. 2. — Scrope. 3. — Tiptoft ; Margaret Badlesmere, sister of Maud Badlesmere, married Sir John Tiptoft, alias Tibetob, 2nd Baron, summoned to Parliament 1335-66, Governor of Berwick-upon-Tweed, 20 Edward IIL ^.-^Badlesmerc. 5. — Sidenham ; Henry Sidenham, of Combe-Sidenham, who was living temp. Henry V., had two sons both called John ; the eldest John Sidcnliain, was the father of John Sidenham, who married ? Joan Stourton, daughter and coheir of John Stourton, of Preston and Brimpton, Co. Somerset ; and the vuunf^cst John Sidenham, settled at Orchard, Co. Somerset, whose granddaughter, on her marriage with Sir John Windham, knight, brought to that family the Orchard Estate, afterwards called Orchard-Wyndham. 6. — Stourton. 7. — Orchard. 8. — Gamble. 9. — Chamberlain. 10. — Downe. 11. — Pyne, and 12. — Staverton. The Payne or Pyne family anciently became seated at Paynshay, Co. Devon, and John Stourton, of Preston and Brimpton, married, as his third wife, Katherine Payne or Pyne. The Chamberlaynes were seated at Turville, Co. Bucks, and consequently were connected closely with the de Veres, Earls of Oxford, and the Badlesmeres, being in fact partly descendants of the before mentioned Sir Nicholas Louvaine, of Burstowe, knight, by his first wife, Margaret, daughter of John Beresford, citizen of London, and widow of Sir John Pulteney, knight. F"rom an original Manuscript endorsed "My Pedigree — Given Mr. Hatchet," in the possession of Lord Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton, the following facts are ascertained, and it should be noted that Sir John Stourton was said to have been "living; in 1J6J." III. Seiic's, \'ol. I.. lSy4-5. facing page So. 74 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. " Be it Remember'd that from Editha de Stourton Davg-hter of John de Stourton K'ho teas living in 1363 Ancaster to ye Present Lord Stourton was And is Descended, All the Kings and Queens of ye House of Teudor, One King One Souereio-n Queen & One Queen Consort of Scotland, And all y^ Kings and Queens of England of ye Ro^-al House of Stuart, And Many of the foreign Sovereign Princes now Living, And Alsow His Present Majesty King George , So yt this Lady Editha, may be Likned to Elizah's littel Cloud 0\ er spread ye Heavens. The Proof of this Assertion Followeth" in tnne "Sir John Beauchamp of Bletshoi , in com Bedford married / = Editha Davghli of John de Stovrto John Beaufort Dul John Beauchamp, of Blet^ neshoe, in com' Reds., kt. [John, Lord BeauchanipJ 2 husband. :£(/j'(/i, daughter of John, Lorrf ? Stourton, [Sir John Stourton reallyj. [She married also Sir Robert Shottesbrol!mr Siiint Jnhu, of Blet-^ nesiuiL-, in com' Beds., ivt. =Margaret, dau. and heire.= [j?o/ni Bi-aii/Zorrf, Duke of Som- ersett, 2 husband. 1 We find that John Stourton's father. Sir John Stourton, whose name is left in blank in the Visitation for Co. York, was frequently called Lord Stourton, for he appears as John, Lord Stourton, when Constable of Corfe Castle ist March, 4 Richard IL, which office was held by Sir Reginald Bray, 21st Nov., I Edward IV., Henry Uvedale, i6th Feb., 4 Henry VH., besides others. He purchased the Manor of Pendomer, with the advowson of the church, and considerable lands, hereditaments and premises there, and others in Hardington and Coker, by charter on i8th November, 1407, of Edmund Dummer, Esq., who in a letter of attorney the next day delivered seisen of the same premises to certain feoffees, William Staunton and others, in trust for the heirs and assigns of John Stourton, of Preston Plucknett, near Yeovil. In the same year, on Thursday next after the feast of St. James, John Stourton, on an assize of novel disseisen at Taunton, had confirmation, by verdict, of the sale to him of Pendomer Manor, &c., against the claim of the vendor's four daughters and coheirs, who claimed under a settlement of their father, then lost, to be entitled next in remainder on the failure of issue male of their father, which event had happened, but it was proved that the deed which the}- produced in evidence, was a fictitious duplicate copy of the original settlement, which had been lost, and had been obtained b)' fraud, as it was not a bona fide copy of the original, although executed as such, and that the ultimate remainder in the original deed passed to the right heirs of the vendor in default of his male issue, instead of to such daughters in certain 82 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. remainders in tail male, should their parents die without issue male, as attempted to be proved by them by the production in evidence of the fictitious duplicate copy of the missing- original settlement. John Stourton, and his trustees, had release, on 25th Oct., 1409, of the premises from John Duke, husband of Elizabeth, eldest daughter and coheir of the vendor, which premises John Stourton settled on his third daughter and coheir, Alice, and her issue, by William Daubeney, her husband, with remainder over in favour of his two elder daughters, Mrs. Sydenham and Mrs. Kyryell, and others successivel)' in tail, to the heirs of the body of his sister, Edith, late ivifc of Sir Robert Shottcsbrokc, knight, to John Lynde (nephew of the settlor, John Stourton), and William Carent, of Toomer ; the entail being eventually barred by Alice Daubeney's grandson, Henry Daubeney, (created Earl of Bridgwater) in 26 Henry VHL, he selling the Manor and Advowson of Pendomer in the 32nd year of the same reign. The Manor of Brimpton, the advowson of the church, and the chantry of the blessed Virgin Mary in that church, Co. Somerset, are shewn by the records to have been the inheritance of the Winford family, who alone conveyed that property to John Stourton, of Preston, and his heirs, after the deaths of John Winford, and Alice, his wife, should they die — which they did — without heirs of the body of John Winford*, and on the death of Alice Winfordt, she surviving by many years her said husband, the reversion of the preinises passed to the line of the second marriage of John Stourton. The above trusts are clearly shewn|, in a fine levied by John Passeware and William Bochell, in Easter, 9 Henry VI., to John Winford, and Alice, his wife, whose feoffees were the said John Stour- ton ; Master Richard Stourton, his brother ; William Carent, perhaps identical with the fourth husband of John Stourton's third wife ; William Powlett ; John Hody ; John Fauntleroy ; John Wilke ; John Smythe ; and John D)-ker. John Winford, the settlor, presented to Brimpton Church in 1427 and again in 1445, while Alice, his widow, as Lady of Brimpton, presented both in 1445 and 1449, although John Stourton never presented, but his son-in-law, John Sydenham, Esq., presented in 1459, while the * This was a paternal estate of the Winfords, and from a fiillj' noted research of the title, we find that the Manor and other premises had passed through the Veers, Glamorgans, &c. The great- grandfather of the settlor, another John Winford, had married Joan de Glamorgan, and their son, John Winford, according to the assize rolls for Somerset in 33 Edward III., and other records, inherited I:irinipton juxta Yevele, in right of his mother, Joan de Glamorgan, under a settlement, which premises were held of Isabella Blount, as of her Manor of Ashyngton, by knight's service. I She was mother of Alice, wife of Roger Stourton, brother of this John Stourton, by her first husband, John de la Bere. See more concerning her under Roger Stourton, of Preston. 4 Fine, Easter, g Henry VI., Somerset. JOHN STOURTON, OF PRESTON, CO. SOMERSET. 83 feoffees of the Manor and Advowson presented in 1472, for Jane, widow ot John Sydenham, and daughter of John Stourton, who had, in 1434, settled the reversion of the Manor and Advowson of the Church of Brimpton, with the said Chantry and the appurtenances, to the use, after the death of Alice Winford (who had no issue by her late husband, John Winford) of John Sydenham, and Joan, his wife, and the heirs of their bodies — which event happened — then to the contingent use of her father, John Stourton, the settlor, John Hody, and John Sm)'th, with an ultimate remainder to the heirs of John Stourton, the settlor in fee, which remainder was never exercised ; the premises being then held by William Lambroke, clerk*, William Alisandre and others, in trust for the life of the said Alice Winfordt, late wife of John Winfordj. He was executor, with Morgan Googh, of the will of his brother, Sir William Stourton, and proved the same alone on the 22nd Sept., 1413. From the will of John Stourton, there is very clear evidence of his identity, it is dated loth November, 1438, and proved 27th January, 1438-9, the translation of the commencement of which reads : — I John Stourton, ot Preston, senior, son of John Stourton, sometime Lord of Stourton§, and (half) brother of William Stourton, son and heir of the said John (Stourton). He directed his body to be buried in the Church of Stavordale|j, and mentions his third wife, Katherine, his nephew, Sir John Stourton, knight, afterwards created Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts. ; his sister, Anastasia, a nun at Shaftesbury, and his daughter Cecily. We have placed to the credit of his nephew. Sir John Stourton, who was created Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts., the rebuilding in part of the Conventual Church of Stavordale in 1443, as this John Stourton was then dead, from which account it will be seen that John Stourton rebuilt the nave, choir and chancel of that Church, as being presumably the patron of Stavordale, Co. Somerset, and in some way, says Tanner, descended from the founder. Sir William Zouch, who is said to have built the Priory for the Canons of the Order of St. Austin, who were under the subordinate regulation of St. Victor. This church, the mother •'• Treasurer of the Cathedral Church in Wells, and co-founder, with Alice Winford, of the Chantry founded in ii Henry VI., (Patent) after the death of her husband, John Winford, in the west end of Yeovil Church, to pray for the repose of his soul, endowing the same with lands at Galhainpton, Co. Somerset. Alice Winford was called sister of this William Lambroke, in a charter, at Wardoiu^ Castle, of 17th March, 34 Henry VI., quoted in Hutchin's Dorset, Vol. IV., page 318. I Fine, Mich., 12 Henry VI., Somerset. ; There was a John Winford, probably of the same family, who was rector of Stourton, and who died loth July, 1473, presented by John, first Lord Stourton. 5 See pages 68, 70, and 81. \\ Where his father had been buried. 84 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. one to Wincanton, had been allowed to fall into decay, but when it had been reconstructed through the liberality of John Stourton, was reconsecrated under a commission issued by John Stafford, Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells, 4th June, 1443, and dedicated to St. James. All John Stourton's landed property he had previously settled on his daug-hters, in his lifetime, and when his Inquisition was taken after his death, at Yeovil, in 17 Henry VI., 1439, he was called John Stourton, Esquire, of Preston, not Brimpton, and it was proved and found by the Jurors that he then held no lands, here- ditaments and premises within the County of Somerset, his three daughters, (i) Cecily, wife of Thomas Kuriel, knight, aged 34 years ; (2) Johanna, wife of John Sydenham, Esquire, aged 21 years ; and (3) Alice Stourton, aged 7 years ; were his coheirs at law. These daughters were respectively children by each of his three wives, and the Inquisition is important as deciding the priority of their births. In Harleian MS., No. 1074, his first wife was erroneously given as his second one, with her name in blank, and his second wife was consequejitly placed as his first one, and in a pedigree prepared in 1509, there was also some confusion made in his three wives, although more care was used in ascertaining the child by each marriage, excepting as to their priority of birth. John Stourton's first wife was Joan, daughter of William Banastre, Lord of the Manors of Wheathill, Radstock, &c*., widow of Robert Affeton, living in 1395T. He founded an obiit to " Pray for the soul of Joan, sometime the wife of John Stourton+." By her he had one daughter and heir, eventually a coheir : — Cecily Stourton, aged 34 years in 1439, she married (i) John Hill, of Spakton, aged 21 years on his father's death, on Sunday the Feast ot St. Mark, 1424^, who himself died on Thursday next after the Feast of St. Calixtus in i435[|, with whom she claimed a house in Wells, as heir of her maternal grandfather, William Banastre, called Lord of Wellesleigh, who had, by deed in 12 Richard II., given a messuage in Wells to a Canon thereof, which John and Cecily Hill alleged they had been dispossessed o{%. She married (2) Sir William Kuriel, knight, of Westhangre, Kent**, whose wife she was at her father's death, and under Coll. Soms. III., 450. 1 Esch. ig Ric. II., No. 6. • Incj. Ad, Q. D. 3 H. V., No. 14. Escli. I Hen. VI., No. 31. |j Esch. 13 Hen. VI., No. 31. Assize Rolls, Somerset, Div. Co., 2-7 Hen. VI., No. 2, 40-1. * It was fonnd in 20 Edward III., that Sir John de Criel, or Keriel, paid aid for one fourth of a knight's fee, winch Benjamin and John de Stonrton, had held in VVesthansre, in Stanford, Co. Kent, ot" the Archbishop of Canterbury, which comprised certain lands, which were subsequently imparked in the Park of Westhangre, called Baynams alms Berhams. CHILDREN OF JOHN STOURTON, OF PRESTON. 85 thelatter's will she had one silver cup which had belonged to one Nicholas d'Ortes. On her death, i8th April, 1472, Preston Pluckenet passed to her son and heir by John Hill*. John Stourton married, secondly, Alice Dennis or Peny, of Co. Kent, called Alice, daughter and heir of . . . Peny, by Hoare, and confirmed as to the name by Harl. MS., 1074; and as daughter of . . . Dennis, of Kent, by Edmondson. By her he had issue a daughter and coheir : — Jane Stourton, aged 21 years in 1439, wrongly called Alice in the Visitation for Co. Somerset, but corrected to Jane in the old pedigree of 1509, who married John Sydenhamt, Esquire, M.P. for Co. Somerset, and which marriage is confirmed subject to Alice for Jane, by the Visitation for Co. Somerset, as well as being confirmed by Hoare and Edmondson, and supported by legal records. John Sydenham pre- deceased his wife, on the 4th April, 1460, leaving Walter, his son and heir, aged 25!, and in his Inquisition taken in 8 Edward IV., he was called John Sydenham, senior. Esquire, and Preston Manor was then said to be held of the Honor of Trowbridge. His son and heir, Walter Sydenham, also predeceased his mother, Jane Sydenham, on the ist May, 1469, leaving John Sydenham, his son and next heir, who was the next heir of his grandmother, Mrs. Joan Sydenham, who was seised in fee, by survivorship, of Brimpton Manor, Church, Chantry, &c., and of which she had enfeoffed certain trustees, viz: — John Chayney, John Byconyll, Robert Hymerford, and others, of the Manors of Brimpton and Alving- ton, with the Advowson of the Church of Brimpton, and Chantry of the blesssed Virgin Mary of Brimpton, to perform the trusts of her will. It is admitted that her husband acquired Brimpton in her right by marriage Untp. Henry VI., and that the fair Manor of Brimpton, according to Mr. Batten, came down to Sir Philip Sidenham, Baronet, whose portrait is in the British Museum, from his ancestor, John Stourton, of Preston, who flourished in the reign of Henry VI. She died 21st April, 1472, and her Inquisition was taken after her death, 31st October following, at Crewkerne, before Thomas Phelipp, Escheator, when she was said to -■■ Escli. iz EdK. IV., No. 51. I Mr. J ewers says, his arms — Argent, a chevron between three Rams passant sable, impaling the Stourton Anns — remain in contemporary glass in the old chapel of Bishop Bubwith's Almshouses in Wells. I Esch. 8 Eduurd IV. 86 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. have been wife of John Sj'denham, armig-er, and it was found she had died seised of Brimpton Manor, with the Advowson of that Church, and the said Chantry of the blessed Virgin Mary therein ; as well as of the Manors of Preston, Combe-Sydenham*, Stoke-Gomere, Bosing-ton. Ronnyng-ton, and Ashbrittle, with considerable lands, tenements, and the Advowson of the Church at Ashbrittle, besides lands and tenements in Lukeyerd, Hoo, Timberscombe, Ketenor Quaram, Ketenor, Mouncez, Sydenham, Cobbehay, Smitheney, Mauworth, Ronington, Thorn St. Margaret, Rammesyate, Langford Buddeville, Chiltern Dunmere, and Mulverton ; also two tenements, a fulling mill, and one carucate or ploughland in Streme, parish of St. Decumans ; i messuage, 60 acres of arable land, 70 acres of meadow, 100 acres of pasture, and 4 acres of wood, in East and West Chescombe, leaving her grandson, John Sydenham, (son and next heir of her then late son, Walter Sydenham, Esquire,) as her next heir, then aged 3 years. The old manorial house of Brimpton was standing temp. Edward II's reign, still used and occupied by the owners, from that period as the Lords of Brimpton, down to that of Henry VI., when Mr. Batten thought the old Manorial residence was not destroyed but perhaps discarded, on Mrs. Sydenham's grandson, the above John Sydenham, building on or near the site thereof a new residence, called Tudor House, after the Royal House of Tudor, in commemoration of his great-great-grandfather. Sir John Stourton, of Preston, having also been ancestor of the line from which Margaret, the Countess of Richmond and Derby, mother to Henry VH., ancestor of Henry VHI., Edward VI., Queen Mary, Oueen Elizabeth, and of James I.t, which house he subsequently adorned in his ostentatious display of loyalty with the Royal Arms of England and France carved in Ham Hill stone, on the centre of the wing which Mr. Batten speaks of as the principal remains of Tudor House, now forming the highly This was the residence of John Sydenham, and his ancestors, before John Sydenham settled at Brimp- ton and I?urlce sExtmct and Dormant Baronetcies, cahs this John Sydenham the first who settled at Hnmpton shewmg his marriage with Joan, daughter and heir of John Sturton, Esquire of Brimpton, whose son, Walter Sydenham, is shewn to have been of Brimpton. She was really 'the he.r of her father's second marriage, but a coheir, with her two half sisters, of her father and sole heir o her mother, second wife to her father. It will have been observed under her grandfather bir John Stourton, on page 73, that both the arms of Stourton and Sydenham formed part of the 12 quartenngs of the book plate mentioned. i- = .See tracing of the Royal line from Edith Stourton, this John Sydenham's grandmother's paternal aunt Walter Sydenham, son of Joan Sydenham, was of the same generation as the Countess of Richmond' and his son John, vyas consequently of the same generation as Henry VII. So one can imagine the reason for John Sydenham wishing to claim his kinship to the Royal House of Tudor as he was gre.at-grandson of John Stourton, and Henry VII. was great-grandson of Edith Stourton, sister to the i^aiu John Stourton. CHILDREN OF JOHN STOURTON, OF PRESTON. 87 embellished northern wing of the west front. Although Burke calls John Stourton as of Brimpton, it would appear that down to his death he was always described as of Preston, and resided in Stourton House there, and his grandson, John Sydenham, was, perhaps, the first who took pos- session as tenant in tail male, after the death of his father, Walter Syden- ham, and grandmother, Jane, widow of John Sydenham, Esquire, senior. John Stourton, having predeceased Alice Winford, who held Brimpton during her life, the probability is that he never succeeded to the reversion and consequently never resided there, and he certainly did not ever present to the church, wherein on a stone screen, supposed to have been erected after the Stourtons were connected with Brimpton and before the Sydenhams succeeded thereto, which separated the nave from the chancel, the arms of Stourton : — Sable, a bend or, between six fountains, were painted in colours and the arms of Sydenham were not thereon painted. The Stourton arms with the six fountains called '■'■proper azure,"' with a mullet on the bend or, for difference, were likewise painted on the Sydenham Tomb at Brimpton. In the Chantry of the blessed Virgin Mary, a chapel in the church at Brimpton, which belonged to this branch, were also painted the Stourton arms, on one of the bosses of the panelled oak roof, and in Brimpton Church, in which was this Chantry of the blessed Virgin Mary, Walter Sydenham, Mrs. Joan Svdenham's son, by his will of 2nd April, 1469, proved at Lambeth, 22nd January, 1469-70, desired to be buried in the new aisle therein, which aisle or chapel was, it is presumed, entirely distinct from the said Chantry of the blessed Virgin Mary, which the family had inherited with the Manor*. It is said by some that the Chantry of the blessed Virgin Mary, was built by John Sydenham, temp. Henry VI. or Edward IV., but if the arms of Stourton were on the screen in Brimpton Church before the Sydenhams succeeded to Brimpton, and on the roof of this . chapel, then was it not built by John Stourton ? John Stourton married, thirdly, Katherine Paynet, or Pyne, daughter of Thomas Payne, or Pyne, of Paynshay, Devon, who lived temp. 10 Richard II., by Margery, his wife, daughter and heir of Peter de Yeovilton, or Jenelton, of Speckington, Somerset^. Edmondson placed all three daughters Had this been a history of the Sydenliani family, these remarks miglit have been shewn more fully, from the researches made. \ Sometimes written as Pyne, by the eliminatiuu of the "a \ Sir William Pole's Collections, HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. of this John Stourton as issue of this marriage, althoug-h Hoare's copy of the College of Arms pedigree shewed AHce to be sole issue, while Collins' F\x-rage (Bridges) merely implied he left issue, because that writer stated the three younger brothers died without issue. She married secondly, John Heynton, of Hampreston, Dorset*. She married, thirdly, William Wadham, who died 2Dth March, 1473. She married, fourthly, William Carent, of Toomer, Esquire, which marriage is confirmed by Edmondson, Collins, and Had. MS. 1074. William Carent is identified as having previously married Margaret Stourton, sister of Sir John Stourton, knight, created Baron of Slourtont. William Carent was the king's escheator for Counties Somerset and Dorset, in 8-9 Henry V. and i Henry VI., then called "junior," some- time Sheriff of those counties, M.P. for Co. Somerset, and founder, 20th March, 1463, 3 Edward IV., of the obiit in Henstridge Church for himself, his wife, Margaret (Stourton) and others, he dying 8th April, 1476. By Catherine Payne, or Pyne, (who is mentioned in her husband's will, and whose arms were blended with Stourton and Sydenham in the book plate referred to on page 73,) John Stourton had a daughter and coheir :— Alice Stourton, who was aged 7 years in 1439, and from her father she inherited Pendomer Manor, &c., under his settlement and entail as before shewn under his name, which premises were eventually disentailed by her descendant, Henry Daubeney, created Earl of Bridgewater, and sold by him. She married (i) William Daubeney, Lord of Barrington, Co. Somerset, son and heir of Sir Giles Daubeney, knight, and consequently ancestor of Henry Daubeney, created Earl of Bridgewater ; and (2) Robert Hill, of Houndston Manor, Co. Somerset, who died in 1493, seised of that Manor, &c., his arms, impaling those of Stourton, were setup in Dunster Church, (Harl. MS., 1559, fo. 235.) Hoare in his copy of the College of Arms pedigree, says she married, i. — William Daubeney, Esq., and 2. — Robert Hill, although Edmondson only gives the first husband, but the Visitation for Co. Worcester confirmed Hoare, calling her father Jenkin Stourton. Harleian Manuscript 1074, likewise supported these marriages, although wrongly stating her mother to have been Alice Peny, her father's second wife, but this was corrected by the old pedigree of 1509, which added that her first husband was Lord of Close Rolls, S Edward IV., m. 5. Coll. Top. et Gen., Vol. I., and see entry under Margaret Stourton. ROGER STOURTON, OF PRESTON, CO. SOMERSET. 89 Baryngton. We find that on the north wall of Little Cheney Church, Co. Dorset, there was erected a monument to the memory of her son, George Daubeney, on which the arms of Daubeney, Stourton, de Bosco, Moyne, &c., appeared on the dexter side. Her daughter, Jane Hill, married Sir Nicholas Wadham, of Merryfield, Co. Somerset, knight, who by his will, of 25th Nov., 1539, proved [15 Spert] 30th Jan., 1542, appointed Roger Fauntleroy an executor, and Lord Stourton an overseer ; and the will of his wife, Dame Jane Wadham, was made 22nd July, i557i proved [29 Wrastley] 31st August, 1557. We read under Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, of William Fauntleroy and Cecily, his wife, Lessees of Stourton Manor, being illegally disturbed in their possession of that property by the action of this Agnes Rice, whose mother afterwards married the above Henry Daubeney, created Earl of Bridgewater. All the authorities shew that Sir John Stourton, created Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts., married Margery, daughter of Sir John Wadham, of Merry- field, Co. Somerset, knight. ii. — Roger Stourton is not shewn in the old pedigree of 1509, or Harleian Manuscript 1074, nor by Edmondson. Hoare's copy of the College of Arms pedigree points to him as being prior of Winton, although Collins merely mentions him as third son and having died without issue. It is very possible, as we shew on page 64, there were two Rogers living at this time, both sons of Johns, and if so it is likely that the Roger Stourton, prior of Winton, was really son of John Stourton, whom we have found was son of Roger Stourton, Lord of Horningsham. Therefore we assume Roger Stourton, with whom we are now dealing, not to have been prior of Winton, and identify him as Roger Stourton, of Preston, who married Alice, daughter and one of the three coheirs of John de la Bere, who was Lord of Thornton, in Gillingham, Co. Dorset, by Alice, his wife, afterwards wife of John Win- ford, from whom John Stourton, of Preston, elder brother of our Roger Stourton, acquired Brimpton Manor, Church, and Chantry, as shewn under his name. In 5 Henry V., Roger Stourton, and Alice, his wife, conveyed to trustees and their heirs the reversion of a third part of the Manor and Advowson of Thornton, as also in 40 acres of land and 20 acres of pasture in Thornton, as well as in 60 acres of land, 12 acres of meadow, 40 acres of pasture, and £12 rent in Great and Little Kington and Weston, which John Wynford, and Alice, his wife, widow of John de la Bere, then held for the life of Alice Wynford, which premises after her death ought to revert to the said 90 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. i Roger Stourton, and Alice, his wife, with an ultimate remainder in favour of the heirs of Alice Stourton*. The property was dealt with in thirds as John de la Bere, had by his wife, Alice de la Bere, afterwards wife of John Winford, three daughters and coheirs. Among the Wardour Castle deeds is a charter of 17th March, 34 Henry VI., wherein Alice Winford, therein called late wife of John Winford and sister of William Lambrookef, released the Manor and Advowson of Thornton, in the hundred of Gillingham, to William Carent, from whom it probably passed to his son, John Carent, and Margaret, his wife, and the heirs male of their bodies. The Carents mentioned as marrying with the Stourtons, were of Toomer, and William Carent of that place, married Mar- garet, sister of John, ist Lord Stourton, and Katherine, 3rd wife and widow of John Stourton, of Preston. Roger Stourton's widow became wife of William Warre, presumably of the Hestercomb family, of which stock came Sir Richard Warre, knight, who married Jane, daughter of John, ist Lord Stourton. We think there is no pretension whatever for assuming him to have been the same as Roger Stourton, Lord of Horningsham, who was living temp. Edward II L and Richard II., although his wife was Alice, like Roger Stourton, of Preston. It is presumed he died sine prole as stated by Collins and Hoare. ni. — Richard Stourton, is not shewn either by the old pedigree of 1509, Harleian Manuscript 1074, or Edmondson. Hoare and Collins both shew him in their pedigrees of the family and as having died sine prole. He appears to have been in Holy Orders and instituted to the rectory of Gilling- ham, Co. Dorset, by the Abbess of Shaftesbury, on the 8th Feb., 1405. It is, however, alleged he married Eleanor, daughter and coheir of Richard de Bosco, which appears in part confirmed when we call to mind that the arms ofde Bosco were actually blended with those of Daubeney, Stourton, and Moyne on the dexter side of the monument in Little Cheney Church. As Master Richard Stourton, rector of the Prebendary Church of Gillingham, he had grant rtf/. cum test., as administrator of Morgan Googh, of his brother. Sir William Stourton's will, 23rd Sept., 1413, which had been proved alone Fin. cone, No. 22. t Treasurer of Wells Cathedral, one of the co-founders, with her, of the Chantry at Yeovil, whirh Alice Wintord endowed with lands m Galhamplon, Co. Somerset. In a deed relating to Brinipton, and dated there on Monday then next before St. Valentine's day, in 13 Henry VI., Alice Winford is called Alice, sonietlme the wife of John Winford, and cousin of Walter Veer, Esquire, whose deed it was and who directed her, into whose custody he recited he had delivered a box with their evidences tllerein iinderwritten,&c., to deliver same to John Battiscombe, if the latter paid her /20 in gold w'liich Walter Veer might have in a good purse when he came to Brimpton again, and for dwers other causes for his Manor of Brimpton. John Battiscombe purchased de Vere's estate, tcmh. Henry VI., in Co. Dorset, and Alice, his wife, supposed to be identical with Alice Winford. although there IS no evidence to support it, is called daughter of Thomas Beanchin. MASTER RICHARD STOURTON, RECTOR OF GILLINGHAM. 91 b}' his and the testator's brother, Sir John Stourton, of Preston, the preceding day, as Morgan Googh, another executor, had predeceased the testator. He is found in the deeds relating to Bishop Bubwith's Almshouses in Wells, described as Master Richard Stourton, clerk, and in the deed numbered 167, of 26th Jan., 1432, he was party by that description with his nephew, Sir John Stourton, knight, William Carent, and his brother, John Stourton, of Preston. Master Richard Stourton sealed the deed with an Eagle displayed, between four roundels or fountains, and the letters, R.S., but Mr. Jewers wrongly described him as a younger son, instead of as uncle of John, ist Lord Stourton. His death can be fixed somewhere about the 13th May, 1437, on which date the next rector of Gillingham was instituted 011 his death in his place. This was 1 1 years before the barony of Stourton was created by patent. His aunt, Mary Stourton, was a nun at Shaftesbury, and his sister, Margaret Stourton, was Abbess there, having been confirmed and received the benediction, 9th December, 1423, and died 30th October, 1441. So she was actually the Patroness of Gillingham during a portion of the time Master Richard Stourton was rector there. His sister, Anastatia Stourton, was, like her aunt, Mary Stourton, also a nun at Shaftesbury. Under their names mention is made of the Stourton arms having been found in the ruins oi Shaftesbury Abbey. See under Sir William Stourton for Morgan Googh. iv. — Huskin Stourton is neither mentioned in the old pedigree of 1509, Harleian Manuscript 1074, Edmondson nor Collins, but only in Hoare's copy of the College of Arms pedigree, and as having died sine prole. V. — Edmund Stourton is not mentioned in any of the above pedigrees, excepting in that of Collins, who says he died without issue. Possibly Collins wrongly identified him, for he might really have been a son of that John Stourton, who was son of Roger Stourton, Lord of Horningsham. vi. — Edith Stourton, whom the Visitation for Co. Beds, erroneously called daughter and heir of John, Lord Stourton, although the Visitation for Co. York leaves his name in blank, but from an inscription* it was recorded, " Hie jacet Editha soror Will'i Stoiioii, quondam uxor' D'ni Joh'is Beau- champ, militis, et post uxor' D'ni Roberti Shottesbroke, militis, qui obiit xiii. die Junii anno domini 1441!, cui' a'n'e p'pi'ef Deus." Edmondson ■■ Hiirl. MS. 1074. I Sir Juhn Stourton w as not created a Baron until seven years afteru-ards. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON, erroneously placed her as a child of her father's first marriag-e, but Hoare and Collins both mentioned her as part issue of the second marriage. She and both her husbands were recorded in the Visitation for Co. Beds., and in Harleian MS. 1074, a fuller account is given of her, shewing the inscription to her first husband and that inscribed to her own memory, wherein she was called sister of Willian-i Stourton, sometime wife of Sir Thomas Beauchamp, knight, and after wife of Sir Robert Shottesbroke, knight. Under her brother, John Stourton, of Preston, it is seen that the heirs of the body of his sister, Edith, called late wife of Sir Robert Shottesbroke, knight, had the next remainder in certain of his property, contingent on his three daughters dying without issue, which they did not do. She married (i) Sir John Beauchamp, knight, of Bletsho, Co. Bedford, sometimes called Lord Beauchamp, but he was never summoned to Parliament ; he had livery of his lands in 1406-7, and died in 141 2, and (2) Sir Robert Shottesbroke*, who was shewn to be the then husband of Edith, late wife of John Beauchamp, chivalier, in an Inquisition taken at Sherborne, Co. Dorset, on 30th April, 9 Henry V., after the death of her only son, John, son and heir of John Beauchamp, relating to the Manor of Ashmore in that county. It will have been seen that her issue by her first husband, Sir John Beauchamp, of Blet- sho, Co. Bedford, was given in the old pedigree set out on page 74, as Margaret Beauchamp, only daughter, but she had a brother, John Beauchamp, Lord Beauchamp, only son and heir of his parents, who succeeded his father when two years old, died 20th July, 8 Henry V., seised of the Manor of Ashmore, Co. Dorset, and other estates, leaving the said Margaret, his sister and heir, then aged eleven years and upwards, shewing that William Stourton, then deceasedf, his uncle, had been one of his trustees, and that Edith, his mother, was then late wife of John Beauchamp, chivalier, and then wife of Sir Robert Shottisbroke"^ It IS said by the Peerages that on his death the right to any Barony created by the summons of 1363 would devolve on his sister and next heir : — The said Margaret Beauchamp, who married (i) Sir Oliver St- John, knight, of Bletsho, in the County of Bedford, who died in 1437, having acquired on his marriage the Lordship of Bletsho, Co. Beds.. visitation of Beds., Harl. MS. 1074. He had died in 1413. ln(|. P.M.. taken at Sherborne, _joth April, g Hen. V. THE ROYAL HOUSE OF TUDOR. 93 and Lydiard Tregoze, Co. Wilts., and throug-h her was ancestor of the Lords St. John, of Bletsho, Co. Beds. ; the Barons St. John, of Lydiard Tregoze, Co. Wilts., and Battersea, Co. Surrey ; Viscounts St. John, and Viscounts BoHngbroke, Co. Lincoln ; the Earls of Boling- broke ; and the Baronets of Longthorpe, Co. Northampton ; (2) John Beaufort, ist Duke of Somerset, K.G., grandson of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and titular King of Castille and Leon, fourth son of King Edward IIL ; his grace died 27th May, 1444, (the pedigree says 1446,) buried in Wimborne Minster, Co. Dorset, aged 39; and (3) Leo, Lord Welles, K.G., who was slain at Towton, loth July, 1460. The Visitations and other records shew she eventually became sole heir of her father, and that she inherited Ashmore Manor, and other premises there, dying seised of same 8th August, 22 Edward IV., leaving John St. John, Esquire, her son, by her first husband, who was her next heir, then aged 40 years and upwards*, from whom descended the Lords St. John, of Bletsho, Co. Beds., the Earls of BoHngbroke, and the Baronets of Longthorpe, Co. Northampton. By her second husband, John, ist Duke of Somerset, she had an only daughter :— Lady Margaret Beaufort, who was sole child and heiress of her father, and aged three years at his deathf. She was born at Bletsho in 1441, married (i) Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond and premier Earl of England, half-brother to King Henry VL, and son and heir of Sir Owen Tudor, knight, by Queen Catherine, his wife, widow of King Henry V., and youngest daughter of King Charles VL of France ; (2) Sir Henry Stafford, sometimes called Lord Henry Stafford, a title by courtesy, as he was the younger son of Hum- phrey, Duke of Buckingham, and a great-great-grandson of King Edward HL, and cousin on both sides to his said wife, the Countess of Richmond ; and (3) Thomas Stanley, Earl of Derby, Lord Stanley, Lord of Man, and Great Lord High Constable of England, who placed the Crown of England on the head of his stepson, Henry Vn., at the Battle of Bosworth Field. She died sine prole by her two last husbands, but by her first husband, Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, was mother of an only son : — ■ Imj. P.M., taken at Shaftesbury, 28th October following. ( E-sch. 22 Henry VI. HlSTelRY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. King- Henry VII. of England, ancestor of the Royal House of Tudor which ended in Queen EHzabeth ; and ancestor through his daughter, Oueen Margaret of Scotland, of James I., King of England*. Thus from Henry VII. came all the Kings and Queens of England of the Tudor Family, viz : — Henry VIII., Edward VI., and Queens Mar)- and Elizabeth, besides Queen Margaret, consort of James IV. of Scotland, from which queen descended Mary, the unfortunate Queen of Scots, mother of James I., King of England, whose father was grandson of the same Queen Margaret of Scotland, consequently Henry VII. was ancestor of the Kings and Queens of the Royal Houses of Stuart and of Hanover. The Countess of Richmond and Derby, King Henry VII's mother, founded Christ's College (God's House) at Cambridge, and her executors founded, after her death, the St. John College there, and she is clearly shewn to have been sole heir of her father. She made her relative, Sir John St. John, who was grandson of her mother by Sir Oliver St. John, her chamberlain and an executor of her will. Of her first marriage there is no dispute, and the obiitf which by deed of 2nd March, 1505-6, she made between herself and the Abbot, Prior, and Convent of Westminster, should leave no reasonable doubt that she had three husbands, for she therein ordered the Cantarists in their masses not only to pray for the souls of herself, her parents, her son, Henry VII., his issue, and all her progenitors and ancestors, but also for her three husbands, naming them as Edmund, Earl of Richmond ; Thomas, Earl of Derby ; and Henry, Lord Stafford^. The Duke of Buckingham confirmed the marriage of his son. Sir Henry Stafford, by bequeathing 400 marks to his said son, and Margaret, Countess of Richmond, his wife. The Countess of Richmond made her will 6th June, 1508, proved 17th October, 1512, Tliis is the pcdiyree spoken of by John Aubrey, t Widniore says she obtained a hcense of mortmain for £1^0 per annnm, and conveyed £go of it to the Convent of Westminster, for the purpose of an anniversary for herself, for tliree' monks to celebrate mass in the Abbey church, and for the payment of the salaries of the professors founded in the two universities, and her Cambridge preacher. Her will and the Vitlor EccUsiaslicus shew her land was charged for the above objects. The deed between her and the Abbot of Westminster is preserved among the Lansdowne MSS. ] See the rather amusing wordy battle in " Vincent's Discoveries of Errors in Brookes' Catalogue of Nobility," relating to the Countess' marriage with Sir Henry Stafford, which Brookes alleged' never took place, but which Vincent shewed did, he quoting Patent 4th December, 4 Edward IV., wherein is recited " Margarata: Comitissa: Richmondia: u.xori Henrici Stafford filij Humfridi nuper Ducis Buckingha' per nomen Margarata qua: fuit uxor' Edmundi nuper Comitis Richmond filia; et heredi Juhannis [Beaufort] nuper Duci Somerset." MARGARET STOURTON, ABBESS OF SHAFTESBURY. 95 which she prefaced "In the name of Ahnighty God, Amen. We, Margaret, Countess of Richmond and Derby, moder to the most excellent Prince King Henry the Vllth, &c." She died 29th June, 1509. Her second husband made his will October 2nd, 147 1, proved May 4th, 1482, in which he described himself as " Harry Stafford, knight, son to the noble Prince Humphrey, late Duke of Bucks," and directed his body to be buried in the College of Plecye, he mentioned his son-in-law, Henry, Earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry VH., giving the residue of his goods to his beloved wife, Margaret, Countess of Richmond, constituting her his executrix. The will of her third husband was made 28th July, and proved 9th Nov., 1504, he describing himself as "Thomas Stanley, Earl of Derby, Lord Stanley, and Lord of Man, and Great Constable of England," he was created Earl of Derby by Henry VH., having been Lord Steward of the Household to Edward IV., dying at Latham in Lancaster, and being, by his first wife, grandfather of the third Earl of Derby, whose daughter married Charles, eighth Lord Stourton. vii. — Margaret Stourton, Abbess of Shaftesbury, was confirmed and received the Benediction, 9th December, 1423, and died 30th October, 144:. She was succeeded by Edith Bonham, as Abbess, on the 15th November following, and when, in 1817, John Dyneley, the proprietor of the site of Shaftesbury Abbey, permitted Charles Bowles to make searches, it was discovered that the floor of the Conventual Church there, was composed of Roman tiles on which were the arms of Stourton and Bonham in painted shields. viii. — Anastatia Stourton, a Nun at Shaftesbury, who is mentioned in the will ot her breather, John Stourton, of Preston and Brimpton. She was living as a Nun at Shaftesbury when Edith Bonham was elected Abbess thereof after the death of her sister, Margaret Stourton, and was living in 14O0, when Margaret St. John was elected, as successor to Edith Bonham. In 1861, the Wilts. Archjeological Association held a meeting in Shaftesbury, when important excavations of about 80 feet square were made in Shaftesbury .Abbey. In what the Rev. J. J. Reynolds, Rector of Holy Trinity, called King 96 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OE STOURTON. Edward's Chapel, the floor was found to have been paved with Heraldic tiles of a later period, in very good order, laid in squares, four similar shields of arms being placed together with a narrow border of dark green. I. STOURTON. 2. FIT/, WARYN. 3. BRYAN. 4- T -DE CLARE. K~1 LM 1 ! 5. UNAPPROPRIATED. -DENEBAUD. 7- 8 . MONTAC UTE. I- — The first four shields shew engravings of the Stourton Arms. 2- Hutchins (from whom this illustration is reproduced) says these arms were assigned to Sir Fowke Fitz Waryn, in a Roll temp. Edward II., as a knight of Dorset and Devon. 3.— These arms he ascribed to the Bryans, of Woodsford, and he noticed the marriage of Guy de Brian, with Elizabeth, daughter of William Montacute, first Earl of Salisbury, and widow of Sir Hugh le Despencer, knight. 4.— These arms he said were those of de Clare, Earls of Gloucester from about 1220 to 1350, he shewed they were Lords of the Manor and Chtise of Cranbourne, which extended to the very precints of Shaftesbury. 5. — He gave as a cross between four estoiles but was unable to appropriate the coat to anyone. 6. — These he described as, on a chief a demi lion rampant, and ascribed them to Denebaud, of Hinton St. George, Co. Somerset. 7. ^These he ascribed to Cheney of Brook, in Westbury, see pages 49-50. 8.— These, he said, were the arms of Montacute, Earls of Salisbury from 1339 to 1448. In i6oo, there were in the Crown Inn at ROYAL DESCEXT FROM SIR JOHN STOURTON. 97 Shaftesbury, the arms of Stourton, sable, a bend or, between siv roundels, or fountains proper, impaling or three piles sable, point in base, a canton ermine, (Wrottesley)*. The Crown Inn was formerly the residence of Mr. Twinehow and must not be confused with the King's Arms, in which the upper part of the old chimney piece removed from Stourton House was placed. It was William, 5th Lord Stourton, who married Thomasine, daughter of Sir Walter Wrottesley, knight, aud these arms of Stourton, impaling those of Wrottesley, were also to be seen formerly in the window of the south aisle of Stourton Church. The Barons Stourton were mesne Lords of Marston Bigott, holden of the Manor of Wanstre, Co. Somerset, and on the 27th I'eb., 1465, William Twynyho, Esq., and Ankaret, his wife, had release of Daungen's tenement in Marston Bigot, under the hand and seal of Robert Lambard, mesne Lord of the Manor called Lambard's Court in Maiden Bradley, held under the Priory there+. He was son and heir of John Lambard, of Donington and Maiden Bradley, Co. Wilts., Esq., by Sibil, his wife, and kinsman and heir of Alice, then late wife of Walter Hornby, of Maiden Bradley, gentleman, through his mother, Sybil Lambard, and Alice Hornby^ ; they being the daughters and coheirs of William Daungens, of Maiden Bradley, and Lord of Little Langford, see page 35. This messuage undoubtedly vested eventually in theStourtons, asdidthe Priory Manor of Maiden Bradley Henry VIII., when the heir of the last holder by the Maiden Bradley Lamberts, was a minor on his father's death. From the foregoing evidence we find Sir John Stourton was ancestorjf Jane Seymour, 3rd consort of Henry VII 1. and mother of Edward VI., and also ances- tor of Henry VIII., and consequently of all the descendants of Henry VII., as shewn by the accompanying pedigree. Catherine, dalif;liter=-.Si)- John Stourton, Lord of Preston, Co,c=.7a)ie, daughter of of Henry. Lord Somerset. Called John, Lord Stourton in Ralph, Lord Bas- Beaumont", confirm- the Visitation of Beds,, and Constable of set, confirmed by ed by Hoare's copy 1 Corfe Castle ist March, 4 Richard H. Wit- Hoare's copy of the of the College of nessed Robert, Lord Fitz Payne's charier College of Anns Anns pedigree and of the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, pedigree, by Ed- by Edinoiidson. Co. Wilts, 40 Edward IIL Described by mondson, and by I his son, John Stourton, of Preston, as some- Brydges' Collins' time Lord of Stourton, Co. Wilts. Sherifl" Peerage. of Counties Dorset and Wilts,, IJ77. Buried in the Alibey of Stavordale, Co. Somerset. a b - Harl. MS, 14^7, fob ig-j. I Held by Sir William Stourton on the day he died in 1413, of Sir Thomas Lovell. knight, and William Beauchamp, as of their Manor of Wanstre, by unknown service, ; History of Minster in Thanet, Co. Kent, (Aldred). § It is said she remarried John Bowles, of Bristol. 98 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Sir W'ilUain Stourion, Lord= of Stourton, Co. Wilts., son and heir. Speaker of tlie Honse of Commons. Steward of the Principality of Wales. Died on Mon- day after the feast of St. Lambert, i Henry V,, L413, and bnried in the Priory of Witham, Co. Somerset. Will proved 22nd Sept., 1413, Ad. cum Tct. granted 23rd Sept., 1413- Elizabeth, dan. and co- heir of Sir Jolm Moygne, of Maddington, Co. Wilts., and Estaines, Co. Esse.x, knigiit. Mar- ried 22 Richard H. Buried with her hus- band in the Priory of Witham, Co. Somerset. I Sir John Stourton^ created= Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts. Lord and Patron of Stourton. Sheriff of Co. Wilts., Sheriff of Co. Glou- cester, Treasurer of the Household. Served in the wars of France and Nor- mandy. Died on St. Cath- erine's day, 1462. Margaret Stourton, who is=Sir George Darell, of Lit- shewn by Hoare, Ed mondson and Collins as a daughter of John, first Lord Stourton, as well as by Harl. MS. 1074. tie, Co. Wilts., knii'w Stowrton, obijt 17 Febry Anno 150 Hen' 3. sine exit'. '7 Edwardus, D'n's Stowrton, /ra/tr pa. WiU'miy D'ni Stowrton, obijt 24 Decembr' Anno 27 Hen' 8 et habit exit'. I I ■ 8 Will'm D'n'm Stowrton, qui obijt Anno z] Edwardi Sexti et habet exit'. | I . 1 * 9 Carolum, D'n'm Stowrton, qui obijt Ann' 4) et 5 Phillippi et Marie et habet exit'. f I I ' 10 Joh'em, D'n'm Stowrton, qui obijt Anno 30 1 Eliz. Rue sine prole. i "II Edwardus, D'n's Stowrton, /rafer pd Jah'is, obijt octavo Caroli primi. qui obijt 70 die May, Anno S Car' Re — et habet exitum. I" ■ The estates shewn really extend to several other counties. The book appears to have been compiled cut of the records for purposes of title. t He was 4th Lord Stourton, who is omitted from the Pedigrees in the Peerages, but recently incor- porated, although mentioned in Newcourfs Repertoriuui Ecclesiasticum. Edmondson stated John, jrd Lord Stourton, died sine prole, which Collins limited to male issue, for he had a daus;hter, .\nna Stourton. Sir William Dugdale alleged this John, 3rd Lord Stourton, had a son, William, Lord Stourton, but he was really brother to John, 3rd Lord Stourton. '02 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. I a " 12 Will'm modo D'n'm Stowrton, qui obijt 25° die Apr' Anno Dom' 1672, et reliquit Will'mu' Do'nu' Stowrton ex Edwardo Stourton, ar', ffilio primogenito dicti Gulielmi Dom'i Stowrton, defunct, qui quid Will'm, D'n'm Stowrton, obijt 7,, die Aug' Anno 70 Jacobi 9'c'di Hegis et reliquit Edvvardu', modo Dom' Stowrton Anno D'ni 1673," Sir William Stourton, as shewn by the Inquisition taken after his death, held the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, Co. Wilts., with two carucates of land there, of Alice St. Maur, posthumous daughter and heir of Sir Richard St. Maur, Lord St. Maur, and wife of Sir William Le Zouch, 5th Lord Zouch, of Harring- worth, the chief Lady, as of her honour of Castle Car>', Co. Somerset. His other propert)- in Stourton, presumably part of the ancient demesnes, consisted of 9 messuages, 2 carucates of land, 10 acres of meadow, and 100 acres of pasture. He is the first member of the family found holding the Manor and Advowson, after the death of his ancestor. Sir Ralph Stourton, who held them of the chief Lords of the same honour. It is previously shewn that his grandfather. Sir William Stourton, was seated at Stourton, and that the latter's son, Sir John Stourton, witnessed a charter relating to the same Manor and Advowson. Below we reproduce Sir Richard Colt Hoare's view of that Church in Stourton, from the addenda following Vol. V. of his history of Wilts. He does not appear to have presented to the church of St. Peter's, in Stourton, as shewn in the accoimt we give of the church and patronage. SIR WILLIAM STOURTON, OF STOURTON, CO. WILTS. IO3 For during the period that Sir William Stourton held the Advowson the Crown presented thereto, as well as partly during the minority of Robert Poinings, son and heir of Isabella Poinings, who had died holding the same, nth April, 17 Richard II., of the chief Lords, as of the honour of Castle Cary, she being wife of Richard, Lord Poinings, and daughter of Sir Robert Fitz Payne, alias de Grey, who likewise held it with the Manor, and whose charter relating thereto, Sir John Stourton had witnessed. The presentments by the Crown took effect in 1396, 1398. 1403 and 1407. We have shewn from the pedigree on pages 71 and 72, how he possibly descended from Maud Badlesmere, the mesne Lady of Stourton, who had inter- married into the Fitz Payne family, who held this Manorial estate of the chiet Lords, and it is proved by the pedigree on pages 43 and 44, that through William, 2nd Lord Stourton (his grandson). Lord Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton is one of the three coheirs to the Barony of Fitz Payne, as being a descendant of Isabel Fitz Payne, daughter and heir of Robert Fitz Payne, (son and heir of Robert Fitz Payne, Lord Fitz Payne) and wife of Sir John Chidiock, of Westbury, Co. Wilts., ancestor of Margaret Chidiock. In the pedigree lastly above referred to, it is found that William, 2nd Lord Stourton, became allied through his wife, Margaret Chidiock, with the chief Lords of Stourton, as both the above Margaret Chidiock and Alice St. Maur were descended from Sir John St. Loe, whose daughters, (i) Joan, married Sir John Chidiock, great-grandfather of Margaret Chidiock, and (2) Ela, married Richard St. Maur, Lord St. Maur, g-randfather of Alice St. Maur, Lady in chief of Stourton. Sir William Stourton married, 21 Richard II., Elizabeth, daughter and coheir of Sir John Moyne, of Maddington, Co. Wilts., Buckhorn Weston, Co. Dorset, and Estaine, Co. Esse.x, knight*, Lardiner at the Coronation of Henry V. Testa dc Nevile stated in effect that the Manor of Owre Moyne was held by Ralph Moyne, of the Lord the King, by serjeanty of his kitchen, as his ancestors had done from the time of Henry I., and also by serjeanty of purveying that which belonged to the kitchen of the Lord the Kingt. Sir John Moigne claimed to hold the Manors of Ogres or Owres, Co. Dorset, Maddington, Co. Wilts., and Eyston, Co. Essex, per les services d'estre achateur del kuysine de Roy et Lardiner de Roy a temps de coronements de Royes et de Reynes d'Englitcr Jacob -•' Patent zi Richard II,. part 3, mem. 7. J Ralph le Moigne or Moien held this Manor, per servicium serjeantcie de coquiiia donu itidom Kc^is Heurici primi. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON, II. This serjeantcie was admitted on the claim of Lord Maynard of Estaines, for Kaston, Co. Essex, as connected with Maddington, &c., Co. Wilts. Sir Henry Maynard, knight, secretary to the Lord Treasurer of Burghley, purchased the Manor and Advowson of Great Easton, from Oliver Cromwell, who was nephew and next heir of Richard Warren, son and heir of Sir Ralph Warren, Lord Mayor of London, who had purchased the Manor and Advowson from William, 7th Lord Stourton. In 8 Edward IL it was found that Henricus le Moigne held the Manor of Over Moigne, Co. Dorset, of the king in chief, p' servic'm essendi Lardinar' dom' regis. William de Moyne held one carucate in Winterbourn- Maddington in chief of the king per s'jant' scil't ad emend' lardar' D'ni Regis, Edward III. Sir Ralph Warren held the Manor of Great Easton by the serjeancy of being the king's Lardiner and Purveyor of his kitchen on the coronation. It appears that the reversion of the Manor of Owre Moyne vested in the Crown until 7 George II. Canon Jackson said that by fortunate marriages, first with the heir of Moyne, and afterwards with the heir of Chidiock, the Stourtons obtained large possessions in Counties Gloucester, Wilts., Somerset, and Dorset, and he should have said in Co. Essex also. In Harleian Manuscript 1074, we find that in the margin of the Stourton pedigree there recorded, two shields, the one quarterly, ist and 4th, Sable, a bend or, betu'cen six fountains wavy argent and azure, Stourton ; 2nd, or, a cross engrailed sable, Mohun ; and 3rd, Gules, an escutcheon within an orle of martlets argent, Chidiock, The other shield \s Argent, two bars and in chief three mullets sable, over which is written, " Wylliam Moyne". But Hutchins said the Lords Stourton had no right to quarter the Mohun arms, which were distinct from those of Moyne, He, — quoting jointly from Camden and Coker— placed the arms of Moyne as Barry of six or, and vert, as evidenced from many impressions found on old seals ; while in Owre Moyne Church and elsewhere, these arms were shewn in the windows, their crest being a deini monk, -with a penitential whip in his hand. In the above pedigree it is entered that "William Stourton, eldest son of John Stourton, married Elizabeth, daughter and one of the heirs of Sir John Moyne, knight," shewing his issue as John, 1st Lord Stourton, and Margaret Stourton, who married William Carent, Esquire. Sir Richard Colt Hoare, in speaking of Little Langford, Co. Wilts., said the crest of the flagellating Monk seemed to have been assumed by the Stourtons after the marriage of this Sir William Stourton, with Elizabeth, daughter and SIR WILLIAM STOURTON, LORD OF EASTON, CO. ESSEX. coheir of Sir John Moyne, of Maddington, Co. Wilts., and referred to the escutcheon sculptured in stone over the northern porch of Little Langford Church. The position of the stone has now been changed, but it still remains in the outer wall of the church. The escutcheon has the arms of Stourton impaled with arms he took to be those of Frampton ; the identification of the impalement is^ however, by no means certain. He proceeded to show that the original badge of the Stourtons, the sledge, was main- tained in this shield of arms at Little Langford (where it figures as the crest, however), and was then, in his time, to be seen painted on glass in the parish church of Stourton, with the motto, " Espoir en Dieti" and he imagined the sledge to have been the crest of the family before they used that of the flagellating monk, on their marriage with the family of Moyne. A badge and crest, however, are quite different matters. The seal of the first Lord Stourton (see page i 74) shows the head of a goat or antelope as the crest, and it is this crest which appears to have been subsequently changed to the demi-monk. The sledge is the badge, and would appear to have always been used as such by the head of the Stourton family for the time being, though there are some number of instances in which it has undoubtedly been also used as the crest. It was found by the Inquisition taken after the death of Sir William Stourton, in I Henry V., at Dunmow, Co. Esse.\, that Sir John Moigne, knight, had been seised of the Manor of Estanes ad Montem, Co. Essex, with the advowson of the church there, in his demesne as of fee, as being settled to him and his heirs for ever, and being so seised, he had granted that Lordship, Manor and Advowson to Elizabeth, his daughter, then wife of Sir William Stourton, to hold of the said Elizabeth and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing by her husband, William Stourton, and that on the 20th May, 21 Richard II., a license had been obtained from the Kinof confirming the said grant, and the Inquisition proved that John Stourton was son and ne.\t heir of the said Elizabeth by Sir William Stourton. Newcourt, in his Repcrtoriuiii Ecclesiasticuin Parochiale Londincnsc of 17 10, gave probably the best and most e.xhaustive account relating to the patronage of the rectory of the church at Great or Much Easton, Co. Essex, by the Stourton family. He conclusively proved that the name had been anciently written as Estaines ad Montem, alias Estanys at the Mount, Easton-magna, Eyston, and Estaynes, and was commonly known by the name of Great or Much Easton, to distinguish it from Little Easton. Mr. Newcourt's genealogy was taken from Dugdale, but his proof of the right of the Stourton family to the patronage of the rectory was apparently an original research by himself, and not even noticed by Morant, who wrote his history of Essex some sixty years afterwards, nor by any compiler of Peerage works. From his account, supported by legal evidence, we find that this William Stourton, ic6 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. then styled " Esquire," presented to the rectory, 3rd January, 1408 ; that his son, John Stourton, called " Junior " (afterwards Lord Stourton), presented on the 5th of January, 1427. The fact that in this entry John Stourton is called "Junior," supports our con- tention that John Stourton, of Preston and Brimpton, his uncle, described himself as " Senior" to distinguish himself from his nephew, John, ist Lord Stourton.* Mr. New- court then proceeded to say that, " upon the two next vacancies (2nd of August, 143 1, and 8th of March, 1437), indeed, (William) Carent, and others, presented. Sir John Stourton, the original patron, being then iniptoy d by the King abroad; so that it is very probable, he said, that the said ( William) Carent, and others, were his attourneys or trustees."^ William, 2nd Lord Stourton, presented on the 29th of March, 1477, but his son, John, 3rd Lord Stourton (called by Newcourt a knight only), never presented. Of him, Newcourt stated that he, "dying about 1484, leaving Katherine, his widow, who, afterwards, marrying with John Brereton, Esq., together, with him, presented to the same in i486," which was on the 21st July, i486, when " John Brereton, Ar', and Dom' Katherina Sturton. u.xor sua ratione custodise Franc', Dom' Sturton," by " virtue of the guardianship of Francis, (4th) Lord Stourton, his (Sir John, 3rd Lord Stourton's) son and heir (by the said Katherine, Lady Stourton), who dying in his minority, or, at least, without issue, Sir William, afterwards (5th) L[ord] Stourton, his (Sir John, 3rd Lord Stourton's) brother, became his heir," who, "whilst a i Owen Tudor, knight. land. Born at Monmouth 13S8, crowned gth April, 1413, married 3rd June, 1420, died at Bois Vin- cennes in France, 31st Aug., 1422, and buried in Westmmster Abbey, of Charles VL, King of France, Sister of Isabel, Queen Consort of Ric- hard II,, who was cousin of Henry V, son of Meredith, son of Sir Tudor ap Grono, of Penmynydd, knight. Be- headed in J461. Margaret Bectuchmnp. For particulars vide pedigree page 98. She married John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, K.G.^- Henry VI., King of Eng- land. I " I Edmund Tudor, of Had-=Z.«rfv Margaret Beaufort, ham. Earl of Richmond. I sole child and heir. (See (See page 98.) | page 98.) I Henry VU., King of Eng- land. (See page 99,) The first serious attempt in England towards the so-called reformation of the established church, which in Henry VIII's reign found effect, had taken place in 1350, during the lifetime of Sir William Stourton's father, when John Wycliffe, a public reader of divinity in the university of Oxford, a philosopher and theolo- gian, promulgated his tenets so promptly condemned by Pope Gregory XI. as differing from the doctrine then commonly received. The Stourtons were members of the Catholic church as they still are, and the acts of Henry IV. against heretics are well known, therefore both Sir John and Sir William Stourton undoubtedly strictly followed the (then) established religion of the land during the .successive reigns of Edward III., Richard II., Henry IV. and V., as their descendants continued to do from that time to the present da)-, and consequently 1 20 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. severely suffered for their adherence to the ancient faith. About 1413, while Sir William Stourton was Speaker of the House of Commons, the treasonable and heretical conspiracy is found in which Sir John Oldcastle, a Baron of Cobham, and other followers of Wickclifife, were implicated. Sir John Stourton, the son of Sir William Stourton, as we shall read, had been empowered in the reign of Henry V. to capture in Co. Somerset three of the late clerks of Sir John Oldcastle, who had been engaged in the conspiracy and had escaped from the Tower of London wlicre they had been placed. Sir William Stourton when he referred to the riots in Cirencester, was probably speaking of some disorder which had arisen out of the relig'ious feeling then existing between the established church and the followers of Wickcliffe, for John Montacute, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, who was beheaded at Cirencester, and buried in the abbey there before his remains were removed to Bustleham Abbey in Berkshire, is shewn by Walsingham to have been a chief patron of the Wickcliffes or Lollards, having carried his iconoclastic zeal so far as to destroy all the images of the saints which had been set up in his chapel, by John Aubrey of London, and Sir Alan Buxhall, K.G., his wife's former husbands, excepting that of St. Katherine, which being an object of particular veneration to his household, he allowed to remain in his bakehouse. Walsingham shews, how- ever, that he became contrite just before his execution, and expressed an ardent desire to be shriven according to the rites of the mother church. It is therefore to be assumed that when Sir William Stourton was addressing Henry V. in Parliament he spoke not only in his official capacity as shewing the unanimous feeling of the Commons and the subjects, but also as a catholic and a strong adherent to the ancient faith. It is to be regretted that a family, who so consis- tently and strongly upheld the doctrines of their faith, should have eventually suffered so severely at the hands of the seceders from the mother church after the reformation. When Henry V. came to the throne on the 9th April, 1413, he was not long before he called his first Parliament to meet at Westminster, which was on the 14th day of the following month, and one would expect to find in Sir William Stourton, through his having been chosen by the Commons and confirmed by the King and the Lords in Parliament, as the Speaker of the lower house, a states- man of some influence in the county from whence he was returned, and in the House of Commons itself where he held such a conspicuous position. The speech he made before the upper house in the presence of the king, would have imdoubtedly destined him for higher favour from Henry V., as in the case of his LIFE OF SIR WILLIAM STOURTON, THE SPEAKER. 121 successor, Sir Walter Hungerford, had not his ilhiess so abruptly hindered him from fulfilling his onerous and honourable office. But the influence of the father most probably did much to raise the son in the esteem of the Royal House of Lancaster, and partly to Sir William may be placed the credit for the barony given eventually to Sir John Stourton and the many favours he otherwise received from Henry VI. The Stourtons have always been true royalists, for throughout the history of the family it is clearly proved they have most loyally supported the monarch for the time being. Whatever favours Sir William Stourton received from Richard II., did not prevent him from giving his support to Henry IV. and v., in the same way as Sir John and William, successively ist and 2nd Lords Stourton, did to the House of York after the deposition of Henry VI. For both these Lords are afterwards stated to have been strong adherents attached to the Yorkists in their civil wars against the Lancastrians, notwithstanding the two pedigrees set out shew that the Stourtons were actually allied by marriage to the House of Lancaster, and that their descendant, Henry VII., by his marriage with Elizabeth, Edward IV's daughter and heiress of the House of York, brought about the happy termination of the strife between those two royal houses. The following tracings in connection with the War of the Roses and the Stourton family and the historical facts from the outset of the royal quarrel until the happy termination as before narrated, make it desiiable that the same should be recorded in these pages. The first tracing ends with the marriage of Henry VII., as descended from the widow of Henry V., on the paternal side, and from Sir John Stourton, of Preston and Stavordale, on the maternal one. The second tracing shews the descent of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, from Thomas Stanley, ist Earl of Derby, who placed the crown on the head of Henry VII., and who was the third husband of the latter's mother, Margaret, Countess of Richmond and Derby. THE WAR OF THE ROSES I. Edward IU-, King of=f England. Li\ing 1312- I377- Philippa, daughter 01 William. Count of Hol- land and Hainault. a 12 2 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. r Lionel of Antwerp, Duke=L(i£fy Elizabeth de Burgh, ol Clarence, K.G. Living daughter of William de 1338-68. Burgh, Earl ot Ulster. John of Gaunt, Duke o(=Laily Blanche PluntaKcnet. Lancaster and Aquitaine, ' daughter and heir of Earl of Richmond, and Henry Plantagouct, Duke of Castile and Leon. Liv- of Lancaster, descended ing 1340-99. from Henry IIL Edmond Mortimer, 3v Henry Staf- ford, younger son of Humphrey, Duke of Bucking- ham. Second hus- band. Lineally descended from Edward III., and cousin both pat- ernally and mat- ernally of his wife. =Thomas Stauley,- ist Earl of Derby, who placed the Crown of England on the head of his stepson, Hen- ry VII.. at the battle of Bos- worth Field. Third husband. -.Eleanor, daughter of Richard Nevil. Earl of Salisbury, father of Richard Nevil, the stout Earl of Warwick, commonly known as the King Mak- er. 1st wife. LIFE OF SIR WILLIAM STOURTON, THE SPEAKER. 123 Henry VII., King of England, Crowned King at the battle of ISosworth Field by his step- iather, Thomas, ist Earl of I )erby. Sir Geovg,e- Stanley, K.G., snm-- moned to Parliament as Lord Strange of Knockyn. -.Joan, daughter and heir of John, Lord Strange of Knockyn. Thomas Stanley, 2nd Earl o{—Aiin, daughter of Edward, Derby in succession to his grandfather. Lord Hastings of Hungerford. Sir Edward Stanley, yd Earl^Dorothy, daughter of Thomas of Derby. Lord High Steward at the Coronation of Queen Mary, and supported that Queen as heir to the Throne on the death of Edward VI. Howard, second Duke of Nor- folk, K.G. Charles, 8th Baron Stoiirton.^Lady Anne Stanley. Privileged Appointed by Queen Mary by Queen Mary to be one of Lord Lieutenant of Wilts., the ladies present at the Somerset and Dorset. Queen's Coronation and to ride in the Royal Procession. Sweetman in his Pamphlet on "the Stourton Tragedy," says " the Stourton famih- had by fortunate marriages been growing in wealth and importance for several generations," and speaks of " the family " being "amongst the noblest in the land, being linked by blood with the Earl of Bridgewater, the Duke of Nor- folk, the Earls of Derby, and the Arundels of Lanherne." He could have added manv others, Dudley, Earl of Northumberland, Beaufort, Dukes of Somerset, and that they were ancestors of Henry VH., Henry VHI., Edward VI., James I., and many more illustrious persons. This probably commenced with Sir William Stourton on his marriage with Elizabeth Moigne. But in former days many suddenly rose from being nonenities to some amount of influence through greediness in gaining undue favour with the Crown, b)' which they sought to obtain the escheated possessions of some unfortunate subject or religious body. This is confirmed by a i6th century catholic writer, in the person of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, in his Treatise on the Sacrament. For his Lordship makes Flacher, the Catholic, state therein by way of prayer, after he has made Tom Tynker, the Protestant, conform to Catholicism, " lorde geue grace to those whose vocation shalbe nighe Aboute C Prince*. Aswell his p'son as yn secrete aduise not to seke more then their vocation ma)' f\'nd lest the more they seke ye more they lose neyther that they clyme higher then their vocacon will A.ssist lest the higher they clyme the sorer And the Greater ys their fall but that Edward V'l., the work being dedicated to his half-sister, then Princess Mary. 124 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. eu'y man may walke iustly And charytablye yn hys vocation According- to St. Paule's cou'sell. And not to maynteyne theyre owne wealthynes and their mouthe to speake proude things. Then shall the kinge beyn tryumphaunt myght And peax And his realmes & Subiects yn wealthy quyetnes." Hallam shews that during the lifetime of Sir William Stourton, the English language was slowly refining itself and growing into general use. That which we sometimes call, he says, pedantry and innovation, the forced introduction of French words by Chaucer, though hardly more by him than by all his predecessors who translated our neighbours' poetry, and the harsh Latinisms that began to appear soon afterwards, has given English, he says, a copiousness and variety which perhaps no other language possesses. But as yet, he proceeds, there was neither thought nor knowledge sufficient to bring out its capacities. After the death of Chaucer in 1400, he contends that a dreary blank of long duration occurs in our annals. He pays a great compliment to Charles, Duke of Orleans, who was long prisoner in England after the battle of Agincourt, in the care and custody of Sir William Stourton's son. In speaking of him Mr. Hallam says he "was the first who gave polish and elegance to French poetry," and according to Goujet's opinion if he had lived in a more enlightened age, he would have been among their greatest poets. Sir Walter Hungerford who succeeded Sir William Stourton as Speaker of the House of Commons, and was found guilty with him of divers wastes, &c., concerning the Priory of Farley, Co. Wilts., was his cousin. Sir Thomas Hungerford, of= Heytesbury, Co. Wilts., and Farleigh, Co. Somerset. Speaker of the House of Com- mons. Buried at Farleigh 1398. -Jane, daughter and heir of Sir Edmond or Edward Hiissey, of Hoi brook, Co. Somerset. She made her will in 1412. I Sir Walter Hungerford^ K.G., of Farley and Heytesbury, Sheriff of Wilts, 1406, M.P.. for Co. Wilts, 1400, izjoy and 1413, and for Co. Somerset 1409. Speaker of the House of Commons in succession to his cousin, Sir William Stour- ton 1414. Steward of the Household to and executor of Henry V. Constable of Wind- sor Castle, and created Baron Hungerford. Died at Farleigh Castle, 9th August, 1449, and buried in Salisbury Cathedral. Sir John Stourton, of Preston, =Grafe Hiingerjoni, Vide Visi- Co. Co. Somerset, Wilts. and Stourton, tation for Co. Gloucester. Sir William Stourlon.=Elizabeth Moigne. Si/ John Sfoiirion, Baron of Stourton, Co. created Wilts. LANDS HELD BY SIR WILLIAM STOURTON IN TRUST. 1 25 Stubbs said in his Constitutional History of England, that Sir William Stourton had to resign the Speakership after he had held it for a week, on a plea of illness, and John Dorewood was again substituted ; in this case Stubbs con- tended there was a political difficulty ; because as he alleged the Speaker had acted without the authority of the House, but shewed no evidence in support of this statement. After referring to other cases he added that "generally the excuse was a mere formality." In Sir William Stourton's case, however, we think there can be no question of his illness, for he died soon afterwards. Sir Will iam Stourton was party to many instruments as trustee, among which may be noted the following : — By deed dated on St. Valentine's day, 5 Richard 11., John de Byry, rector of St. Columb Major, granted under his hand and seal to Sir William Stourton, as William de Stourton, with Sir Gilbert Stone, rector of Codeforde, Sir John Hallewelle, and Sir Walter Hert, chaplains, and John Belston, of all his lands and tenements in Fonthill-Gifford, Nypred and Fernhulle, in the hundred of Doneworthe, with the Advowson of the Church at Fonthill-Gifford . A fine passed in Trinity, 14 Richard 11., between all the above persons as plaintiffs, and John Mohaut, and Jane, his wife, deforciants, of 9 messuages, with lands and appurtenances, in Fonthill-Gitford, probably representing some of the above property, 100 marks being the consideration. By deed temp. Richard H., Thomas, Archbishop of York, released under his hand and seal unto William Stourton, with Richard Home, Thomas Strete and Robert Sparry, all his right to a messuage, shops, quay, &c., in the parish of St. Benet-Atte-Wodewharf, in the ward of Baynard's Castle, London!. He was deforciant to a fine levied 17 Richard 11., respecting the moiety of the Manor of Nony, and other estates, Co. Somerset, in which Margaret, widow of Sir John Delamere, knight, had a life interest. In the time of Henry VIII., William, 7th Lord Stourton, purchased Adnam's close in the parish of Nonny, Co. Somerset. The parish of Nunney is almost midway between Frome-Selwood and Marston Bigot, being 2| miles S.W. by W. of Frome, in which hundred it is. He, as Will iam Stourton, and Sir Walter Hungerford, William Poulett, William Besyls and Henry Telsford, clerk, were plaintiffs to a fine levied by them in ID Henry IV., of 6 messuages, 64 acres of land, 8 acres of meadow, 2 acres of * Coiir! of Augmentations— witnessed by Sir Thomas West, Sir John de la Mare, linights, and others. ( Court of .Augmentations. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. wood, 300 acres of pasture, and of rent one pepper corn and one red rose, with the appurtenances, in Rodhurst, Warminster, Bishopstrow, and Norton-Bavant, Co. Wilts., to which Matilda Hertyshorn, sister and heir of John Botiller, of Rodhusrt, was then deforciant. The three parishes of Warminster, Bishopstrow, Rodhurst and Norton-Bavant lay one next under the other, close to Heytesbury and near to Witham, Maiden-Bradley and Horningfsham. Sir Walter Hungerford was as we have seen a cousin of Sir William Stourton. On the translation of St. Thomas, in 4 Henry IV., dated at Bridgewater, he, as William Stourton, and Sir Pierys Courtenay, having acted as arbitrators and settled the controversy between Nicholas Wodhull, Baron of WodhuU, and Thomas Calston,as to the possession of iocs, rent in Little Durnford, Co. Wilts., then made their award. In 9 Henry IV., 14th July, he, as William Stourton, and Sir Humphrey Stafford, knight, William Frye, William Covyntre, John Savage, and John Fauntleroy, had release under the hand and seal of Gilbert Capelond, chaplain, of all his right in the Manors of Downhead, Shokerwick and Bath-Easton, Co. Somer- set ; in which three Manors on the 6th April, (lo Henry IV.) then following. Sir Humphrey Stafford, knight, John Savage and John Fauntleroy, three of the original grantees thereof, released under their respective hands and seals all their right and interest therein to William Stourton and William Covyntre, two of the original grantees of the same premises*. Downhead is just N.W. by W. of Nunney, being a chapelry in the parish of Doulting, just south of Shepton-Mallet, and it is thought to be distinct from the hamlet of Downhead in the parish of East Camel. Bath-Easton is 3 miles N.E. from Bath. Again a William Stourton, living contemporaneously with Sir William Stourton, was mentioned in the following Inquisitions ad quod dampniiiii, and excepting in one case, he appears to have been identical with the latter. Two such Inquests were held in 15 Richard II., when the Juries returned that it would neither be to the damage of or prejudicial to the king, nor to any one else, if the king conceded to William Stourton, and others, that they should have for the Prior and Convent of Wytham, in Selwood, Co. Somerset, firstly, assignment of one messuage and one shop in Bristol, Co. Somerset, and secondly, assignment of 14 messuages, 100 acres of land, 4 acres of meadow, and 8 acres of wood, in Fonthill-Gifford, Co. Wilts. In this Priory Sir William Stourton, and Court uf Ani;nientatiuns. LANDS HELD BY SIR WILLIAM STOURTON IN TRUST. 127 Elizabeth, his wife, were buried, as evidenced from the will of Sir William Stour- ton. See also deed, page 125, of 5 Richard II., concerning lands and tenements in and the Advowson of the Church at Fonthill-Gifford, Co. Wilts. On a similar Inquest being held in 19 Richard II., it was returned that no such damage would arise if William Stourton had possession of 50 acres of pasture and woodland called Morweyne and La Potte in Bigot's Wood, &c., within the Forest of Selewood. Bigot's Wood was close to Frome Selwood and Marston Bigot, Co. Somerset. Selwood Forest extended from Pencellswood to within three miles of Frome, was disafforested temp. Charles I., and extended over 20,000 acres, 18,000 of which were cleared and converted into arable and pasture land, the remainder representing coppice woods after the disafiForestation. See entries under Roger Stourton, of Horningsham. In 4 Henry IV. on the hearing of a similar Inquest then held, the Jury returned a like presentment that William Stourton and Robert Rugge, clerk, should have conceded to them for John Chynnok, Abbot of Glastonbury, assign- ment to him, and his successors for ever, of one messuage and two virgates of lands, with their appurtenances, in Merton and Ebbesbourne, Co. Wilts. The latter is just north of Cranbourne Chase, lying almost midway between Shaftes- bury and Salisbury, and Marten is just south of Ebbesbourne-Wake, Co. Wilts. It is said by John Aubrey, though erroneously, that most of the Stourton family before the reformation were buried in the Abbey of Glastonbury. He thought it to be the fact from their escutcheons being all about the town of Glastonbury and in the windows of the Abbey there, but this was merely through the Stourtons having been great benefactors to that Monastery, in the same manner as their arms appeared about the Cathedral Church of Sarum and in all the Prebends' Houses, where the family was of great consequence. John Kington, clerk, and William Stourton were in 7 Henry IV. returned b\- the Jury on a like Inquest then held, that they should have conceded to them for the chaplain of the perpetual Chantry of the blessed Virgin Mary, founded in the Collegiate Church of Heytesbury, assignment of two messuages, and certain land, with their appurtenances, in Stokkalegh Cherleton near Hungerford ; also one mill and certain land, with the appurtenances, in Helmesford and Norton- Bavent ; and also other land in Bishopstrow, Co. Wilts. Another similar Inquest was held 13 Henry IV., when the Jury returned a similar verdict if permission were given to William Stourton, and others, 10 ha\ e conceded to them for the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Lincoln, 128 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. assig-nment of two messuag-es, with their appurtenances, in the suburbs of the City of Lincoln. There is some reason for thinking this William Stourton was not identical with Sir William Stourton, for in Co. Lincoln a distinct family of Stourton originated, and lived from temp. Edward IIL to comparativeyl recent times. The family of Stourton, Co. Lincoln, appears to have used a somewhat similar device in their Armorial bearings as that of the noble family of Stourton, Co. Wilts. They, however, appear, like the Stourtons of Co. Notts., to be a family distinct from the Stourtons, of Stourton, Co. Wilts. Although their possessions were not in Great and Little Stourton, Co. Lincoln, the presumption is that they took their patronymic from that source. Great and Little Stourton, Co. Lincoln, lie north west of Horncastle in that covnty, and it is to be observed that Sir Edward Clinton, grandson of Edward Clinton, first Earl of Lincoln, by Ursula, his wife, daughter of William, 7th Lord Stourton, married a lady of Stourton, Co. Lincoln, whose son, by her, was seated at Stourton Parva, in that county, whose son Sir Francis Clinton, became 6th Ear! of Lincoln, a title which is now merged in the higher one of the Duke of Newcastle. This is only a curious coincidence which requires just explaining, but it is not to be assumed thereby that the Stourtons of Co. Lincoln had any connection with the noble family of the same name in Co. Wilts. On the 2nd November, 1334, Robert de Stouton presented to the Church of Leyre in the diocese of Lincoln in the King's g ift by reason of his custody of the lands and heir of John de Hastynges, tenant in chief to King Edward II*. As early as 43 Edward III. Richard de Stourton had license for which he paid to the king five marks to receive one messuage, 2 tofts, 5 woodlands, 26 shillings in rent, and ;Ci of cummin in rent, with the appurtenances, in Glentworth, Co. Lincoln. The same premises passed in ig Richard II. under the Inquisition of " Ricardus Sturtone et Matilda uxor ejus" ; as they did, with the exception that 18/- was substituted for the 26/- rent, in the 21 Richard II., under the Inquisition of "Matilda, uxor' Ricardi Sturton." The family still continued at Glentworth down to the time of Henry v., when in the 8th of that reign, "Joh'es Storeton " as evidenced by his Inquisition, had messuages and lands in Glentworth, messuages and lands in Crosby held of the Manor of Stalinburgh, and messuages and lands in Westrasyn, Co. Lincoln. In these four early entries are to be found four variations in the spelling of the surname, viz : — ■ Stourton — Stourtone — Sturton — Storeton. Under the Stourtons of Notts., there were taken the depositions in the Suit of John Sturton against Henry Peigham at Barton on Humber, Co. Lincoln, in ■•- Patent Roll, 8 Edward III,, Part II., mem. 13. SIR WILLIAM STOURTON AND ALFONSO DENIA THE HOSTAGE. 129 Easter, 10 Charles I. As late as i6th October, 1633, Margaret Stourton had license to sell wine in Lincolnbaile, Co. Lincoln. It is observed that the Stourtons under the Norfolk entry held property in East Bradenham, Co. Norfolk, under the Lacy family, Earls of Lincoln. On a like Inquest being held 13 Henry IV. , the Jury found that no such damage would arise if concession was given to William Stourton, Thomas Bonham; and John Barnard, for them to have assignment towards the aid of the sustenance of Cecily, Abbess of Shaftesbury, and her successors, of 4 messuages, 27 acres of land, and half of 6 acres of meadow and g acres of pasture, in Kelve- ston, Co. Somerset. This property was probably included in the farm of the Manor of, and lands in, Kelveston, set out in the Leger Book of the Muniments of Shaftesbury, compiled about 1500, partly by Christopher Twynyho, brother of Margery, Abbess there. The above Cecily, Abbess, was Cecily Fovent, immediate predecessor of Margaret Stourton, Abbess there, whose inventory of the Plate belonging to her (Margaret Stourton) is mentioned in the said Leger Book. William Carent was steward there during the time of Margaret Stourton's two next successors as Abbesses, and he was undoubtedly identical with Sir William Stourton's son-in-law of that name. Sir William Stourton was probably identical with the William Stourton who was named in the following copy of the Letters Patent of Henry IV., dated at Westminster, on the 22nd April, 1412, in the 13th year of that king's reign. The Count of Denia vvas taken prisoner at the battle of Najara, and his son, Alfonso, was hostage for his father as afterwards explained. Sir William Stourton died in the year following. Rex, Dilectus and Fidelibus suis, Johanni Tiptot, Militi, Hugoni Loterill, Militi, Willielmo Sturmey, Militi, et Johanni Wilteshire, Militi, Magistro Henrico Ware, Magistro Philippo Morgan, Magistro Radulpho Grenehurst, Magistro Johanni Sproxton, Ricardo Cliderhowe, Armigero, et Willielmo Stourton, Salutem. Monstravcrunt nobis, Willielmo Faryndon, Chivaler, et Thomas Stokes, Armigero, Executor Testamenti Johannis Schakell, defuncti, quod ; Citm Henricus Percy, nuper Comes Northumbrise et Constabularius Anglise in quadam Causa Occupationis et Detentionis cujusdam Anfonsi, Hostagii pro Comite de Denya, Prisonario et Captivo dicti Willielmi Faryndon, Johannis Schake! et Roberti Haule, Armigerorum Defunctorum, ac Custodise dicti Hostigii, et quarumdamj Summarum Pecunise pro Financia et Redemptione dicti Comitis, occasione suae Captivitatis, cum suis Dependentiis ; Qucc Primo, in 1-30 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Curia nostra Militari Anglia;, inter quendam Johannem Hoton Cessionarium prstemsum cujusdam Matildis Haule, Hseredis unicse, ut prEetenditur, dicti Robert! Haule, Partem Actricem, ex parte una, et prsefatum Johannem Schakel, Partem Dcfendentem, ex altera ; Et subsequenter (prafato Johanna Schakel ab hac Luce substracto) inter eundem Johannem Hoton Cessionarium, Partem Actricem, ex parte una, et prsefatum Thomam Stokes Executorem, Partem Dcfendentem, ex alteri ; Aliquamdiu vertebatur Pcrpcram et nulliter procedens, Partique dicti Johannis Hoton plus debito favens, Sententiam pro Parte ejusdem Johannis, et contra prafatam Partem Dcfendentem tulisset Diffinitivam iniquam, invalidam, et mero Jure nullam, dicto Willielmo Faryndon ; Cnjns hotorie interfuit et interest, pro defensione Juris sui, prstextu Financise prasdictse, sibi debitse, ad dictam Causam vocari et praemuniri ; Nullatcmis vocarto nec pra;munito, set Absente non per Contumaciam ; Per quam quidem Sententiam totam Jus dicti Prisonarii Comitis de Denya, et etiam ipsius Redemptionem sive Financiam, cum omnibus suis Dependentiis, necnon prsefatum Alfonsum Hostag'ium et Custodian! ejusdem, ad dictam Partem Actricem pertinuisse, pertinere, et pertinere debere, Pronunciavit et Declaravit ; Diciamqiic Partem Dcfendentem de quibuscumque Summis, per eandem, pro dicta Financia sive Redemptione dicti Comitis, in quociimque tempore, and per quamcumque viam receptis, et Specialiter de Ouatuor Milibus et Septingentis Marcis ac Sexdecim Milibus Francorum, nomine et ex Causa dictse Redemptionis sive Financise, per dictam Partem Dcfendentem, ut prajtenditur, realiter, receptis, necnon de dicto Alfonso et Custodia ejusdem, ac etiam de pluribus Munimentis, Cartis, Literis, Obliga- tionibus quibuscumque, dictam Receptionem sive Financiam concernentibus, prsefatamque Partem Dcfendentem fuisse et esse illicitam Detentricem et Occupatricem eorumdem, ac etiam eandem Partem Defendentem, ad faciendum Liberationcm effectualem dictje Parti Actrici, de quibuscumque Summis, Causa dicta; Financia; sive Redemptionis receptis, ac ad Reddendum et Dandum Compotum dictje Parti Actrici, Pronunciavit insuper et Declaravit ; Necnon dicta; Parti Defendenti totam Redemptionem dictse Pecunise fore Interdictam Pronunciavit et Declaravit, Interdixit et Inhibuit ; Eidcmquc Parti Defendenti, super Molestatione and Inquietatione dictffi Partis Actricis, de ad super Redemp- tione et Financia hujusmodi, cum omnibus suis pertinentiis, silentium fore imponendum et imposuit ; Dictamgue Partem Defendentem de omnibus Summis, per ipsam receptis, et etiam de aliis Rebus et Munimentis, de quibus, superius fit mentio, ad faciendum Restitutionem diets Parti Actrici realiter et cum effectu, et in Expensis, in dicta Causa per eandem Partem Actricem factis, Condempnandum fore et Condempnavit ; Exceptiones et Defensiones quas- HOW ALFONSO DEKIA CAME TO BE A HOSTAGE. I3I ciimque dictre Portis Defendentis, in dicta Causa propositas, frivolas, illegitimas, et non legitime probatas reputavit sententialiter et definitive, nulliter et Injuste, in dictse Partis Defendentis prejudicium et Gravamen ; Uudc Pars Defendens pradicta, sentiens Se ex Pra;missis, Sententia pra;tensa diffinitiva, Expensarum Condempnatione, et ceteris Gravaminibus supradictis indebite praigravari, Nobis liumiliter supplicavit ut certos Commissarios, ad Cognoscendum et Procedendum de et super nullitate Sententia; pra^dicta;, hujusmodique Nullitatis Materiam, cum suis I ncidentibus, Dependentibus, Emergentibus, et Conncxis quibusciimque, Fine debito Terminandum, sibi dare et assignare, et ei in hac parte Justiciam facere dignaremur ; A^os (Supplicationi pra;dicta_- annuentes) vobis Novem, Octo, Septem, Sex, Quinque, Ouatuor, Tribus, vel Duobus vestriini (quorum aliquem vestrum vos prasfati Henrice, Philippe, et Radulphe, unum esse volumus) de quorum Fidelitate and Industria fiduciam gerimus specialem, committimus vices nostras, ad Cognoscendum et Procedendum de and super Nullitate Sententice prEedictas, hujusmodique Nullitatis Materiam. cum suis Emergentibus, Incidentibus, Dependentibus, et Connexis quibusciim- que, secundum Juris exigentiam, Discutiendum et debito Fine Terminandum cum cujusci'imque Juris cohertionis Potestate ; Et ideo vobis Mandamus quod, vocatis coram vobis Novem, Octo, Septem, Sex, Quinque, Ouatuor, Tribus, vel Duobus, vestrum vos, praifato Henrice, Philippe, et Radulphe, unum esse volumus) Partibus pra;dictis et aliis, quos in hac parte fore videritis evocandos, auditisque hinc inde earum Rationibus et Allegationibus circa praemissa, diligenter intendatis et ea faciatis et exequamini prout justum fueri et consonum rationi ; Vohiinus etiam quod, si aliqui vel aliquis vestrum inchoaverint vel inchoaverit procedere in Prjemissis, alii vel aliis vestrtlm libere procedere valeant et valeat in eisdem, licet inchoantes, &c. Damus autem universis et singulis Officiariis, Ministris, Ligeis, Subditis, and Fidelibus nostris, quorum interest, Tenore Prjesentium, firmiter in Mandatis quod vobis Novem, &c.. quorum, &c., in Pra;missis faciendis, et exequendis, prout ad ipsos pertinet, Intendentes, sint, Consulentes, et Auxiliantes, prout decet. — In cujus &c. — Teste Rege apud Westmonasterium vicesimo secundo die Aprilis, a.d. 1412. In explaining how these letters patent arose it may be mentioned that the expulsion of Peter, surnamed the Cruel, King of Castile and Leon, from Castile by Henry, Count de Transtamare, in the commencement of the year 1366, probably led to the first active interference of the English in the affairs of Spain. Peter on his expulsion sought refuge at Bordeaux, where Edward, the Black Prince, welcomed him, and urged his father, Edward III., to support the 122 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. dethroned Castilian king, especially on the ground that France had favoured the Count de Transtamare by placing him on the Throne of Castile, which was in itself a sufficient reason to induce the Prince, with his father's consent, to espouse the cause of the deposed king. In relation thereto there were conven- tions dated at Libourne, 23rd September, 1366, between Peter, King of Castile, Charles, King of Navarre, and Edward, Prince of Wales, whereby Charles obliged himself to give Edward free entry into and through his dominions, and on the same day the Castilian king granted to the Prince certain lands in Castile, with a privilege to the English that they should always have the vanguard when they were in the armies of Castile. Just previous to the batde of Najara Edward wrote from Navaretta in Castile a letter in Spanish, on the ist April, 1367, to Henry, Count of Transtamare, who replied the day following from his palace near Najara. The next day, the 3rd April, 1367, the English, with a powerful army under Edward, the Black Prince, met Henry, Count de Transtamare, who had posted himself at Najara, between that place and Navaretta. The King of Navarre having made, as we have seen, a treaty with Edward for permission to enter into and pass through his dominions, the English had advanced the day before the battle from Navaretta, where in consequence of resistance by the enemy to Edward, he was forced to break up the camp in Navaretta before the English came to Najara, as stated by some to have been the case. At Najara Edward and Henry fought a bloody battle, which ended in the defeat of the Castilians. The vanguard of the Castilians was led by Bertrand de Guesclin and the Marshal d'Audreham, and was stopped by the division under the lead of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and that of Sir John Chandos. Two esquires named Robert Haule and John Shakel, had taken prisoner in this campaign the Count of Denia, a noble Spaniard, who left in their hands his son and heir, Alfonso, as security for the payment of his ransom. The Duke of Lancaster thinking the son's person would aid his designs upon the Castilian Throne demanded his surrender,— some say he demanded this hostage from the captors in the king's name,— which was firmly refused by Haule and Shakel, who were thereupon taken prisoners and committed to the Tower of London, from whence they contrived to escape and took sanctuary at Westminster. Being secretly pur- sued thither for forcible dislodgement by Ralph, Earl Ferrers, Sir Alan Buxhall with fifty men, broke in while mass was being celebrated on the nth August, 1378, slew Haule in the chancel of the Abbey, whose body was dragged through the Choir, when one of the servants of the Church was slain, and Shakel was retaken prisoner, whereupon the perpetrators of the crime were simply excom- municated, which sentence was published thrice weekly by the Bishop of London, LANCASTER AND THE CUSTODIANS OF ALFONSO DENLA. 133 when he preached at St. Pauls. This sentence is said to have so enraged Lancaster, (who had by his power screened the perpetrators of so heinous a crime from merited punishment) that he declared in the Council at Windsor he was ready to ride to London and drag the Bishop from the midst of the ribald citizens and bring him before the court, so that what actually followed was the procurement by the Duke of a summoning of a Parliament to sit at Gloucester, 20th October, 1378, in order that he might be beyond the influence of the hostile citizens of London and their Bishop, but the rumoured contemplated renewed attack by the Duke on the church was never carried into effect. It is said the Duke was specially e.xempted from the sentence of excommunication, Shakel was restored to liberty in 1379, so that he was not, as sometimes stated, enticed out of the privileged precinct and slain, on the nth August, 1378. The Count of Denia was slain 1385, and his son became hostage in England of the Crown. Without enter- ing at length into the details of the battle of Najara, it should be noted that Peter was restored to the Castilian throne, which actually brought no advantage to our country, so that on the 2nd May following, he as King of Castile, by his obligation under his hand then dated at Burgos, where he had been accompanied by Prince Edward, engaged himself to bear the expense of the war. His bad faith towards the English and his ungratefulness for their timely and valuable aid, helped eventu- ally the people of Guienne in their attack against the English occupation, which discontent Charles of France profited by, for he shordy afterwards prepared for a rupture of the treaty of Bretigny and declaring war on the 20th March, 1369, marched straightway into Ponthien and conquered it. This led to many battles between the two nations as already chronicled by historians, and it might be added in concluding this account, that Lancaster, one of the chief Commanders for the English at Najara, and his brother married the two daughters of Peter of Castile, namely Lancaster to the elder, the Princess Constance of Castile, and Edmond Plantagenet (of Langley) Duke of York and Earl of Cambridge, to the Princess Isabel of Castile, the younger one. The following tracing explains the descent of the lands which passed to the Stourton family in right of Elizabeth le Moigne on her marriage with Sir William Stourton. William le M eigne or Moygiie, said to be son of Ral ph, who was lineally descended from an ancient family who came over with William the Conqueror, and held lands of that king as evidenced by Doomsday. Atkins and Rudder speak uf the Manor of Shipton- Moigne and Dovell being very anciently vested in the family of le Moigne, for they prove William le Moigne was seised thereof in 5 Henry III., which he then held of the Crown by the service of keeping the king's larder, and that he purchased a charter of free-warren in all his lands in Co. Gloucester 37 Henry III. Which charter also related to free- warren in all his lands in Cos. Essex and Dorset*. = Sir William le Moigne or Moygne. Lord of Great Easton, Co. Essex ; M addlngton-Winterbourne, Co. Wilts.; Shipton - Moigne with the Advowson, Co. Gloucester ; and Ower-iMoigne, Co. Dorset. In 1291 he held two hides of land in Lyndeshull, Co. Hants. In 3 Edward I. the jurors of the hundred of Winfrod, Co. Dorset, found on an Inquest that he had wreck of sea and the privilege of making fines for breach of the assize of bread and beer, and a gallows at Winfrod and Ogris and elsewhere in Co. Dorset, but that it was unknown to them by what warranty he claimed free-warren in his Manor of Ores^ whereupon he was summoned in respect of the same findings to appear before the Justices in Eyre at Sherborne, in the Octaves of St. Hilary, 6 Ed- ward I., to prove by what warranty he held them without license from the Crown, and consent of the Kings of England. On the hearing he proved he held his tenements in chief of the Lord the King by serjeanty, that the free-warren he held by charter granted in 37 Henry ill. to William Moigne and his heirs, and that he claimed the remainder of his privileges as having inherited them as they had been held by all his ancestors from time beyond memory, as having enjoyed these franchises as appurtenant to their tenements and serjeanty. Atkins and Rudder prove that Walter de Stukley, Sheriff of Co. Gloucester, in obedience to the king's writ, returned into the Exchec]uer the names of all the Vills in that county, with their respective pro- prietors, and in his list it is said Johanna le Moyn, Margaret Gifford, William Skay and William de Dowe, were Lords of the Vill of Shipton-Moigne in 9 Edward I., and that he, as son and heir of William le Moigne, had a writ of Quo lVar?-anio brought against him to oblige him to set forth his title by what right he obtained divers privileges in Shipton- Moigne, and his claim was allowed about 15 Edward I. He was buried at Great Easton, Co. Essex, in 23 Edward I., where an Inscripton recorded : — Oraie .... Willelmi Moigne Ar . . . qui obiit .... M. ccc. V. Weever adds this William Moigne (Monk) held this Manor of Easton ad montem (for so it was anciently called) with Winterbourne and Maston, in the Countie of Wilts., by service ; of being Clarke of the King's Kitchen, and keeper of his Lardarie, iemp07'e Coronadonis. He died seised of the above estates 23 Edward I.= Morant contended there was only one William and not two as shewn here. PARTICULARS OF THE DESCENT OF THE MOIGNE ESTATES. Henry U Moigne or Moygne, son and heir, aged 40 years in 23 Edward I. In 3 Edward I. he was sum- moned to plead by what warranty he claimed free- warren in his Manor of Shipton-Moigne, Co. Glou- cester, without license, and he pleaded on the hear- ing he claimed nothing in the aforesaid Manor or warren, except by pleasure of William Moigne, his father, who lived for some 20 years after this period. It looks as if Henry was then of age. In 28 Edward I., he paid homage for the above estates to the king. He was a military officer who served Edward I. and Edward II. in their wars against the Scots, &c., and Hutchins notices him at some length. On 24th May, 1308, he had license so as to regrant the Manor and Advowson of Shipton-Moigne, Co. Gloucester, and a rent of 10 marks issuing out of Luddeshelve, Co. Hants., to himself and Joan, his wife, and their issue. On the loth May, 1310, he obtained another hcense to resettle in like manner the Manor and Advowson of Great Easton, Co. Essex, held in chief, with an ultimate remainder in default of children by Joan, his wife, to his own right heirs. He procured a third license 6th July, 1313, to so regrant the Manor and Advowson of Ower-Moigne, Co. Dorset, and a messuage, i carucate of land, with 20s. of rent in Maddington-Winterbourne, Co. Wilts., held in chief. Died 8 Edward II. seised of above estates and moiety of the Manor of Bakampton, Co. Wilts. Johanna, who had, as late wife of Henry le Moigue. on the 6th May, 1315, delivery, (on her fealty being taken) of the Manors of Great Easton, Ower-Moigne and Shipton-Moigne, with lands in Maddington- Winterbourne, which she had jointly held with her said husband, and which on his death had been seised into the king's hands, and were held in chief by service of being his Lardiner. In g Edward III. she, as late wife of Henry le Moigne, was certified as holding part of the Townships of Hinton and So//i-j'*, Co. Hants., Shipton-Moigne, Co. Gloucester, and Maddington-Winterbourne, Co. Wilts., and .she died 14 Edward III. seised for life of the above, and Manor of Great Easton, Advowson of Shipton- Moigne, with £f> 13s. 4d. rents in Lideshullve. Co. Hants. Atkins and Rudder shew she was endowed of Shipton-Moigne, as proved by the Inquisition of her late husband, and that her son was granted livery of same the year she died. John le Moii^ne or Moygne, son and heir, aged 18 : years at father's death. In 2 Edward III. he is shewn as liolding the Manor and Church of Ower- Moigne, Co. Dorset, in chief of the Crown, when on nth July, 132S, a license was granted him to settle them in fee tail on him.self and Juliana, his wife, and his own right heirs. Made his homage to the king in 14 Edward III. for Shipton-Moigne, Great Eas- ton, one messuage, 100 acres of arable land, 4 acres of meadow, and 20s. rent in Maddington-Winter- bourne, and £6 13s. 4d. rent in Lydeshnlve, of which his mother had been endowed for life. He died 16 Edward III. He was erroneously called Robert by .Atkins and Rudder. Juliana, daughter of Sir Robert, ist LordChandos, by Catherine, his wife, daughter of Richard Talbot, ist Lord Talbot of Goderic Castle. In 16 Edward III. she was called Juliana, wife of John le Moigne, and the Inquisition concerned the extent of the Manor of Ower-Moigne with the Advowson of the churcli there. Henry le Moigne or Moygne, son and heir, aged ib years i6 Edward III. In 1365 he paid £^2 i8s. 2d. for his relief of his rents at Lyndeshulve, then of the annual value of £17 iis. 4d., reckoned amongst those he held of the king in good serjeancy, as lie held his other estates. Died seised 49 Edward III., of the Manor of Shipton-Moigne, 40 acres of land in HuUecourt and tenement called Wockelves-place. in the village of Shipton-Moigne, Co. Gloucester; extents of the Manors of Ower-Moigne and Syddon, Co. Dorset ; Manor of Great Easton, Co. Essex ; one carucate of land in Winterbourne-Maddington, 2 earucates of land in Bakampton, and Manor of Broad-Hinton, Co. Wilts.; and Manor of Sopley, and rents in Ludeshulve, Co. Hants.= A WiHiam Moigne held h.alf a fee at Sopley, Co. Hants, of William Montacute, 2ud Earl of Salisbury the day he died lu 1397, under whom Sir WiUiaui Stourton held land. !36 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Sir John-' k Moigtie or Moy/;ne, son and heir He "-as a witness with Rohert Fitz Payne, John Cliid- lock and others, as a Icnight, to a feofment of Sir ^uy de Bryan, dated at Ramesham, gth April, q Richard II., recited in a charter of same grantor and Alice^ de Brj-an, dated at Westminster, 24th May, 9 Richard II., and also witness to another feolment dated 24th June, 4 Henry V., of Sir Robert Pomings, Icnight. and others. Joan, daughter of Sir John Belvale, by Catherine, t° Queen Philippa, consort of Edward ill. The Backhorn Weston property came to her as the descendant of the heir of the Mandeviles of Marshwood, and hence came to the Moignes and from them to the Stourtons. Co Wilts'''wifh".'?''' °^ Stourton,=£//.„6rf/, y Daughters and coheirs. J nisU-y-^ (-.o. wilts., with whom we are now Hoare, AtL-;n= „nri ...-j -n-i' Co. Wilts., with whom we are now deahng. Atkins and Rudder say he was descended of an ancient family residing at Stoufton in Wiltshire. Hoare, Atkins and Rudder said Elizabeth was sole heir, but Hutchins gave Hester and hef husband, He is not shewn to have mar- ried her from the Pedigrees in Notes and Queries, 5th Series, Vols, 6, 7, 8. It looks as if the whole of the estates came to Elizabeth. -Sir William Boneviile, of Chewton, Co. Somerset. Sir John Stourton, son and heir. Created Lord Stourton, of Stour- ton, Co. Wilts, Ancestor of the Barons Stourton. Who inherited through his mother the property in Gillingham as Bhewn on pages 108-9. Those estates which came to the Stourton family thoug-ht that of Moigne and did not pass under the Inquisition of Sir William Stourton in i Henry V., vvere In Co. Wilts. The Manor of Winterbourne-Maddington or Mayden-Winterbourne, which probably comprised two Manorial estates spread over the parishes of Winterbourne and Maddington, Co. Wilts. This estate passed under the Inquisition of Sir John, ist Lord Stourton. Although in 1313 only a messuage, i carucate of land and 20/- of rent in Maddington-Winterbourne were then entailed, and in 1315 lands there were held by Joan, late wife of Henry le Moigne, still in 9 Edward III. she was certified as holding part of that township. In 13 Edward HI., the property was stated to be i messuage, 100 acres of arable land', 4 acres of meadow and 20S. in rent. In the MS. Book referred to on page loi the estate is both called the Maddington lands and Maddington Manor, in each case being returned as worth £g yearly, and there is no return separately made for any property at Winterbourne, so it is evident the same included the whole estate. Sir Richard * On 7th May, 13S1 on the presentation to the Church of Shipton-Moigne, it is shewn the same was then h e'f'^S^if his'LTds"" ?i 8 HTnfv^llh''^^ '^"'^ 'f "'"'-"' ¥ M°ignrdetaSrt"in nrnnl-rfv k!i ■ * T u '^"'^^ Inqmsition of the Maddington- Winterbourne propeity belonging to John Moygne, chivaler, shewing it was held of the Lord the King bv service essendi lardananus et emptor coquinie domini Re|is tempore coronltitms singulorum relum et thSr estalt"' '^'"P°"'^"=- ^^^^^ ^^rtice the^Moignes appear to ha've generalfy hefd PARTICULARS OF THE MOIGNE ESTATES IN CO. WILTS. Colt Hoare deals very slightly with the early history here, but the Magna Brittannia has it that Maddenton or Madington was the estate or Lordship of John, ist Lord Stourton, who died seised of it 2 Edward IV., as is proved by his Inquisition. Henry Moigne, grandfather of Mrs. Stourton, died seised of the Manor of Broad-Hinton, and Sir William Stourton had at his death certain lands in Henton, which was undoubtedly the tithing situated in the parish of Steeple- Ashton, now known as Great Hinton, being distinct from Hindon, Broad-Hinton and Hinton-Parva in this county. It is classed with the property at Steeple- Ashton and Bulkington in Sir William Stourton's Inquisition and not mentioned as a separate item. The estate at Barkhampton, is somewhat difficult to now identity, because we have in Co. Wilts., (i) Great and Little Bathampton or Bedhampton in Steeple Langford, and (2) Beckhampton in Avebury. We are therefore unable to say which appears to be the place where the property really was. From the Moigne title we find that Henry Moigne died seised of a moiety of Barkhampton Manor in 7 Edward II., which passed with other estates to his son and heir, John Moigne, and when the latter's son, Henry Moigne died, the extent of the lands in Barkhampton were returned at two carucates. Taking the above MS. Book there is entered "Barkhampton Manor'' — ^8 yearly, and "Barkhampton in medietat' maner' ib'm " — ^8 yearly. The uncertainty as to the position of this estate is found in the MS. Book referred to, by the collection of certain fines supposed to bear on the title thereto. The first fine was levied in 6-7 Eliz., Mich., of the Manor of Little Bathampton ; another in Hilar)', 12 Eliz., of the moiety of the Manors of Blackland and Back- hampton, to which latter there were three subsequent fines levied Mich., 27-28 Eliz., Mich., 38-39 Eliz., and Mich., 39-40 Eliz., and other fines enumerated of a tenement in Backhampton. Beckhampton in Avebury is just east of Blackland, near the Manor of Poulsholt, and lands in Poulsholt, West Ashton, Steeple Ashton, Potterne, Worton, Marston, Bulkington and Hinton, held b)- Sir William Stourton. By the side of Steeple Ashton and just South of Trowbridge there is a " Stourton farm." On the other hand Sir William Stourton also held at his death lands in Little Langford, which is just south of Steeple Langford, in which parish was Bathampton or Bedhampton, and his son held close by considerable other property in Wilton, Newton, Stoford, Ouidhampton, Avon, Chisenbur) and Stanmere. The property in West Ashton and Poulesholt was called b\' the Stourtons the Avon rent and included land in and the chapelrj- of Avon. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. In Co. Hants. Woodward, the historian of this county, certainly does not give any clue to the Stourtons havuig: derived their estates here through the Moigne family but that such was the case as to some there cannot be the slightest doubt. Sopley Manor was clearly an inheritance which came through the Moi.rnes In 9 Edward III., Joan, wife of Hen^' Moigne, was certified as holding part of the townships of Henton and Sopley. Henry Moigne, her grandson, held the Manor at h. In this year of the reign of Henry VI., we find Lord Stourton, as a knight, was specifically retained to serve the king in the wars of France and Normandy, with four men at arms and one hundred and eleven archers. On the i8th April, 15 Henry VI., 1437, he, as Johan Stourton, was one of the persons who agreed to go on an embassy to France, in reference undoubtedly to the treating for peace with the French monarch. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. He attended the sitting of the Privy Council on the 21st October, 16 Henry VI., 1437, which had assembled at Shene to advise the king on several state mat- ters, iv'z., the monition which the Council of Basle had then lately decreed against the Pope and certain Cardinals, Presidents of that Council, which was then thought likely to engender a schism, so that the king wished to have the advice of his Council how to act therein ; also as to the Council's advice on the subject of the Duke of Orleans, who had been granted permission at his own expense in the previous May to go into Normandy, but which he did not avail himself of, as he had then been unable to procure the necessary funds ; and also in what manner the expenses of the government might thence forward be provided for. But on the 24th then instant, the Duke of Orleans was brought up to London in custody of Sir Reginald Cobham, before the king at Shene, to consult on certain matters as to a probable peace with France. Lord Stourton, as a knight, was shewn to have been appointed at a great council, held at the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, fast by London, on 13th November, 1437, to be one of the king's Privy Council. On the 14th November, the next day, Henry VI., at the sitting of the Privy Council, then held at the Hospital of St. John beside London, granted to Lord Stourton, as Sir John Stourton, knight, ;^^40 yearly in recompense of his costs, charges and labours which he should suffer through attending at all times the sittings of the king's Council, and on the next day he was found attending the sitting of the Council. On the i6th November then instant (1437), Lord Stourton, as Sir John Stourton, knight, attended another sitting of the Privy Council which then met at Westminster. Two days later he appeared to have been appointed with Cromwell as a com- missioner of musters with very special directions. Then we find the following entry concerning him two years afterwards respecting his custody of the Duke of Orleans : — In Michaelmas term, 18 Henry VI., on the 24th November,— To Garter, king-at-arms, sent by the advice and assent of the King's Council, to the County of Somerset, to confer with the Duke of Orleans, there in the custody of Sir John Stourton, knight, upon certain especial matters concerning the Lord the King and his council. — In m,oney paid to him as an especial reward for his costs and expenses in going and returning upon the business aforesaid. — By writ, &c., £2. LORD STOURTON AXD THE DUKE OF ORLEANS. And here we make a break in order to incorporate some matter of interest regarding- what " Paul Plod '' said in respect of Lord Stourton and the Duke of Orleans. John de Stourton, said " Paul Plod," succeeded his father, and this noble- man was considered the most illustrious of the family, and to whom the estate at Stourton was indebted for many of its privileges*. During the brilliant wars in the reigns of Henry V. and VI., he served, continued "Paul Plod," with con- spicuous ability. These wars originated in the reign of Henry IV., by the King of France asserting that the deposition of Richard of England had put an end to the truce which had previously existed between the two countries. But the hostilities did not take a decided shape till the power of the French government became a point of contest between the Duke of Orleans and the Duke of Burgundy, which contest was occasioned by the French King, Charles VI., having relapsed into a state of imbecility and being therefore unable to govern the kingdom. Henry, at first, supported Burgundy, but afterwards Orleans ; but this policy had the natural effect one would expect, that of incurring the combined hostility of the two Dukes, who ravaged Normandy, and then withdrew to Guienne. Henry V., however, took a more decisive course than his father, as the brilliant battle of Agincourt amply testified, when the French, with six times as many soldiers as the English, were completely defeated, ten thousand of their army being slain. During the reign of Henry VI., the war was continued with success by the English, the two principal commanders being the Duke of Bedford and the Earl of Salisbury. After their death, however, the English cause rapidly declined, till all the French possessions, except Calais, were lost. In 1429, Moiistrclct's Aniialcs de France said, "The Duke of Orleans, then a prisoner in England, learning the progress of the English, and the deplorable state of France, requested that his territories of Orleans, including the city then besieged, might be allowed a truce, be held neutral, and for greater security be sequestered into the hands of the Duke of Burgundy. To the king's council in England this request seemed reasonable, and they agreed to desist from prosecut- ing the war on the territories of one who had not offended them, and was himself incapacitated from affording any defence but the Duke of Bedford dryly answered ' that he was not at all disposed to beat the bushes, while others seized the game." Tliis appears to be culled from Sir Richard Colt Hoare's Wiltshire. 192 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. The Duke of Orleans, who still remained a prisoner in England in 1440, ever since the battle of Agincourt, was a prince of extensive territory and great political influence. Henry V. on his deathbed, recommended that he should not be released, until his son, Henry VI., came of age, and was capable of administer- ing his own kingdom. However, the ransom asked for the Duke was eventually raised and paid, and in 1446 the Duke of Orleans was released after a confinement of 25 years, 1415-1440. The amount of ransom is varied by the authorities, for Ranken says 300,000 crowns ; Daniel has 54,000 nobles=;^36,ooo sterling modern money ; some say 10,000 nobles=20o,ooo crowns. Lord Stourton was appointed, in 19 Henry VI., as one of the Plenipoten- taries to treat at Calais with those of France about a peace and the releasing of the Duke of Orleans. In January, 1439, Sir Harris Nicolas stated that Cardinal Beaufort was sent to the Marches of Calais, to confer with the Duchess of Burgundy and the Ambas- sadors of the French Monarch, when it was agreed that the two sovereigns should send a solemn embassy to that place to negotiate a peace, and that the Duke of Orleans should be present on the occasion*. On the 23rd May, 1439, a com- mission was formed consisting of several high state noblemen, ecclesiastics and knights, including Lord Stourton as a knight, to treat for peace with the French Monarch. It appeared, said Sir Harris Nicolas, from the Journal, that — for the causes there stated— the original commission was superseded, and that the commission under which the Ambassadors acted was not issued until after the 9th July, 1439, though it bore the same date as the first commission. By the latter and operative commission, he proceeded to say, they were empowered in general terms to treat with the 'Adversary of France' or his Ambassadors, for a final termination of hostilities. This document he sets out in extensot from Rymer's Fcedera|. Whereas in a former commission, he tells us, the Ambassadors were empowered to treat with ' Charles of Valois,' who had, it was said, against God and Justice, contended for the king's crown and realm of France. Cardinal Beaufort, who had been authorised on the ist May to go to Calais, and to take with him any quantity of money and plate, received a commission on the 25th then instant, which stated that the king, at the special instance of the Pope and other princes, and with the hope of preventing the effusion of human blood, had appointed him his solemn Ambassador, with power to treat with the Adversary of ■■■■ Fcedera, x., p. 718-28. Monstrelet, ed. 1596, ii., 15S b. i Vol. V., pages 349-52. + Vol. X., pages 728-30, as extracted from the French Rolls for 17 Henry VI., m. 4. LORD STOURTON IN CALAIS AS A COMMISSIONER. France, respecting his rig-ht and title to the crown and realm of France, and all other hereditary rights whatsoever, to admit into the king's fealty all such rebels as were willing to return to their allegiance, to grant letters of pardon to them, and to appoint such other Ambassadors to treat with those of Charles as he might think proper* During the negotiation Beaufort, said Sir Harris Nicolas, acted as mediator on the part of England in conjunction with Isabella, Duchess of Burgundy, as mediator on the part of the French between the parties, and was invested with full powers from his government upon the most important objects of the mission. Sir Harris Nicolas sets outt the document shewing appointment of the French Ambassadors, naming them as they appear in the original commis- sion of Charles, King of France, bearing date from " Ryem le sepme jour Davrill' I'an de grace mill' ccccxxxix, apres Basques et de n're reygne le xvij'^". The Duchess of Burgundy was daughter of John, King of Fortugal, by Fhilippa, sister of Henry IV. of England, and cousin to Henry VI., his grandson. Sir Harris Nicolas gives;}: a notice of her arrival in England, towards the close of 1429, previous to her marriage with Fhilip, Duke of Burgundy, and sets out a pedigree of her descent in support of her kinship to the royal house of Lancaster. Sir John Stourton, with the other Ambassadors, landed at Calais on the 26th June, 1439, and on the 28th, the English received the French legation and accom- panied them to Calais, and two days were occupied in settling the proceedings. Sir Harris Nicolas enters very fully into the whole subject, which is dealt with by almost every historian, but it will suffice to say that the French Ambassadors visited Cardinal Beaufort on the 30th for the purpose of taking their leave, and before their departure they swore before the altar in his oratory, that they would not do or procure any injury to be done to the English Ambassadors, or their retinue, during the negotiation, and Sir Harris Nicolas sets out§ fully a copy of the manner of taking the oath, then probably usual on such occasions. The original commission was dated at the king's manor of Kennington, Co. Surre}-, the 23rd of May, 1439, and was extracted by Nicolas from the French Rolls|| for that year, in which Lord Stourton was described as Johannis Stourton, militis. It appeared Sir John Stourton remained at Calais for the safe custody of the Duke of Orleans, who was not permitted to leave Calais, and of the town, as the Duke was not allowed to be present at the convention on Monday, the 6th of July, which took place at the hour of nine in the morning of that day, for a design to rescue was apprehended. Sir John Stourton, as the keeper of the Duke of Orleans, reported that when the Duke learnt that he was not to be present at the * FcEdera, X., 732. f Vol, V., 346-9. ■ Vol. IV., p. iii. § Vol. V., 337. II 17 Henry VI., m. 5. 194 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. convention, he remarked, " that if h& did not go the others would do nought but heat the wind." The spot selected for the convention was seven miles from Calais, on the road to Gravelines, and about one mile from the Castle of Oye. The Eng-lish Ambassadors proceeded there on horseback, with a retinue of 260 persons, and Sir Harris Nicolas related very fully what subsequently took place, showing that the fear of the Duke of Orleans being rescued, caused the sentinels at Calais to be increased and other measures to be taken for the security of the town. Lord Stourton, when a knight, attended the sitting of the Privy Council on the 14th October, 1441, in the king's presence then held in the Green Chamber at Westminster ; as he attended again another sitting of the Privy Council on the 26th of that month in the Star Chamber there. In 1442, he was found attending the sittings of the Privy Council, respectively held in the king's parlour and great chamber at Shene, on the 21st and 22nd August, in that year. On the 24th of the same month and year, he attended another sitting of the Privy Council then held in the king's great chamber at Shene, when the Lords of the Council then promised the sums required in the defence of Guienne if an army was sent there. While on the 28th and 29th August then instant, he attended the sittings of that Council in the king's presence in his great chamber at Ken- nington, Co. Surrey. He attended the sitting of the Privy Council on the 9th November following, when orders to the Commissioners to be appointed in France to take general musters of all the troops in the field and garrisons were issued, with the proviso in case of any deficiency thereof, sufficient men might be sent out without loss of time, as it would be useless to send ;£^24,ooo to France if there were no Englishmen there to receive it ; and the Duke of Gloucester was to be treated with to ascertain how that Calais might be kept with as little charge as possible. On the 1 2th November, Sir Johan Stourton was appointed at the Council which met at the Hospital of St. John's near Clerkenwell, to be also of the Council, for they that were of the Council before were to be of the Council now, to have the same power as had been given to the Privy Council in the reign of Henry IV. and approved by Parliament, being sworn to advise the king truly and to keep his council secret. In the Cottonian MSS. the proceedings are set out at great length, and Sir John Stourton was one of the nineteen persons then appointed as above to be of Henry's Privy Council. LORD STOURTON, AS A KNIGHT, A PRIVY COUNCILLOR. On the 4th March, 1443, he was to be directed to pay into the exchequer the money which he had promised to lend to the king, and on the 5th and 6th March, Sir John Stourton was to be appointed with the Earl of Somerset to commune with him on Saturday then next, on certain matters on the king's behalf, and it was especially commanded that a privy seal be made to the Earl to give faith and credence to Sir John Stourton, knight, as to what he should say on the king's behalf. He attended the sittings in the Council Chamber of the Parliament then held at Westminster, on the i8th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 25th, (the Secret Chamber,) 28th, (the Star Chamber,) 29th (same) May, and 3rd and 4th June, 1443. In May we find the following mandate for accounting with Sir John Stourton, respecting the expenses of the Duke of Orleans, i8th May, 1443. Henri by the Grace of God Kyng of Englande and of Fraunce and Lord of Irelande to the Tresorere Barons and Chamberlains of oure Eschequiere greting. For asmuche as oure righte trusty & welbelovede knyghte, John Stourtone by oure now late comaundement hathe hadde the kepyng of the Due of Orlyaunce fro the ix day of Juyl, the yere of oure Regne xvj [1438] unto ye viij day of May the yere of oure said Regno xvij takyng for the day for his costages and expenses xiijs iiijd as our Righte trusty and righte welbelovede Cousin th erle of Suffolk toke before hym for the sayd keping, and after that the said Johne, by oure comaundement, remoevede, in oure ambassade withe thesaide due, from Stourtone, the duelling place of the saide Johan, the saide viii day of May, unto the seewarde, and soo unto oure towne of Caleis, and to the Marches there, unto the xiiii day of Octobre thenne nexte folowyng, the whiche day the saide Johne retourned unto Stourtone aforesaid, the whiche tyme it was appointede by us and oure counsail that he sholde take of us, by the day, during the said tyme of his remoevinge, abidinge and retournynge iijii xiijs iiijd. And fro the same xiiij day of Octobre the saide Johne hadde the keping of the said due unto the x day of Feverere thanne next folowing, taking by day, during that time xiijs iiijd. And it is soo that the saide Johne hathe receivede of us, by the handes of you, oure saide tresorere certaine monnoye in assignement, in partie of paiement of the saide covenauntz the whiche is sette upone hym by waye of apprest. We wol therfore and charge you that ye accounte duely withe the said Johne or withe an other persone convenable in his name, by the oth of oon of theim, or of the othere, aswel of the monnoie that he hathe receivede in this behalf, as of the dayes HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. that the saide due hathe be soo in his kepingfe, makyng unto hym due allouuaunce by the othe aforesaid of xiijs iiijd for every day fro the saide ix day of Juyl the saide yere of oure regne xvj unto the viij day of May thenne nexte folowing. And that ye also allowe unto the said Johne, and by the said othe, xiijs iiijd for every day in the whiche he was riding- with the said due, bringing the same due to diverses townes and places withinne the same tyme, over thabovesaide xiijs iiijd for every day aforesaide, before asked, in likewise as it was allowede to oure saide cousin. And of alle that that by the saide aeeountes shal be founde due unto the said Johne, we wol that ye, oure saide tresourere and chamberlains, make unto hym paiement, or sufficeant assignement, as reason wol. Yevene undre oure Prive Seal at Westminster, the xviij day of May, the yere of our regne xxj. Benet. (Dorso) Irrotulatur termino Paschse, anno xxj rotulo xiij. PrEetextu hujus brevis computatum est ad scaccarium compotorum cum Johanne Stourtone milite infrascripto, tarn de denariis per ipsium receptis, quam de custubus et expensis ducis Orliensis, nuper in eustodia sua existentis, ad xiijs iiijd per diem, a ix die Julii, anno xvj regis hujus, quo die idem Johannes cepit ipsum ducem Orliensem in custodiam suam, usque viij diem Mali, anno ejusdem regis xvij, scilicet, per cceiij dies. Qui quidem computus irrotulator rotulo xx compotorum J. Et debentur ei per compotum prjedietum iiij^^ xv li. Inde reeepit per assignationem, termino Miehaelis anno xxiij. Ixxiijli xvijs vijd. [Stevenson's H. VI.] So unfavourable was the aspect of affairs at the commencement of 1443, that there seemed little hope, said Sir Harris Nicolas, of furnishing the necessary troops for the defence of Guienne and Normandy, so that at the Council held on the 6th February, a debate arose in the king's presence as to whether both places or either place should be safeguarded by an army to be sent for the relief. Sir John Stourton was in favour of Normandy, as being the nearest province, as the one which ought to be first attended to, while Cromwell thought if both could be done it would be proper, but if impossible, then that relief should be sent to the one that most required safeguarding, and after a full debate of the subject by the Council present, the determination was to send a large army to Guienne. Sir John Stourton was sent early in March to confer with the Earl of Somerset, who had undertaken the LORD STOURTON, AS A KNIGHT, A PRIVY COUNCILLOR. command of the army with reluctance, respecting his appointment as commander of the army in Guienne. The Duke of Suffolk received two commissions, one for France generally and the other for Guienne. Lord Stourton, as a knight, was present at the Council held before the king in his secret chamber at Westminster, on the ist February, 1445, when the Duke of Suffolk addressed the king and Council as to his great knowledge of the king's adversaries in France, as to his long conversation with the Duke of Orleans, and his Grace's desire to excuse himself from attending an embassy to France. In the same year we have the following interesting entry regarding Sir John Stourton and the Duke of Orleans, In Michaelmas term, 23 Henry VI., on the 25th November. — To Sir John Stourton, knight. — In money paid to him by assignment made this day by the hands of Hugh Fenn, in part payment of ;^95 due to him, &c., for the costs and expenses of the Duke of Orleans, then late in his custody, at 13s. 4d. per day, viz., from the gth July, in the i6th year of the present king, on which day the said John first took the said Duke of Orleans into his custody, until the 8th of May, in the 17th year of the said king, as appears by his account at the Exchequer, &c., in roll 20 of Accounts. — By writ, &c., ^73 17s. 7d. Lord Stourton at this period was in high favour with Henrj' VI., and we find that he, as Sir John Stourton, knight, had confirmation in fee simple, by the patent* of Henry VI., in the 26th year of his reign, of all the bailiwick and bede- lary in the County of Somerset, which was from the Oriental part of Pert't, with the full liberties, rights and easements belonging to the same, and also formerly the woods, lands, and pastures of the king called Brcizicombe, within the forest of Selwodc^, in the same county, to be holden in chief of the Crown, by the annual rent of three shillings. Brewcombe is now known as Bruton, and the town, which is pleasantly situated at the base of a steep hill, appears to have derived its name through being on the site along the side of a romantic coinbc, watered by the river B/eii, that rises in the adjoining forest of Selwood. William de Mohun erected in the reign * 26 Henry VI., part I., membrane 25. f Query the east of the river Parret. I See note I., page 26, in reference to Selwood Forest being identical with Bruton Forest, so called by John Aubrey in his description of Stourton House and Park. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. of Stephen, a priory for Black Canons, upon the ruins of the abbey founded here by Alg-ar, Earl of Cornwall, in 1005, for monks of the Benedictine Order. William de Mohun's priory was afterwards raised into an abbey and almost rebuilt. Bruton comprised the tithing of Redlynch, which was described as a chapelry in the parish and hundred of Bruton. Under Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, we find mention of the " Stourton Chamber^' in the house at Redlynch, belong-ing to Sir James Fitz James, of a family which was long seated at Redlynch in Bruton. Robert Stourton, great-uncle of Lord Stourton, was Canon and Prior of the Priory of Bruton, and his brother, Roger Stourton, of Horningsham, had the grant in chief of the custody, bailiwick and stewardship of Selwood Forest. Their father was buried in the north aisle of Bruton Church. King Henry VL, wishing to confer on him some distinction for his distinguished and eminent services as a statesman and a soldier, decided to raise him from a commoner to a Peer of England. The king accordingly by his Letters Patent* dated the 13th day of May in the 25th year of his reign, 1448, advanced Sir John Stourton, knight, in consideration of his faithful services both to his late father, Henry V. and to himself, to the dignity and honour of a Baron of England, and created him Baron and Lord of Stourton, Co. Wilts, to hold in special tail, which was namely to the heirs male of his body. From nth June, 1449, Lord Stourton, appeared as a Baron in the peerage of England, when he was summoned and attended the various sittings of the Privy Council. In pursuance of Lord Stourton's creation by patent as a Baron in the peerage of England, we find he was not only summoned among the Barons to attend the sittings of Parliament, but that he actually sat in Parliament as a Lord and a Peer of Eng-land. We find Lord Stourton was in the following instances summoned among the peers to attend the sittings of Parliament, (i) On the 2nd January, 27 Henry VL, to the Parliament convened for the 12th February then next ensuing, as Johanni Stourton, Militi. (ii.) Again on the 23rd September, 28 Henry VL, to the Parliament to be holden on the 6th November then following, as Johanm * Patent, 26 Henry VI., part II., membrane z6. Sir Harris Nicolas says the patent was limited to the heirs male of the body of Lord Stourton. G.E.C. says the limitation extended to the heirs male of the body of the grantee. Which confirm the limitation in the patent. LORD STOURTON SITS AMONG THE BAROXS IN PARLIAMENT. 199 S/ojir/oii, Domino Stonrton, Militi. (iii.) Also on the 5th of September, 29 Henry VI., to the Parliament to be held in " Festo S. Leonardi " next ensuing, as Johanni Stourton, Militi, Domino de Stourton. (iv.) On the 20th of January, 31 Henry VI., to the Parliament appointed for the 6th of March then following, as Johanni Stourton, Domino de Stourton, Rliliti. (v.) On the 26th of May, 33 Henry VI., to the Parlia- ment convened for the 9th of July then next ensuing, as Johanni Stoin-ton, de Stonrton, Militi. (vi.) On the 9th of October, 38 Henry VI., to the Parliament to be holden on the 20th of November then next following, as Johanni de Stourton, Militi. And (vii.) on the 24th of May, i Edward IV., to the Parliament convened to meet on the 6th of July then next ensuing, as Johanni Stonrton, dc Stourton, Chevalier. The following proofs appear in the Rolls of Parliament, showing that Lord Stourton actually sat as a Lord of Parliament among the Barons of England, (i.) On Tuesday, the 17th of March, 1450, 28 Henry VI., his name appears amongst the Barons as "Stourton." (ii.) On the 15th of March, 1454, 32 Henry VI., also among the Barons as "Stourton, Milite." (iii.) In the year 1455, 33 Henry VI., as " Dovnnus de Stonrton." (iv.) In the same year on the 23rd of July, as " Dominus Stourton." And (v.) In 1459, 38 Henry VI., as " Dominus Stourton." There were probably also other occasions on which he sat as a Lord of Parliament, and it is very possible he sat in every Parliament to which he was summoned. Sir Harris Nicolas says : " A solemn Investiture by the Sovereign formerly accompanied the grant of the Dignity, and there are numerous accounts of the performance of such a ceremony, from 1 Edward VI. to 13 James I., when it was declared by the legal authorities that the delivery of the Letters Patent was suffi- cient, and in modern Patents of Creation the ceremony of Investiture is dispensed with in express words. . . . On the occasion of a Baron's Investiture the person to be ennobled entered the King's presence between two Barons, preceded by another Baron bearing the Robes of Estate, and by Garter bearing the Patent ; the Patent was read by the Secretary of State, and at the word Creavimus the King put on the new-made Baron the Robe of Estate, and afterwards delivered to him his Patent." Sir Harris Nicolas printed a long argument on the difference between an attainder for hioli treason and an attainder for felony, contending that for the latter offence "an entailed Dignity is not forfeited," and in support he cited that "in the case of Charles, (8th) Lord Stourton (which Dignity he inherited under Letters Patent granted to his ancestor. Sir John Stourton, in 26 Henry \T., 200 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. creating him Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts, to him and the heirs male of his body), it appears that the Dignity was not then considered forfeited by the attainder for felony; for though that nobleman was convicted of murder, and hanged in 1557, his son, (John, 9th Lord Stourton) was summoned to Parliament, though not till nearly twenty years after,* without any Act of Restorationf in blood or honours having ever been passed ; a Bill to that effect was brought into Parliament, but not till after he had taken his seat." Mr. William Cruise in his Treatise on Dignities and Titles of Honour, said an " intailed Dignity is not forfeited by attainder of felony, except during the life of the person attainted. . . . For the statute 26 Henry VHI., c. 13, by which estates tail are made forfeitable for high treason, does not extend to attainders for felony." He then showed that "Sir John Stourton was created Baron Stourton in 26 Henry VI., by Letters Patent, to him and the heirs male of his body. . . . The Dignity descended to Charles, seventh (8th) Lord Stourton, who was convicted of murder, and hanged in 1557. . . . He left three sons. . . . John, the eldest, received a Writ of Summons to Parliament on the nth of February, 1575, and was placed immediately above Lord Latymer, in the seat of his ancestor. ... In Dug- dale's " Baronage," it is said that this John was restored in blood by Act of Parliament ; but this is a mistake, for though an Act was brought in for the restitution of blood of John, Lord Stourton, yet that was on the 7th of March following, on which day it appears from the Journals that Lord Stourton sat in the House ; so that the object of the Act must have been to enable Lord Stourton to derive pedigree through his father, and the Act never passed." The Act was clearly introduced for the purpose of restitution of blood ; it was unanimously agreed to by the House of Lords, and actually signed by Queen Elizabeth. Although the Peers thought that the Queen and the Upper House were alone able to deal with a member of their house, and this without any intervention of the Commons, yet for some reason the Act was sent by them to the Lower House, the members of which wished, probably because Lord Stourton was a Catholic in whom they pretended to have no faith, to add a clause whereby he was deprived of the power to enter and seize lands which had belonged to his father, but which were then in other hands. * The explanation of this delay was no more than the minority of John, 9th Lord Stourton. He was sum- moned to Parliament almost immediately after he became of full age. t Queen Elizabeth had actually signed the Act, the Lords had approved of the same, although the Commons had insisted on certain saving ciause? which they had not incorporated in similar Acts approved of by them previously. GRANTS MADE BY HENRY VI. TO LORD STOURTON. 201 King Henry VI. at the same time also granted to Lord Stourton all the lands, tenements, pastures and woods, within the forest of Groveley, Co. Wilts, with license and liberty to cut down wood within the said forest. From the Bishop's records we learn that Henry VI. had directed certain letters to be addressed to Lord Stourton, respecting the tithes of the under-wood in Groveley Forest, afterwards generally called Grovely Woods, which occupied a long narrow tract of the high ground between the valleys of the Nadder and the Wily, both tributaries of the Wiltshire and Hampshire Avon. The king said : — Right trusty and wel beloved, we grete you ; and forasmoche as we under- stand that our noble progenitours have graunted unto the Dean and Chanons of our cathedral cliurch of Sarisbiiry, among other things, alle the tethes of our forest of Pancct, and the membres thereof, we therefore desyre and pray you, and allso vvolle and charge you, insomochc as ye have of our graunt, as it is saide, a membre of the said forest called Gravelcy, that ye wylle delyverunto the said Dean and Chanons the tethes of underwode fallen, and to be failed withyn the said place, and alle other manner of tethes longyng unto theym of the said place, accordyng unto thayr said graunte in that behalf without any fayl. Yeven under our signet at oure Mancr of Claryndon. The ancient forest of Pancet, alias Penchett or Ponsett, was near Salisbury, and was afterwards better known as Clarendon Park and Woods. This grant also included the Manor of Sevenhampton Denys, with the appur- tenances, Co. Somerset, to hold to Lord Stourton of the Crown in chief, which Manor, with the appurtenances appertaining thereto, had been granted to Sir Humphrey Stafford, knight, in chief, and of which he had died possessed in 20 Henry VI. Sir William Dugdale identified him as having been of the same stock as the Staffords of Hooke, brother of John Stafford, Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells, under whose commission Lord Stourton partly rebuilt and recon- secrated the Conventual Church of Stavordale, and as father, by Elizabeth, his wife, daughter and heir of Sir John Maltravers, knight, of Sir William Stafford, who married Katherine Chidiock as shewn in the pedigrees on pages 44 and 52. Lord Stourton did not apparently hold the Manor of the Crown in chief for any length of time, as it was not recorded among his possessions when he died, and Edward IV. granted the same by Letters patent in the 22nd year of his reign to the Abbey of Glastonbury, by way of exchange for 240 acres of land, which the Abbot of Glastonbury then ceded to the king for enlarging his park at Blag- den, Co. Dorset. 202 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Lord Stourton likewise had grant, under the same Letters Patent, of the hundred of Red-Lane, in the extreme north of the County of Dorset, and from the evidences already shewn this hundred included and bordered many of the Stourton possessions. Silton, where we have found Sir William Stourton was Lord and Patron, was within it, as was Todbere, where in the windows of the Manor-Farm-House part of the Stourton arms were down to 1830 found engraved. Buckhorn-Weston, one of the Stourton possessions derived through the Moigne family, was also a scattered parish belonging to this hundred. The grant also comprised the hundreds of Williton, Andredefeld and Free- maners, Co. Somerset, by the annual rent of 13/4, together with all the fines, amercements, &c., cattle of felons, &c., and all their rights, members, and appur- tenances, within the bailiwick or bedelary of West Peret, to hold of the crown in chief, which premises remained vested in Lord Stourton's descendants until the end of the 17th century, when they passed by sale to the then family steward in that county, Mr. Gore. In the Stourton MS. Book they were returned in one schedule as the bailiwick or bedelary of Freemans, West Perrott, Williton and Andresfeld, at £2, and stated to be held in possession, which entry was confirmed in other accounts in the same book. On the 17th March, 28 Henry VL, he is found as one of those Barons who were present when the sentence on the Duke of Suffolk was passed, and was among those who protested against the same. In the same year he was in the commission for the defending of Calais, and the next one he was appointed, with Ralph Butler, Lord Sudeley, K.G., who died 2nd May, 1473, to conduct men-at-arms and archers thither for the safeguard of Calais and places thereabouts. On the i6th April, 1454, Lord Stourton was summoned among the Barons to attend the sitting of the Privy Council to be held at the Palace of Westminster, on the 6th May then next ensuing, to deal especially with the safeguarding of the town of Calais and the marshes there. From the 24th to 25th May then instant, he was included among the peers who attended the sittings of the Privy Council to transact the business which came before the Council. LORD STOURTON APPOINTED TO SAFEGUARD THE SEA. 203 Thus we find that Lord Stourton had been appointed on the 3rd April, 1454, for three years then next ensuing, to the safeguarding of the sea, with the benefit of the subsidies coming and going, from which he was discharged at his own request the year following. There was a mandate for the payment to him and others of 2,000 marks for the keeping of the sea, of which we give the text : — A.D. 1454, May 28. — Henri, by the grace of God King of Englande and of Fraunce, and lorde of Irelande, to the tresorer and chamberlains of our exchequer, gretyng. For asmoche as we, havyng consideracion of the greet charges, expenses and costes that oure righte trusty and welbeloved cousins, righte trusty and welbeloved, and trusty and welbeloved, the erles of Salisbury, Oxonforde, Shrouesbury, Wor- cestre and Wiltshire, the lordes Fitzwarene and Stourtonc, and Robert Veer, knighte, the which been witholdene towardes us for the keping of the see for the term of iij yere, with certaine nombre of people and under certaine fourme expre- sede in th'endentures made betwixt us and thaim in this behalf, shal have and bere for that cause, have graunted unto thaim, by waye of yifte, the somme of m' m' marc, we wol and charge you that unto thaim you do make payment or sufficient assignement, of the same m' m' marc, to have of oure yifte, by way of rewarde for the said cause. Yevene under oure Prive Seal, at Westminstre, the xxviij day of May, the yere of oure regne xxxij. Langport. (Dorso) Persolutem per assignationem xxv die Mali, hoc termino per manus Johannis Wode videlicet Ml M' marc. Mandate for the payment of money for the keeping of the sea. Henri, by the Grace of God King of Englande and of France, and lorde of Irlande, tresorer and chamberlains of oure Eschequier, greting. For asmoche as oure righte trusty and welbeloved cousins, right trusty and welbeloved, and trusty and welbelovede, th'erles of Salisbury, Oxonforde, Shroues- burv, Worcestre and Wiltshire, the lordes Fitz-warene and Stouvtone, and Robert Veer, knight, have take upone thaim the keping of the see, from the thridde day of Aprille last passed for iij yere ensuying, they to have, for the saide cause, the subsidie of tonnage and poundage graunted unto us at oure last parlement, as it 204 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. is more at large conteigned in th'endentures made in that behalf. And sithe it is soo that the saide subsidie in oure port of Sandwiche is by auctorite of parlement assigned for the payment of the capitaignes and souldeours of oure towne of Caleis that have and nowe be, the whiche by estimacione shal drawe yerely to the somme of viicli we wol therefore, and charge you, that unto the saide erles, lordes and knyghte, and everiche of thaim overlyving other, ye make payment or sufficient assignement, yerely, during the said iij yere, of viicli in recompense of the saide subsidie withine oure saide port of Sandewiche, as it above reherced. Yevene undre oure Prive Seel, at Westministre, the xxviij day, the year of oure reigne xxxij [28 May, 1454]. Langport. (Dorso) Inde recepit iiijt° die Junii, anno xxxij" per assignationem, per manus Johannis Wode, vijcli. Lord Stourton was again summoned on the 24th July, 1454, among the Barons, to attend a great council to assemble at the Palace of Westminster on the 2ist October then following. On the 13th November then next ensuing, he was present at a great council at Westminster, when the ordinances and appointments made for the king's honourable household for the 23rd year of his reign were concluded. He as a Baron was on a commission appointed loth November, 1455, em- powering, Richard, Duke of York, to hold the Parliament in the king's absence at the Palace of Westminster two days afterwards, with full powers and by assent of the Council to end and dissolve the same. His name likewise appeared as a Baron among the proceedings and ordinances of the Council from the loth November, 1455, to 24th Januaiy, 1456. He was summoned among the Barons on the 2gth November, 1457, to attend a great council convened to meet at the Palace of Westminster, on the 27th January then next ensuing, as he was again on the latter date to attend another great council at the town of Coventry, to begin the 14th of the following month. He was again summoned on the 26th August, 1458, to attend a sitting of the Council to be holden at Westminster, the iith October then next. In the year 1459 we find he swore his allegiance to Henry VI. as Dominus Stourton. LORD STOURTOX'S SITTINGS AS A RRIVY COUNXILLOR. 205 He was present at the sitting of the Council held at Westminster on the i ith of November, 1460, when Henry charged the Treasurer and Chamberlains of the Exchequer to pay the costs and expenses of Master George Holland, who had to arrange certain matters beyond the sea. He witnessed, as Johanne Stourton de Stourton, the Creation dated at Read- ing, on the 6th of March, 31 Henry VI., of Edmund Tudor, as Earl of Richmond, and Jaspar Tudor, as Earl of Pembroke, respectively half-brothers to Henry VI. Lord Stourton's aunt, Edith Stourton, was grandmother to Margaret, wife of Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, who was father of Henry VII. See page 74 for copy of an interesting pedigree in the possession of Lord Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton. He, as Johanne Stourton (Knight), was one of the witnesses to a Charter of Henry VI., on the creation of Edward, his " most entierly belovyd first begotyn sonne and heire apparaunt. Prince of Wales, and Erie of the Counte Palatyne of Chester," dated the 15th day of March, 32 Henry VI. In the reign of Henry VI. he appears to have also sat on two committees for the appointment of a new Lord Chancellor of England, on the 2nd of April, 32 Henry VI., as Sir John Stourton, knight, and on the 23rd of March, the next year, as John, Lord Stourton. Henry VI., in the 33rd year of his reign, appointed him, as Dominus de Stourton, to sit on the committee for the defence of Calais and Berwick. He was appointed on the 17th of November, 34 Henry VI., to sit on the com- mittee for conferring with the Lord Protector. He was undoubtedly identical with Le Sire de Stourton, who was appointed on the 4th of November, i Edward IV., as a trier of petitions in England, Wales, Scot- land and Ireland. In t Edward IV., 1 461, it was provided that " eny Acte made or to be made in this (then) present Parlement, extend not nor in eny wise be prejudicial!, inter alia, to John Stourton, kiiyght, and JViiliain Caraunt in, of, and for eny Londes and Tentes that they or eny of theym have or had of the feoffement of John, late Due of Somerset, which Londes and Ten'tes, late were Oweyn of Glyndoiirdryc, in North wales and Southwales, for performyng of the wille of the same Due as for the same Londes and Tentes or eny part of theym." 2o6 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Lord Stourton, by Margery, his only wife (who was under age in 1411), daughter of Sir John Wadham,* knight, of Merefield, Co. Somerset, one of the Puisne Justices of the Court of Common Pleas, 13S8-1397. by Joan Wrottesley. his wife, had issue :t i. — The Right Honourable William, Lord Stourton, who succeeded his father as the 2nd Baron a"nd Lord Stourton of Stourton, Co. Wilts, in the Peerage of England, and of whom afterwards. ii. — Sir Reginald Stourton, knight, who married Margaret, widoivt of Sir Alexander Hody, of Bower, Co. Somerset, knight, M.P. for that county in 1443, 1448, 1449, 1454. The Inquisition Post-Mortem of Sir Alexander Hody was taken at Yeovil, 26th of October, 1 Edward IV., and it was then found that Sir Alexander had held the Manors of Westbourne, Everley, Wemedon, Tokeswill, and other landed property in Co. Somerset, in right of Margaret, his wi/c, and that under his feoffment of 5th July, 38 Henry VI., she was entitled for her life to other considerable manorial estates in that county and in the County of Dorset. From the same Inquisition it is found that Sir Alexander Hody died sine prole the i6th of May, 1461, and that John Hody, son and heir of Sir John Hody, Chief Justice of the Court of Kings Bench brother of Sir Alexander Hody, was his kinsman and next heir, and aged 26 years and upwards. Sir John Hody, the brother of Sir Alexander Hody, made his will the 17th of December, 1 441, to which William Carent, as we have seen, was an executor. It will also be seen from the Warre pedigree in the Visita- tion for Co. Somerset, and the Hody pedigree in Hutchins "Dorset," that the Warre and Hody families intermarried. It will be seen later that Joan Stourton, sister of Sir Reginald Stourton, married Richard Warre of Hestercomb. On the nth of February, 1445. Alexander Hody was a party to a deed respecting the Manor of Codecombe, Co Somerset ; and a grantee to a Charter of 5th of May, 145. respecting lands in Canyngton, Co. Somerset.^ Collins, Edmondson, and others, asserted that Margaret,|l wife of Sir Reginald Stourton, was zvzdow, not daughter, of Alexander Hody. Sir Reginald Stourton was appointed by the King on *the 20th of October, 1462, a Commissioner to array and muster the King's liege subjects of Co. Wilts, in consequence of notice having been received of an ■' * Will of Sir John Wadham, knight, of Brakescomb, Co. Devon, A= 1412, 25 Marche. ,. , . , + Charles H, Athill, Esquire, Richmond Herald, states that it was not the emtom to describe, at thts fertod, the younger children of a Peer as ''the Honourable:' X Not daughter, as contended by Hoare, § Add. Charters, B.M., 20,228 and 20,226. II Inq. P.M., 5-6 Henry VII., " Margarete que fuit uxor Reginaldi Stourton-Soms et Wilts. THE ISSUE OF JOHN, LORD STOURTON. 207 intended invasion by the Scots and French at the instig-ation of the great rebels of his king-dom. He witnessed a deed in i Edward IV. under the hand and seal of Thomas Mallet, son of Hugh Mallet, relating to the Manor of Sutton Mallet,-&c. Hoare ascribed to him two sons, John and Nicholas Stourton, who died )'Oung and sine prole, whom Edmondson and Collins said were his brothers. But Harleian MS. 1074 shewed William, 2nd Lord Stourton, and Sir Reginald Stour- ton as the only two sons of John, ist Lord Stourton, although the other authorities alleged there were (with John and Nicholas Stourton) four sons. They all agreed that Sir Reginald Stourton had a daughter, who married Oliver Calminow, alias Carminow. Sir Reginald Stourton is also mentioned under William, 2nd Lord Stourton. iii. — John Stourton, who obiit s//7C /);'o/f, and a son (with his brother Nicholas) of John, ist Lord Stourton, according to Edmondson and Collins, but son (with his brother Nicholas,) of Sir Reginald Stourton, in Hoare's copy of the College of Arms pedigree. iv. — Nicholas Stourton, obiit sine prole, confirmed as in the case of his brother, John Stourton, but neither he nor his brother John, were shewn as sons of John, 1st Lord Stourton, in Harl. MS. 1074. V. — Margaret Stourton, married Sir George Darell, of Littlecote, Co. Wilts, knight. Sheriff of Wilts 33 Henry VL, and i, 5 and 9 Edward IV. Heir of his mother, Elizabeth Darell, wife of William Darell, Esquire, and daughter of Thomas Calston, Esquire, of Littlecote, and thus acquired that estate, which was sold by his descendant to Sir John Popham. His mother died i8th June, 4 Edward IV., seised of Podriggebury Manor, then held of Elizabeth Venour, as of her Manor of Westbury in Offeley, Sir George Darell being then 36 years and upwards, and seised in fee thereof, which he granted by charter 14th February, 13 Edward IV., to Thomas, Cardinal Archbishop of Canterbury, and others, in fee simple, and died on Monday before the Feast of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary then last. With his brother-in-law. Sir Reginald Stourton, he was appointed by the king on the 20th October, 1462, a commissioner to array and muster the king's liege subjects of Co. Wilts, in consequence of notice having then been received of an intended invasion by the Scots and French at the instigation of the great rebels of his kingdom. Sir George Darell was keeper of the great wardrobe to King Edward IV. Their daughter : — ii 208 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Elizabeth Darell, married, as his first wife, Sir John Seymour, knight, who was an infant 14 years old in 1464, at the death of his grandfather. Sir John Seymour, knight, of Evinswinden, who was aged 20 years in 1420. The latter's son and heir, John Seymour, predeceased his father, and was, by Elizabeth, daughter and heir to Sir Robert Coker, of Laurence-Lydiard, Co. Somerset, father of the above-mentioned Sir John Seymour, knight, who seated himself at Wolfhall*, Co. Wilts, and their son Sir John Seymour, knight, of Wolfhall, succeeded his father in 1491. He was a commander against the Lord Audley and the Cornish rebels at Blackheath, Co. Kent, 12 Henry VII., when he was knighted by the king in the field of battle for his valiant deportment. For serving Henry VIII. in his wars in France and Flanders, he was made a knight- banneret in i5i2forhis conduct at the siege of Therouenne Tournay and the ensuing battle of the Spurs. In the 7th and iSth of Henry VIII., he was Sheriff of the Counties of Dorset and Somerset, as he was in the loth and i6th for Co. Wilts. In 1517, being then a knight of the king's body, he had the Constableship of Bristol Castle conferred on him for his own life, and that of Edward, his son. In 1520, he attended the king to his great interview with F"rancis, King of France, between Guisnes and Ardres, having in his retinue one chaplain, eleven servants, and eight led horses. In 1522, when the Emperor Charles V. came into England, he was appointed to attend Henry VIII. at Canterbury, on the 27th May, in order to his solemn reception. In 1530, he was appointed, with others in Co. Wilts, to enquire into the possessions of Cardinal Wolsey. In 1532, he was made a groom of the bedchamber at the second interview with the King of France at Boulogne. He died 21st Decembert, 1536, aged 60 years and 7 months, and was buried in Easton Priory Church, Co. Wilts, but on the dissolution, his remains were removed and buried 30th September, 1590, in the chancel of the church of Great Bedwin, Co. Wilts. He married Margaret Went- worth, second daughter of Sir Henry Wentworth, K.B., of Nettlestead, Co. Suffolk, (which estate he had inherited on the death of his grandmother, The Sevmonrs as Lords of Wolfhall, were bailiffs and guardians of Savernake Forest, by right of in- heritince from temh. Henry IL, and their hunter's horn of a mighty bigness, and tipped with silver, was preserved in tlie 15iike of Somerset's family. The Manors of Borebach and Conelesfeld, Co. Wilts were held in capiie by the tenure and service of keeping the bail of the above forest and La Wmc farm therein, and by the service of finding a man, armed with a coat of mail, when the king had the tenant beyond the sea, &C. i Suine give tlie date as September. JOHN, LORD STOURTOX, ANCESTOR OF EDWARD VI. 20Q Lady Roos, on the 20th April, 1478,) and of Pontefract, Co. York. She died in the year 1550, and her body was buried with her late husband in the chancel of the church of Great Bedwin aforesaid. Their eldest daughter : — Jane Seymour, was married on the 20th May, 1536, Ihc day following the beheading of Qiiccn Anne Bokyn, to Henry VIII., son (f Henry VII., and styled "by the grace of God, King of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and of the Church of England, and also of Ireland, in Earth the Supreme Head." He was called " His Majesty" in lieu of, as applied to former monarchs, " Sovereign Royal Highness.'' He was born at Greenwich, 28th January, 1491, crowned 24th June, 1509, died at Whitehall on his birthday, 28th January, 1547, and was buried at Windsor. His royal consort, Queen Jane, is reputed by historians to have been not only the fairest, but the discreetest of all the wives of Henry VIII. When she died at Hampton Court in childbirth on the 14th October, 1537, with her only child, Edward, it is recorded that her death was greatly lamented by the whole realm, which so much afRicted Henry VIII., that he kept himself in mourning the festival time of the following Christmas, and continued a widower more than three years afterwards. She was buried in the choir of the church within Windsor Castle. Her only issue by Henry VIII., was a son and heir : — Edward VI., who succeeded his father at his death as king, and was styled In the same manner as Henry VIII. had been. He was born at Hampton Court, 12th October, 1537, two days before his mother s death, crowned 25th February, 1547, died at Greenwich, (then a royal manor and where his father was born,) on the 6th July, 1553, immarried and was buried at Westminster. vi. Jane (or Joan) Stourton, married Richard Warre, of Hestercombe, Co. Somerset, Esquire*. In an Inquisition taken at Bridgewater, 30th October, 1465, after the death of Robert Warre, Lord of the Manor of Hestercombe, who had died the 8th 1465, (Sheriff of the Counties of Dorset and Somerset in 1457, whose .She is called Jolian in the visitation for Co. Somerset, 1623. 2IO HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. will was dated the 7th July, proved on the 5th August, 1465, whereni he had be- queathed his body to be buried in the Conventual Church of the Monastery of Athelney,) the jury found that Sir John Stourton, afterwards created Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts, (and others,) had been seized in his demesne as of fee of the Manors of Hestercombe and Crafte-Warre, with the appurtenances, Co. Somerset, and that having been so seized as aforesaid, he (and others,) had de- mised the same manorial estates to John Warre*, Esquire, for life, with remainder after his death to Richard Warre, of Hestercombe, (son and heir of Robert Warre, aged 40 years and upwards at his father's death,) and Joan, his wife, daughter of the said Sir John, afterwards Lord Stourton, and their heirs, which Manor of Hesteixombe was specifically stated to have been then held of William, the Lord Bishop of Winchester, and that of Crafte-Warre was also specified as being held of Sir William Poulet, knight. Richard Warre, the above son and heir, and husband of Joan Stourton, was found to have died the 25th November, 14S2, and the jury found he had died without issue of his body on the body of Joan (Stourton, ) his wife, as proved by the Inquisition taken after his death at Heghbrugge, on Wednesday then next before the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, the 15th October, 1483, and that his cousin, Richard Warre, then ag'ed 15 years, who was grandson of Robert Warre, then late of Chippelagh, who was brother of John Warre, then late of Hestercombe, who was grandfather of Richard Warre, the deceased, was his heir to the Manor of Hestercombe, then stated to have been held of the Lord Bishop of Winchester. The deed of Robert Warre, Esquire, Lord of Hestercombe, son and heir of the above John Warre, Esquire, then late of the same place, was dated in the 22 Henry VL, and has been set out (page 161) in the account which we have given of William Carent, husband of Margaret Stourton, only sister of John, ist Lord Stourton. Richard Warre, of \les-=Joam, daughter and teicombe, Co. Somerset, tieir of John Combe, of visitation for that coun- Dalwood, Co Dorset. ty- John Warre, of Vie.^ieT-~Joane, daughter of Wal- combe. Called father ter Stapletou, of Brash- of Robert Warre m his ford, son's Charter of Hester- combe Manor. Robert Warre, of Chippe-=T/iomflWn£', daughter and lagh. Called grandfather heir of Thomas Chipiey. of Richard Warre, and brother of John Warre, of Hestercombe. a h Query whether his father or cousin. POSSESSIONS OF LORD STOURTON IN DEVON AND SOMERSET. 211 * I liohirt Warn, LorrI oi^Christian, sister to Ric- John Warrc, of Cliippe-— .7oa)!|, daughter of Hestercombe and Warre-Crafte, Co. Som- erset. S(3n and heir. Died yth Jul}-, 1465*. hard Hanford. lagh. Shewn to be fa- | Philip Mowbanlic. ther of Sir Richard Warre, Icnight, by the visitation for Co. Som- erset. I I Richard Warre, ol Hes —Joan^ , daughter of Sir Sir Richard Warre. tercombe. Died sine John Stourton, knight, Icnight. Cousin and heir prole 25th November, created Baron of Stour- to Richard Warre, of 1482. ton, Co. Wilts. Hestercombe. Aged 15 years 25th November, 1482. John, Lord Stourton, died on St. Cathci-inc's day, the 25th day of November, 1462, and the Inquisitions taken after his death shew he died seized of considerable manors, advowsons, lands, tenements and hereditaments in the Counties of Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucester, Southampton, Essex, London, Middlese.x and Wilts, leaving William Stourton, his son and next heir, aged 32 years, who succeeded his father in the peerage as William, 2nd Lord Stourton. County Devon;}; : — The Manor of Velham alias Pelham, holden of the Honor of Plympton. The Stourton MS. Book said " Vcaleholmc alias Plymholmc '' was valued at ^13 19s. 2d. by the year. In another item it was called the " Mancr de Velclwmc '' with the value attached as ;^i3 gs. 2d. In the same book there was an entry " Ycinpston ct Plympton tcrr , £1 4s. 4d,'' and in another " Tfn-' «^ kn'ta in Plympton, 14s. 4d.," which would make the property in Yempston assessed at los. The whole of the property was assessed in one item : — Devon — //';;/ Mancr' de Vealchomc et Ycmstoni cum tcrr in Plympton, gs. 2d., which would shew an increase in the assessment of 5s. 8d. County Somerset : — The Manors of Marston Bigot and Marston Parva. We have shewn his father died possessed of the former Manor as of the Manor of Wanstre, and the latter Manor with the advowson of the chapelry there Sec his Charter of Hestercombe Manor, page i6i. Will of Robert Warre, Esquire, of Kvngeston, Co. Somerset, A" 1465, 10 Godyn. + Will of Joan Warre, of Illmyster, Co. Somerset, Ao 1499, 38 Home. ; Pole's Devon says : — Katheriiie, daughter of Thomas Pyne, who lived in /cm/), of Richard IL, by Mar- gery, his wife, daugliter and heiress of Peter de Jenelton, of Speckington, married (i) John Stourton, of Preston, and (2) William Carent. We have shewn she had two other husbands. 212 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. holden of the Manor of East Camel. Lord Stourton and the 2nd Lord Stourton held the former Manor of Margaret Hull by service unknown, and the latter Manor of Henry Stafford, and Margery, his wife, in her right by unknown service. 28 messuages, 2 water mills, 30 acres of arable land, 60 acres of pasture and 40 acres of furze and heath, in Frome, Lye and Colford. His father died possessed of a meadow called Somdyesmeade in Frome- braunch, holden of the Manor of Frome. Also 7 messuages, with lands and rents in Fromebraunch. As well as 10 messuages and 10 acres of land in Lye, holden of the Manor of Lye. From the above holdings of which Lord Stourton held at his death, it would appear he possessed larger estates than those his father died seized of, although it is thought those his father held were part of those mentioned in this Liquisition. William, 2nd Lord Stourton, held in 3 Edward IV. Places : Messuages : Pastures : Mills : Lands : Furze . Heath . Colford. 4. 20 acres. 2. 20 acres. Lye. 10. 20 ,, 20 acres. 20 acres. Frome 14. 20 ,, 20 ,, Together 28. 60 acres. 2. 40 acres. 20 acres. 20 acres. These premises appear identical with those he (William,) succeeded to under his fathers Inquisition as above, excepting by the substitution of 40 acres of land for 30 acres of arable land. The services by which these lands were held appear to have been then unknown, but those in Colford were held of Margery Hunger- ford, those in Lye of William Carent, and those in Frome of Robert Leversege. 3 messuages, i cariicate* of land in Norton-Mygrove and Kilmington. This appears to be the same extent of land of which Sir William Stourton died possessed, as being holden by him of the Manor of Norton, of Lord Ferrers of Chartley, as Lord Stourton also held them. - Carucata terra, Coke says "may contain meadow, pasture and wood," POSSESSIONS OF LORD STOURTON IN SOMERSET A\D DORSET. 213 The bailiwick or bedelary of Westperrot. His father held the bedelary of Westperrott. We have seen that Henry VI. "•ranted Lord Stourton considerable more premises than those which his father held. These were holden of the king in chief by knight service. 4 messuages and i carucate of land in Othereye. The same quantity as Lord Stourton inherited from his father, and were holden by Lord Stourton of the Earl of Salisbury. CouNTv Dorset : — The Manors of Rysheton and Brodewey. Hutchins pointed to Lord Stourton as holding a moiety of the Manor of Broadway only, and that the same was held of the Manor of Devillish. The father had held a moiety only with considerable other property in Broadway. The Prioresses of Clerkenwell had anciently right of presentation here. See a subsequent entry of a moldy of the Manor of Broadway under the same Inquisition in this county. Messuages, lands, &c., in Sturminster Marshall. Hutchins said Lord Stourton held a carucate of land and 10 acres here. The Stourton MS. Book has entry, " Sturmyster Marshall Manor, £4 6s. Id., ' by the year and as being held in possession." .Also ''Terr ct taita in Stuniiister Marshall, £4 6s. Id." This would appear that the property was really lands and tenements in Sturminster-Marshal. A similar item appears in another schedule, the place being written as Stourmister Marshall." .■Issignatio dotis Margaretc, uxori prefati Johannis dc Stourton in com' predicto. The Manor of Weston. Was this Buckhorn-Weston ? of which Sir William Stourton held the whole or part at his death, as of the Manor of Estcoker. In 30 Henry VL, John Hernige held on the day he died, one toft, 24 acres ot land, 10 acres of meadow, and 5 acres of wood in Buckers-Weston, of John, Lord Stourton, by what service the jurors did not then know. 214 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. This Manor included a little farm in Pelsam, about a mile south-west of Buckhorn-Weston, which was held by Lord Stourlon. Presentments : — 1422, Oct. 7. — Sir John Stourton, knight, presented John Braben. 1430, Nov. 17. — Again, with his feoffees*, presented William Turner. 1444- Jfi"- 20. — Sir John Stourton, knight, presented Richard Collingbourne. 1447, Aug. I. — Sir John Stourton, knight, presented John Fish. 1448, July 25. — John, Lord Stourton, presented Thomas Shaftesbury. The Moiety of the Manor of Brodeway. This he held of Robert Latimer as of his Manor of Divellish. Under Sir William Stourton we give many particulars concerning this estate. In Lord Stourton 's Inquisition both the Manor and moiety of the Manor are mentioned. On reference to the Liquisition of Sir John Wadham it would appear he had no holding here. It seems that Lord Stourton held the entire Manor. See ante the first item for Co. Dorset in this Inquisitiont. Several messuages and lands in Gillingham. Hutchins said he held 170 acres of land here. We have before shewn that he inherited considerable lands here from his mother's family, and that he was forester of the fee forestary and park of Gillingham, belonging to the Lord King of England. In the Stourton MS. Book this property was incorporated in one item with lands and tenements in Motcombe and the above office of forester, being together \ alued at ^20 per annum. Under the Inquisition of Sir William Stourton we have seen he had 8/- of rent in Motcombe, holden of the Manor of Gillingham, and Hutchins alleged he held the Manor of Gillingham at his death, but this is not borne out by the evidence of the facts. In another item in the same book, lands and tenements in Gillingham and Motcombe were valued at £12 16s, ^d., which would lead one to assume that the difference between this amount and the ;^20 represented the value of the office of forester. * For particulars of them see under Stourton Manor and Advowson /ci5(. I See MS. Collections of the Wadhams and the descent ot their lauds from an exhaustive research, in the possession of Henry \V. Aldred. POSSESSIONS OF LORD STOURTOX IN CO. DORSET. The Manor and Advowson of the Church of Ore. This was undoubtedly identical with Ower-Moigne, of which we have given such a long account under Sir William Stourton, shewing it was for many gener- ations an inheritance of the Moignes, and passed through the female heir, Lord Stourton's mother, on her marriage with Sir William Stourton. It was an estate invariably settled for the benefit of the younger members of the Stourton family, and we find many branches resided here. On a brass plate at the bottom of the window on the north side of this church above an altar tomb was formerly, if not now, this Inscription : — " Here lyeth John Sturton, Esquier, the which decessyd the xiij day of January, the yere of our Lord Mv^vi ; the which John causyd this wyndowe to be made the yere aforesaid. On whose soul Jesus have mercy." This date is given as 1506 and appears to be the earliest known Inscription within the church of Ower-Moigne. The registers shew many entries relating to the Stourton family, and the earliest date seems to be in 1569, when Giles Stourton, gent., married Jane Gif- ford on the 22nd August. 1456, 24th Feb. — John, Lord Stourton, presented John Byrt. Messuages and lands in Lostone. Hutchins said Lord Stourton held at his death, i messuage and 204 acres of land in Loffeton. Other Inquisitions say i messuage and 100 acres of land and pasture in Luffeton. The hundred of Coukesdyche. The Inquisition of Sir William Stourton pointed to him dying possessed of a moiety of this hundred, but Hutchins said he held the whole. This would prove Lord Stourton inherited his estate here from his father. The hundred of Coukesdiche is shewn in the Stourton MS. as being held in possession, and valued at £^ 6s. 8d. by the year. In another item it was coupled with the Manor of Tarrant-Villers, both being stated to be held of the Manor of Craiibourne. 2l6 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. County Gloucester : — The Manor of Schipton-Moigne, with Advowson of the Church and other lands there*. This we have proved came through the family of Lord Stourton's mother, which the father inherited in right of his wife, although it did not pass under the Inquisition of Sir William Stourton. One messuage with a curtilage called HuUecourt in Shipton-Moigne. These also came through the Moigne family. Tenements in Workyesplace and Pedeworthys*. As did these also. The Manor of Hamvelle alias Veleham. This estate was holden of the Manor of Berkeley, and the first item in the Stourton MS. Book relating to property here, said Ham ct Vealejuxta Barkeley tcrr' ct tcn'ta ib'iii — £5 15s. 6d." This shewed lands and tenements only. Another item, giving the same yearly return, had " Haine vclc jiixta Barkeley " but no qualification to prove what was the nature of the holding. While a third, with the same value, said " //'m tcir' in Hamc et Vealejuxta Barklcy cum p'tincn'.'' It must not be confused with another holding of the family called Vealeholme alias Plymholme in Co. Devon. Atkyns, the historian of Co. Gloucester, said this Lord Stourton died seized of llamvclU alias Vcthain near Berkeley. County Hants : — The Manors of Ibbesley and Sopley. Woodward, the historian of Co. Hants, said "At the beginning of Edward IV's reign. Sir John Stourton, of Stourton, held the Manors of Ibbesley, Lower Burgate and Sopleyt." And speaking of Sopleyj said it "afterwards belonged '■' These lands in Shipton-Moigne were 40 acres of land, 3 acres of meadow, 20s. in rent, i water mill. I toft called Cookysplace alias Workysplace, i other toft, i virgate of land, and one tenement called Pedworthis-place. I Volume III., page 14. J Same Volume, page loi. POSSESSIONS OF LORD STOURTON IN CO. HANTS. 217 to John, (son of William de Stourton, Speaker of the House of Commons as suc- cessor to Thomas Chaucer, Sheriff of Hants in i Henry V., in the years 1408, 1409, 1412, 1413,) who May 13th, 1448, was made Baron de Stourton." It is shewn from the Letters Patent of Henry VI. in 1440, that Sir John Stourton, with his vassals and tenants of the Manor and Village of Ibbesley, within the New Forest, in Co. Hants, enjoyed certain privileges and exemptions under a charter, of which there is no enrolment extant, granted in 1270 by Henry HI. to John de la Bere, and that in right of that charter the Ibbesley dogs were not subject to expeditation, while the Ibbesley hogs and beasts had free pannage and pasturage in the New Forest*. We have already shewn that Sir William Stourton held considerable premises in Hibbesley and Gorley, and that he was not Lord of Lower-Burgate, but that certain premises which he possessed were holden of that Manor. 13 messuages, 100 acres of arable land, 4 acres of meadow, and £1 of cummin in rent, in Frogham and Rudbroke. Woodward also noticed in his history that Lord Stourton died possessed thereof, and on a comparison with Sir William Stourton's Inquisition, it will be seen that they exactly corresponded with those which Lord Stourton inherited from his father. But La Hyde was shewn as one of the places in which the premises were situated, and that all three places were in the parish of Fording- bridge. They were holden of the Manor of Nether-Burgate, which Manor Woodward thought was held by Lord Stourton and his father. Rents charged on the Manor of Ludschelfe. Woodward likewise noticed this property as "the revenues of Ludschelfe Manor," as belonging to Lord Stourton. We think we have clearly shewn it was part of the Moigne inheritance which passed from that family to the Stourtons, although the same did not pass under Sir William Stourton's Inquisition. Messuages at Basingstoke. Woodward also admitted these premises as belonging to Lord Stourton. The father had died possessed of the rents charged on the Manor of Basing. ■ Patent 19 Henry V'l., part I., membrane 24. Woodward (-luoted this without shewing his autiiurity. 2l8 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOK. Holding's at La Hide, Lyndhurst, Barnabelclose and Gretenham. Woodward also included these as part of the possessions of Lord Stourton. It will be observed that La Hide is included here instead of with Froghani and Rudbroke, as was always the case, as evidenced by the Stourton MS. Book. In this Book it is shewn : — (i.) Lyndhurst tcrr\ - - 3s. 4d. (2.) Terr ct tciita in Lyndhurst. 3s. 4d. (3.) It'm tcrf in Lyndhurst. - 3s. 4d. County Essex : — The Manor and Advowson of the Church of Estanes ad Montem alias Eston atte Mount. An estate already shewn to have been inherited from the Moignes. Presentments : — 1427, Jan. 5. — John Stourton, junior, presented Robert Dobbes. 1431, Aug-. 2. — William Carent, and others*, 1 r rr r c^- r , c i ■ i presented William Stokes, feonees for Sir John Stourton, knight,)^ 1437, March 8. — Same again presented John Wymond. John Wymond held the rectory for 40 years, and on his death, William, 2nd Lord Stourton, presented to this rectory the same year as he died. City of London : — Messuages in the Parish of St. John's in Walbrook. Stow's Survey of London clearly defined this parish. He shewed this parish church to have been "called St. John upon Walbrooke, because the west end thereof is on the very bank of Walbrooke, by Horseshew Bridge, in Horseshew Bridge Street." County Middlesex : — Messuage with garden in Fulham. We have already shewnt Lord Stourton purchased this property in 1449, and that down to the end of the eighteenth century it was called by historians Stourton House. It was situated on the west side of Bear or Bridge Street. See full list of feoffees under Stourton, Co. Wilts. f Pages iSi to i8S. POSSESSIONS OF LORD STOURTON IN CO. WILTS. 219 When it was purchased the gardens perhaps occupied the whole of the land between Stourton House and the river Thames, but in the time of William and Mary, the Swan had been built between Fulham Hall and the Thames. William Sharp caused a subterranean passage he had made under Church Lane, to be connected with the house, from a cottage he built by the west side of the Swan. See some important additions under the 2nd Lord Stourton. County Wilts : — The Manor and Advowson of the Church of Stourton. These probably included the other premises in Stourton of which we have found Lord Stourton's father had died seized, and which we thought might have formed part of the ancient demesnes in Stourton on which Stourton House was built. This Manor Lord Stourton held of William le Zouch, 5th Lord Zouch, of Harringworth, as of his Manor of Castle Cary, Co. Somerset, by homage and fealty by service of one knight's fee, and suit of Court at the Castle of Cary from three weeks to three weeks. Presentments : — 1428. — John Stourton, Esq., presented Walter Wadham. 1430. — Sir John Stourton, knight, Sir Robert\ Shottesbroke, knight, Sir Thomas Kingeston, knight, John Stourton, I presented John Braban, who of Preston, William Carent, John ' had been presented to Buck- Hody, Richard Elton, Thomas horn Weston in 1422. Hussey, Robert Squybbe, Robert Collingbourne and Gilbert Wake, / 1435-— The feoffees of Sir John Stourton, knight, presented William Ashe. 1445- — Sir John Stourton, knight, presented William Pole. '451- — John, Lord Stourton, or his feoffees for him, presented John Winford. Messuages and lands in Mere and Maydenbradley. These most likely were the same premises which he inherited in these places from his father, in whose Inquisition they were enumerated. The premises in Mere probably included those in Mere-Woodland, O verselles, Netherselles, and Wolverton, also the prebendary Manor of Mere. 220 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Those in Maydenbradley perhaps comprised the premises in Hill-Deverell and FouIe)'ate, as they were all classed in one item in Sir William Stourton's Inquisition. On the nth September, 27 Henry VI., thejuryfound that Sir Walter Hunger- ford, knight, had died 9th August then last, seized intcmlia of the advowson of the priory and church of Maydenbradley, Co. Wilts, leaving Sir Robert Hunger- ford, his son and heir, aged 40 years, whom it was found on the 30th June, 37 Henry VI., had died 18 May then last, seized interalia of the same premises, which he held of Sir William Botreaux, knight, Lord of Botreaux, leaving Sir Robert, Lord Hungerford, his son and heir, aged 30. Sir Richard Colt Hoare, in speaking of the Parish Church of Mere, dedicated to the honour of St. Michael the Archangel, shewed that in small shields were painted the arms of Carent, Hungerford, Prince of Wales, as Duke of Cornwall, Berkeley, Stourton, and Wadham, on the north side of a screen of carved open work, which separated the choir from the nave in that church. These, he thought, were designed probably as memorials of the several benefactors thereof. He thought also that the fact of Sir William Stourton having held the office of Steward of the Principality of Wales, accounted for the Prince's bearings, and from the marriages of William Carent with Margaret Stourton, and John, 3rd Lord Stoiu'ton with Katherine Berkeley, drew a conclusion in his mind for the arms of Carent and Berkeley being there. It will also have been seen that Sir Ralph Stourton, ancestor of Lord Stourton, had married Alice, daughter of Thomas, Lord Berkeley. He proved by the charters and registers preserved at Salisbury, that John de Mere founded a chantry to the honour of the annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary about 1325*. He was, however, erroneous in saying that Sir William Stourton, father of John, ist Lord Stourton, was buried heret. He shewed that the register of Bishop Chandler identified this chantry with that of ^'■Berkeley " in the same church. John de Mere confirmed the chantry, which he founded on the north side of St. Michael's at Mere, to God and the blessed Virgin Mary in perpetuity, endowing the same with lands in Mere and Seals, which William Wymond augmented with lands in Stourton and Mere. * See page 53. t He was buried according to his will in the Priory at Witham, Co. Somerset. He presumably uieaut William, 2ud Lord Stourton. See under William and John, and and 3rd Lords Stourton. POSSESSION'S OF LORD STOURTON IN CO. WILTS. 2 2 1 On the 15th October, 21 Henry VI., Lord Stourton, as a knight, was one of the witnesses to the charter, then dated at Maydenbradley, of Henry atte Mere, g-ranting and confirming unto John Nete, merchant, all those lands and tenements, with their appurtenances, in Maydenbradley, which Walter Hornby held as tenant for a term of years, to hold to John Nete, his heirs and assigns for ever, of the chief Lords of the fee. The Manor of Powlesholt. This passed to him under the Inquisition of Sir William Stourton in 1413, and was comprised in the property which was entailed under the charter of Lord Stourton of the 2nd April, 19 Henry VI. The Magna Britannia shewed that Poulshot, Pouleshot, Pawlesholt or Poules- holt, in the hundred of Melksham, was the Lordship and Estate of William de Stourton, whose family was in great repute anciently in this county, for he was knight of the shire for the county 8 Henry V., and John de Stourton the year following, who is spoken of as High Sheriff in 5, 12 and 16 Henry VI. The descent of the Manor is shewn from Sir William Stourton down to John, 3rd Lord Stourton, his great-grandson. It is said that Lord Stourton was created a Baron " for his great and faithful services to that king (Henry VI.) and his father in the French wars." The Manor of Little Langford Donnys with the Advowson of the Church. Under the Inquisition of Sir William Stourton we find he was possessed of considerable property in Little Langford, although he was not holding the Manor at his death. The Magna Britannia confirmed that Lord Stourton held this Manor at his death. It was sometimes returned as " Donnys Langford " Manor without the prefix "Little" and was valued per year at ^11 12s. id.; separately returned from Dangen's Manor in Little Langford valued annually at £g i6s. The property in this Inquisition may have included both Manors. At a short distance north of the church dedicated to St. Nicholas, was in Hoare's time a dilapidated bridge (called Chantry,) over the river Wily, and a Tate, leading from the common to the enclosed lands, then bore the name of 222 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. " Stoiirton gate," and Stourton Hall " was close to a small wood adjoining called Grovely. See grant from Henry VI. ante, of Grovely Wood, which was formerly extra parochial but now a parish. In 1443, Lord Stourton as a knight, with Robert Long*, Esq., presented to Little Langford Rectory hac vice feoffat' of William Daungens, late Lord there, whose family had been patrons thereof from 1324 to 1435, and where Richard de Stourton was rector 27th February, 1295. In this church a chantry was founded by John de Langford, to which chapelry Lord Stourton's second son, Sir Reginald Stourton, knight, presented in 1456, and Lord Stourton's grandson, William, 5th Lord Stourton, presented in 1502. The Manor of Bekanton. The Magna Britannia defined this estate as Bainton or Bakaniton in the hun- dred of Worwelsdon, and that Lord Stourton died seized of and left it to Sir William Stourton, his son and heir, with the Lordship of West Ashton in the same hundred, and other great estates. The Manor of Winterbourne and Maddington. We have already dealt at some length with this estate, and have clearly proved the same was inherited by Sir William Stourton from the Moigne family. The Magna Britannia said that Maddenton or Madington was the Lordship and Estate of John, Lord Stourton, who died seized of it 2 Edwai'd IV., leaving it, with many other estates, to his son and heir. Sir William Stourton, knight, who soon after had the livery of them. The Manor of Penley. The Stourton MS. Book returned this property as valued at £12 by the year, and as being held in possession. It passed under a fine as late as Michael- mas, 22-23 Elizabeth, to which John, gth Lord Stourton, was a deforciant. This estate was in the parish and hundred of Westbury, and was distinct from the large possessions inherited in the same parish by William, 2nd Lord Stourton, in right of his wife, Margaret Chidiockf. * For particulars of him see Cope MSS. in possession of Henry ^N. Aldred. i Vide MS. collections of the Chidiocks in the possession of Henry W. Aldred, shewing descent of their lands to the Stourtons and Arundels. POSSESSIONS OF LORD STOURTON IN CO. WILTS. 223 The Manor of Ablyng-ton. Tlic Magna Britannia said that Ablyng-ton was the Lordship of John, Lord Stourton, who died possessed of it, and left it with other estates, to William, Lord Stourton, his son, who accompanied King Edward IV. in leading- his army against the Lancastrians, who were beginning to make head against him in Northumberland. Of his faithful adherence to Edward IV. we give some particulars under the life of the 2nd Lord. Sir Richard Colt Hoare said he did not find by the Institiitioncs that this family (the Stourtons) ever presented to this church, nor did it appear to have long continued in any one family. In the Stourton MS. Book the Manor is called Abbington alias Ablington, and valued at £16 iis. 4d. by the year. It appears to have remained in the possession of the Lords Stourton until temp. Edward VI., when it was sold by William, 7th Lord Stourton, to Thomas Long, who levied a fine in respect of the same in Easter term, 2 Edward VI. The Manor of Aulton. This property was returned as the Manor of Alton in the Stourton MS. Book at ^9 by the year. The Magna Britannia said that Alton or Aulton was the Lordship and Estate of John, Lord Stourton, and shewed it to have been in the hundred of Amesbury. I messuage and 8 virgates of land in Poterne, Mer- stone and Wertone. On reference to Sir William Stourton's Inquisition it will be found he held 8 messuages, 8 virgates of land, and 8 acres of meadow in the above places and Poulesholt. If we assume that out of these premises 7 messuages and 8 acres of meadow were in Poulesholt, it consequently followed that Lord Stourton inherited the above premises from his father, who held the same of the Manor of Asserton. It is more likely that the Poulesholt property was accidently omitted from Lord Stourton's Inquisition, as the entire lands were included in his son's Inquisition in correspondence with the entry in that of Sir William Stourton. The estate in Poterne comprised a mill, 2 cottages, 60 acres of land, 4 acres of meadow, and 1 acre of woodland, with the appurtenances. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Mill and land in Hurst. This property was valued at £i 6s. 8d. per annum, and was mentioned in he schedules of land belonging to the Lords Stourton. The property presumablv la,d m.dway between Steeple-Ashton and Great-Cheverell, just about the spo't where Hurst farms are now situated. This estate was included in the property entailed by charter of the 2nd April 19 Henry VI. ' ' Messuages and lands in Cheverell-Magna. In the Stourton MS. Book this property was valued as land only, and as land and pasture, at 6s. od. per annum. It appears to have been a portion ot the property which was entailed by charter of 2nd April, 19 Henry VI This estate was just south-east of the Hurst property. 7 messuages, 4 carucates of land, 20 acres of meadow, and 40 acres of pasture in Westashton, Steeple- ashton, Henton and Bulkyngton. These premises undoubtedly descended to Lord Stourton from his father The estates in these places which passed under Sir William Stourton's Inquisition were mcorporated in one item with those in Little Langford, and if we exclude therefrom 20 acres of meadow, 160 acres of pasture and 40 acres of wood, as bein- the property in Little Langford, we have those shewn above as coming to Lord Stourton under his father's Inquisition. Stourton-farm still lies just by the west side of Steeple Ashton, of which Great H.nton ,s a t.thing. West Ashton was formerly a tithing of Steeple Ashton, out of which place it was afterwards formed into an ecclesiastical and civil parish Bulkington was a tithing of the parish of Keevil, which is just north of Steeple Ashton. This estate therefore was situated in one centre. A messuage called Buntisplace in New Sarum. It would seem that the family had a tenement here as a residence. From the Stourton MS. Book we learn from an entry "Sanim vdcr' d\ terf et ten'ta - - £4 Jjs. 4d. Say' nova. j one tent only in possession." Again a similar item with the exception of ''one teift only in possession:' POSSESSIONS OF LORD STOURTON IN CO. WILTS. 225 Another item is as follows : — Wiltcs — It'm tcrr et tenia in Stowford cf^ Newton necnon terr' et ten'ta in r£6 15s. 8d. vetef Sar et nova Say j Again, " Messnag' vocat Bluntesplace et al' teii'ta in nova Sar et veter Sar'.' Seeing that Lord Stourton was so closely connected with the history of Salis- bury, and held such considerable estates around the city, a residence in the incor- porated city of Wiltshire seems very probable. Leland has remarked theStourtons " were great benefactors to the Cathedral Church of Sarum, as appears by their coate of arms everywhere about the church, and in all the Prebends' Houses." Lands in Wilton, Stofford, Newton, Ouidamton, Avyn, Chessyngbury and Stanmere. These we have thought formed part of the Avon rents, and probably came through the Moigne family. We find the property was valued by the year as follows : — The value of the Quidhampton property was not returned, it was situated in a tithing of Foulstone, a village adjoining Wilton. Wilton is 3 miles north-west from Salisbury. Newton or South Newton is 2 miles north from Wilton, Stoford is a tithing of South Newton, and Avon is just south of the latter. -' The property here with Newton was eventually increased in quantity or value, as some of the schedules returned the joint holding in these places at £6 T5S. 8d. i The property here was sometimes returned with that at Merston at £2 iSs. 2d. Land and tenement in Wilton . . . Land and pasture in Stoford* . - - Land and pasture in Newton . . . Land in Avon with the free chapel there Land and pasture in Chessyngbury Moiety of the farm with arable, meadow and £0 gs. od. jCo I 5s. od. £0 gs. od. £2 13s. 4d. £0 7s. od. pasture lands in Stanmeret £1 8s. 2d. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOK. The Right Honourable William, Lord Stourton, 2nd Baron of Stourton, Co W.lts, in the peerage of England, son and heir of Sir John Stourton, knight, of Stourton aforesaid, who had been created Baron of Stourton by Letters Patent on the 13th May, 1448, by Margaret, (or Margery) his only wife, daughter of Sir John Wadham, knight, of Merryfield, Co. Somerset, one of the Puisne Judges of the Court of Common Pleas. Lord Stourton succeeded his father in the Stourton peerage on St. Catherines day, 25th November, 1462*. He inherited the vast estates which his father succeeded to, some of which descended paternally, as coming from Sir William Stourton, and some through his wife, Elizabeth Moigne ; and those which John, Lord Stourton, inherited under the charter of John Hame, and by purchase as wel as by favour of Henry VL He was born about 1432, and was aged 30 yLars on the 25th November, 1462, and in the same year he had livery of his fathers estates, but his homage was respited, and before the expiration of that year he attended_ Edward IV. in his army against the Lancastrians in Northumberland, they havmg begun to gather a considerable body in that county. Ma,.„a Britannia sa,d this Lord Stourton was as zealous and active a man as his father had been .n the service of the York family, and that he accompanied the king, Edward IV in leading his army against the Lancastrians. He was an executor, with his uncle, William Carent, of his father, but the will IS not, as far as is known, extant. We find he was returned as a county member for Dorset to sit in the Lower Mouse of Parliament on the following dates O" the 30th January, 1447, as Willichnus Stoarton', armigcr, summoned to sit .n the Parliament to meet at Cambridge, and by fresh writs at Bury St. Edmonds on the 10th February, 1447. Again on the 22nd September, 1460, as Willidmus Stourton', de Russhdon miles and summoned to meet the Parliament convened to meet at Westminster' on the 7th October, 1460. ' Tarent-Rushton or Tarent-Vilers, Co. Dorset, where we find Lord Stourton was described of when returned as above as the member for that shire, was then the seat of his Lordship, and under his Inquisition we prove that he and his wife were joint patrons to that church during the lifetime of his father, John, ist Lord Stourton. * """^ ^ P^^^ his predecessor in title until after the latter „ actually WILLIAM, 2XD LORD STOURTON, OF STOURTON, CO. WILTS. 22; This estate was settled as the jointure of Margaret, Lady Stourton, who after the death of her first husband, William, 2nd Lord Stourton, presented with her second husband, Sir John Cheyne or Cheyney, knight. Lord Cheyney, K.G., who died sine prole on the 30th May, 1499. In lo Henry VL, John, Lord Stourton, when a knight, had released to him, and his heirs, one moiety of Tarent-Vilers, alias Tarent-Rushton, (the other moiety being vested in him,) with 5 messuages, 4 carucates and 183 acres of land in Tarent-Vilers, Tarent-Rushton, Tarent-Preston and Loneton, Co. Dorset, and the following presentments to the church were made by John, Lord Stourton, as under : — 1420, May 15th, 1 . . (Walter Fish. June 20th,)J°''" Stourton, Lsquire, presented ^j^,^^^ Bvahsn. 1423, May 13th,) ^ . (John Stock. 1428, Dec. 20th,iJ^'''" Stourton, Esquire, presented g^^^^j^^^ 1430, April 2nd, Sir John Stourton, knight, presented John Paslew. 1433. July 1 2th, William Carent, Thomas Huse, and others, his feoffees for him, presented William Gay. After William Stourton's succession to the Barony, we find he received writs of summons on the following dates and by the descriptions therein contained, to attend the sittings of Parliament among the Barons of England. The 7th September, 9 Edward IV., then dated from Westminster, to Willielmo Stoiirtou, dc Stotiyton, Chevalier, to attend the Parliament convened to meet at York on the 22nd day of September then instant. On the 15th October, 9-10 Edward IV., (said to be the 49 Henry VI.,) as Willielmo Stourton, de Stourton, Chevalier, to meet the Parliament at Westminster on the 26th November next ensuing. Again on the 19th August, 12 Edward IV., as Willielmo Stourton, de Stourton, Chevalier, to meet the Parliament at Westminster, on the 6th October then follow- iny that date. In pursuance whereof he undoubtedly took his seat in the Upper House of Parliament among the Barons of England. 22S HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. He married Margaret, eldest daug-liter and coheir of Sir John Chidiock, knight, of Chidiock and Caundle, Co. Dorset, whom that humorous anti- quary, Leiand, thus speaks of, " Antioche dwellyd or had lande yn Staple Bridge paroche, and there is Antioche Wood .... His Landes cam to Chidioke, and from hym onto Create Arundel, of Cornehul, and the Stourtons* Lordes by Partition. Chidiok dwellid by Bryporte at Chidiok, and ther is a Castelle or a fair House that from Chidiok cam to Great Arundelle in Partition . . . And the Chidiokes dwelt sumtyme at Caundle .... This Maner place is now the Lorde Stourton's by Partition of Landes bytwixte Arundale and hym of Chidiokes Heires.'' The old castle at Stourton-Caundel, so named to distinguish it from the moiety held in the same place by the Arundells, is said to have been built by the Chidiocks or Stourtons, it was afterwards used by the Stourtons as a removing and jointure house, eventually becoming ruinated and the chapel thereto belonging being turned into a barn. Magna Britannia said Stourton was a little town in the hundred of Sherburn, and anciently the seat of the Lords Stourton. As the Stourtons inherited considerable estates from the Chidiocks, it may be as well to note that the Inquisition of (i) Sir John Chidiock, was taken 28 Henry VL, and (2) that of Katherine, his wife, daughter of Ralph Lumley, was taken i I-:dward IV. ; shewing that their coheirs were their two daughters,' (i) Margaret, who married William, 2nd Lord Stourton as above, and (2) Katherine, who^'mar- ried (i) Sir William Stafford, knight (father by her of Humphrey Stafford, Earl of Devon,) and (2) Sir John Arundell, knight, a valiant commander under Henry VI. in France, ancestor by her, of Sir John Arundell, of Lanherne, Co. Cornwall who married Anne, widow of Charles, Sth Lord Stourton, and daughter of Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby. Sir John Chidiock held at his death one-third part of the Manor of Clopton- Bury, Co. Kent ; one-fourth part of the Manor and Advowson of Westbury, afterwards called Westbury-Stourton and Westbury-Arundell, the Manors and Advowsons of Hilprynton, Aven and Inmere, with one-fourth part of the hundred of Westbury, Co. Wilts ; the Manors of Pytney and Werne, with 2 messuages, 10 acres of land and 3 acres of meadow in those places, of the king in chief by knight service, viz., one-tenth part of one knight's fee, which Ralph Bushe, * In a MS Collection of the possessions of the Chidiock family in the custody of Henry W Aldred it is shewn the number of estates which passed from that family to the Stourtons and Arundel s ARMS i<\ Si-Ol'K'I'OX impaluis AKMS ui SiOURTOX impaling I'.KAUMONT, namely — "Azure, sniu'- BASSKT, iminely 'Mir, Ihivc pili-s in (U'-lys and a lion rampanl. or." point, sules, n canton miiinr." [Sir loHN Stol-rton uianicd (lirstlyi C \TliEklNF., (liughler of Henry, Lord lieaumont {sfc /./■(■(■/i daugliter and eodieir of Sir ARMS or S'l'OTRTOX and in pretence those of MOICXI-",, as they appear to have been most fre(]uendy used, aufl .sah:ef]uenily quartereil by tlie faniib-, namely "Argent, two bar?, ;ind in chief three nuillets ^able. " marrieil Kl.lZ.MiKTl !. john Muigne, S,r />,)or^- 103, 104- ' ARMS u|- STOl'kTOX impaling those of W.VDH.VM, namely— " Or. on a chev ron sable, three roses argent. ' [John, tst Lokh SrofKlON, marrii-d MaRGKRV, daughter of Sir IchiAN'adluim, —Str p(ii,'f 206. ■ ARMS OF STOl'RTOX and in pretence those of CHIDIOCK, namely — " (Jules, an inescutcheon w ithin an orle of martlets argent." W'll.l.lAM, 2nd l-OKI) SToL'IMO.S, married MARGAitt.r, elder daughter and co-heir uf Sir Inliii ( 'hidiock, — .sVi' f-'xc 228. 1 230 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Esquire, appears to have held in Hke manner in 20 Henry VI., the reversion of the premises after his death belongring to John Chidiock ; the Manor of Ilbrewer of the king- in chief by the same service ; the Manor of Alwinsley* and 10 acres of hind there of Richard, Duke of York, by service unknown ; one messuage and one carucate of land in Perrott, and 5 messuages, i toft, 210 acres of land and meadow in Hardington, of William Wadham, by service unknown; the Manor of Kingston-juxta-Yevell, and 10 acres of land in Kingston, which Sir Thomas Broke, knight, and Joan, his wife, held of the said John Chidiock, son of Sir John Chidiock, knight, by his demise for their lives at ;^20 yearly, the reversion to come after their deaths to John Chidiock and his heirs, who held of the king in chief by knight servicef, Co. Somersetj ; the Manors of Chidiock (held cf Richard, Duke of York,) Buckham, Candel-Haddon, More-Kirchil, Lidlinch, Baret alias Hydys, East Charlborough and Wyke, two parts of Maiden Newton ; 3 acres of land in Caundell-Haddon, 5s. 4d. of rent in Sherborne, 47 acres of land (Hutchins has 240 acres) and 4 acres of meadow in Antioche and Candel-Marsh, 6 messuages and 100 acres (Hutchins says 106 acres) of land in Sherborne, Woburn and Thornford, 20 messuages, 4 tofts, and two water mills in Bridport, Co. Dorset. The property passing from Katherine Chidiock, formerly wife of Sir John Chidiock, knight, and daughter of Sir Ralph Lumley, were the Manors of Chidiock, Buckham, Candel-Haddon, Marshwood and More-Crichil, 240 acres of meadow and pasture in Sherborne, Antioch, &c., Co. Dorset ; the Manor of A)iwinshey, also 20 acres of land there, which she held of the king as of his Manor of Marshwood, as parcel of the possessions of the Earl of Marche, by fealty and rent of one red rose ; the Manor of Kingston, also 10 acres of land In 13 Henry VI., Alianor, wife of John Chidiock, held in her right the Manor of A;-l\vinshey of Richard, Dulve of Yorii, by service unknown, and John Chidiock was her son and next heir. I Sir Thomas Broke, knight, died 5 Henry V., l;iolding this Manor by the demise of John Chidiock, who is said to liave held of William Carent by unknown service. When Sir John Chidiock's inquisition was taken in 2 Henry VI., it is shewn he died seized of the Manor, wiiich Sir Thomas Broke, knight, then deceased, and Joan, his wife, held for their lives at the annual rent of £20 of Sir John Chidiock. In 15 Henry VI., on the death of Joan, formerly wife of Sir Thomas Broke, knight, it was proved she liad held the Manor of Kingston-juxta-Mudford of the king in chief by service of a tenth part of one knight's fee, and i messuage, 60 acres of land and 12 acres of meadow in Kingston, of William Bon- vill, as of his Manor of Sokedenys by service unknown. In 16 Edward IV., William Carent held the Manor of Marsh and 6 tenements, 100 acres of land and meadow in Yevell and Kingston-juxto-Yevell of the Abbess of Shene by unknown service. \ In 22 Henry VI., Sir Thomas Beauchamp, knight, held on the day he died the Manor of Whitelaking- ton. Co. Somerset, of Sir John Chidiocli, knight, by knight service, and the jurors found that Alice, wife of John Speke. was his heir. In 2 Edward IV , Joan, who was formerly wife of Joliu Charnper- nowne, held on the day she died the Manor of Cudworth, with the appurtenances, Co. Somerset, and 6 carucates of land in Loduey, wliich was parcel of that Manor in the same county, of John Chidiock, as of his Manor of Chelburgh, by what service the jurors did not then know, and Jolm Speke was her heir. This appears to have been a Chidiock inheritance from temp. 7 Richard II. WILLIAM, 2ND LORD STOURTON, OF STOURTON, CO. WILTS. 231 there, which she held of Galfrids Uphey by unknown service, when Katherine, wife of John Arundell, and Margaret, wife of William Stourton, were her daugh- ters and next heirs. Sir John Chidiock was son and heir of Sir John Chidiock, by Eleanor, his wife, daughter and heir of Sir Ivo Fitz-Waryne, by Maud, his wife, daughter and coheir of Sir John d'Argentine. Lord Stourton quartered his arms, i and 4, with those of Mohun — 2, Or, a cross engrailed sable, and Chidiock — 3, Gules, an escutcheon within an Orle of Martlets argent*. The Chidiock arms were likewise shewn in the first compart- ment, with those of Stourton and Berkeley, of Beverston, in the second and third compartments, on the upper part of the old chimney piece taken from Stourton House, Co. Wilts, and afterwards fixed up in the " King's Arms" at Shaftesbury, as given in the illustration on page 27. We have shewn on page 49 how a portion of the Manor of Westbury, called Westbury-Stourton, came through the Pavely family to that of St. Loe, hence to the Chidiocks and eventually to the 2nd Lord Stourton and his descendants. Westbury-Stourton appears to have been a moiety of the fourth part of the ancient Pavely Manor in that parish, and was so designated to distinguish it from the three remaining portions which descended from the same source. On page 52 we prove by a scaled pedigree there shewn, that Lord Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton, now of Allerton Park, is one of the coheirs to the Barony of Fitz Warine if any barony exists. A portion of the Pavely possessions which passed to the Stourton family, were : — The Manor of Westbury-Stourton, so called after the Stourton family, which Manor of Westbury-Stourton remained vested in them until purchased by the Hungerford family. There were also hereditaments and premises in Westbury, Leigh, Bratton, &c., Bitham House, within and all appertaining to Stourton-Westbury Manor, which were sold by the Stourtons to William Brouncker, Esquire, of Earl Stoke. Harl. MS. 1074, which formed one shield, another shield shewn was Argent, two bars and in chief three mullets, sable, over which was written " Wylliam Moyne." The crest of the flagellating monk (as Hoare called William Moyne) was assumed by the Stourtons. 2^2 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. In the same parish the Stourtons held other property, vi,':., the Manor of Upper Penley, inckiding the Mansion House of Penley, and a large farm which the family sold to George Tiu-ner, Esquire. Also the Middle Penley-Estate, including Brook-Mill, with the farm attached to it, part of Brook Manor in Westbury, which was sold to the Earl of Marl- borough and the Houltons of Farleigh Castle. But it is said none of the Penley estate, although in Westbury, came through the alliance with the Chidiocks to the Stourtons. In 2 Henry V., Ivo Fitzwarren held the Manor of Lidlinch or Lydlinch, Co. Dorset, in chief of the Bishop of Sarum. By a record sans date John Chidiock, chevalier, and the heir of John Beaufoys, held here one knight's fee equally divided, which was then lately Roger Fitz Roger's and Reginald de Sercey's, held in chief of the Bishop of Sarum. In 28 Henry VI., John Chidiock held it as before. By another record sans date, William Stourton, chevalier, our Lord Stourton, held a knight's fee, as John Chidiock and John Beauboys did before, which belonged formerly to Roger Fitz-Roger and Reginald de Sercey. In 35 Henry VI., David Servington died seized of the Manor of Lydlinche, then valued at 40s., and holden of the Lord Bishop of Sarum, but there was no mention of any advowson here in that office. In another record sans date he is said to have held here half a fee, then late of John Beauboys', in chief of the Bishop of Sarum, and was probable- lessee under the Stourtons. The Manor was held by Thomas Chafiu at his death in 35 Elizabeth, of the Bishop of Sarum in socage, and i2d. rent, and suit to the hiiJidird Court of Sherborne. In 1645, Lord Stourton's old rents of this Manor, with the members of Hide, Heydon and Ramesbury, then valued at ;^48 per annum, were sequestered. The anonymous author of a description of some places in Co. Dorset, writing about 1579 (Cottonian Library, Julius F. 6., p. 366,) said " the noble manor of Lidlinch has a very good benefice, and a fatte, endewed with a bewtifull house and a good parson named [John] Whytel [who was presented in 1570 and died in 1588, formerly rector of Chesilborne,] and lerned that the Lord and patron thereof is John, (9th) Lord Sturton ; and there are no arms in the churche, but only in the steeple ..... the Lord Sturton's is placed with Stafford, as I take it." The Lords Stourton presented from 1450 to 1570, when in 1588 Thomas Chafin, Esquire, pro hae vice was patron*. * From information partly obtained by Hutchins. The fact of the Stourton arms being placed in the steeple of Lidlinch Church with those of Stafford, clearly indicates that they were so placed by William, 2ud Lord Stourton, as he and Sir William Stafford had married the two sole heirs of Sir John Chidiock, who held the Manor here of the Bishop of Salisbury. William, 2nd Lord Stourton, was, as we have seen, a noted personage at Salisbury. WILLIAM, 2N'D LORD STOURTON, OF STOURTON, CO. WILTS. The Acts and Proceedings and Ordinances of the Privy Council of England give but few instances of Lord Stourton as a Privy Councillor, for Sir Harris Nicolas comments on the lost of many records relating to the Privy Council during a portion of Lord Stourton's life. As Williclmns Stourton, Miles, he was one of the knights mentioned in the letter from the king to the keeper of the privy seal, dated i6th April, query year, commanding him to summon the knights and esquires to attend the Council on 2 1 St May then following. As William Stourton, he was, with the Lord Stourton, (his father,) summoned among the knights the king wrote to on the 5th December, 1455, informing him that lie had sent the Duke of York into Devonshire for the purpose of quelling the disturbance in that county, and commanding William Stourton to render the Duke all the aid in his power. In 1455, on the 22nd May, the memorable battle of St. Albans had been fought, in which the Yorkists slew several thousand Lancastrians, including several nobles, when Henry VL fell into the hands of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, and 6 years afterwards the king's reign was terminated in favour of Edward IV. It may be assumed that from the year 1452, when the power of Henry VI. as a sovereign began to waver, that John, Lord Stourton, and his two elder sons, William and Reginald, were all found as strong and faithful adherents to the cause of Edward. Between that year and 1477, the year William, 2nd Lord Stourton died, there were fought the memorable battles of St. Albans, Bloreheath, Northampton, Wakefield, Towton, St. Albans again, Mortimer's Cross, Hexham, Banbury, Stamford, Barnet and Tewkesbury. In the year John, ist Lord Stourton died, we have found both he and his son Reginald, as well as his son-in-law, Sir George Darell, were faithful adherents of Edward's cause. For they, all three, were appointed commissioners of array to prepare in mustering King Edward's liege subjects of Co. Wilts, for the purpose of repulsing the invasion of the Scots and F"rench, who wished to weaken the English Monarchy to gain their own ends. Magna Britannia stated John, ist 234 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Lord Stourton, " was an active man (partisan) in the service of the York family," and that " his son and heir, William, shewed the same zeal for Edward IV. in opposing the Lancastrians, who were then stirring in Northumberland." Although, as we have shewn under the lives of John, ist Lord Stourton, and his father, Sir William Stourton, the Stourtons had much to thank the House of Lancaster for in raising the family to the peerage among the Barons of England, and granting to the ist Lord many other considerable emoluments; still John and William, Lords Stourton, allowed no personal interest to stand in their way when they thought they owed a duty to their country by rendering what aid was in their power in supporting the sovereinty of Edward IV. In this other members of the family likewise joined them. So that Edward not only received their support in the County of Wilts and other adjoining counties, but also in his Privy Council and in Parliament, as well as in active service in his wars against the supporters of Henry VI. In Salisbury we find William, Lord Stourton, a strong and faithful adherent of Edward IV., and are able to give many interesting particulars of the support he rendered that king. We find his name mentioned in many of the royal patents for that period, as being sent by the personal injunctions of Edward as one of the royal commissioners of his council to transact duties of a peculiar nature and to restore peace and tranquility to divers subjects where disunion among them existed. With him at Salisbury were included Sir Maurice Berkeley, knight of his body, who was undoubtedly the father-in-law of his son, John, 3rd Lord Stourton. Sir Maurice Berkeley, whose daughter, Katherine, became wife of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, was father of Sir William Berkeley, of Beverston, who died in 14S6 sine prole, and Katherine, Lady Stourton, was his sister and heir. This Sir William Berkeley married Katherine, daughter of William, 2nd Lord Stourton, and was heir of his father (among other estates,) to the Manor of Great Kingston, Co. Dorset, which was holden of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence. After his death Katherine (Stourton,) his widow, became wife of William, or we think Henry, Lord Grey, of Codnor, and she, as Katherine, Lady Grey, was Lady of the above Manor, and as such she, about the i8th November, 1503, granted to her brother, William, 5th Lord Stourton, the right of patronage pro hac vice, who then presented William Turner to the rectory there. LORD STOURTON, ROYAL COMMISSIONER AT SALISBURY. The other royal commissioner, with William, Lord Stourton and Sir Maurice Berkeley, was John Cheney, then one of the Esquires of the body of King Edward. We are inclined to think he became eventually the second husband of Margaret, widow of our William, Lord Stourton, and consequently identical with the John, Lord Cheyney, K.G., who died sine prole on the 30th May, 1499. After the death of John, ist Lord Stourton, we find his son, William, 2nd Lord Stourton, not only sitting as a special commissioner at Salisbury at the trial and conviction of Sir Henry Courtenay, knight, brother to Thomas, Earl of Devon; and Thomas, Lord Hungerford, of Rowde, near Devizes, who "were arrested in consequence of an attempt to excite an insurrection at Salisbury, and in other parts of Wiltshire, and committed to the Sheriff's prison,'' but actually acted in the controversy between the Lord Bishop of Salisbury and the Mayor and Commonalty of Salisbury. In the Commission he was called " Will' Stourion, dc Stourton, mil'*." At a convocation held the 8th March, 9 Edward IV., of the Mayor and Commonalty of Salisbury, the Mayor declared the coming of those Lords of the Council, which included Lord Stourtont, for the purpose of settling all controver- sies then pending between the Bishop and Commonalty of Salisbury, and the sum of i^27 was advanced by that municipal body, to defray— n/ftra/w— the expenses of Lord Stourton, and the other Lords of the Council accompanying him to Salisbury the week following as shewn by the Corporation Ledger, in which there was an account, giving the charges for the Lenten diet of Lord Stourton, and his co-royal commissioners. The items for their dinner included 5s. for bread, 4s. 6d. for three covells of ale, i5d. for 11 lagena; of ale, 24s. 4d. for red and white wine. In the accounts set out in the Corporation Ledger B., was an item "for wine and pippins, sent to my Lord of Stourton and my Lady his wife, 2s." The dispute between the Lord Bishop of Salisbury and the citizens thereof, was eventually entrusted, for the purpose of restoring peace and tranquillity to the city and to settle the long pending litigation, to the arbitratorship of William, 2nd Lord Stourton, Sir Maurice Berkeley, knight, and John Cheney, Esquire of Edward's body. Kot. Pail., VoL VL, page 306. I Corporation Ledger B., fol. S5. B. 236 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. On the 1 8th November, 1471, the kuigf, on their award, issued his Privy Seal from his Palace of Westminster, while on the 19th December following, there was issued " to our trusty and well beloved the Mayor, his brethren and commons of our City of Sarum, and to each of them " from his Court at the same palace, the king's mandate to carry out the wishes of "our right trusty and well beloved Lord Stourton, our trusty and right well beloved knight of our body. Sir Maurice Berkeley, and our trusty well beloved John Cheney, one of the Esquires of our body." The Rolls of Parliament* shew fully the case of the attaintment of Thomas, Lord Hungerford, on which Lord Stourton sat as a special commissioner to try him and the above Henry Courtenay. It appeared that Lord Stourton, as Sir William Stourton, of Stourton, knight, was appointed one of the commissioners by Letters Patent, 8 Edward IV., to try Sir Thomas Hungerford, late of Rowdon, in Chippenham, Co. Wilts, knight, and Henry Courtenay, late of Estmylle, Co, Hants, Esquire, as false traitors in proposing to deprive the king of his royal power, and to make Henry VI. or Edward, Prince of Wales, (son of Margaret, then lately called Queen of England, who was alleged to be King Edward's greatest enemy,) King of England on the 21st May, in the eighth year of Edward's reign, at Salisbury and elsewhere in Co. Wilts, and for conspiring to aid Mar- garet, and her son, Edward, in entering this kingdom and deposing Edward IV. Lord Stourton sat as one of the king's special commissioners on their trial at the Sessions holden in the City of New Salisbury, on Monday then next after the -feast of St. Hilary in that year, for which offence both Sir Henry Courtenay and Sir Thomas Hungerford were found gu ilty and afterwards suffered the extreme penalty of the law. The entrustment of bringing those prisoners to the bar for trial was conferred on Sir George Darell, knight, then Sheriff of Co. Wilts, brother-in-law of this Lord Stourton. The Hungerfords were seated at Heytesbury, Co. Wilts, and they and the Stourtons were connected for many generations. Lord Stourton, as Willielmo, Domino Stourton, was one of the witnesses to the original foundation charter of the Hospital at Heytesbury, which was dated there on the 4th April, 1472, his being the third attestation, coming after Willielmo, Counte Arundell, and Ricardo, Domino de Warre, but preceding those of Hungerford, Berkeley, Willoughby, Long, Mompesson, Tropnell, Bonham, &c., which tended to prove the promin- Vol. VI., pages 305 and 306. WILLIAM, 2XD LORD STOURTON, OF STOURTON, CO. WILTS. 237 ence of the Stourtons in Co. Wilts at this date. In another deed dated there on the 8th April, 1472, Lord Stourton headed the witnesses as Willlelmo, Dominus Stourton. Thus we find William, Lord Stourton's daughter Katherlne Stourton, and his son-in-law, Sir William Berkeley, of Beverston, were holding property of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, and that Lord Stourton's son, William, 5th Lord Stourton, who was mentioned in the will of the said Sir William Berkeley and presented for his sister, Katherine, Lady Grey, to the rectory of Great Kingston in 1503, for one turn only, married Lady Katherine de la Pole, niece to Edward IV., Richard IIL and this Duke of Clarence. The third husband of Katherine, his sister, widow of Sir William Berkeley, of Beverston, and Henry, Lord Grey, was stated by many historians to have been Lord William de la Pole, said to have been son of John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk*, and if so was brother to Lady Katherine de la Pole, first wife of William, =;th Lord Stourton. But no such son is recorded as Lord William de la Pole of John, Duke of Suffolk. The Stourtons apparently gained much favour with the Yorkists for their support of that House, and it will have been observed from the tracings we have given of the blending of the two Royal Houses in the marriage of Edward IV's daughter, Princess Elizabeth Plantagenet, with Henry VH., that the latter king as the head of the House of Lancaster was descended from the Stourtons, so that this family has a peculiar interest in the history of the country at this period. There can be no question that William, 2nd Lord Stourton, not only played a very important part in the political troubles of Edward's reign, but remained a faithful and active subject of that king. His brother, Sir Reginald Stourton, knight, clearly supported Edward's policy and remained for many years one of his most staunch adherents, especially in Co. Somerset, for he was seated at West Boure in that county. When Edward's power in September, 1470, began to give way, and that king was forced to fly to Holland for safety. Sir Reginald Stourton was suspected of having given his adherence to Henry VL, when he had been taken from the Tower and placed upon the Throne and Parliament had declared Edward to have been an usurper and a traitor. So that after Henry VL had been expelled by Edward from the Throne, Sir Reginald Stourton was hini- - It is possible Katherine Stourton liad only two husbands, and that the marriage of her brother had been confused with her's, for observe the same christian names. 238 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. self declared a traitor on the 25th April, 1471, for the part he had played with George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, who had acted under the influence of his father-in-law, Richard Nevile, Earl of Warwick, in dethroning for a short time his brother Edward. However, Sir Reginald Stourton became reconciled again to Edward by receiving that king's pardon on the 6th May, 10 Edward IV., and on the 13th November, the next year, and the name of Reynald or Reginald Stourton is found on the patent roll for i and 2 Richard III., with John, 3rd Lord Stourton, of whom we read that on the i8th April, 1475, he, as the Lord Sturton's son and heir, was among those who were inhanced to the honour of knighthood as Knights of the Bath made by Edward IV., after the custom of England in the time of peace. It was rather curious that Edward IV. should have chosen one brother to sit as a royal commissioner on two traitors, who were proclaimed about the same time as Sir Reginald Stourton, while the latter had been suspected of having engaged in the same matter which William, Lord Stourton, was called on at Salisbury to try. It only went to prove that Edward IV. reposed the greatest confidence in Lord Stourton at that period. On page 122 we shew a tracing of some of the ancestors and descendants of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, and we give below a further tracing in augmentation of our prior account of his descendants, in which we shew the con- nection by marriage of William, 5th Lord Stourton, with his grand-daughter, and the supposed marriage of Lord Stourton's sister with Lord William de la Pole. Richard Plantagenet, Duke=Lnrfv Cecily Neville, dau^h of York, Regent of France and Protector of England, slain 31st December, 1460. Descended from King Ed- ward III. ter of Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland. She died 31st May, 1495. Edward IV., King of England. Edmund, called Earl of Rutland. George, Duke of Clar- ence, K.G. Richard III, King of England. Lady Elizabeth Plantagenet, - second daugliter. Buried under a table monument in the Collegiate Church of St. Andrew in Wing- field, Co. Suffolk, with her husband. They had 4 sons and 5 daughters, but Lord William de la Pole is not given as one of the former. John de la Pole, Duke of Sufiolk. Son and heir of William, Duke of Suffolk, by Alice Chaucer, his wife, daughter and sole heir of Thomas Chaucer, of Ewe- Ime, Co. Oxford, by Matil- da, his wife, daughter of Sir John Burshersh, of Ewelme. Aged 7 years in 1449*. See History of Benhall, Co. Suffolk, (Aldred). The Hist. MSS. make Thomas Chaucer son of Geoffry Chaucer, the poet. Alice Chaucer was widow of Sir John Phehp, knight, and Thomas de Montacute, Earl of Salisbury. CHILDREN OF WILLIAM, 2\D LORD STOURTON. If Lord William de la PoU,=Kathcriuc Stourton, sister said to have been third of WiUiam, 5th Lord husband to Katherine Stourton. Stuurton. William, Lord Stonrton,=Lady Katherine de la Pole, 5tli Baron of Stourton, eldest daughter. Fust Co. Wihs. D.S.P. wife of Lord Stourton. D.S.P. Lord Stourton, with others, released and quit-claimed the Manor of Mile- bourne-Deverell, alias Mileborne-Cary, with 6 messuages, a water mill, 80 acres of land, 200 acres of pasture, and 20 acres of meadow, in Mileborne and Mileborne- Cary ; 2 acres of meadow in Rokemede, in Kingesbere, Co. Dorset, in favour of Sir John Colshull, knight, Elizabeth, his wife. Sir Robert Willoughby, knight, and Thomas Strangwayes and Alianor, his wife, cousins and heirs of Humphrey Stafford, which release and quit-claim was duly acknowledged in the king's Chancery on the 14th February, 1489. In 5 Edward IV., Robert Warr held the Manor of Dalwood, Co. Dorset, by unknown service, of Sir William Stourton, knight, presumably our Lord Stourton. Was this Robert Warr identical with the Lord of Hestercombe, whose son, Richard Warre, married Lord Stourton's sister, Joan Stourton ? Lord Stourton, had, by Margaret (Chidiock,) his wife, the following issue : — i. — The Right Honourable John, Lord Stourton, who succeeded his father, William, 2nd Lord Stourton, as 3rd Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts, in the peerage of England, and of whom afterwards. ii. — The Right Honourable William, Lord Stourton, who succeeded his nephew, Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, onh- son and heir of John, 3rd Lord Stour- ton, as 5th Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts, in the peerage of England, and of whom afterwards. ili. — The Right Honourable Edward, Lord Stourton, who succeeded his brother, William, 5th Lord Stourton, as 6th Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts, in the peerage of England, and of whom afterwards. iv. — Ralph Stourton, who is shewn as 4th son in Harleian Manuscript 1074, but omitted from the other pedigrees. V. — John Stourton, the second of the name*, mentioned in the same manu- script. On a brass plate at the bottom of the window, on the north side above an altar tomb, in the parish church of Ower-Moigne, Co. Dorset, was formerly, if It was very freijneiit in early tinies for two sons to bear the same Christian name. 240 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. not now, an Inscription : " Here lyeth John Sturton, Esquier, the which decessyd the xiij day of January, the year of our Lord Mvcyi (1506,) the which John causyd this wyndowe to be made the yere aforesaid . . . On whose soul Jesus have mercy." vi. — Richard Stourton, who is named as a son in the same manuscript. The two latter, with a sister Ann, are shewn by Edmondson and Collins as the three youngest daughters, but Hoare, in his copy of the College of Arms pedigree, omits them. X. — Katherine Stourton, whom both Collins and Edmondson placed as the third daughter, and Harleian Manuscript 1074 as the eldest living one. She married (i) Sir William Berkeley, of Beverston, Co. Gloucester, son and heir of Sir Maurice Berkeley, of Beverston, one of the knights of the body of Edward IV., by Anne, his wife, daughter of Reginald West, Lord de la Warre. Sir William Berkeley as son and heir to Sir Maurice Berkeley, in 1474*, inherited (among other estates in the Counties of Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Hants, Wilts and Gloucester,) the Manor of Great Kington, Co. Dorset, which was then holden of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence. Sir William Berkeley, of Beverston, died in i486, having made his will 4th June, 1475, and a codicil 27th September, 1485, and Katherine (Stourton) his wife, was one of his executors, and proved them on ist July, 1486^". In these records he mentioned particularly William, 5th Lord Stourton, who had at that time succeeded to the peerage. He also named his own sister, Katherine Berkeley, as Dame Katherine Stourton, who was then the widow of John, 3rd Lord Stourton. She married (2) William, or, as we think, Henry, Lord Grey of Codnor, and as Katherine, Lady Grey, she was, as widow and executrix of her first husband. Sir William Berkeley, Lady of the Manor of Great Kington, which he had held as heir to his father in 1474, and about the i8th November, 1503, she granted to her brother, William, 5th Lord Stourton, the right of patronage, pro hac vice, who then presented to that rectory. The premises at Great Kington and other lands and Manors passed afterwards through Warburga Brereton and her descendants. vii. — Edith Stourton, viii. — Elizabeth Stourton, ix. — Alianor Stourton, Who are all three mentioned as daughters in the same manuscript. * Inq. P.M. 14 Edward IV., and will A" 1474, 15 Wattys. His son's Inq. P.M. taken in i-z Henry VII. \ 24 Logge. CHILDREN' OF WILLIAM, 2ND LORD STOURTON. 241 Katherine, Lady Grey, is said by most historians to have married (3) Lord William dc la Pole, son of John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, — query see ante, and under William, 5th Lord Stourton. On the 17th July, 1517, the bason covered was borne by Mr. Sturton at Hatfield Church, on the christening- of the Lady Francis, wife of Henry Grey*, Marquis of Dorset, and Duke of Suffolk, K.G., and the first begotten daughter of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, and the Lady Mary Tudor, his wife, the Oueen-Dowager of France, 3rd daughter of Henry Vn., (by Lady Elizabeth Plantagenet, eldest daughter of Edward IV.,) sister to Henry VHL and widow of Louis XH. of P" ranee. xi. — Margaret Stourton, who is shewn by the Harleian Manuscripts to have been the 5th daughter, but omitted by Edmondson and Collins, although included in Hoare's copy of the College of Arms pedigree. She married James Chudleigh, of Ashton, Co. Devon. On her marriage in 1476, her father, William, Lord Stourton, gave her under her marriage settlement a portion of ioo marks, which Prince, in his Worthies of Devon, thus curiously commented on, when he said it was "a portion held so very small in this (his) age, that a very ordinary farmer, or shopkeeper, would be loath to give it with a daughter, or take it with a wife." The Chudleighs were of an ancient stock in Co. Devon, in which county they were seated at Broad Cleft. They increased their inheritance in that county when John Chudleigh, ancestor of our James Chudleigh, married Thomasine, daughter of Richard Prous, son of Sir Richard Prous, knight, of Ashton, Co. Devon ; on which marriage of John Chudleigh he had, under the grant dated in 1320 at Gid- legh, of Richard Prous and Margaret, his wife, to him and his heirs, the manorial estate at Ashton, with other considerable lands in that count)-. Probably the best accounts of the family are to be found recorded by Prince ; and by John Burke and John Bernard Burke in their Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies. James Chudleigh, by Margaret (Stourtoii) his wife, left issue, and they were ancestors of the now extinct house of the Baronets Chudleigh, of Ashton, Co. Devon, which flourished from the time of James L until the year 1745, when the last baronet. Sir John Chudleigh, of Chalmington, Co. Dorset, was killed at Ostend on the ist August in that year. The son and grandson of James Chud- leigh and Margaret Stourton, married into the families of Hody and Wadham, whom we have already noticed as having been allied with the Stourtons. The case between Dillon and Freine, commonly called the " Case of Perpetuities," or " Chudleigh's Case," reported at such great length in the reports of Sir Edward Coke, knight. Lord Chief Justice of England ; related to Sir Richard Chudleigh, lie was father by her of Lady Jane Grey. 242 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. knight, who was son of WiUiam Chudleig-h, Esquire, son and heir of James Chudleigh, by Margaret (Stourton) his wife, and touched upon his Manor of Hescot, Co. Devon. xii. — AHce Stourton is shewn as a daughter— the youngest but one — in Harleian Manuscript 1074, and as the second eldest by Edmondson and Colhns. She married John Phihpot or Philpot, Esquire, who was Sheriff of Hants in 16 Henry VH. He was son and heir of Sir John Philpot, knight, citizen of London, and was aged 31 years when his father died in 2 Richard HI. He had settled on him on his marriage with Alice Stourton, by his father, (who as " Johannis Phylyppotc filii heredis Johannis Phylyppote defunct," had in 32 Henry VI. proof of his age and seizen of lands in Co. Hants,) the Manor of Aschewys or Mile-end, Co.- Middlesex, which was held by a quit rent of 17/- under the Manor of Stepney, of which the Bishops of London were the Lords ; and he inherited on his father's death, considerable other estates in Cos. Middlesex and Hants, and in the City of London, including the Manor of Hoxton within that of Hackney, Co. Middlesex, then held of Thomas, Lord Bishop of London ; and the Manor and Advowson of West Twyford in the same county. He was probably connected in some way with the John Philipot or Philpot, who as son and heir of Sir John Philipot, released the moiety of the Manor of Tarent Vilers or Tarent-Rushton, Co. Dorset, with other considerable lands there, to John, ist Lord Stourton in 10 Henry VL, as we have already noticed. xiii. — Amy or Anne Stourton, called Amy, eldest daughter by Edmondson and Collins, and Avicc Stourton, youngest daughter, in Harleian Manuscript 1074. The Mis. Gen. et Her., Vol. L, calls her Anne, and the Visitation for Co. Gloucester — Anna, whom Edmondson and Collins say died unmarried. Hoare, in his copy of the College of Arms pedigree, omits both Anne and Amy. She married Sir Henry Rogers, of Bryanstone, Co. Dorset, knight, who was born on the ist March, 1448, found heir to his father, John Rogers, senior, of the same place, by Liquisition 24th November, 29 Henry VL, 1450. He was then aged 2 years, and was heir to his mother, Anne Rogers, daughter and coheir of Sir Thomas de Echingham, knight, by another Liquisition 14th November, 14 Henry Vn., 1498, he was then aged 42 years. He was knighted 15th November, 1501, his will dated 14th December, 1506, was proved ist February, 1507. He had by Amy or Anne, his wife, numerous children. William, Lord Stourton, died on the i8th February, 1477-8, 17 Edward IV., and was buried in the parish church of Mere, dedicated to the honour of St. Michael the Archangel, probably in the Chantry Chapel of the blessed Virgin Mary, Jt POSSESSIONS OF WILLIAM, 2XD LORD STOURTON, IN CO. SOMERSET. founded by John de Mere, on the north side of St. Michael's at Mere, to God and the annunciation of the blessed Virefin Mary in perpetuity. The said John endowed the same with lands in Mere and Seals, which WiUiam Wymond aug- mented with lands in Stourton and Mere. It was sometimes called the Berkeley* Chapel, in it John, 3rd Baron Stourton, was also buried. He died possessed of divers Manors, Lordships, Advowsons, Lands, Hereditaments and premises in the Counties of Somerset, Wilts, Hants, Essex, Devon, Middlesex and Dorset, leaving Sir John Stourton, knight, afterwards the 3rd Lord Stourton, his son and heir, aged 24 years on the i8th February, 1477-8. Co. So.MERSET : — In 17 Edward IV., William, Lord Stourton, when he died held the Manor of Marston-Bigott of Margaret Hull, by unknown service, as he did in 3 Edward IV., when he inherited from his father. He likewise held the Manor of Littlc-Marston of Henry Stafford and Margery, his wife, in right of Margery Stafford, by unknown service, as he did in 3 Edward IV., when he inherited from his father. Also 2 water mills, 30 acres of land, 60 acres of pasture, and 40 acres of furze and heath in Leigh and Colfordf. A messuage, a mill, 20 acres of woodland and 20 acres of furze in Col/onf, of John Tropnell, by unknown service. Ten messuages, 10 acres of land, 20 acres of pasture and 20 acres of heath in Leigh, of John Carent, by service unknown, which premises, by tiie same descrip- tion and quantity, had been held by William, Lord Stourton, in 3 Edward IV., of William Carent, the service then being unknown. Sir William Berkeley, of He%erston, ^^ave a legacy in 14S6. to this chantry chapel by the codicil to his will. The arms of Stourton and Berkeley were painted in two small shields on the north side of a screen of carved open work, which separated the choir from the nave in St. Michael's Church at Mere. These arms were found together in this church through Ik^o children of Lord Stourton having become united in marriage with two children of Sir Maurice Berkeley, of Beverston, knight, viz , Joiin, 3rd Lord Stourton, with Katfurine Berkeley, and Katherine Stourton, with Sir William Berkeley, of Beverston, knight. The above Sir Maurice Berkeley was distinct from one of the same name living contemporaneously witii him, of Wele\-, who had died in 1464. seized of Manors and lands in Cos. Woicester, Gloucester, Somerset, Hants and Wilts, and who by Eilen, his wife, daughter of Sir William Montfort, had a son and heir, Sir William Berkeley, of Stoke Giflord, Co, Gloucester, who died about 16 Henry VIL, and by Anne, daughter of Sir Humphrey Stafford, left issue. Whereas Sir Maurice Berkeley, of Beverston, died in 1474, his will was proved ttiat year, (15 Wattys,) and his son, Sir William Berkeley, of Beverstone, by his wife, Katherine Stourton, left no issue. — Katerine sururis et heredis Willielmi Barkeley, militis. — she was wife of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, and Warbur^c Comptoii iiuper uxoris Willielmi Compton, militis, was filie et heredis of the said Katerine. Hoare probably meant this Lord Stourton was buried here when he mentioned Sir William Stourton, implying thereby the grandfather, who was buried according to his will in Witham Priory, Co. Somerset, f In 3 Edward IV. he held 4 messuages. 2 mills, 20 acres of pasture and 20 acres of furze in Colford, of Margery Hungerlord, by unknown service. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. He held 3 messuages and i carucate of land in Norton-Mygros and Kiliinngtoii, of Lord Ferrers of Chartley, by service unknown, holding- them in like manner in 3 Edward IV. These were identical in description and quantity with the lands here of which John, ist Lord Stourton, had died seized. Also the bailiwick and bedelary of West Perrott, of the king in chief by knight service, as he had done from 3 Edward IV. See under Inquisition of John, ist Lord Stourton. As well as 9 messuages and 1 carucate of land in Otlicrcy of the Abbot of Glastonbury, but in 3 Edward IV. he is said to have held here 4 messuages and I carucate of land and then of the Earl of Salisbury, which appear to have been identical in description and quantity with those of which John, ist Lord Stourton, had died seized. In 3 Edward IV., William, Lord Stourton, had 14 messuages, 20 acres of land and 20 acres of pasture in Fmiie, which he held of Robert Liversege, by service unknown, as his father had held. But the premises appear as 28 messuages in his own Inquisition. They, however, were a portion of the estates in Frome, Lye and Colford, of which John, ist Lord Stourton, had been possessed at his death. Co. Wilts : — In the same year the jury found, regarding his possessions in this county, that John, Lord Stourton, had enfeoffed Walter Hungerford and others, with the Manors of Fowlesholt and Daungens in Little Langford, and land in Hurst and Cheverell-Magna, by charter dated 2nd April, ig Henry VI., to hold, after the extinction of prior interests, to him and the heirs of his body on that of Margaret, Lady Stourton, his wife, and the right heirs for ever of the settlor. The property ih this county was : — Manor and Advowson of Stourton. Inherited from his father. Holden of the Manor of Castle Cary in Co. Somerset. Presentments made by Lord Stourton : — 1473. — William, 2nd Lord Stourton, presented John Edmunde. 1489. — Sir John Cheyne, and Lady Margaret Stour-| ton, his wife, widow of William, 2nd : presented Robert Eliot. Lord Stourton, j POSSESSIONS OF WILLIAM, 2ND LORD STOURTON, IN CO. WILTS. 245 The Manor of Powlesholt. Inherited from his father. The Manor and Advowson of Inherited from his father. Dangens in Little Langford. In Little Lang-ford was another manor or hamlet called Alton-Dangens, which belonged to the family. See under his father's Inquisition. The Manor of Penley. Inherited from his father. Although this estate was in the hundred and parish of Westbury, it formed no part of the Chidiock possession in the same place which came to the Stourtons. The Manor of Ablington. The Manor Alton. Eight messuages and 8 virgates of land in Powlesholt, Potcrnc, Merston and Worton. Messuages, lands, mills, &c., in Hurst and Chivcrell-Magiia. Messuages, lands, cottages, rents, &c., in Stoitrton. Inherited from his father. Inherited from his father. Inherited from his father. In his grandfather's Inquisition 8 acres of meadow land were also included. This property was inherited from •his father. Inherited from his father. The premises were particularized in the Inquisition of Sir William Stourton, and were probably part of the ancient demesnes of Stourton. They were not included by description in his father's Inquisition. Messuages, cottages, and lands Inherited from his father. See in Mere. prior Inquisition. This property comprised 3 messuages, 20 acres of land, 10 acres of meadow and 6 acres of pasture. Messuages, lands, &c., in May- dciibradlcy, holden of the priory there. .Messuages and lands in Wcst- ayshton, Hcntoi;, Stcpilayshton and Biilkyngton. Inherited from his father. Inherited from his father. 246 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. These comprised 7 messuag-es, 4 carucates of land, 20 acres of meado«-, and 40 acres of pasture. Messuages and lands in Stan- Inherited from his father. mar, Wilton, Crcssiiigbury, Sto- ford, Oiicdaiiiptoii and Newton. Messuage called Burntesplace The New Sarum property passed in New Sannii and other tene- from his father. See son's Inqui- ments there, and in Old Sarum sition for detailed possessions. and Stratford under the Castle of Sarum. Co. Hants : — The jury found, by Inquisition taken for this county, that William, Lord Stourton, had enfeoffed Walter Hungerford and others, of his Manor of Ibsley in this county, to hold to them in trust for him and the heirs of his body on the body of Margaret, Lady Stourton, his wife, with remainder to Sir John Stourton, knight, (afterwards John, 3rd Lord Stourton,) his son and heir, with an ultimate remainder to William, Lord Stourton and his heirs* for ever. It is also shewn he held the Manor of Soplcy, rents charged on Ludshcfe Manor, with messuages and lands at Basingstoke. Co. Essex : His Inquisition shewing his property in Co. Essex was taken at Chelmsford, ist August, 18 Edward IV., in which he was called " Willielmi, Domino Stourton", whom the jurors found had died seized of the Manor of Estanys ad inontcm, alias Estanys at the mount ivith the advowson of the church there, which he had held in his demesne as of fee, and being so seized he had on the 6th January, 17 Edward IV., enfeoffed Thomas Rogers, William Hudfield, Thomas Wells, Roger Halls, William Bladon, Thomas Baker, Stephen Dakers and John Pole, to hold the same manor and advowson to him and his heirs for ever, and they were by virtue of this feofment seized in their demesne as of the fee in trust as aforesaid, of the Lord the King in chief by knight service, viz., "esscnd' Lardinar' Domini Regeni tempore Coronacionis sui," then valued by the year at viij'. It shewed that William, Lord Stourton had died the 18th February, 17 Edward IV., and Sir. John Stour- ton, knight, 3rd Lord Stourton, was his son and next heir, then aged 24 )'ears. This limited the premises in extent to Anna Stourton. daughter of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, in the event of her surviving her brother, Francis, 4th Lord Stourton,— see /ios< under her name as to the probability of her having predeceased her parents and brother. LORD STOURTOX'S POSSESSIONS IN COS. DEVON, GLOUCESTER AND MIDDLESEX. 247 As we have already shewn under the Inquisition of John, ist Lord Stourton, John Wymond, whom he had presented in 1437 to Great Easton, Uved until 1477. Lord Stourton only presented once to this church, viz., WiUiam, Lord Stourton, presented John Faux, 29th March, 1477. Newcourt confirmed this when he said " Sir WiUiam, Lord Stourton, pre- sented to this church in 1477 and died the same year, i8th February, 17 Edward IV." Co. Devon : — The Miinoi- oi' IVclchaiiuiie alias Wlidchome alias Plymhome, holdenofthe Manor of Plyinplon. This was inherited from his father, whose Inquisition gives many particulars concerning the estate in this county. Co. Gloucester : — The Manor and Advowson of Shipton-Moigne. Messuage with curtilage called Hullecourt.\ Toft called Workysplace. Tenement called Pedworthesplace with one' virgate of land. ; Shipton-Moigne. 40 acres of land, 3 acres of meadow, 20s. rent and one water mill. ^ The Manor of Vdchain near Berkeley, holden of the Manor of Berkeley. Co. Middlesex : — A messuage and garden in Fulbam, which Lord Stourton's father had acquired by purchase in 1449, being situated on the West side of Bear Street, near the foot of the bridge across the Thames from Fulham to Putney, which was erected in 1729. We are enabled to add a few further notes by way of addition and amendment to the account we have given on pages 181 to 188. Mr. Feret is of opinion that " Lysons, who was usually very accurate, was total!)- wrong'' in calling Fulham House or Hall— when he wrote in 1795, — Stourton House. And this is Mr. Feret's reason, based upon a careful research of the Courts Rolls of the Manor of Fulham, " if it were ever called Stourton House, it would have been ante 1657, 24S HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. when the name Fulham Hall first occurred . . . We do not know when the house owned by the Stourtons was demolished . . . Fulham House or Hall, which existed down to 1842, was built about the commonwealth " and it was therefore, according- to his opinion, " Fulham House or Hall from 1657 to its demolition." In reference to our remark of " old Fulham House, formerly belonging to the Lords Stourton " on page 187, Mr. Feret says "you can hardly say formerly belonging, since it was rebuilt after the time of the Stourtons," and he thinks therefore we should not have said on the same page " thus welsce the last of Stourton House" but the last of " Fulham House." We have, however, merely quoted the earlier writers for what they were worth and with due respect to their memories. Lysons, who wrote his first account in 1795, more than a century ago, and who was known in his day and is handed down to the present generation as a most careful writer, found it called, according to his statement " Stourton House " at that date, and in his second account of the house written in 181 1, he practically confirmed it when he said "Stourton House 720W [181 1] usually called Fulham House." Which account Nichols confirmed, (as shewn on page 184,) but Faulkner admitted having copied from Lyson's account, and added very little of his own. Old Fulham House is shewn in a coloured picture, (believed to be the only one in existence shewing that house,) which presents the river, the bridge, &c., besides Fulham House. Mr. Feret confirms our statement (page 182) regarding there being no bridge from Putney to Fulham across the Thames, for he says " there was no bridge till 1729, a ferry was the only means of passage,'' and adds " I have a full histor\- of the ferry from temp. John." In remarking on our statement (same page,) respecting- the Earl of Essex's communication across the Thames on barges and lighters in 1642, Mr. Feret says " The pontoon thrown across by Essex was at quite another part of the river, viz., at Hurlingham, very near Broom House." We, however, did not define it locally except in stating that it crossed the Thames from Fulham to Put- ney, which is correct. Mr. Feret now supplies the holders* of the house between the time when the Stourtons sold it till that of William Sharp, when he says the " intermediate holders were the Warrensf, Cordells, Gotobeds, Hickmans, Howards, Buckinghams, Vaslets, Bulstrodes, Manners, Bignells," whom William Sharp succeeded as owner. See paragraphs 2 and 3, page 183. f See under William, 5th Lord Stourton, for account of the sale to Sir Ralph Warren. POSSESSIONS OF WILLIAM, 2ND LORD STOURTON, IN CO. DORSET. 249 The beautiful villa spoken of by Nichols (page 183,) "was not (says Mr. Feret,) Fulham House but the cottage by the water side, afterwards Egmont Villa," and he proceeds to tell us that " when, in 1855, the aqueduct was constructed by the Chelsea Waterworks Company, it was found necessary to pull down Egmont Villa." In speaking of the house called Passors, which Walford erroneously took to have been the residence of the Lords Stourton, (vide page 186,) Mr. Feret adds " The present Fulham House is not three centuries old ... It was built by the Tonsons, of book publishing fame." The illustration of the house shewn by Walford would support such a contention. When Stourton House was sold by William, 5th Lord Stourton to Sir Ralph Warren, the latter was living in the house called Passors*, and in reference thereto Mr. Feret says "Sir R. Warren was, at the time of this purchase (meaning Stourton House,) by him, living at Passors, which was the residence of his family, including the Whites and the Cromwells, for about a century." Thus we catch a glimpse of how Sir Ralph Warren came to purchase of William, 7th Lord Stourton, the Manor and Advowson of Great Easton, Co. Essex, for he had been living on the east side of Bear Street, opposite to Stourton House in Fulham, which he had purchased of the 7th Lord Stourton's uncle, William, 5th Lord Stourton, when an opposite neighbour of his, and Sir Ralph Warren probably resided at Stourton House when he acquired the manorial property in Great Easton of the 7th Lord Stourton. Mr. Feret says John Faulkner, not John Chasemore — which was a slip of his pen, built John's Place. It is called by some John Place. Co. Dorset : — Manor of Rysshton or Tarent-Rushton, or Tarent-Villers. Presentments : — [William Stourton, Esq., and) 1447, August 2nd, (Margaret, his wife, j presented John Gosse. 1456, October, 14th, Sir William Stourton presented John Whalley. presented respectively Claudius or Lodowic r Sir John Cheyne, and his wife, 1491, May 24th, Margaret Lady Stourton, in ^ ^ 1491, Sept. iSth,- nght of Margaret as her join- p^^„^,,,„^^ ^^^^ Rich ture by the gift of her husband, , „ . -' , , , c h^'"'' Bampton. William, 2nd Lord Stourton, I Comp. LL. passatori, ferrj-nien, from passare, to pass over. 250 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Moiety of the Manor of BrodcK'ay, held of Nicholas Latimer as of the Manor of DevilHsh, which Lord Stourton had inherited from his father. The Prioresses of Clerkenwell had the right of presentation here. Manor and Advowson of Orc=0ivi'e-Moignc, and inheritance of the Moigne family. Manor of Weston, undoubtedly Buckhorn-Wcston, alias Weston-Moigne Manor, which was held of the Manor of Estcoker, also derived through the Moigne family. William, 2nd Lord Stourton, presented 1477, 2nd May, Robert Janyn. Messuages and lands in Sturminstcr Afarshall. Lord Stourton's father had held a carucate and 10 acres of land here. : Lands and tenements in Gillingham. This was undoubtedly the same pro- perty as his father had inherited under the charter of John Hame. Hutchins said he held 170 acres here. Lands and tenements in Loffctvn=Losto]!c, where we find his father held i messuage and 240 acres of land. Lands and tenements in Coiiycsdich. The property appears to have been • held of the Manor of Cranbourne. It seems to have passed under the Liquisition of John, 1st Lord Stourton, as well as imder that of his father, Sir William Stourton. William, 2nd Lord Stourton, presented (1464, Nov. gth, Robert Weston. (1473, Dec. iSth, Thomas Salthouse. Three hundred acres of land in Suddon. This was a Moigne inheritance and was parcel of Owre-Moigne Manor as shewn on page 141. JOHN, 3RD LORD STOURTON, OF STOURTON, CO. WILTS. The Right Honourable John, Lord Stourton, eldest son and heir of WiUiam, 2nd Lord Stourton, by Margaret (Chidiock,) Lady Stourton, his only wife. He succeeded his father on the i8th February, 1477-S, as the 3rd Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts, in the peerage of England, when of the age of 24 years. He was born circa 1453-4, was of Stourton, Co. Wilts, and Fulham, Co. Middlesex, was a.s tlic Lord Slurton's son and heir a.mong those who were inhanced to the honour of knighthood, as a knight of the Bath, by Edward IV., on Whit- sunday, the i8th April, after the custom of England in the time of peace, 1475 and had livery and seizen of his father's possessions the year following his father's death, but his homage was then respited. Lord Stourton married Katherine*, only daughter of Sir Maurice Berkeley, (who died in i474t,) of Beverston, Co. Gloucester, knight of the body of Edward IV., by Ann, his wife, daughter of Reginald West, Lord de la Warr, ancestor of the Earls Delawarr. Lad)' Stourton, after Lord Stourton's death, remarried to Sir John Brereton, knight, and as sole sister of Sir William Berkeley^, of Beverston, knight, who died in i486§, the Manor of Moore in Whiteparish, Co. Wilts, with other considerable property in that count)' and elsewhere, passed, after the death of Katherine (Stourton,) Lady Gre)-, widow of Sir William Berkeley, to her only surviving daughter and heir, W3''burgha Brereton, spinster, who was aged 6 years and upwards when her mother died, and was the only living child by Sir John Brereton, knight, second husband to Lady Stourton. Hoare, in his account of the descent of the Manor of Moore, erroneously stated that Katherine Berkeley had married John, ist Lord Stourton. And not- withstanding that he, in the text thereto, alleged she, " when the widow of Jolm, first '■• Inq. P.M., 8-10 Henry VII., Hants and Wilts, Katherine, domine Stourton. There were also offices for Cos. Gloucester, Dorset and Somerset ; Katherine Stourton, late wife of John Brewerton (Brere- ton.) and late wife of Sir John Stourton. f Will 1474, 15 Wattys. He was descended from a long line of ancestors seated at Be\ erston, to whom the Castle or Lordship of Beverston belonged. I I. P.M., 16-17 Henry VIII.. Warburge Compton. nupey uxoi-ls W'illicltui Comploii, militis, ac filic et luraiis Katcrine, (wife of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, and Sir John Brereton, knight,) sororis et htn-Liis WiUtdmi Barkelcy, militis, — Hants and Wilts. J Inq. P.iM. 1-2 Henry VII., and will 24 Logge. He was proclaimed a traitor by Richard III., and his estates extended into the Counties of Hants, Somerset, Devon, W ilts, Berks and Dorset. See notes concerning him under the life ol William, 2nd Lord Stourton, bis father-in-law, and under this Lord Stourton later on. Sir William Berkeley, of Weiey and Stoke Girford, was aged 18 years ^vhen his father died in 1464, and Sir William Berkeley, of Beverston, was 23 years old on his father's death in 1474. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. (third) Lord Stourton, married secondly, Sir John Brereton, knight," he distinctly varied the order of those marriag-es by stating, in the scaled pedigree he afterwards shewed, that Sir John Brereton was the first husband and John, Lord Stourton, was the second. The age of Wyburgha Brereton when her mother died clearly proved that Sir John Brereton was the second husband. For she was born subsequent to the date on which Lord Stourton had died. She married (i) Sir John Cheyney, knight, (see pages 49-50,) and (2) Sir William Compton, knight, (who died 31st May, 1528,) whose grandson, Sir Henry Compton, knight, of Wynyate, Co. Warwick, was created Baron Compton, of Compton in Wynyate, ancestor of the Earls and Marquises of Northampton. JaHf, daughter and heir of=S/>- John Brereton, kmght.=i. Katherine. daughter of Geoffry Massy, ot Tatton relict of Sir William Stan ley. Philip Brereton. Obiit sine prole. Maurice Berkeley, of Bev- erston, relict of John, (3rd) Lord Stourton. Werburga, daughter and heir, wife of Sir Francis Cheney, remarried to Sir William Compton*. As before shewn the arms of Chidiock, Berkeley and Stourton were engraved on the upper part of an old chimney piece, (of which we have given an illustration,) which was removed when the old mansion house at Stourton was pulled down, to the " King's Arms " in Shaftesbury, where it was fixed. In Mere Church the arms of Berkeley were found engraved, with those of Stourton, Hungerford, Wadham and Carent,— see under Inquisitions of John, ist Lord Stourton, and William, 2nd Lord Stourton. It will be seen that the Lord Stourton with whom we are dealing, desired (by his will,) that his body should be buried in the chantry chapel of the blessed Virgin Mary, within the parish church of Mere, which chapel is proved to have been identical with the Berkeley one founded in the same church. * Extracted out of the Brereton pedigree in Ormerod's History of Cheshire. This shews Katherine Berkeley was relict of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, and she appears also to have been first wife ot Sir John Brereton, who by Jane, relict of Sir William Stanley, his second wife, had an only son who died without issue. JOHN, 3RD LORD STOURTON, SUMMONED TO PARLIAMENT. 253 Lord Stourton, as the " Lord Sturton," was summoned in 1483, on the 5th June, to the proposed coronation on the 22nd of that month at the Palace of West- minster, of Edward V* ; and was one of the 45 peers present at the coronation of Richard IIL and Queen Annet on the 6th July, 1483. He was summoned among^ the Barons to sit in the Upper House of Parlia- ment on the following dates : — On the 15th November, 22 Edward IV., as Johanni Stourton, de Stourton, chevalier, to the Parliament convened for the 20th January following at Westminster. Again on the gth December, i Richard HL, by a similar style of description, to meet the Parliament at Westminster on the 23rd January next ensuing. As well as on the 15th September, i Henry VH., as above, to the Parliament convened to meet at Westminster on the 7th November following. He, in pursuance thereof, undoubtedly sat in the Upper House of Parliament among the Barons. Thus we see that Lord Stourton, although so short a period expired, actually served under three kings of England, and if we can include Edward V., then four. Edward IV. died gth April, 1483. Edward, Prince of Wales, was his son who was called Edward V., and was said to have been murdered by his uncle, Richard III. If the coronation of Edward V. was to have taken place on the 22nd June, and he had been murdered on the 20th of that month according to Anstis' calculation, then it is clear he was never king. Seeing that Richard III. was to have been crowned on 6th July, 1483, it is possible Weaver was correct when he placed Edward's murder as taking place in that month. Beltz, however, gave the date of Richard's accession as the 22nd June, 1483, which Burke's peerage gives as the date of the murder of Edward V. So that it seems possible that Edward V. met his death, as Anstis stated, on the 20th June, two days before his proposed coronation on the 22nd, which date Bcltz said was the reputed accession of Richard III. As Richard III. had deprived the male issue of his brother Edward IV., from inheriting the throne, so we find Richard himself a little over two years after his own accession, was slain at Bosworth Eield, when Lord Stourton's ' Supposed to have been murdered, with his brother Richard, Duke of York, in the Tower of London, on tlie 2oth June, i4,S3, the date is, however, uncertain ; Hadrian Junius erroneously placed it as 24th May, and Weever as in July, but Anstis as 2 months and 11 days from his father's death. f Lady Anne Nevile, daughter and heir of Richard Nevile, Earl of Warwick, and widow of Edward, Prince of Wales, that unfortunate son of Henry VL 254 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. kinsman, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, who derived his lineage from John of Gaunt, became King- of England ; and by his marriage with Lady Elizabeth Plan- tagenet, eldest daughter and heir of Edward IV., the houses of Lancaster and York were united and their unhappy differences practically ended. This was the manner in which John Foxe chose to speak of this period of English history, " The wars between the houses of York and Lancaster had produced such trouble, that the nation hailed with joy the accession of Henry VH. to'the throne, who being descended from the house of Lancaster, by his marriage with the licircss of the house of York, freed them from the fear of more wars by new pretenders . . . But the covetousness of his temper, the severity of his ministers, his ill conduct in the matter of Bretagne, and his jealousy of the house of York, made him so generally odious to his people, that his life was little respected and his death as little lamented." Sir John Stourton.—Kathcrini; BLdumont. I I Sir William Stoiirton.=Eli::aheth Moigiie. Sir John Bcaucimmb.— Edith Stourton, _l 1 I ! Sir John, ist Lord ---Harvard Wadhain. John Beaufort, Dnke oi=Margaret Bcaiichaiiip. Stourton. I Somerset." I Sir ]l illiani,2nd Lord=.\!argaret Chidiock. Edmund Tudor, Earl oi=Lady Margaret Beaufort. Stourton. I Kichiiiond. | Sir John, yd Lord=Katherine Berkeley. Henry VII., ancestor of Stourton. ^1 the "Koyal Houses ot Francis, .^th Lord Stour- ton. Died S.P. Tudor, Stuart and Han- over. In I Henry VII., John, Lord Zouche, of Harringworth, a partisan of Richard HI., had been attainted on the jth November, when the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, Co. Wilts, w hich he had held in chief of the Crown, were forfeited and escheated to the Crown, in whom the same vested until I2 Anne, when an act was passed for divesting the Crown of the remainder in fee simple. John, 3rd Lord Stourton, lived in an exceptional!)- e.xciting period of English history, for he lived to see all the glories of Edward IV. terminate with the civil wars. Then came the cruel murder of Edward's two sons, which deprived Eng- land of a king in the person of Edward V. and a presumptive heir to the throne in his brother, Richard, Duke of York. From which followed the accession to the LIFE OF JOHN, 3RD LORD STOURTON. 255 throne of their uncle and supposed murderer, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, as Richard III., surnamed Hunchback. His tyranny and cruelty alienated the affect- ions of the people from the house of York, to which the Lords Stourton had been such true adherents, and to which they had undoubtedly rendered many valuable services down to this period. What then was more natural than that John, 3rd Lord Stourton, probably supported, as did the nation generally, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, his kinsman, in wresting- the throne from Richard HL, and bringing the nation to that state of peace and tranquillity, so much required for the welfare and progress of the countr)- ? Lord Stourton's brother-in-law. Sir William Berkeley, of Reversion, fell into disfavour with Richard HL and was proclaimed a rebel, but Lord Stourton by the exercise of great prudence, was summoned among the Barons to sit in Richard's Parliament, r.nd he is not found proclaimed a traitor by either Richard or Henry. This was a very exceptional occurence, as is evidenced from the patent rolls for those reigns, which prove that a great number of the nobility, knights, and gentry had their estates confiscated for having sided with one or other of tliese Kings. It is clear that during the period of the wars between the houses of York and Lancaster, the property and power of the nation were chiefly divided amongst the king, the nobility, and the clergy. While the contest perhaps was not an unmixed evil, it was possibly, we are told, more beneficial in its remote consequences, than injurious in its immediate effects. Every Lord was obliged to take a part either on one side or the other, so it is somewhat inexplicable that Lord Stourton failed to fall into disfavour with either Richard or Henry. We find Lord Stourton summoned to the first Parliament of his kinsman, Henry VIL, to sit among the Barons of England. This king was the first of the Tudors who ascended the throne, and Lord Stourton, as well as his two brothers and nephew, who were, after his son Francis, the three successive Lords Stourton, found great favour with that royal house. When Henry VIII. established Protestant in place of Catholic doctrines, the Stourtons needed to exercise much circumspection in not outwardly shewing any aversion to the change in religion, whilst themselves remaining staunch Catholics and true to the tenets of the ancient church ; and by their prudence they were consequently able to find much favour with the Crown whom they supported. The dissension between the two religions, which arose with Edward VL, Mary and Elizabeth, will be discussed under the lives of Charles and John, 8th and gth Lords Stourton. 256 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOUKTOX. Sir Richard Colt Hoare in his copy of the College of Arms pedigree gave no male issue of John, 3rd Lord Stourton. Edmondson asserted he died sine prole, which Collins particularly limited to issue male. Newcourt, as will have been seen, confirmed the pedigree set out under Francis, Lord Stourton ; and his account of the Stourton family down to William, 7th Lord Stourton, excepting where he quoted from Dugdale, is the most authentic one yet discovered, for he threw considerable light on the family history to that time, supported by con- clusive evidence. He, however, copied Dugdale's genealogy of the family without investigating it for himself. But the following pedigree shews the correct descent. Sir WiUiatn, znd—Maygaret Chidiock. Lord Stourton. I Sir Joint, yd Lord Stour-=K a th e r i ne Berkeley, ton. Eldest son. | Guardian of son. William, Stli Lord Stour- ton. Second son. D.S.P. Ed'ivard, 6th Lord Stour- ton. Third son, through whom the Barony Ijas descended to tlie present Peer. Prancis, .{th Lord Stour- ton, died under age. S.P. Aujm Stourton, prede- ceased lier father-'-. S.P. The printed peerage books have all hitherto omitted this Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, but " G. E. C't has recently duly included him in the " Complete Peerage." This part of the Stourton pedigree has until now, however, been greatly mis- understood and somewhat confused, especially by Sir William Dugdale, an authority who, owing to his official position in the College of Arms, needs direct conti-iidiction. He ascribed to John, 3rd Lord Stourton a son and heir, William, Lord Stourton, who was in reality the 5th Lord Stourton, brother of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, and successor to Francis, 4th Lord Stourton. And Dugdale duplicated this William, 5th Lord Stourton, by erroneously contending he had by (Anne) his wife, daughter of Edmund Dudley and sister of John, Duke of Northumberland, (but who was really wife of William, 7th Lord Stourton), a son and heir, William, Lord Stourton, whom he said died soon after * See under her name how it is contended she died in 1483 and not 1533. No possible doubt should remain of its correctness. i G. E. Coliayue, Esquire, F.S.A., Clarenceux King of Arms, DUGDALe's errors regarding JOHN, 3RD LORD STOURTON. 257 his alleged father without issue, when Edward, Lord Stourton, (who was really the 6th Lord Stourton and brother of the 3rd and 5th Lords Stourton,) his brother and heir succeeded and had livery of his lands. Dugdale gave as his authority for alleging that William, brother of this Edward, died without issue, the patent of 16 Henry VIIL, part 27, which in reality applied to William, 5th Lord Stourton, brother of the 3rd and 6th Lords Stourton. Certainly it appeared from the Inquisition of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, taken at Harlow, Co. Essex, on the 14th January, i Henry VH., that the jury then found that Lord Stourton held no lands or tenements in fee or by service in that county on the day he had died, the 8th October previous, and tiiat Eik^ard was his son and next heir, then aged two years and upwards. But even assuming this Ediuard to have been correct, he would have been son and heir of Jo]in, and not son and heir of William as Dugdale said, and this entirely disposes of Dugdale's erroneous contention that William was son and heir of this John, 3rd Lord Stourton, or that . William, 5th Lord Stourton had two sons, William and Edward. But in another Inquisition, taken at Ilchester after the death of the same Lord Stourton for Co. Somerset in the same year, Francis Stourton was clearly shewn to have been his son and next heir, and aged at his father's death 45 weeks, which facts generally are confirmed in the other Inqui- sitions, in which his age varies to 40 weeks. It is clear therefore that Edi^'ard was a mistake for Francis in the Essex Inquisition. The will of Lord Stourton unfortunately omitted all mention of his two children. Anna, his daughter, had died the year previous to the making of his will, and Francis, his successor, was undoubtedly his only living child at that date, viz., 1484. It will, however, be seen from the pedigree in the possession of the head of the family, and from Newcourt, who wrote two centuries ago and who evidenced his account, that Francis Stourton was the 4th Lord Stourton, and we shall sliew that his two uncles were his successors respectively in the peerage. In the life of William, 2nd Lord Stourton, it has been shewn that the Manor andAdvowson of Great Easton, Co. Essex, had been entailed, under which charter John, Lord Stourton, would have been tenant in tail male, and having no power of disposition (as his son was within age,) in the fee of this property, the negative return was accordingly made by the jury at his inquest. 258 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. John, Lord Stourton, by his charter of 12th August, 2 Richard III., enfeoffed William Wigneflete*, Lord Bishop of Winton, Thomas Kempet, Lord Bishop of London, (i.'ho was Lord of the Manor of Fulham\,) Thomas Craus and John-TracylJ, among other estates, of the Manor of Marston-Bigot and other estates at Norton and Beckington,Co. Somerset, the Manors of Ovver-Moigne and Buckers-Weston, Co. Dorset, the Manor of Shipton Moigne and the other lands, hereditaments and premises in that village, Co. Gloucester, and divers manors, lands, heredita- ments and tenements in Co. Wilts, upon the trusts therein contained. Under which charter it was proved that Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, as son and heir of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, (subject to the exercise of certain appointments,) was entitled to the reversion of the property then included therein, with a remainder, in default of the male issue of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, — which event happened in ftivourof his brother, William, 5th Lord Stourton, and his heirs and assigns for ever. See the will (page 261) of the Testator and how far he dealt with some of the estates under the powers of appointment reposed in him. We find that John, 3rd Lord Stourton, held Stourton House in Fulham, and that his brother, William, 5th Lord Stourton, inherited the same after the death of Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, and sold the property to Sir Ralph Warren, Lord Mayor of London, who then lived in a mansion called Passors, erroneously thought by Walford to have been identical with Stourton House in Fulham. Stourton House was undoubtedly the town house of John, 3rd Lord Stourton. Anns of Stourton : and in pretence those of Berkeley of Beverston, namely Gules, a chevron bettreen ten crosses patee six in chief and four in base argent, a bordure of the last '.I William de Waynflete, Provost of Eton College, Lord Chancellor, and Bishop of Winchester, died nth August, i486. I Archdeacon of Middlesex, Chancellor of York, and Bishop of London, 1448-1489. { This would tend to shew tliat Lord Stourton was residing partly at Fulham, in addition to the fact that his only daughter, Anna Stourton, was buried there. § Thomas Craus (or Evas or Evans,) and John Tracy were two of the executors of his will (see p. i6z) with Katherine, Lady Stourton, his wife. II In an old illuminated pedigree dated 1688, now in the possession of Lord Mowbray and Stourton, the arms of Berkeley of Beverston are painted without the bordure, and the chevron is depicted as ermine in lieu of argent. The two coats moreover are only impaled, but Lady Stourton eventually became the heir of her brother. CHILDREN OF JOHN', 3RD LORD STOURTON. John, Lord Stourton, had by Katherine*, Lady Stourton, his wife, oiifsoM and oitc daug-hter onlv, viz. : — i- — The Right Honourable Francis, Lord Stourton, who succeeded him as 4th Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts, in the peerage of England, and of whom afterwards. "4. Joh'em, D'n'm Stowrton, qui obijt vii Octr| Anno primo Henry 7 et habet exit' ) ^ I "5. Fraiinciscum, I/n'iii Stourton, qui obijt) infra etatem Anno 3 Henr' Septimi") ii- — Anna Stourton, the only known daughter. Weever recorded her burial in the Church of All Saints at Fulham, which stood by the side of Stourton House, afterwards ffulham Hall or House, in that parish, Co. Middlesex. Weever and Harleian MS. 6073, give the year of her burial as 1533, Mcccccxxxiij, and the Fulham Church Notes as 1483, Mcccc/xxxiij. Weever's Liscription : — Hie jacet, Anna Sturton, filia Johannis Sturton, (3rd) Domini de Sturton, and Domine Katherine, uxoris ejus. Oui quidem Anna obiit in Assumptionem beate Marie Virginis, Ann. Dom. 1533, Mcccccxxxiij. Fulham Church Notes has : — Anne, d to John, (3rd) Lord Stourton, and of Katherine, his wife, died 1483, Mcccclxxxiij. It is presumed this date was the most correct one, for it is thought she not only predeceased her father but her mother also. Her brother, Sir William Berkeley, married Katherine Stourton, (laughter of William the 2nd, and sister of John the jrd. Lord Stourton. Sir William Berkeley was a t>enefactor to the chantry chapel at AIere, in which both of the above Lords Stourton were buried. The Berkeley estates passed to Wyburgha Compton, sole heir of Katherine. Lady Stourton, only sister and sole heir of Sir William Berkeley, who died sine pole. Sir William Berkeley, of Beverston, had estates in Cos. Hants, Somer- set, Devon, Wilts, Berks and Dorset, and in November, 1485, there were writs of diem clausit extrcmum issued for estates in those counties. Ho appears to have rebelled against Richard IIL who confiscated his estates, when on the iSth August, 1484-5, that king granted some to Thomas Bryan, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, in tail male ; and on the 6th March following, the same king granted the Castle or Lordship of Beverston, lately belonging to and forfeited by Sir William Berkeley, late of Beverston, knight, to Sir William Berkeley, of Weley, Co. Worcester, knight, (who is mentioned in note I on page 243 and who probably sided with Richard IIL,) for his life. Henrv VII. appears to have favoured Sir William Berkelev, of Beverston, for on the 17th September, 1485, we find Henrv appointed him tor his life to the offices of Master and Operator of the king's monies, and Keeper o'f the Lxchange within the Tower of London, the kingdom of England and the Tower of London, but he did not live long to enjoy those appointments. Sir William Berkelev, of Weley, appears to have had a further grant on the 13th February, 1489, of some of the lands w liicli had belonged to Sir William Berkelej', of Beverston, to him and iiis heirs, with a remainder for default to Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedlord, who had had a grant of the same premises from Henrv VII. in tail male on the 2nd March, i486. The patent rolls for Richard III. shew manr entries relating to William Berkeley, and those for Henry Vll. tend to support the contention that Sir William Berkelev. of Weley, was himselfa traitor, but so much confusion arises that great uncertainty remains. t We think it must be taken theyr tras ito son Etlriard. which is proved to have been an error for Francis, as proved by the Incpiisition of Francis, 4th Lord Stourton. 26o HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Weever possibly may have g-iven an extra "c" instead of an "l" in the Roman numerals, which would have made a difference of 50 years in the date of the death. If she died in 1483 she would have predeceased both her parents and her brother, but if however, she died in 1533 as Weever said, why was she not coheir of the whole blood of her mother with Warborough Brereton, her half-sister, to such of the estates as were formerly the inheritance of Katherine, Lady Stourton, and sole heir to any estates of her father which were not limited to his male issue, with remainder (in default) to his brother, William, 5th Lord Stourton, in fee simple ? The Inquisitions taken for lands in Cos. Wilts, Gloucester, Dorset, Hants and Somerset on her mother's death, possibly included some of the Stourton property, 'i^-hich K'as not n'/iolly the inheritance of Katherine, Lady Stourton, who was described in 10 Henry VII., the date of her death "late wife of John Brewerton (Brereton,) and late wife of Sir John Stourton, Lord Stourton. '' Ower-Moigneand Buckersweston, Co. Dorset, Shipton-Moigne, Co. Glouces- ter, besides some of the other lands mentioned in the five offices then taken, were certainly part of the possessions belonging to the Lords Stourton. Even assuming that John, 3rd Lord Stourton, had conveyed the estates to his wife for life and the heirs male of their joint bodies, and for want of such issue with remainder to William, 5th Lord Stourton, and his heirs and assigns for ever, Anna Stourton would have been coheir of the whole blood of her mother as well as Warborough Brereton, who was said to have been the only heir to her mother, to such estates as were oj her iuhcritancc and not included in the above conveyance. John, 3rd Lord Stourton was partly enabled to so convey in pursuance of his wife's feoffment regarding her estates to trustees, who had devised the premises to his Lordship. It was however, erroneous, as we have said, to state that all the estates which passed under Lord Stourton's conveyance a:T7Y formerly the inheritance of his ivfc, although she had a life interest therein. But in default of male issue of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, the premises comprised in the conveyance passed on the death of Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, subject to the life interest of his mother, to his uncle, William, 5th Lord Stourton, so that Anna Stourton had no right to inherit under the devise as heir in remainder either to her father or brother, excepting to any lands which were not so limited. The Fulham Church Notes imply that in Fulham Church the arms of Stour- ton impaling those of Chidiock formerly existed— Sfl6/f, a bend or, between six- fountains, impaling Gules, an inescocheon with an orle of martlets argent, (Chideoke,) which would have been the arms of her grandparents, William, 2nd Lord Stour- WILL OF JOHN, 3RD LORD STOURTON. 261 ton, and Margaret, Lady Stourton, his wife, daughter and coheir of Sir John Chidiock, knight. These arms, with those of her mother's family, were carved on the chimney piece removed from Stourton House, Co. Wilts, to the " King's Arms" in Shaftesbury, Co. Dorset. They were also painted on small shields in the screen in Mere Church, where her father and grandfather were buried in the chantry chapel of Berkeley within that church, dedicated to the honour of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The following is a copy of the will* of John, 3rd Lord Stourton : — In dei no'ie amen xviij die mensis August! Anno d'ni millimo CCCC™' octuagesimo quarto Ego Johannes Stourton miles d'ns Stourton compos ment' et sane memorie condo testamentu' meu' in hunc modum. In primis lego animam meam deo omnipotenti Corpusqz meum sepeliend' in capella cantarie beate marie infra eccl'iam p'och' de mere Item lego fabric' ecclie Cath' Sar vjs viijd Item lego fabric' eccl'ie de Stourton vjs viijd Item lego fabric' eccl'ie p'och de frome vjs viijd Item lego eccl'ie de Weston vjs viijd Item lego et volo q' omnes exit' et prouentus prouenientes decetero annuatim de o'ibus et singulis illis terris & tenement' cum suis p' tinen' que nup' h'ui ex dono et feoflfamento Edithe Claymond in mere tam in d'mco q ^m in reversione ^ Imp'p'm conuertant"'' ad vsum dicte Cantarie ita q' p'biteri eiusd' quolibet die orent pro salute anime mee et pro salute antecessorum meor' nisi alit' in tempore futuro ad alium modum alibi per discretionem execut' et feoffator" meor' ex eorum magna p'fectione & alia deuocione prouideat' pro eadem salute Et q' ijdem p'biteri qui pro tempore fu'int dicte Cantarie solempnit' cum uota teneant obsequiu' obitus mei Katerine uxoris mee et antecessor' meor' annuatim Imp'p'm ib'm duratur' Item leg-o priori et conuentui domus Cartus' de Witham in Selwood xxs ad orand pro salute anime mee It' le^^o cuilibct h'oi de hospitio meo ad gradum valect' existen' iijs iiijd Item lego cuil'it alij de servien' meis infra gradum valect' existen' xxd ad orand'similit' pro salute anime mee Item volo & concede q' feoffat' mei de omnibus man'ijs & d'niis meis cum suis p'tinen' p'mittant Kat'inam uxorem meam pacifice haber' et tener' man'ium de Oure Moygne in Com Dors' Ac omnes Exitus & prouentus inde anuati' cum suis p'tinen ad termi' vite sue pecip'e & haber' Item volo q' ijdem feoffat' mei soluant seu solui faciant omnia debita mea pro quor' solutione prouis' prius ante tempus mort' mee non fuit fact' Necnon soluant ad alia op'a caritatiua q' p' discrecione eorundem feoffator' pro salute anime mee fu'int necessaria annuatim de exit'cfe profic' exeunt' de man'ijs de merston - p. C. C. DoggeU, 24, Somerset House. 262 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. B3-god & Weston Bokeres p' t'mi xx'' annor' proximo post diem mort' mee sequen' duratur' faciend' si tarn diu ita sibi viderint' expediri' Ita semp' prouiso q' Ahanora Thorley inde libere h'eat annualem possessionem sive proficuum ad summam xxti solidor' p' eosdem feoffatores meos ad t'mi' vite sue sibi concedend' sine tradend' It' volo q' ijdem feoffatores meip'mittant prox' here- dem meum Extunc pacifice p'cipe & haber' oi'a exitus et proficua tarn de et in diet' Man'ijs & d'nijs cum suis p'tinen' de merston et Weston q'^m eciam de et m alijs Man'ijs et d'nijs cum p'tinen' in quibus p' me sunt feoffati prouenien' saluo inde semp' iur' titulo & possessione dicte Kat'ine uxoris mei sibi p'tinen' sive attingen' Item lego dicte Kat'ine uxor! mee omnia bona et catalla mea sup'Ius non legat'ad ea disponend' prout sibi placu'it p' salute anime mee Ac eandem Kat'inam Necnon Thomam Cras & Johannem Tracy ordino facio & constitute ad p'ns testamentu' meum executores meos p'implend' Item lego cuil'it dictor' Thome Cras & Johannis Tracy xls legalis monete Angl le pro laboribus suis in hac p'te fact' & faciend' In cuius rei testimoniu' p'n'tibus sigillum meum apposui. Probatum fuit suprascriptum testamentum coram d'no apud Lamehith Primo die mens' Julij A nno d'ni mill imo CCCC nonagesimo tercia Jura- mento Thome Percy procuratoris &c ac approbatum etc Commissa q' fuit administratio omnium honor' etc executoribus in h'moi testamento nominal' in p'sona dicti p'curat' de bene etc Ac de pleno Inuentario omnium honor' &c cit'a festum sanct' Barth'i apli' proximo Necnon de piano compoto jurat &c. The following is a translation of the foregoing will : — In the name of God amen. On the i8th day of August in the year of our Lord 1484, I, John Stourton, knight, Lord Stourton, being of sound mind and perfect remembrance, make my testament in manner as follows. First I bequeath my soul to God Almighty, and my body to be buried in the Chantry Chapel of the Blessed Mary in the parish church of Mere. Item I bequeath to the fabric of the Cathedral Church of Sarum, 6s. 8d. Item I bequeath to the fabric of the church of Stourton, 6s. 8d. Item I bequeath to the fabric of the parish church of Frome, 6s. 8d. Item I bequeath to the church of Weston, 6s. 8d. Item I bequeath moreover and will that all proceeds and issues issuing every year out of all and singular those lands and tenements with their appurtenances which I had lately of the gift and feoffment of Edith Claymond in Mere both in demesne and in reversion should be appropriated in perpetuity to the use of the said Chantry to the end that the priests of the same may say prayers every day for the salvation of WILL OF JOHN, 3RD LORD STOURTON. 263 my soul and for the salvation of my ancestors, unless in the future other provision shall be made for the same otherwise or elsewhere by the discretion of my executors and feoffees out of their great perfection and other [motives of] piety. And that the said priests of the aforesaid chantry shall each year hold a solemn service with prayers for the death of myself, of Katherine my wife and of my ancestors, to be held there for ever. Item I bequeath to the Prior and Convent of the Carthusians at Witham in Selwood, 20s. to pray for the salvation of my soul. Item I bequeath to every man in my household down to the rank of esquire, 3s. 4d. ; Item I bequeath to every other of my servants below the rank of esquire, 2od. to pray in like manner for the salvation of my soul. Item I will and grant that my feoffees of all my manors and lordships with their appurtenances shall permit Katherine my wife peacefully to have and hold the Manor of Oure Moygne in the county of Dorset, and to receive and have all the proceeds and issues thereof annually, and of its appurtenances, for the term of her life. Item I will that my said feoffees shall pay or cause to be paid all my debts for the payment of which provision shall not have been made before the time of my death, and shall also pay for all other charitable works which, in the discretion of the same feoffees, shall be necessary for the salvation of my soul, annually from the proceeds and issues arising out of the Manors of Merston Bygot and Weston Bokeres for the term of twenty years following next after my death, if it shall seem meet to them to continue so long a time, provided always that Alianora Thorley shall have an annual possession or profit to the amount of twenty shillings out of the same, to be granted and delivered to her by my said feoffees. After which I will that my said feoffees shall permit my next heir peacefully to receive and have all the proceeds and issues both of and from the said Manors and lordships of Merston and Weston, with their appurtenances as also of and from all other Manors and lordships with their appurtenances arising, excepting always the right, title and possession of the said Katherine, my wife, to herself pertaining or belonging. Item I bequeath to the said Katherine my wife all my goods and chattels not above bequeathed to be disposed of as shall seem to her best, for the salvation of my soul, and I ordain make and constitute the said Katherine, Thomas Cras and John Tracy my executors to carry out this my present will. Item I bequeath to the said Thomas Cras and John Tracy 20s. apiece of the lawful money of England tor their pains taken and to be taken in this matter. I witness whereof I have to these presents affixed my seal*. Tl]c actual original of the will is not now extant. 264 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Lord Stourton was described as "knight" only in the writs of diem clausit cxtremum, issued out of chancery to the escheator for Co. Hants on the 6th. for Cos. Somerset and Dorset on the 8th, for Cos. Wilts, Gloucester and Devon on the 14th November, 1485, and again for Co. Essex, in which he was said to have been then "late of Stourton." From the Inquisitions* taken at Ilchester, Sher- borne, Winton, Cirencester and Harlow in pursuance thereof, it was found that he held at his death on the 6th or 8th October in that year, considerable manors, advowsons, lands, hereditaments and premises in all the above counties, excepting in Co. Essex, where the jury found he held no lands or tenements in fee or by service, although the property in that county formed part of the possessions of the family. Co. Gloucester : — Shipton-Moignc Manor and Advowson of the Church there. One messuage with a curtilage called Hulcourt, 40 acres of land, 3 acres of meadow, 20s. in rent, i water mill, i toft called Cookys-placc, i other toft, i virgate of land and i tenement called Pcdu'orthis-placc, in the village of Shipton-Moignc. Velhomc-ju.xta-Bcykdcy Manor. All these premises had descended through Lord Stourton's ancestors. Co. Hants : — The Manor of So/'/y. See prior and subsequent Inquisitions for the entire estate. Co. Dorset ; — Moiety of the Manor of Brodcivcy. 300 acres of land in Suddon. I messuage, i toft, 50 acres land, 20 acres of meadow, and 100 acres of meadow in Gillyngham. I messuage and 7 cottages in Shafton. I messuage and 100 acres of land and pasture in Luffeton. The hundred of Coiikesdychc. * ^^156' Wi?ts"''^ ^ ^ '^^^^^< No. 13 Dorset, No. 21 Soms., No. 152 Essex, and No. POSSESSIONS OF JOHN, 3RD LORD STOURTON. 265 I messuage and 60 acres of land and pasture in Notford*. Manor and Advowson of Ovcr-Moignc. 1 capital messuag-e, 100 acres of land, 40 acres of meadow, 40 acres of pas- ture, 100 acres of furze, i water-mill, 20 messuages and 100 acres of land in Ovcr- Moigiic. See will (page 261). Ma.nov oi Bakcrcsii'cston, alias IVeston-Moigiicf. See will (page 261). Testator left a small legacy to the Church of Weston. Co. Somerset : — Manor of Mcrston-Bygod. — See will. Manor of Payva-Mcrston. 28 messuages in Froiiic. — Testator left a small legacy to the parish church of Frome. Bailiwick or bedelary of West Perot. 4 messuages and i carucate of land in Othcrav. 14 messuages, 2 water mills, 30 acres of arable land, 60 acres of pasture, and 40 acres of furze and heath in Ligh and Colfoi'd. Co. Wilts : — The Manor of Pcnlcy. 7 messuages, 4 carucates of land, 20 acres of meadow, and 40 acres of pasture in Steeple Aishton, West Aishton, Henton and Bnlkyngton. 3 messuages, 20 acres of land, 10 acres of meadow, and 6 acres of pasture in Mere. His body to be buried in the chantry chapel of the blessed Virgin Mary within the Parish Church of Mere. I messuage called Buntesplacc, 12 cottages, 31 acres of land, 10 acres of meadow, and 6 acres of pasture in Neif and Old Sayum and Stratford, under the Castle of Sarum. Testator left a small legacy to the Cathedral Church of Sarum. ■■' The heirs of I vonis Stoiirton held one knight's fee in Nutford, within Blandford and Piinpernc, Co. Dorset, of William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, on the day that Earl died, 3rd June, 1397. t Observe here the Manor being called Weston-iloigiu. 266 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. The Manor and Advowson of the free-chapelry of Bakehampton. See In- quisitions of Sir William Stourton and John, ist Lord Stourton. The Manor of Winterton-Maddington. The Manor of Ablyngton. The Manor of Alton. Certain lands and tenements in Stanmere, Chesyngbury , WyltoH, Stoford, Newton and Qiiedhampton, all shewn before. John, 3rd Lord Stourton, K.B., died 6th or 8th* October, i485t. As will be seen from the copy of his will (page 261), he directed his body to be buried in the chantry chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary within the church at Mere|. * In the Manuscript Book frequently referred to in previous pages, vis. " Manners and Laudes, &c , &c," the date is given as tlie 7th. \ Complete Peerage, Vol. vii., p. 253. I See antt pages 220, 242, 243, 252, and note on p. 259; FRANCIS, 4TH LORD STOURTON. 267 The Right Honourable Francis, 4th Baron and Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts, in the peerage of England, was the only son and heir and successor of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, by Katherine, (Berkeley) Lady Stourton, his only wife. He was under the age of two years when his father died in October, 1485, and was called in his Inquisition for Co. Somerset " ffranciscus Stourton filius et heres propinquior et etatis xlv weeks," but his age was given as 40 weeks in two other Inquisitions, while in that for Co. Essex he was erroneously called Edward, aged two years and upwards. Although living at the date of his father's will he was not mentioned therein. His mother and stepfather. Sir John Brereton, knight, were his guardians, and they acted in his behalf as patrons to the advowson of Great Easton, Co. Essex, which was then held by them for him as son and heir of his father, they having his legal custody. At Great Easton, Co. Essex, we find the following presentments in right of Francis, Lord Stourton, in i486. /John Brereton, Esquire, and' Katherine, Lady Stourton, i486, July 2ist, ■{,■ .r ^- ^ J. ^ ' ■' ' his wite, ratione custodise Francis, Lord Stourton. presented William Petite. Francis, Lord Stourton, had died (Feb. i8th, 1487,) between the dates of this and the next presentation. His stepfather is found to have presented in 1492 to the church at Owre Moigne, Co. Dorset, in right of Katherine, Lady Stourton. (John Brereton, Esquire, \n\ 1492, October 1 1 th,j right of Katherine, Lady ^presented William Dade. (Stourton, his wife, J 268 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Although William, 5th Lord Stourton (uncle of Francis, 4th Lord Stourton), had succeeded at this date to the dignity, the right of presentation here belonged to his sister-in-law, Katherine, Lady Stourton, for her life under the feofment of her then late husband, John, 3rd Lord Stourton. The following genealogy shews that Werburga* Brereton was half-sister of Francis, 4th Lord Stourton. I- — Katherine, widow of- John, 3rd Lord Stourton. Sir John Brereton, knight. =r:2.—J(i«c, daughter and [ heir of Geoffry Massy, of Tatton, relict of Sir I William Stanley, Werburga, daughter and heir, wife of Sir Francis Cheney, and Sir VVihiam Conipton. Philip Brereton. Obiit sine prole. Consequently Werburga Brereton, by the deaths of Francis, 4th Lord Stour- ton, and his sister, Anna Stourton, was sole heir of her mother and, through her, heir of her uncle. Sir William Berkeley, of Beverston, who had married Katherine Stourton, an aunt, on the paternal side, of Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, and Anna Stourton. The pedigree which follows not only confirms the maternal line of the Lord Stourton with whom we are now dealing, but also demonstrates the contentions ot the preceding- paragraph. Sir Maurice Berkeley, ol=Ann, daughter of Reg l->cverston, Co. Glouces- ter, knight of the body to Edward IV. Died 1474. Will 15 Watfys. I, P.M. 14 Edward IV. inald West, Lord de la Warr, ancestor of the present Earl Delav\ arr. Sir ]\'illidn! Berkeley, of= Hc\*erston aforesaid, only son and heir. W'iil dated 4tli June, 1475, codicil 27th September, 1485, proved (24 Logge) ist Julv, i486. I. P.M. 1-2 I Henry VII. -Katherine Stourton. after- wards Lady Grey. She was mentioned in will of Sir William Berkeley as his wife and executri.x, and she was tenant for life of his estates. -Brother and Sister.- John, ^rd Lord Stourton,-- of Stourton, Co. Wilts, succeeded his father William, 2nd Lord Stour- ton. Died 6th or 8th October, 14S5, will dated i8th August, 1484, proved ist July, 1493. I. P.M. e.\tant. No issue. I ^ Francis. 4th Lord Stour- ton, only son and heir. Died within age on the 18th February, 1487. Died s.p. -Keitherine Berkeley, only daughter. Heir of her brother. Sir William Berkeley. I. P.M. 810 Henry VII., Hants and Wilts, — Katherine Dom- ine Stourton, wife of Sir John Brereton. Anna Stourton, buried at Fulham, Co. Middlesex, Ao 1483. Died s.p. Variously written as Warburga and Warborough. FRAN'Crs, 4TH LORD STOURTON. 269 The Berkeleys of Beverston appear to have been large landed proprietors as previously shewn, and the christian name of Maurice in the family is found as early as the reig-n of Henry III. There was another Maurice Berkeley living contemporaneously with the above Maurice Berkeley, of Beverston, but he was of Weley, and died in 1464. Both these Maurices had sons of the name of William, as shewn on pages 240, 243, 251, and 259. Katherine, widow of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, having predeceased her hus- band's sister, Katherine, widow of her brother, Sir William Berkeley, of Beverston, she never really inherited the estates of her brother as his sister and heir, but the same descended on the death of the said Sir William Berkeley's widow, to Warburga, wife of Sir William Compton, knight, as sole daughter and heir of Katherine, widow of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, by her second husband. Sir John Brereton, knight. "G. E. C."* has lately in his Complete Peerage incorporated Francis Stourton as the 4th Lord Stourton, but no peerage previously appears to have noticed him, and since Nen'coiivt wrote, some two centuries ago, his name has been omitted bv every writer on the history of the family, He was even omitted by Sir Richard Colt Hoare from his copy of the College of Arms pedigree ; Edmondson said his father died sine prole, but Collins limited this to male issue. Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, mentioned in his will of 26th November, 1535, his " howse the ivhiche were my lordes my brothers ", which clearly meant John and William, 3rd and 5th Lords Stourton. He did not mention the house as that of his nephew, Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, because Francis did not live long enough to legally inherit it and enjoy possession thereof in man's estate, as heir to his father. In a manuscript book in the possession of Lord Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton, of Allerton Park, Co. York, shewing the " Mannors and Laiides in the Cotintie of Soinerscti holden of the Right Honorable the Lord Stourton and which iveare the possessions oj the Aunccstors of the saied Lorde in the saide coiiiitie", is a pedigree shewing his descent from Sir William Stourton, and giving Francis Stourton as succeeding to the peerage as 4th Lord Stourton, as under : — '* I W'ill'mus Stowrton, mil'es obijt .-^uno primo | Heniici quinti et habit exit'. / " 2 Joh'em, D'n'm Stowrton, qui obijt Anno I Secundo Edwatdi Quarti et habet exit', i" I" * G. E. Cokayne, Esq., Clarenceux King of ."Vrms. 270 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. « I "3 Will'm, D 'n'm Stowrton, qui obijt xviti ffebruarij) Anno 17 Edwardi Quarti et habet exit'. / " 4 Joh'em, D'n'm Stowrton, qui obijt vij Oct' Anno primo Henry 7 et haljet exit'. "5 Fraunchcum, D'n'm Siouyton, qui obijt) infra etatera Anno 3. Henr' Septimi.f There is clear evidence from the Inquisition of Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, taken on the 3rd November, 1487, 3 Henry VII., that he succeeded his father as 4th Lord Stourton, for he was therein called " Francisci, Domini Stowrton," and " Franciscus, nuper dominus de Stourton," and he was shewn as having- died i8th February, 1487, when his father's estates in the Counties of Wilts, Somerset, and Dorset, as shewn in his father's Inquisitions for those counties, passed to William, 5th Lord Stourton, his uncle, then aged 30 years and upwards*. But he had not strictly inherited the same as he had had no proof made of his age or livery of seizen to them, and his uncle William, 5th Lord Stourton, was to all intents and purposes, heir to his brother, John, 3rd Lord Stourton, in consequence of the latter's son, Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, having died within age. This remark applies also to the conveyance mentioned under Anna Stourton, wherein the premises were limited (after the life interest of Katherine, Lady Stourton, and in default of male issue of her husband), to William, brother of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, and his heirs and assigns for ever. Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, having died during his mother's life estate, most of the property on her death of course passed in remainder to William, 5th Lord Stourton. TJu: Estates ill Co. Wilts were : — The Manor of Pcnlcy. 7 messuages, 4 carucates of land, 20 acres of meadow, and 40 acres of pasture in Steeple Asliton, West Asliton, Henton and Bulkyngtou. 3 messuages, 20 acres of land, 10 acres of meadow, and 6 acres of pasture in Mere. I messuage called Bnntcsplacc, 12 cottages, 31 acres of land, 10 acres of meadow, and 6 acres of pasture in Old and New Sarum and Stratford subtus Castle of Sarum. The Manor and Advowson of the free chapelry of Bakehamton. '■■ No. 135. It is indexed Sir Francis Stourtcn, Duminus de Stourton, but he could not have possibly been a knight. POSSESSIONS OF FRANCIS, 4TH LORD STOURTON. 27I The Manors of Wiiitcrtuii Madyngton, Ablyiigtoii and Alton. Certain lands and tenements in Stamnsrc, Ghayngbury, Wylton, Stoford, NcwtoH and Qiicdhamton. In Co. Somerset the possessions were : — The Manor of Merstoii-Bvgod. The Manor of Parva-Mcrston. 28 messuages in Frome. The balivvick or bedelary of West Perot. 4 messuages and i carucate of land in Otheray. 14 messuages, 2 water mills, 30 acres of arable, 60 acres of pasture, and 40 acres of furze and heath in Ligh and Colford. Those in Go. Dorset were : — A moiety of the Manor of Brodeway. 300 acres of land in Suddon. I messuage, i toft, 50 acres of land, 20 acres of meadow, and loo acres of pasture in Gyllyngham. I messuage and 7 cottages in Shafton. I messuage and 100 acres of land and pasture in Lujfeton. The hundred of Coukcsdyclie. I messuage and 60 acres of land and pasture in Notford. The Manor and Advowson of Owrc-Moigne. I capital messuage, 100 acres of land, 40 acres of meadow, 40 acres of pas- lure, 100 acres of heath, i water mill, 20 messuages, and 100 acres of land in Owrc-Moigne. The Manor of Bakeresweston alias Weston-Moygn. 272 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, died February iSth, 1487. There is no evidence of his place of burial but it is probable that he was buried either with his father, John, 3rd Lord Stourton, in the Chantry Chapel of the blessed Virgin Mary within the Parish Church of Mere, Co. Wilts, which chantry was identical with the Berkeley Chapel, nr icitli his sister, Anna Stourton, in the Church of All Saints at Fulham, Co. Middlesex. It is thought to be more probable that he was buried at one of those places than in the family vault in the Church of St. Peter at Stourton. The following table shews correctly the order in which the peerage descended, from the ist Lord Stourton to his son William, his grandson John, and great- grandson Francis, after whose death in infancy the dignity reverted to his uncle William, 5th Lord Stourton, who, dying issueless, it passed to his brother Edward, amongst whose descendants it has continued to the present day. Sir William Slourton .=Elizabeth Moigne. I Sir John, ist Lord Stourton.— Margaret Wadhain. William, 2nd Lord Stourton. —Margaret Chidiock. 1 . 1 I. Sir Johfj, yd Lord Stour-=Katht'rinc Berkeley. 2. William, ^th Lord Stourton. tun, K.B. ] Katherine de la Pole. I —(2) Thomasine Wrottesley. Francis, ^th Lord Stourton. d.s.p. d.s.p. 3. Edzmrd, 6th Lord Stourton.— Agnes Fauntleroy. I From whom descends the hresent Lord Mowbray, Segrave, and Stourton, (1897,) From which account it will be seen that the line of the two eldest sons of the 2nd Lord Stourton became extinct, and that from the third son the dignity descended. SUCCESSION OF WILLIAM, FIFTH LORD STOURTON. 273 The Right Honourable William, 5th Baron and Lord Stourton of Stourton, Co. Wilts, in the peerage of England, was the second son of William, second Lord Stourton, by Margaret (Chidiock) Lady Stourton, his wife. He succeeded as fifth Lord Stourton at the death (February i8th, 1487,) of his nephew Francis, fourth Lord Stourton, whose uncle and heir he was then found to be. William, 5th Lord Stourton, must have been born about the year 1457, being described as " aged 30 years and upwards " in the inquisitions taken after the death of his infant nephew. Under a deed previously referred to [p. 258) Lord Stourton was heir in remain- der of his elder brother John, 3rd Lord Stourton, to many of the family estates. Failing male issue of the marriage of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, with Katherine (Berkeley) upon the death of the latter (who had a life interest in them) the estates were to pass in fee simple to William, who became 5th Lord Stourton. There being no surviving male issue, the estates accordingly passed in the manner described. Lord Stourton, as Sir William Stourton, of Stourton, Knight, was appointed I Henry VH. one of the commissioners to consider the reversing of the attainder for high treason upon Sir Thomas Hungerford, late of Rowden, in Chippenham, Co. Wilts, who had taken up arms in the cause of the dethroned king, Henry VL, against Edward IV., and had been beheaded by King Edward. Lord Stourton sat on this Commission at New Sarum, Co. Wilts, on Monday next after the feast of St. Hilary, i486. In the life of his ftither, William, 2nd Lord Stourton (p. 236) reference is made to the attainder. Robert, Lord Hunger- ford, fought at the battle of Towton and was consequently attainted in the year 146 1. He was taken prisoner after the Lancastrian defeat at Hexham, 1464, and was then executed at Newcastle. His son. Sir Thomas Hungerford (who was never " Lord " Hungerford) was also tried and attainted, and he it was who was executed as described on p. 236 in January, 1498-9, 8 Edward IV. Lord Stourton was made a Knight of the Bath 29th November, 1489. He was also one of those noble persons who were privileged to form the escort to meet Catherine of Aragon in November, 1501, at the foot of Banstead Down, Co. Surrey, prior to her marriage to Arthur, Prince of Wales, cider brother of King Henry VIII. As "Willielmo Stourton de Stourton, Chevalier," Lord Stourton was sum- moned 12 Henry VII. and i, 3, 6 and 8 Henry VIII., among the Barons of England to sit in the Upper House of Parliament. He was in the commission of the peace for the counties of Dorset, Somerset and Wilts. 274 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Sir William Dugdale confused this Lord Stourton with his nephew of the same name, William, 7th Lord Stourton, in alleg-ing- that he married Elizabeth Dudley, the daughter of Edmund Dudley and sister of John, Duke of Northumberland, and he was also wrong- in stating that the 5th Lord Stourton was son instead of brother of John, 3rd Lord Stourton. The mistake probably arose from the fact that on the marriage of William, afterwards 7th Lord Stourton, with Elizabeth Dudley, certain estates were entailed on the heirs of that marriage by William tlien 5th Lord Stourton, as was found by the jury at the inquest after the death of the latter, taken at Bruton, co. Somerset, 29th October, 16 Henry VI I L Dug- dale was also wrong in his statement that this 5th Lord Stourton had a son, William, Lord Stourton, who died without issue soon after his alleged father, when his brother Edward, Lord Stourton, as his heir, had livery of his lands. As will be seen from the pedigree in the possession of the present Lord Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton, which will be found under the life of Sir William Stourton (p. loi,) there can be no doubt that William, 5th Lord Stourton, was brother of John, 3rd Lord Stourton. William, 5th Lord Stourton, in his will dated at Stourton in 1522, left the residue of his goods to " Edward Stourton Esquire my fcro/Atr and his son and heir William." The last named it was who afterwards became the 7th Lord Stourton, and was the husband of Elizabeth Dudley. William, 5th Lord Stourton, married (firstly) Katherine, eldest daughter of John de la Pole*, Duke of Suffolk, K.G., by Lady Elizabeth Plantagenet, his wife, second daughter of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, and sister of Edward IV. and Richard Illf. The Duke was made Constable of Wallingford Castle i c^ff n"?. Y'V^'u ("f Benhall) in that year being held in the name of John, Dul;e of buttolk though he had ni May, 1449, when 7 years old, succeeded to the title and estates of his father JJiike William ... He was a man of great wealth and power, as well as the favourite of Edward IV., who gave hira his sister Elizabeth, in marriage.— (H/stoj-j; of Bmhall, Co. Suffolk, AldrcdJ. t Her name was mentioned among the ladies for whom robes were made of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in the accounts oi the Great Wardrobe, to have been provided at the feasts of St. George as follows:—" 16 Edward IV., 1477, the Duchess of Suffolk," Elizabeth, eldest sister of the Sovereign wife ot John de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, K.G. The Garter for ladies were of the same fashion as those ot the knights, but the delivery was not annual like that of the robes. Beltz shews that " the king s ehUst sister, the Duchess of Suffolk " came to mass on horseback " ill a murrey gowne of garters " on Sunday, the day of the Feast of St. George, 1476.7, and that the Duke of Suffolk sat on the left of the king at dinner in the great chamber at Windsor on that date. Beltz says " In the Windsor tables 4° H o c I ' f"'^ ^"'''^ °^ Suffolk, is placed as successor to his father, Duke William, in the 7th ,r ,, ■ ' between 2nd May, 1450 and 1472, when, according to the authority cited by Anstis (Vol. II., page 187, note/.) John, Duke of Suffolk was elected, there must have been other elections to that stall . . . these were probably from time to time in favour of Casimer IV., King of Poland who neglected to complete his admission into the Order by installation, when the same became vacated as Boltz thought in favour of John, Duke of SuiTolk. William de la Pole, ist Duke of SuHolk had been elected 3rd May, 142 1, in the stall of Thomas, Duke of Clarence, who had been slain the 22ud March, 1421, and Duke William, having been murdered on tlie 2nd May, 1450, Casimer IV., King of Poland, was elected 4th August following, but not installed. FIRST MARRIAGE OF WILLIAM, FIFTH LORD STOURTON. Henry VII. He died in 1491 and was buried*, with his Duchess, under a table monument in the Collegiate Church of St. Andrew in Wingfield, Co. Suffolk, of which he was lord and owner by inheritance from his ancestor. Sir John Wing- field, of Wingfield Castle. It is very certain from the following note endorsed upon the MS. pedigree of the Lords Stourton (vide p. 74) that it has always been believed in the Stourton family that the marriage did take place. " P. 506. An Omission in Mr. Collins's (sic) Peerage.'' ''Elizabeth Plantasnet Dtp of] i j i t-» i T^ i ro cc n Richa Duke of York & Sister = 1° '" '?,'^'''^ °f Suffolk of K Edw 5ti. was married to J | 1^1'" Died 1491." " Catherine Eldest Davgh^ ] I of Eliz Planta^'net & Tohn de ' Ui'-ir t i oi. ^ la Pole Duke of Suffolk Was [ =r f ^ Stovrton" Married to ' M- " It's Clear (by R Brooke page 506 York Herald who wrote in if.ig And Alsow Assented to by Avgvstine Vincent Rouge-croix Pursiiiuant of Arms, Who Wrote about four Years After) That this Lady Catherine Stovrton Lived Allthow Omitted by Mr. Collins." The words " It's Clear . . . That this Lady Catherine Stovrton Lived " evidently implies consummation of the marriage. And although such a marriage was not included in the official pedigree entered in the College of Arms, there can be little if any doubt that it actually took place. Had this not been so, it is certain that Vincent instead of confirming Brooke, (who stated that it did,) would rather have been only too delighted to correct such an assertion, in a manner and style of language similar to that which he employed towards Brooke for asserting that John, Duke of Suffolk, (instead of his great-grandfather) was the founder of the House of the Carthusians at Kingston-upon-Hull. Sir John Stouylon.^Katkerine Beaujuont. EUzahdh Moigne.—Sir Willium Stourton. Edtlh Slourtou.^Sir John Bdiuchamp. I I Jvlin, ist Lord Stourton. Richard, Duke of York. Margaret Beaucliainp. -^Margaret iVadham. =Lady Cecily Ncjili. =Juhn Beaujurl, Duke I I I of Somerset. I I I I \\ illiani, znd Lord Stourton Lady Elisabeth Plantagenet. King Edn'urd IV. Lady Margaret Beaufort. - Margaret Chidiock. =John de la Pole, 2nd ^Elizabeth H'ydeuille. = E'd in und ' Tudor, Es.i\ of I I Duke of Suffolk. | I Richmond. I ■ I I ! William, ~,th Lord Stourton.=Lad\> Katluriiie de la Pole. Lady Elizabeth Plantagenel.^Henry VII. I ' " I No issue. First Cousins. Henry VIII. In Stothard s Monumental Effigies of Great Britain are illustrations of the effigies of the Duke and Duchess in Wingfield Church. 276 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Lord Stourton's first marriag-e, as will be seen from the above g-enealogy, further allied him with his kinsman, Henry VII. They had married first cousins, children respectively of Edward IV. and his sister, Lady Elizabeth de la Pole. A reference to pages 208 and 209 will call to mind that Lord Stourton's grandfather, John, ist Lord Stourton, was ancestor of Edward VI., the only surviving son of Henry VIII. Consequently it is readily apparent that the Stourton family was very closely and intimately related to and connected with the Royal House of Tudor. Lord Stourton married (secondly) Thomasine, daughter of Sir Walter Wrottesley, knight, who adhered to the Earl of Warwick, the King Maker, and was proclaimed a traitor in 1470, when a price was set on his head. He escaped with Warwick to Calais*. Sir Walter Wrottesley was Lord of Perton 9 Edward IV., was buried in the Grey Friars Church, now Christ Church, London, in 1471. He came of an ancient family long seated at Wrottesley, co. Stafford, (where the present Lord Wrottesley, his descendant, now resides,) by Jane, his wife, daughter and heir of William Baron, Esquire, of Reading, Co. Berks, one of the Tellers of the Court of Exchequer temp. Henry VI. and Edward IV. This William Baron (or his father), is mentioned in Fuller's Worthies as one of those bearing arms from their ancestors. There is almost as much confusion concerning this marriage as exists with regard to Lord Stourton's first match. Many writers give the father's name as Hugh Wrottesley, and erroneously assert the mother to have been daughter and heir of Hugh Barryt, Esquire, of Co. Berks. The Heralds' Visitations and an old parchment pedigree, in the possession of Lord Wrottesley at Wrottesley, name Thomasine, daughter of Sir Walter Wrottesley, knight, as having married William^ Lord Stourton. Collateral evidence is also forthcoming from the wills of both Walter and William Wrottesley, two sons of Sir Walter Wrottesley (and Jane, daughter of William Baron), which leave no doubt of the fact that Lady Stourton was their sister. Walter Wrottesley, Esquire, of St. Mark, Worcester, son of the said Sir Walter Wrottesley, knight, by his will dated 7th December, 1502, and proved in P.C.C. (iSBlamyr), bequeathed to " my lord Stourton a lynk of gold and to my lady his wife my sister 2 lynkes of goold and my grete crosse of goold." Both William, 5th Lord Stourton and Lady Stourton (Thomasine Wrottesley) were then living. William Wrottesley, of Reading, Co. Berks, and * His brother Henry, liowp'.er, was caught at Southampton, and hanged therewith 20 of Warwick's sup- porters, who had attempted to cut out a large vessel at Southampton, f This was copied as being correct by G.E.C. in his Complete Peerage. SALE OF STOURTON HOUSE, FOLHAM. 277 of St. Olave in Silver Street, London, gentleman, brother of the above Walter VVrottesley, Esquire, by his will proved in P.C.C. 1512 (10 Fetiplace), left to " my lady Stourton my signet of golde and to my lorde her husland a bowed ryall." fsTOURTON IMPALING WROTTESLEY.] The Wrotieslcy arms are *'0r, three piles in point sable, a canton ermine.'^ The messuage and garden at Fulham, Co. Middlesex, remained vested in the Stourton family until sold by this Lord Stourton to Sir Ralph Warren, Lord Mayor of London, who afterwards purchased of William, 7th Lord Stourton, the Manor and Advowson of Great Easton, Co. Essex. In a Court Baron of the Bishop of London, held for the Manor of Fulham in 8 Henry VIIL, 1516, it was recorded that the Lord of Stourton was a suitor of that court and had made default. In another Court Baron held in 15 18 for the same Manor, there was among the essoins the name of: "The Lord of Stourton by John Kypping." Again in 15 19 at a Court General held in that year next before St. Martin (Nov. 7th), came at that court Ralph Waryn, who then did fealty for certain lands formerly belonging to Williaiii, Lord of Stourton. Sir Ralph Warren was, at the time of the purchase by him, living at Passors, on the opposite side of Bear Street, which was the residence of his family, including the Whites and the Crom- wells, for about a century. After the Warrens came the Gotobeds, Hickmans, Howards, Buckinghams, Vaslets, Bulstrodes, Manners, Bignells and Sharps as holders of Stourton House. Since 1657 the house appears by the Court Rolls to have been called Fulham Hall. But it remained known to the historians prev- iously quoted as Stourton House down to the beginning of this century (see ante pages 247-9 '"'"^ 181-8). Reference has already been made to Sir Ralph Warren in the life of Sir William Stourton, and he is also referred to under the Inquisition of William, 2nd Lord Stourton. In the life of William, 7th Lord Stourton, he will again be mentioned as the purchaser from that Lord Stourton of the Manor and Advow- son of Great Easton, Co. Essex. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Lord Stourton lived long enough to see his kinsman (Henry VII.) firmly estabhshed on the throne of England as the first of the House of Tudor, and the accession of Henry VIII. as king of England and the head of the once hostile Houses of Lancaster and York, which had become united by the marriage of his parents. The original will of William, 5th Lord Stourton Is not known to be in existence, but the following is exactly taken from the copy* now remaining in Somerset House. It runs as follows : — In dei nomine amen. Ego Will'mus Stourton d'ns Stourton. miles sane memorie et bone mentis die veneris post festum Corpus X'pi ultimo preterit' condo testamentu' meum in hunc modum. In primis lego ai'am meam deo patri om'ipotenti beate marie et om'ibz sanct' ejus et corpus meum ad sepeliend' in nova Capella b'te marie virginis in eccl'ia sancti petri de Stourton. It'm lego fabric' matris eccl'ie Sar' vjs. viijd. Item lego fratribz predicatorum ejusd'm Sar' xs. Item lego cuili't generosor' meor' xxs. Item lego WiU'mo Hertgill cs. Item lego Roberto Nonne xxs. et Johanni Cokill xxs. Item lego Xp'ofero Stourton Armigero viginti marcas. Residuu' om'i' bonoru' meorum non legatorum do & lego Edwardo Stourton Armigero fratri meo et filio suo hered' Will'o quos ordino facio et constituo istius testamenti mei executores principales ad disponand' pro salute mee. Dat' apud Stourton ad diem predict' Anno d'ni mill'imo quingentesimo xxijo hiis testibz. Joh'e Sylley, Rector de Stourton, Will'mo Ratclyff, Will'mo Hertgill, Rob'to Nonne, Joh'e Cokull et aliis. Probatum fuit testamentum prescripti defuncti Coram prefat' Com'issariis in eccl'ia Cath' divi Pauli London xvj'^ die mensis Marcij Anno d'ni mill'imo quingentisimo xxiij" Jurament' executorum in h' mo'i test'o no'iator' Ac approbatum et insinuatum Et com'issa fuit admi'stracio auc'te prefatorum R'mor' patrum om'i' & singulorum bonoru' & debitorum d'c'i defuncti prefat' executoribus In p'sona Ric'i Felde procu'ris de b'n' & fidelit' admi'strand' Ac de pleno & fideli Jn'rio citra secundu' diem post festum Ascencionis d'ni prox' futur' exhib'd necnon de piano & vero compoto reddend' Ad s'c'a Ev'ngelia Jurat'. Of the foregoing the following is a literal translation :— In the Name cf God, Amen. I, "William Stourton, Lord Stourton, knight, being of good memory and perfect understanding, on Friday after the Feast of Corpus Christi last past, make my will in manner as follows, * P.C.C. 17 Bodfelde. WILL OF WILLLAM, 5TH LORD STOURTON. 279 First I bequeath my soul to the Alhnighty Father, the Blessed Mary aud all her Saints, and my body to be buried in the new Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Church of St. Peter at Stourton. Item I bequeath to the fabric of the mother-church of Sarum, 6s. 8d. Item I bequeath to the Friars Preachers of Sarum aforesaid, los. Item I bequeath to each of my gentle- men, 20s. Item I bequeath to William Hertgill, loos. Item I bequeath to Robert Nonne, 20s., and to John Cokill, 20s. Item I bequeath to Christopher Stourton, Esquire, 20 merks. All the rest of my goods unbequeathed I give and bequeath to Edward Stourton, Esquire, my brother, and to his son [and] heir William, whom I ordain and appoint chief executors of this my will to provide for the welfare [of my soul.] Dated at Stourton on the day aforesaid in the year of our Lord One thousand Five hundred and twenty two, in the presence of John S)'lley, rector of Stourton, William Ratclyff, William Hertgill, Robert Nonne, John Cokull and others. His direction that his body should be buried in the new chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Church of St. Peter, would rather seem to suggest that he was the builder of the chapel, which he had called after the Chantry Chapel in Mere Church where lay the bodies of his father and brother. The chapel which is called "nova capella beate marie virginis" might have been identical with the south aisle of the church, for in a window in that aisle appeared the arms of Stourton impaling Wrottesley, thereby evidently in some way referring to this Lord Stourton. The exact date of the death of this Lord Stourton is stated to be February 17th in the various Inquisitions taken after his death. His will was proved in March, 1523. He left no issue whatever and consequently his lands and honours passed to his brother Edward, who thereupon succeeded as 6th Lord Stourton. The following are copies of the Inquisitions taken after the death of William, 5lh Lord Stourton : — *Inquisicio capta apud Devyses in Com' p'd'c'o primo die mensis maij Anno regni regis Henrici octavi decimo septimo coram Joh'e Warryn Escaetore d'c'i d'ni Regis in Com' p'd'c'o virtute br'is d'c i d'ni Regis de diem clausit extremu' eidem Escaetori post mortem Will'i Stourton de Stourton militis directi & huic inquisic'o'r consuti p' sacr'm &c. Qui dicunt sup' sacru' suu' q'd Will's Stourton miles in d'c'o br'e no'i'at' diu ante obitum suu' fuit sei'tiis Exchr. Inq. ^'.^L, Ser. H., File yjb, Wiltes, No. 15. So HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOK. in d'nico suo ul de fcodo dc & in man'iis de madyngton Stofford & Newton cum p'tin ac decem mcsuagiis duceiitis & quatuor acris t're arrabilis sexaginta & decem acris prati Centum acris pasture duab' acris bosci & dnab' solidat" reddit' cum p'tin' in madyngtom Salisbury Stofford & Nevvton p'd'c'is in Com' p'd'c'o ip'oqz "WiU'o sic inde so'ito existen' Ric'us "Wynton' Ep'us Egidius Dawbbeney miles d'no de Davvbbeney ac Cam'arius d'ni Regis Henrici septimi Carolus SonVset n^iles d'n's herbert ac Comes Wigorn' Thomas lovell! Ric'us Empson & Jaco-bus Hubert milites Edmundus Dudley ac Thomas Lucas Armig'i p' no'i'a Ric'i Wynton Ep'i Egidij Dawbbeney militis d'ni Dawbbeney Caroli Som'set mHitis d'ni de herbert Thome lovell Ric'i Empson Jacobi hubert militum Edmundi Dudley & Thome lucas Armig'or' t'mino mich'is Anno regni d'c'i d'ni henrici nup' Regis Angl' septimi vicesimo primo p br'e d'c'i d'ni nup' Regis henrici septimi de ingr'u sup dissei'am in le post p'd'c'a nii-in'ia de madyngton Stofford & Newton ac d'c'a mesuagia t'ras & ten' ac cet'a p'missa cum suis p'tin' in madyngton Stofford & Newton ac Sahsbury p'd'c'a v'sus p'd'c m WiU'm Stourton ad tunc tenentem p'd'c'or man'ior' & cet'or' p'missor' existentem recup'averunt p'ut p' recordum. inde Jur' p'd'c'is sup' capco'em huius inquisic'o'is in evidenciis ostens' plenius liquet & apparet virtute cujus recup'ac'o'is ijdem Ep'us Egidius Carolus Thomas lovell Ric'us Jacobus Edmundus ac Thomas lucas in p'd'c'a man'ia de madyng-ton Stoflbrd Newton & Salisbury p'd'c'is cum. p'tin' intraverunt & inde fuerunt sei'ti in d'nico suo ut de feodo Et Jur' p'd'c'i dicunt q'd recup'acio p'd'c'or' man'ior' de madyngton Stofford Newton & Salisbury ac cet'or' p'missor' cum suis p'tin' h'ita fuit ad usum, d'c'i Will'i Stourton & hered' suor Et dicunt eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd recup'atores p'd'c'i sic de man'iis & cetis p'missis existentes sei'ti conventum concessum. ac aggreatum fuit int' d'c'm Will'm Stourton militeni d'n'm de Stourton ex parte una ac d'c'm. Edmundum Dudley ex: parte alt'a p' ci,uasdeni indentuiras quiar' datam est duodecimo die Novembr' Anno regni Regis henrici nup' Regis Angl' septimi vicesim.o quarto q'd d'c'i recup'atores p'missor' cum suis p'tin' hered' & assign' sui sint & existant inde sei'ti ad usum d'c'i Will'i StourtCHi militis d'ni de Stourton p' t'mino vite ejusdem Will'i sine impetic'o'e vasti & post ejus decessum ad usum & intenc'o'em in d'c'is indenturis int' d'c'm Will'm. d'n'm, Stourton militem ex una parte ac d'c'm Edmundum Dudley ex alt'a parte conc'nen' matrimoniu' int' Will'm Stourton nepotem d'c'i Will'i Stourton in d'c'o br'e uo'i'at' ac Elizabeth' fil' d'c'i Edmundi Dudley solempnisai' & postea solempnisat' confect' Et dicunt eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd p'd'c'i Egidius Daw- bbeney Ric'us Empson Jacobus h.ubert & Edmundus Dudley de tali sUitu & INQUISITIONS ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM, 5TH LORD STOURTON. 28 1 ad d'c'm usum obierunt sei'ti Et q'd d'c'i Ep'us Carokis Som'set Thomas lovell miles ac Thomas lucas Armigf' eos sup' vixerunt & se tenuerunt intus p' jus accrescendi ad usum p'd'c'm & ad eundem usum fuerunt sei'ti tempore mortis d'c'i Will'i nup' d'ni Stourton Dicunt eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd p'd'c'm man' in' de madyngton ac om'ia t're & ten in madyngton p'd'ca tenent' de d'no Rege in capite & valent p' Anna' ult' repris' sex libras Dicunt eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd man'iu' de Stofford & Newton ac om'ia t're & ten' in Stofford & Newton cum p'tiii' tenent' de Abb'issa de Wilton ut in jure monast'ii sui set p' que s'vicia Jur' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant & valent p' annu' ult' repris' viginti & quatuorsolidos Dicunt eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd om'ia t're & ten' in Salisbury ac cet'a p'missa cum p'tin" tenent' de Ep'o Sar' set p'que s'vicia Jur' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant & valent p' annu' ult' repris' quatuor libras tresdecim solidos & quatuor denarios Et dicunt eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd Will's Stourton in d'c'o br'e no'i'at' die quo obiit nulla alia t'ras sive ten' h'uit vel tenuit in d'c'o Com' in d'nico rev'sione nec in s'vicio nec aliqius alius sive ahqui' alii plura t'ras aut ten' h'uit aut tenuit h'uerunt aut tenuerunt ad usum p d'c'i Will'i die quo obiit in d'nico rev'sione nec in s'vicio Et dicunt eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd idem Will's nup' d'n's Stourton miles obiit decimo septimo die Februarii ultimo p't'ito Et dicunt q'd Edwardus nunc d'n's Stourton frater p'd'c'i Will'i nup' d'ni de Stourton est p' pinquior heres d'c'i Will'i in d'c'o br'e no'i'at' et est statis sexaginta & unius annor' & amplius In cuius &c. Of the foregoing the following is a translation Inquisition taken at Devyses in the County aforesaid (Wiltshire) on the first day of the month of May in the seventeenth year of the reign of King Henry VIII., before John Warryn, Escheator of our said Lord the King in the County aforesaid, by virtue of a writ of our said Lord the King " de diem clausitextremum," directed to the said Escheator, after the death of Sir William Stourton of Stourton, Knight, which is attached to this inquisition, by the oath, &c. Who say upon their oath that Sir William Stourton, Knight, named in the said writ, a long time before his death, was seised in his demesne as of fee of and in the Manors of Madyngton, Stofford and Newton with their appurtenances, and ten messuages, two hundred and four acres of arable land, seventy acres of meadow, one hundred of pasture, two acres of wood and two shillings rent, with their appurtenances in Madyngton, Salisbury, Stofford and Newton aforesaid in the County aforesaid ; and the said William being so seised, Richard, Bishop of Winchester, Sir Giles Dawbbeney, Knight, Lord of Dawbeney and Chamberlain of our Lord King Henry the Seventh, Sir Charles Somerset, Knight, Lord Herbert and Earl of Wor- 282 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. cester, Sir Thomas Lovell, Sir Ricliard Empson and Sir James Hubert, Knights, Edmund Dudley and Thomas Lucas, Esquires, by the names of Richard, Bishop of Winchester, Sir Giles Dawbbenny, Knight, Lord Daw- bbeney, Sir Charles Somerset, Knight, Lord de Herbert, Sir Thomas Lovell, Sir Richard Empson and Sir James Hubert, Knights, Edmund Dudley and Thomas Lucas, Esquires, in the Michaelmas terni in the twenty first year of the reign of Henry VH., late King of England, by virtue of a writ " de ingressu '' upon disseisin in the " postea," granted by our said Lord the late King Henry Vn., recovered the aforesaid Manors of Madyngton, StofFord and Newton, and the said messuages, lands and tenements and other preniises, with their appurtenances, in Madyngton, Stofford and Newton and Salisbury aforesaid, against the aforesaid William Stourton, then being tenant of the said manors and other premises, as more plainly and fully appears in the record thereof produced as evidence on the taking of this inquisition to the Jury aforesaid ; by virtue of which recovery the said Bishop, Giles, Charles, Thomas Lovell, Richard, James, Edmund, and Thomas Lucas entered into the aforesaid Manors of Madyngton, Stofford, Newton and Salisbury afore- said, with their appurtenances and were seised thereof in their demesne as of fee. And the Jury aforesaid say that the recovery of the aforesaid Manors of Madyngton, Stofford, Newton and Salisbury and of the other premises with their appurtenances, was had to the use of the said William Stourton and his heirs. And the said Jury likewise say that the said recoverers being thus seised of the manors and other premises, it was covenanted, granted and agreed between the said Sir William Stourton, Knight, Lord of Stourton, on the one part, and the said Edmund Dudley on the other part, by certain indentures dated the twelfth day of November in the twenty fourth year of the reign of Henry VH., late King of England, that the said recoverers of the premises, with their appurtenances, their heirs and assigns, should be seised thereof to the use of the said Sir William Stourton, Knight, Lord of Stourton, for the term of the life of the said William, without damage by waste, and after his death to the use and intent expressed in the said inden- tures made between the said Sir William, Lord Stourton, Knight, on the one part, and the said Edmund Dudley on the other part, concerning a marriage to be solemnized between William Stourton, nephew of the said William Stourton in the writ named, and Elizabeth, daughter of the said Edmund Dudley, which marriage was afterwards solemnized. And the Jury aforesaid further say that the said Giles Dawbbeney, Richard Empson, James Hubert and Edmund Dudley died thus seised to the said use. And that the INQUISITIONS ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM, 5TH LORD STOURTON. 283 said Bishop, Charles Somerset, Thomas Lovell, Knights, and Thomas Lucas, Esquire, survived them and continued to hold the property by riyfht of accretion to the use aforesaid, and were seised to the said use at the time of the death of the said William, late Lord Stourton. The said Jury further say that the said Manor of Madyngton and all the lands and tenements in Madyngton aforesaid, are held of our Lord the King in chief and are worth six pounds a year beyond expenses. The aforesaid Jury also say that the Manor of Stofford and Newton and all the lands and tenements in Stofford and Newton aforesaid, with their appurtenances, are held of the Abbess of Wilton as in right of her monastery, but by what services the said Jury do not know at all, and are worth twenty four shillings a year beyond expenses, The said Jury likewise say that all the lands and tenements in Salisbury and the other premises, with their appurtenances, are held of the Bishop of Salis- bury, but by what services the said Jury do not know at all, and they are worth four pounds, thirteen shillings and four pence a year beyond expenses. And the Jury aforesaid say likewise that William Stourton in the said writ named, neither had nor held any other lands or tenements in the said County on the day he died, in demesne, reversion or service, nor did any other person or persons have or hold any other lands or tenements to the use of the aforesaid William on the day he died, in demesne, reversion or in service. And the said Jury say also that the said Sir William, late Lord Stourton, Knight, died on the seventeenth day of February last past; and they say that Edward, now Lord Stourton, brother of the aforesaid William, late Lord Stourton, is next heir of the said William in the said writ named, and is of the age of sixty one years and more*. In witness whereof, &c., &c. The Inquisitiont taken in the County of Somerset is as follows : — Inquisicio indentata capta apud Breuton in Com' p'd'c'o vicesimo nono die mensis Octobr' Anno regni Regis henrici octavi post Conquestum Angl' xvj" coram Ric'o Turbervyle Armig'o Escaet' d'c'i d'ni Regis in Com' p'd'c'o virtute br'is d'c'i d'ni Regis de diem clausit extremu' eidem Escaet' post mortem Will'i Stourton d'ni de Stourton milit' direct' & huic inquisic' consut' p' sacr'm &c. Qui dicunt sup' sacr'm suu' q'd Will's d'n's Stourton miles in d'c'o br'i no'i'at diu ante obit' suu' fuit seisit' in d'nico suo ut de feodo de & in man'iis de leigh Colfford Frome Wellys & Othereycum suis p'tin' in Com' p'd'c'o & de xviij mesuag' CC acr' t're xl acr' prati Centum acr' pastur' iiij Sec pajje 285 where the age is given as fifty two j-ears. I E.\chr. Inq. P.M., Ser. 11., File 912, Som's'., No. 13. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTO\. acr' bosc' & viginti solidat' reddit' cum suis p'tin' in Wellys Lygh Colfford Frome & Otherey in Com p'd'c'o. Ip'o'qz Will'o sic inde seisit . . . [here follow exactly the same transactions as recounted in Inq. taken for Co. Wilts (E.vchr. Ser. II., File 912, No. 15), beginning " Ric'us Winton Ep'ns" to "■tempore mortis d'c'i IVill'i Stourlon d'ni de Stourton rnilit" (see p. 280); it is therefore not reprinted here] .... Dicunt eciam Jurat' p'd'c'i q'd p'dict' man'iu' de leigh Colfford Ac p'dicf mesuag' t'r' & ten' in leigli & Colfford p'dict' tenent' de Will'o Carentt Armig'o Sed p' que s'vic' Jurat' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant Et val' p' annu' ult' repris' viijLi. Et diet' man'iu' de Frome Ac om'ia t'r' & ten' in Frome p'dict' tenent' de Rob'to lev'seige Sed p' que s'vic' Jurat' p'd'c'i ignorant Et vol' p' annu' ult' repris' quatuor libras Etq'd om'ia t're & ten' in Otherey cum' p'tin' tenent' de Ric'o Abb'e Glaston' ut de Jure monast'ii sui Sed p' que s'vic' jurat' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant Et val' p' annu' ult' repris' xls. Et q'd diet' ter' & ten' in Wellys p'dict' tenent' de Joh'e Ep'o Bathon' & Wellen' Sed p' que s'vic Jurat' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant Et val' p' annu' ult' repris' iiijLi Et eciam Jur' p'd'c'i die' q'd p'd'c'us Will's Stourton miles d'n's de Stourton in d'c'o br'i no'i'at' die quo obiit nulla alia t'ras sive ten' h'uit vel tenuit in d'c'o Com' Som's' in d'nico rev'co'e nec in s'vic' nec aliquis alius sive aliqui alii plura t'ras & ten' h'uit aut tenuit h'uer' seu tenuerunt ad usum p'd'c'i WiU'i die quo obiit in d'nico rev'c'o'e nec in s'vic' Et dicunt eciam Jurat' p'd'c'i q'd idem Will's nup' d'n's Stourton obiit xvijo die Februarii ultimo p't'ito Et dicunt eciam q'd Edwardus nunc d'n's Stourton frat' d'c'i Will'i nup' d'ni de Stourton est frat' & p' pinquior heres d'c'i Will'i in p'd'c'o br'i no'i'at' & est etatis lij annor' & amplius. In cujus &c. The following is the translation : — Inquisition indentate taken at Breuton in the County (Somerset) aforesaid on the twenty-ninth day of October in the i6th year of the reign of King Henry 'VIII. after the Conquest, [King] of England, before Richard Turber- vyle, Esquire, Escheator of our said Lord the King in the County aforesaid, by virtue of a writ of the said King "de diem clausit extremum," directed to. the said Escheator, and attached to this Inquisition by the oath, &c. Who say that Sir William, Lord Stourton, Knig-ht, named in the said writ, a long time before his death was seised in his demesne as of fee of and in the Manors of Leigh Colfford, Frome, Wellys and Othery, with their appurtenances, in the County aforesaid, and of i8 messuages, 200 acres of land, 40 acres of meadow, 100 acres of pasture, 4 acres of wood and twenty shillings rent, with their appurtenances, in Wellys, Lygh Colfford, Frome and Otherey in the County INQUISITIONS ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM, 5TH LORD STOURTON. 285 aforesaid ; and the said William being thus seised &c And the said Jury say also that the aforesaid Manor of Leigh Colflford, and the aforesaid messuages, lands and tenements in Leigh and Colford aforesaid, are held of William Carentt, Esquire, but by what services the Jury aforesaid do not know at all, and are worth j^S per annum beyond expenses. And the said Manor of Frome and all the lands and tenements in Frome aforesaid, are held of Robert Leverseige, but by what services the Jury aforesaid do not know at all, and are worth four pounds per annum beyond expenses. And that all the land and tenements in Otherey, with their appurtenances, are held of Richard, Abbot of Glastonbury, as in right of his monastery, but by what services the said Jury do not know at all, and are worth beyond expenses 40s. a year. And that the said lands and tenements in Wellys aforesaid are held of John, Bishop of Bath and Wells, but by what services the Jury aforesaid do not know at all, and are worth ^4 a year beyond expenses. And the said Jury say also that the aforesaid Sir William Stour- ton, Knight, Lord of Stourton, in the said writ named, on the day he died, neither had nor held any other lands or tenements in the said Countv of Somerset, in demesne, reversion or in service, nor did any other person or persons have or hold any more lands and tenements to the use of the afore- said William on the day he died, in demesne, reversion or in service. And the said Jury say also that the aforesaid William, late Lord Stourton, died on the 17th day of February last past ; and say likewise that Edward, now Lord Stourton, brother of the said William, late Lord Stourton, is brother and next heir of the said William in the said writ named, and is of the age of 52 years and upwards*. In witness whereof, &c. The remaining Inquisitiont for the County of Dorset is recorded as follows : Inquisicio indentata capta apud Sherborn' in Com' p'd'c'o t'cio die Novembr' Anno regni Regis henrici octavi sexto-decimo coram Ric'o Tur- bervyle Armig' Escaet' d'c'i d'ni Regis in Com' p'd'c'o virtute br'is d'c'i d'ni Regis de diem clausit extremu' eidem Escaet' post mortem Will'i Stourton d'm de Stourton milit' direct! & huic inquisic'o'i consut' p' sacr'm &c. Oui die' sup' sacr'm suu' q'd Will's Stourton miles in d'c'o br'i no'i'at' diu ante obit' suu' fuit seisit' in d'nico suo ut de feodo de & in man'iis de Ower moyne Caundell haddon Russheton Stourmyster loveton howghton Eschewourgh mayden Newton Perrott hardyngton hayd' juxta lydlynche Fyffyld Nevyll konkesdyche & Burcombe cum p'tin' Necnon de ducent' septem mesuag' duo * See page 283 where the age is given as 61 years, t Exchr. Imj. l^M.. [Dors.] Ser. U., file 912, No. 14- 2S5 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. millia acr' t're xl acr' prati trescent & sex acr' pastur' Centum quadraginta acr' bosci & decern librar' reddit' cum p'tin in Owre moyne Caundell haddon Russheton Stourmyster loveton howghton Eschewourgh mayden Newton Perrot hardyngton hayd' juxta lydlynche Fyffeld Nevyll konkesdyche Bur- combe Shastisbury Galton Suddon Shcrborn' Anteox & Oborn Ip'oqz Will's sic inde seisit' existen' [Here follows an account of recovery relative to above property, beginning " Ricus Winton Ep'iis and continuing to " virtute cujus iidem rccup'atores fuerunt de p' missis seisiti ad usnm & inteiic p'dici" which being exactly similar to the corresponding portion of I nq. for County Wilts (Exchr, Ser. II., file 978, No. 15), — see page 280 — is not reprinted here]. Et ip'i recup'atores sic de p'missis ad usum p'd'c'm seisit' existent' d'c'us Will's Stourton miles in d'c'o br'i no'i'at per cartam suam indent' Jur' p'd'c'is sup' capc'onem hujus inquisic' in evidenc' ostens' cujus dat' est tradidit ac dimisit scitum man'ii de Owre mo)'ne p'dict' cum om'ibz t'ris ten' pratis pascuis & pastur' dominicalibz eidem scitu man'ii p'tinen' Ric'o Turbervyle & Elizabeth" adtunc ux'i sue h'end' et tencnd' eidem Ric'o ac Elizabeth p' t'mino vite eor' aut alt'ius eor' successive diutius vivent' Et post eor' decessum sibi & execut' seu assign' suis p' t'mino viginti annor' reddend" inde annuatim p'fato Will'o Stourton d'no de Stourton xxiiij Li ad quatuor anni t'minos usual' virtute cujus dimiss' eidem Ric'us ac Elizabeth' ux' ejus fuerunt inde seisit' in d'nico suo ut de lib'o ten' virtute dimisc' p'd'c'e. Et sic inde seisit' Edwardus Stourton nunc d'n's de Stourton p' cartam suam cujus dat' est Jurat' p'd'c'is sup' capc'o'em hujus inquisico'is in eviden' ostens' p'dict' dimissionem p' p'd'c'm Will'm Stourton de scitu man'ii p'dict' & cet'is p'missis fact' & om'ia in eadem contenta p'fat' Ric'o & Elizabeth' confirmavit & ratificavit & postea d'c'a Elizabeth' obiit inde seisit' Et p'd'c'us Ric'us Turbervyle eam sup' vixit & se tenuit inde intus p' jus accrescend' & inde fuit seisit' in d'nico suo ut de lib'o ten' & sic inde tempore capo'o'is hujus inquisic' seisit' existit Et die' eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd d'c'i Egidius Ric'us Empson Jacobus & Ed'us Dudley de tali statu & ad d'c'm usum de reddit' & rev'c' p'dict' ac cet'is p'missis obierunt seisit' Et q'd diet' Ep'us Carolus Thomas lovell miles & Thomas lucas Armig' eos sup' vixerunt & se tenerunt intus p' jus accrescend' ad usum p'd'c'm & ad eundem usum fuerunt seisiti tempore mortis d'c'i Will'i Stourton Dicunt eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd p'd'c'm man'iu' de Ower moyne Suddon & Galton ac om'ia mes' ter' & ten' in Ower moyne Suddon & Galton cum p'tin' tenent' de d'no Rege in capite p's'viciu' militare & val' p' annu' ult' repris' xljLi Et Jur' p'd'c'i dicunt q'd man'iu de Caundell Haddon ac om'ia t'r' & ten' in Caundell Haddon INQUISITIONS ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM, 5TH LORD STOURTON. 287 p'dict' cum suisp'tin' tenent' de Comite Arundell sed p' que s'vicia Jur' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant & val' p' annu' ult' repris' xxLi Et dicunt eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd p'd'c'a man'ia de Ruyssheton Stourmyster marshall loveton & Iconkes- d_vche ac om'ia mesuag' t'n & ten' & cet'a p'd'c'a in Ruyssheton Stourmyster loveton and konkesdych cum suis p'tin' tenent' de d'na Kat'ina Regina Angl' ut de man'io suo de Cramborn' p' quartam partam uni' food' milit' & val' p' annu' ult' repris' xxiijLi Et eciam Jur' p'd'c'i dicunt q'd man'iu' de houghton ac om'ia t're & ten' in houghton p'd'ca cum suis p'tin' tenet' de d'c'a d'na Kat'ina Regina Angl' ut de man'io suo de Pymp'ne set p' que s'vic' Jur' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant & val' p' annu' ult' repris' Centum solidos Et eciam Jurat' p'dict' dicunt q'd man'ia de Escheworough ac om'ia t're & ten' in Escheworough p'd'c'a cum suis p'tin' tenent' de d'no Rege in capite p' quar- tam partem uni' feodi militis & val' p' annu' ult' repris' xiiijLi Et eciam Jur' p'd'c'i die' q'd man'iu' de mayden Newton ac om'ia t're & ten' in mayden Newton p'd'c'a cum suis p'tin' tenent' de Abbatissa de Godstowe ut in Jure monast'ii sui ibidem set p' que s'vic' Jur' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant & val' p' annu' ult' repris' vjLi Et eciam Jur' p'd'c'i die' q'd om'ia t'r' & ten' cum suis p'tin' in perrot p'd'c'a tenent' de d'no laware sed p' que s'vic' Jur' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant Et val' p' annu' ult' repris' xxxiijs. Et die' eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd om'ia t're & ten' in hardyngton cum suis p'tin' tenent' de Nich'o Wadh'm milit' sed p' que' Jur' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant Et val' p' annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' Ixs. Et eciam dicunt Jur' p'd'c'i q'd om'ia t're & ten' in huydes p'dict' cum suis p'tin' tenent' de Abb'e de Abbenysbery ut in Jure monast'ii sui' ibidem sed p' que s'vic' Jur' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant & val' p' annu' ult' repris' iiiJLi Et q'd man'iu' de Fyffyld Nevyll p'dict' ac om'ia t're & ten' in Fyffyld Nevyll p'dict' tenent' de d'c'a d'na Kat'ina Regina Angl' ut de man'io suo de Pymp'ne p'dict p' xx partem uni' feod' milit' & val' p' annu' ult' repris' Cs. Et eciam Jur' p'd'c'i die' q'd om'ia t're & ten' in Burcombe p'dict' cum suis p'tin' tenent' de eadem d'na Kat'ina Regina Angl' ut de man'io suo p'dict' p' xxx partem un' feod' milit' & val' p' annu' ult' repris' iiijLi Et q'd om'ia t're & ten' in Shaston cum suis p'tin tenent' de Ep'o Sar' sed p' que s'vic' Jur' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant & val' p' annu' ult' repris' vjLi Et q'd om'ia t're & ten' sup'd'c'a in Shurbourne cum suis p'tin' lenent' de d'c'o Ep'o Sarum set p'que s'vic' Jur' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant & val' p' annu' ult' repris' iiijLi Et eciam Jur' p'd'c'i die' q'd om'ia t're & ten' in Anteox & Oborn cum suis p'tin' tenent' de p'd'c'o Ep'o Sar' sed p' que s'vic' Jur' p'd'c'i penitus ignorant & val' p' annu' ult' repris' viijLi Dicunt eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd p'dict' Will's d'n's Stourton miles in d'c'o br'i no'i'at' HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. die quo obiit nulla alia sive plura t'ras seu ten' h'uit vel tenuit in d'co Com' in d'nico rev'c'o'e nec in s'vicio nec aliquis alius sive aliqui alii plur' t'ras aut ten' h'uit aut tenuit habuerunt seu tenuerunt ad usum p'd'c'i Will'i die quo obiit in d'nico rev'c'o'e nec in s'vic' Et eciam Jur' p'd'c'i dicunt q'd idem Will's d'n's Stourton miles in d'c'o br'i no'i'at obiit xvij die Februarij ultimo p't'ito Et dicunt eciam Jur' p'd'c'i q'd Edwardus nunc d'n's de Stourton est frat' & propinquior heres d'c'i Will'i d'ni de Stourton & est etatis Ix annos' & amplius. In cujus rei, &c. The following" is the Translation : — Inquisition indentate taken at Sherborne in the County aforesaid (Dorset) on the third day of November in the sixteenth year of the reign of King Hcnr)- VIII., before Richard Turberv3'le, Esq., Escheator of our said Lord the King- in the County aforesaid, by virtue of a writ of our said Lord the King " de diem clausit extremum " addressed to the said Escheator after the death of Sir William Stourton, Knight, Lord of Stourton, and which is attached to this inquisition by the oath, &c. Who say, on their oath, that Sir William Stourton, Knight, in the said writ named, a long time before his death was seised in his demesne as of fee of and in the manors of Ower moyne, Caundell Haddon, Russheton, Stourmyster, Loveton, Howghton, Eschewourgh, Mayden Newton, Perrott, Hardyngton, Huydes by Lydlynche, Fyffyld Nevyll, Konkesdyche and Burcombe, with their appurtenances, and also of two hundred and seven messuages, two thousand acres of land, forty acres of meadow, three hundred and six acres of pasture, one hundred and forty acres of wood and ten pounds rent, with their appurtenances in Owre Moyne, Caundell Haddon, Russheton, Stourmyster, Loveton, Howghton, Eschewourgh, Mayden Newton, Perrot, Hardyngton, Huydes by Lydlynche, Fyffeld Nevyll, Konkesdyche, Burcombe, Shastisbury, Galton, Suddon, Sherborn, Anteox and Oborn ; and the said William being so seised &c. . . . And the said recoverers being thus seised of the premises aforesaid to the use aforesaid, the said Sir William Stourton, Knight, in the said w-rit named, by his charter indentate (produced to the Jury as evidence on the taking of this inquisition) dated (blank) granted and demised the site of the Manor of Ower Moyne aforesaid, with all the demesne lands, tenements, meadows, grazing grounds and pastures to the site of the said Manor belonging, to Richard Turbervyle and Elizabeth then his wife, to have and to hold to the said Richard and Elizabeth for the term of their lives and the life of the longer liver of them in succession, and after their death to himself, their executors IXQUISITIONS ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM, 5TH LORD STOURTON. 289 and assigns, for the term of twenty years, paying therefor annually to the said William, Lord of Stourton, £24, payable at the four usual terms in each year; by virtue of which demise the said Richard and Elizabeth his wife were seised thereof in their demesne as of free tenure, by virtue of the demise aforesaid (sic). And they being so seised, Edward Stourton, now Lord of Stourton, by his charter dated (blank) (produced to the Jury aforesaid on the taking of this inquisition) confirmed and ratified the demise aforesaid by the said William Stourton of the site of the Manor aforesaid and the other premises and all things contained in the said demise, to the said Richard and Elizabeth ; and afterwards the said Elizabeth died seised thereof, and the said Richard Turbervyle survived her and remained in possession thereof by right of accretion, and was seised thereof in his demesne as of free tenure, and remained thus seised thereof at the tiine of the taking of this inquisition. And the said Jury further say that the said Giles, Richard Empson, James and Edmund Dudley died seised of the said rent and reversion and the other premises to the said use; and that the said Bishop, Charles, Sir Thomas Lovell, Knight, and Thomas Lucas, Esquire, survived them, and remained in possession thereof to the said use by right of accretion, and were seised to the said use at the time of the death of the said William Stourton. The aforesaid Jury say also that the said Manors of Ower Moyne, Suddon and Galton, and all the messuages, lands and tenements in Ower Moyne, Suddon and Galton, with their appurtenances, are held of our Lord the King in chief by military service, and are worth £:^i a year beyond expenses. And the Jury aforesaid say that the manor of Caundell Haddon and all the lands and tenements in Caundell Haddon aforesaid, with their appurtenances, are held of the Earl of Arundel, but by what services the said Jury do not know at all, and they are worth £20 a year beyond expenses. And the said Jury further say that the aforesaid manors of Ruyssheton, Stourmyster Marshall, Loveton and Konkesdyche, and all the messuages, lands and tenements and the other things aforesaid in Ruyssheton, Stourmyster, Loveton and Konkes- dych, with their appurtenances, are held of the Lady Katherine, Oueen of England, as of her Manor of Cramborn, by the fourth part of a knight's fee, and are worth £2;^ a year beyond expenses. And the said Jury say also that the Manor of Houghton, and all the lands and tenements in Houghton aforesaid, with its appurtenances, is held of the said Lady Katherine, Queen of England, as of her Manor of Pymperne, but by what services the said Jury do not know at all, and is worth one hundred shillings a year beyond expenses. And the said Jury say also that the Manor of Escheworough ago HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. and all the lands and tenements in Escheworough aforesaid, with their appurtenances, are held of our Lord the King in chief by the fourth part of a knight's fee, and are worth ^14 a year beyond expenses. And the Jury aforesaid say also that the Manor of Mayden Newton, and all the lands and tenements in Mayden Newton aforesaid, with its appurtenances, are held of the Abbess of Godstowe as in right of her monastery there, but by what services the Jury aforesaid do not know at all, and are worth £6 a year beyond expenses. And the said Jury further say that all the lands and tene- ments in Perrot aforesaid are held of Lord Laware*, but by what services the said Jury do not know at all, and are worth 33s. a year beyond expenses. And the said Jury also say that all the lands and tenements in Hardyngton, with their appurtenances, are held of Sir Nicholas Wadham, but by what services the said Jury do not know, and are worth in all their issues beyond expenses, 60s. And the said Jury say also that all the lands and tenements in Huydes aforesaid, with their appurtenances, are held of the Abbot of Abbenysbery, as in right of his monastery there, but by what services the said Jury do not know at all, and are worth £^ a year beyond expenses. And that the Manor of Fyffyld Nevyll aforesaid, and all the lands and tenements in Fyffyld Nevyll aforesaid, are held of the said Lady Katharine, Oueen of England, as of her Manor of Pymperne aforesaid, by the 20th p.irt of a knight's fee, and are worth iocs, per annum beyond expenses. And the said Jury say also that all the lands and tenements in Burcombe aforesaid, with their appurtenances, are held of the said Lady Katherine, Queen of England, as of her Manor aforesaid, by the thirtieth part of a knight's fee, and are worth ^4 a year beyond expenses. And that all the lands and tene- ments in Shaston aforesaid, with their appurtenances, are held of the Bishop of Salisbury, but by what services the Jury aforesaid do not know at all, and are worth £6 a year beyond expenses ; and that all the lands and tenements aforesaid in Shurborne aforesaid with their appurtenances, are held of the said Bishop of Salisbury, but by what services the said Jury do not know at all, and are worth £^ a year beyond expenses. And the said Jury say also that all the lands and tenements in Anteox and Oborn, with their appurtenances, are held of the aforesaid Bishop of Sarum, but by what services the said Jury do not know at all, and are worth £% a year beyond expenses. And the said Jury say also that the said William, Lord Stourton, in the said writ named, neither had nor held any other or further lands or tenements in the said County in demesne, reversion or service, and that no other person or Lord La Wan-, now called De La Warr. INQUISITIONS OX THE DEATH OF WILLIAM, 5TH LORD STOURTON. 29I persons had or held any further lands or tenements to the use of the said WilHam on the day he died, in demesne, reversion or service. And the said Jury say also that the said Sir William Stourton, Knight, Lord Stourton, in the writ named, died on the 17th day of February last past, and that Edward, now Lord Stourton, is brother and next heir of the said William, Lord of Stourton, and is of the age of 60 years' and more. In witness whereof, H:c. H';,'if/fiff V'""'^ ''^f ^'■'''>' y^^'^ ^"'l page 285 where his age is staled to be fifty-two years and upwards. r o j t> 2g2 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. The Right Honourable Edward, sixth Baron and Lord Stourton of Stourton, Co. Wilts, third son of William, second Lord Stourton, by Margaret (Chidiock) Lady Stourton, his wife, succeeded as sixth Lord Stourton at the death of his brother William, fifth Lord Stourton. He was probably born about the year 1462. He had livery (19th September, 1524), of the various lands, tenements and hereditaments situated in the counties of Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Hants, Wilts, Gloucester, Essex, and elsewhere in England and the Marches of Wales*. He was summoned to Parliament 1530, and was in the Commission of the Peace for the Counties of Dorset, Somerset and Wilts. In 5 Henry VHL he was nominated by Act of Parliament as one of the " most discreet persons, Justices of the Peace (to quote the words of the Act), for assessing and collecting a subsidy of ;£^i63,ooo by a Poll Tax.t. In 21 Henry VIII. he had summons to Parliament among the Peers, by the title of Sir Edward Stourton, of Stourton, Chivalier:|:. In 22 Henry VIII., with the rest of the Peers then met in Parliament, he subscribed the declaration which was sent to Pope Clement VII, which intimated to His Holiness that unless he complied with the wishes of King Henry VIII. concerning a divorce from Queen Katherine of Arragon, the Papal Supremacy in England would be disowned. § Tlu arms of Stourton impaling those of Fauntlcroy, namely " Gules, tlivee child's heads ajfrontee eouped at the shoulders proper and crined or/' * Patent i6 Henry VIII., part z, m. 7. This was the patent quoted by Dugdale in support of Edward being brother lOf William, but the crucial point w^as it went no further, and therefore did not support Dngdale in his statement that they were sons of William, son of John, 3rd Lord Stourton, for they were really sons with the last Lord, of William, 2nd Lord Stourton. I Rolls of Pariiament 5-6 Henry VIIL, dorso 31. [ Rymer, torn. XIV., page 303. § Rymer, torn. XIV.. page 406. EFFIGY OF AGNES, LADY STOURTON. Edward, 6th Lord Stourton married Asrnes, daughter of John Fauntleroy, of Marsh, near Sherborne, Co. Dorset, by Joane, his wife, daughter and co-heir of John Walsh of Purbeck in that county. On the 2nd January, 21 Henry VIII., Lord and Lady Stourton granted the Manor and Advowson of Upcerne, and lands, tenements and hereditaments there, with one moiety of Melbury-Osmund, to their son, Roger Stourton and Joan, his wife, and the heirs male of Roger Stourton, under the yearly rent of ;^20, payable to the grantors during their respective lives ; and Lord and Lady Stourton released the reversion in the same premises to Roger Stourton and his heirs on ist January. 26 Henry VIII*. Lady Stourton, whilst a widow, lived at Stourton-Caundle, Co. Dorset, which her eldest son had turned into a jointure house. In that church there is now a recumbent effigy which is usually supposed to be of Agnes, Lady Stourton, in a recess in the north wall of the nave, close to the stairs of the rood-loft, under a foliated arch surmounted by a pointed and crocketed canopy, on either side of which are slender pinnacles. But she is believed to have been buried on the south side or wall of the chancel, below the window between the door and piscina, under a short altar-tomb, now destroyed, of alabaster, with four demi-quatrefoil arches at the side. The effigy as described is that of "a lady dressed in a closely fitting- bodice with tight sleeves, the cuffs turned back, with a plain skirt falling in folds to the feet. Round the neck " (the description says), " is a whimple or cravat, and over the shoulders is a cloak open in front and falling to the feet, fastened across the neck by a looped cord, the ends of which, after passing through a boss or button on the breast beneath the hands — which are folded in the attitude of prayer — fall away to the right and left half way down the skirt. The remains of a small tassel are attached to the end of the left hand cord, but that on the right has been broken away. Round the waist, and sloping to the left, is an embroidered girdle fastened with a buckle on the left side of the effigy, beyond which a long end of the girdle depends. An open hood covers the upper part and sides of the head and reaches nearly to the elbows. The head rests on two cushions, one above the other, the upper supported by a small Angel on either side, but now much mutilated. The forepart of the feet has been broken away. The most important part (not disclosed in Hutchin's Dorset), of the eflfigy consists of the small carvings contained in the folds of the cloak on either side of the skirt, on the right hand being the diminutive figures of eight girls, and on the left three boys, and below the latter of these figures a man in gown and hood with rosaryt. The hands are folded but the heads are gone. These figures L'pcenie Title Deeds. I Probably a priest. Tbis throws some little doubt upon the identification of the effigy, as Lady Stourton is only known to have had five children (see pages 299-302, namely four sons and one danghteri, and it is unknown also whether any one of her sons was a priest. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. doubtless represented the children of Lady Stourton dying in her lifetime." The monument was artistically executed and must have been a beautiful piece of work when it issued from the hands of the sculptor. The slab, from which it was carved, measures 52 inches in length and is 16 inches in width. Traces of colour (red) still remain adjacent to the small figures*. This monument was probably erected by the 7th Lord Stourton, who is shewn by his letters to have been a very dutiful son. Lord Stourton was an overseer and Roger Fauntleroy was an executor of the will dated 25th November, 1539, proved (15 Spert) on the 30th January, 1542, of Sir Nicholas Wadham, of Merryfield, Somerset, Knight, who had married Jane, (whose will was dated 22nd July, and proved [29 Wrastley] jist August, 1557), daughter of Robert Hill, of Houndston, Somerset, by Alice his wife, daughter of John Stourton, of Preston and Brimpton, uncle of the first Lord Stourton. On the 31st December, 1531, Sir William Stourton (afterwards the 7th Baron), writing from Stourton to Cromwell, asked Cromwell to obtain the king's license for Lord Stourton, his father, to be absent from the Parliament for January 15th, stating he was so feeble by reason of his great age that he could not go alive half way to London, and he had not been on horseback for four years and more, while his mother was of great age and had lost her sight. Sir William Stourton proceeded to state that his parents thought never to see each other alive again if his father took this journey, and asked that he might also be excused from Parliament for it would be greatly to his profit. Then the writer asks Crom- well to favour Thomas Sherborne, Prior of Sherborne, Co. Dorset, in the causes which Sir William Stourton lately moved for him, and adding that Sir William would see all sums duly paid which Cromwell promised for the furtherance thereof^ and if Cromwell also should think his labour well bestowed, his father sends Crom- well by his brother the bearer 20 nobles to buy a tun of wine. Lord Stourton and Sir Walter Shingford wrote from Stourton, on 15th April 1533, to Cromwell, that they desired his favour for the bearer, who could not obtain right. On the 17th May, 1533, Lord Stourton wrote to Cromwell that there was delivered to Lord Stourton by a friend of his, one of the monks of the Charter House of Witham, Co. Somerset, named Dan Peter Watts, who deposed that the Prior of the Charterhouse, Henton, came in time past to the Prior of Wi'tham in Lent, and said that the night before he had a marvellous vision ; that he saw a stage ryall whereupon stood all the nobles of the realm, who by one consent drew up into the stage the Queen that then was, as he thought, by a line, to which he put his hand, and sore repented his folly that he had so much done in prejudice of the law * Somerset and Dorset N., & Q. ; Hutcbin's Dorset, aud Cott. Lib. Julius, F. VI., p. 366. LORD STOURTON S LETTERS TO CROMWELL. of God and Holy Church ; and further, he said, striking himself upon the breast, •■ God defend that ever I should consent to so unjust and unlawful a deed." The said Peter said he had other secrets concerning the King and Queen, which he reserved for their ears ; and Lord Stourton sent him up to Cromwell, and begged Cromwell's favour for the Prior of Sherborne. On the i6th of September, 1533, Lord Stourton wrote to Cromwell from Stourton, that the Abbot and Convent of Bruton had granted to the bearer, John White, an annuity of /lo and other profits in pa.st time, which the then present Abbot withheld contrary to right, and begged Cromwell's charitable interference in the matter. Lord Stourton again wrote on the 28th of October next following, begging Cromwell to favour him and his neighbour in the matter the bearer would show Cromwell, stating that there was never more need of some remedy being provided in these parts (Stourton and neighbourhood) than now. Christopher Hales wrote from Gray's Inn on St. Nicholas Eve, the 5th of December, 1533, to Cromwell, that whereas he himself had asked Cromwell to favour Dan John Barstable, Monk of Sherborne, Dorset, to be Abbot there, if the present Abbot should die, he (Hales) was informed that Sir William Stourton (Lord Stourton's son) had come that day to the city to labour for the Prior to be Abbot, &c. Lord Stourton wrote from Bonham* on the 13th of June, 1534, to Cromwell, that "last night" the Prior of Taunton was deceased, of which (Priory) the Bishop of Winchester was founder, and begged Cromwell's favour for a Canon of the house of Bruton, called Richard Hart, that by Cromwell's interposition he might be pre- ferred to the Priory, and Lord Stourton would give Cromwell 200 marks sterling immediately after he was in possession, or as much more as anyone else would offe'r and £20 besides : if Cromwell would make Mr. Norris favourable. Lord Stourton would give him /40 ; stating also that much effort was being made for it, but that Lord Stourton's trust was in Cromwell. To which Lord Stourton added the following postcript : That he had been at the Charterhouse in the county aforesaid to take the oaths of the Prior and Monks, but the Prior had gone a pilgrimage these 14 days, and that seven of his Monks would not take any oath till the Prior returned and was sworn first, and asking Cromwell to let him know what he was to do if they continued in their refusal. Henry Norrice, writing from Greenwich on Saturday, the 15th of -^I^'y- 1535. to Cromwell, asked him to favour ^Master Stourton in his suit. John Compton, writing from Ewell, on the 26th of November, 1535, thanked Cromwell for his kindness at Winchester when Compton required a letter to Lord Stourton. ♦ This is important as showing that Lord Stourton held Bonham of the Lords of the fee before Leland visited the place, and that a house was then standing of which he might have been the builder. 2g6 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. The original will of Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, is still extant and is preserved in Somerset House.* It runs as follows : In the name of god amen. The yere of our lord god m'' v"- xxxv'°- the xxvj'"- daye of Nove'bre. That I Edwarde lorde Stourton, at the date hereof hole bothe of mynde and of bodye, consideringe when I do remembre my self by the course of nature, that my tyme is but shorte uppon the erthe, perceyvinge also parfitly that no thinge ys more sure then deathe, nothinge more unsurer the howre therof, to make me reddy a yenste his comynge ys my entent w' the heipe of God, desiringe to provyde for the welthe of my soule, and to come to the joyes of eternall felicite. And this I do make my testament and my last will yn manner and fourme as shall followe. Furst I com'ende my soule to almightye god my maker, my bodye to the eirthe, willinge it to be buryed in the northe yle of my p'ishe churche, the place of me before assigned. Besydes this I do ordeigne and appoynte all my dettes to be paied (that done) I bequeth our ladye church of Sar' xs. It' to my parishe churche, xxs. It' to the p'ishe churche of Stourton Candell, xxs. It' to my sonne and heire my chayne my best gowne and my best dublett w' all other ymplements of my howse, the whiche were my lordes my brothers. It' to my brother Tristram Fawntleroye thre pounde six shillinges and Eight pence, a golde ringe w' the F"awkens hedd sett yn hyme. It' to my Sonne Roger Stourton thre poundes six shillinges and eight pence, a hope of gold, and half my rayment. It' to my sonne Xp'ofer thre pounds six shillinges and eight pence, and the other half of my rayment. It' to my godsone Edwarde Fawtleroye xLs. And to my gentill women and to my chappelyns their half yeres wages. It' to all other of my daile howsholde s'unts t beinge in s'vice w' me att the date hereof, so contynuynge untill my departinge, their quarters wages, besides that the whiche ys due to them for their s'vice. It' to my s'unts Gyles Berysley and John Goldyeney their half yeres wages. It' to my s'unte Agnes Wevers xs., to see that those thinges of me purposed be kept and perfourmed, I the foresaide Edwarde Lorde Stourton do electe and ordeyne to be my hole and sole executrice my Lady my wyfe, Agnes Stourton, to whome for the premisses and my pretence to be fulfilled, I do give all my goodes moveable and unmoveable unbequethed, denyynge and revokinge all other testaments by me afore made, willinge this to stande in his full streno-th. If it so happenyth that my Lady my wyf Agnes Stourton by my life depart owte of this worlde, or els after my diceas before dewe approbac'on of this my p'nte » F.C.C., 31 Hogen. t Servants. WILL AND SIGNATURE OF EDWARD, 6tH LORD STOURTON. 297 will, Then by this my will, that my Sonne and heir sir William Stourton be my hole executuor, com'aundynge hyme to perfourme my will in all poyntes as farre fourthe as my Lady his mother. Moreover sonne I com'ande youe that all those that have hadd anny graunte or estatis made by me or my officers for me by my tyme, for yeres or terme of lif, or otherwyse, that ye suffre them to enjoye it peaseably w'oute interruption, turbac'on, color deceyte, or otherwise, made by youe or your assignes under the payne that shall ensue ty youe at the straite daie of examynac'on of our lorde J'hu Criste. And over this yf ye do obs've and Kepe upholde and strengthe all this my foresaid will and intent, for the welthe of my soule, ye shall have goddes blessinge and myne. In wittnesse hereof I the forsaid Edwarde the yere and daye beforenamyd do putte my seale and Signe manuell. These Wittnesses Will'm Hargell and sir Thomas Jurdeyne priste. Edward Sturton. Probatum fuit suprascriptum testamentum coram Domino. Apud London xvij"° die mens' Januarij Anno Domini Mill'imo Quingen'mo xxxv'". Jurament' Will'mi Hargell procuratoris domini Will'mi Stourton executoris in h'mo'i testa- mento no i'at Ac approbatum et insinuatum. Et com'issa fuit admi'strac'o omT et singulorum bonorum jurium et creditorum diet' defunct' prefat' executori m h'mo'i testamento no'i'at, de bene etc. Ac de pleno et fideli Jnventario om'i' et smgulorum bonorum et debitor' h'mo'i conficiend' Necnon de piano et vero compoto reddend' Ad Sancta del Ev'ngelia in p'sona diet' procuratoris Jurat'. The signature attached to the will, which is reproduced below in facsimile,* is characteristic of the period. It is worthy of note that Lord .Stourton signed " Edward Sturton." Tht- Christian name also appears in the signatures of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, and Edward, loth Lord Stourton. No signatures have been discovered of the jth or 9th Barons. The eleventh Lord Stourton appears to have been the earliest to adopt the more modern custom of signing only with the designation of his Peerage. ♦ (•'hotogi.iphed from the original will now preserved at Somerset House. 2^8 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Sepulchral Effigies in St. Peter's Church at Stourtox OF Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, AND OF Agnes, Lady Stourton, his Wife. Reproduced (Plate V.) from Sir Richard Colt Hoares " History of the Hundred of Mere, Co. Wilts." ISSUE OF EDWARD, 6tH LORD STOURTON. 2g9 Lord Stourton died on the 13th of December, 27th of Henry VIII., and William Stourton was found to be his son and next heir, then aged 30 years and more, and he accordingly succeeded. Lord Stourton, as will be seen from the foregoing copy of his will, bequeathed his body to be buried in the north aisle of St. Peter's Church at Stourton, in which church a tomb was raised showing the sepulchral effigies of Lord and Lady Stourton, on which were impaled the respective arms of Stourton and Fauntleroy, the accompanying illustration of the figures on the tomb being repro- duced from the work of Sir Richard Colt Hoare. Lord Stourton, by his wife? Agnes (Fauntleroy), Lady Stourton, had issue : I. -Peter Stourton,* eldest son. He died unmarried, and in the lifetime of his father. No authority has hitherto correctly described him as eldest son, which he undoubtedly was, as is evidenced by the indenture between his father and Edmund Dudley, by which it was agreed that the said Peter should marry a daughter of Edmund Dudley. In this indenture, which is a contemporary document, and which IS quoted in full in the Inq. P. M. of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, Peter is described as son and heir apparent. That he died before his father is proved by the fact that the latter in his will omits all mention of Peter, and describes Sir William as his son and heir. There is also the definite statement in the same Inquisition that Peter died at Stourton before the solemnization of the projected marriage, and that therefore William, the son, &c. The Inq. P. M. will be found printed in full in the Appendix. II. The Right Honourable Sir William Stourton, who succeeded as 7th Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts, in the Peerage of England, and of whom here- after. I I I. Roger Stourton, of Ruston, Co. Dorset, J. P., second son, and not eldest son and heir, as stated in the - Complete Peerage." He married Joan Bures,t whose brother, Mr. Bures, had Roger Stourton's ambling gelding under his will. On the 2nd of January, 21st of Henry VIII., he had to the use of himself and Joan his wife, and his * G. E C. in his •• Complete Peeragf," stales that Peter was the second son, and that he married Elizabeth Dudley, and died ../. and ...^ ■496-97, -hen his widow married William, afier^^trds 7^10^ Stourton According to an illuminated pedigree of the Stourton lamily drawn uu i„ ,688 an, nn J „ ,h of Lord .Mowbray, Segrave, and Stourton, William is showVto be thVelJest 's™ pTr i sho'^To'be unmarried, and his arms are marked with a crescent (as second son) whiUt he Trm^ „f w depicted differenced by a mullet (as third son). A Peter Stourton (■suooo"ed , , h, K time of the three Etlwards) had a^aughter, Dyana, whrma^ned Ri^r^P i'r b • wh'rshrh'a'two children, Amhony Pisiar wt,o married Mabel, daughter of Sir John Chidiuck and fane Pistar „hn married Robert Dennis, of Co. Glo'ster (Berry's '■ Hants Genealogies ") ' •' ' t In a paiiited.pcdigree datea l6S8, now m the possession of Lord Mowhrav S»„ra.,. ,„.r c. . u ■ styled ••Jane dau. of . . . Birch of Essex.^^The imp.alement shows tearfns of B^^^^ Essex, namelv, "gules, on a chevron between three griffin's heads ern<,^ / on a chief embattled of the Jield, three slips of birch ^ti' '■'''^^''l argent, as many lozenges azure. 300 HISTORY' OF THK NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. heirs male, by grant from Lord and Lady Stourton, subject to his paying them £20 yearly during their respective lives, the manor and advowson of Upcerne, with all the lands, tenements, hereditaments, and premises appertaining to the same, and one moiety of the Manor of Melbury Osmond, Co. Dorset, the reversion of which premises was released by Lord Stourton at the special instance of Lady Stourton to him and his heirs, on the ist of January, 26th of Henry VII 1., which premises, on Roger Stourton dying without issue, passed to his nephew and heir, Charles, 8th Lord Stourton. On the attainder of the last named they passed to the Crown, which, in the 14th of Elizabeth, by Letters Patent, conveyed the premises (Upcerne being in fee and all holden of the Royal Manor of East Greenwich, and which were specifically designated as having lately belonged to Roger Stourton, Esquire, and afterwards to Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, attainted) to John Mershe, Esquire, and Francis Green- ham, his trustee, and the heirs of John Mershe in fee simple. Other lands in Mel- liury Osmond, lately belonging to Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, attainted, were granted (29th Elizabeth) to Theophilus Adams* of London, and others, and their heirs in fee simple. It is believed that MelburyOsmond was held by members of the Stourton family as lessees of the Arundells, as it was not mentioned in the Stourton Inquisitions, and in the 9th of Elizabeth Mathew Arundell certainly had a moiety of the manor. He was probably Sir Mathew Arundell, of Wardour, ancestor of the Lords Arundell of Wardour. The manor is not mentioned in the Inquisition after the death of Sir John Chidlock as passing to his two daughters and co-heirs, but it is evident that the Stourtons and Arundells each had a moiety of Melbury Osmond, and the reason it did not again devolve on the heir at the death of Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, was because he had conveyed in his lifetime the fee simple of his moiety to his son, Roger Stourton. Roger Stourton, by his will, which is dated the 28th of January, 1550, and was proved the 3rd of March, 1550,+ by Jane Stourton,j his relict, described himself as of Ruston, Dorset, Esquire. He desired to be buried at Ruston, and appointed that his wife should enjoy his Manor of Upcerne after his decease to the use of Dorothy Stourton, his niece, during her life, if she be governed by Jane, his wife, or by Lord Stourton, his nephew, whom he nominated an overseer of his will with Sir John Rogers, Knight. He bequeathed legacies to his nephews, John Stourton, William Stourton, George Stourton, and Giles Stourton, as shown under their names, they being respectively brothers of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton ; also to Francis, Mary, Edward (called god- * He also had other grants of Crown lands in Bucks. Essex and other counties, and inherited large estates in Crawley, Astwood and Clifton-Re) nes, Co. Buclis, under the will of William Adams, of Turvey, Beds, gent., the entail of which he barred and then resettled the property. t 7 Bucke. The statement in the '* Complete Peerage,'' that he died v.p. is trroneous. J Was she the Jane Stourton who complained against Charles, Lord Slourton ? See Acts of the Privy Council. It is quite likely that, on Roger Stourton's death, Lord Stourton sought in some way to enforce his title to Upcerne and Melbury Osmond. ISSUE OF CHRISTOPHER AND LEONARD STOURTON. 301 son) and Katherine Rogers ;* also to Mr. Bures, his wife's brother, and his sister, + Kinge, leaving the residue to his wife and appointing her executrix. IV. Christopher Stourton, of Little Langford, Co. Wilts, married Elizabeth Dennis. In the illuminated pedigree dated 1688, now in the possession of Lord Mowbray and Stourton, she is described as " daughter of . . . Dennis of Kent. " The Dennis arms are there blazoned " argent, a fesse nebuly purpure between three rteurs-de-lis azure." Stourton Gate and Stourton Hall were known in Little Langford, the Lords Stourton being Lords of Little Langford and Alton Dangens as early as the reign of Edward IV. Christopher Stourton is mentioned in the survey of his father s manors, lands, tenements, and other hereditaments in 27 Henry VIII. By his wife he had issue : 1. — I homas Stourton. 2. — Edmund Stourton, of Horningsham, Wilts, gent., who married Ann, daughter of Francis Lewis.J of Milton Lewis, Co. Bucks, by whom he had issue : i. — Honor Stourton, who died young in 1562, and was buried at Horningsham. ii. — Frances Stourton, who married Matthew Burgh, of Norwich. iii. — Dorothy Stourton. iv. — Jane Stourton, wife of Bartholomew Capell, of How-Capell in Co. Hereford, by whom she had issue. V. — Ann Stourton. vi. — Susanna Stourton. 3. — Leonard Stourton, of Little Langford, gent., who in Hilary term, 1591, was sued by Hugh Mousfield for an alleged encroachment on the Parsonage of Little Langford, involving also right of common there. i; He married . . . Bravell, by whom he had issue : Hercules Stourton, of Little Langford and Queen's College, gent., born 1579. Aged 11 years on 24th July, 1590. He sued Richard Harvey, brother and executor of Jeremy Harvey deceased, for discovery of bonds and writings in defendant's possession relative to money owed him by * Probably cousin? : hi-i aunt Mary .Stourion, his father's sister, had married Henry Rog»rs. t Probably his sister-in-law ; he is not known to have had any such sister. t The Lewis arms emblazoned in the i6S8 pedigree are "sable, a chevron belween three trefoils argent." § Exchq. Depons. by Comm. 302 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. deceased, for ascertaining what personal estate had come to the hands of defendant for purpose of recovering out of any assets then in defendant's hands. Richard Harvey sued him, and Hercules Stourton, by his plea and answer of i6th January, 1640, rebutted the charge alleged that he had procured a loan of ^^40 from Jeremy Harvey for paying the fine or premium on renewal of his lease of the manor, farm, messuage and lands of Dangen's* Langford, in Little Langford, which he had held by grant of Henry, Earl of Pembroke, and William, then Earl of Pembroke. The Stourton arms were sculptured in stone, and a shield bearing " H.S." (which Sir Richard Colt Hoare erroneously thought stood for Henry instead of " Hercules" Stourton), with the motto " Espoir en Dieu," and the sledge, the badge of the Lords Stourton (which is here used as a crest), Appeared in the church there, of which the Barons Stourton had been patrons, as well as having been Lords of the Manor for many generations. This shield of arms is now in thg outer wall of the church, and has an impalement, now undecipher- able, which would seem to indicate that Hercules was married. 4. — Jane Stourton, married William Driver, of Limehouse, in Middlesex. 5. — Dorothy Stourton, married (1) Robert Bures of Brookhall (or Broxhall), Essex, gent., and (2) John Keyle, of the same county. She was called niece in the will of her uncle I^oger Stourton, of Ruston. V. — Mary Stourton, who died unmarried. [A John Stourton was the last Abbot of Keynsham Abbey, Co. Somerset, which had been dedicated to the V^irgin Mary and SS. Peter and Paul, and he was the Abbot who surrendered the possessions of that Abbey to the Crown on the 29th January, 1539, having had assigned to him a yearly pension of £60 for life, on i8th August, 1534. His name appears as Abbot about 1528, and in the * Named after the Daungcns family, who also held Marston Bigot and Priory lands in Maiden Bradley. These lands are found belonging to the Lords .Stourton, and the Lambard family of Maiden Bradley. In Marston Bigot there was a Daungen's tenement. MANNER OF SPELLING THE NAME OF STOURTON. 303 Vahr Ecclesiasticus he is written as " Joh'nis Sto--ton nUc abb'tis," of Keynsham Abbey. This was the manner in which the names of the 3rd, 6th, and 7th Barons Stourton were entered, viz., the 3rd Baron as " Joh'nis de Sto'ton " ; the 6th Bar6n as " d'no de Sto'ton " ; and the 7th Baron as " Will'm Sto'ton Militem," when he acted as a Commissioner of the First Fruits Office. The " r " being raised pointed to the abbreviation of the surname by the omission of " u ". In 6 Edward VI. Thomas Bridges (brother of John, Lord Chandos) purchased the site of Keynsham Abbey.] 304 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON The Right Honourable WilHam, seventh Baron and Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts, in the Peerage of England, and of Stourton House, in Tothill Fields, Westminster,* was Knighted the ist of November, 1523, and was Deputy-General of Newhaven and the Marches adjacent in France. He was by birth the second, but was the eldest surviving son and heir of Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, by Agnes (Fauntleroy), Lady Stourton, his wife. William, 7th Lord Stourton, was summoned to Parliament 28 Henry VIII., and had livery of his father's lands in the 33rd year of Henry VIII. When his father died on the 13th of December, 27th of Henry VIII. (1535), he was found to be his son and next heir, and was then aged 30 years and upwards (having been born about the year 1505), and he accordingly succeeded his father in the Peerage and family estates. On the 14th of March, 19th of Henry VIII., as Sir William Stourton, he obtained from the Crown a repairing lease for 24 years of the Priory lands in Maidenbradley, which had formed the Manor of Maidenbradley or Lambard's Manor. It had belonged to the Priory there, and became vested in the Crown on the death of Thomas Lambert, through his son being of nonage, and Lord Stourton was chief steward for the Priory of Maydenbradley as late as the time of the dissolu- tion of that Priory. Lord Stourton was in the Commission of the Peace for the Counties of Dorset, Somerset, and Wilts, and bore the towel at the christening, on the 15th of October, 1537, of Prince Edward (afterwards Edward VI.), the only son of Henry VIII. In a letter from Richard, Bishop of Dover, to Cromwell in 1538, it is stated that the Warden of Dorchester had let for ^4 a mill there worth £10 a year, the King to do the repairs, which the Warden said had been held by Lord Stourton for si.x; years and no rent paid ; that Lord Stourton claimed the whole house on the plea that he had the mill and grounds, which he seised into the King's hands, and retained the miller to the King's use, and charged the bailiffs with the " sight " of it, and ordered two horses and hay for them. * This included, besides the house, a garden with ten acres of arable and ten acres of meadow land. The house was near the entrance to Tothill Fields, and is shown, with the grounds, on a plan taken from Norden's survey in 1593. The premises passed under the Inquisition of William, 7th Lord Stourton, taken at the Castle m St. John's Street, Clerkenwell, on the 22rd of November, 154S, to Charles', 8th Lord Stourton, and from him to the Lords Dacre of the South. The loth, and last, Lord Dacre of the South rebuilt Stourton House. Strutton Grounds is a corruption of " Stourton Ground," and the name "Strutton Ground" has survived to the present day. The Gaol Delivery Rolls show that at Stunon Ground, in St. Margaret's, Westminster," a coroner's inquest was held on the 3rd of Mav, 9th of Charles I., on the remains of Arthur Slea, of the same parish, labourer. A Stourton Lane was by the side of the house, and led to Stourton Grounds. WILLIAM, 7TH LORD STOURTON. AS DEPUTY-GEXERAL OF NEWHAVEN. 305 Lord Stourton was a disting-uished soldier and in favour with Henry VIII. Whilst Deputy-General at Newhaven he sent many letters concerning- his official duties there to the Privy Council, respecting the works at Newhaven, and on the 20th October, 1547, Lord Stourton was required by the Council to repair to the Parliament, putting in the room of himself and Lord Cobham for the meantime in their absence from Newhaven, the Marshals of Calais and Newhaven. On the 7th February, 1547, Lord Stourton wrote from Newhaven to the Council that yesterday he had received theirletters and the proclamation of the king, apprising him of the de- cease of his late Majesty, and Lord Stourton trusted the son might follow the worthy steps of his most noble and redoubtable father, and promised he would endeavour to discharge the duties entrusted to him to the uttermost of his power. From a letter of the Council to Sir Richard Morysine on 6th February, 1547, it appears that the king died on Friday se'nnight, and in a letter of the previous day from the Council at Calais to the Council in England, it appears that yesterday afternoon on the Emperor's post arriving out of England, the death of the King their late Master was declared to the Council at Calais, the King being described as " a loving master, a precious sovereign, and a prudent governor." A curious method of paying com- pliments to a lady is shewn in letters of Lord Stourton of 25th and 26th March, 1547, when in writing to the Lord Protector, he gives, "my humble commend- ations to the Duchess, your Grace's bedfellow." Lord Stourton was, at the beginning of the First Fruits Office, appointed one of the Commissioners for Co. Somerset, as William Stourton, Knight, to rate all Ecclesiastical Preferments, as the Pope being then "dead" in England, Henry "VIII. was found to be his heir at common law. The Commissioners then appointed were the chief persons in their county under the degree of Barons, and were men of unquestionable extraction. Strype wrongly supposed this Lord Stourton to have been one of the twelve mourners at the funeral of Edward VI., but as he was then dead it necessarily follows that it was his son, the 8th Lord Stourton. On the i8th January, 1543, Lord Stourton purchased of the Crown the Manor of Kilmington, with all its rights, members, and appurtenances, in the County of Somerset, for ;£;'i,264 2s. 6^6., to be holden of the Crown in chief by the 20th part of a knight's fee. It had formed a part of the property of the lately dissolved Monastery of Shaftesbury, under whom it had been held by William Hartgill, steward to Lord Stourton, who on 20th January, 1543, had license from the Crown to alienate, sell and confirm certain of the premises, bux 3o6 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. not the Manor itself, to William Hartgill, his heirs and assigns for ever, for a nominal consideration of 13/4; and the Manor of Kilmington, holden in chief of the Crown, was escheated on the attainder of the 8th Lord Stourton. This was undoubtedly an assignment to William Hartgill by way of a trust, although William Hartgill claimed them as his own, eventually bequeathing the same in his will ; but Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, had caused his men to enter on the lands on 12th January, 1556, dispossessing Hartgill, and they held the same on 14th August, 1556, when they were charged before the Justices at Frome. The case was adjourned to 20th January, 1557, but Hartgill and his son were murdered 8 days before that date, on the anniversary of the entry by Lord Stourton's men. As appears from the three letters which follow, Lord Stourton purchased in 1 541 from Walter Devereux, Lord Ferrers, for ^^2,600, all his lands in Somerset, to be held by Lord Stourton and his heirs and assigns for ever. This included the Manor of Norton-Ferrers in Kilmington, which "neither Lord Ferrers or any of his heirs could thereafter make claim thereto," and it will be noticed also that Lord Stourton in writing to Hartgill makes certain complaints against him of a somewhat pertinent character. " My very good lorde. In my right hartie wise I recomende me unto yo'' good lordshipp ; it maye lyke yo" by thessameto be advertysed that I have receyved by th'ands of yor servt Willm Hartgill this bero'' the som of xxvi hundred marks sterlyng in full contentation and paiement for the Sale I have made unto yo" of all my lands in Somersett Shire, as shall appere by the Endenture und^" my signe manuall and scale, the counf^payn thereof remayning with me under yo^ syne and seale ; and have signed and sealed all suche wrytings as he hathe brought unto me. And so the sayd lands ar to yo" and yo"^^ far ev'', and nother I nor any of myne can hereaftr mak clayme therunto, as knoweth Almighty God, who preserve yo'' good lordshipp long here to continew in helthe with muche encrease of hono^ toyoi^gentell herte's desyre. From Bewdeley the xliijth Daye of July, [c 1541]. By me yof frend assured Walter Devereux Lorde Ferrers." " To the right honable his very good Lord my Lord Sturton, his good lordshipp, be theis given." WILLIAM, 7TII LORD STOURTON's LETTERS TO \VILLL\M HARTGILL. 307 " Hartgill. I wolde you shoulde sett uppon my newe barne so soone as you may gett masons bycause the worke is greate. I thinke the tymber worke muste be all newe for the old ruffe will not serve in bredethe as I here saye. Marre not my barne for lack of bredethe. I' will have hym xxx foote w\'thin the walles. Let myne owne men whiche have borde-wages help somet)'mes. I am not contented that my wyffe doth goo so farre a brode as I here saye she dothe. Yf my cusen Richard Zouche [from "my" to " Zouche " struck out with the pen] do cum to youe for any money lett hym have xl pounds, so that he wyll bynde his lands . . . for hyt to be payde at a daye." "From Newhaven the seconde off Marche" [c 1546] " Your lovynge master '■ W. Stourton" "To my trustyie Servante " William Hartgill " — Seal : the arms of Stourton. Docketed by Charles, Lord Stourton, " my fader's letf to Hartgyll for the buylding of the barn." " Hartgill. Whearas I sende you worde yn my laste letters that you weare not so trustye unto me yn my absence as I thowght yowe to have ben, I fynde daylye b)' trewe reporte made unto me that yowe seke youre owne gayne more then my comodytie and honor, but I entende to take an accompte of yowe (whyche I never yet dyd) at my nexte commyng over ; then shall I trye your honestie. You have receavyed the whole profyts of my landes synce I departed firste oute off Inglande, aud youe saye my barne standethe me yn grete charges, but I trust not so grete. Also yowe put )'n newe men at youre plesure as thoughe my olde .servaunts werre not worthy truste. You have made Harry Sethe and John Butler chief controllers over my men, and Harry Sethe makethe a high waye ynto my parke and carieth m\' haye awaye by nighte whiche shulde serve to preserve my dere. Also )'owe have sett yn a newe keper ynto my Parke wythout my knolege b_\' meanes whereof I have lost a C dere and more. Wherfor I comaunde yowe to avoyde him oute of the parke agayne. I wolde yow shude send for my Sonne [in-law] Brent and cause hym to remayne at Stourton untill I come home, for I here saye he dothe lytle goode by hys rayking abrode and specially to Syr William Carent's ; also at youre next beinge at London I wold )-ow shuld repayre to my daughter Clynton, and tell her for a directe answer that I nether maye nor will lett my farm of Henton to any bodye. Yf I do she shall have her requeste, but yowe knovve I entende to kepe yt for my provision after Collins yeres be 3o8 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. expired and so aunser her ; and as for the matter in the ende of your letter, tell her she shall not nede to care for my dishonour. I wolde you shuld see better to my profytts then the reporte ys made. I wolde be sorry to find them all trewe. From Newhaven the xxith of June." " W. Stourton." "To my trusty servaunt William Hartg-ill." — Seal as before. Docketed by Charles, Lord Stourton, " My fader's letf to Hartgyll." Now it will be seen that all these letters actually came into the possession of Charles, Sth Lord Stourton, and afterwards into that of Sir John Thynne, but when or by what means is not known. In dealing with the life of Lord Stourton's son it will be apparent that Sir John Thynne certainly sided with Hartgill and Thomas Chafyn, and when one reads the concluding paragraphs of John Foxe's narrative it will be noticed that vague but pertinent allusions are made to the prejudice of Charles, Lord Stourton, respecting his alleged conduct towards Chafyn and Willoughby. Chafyn's own conduct towards Lord Stourton is fully shewn, but as to Willoughby little is known, although it is evident here that he must have been a friend of the Hartgills, and as the Hartgills and Willoughbys intermarried, it necessarily followed also to Sir John Thynne and Chafyn. For we find that in 40 Eliz., Messrs. Hartgill and Willoughby obtained from the Crown almost the whole of the Kilmington and Norton-Ferrers property, which had belonged to and became escheated on the attainder of Charles, Lord Stourton. It will also be seen that Thomas Chafyn had acquired on the like attainder many of the estates that belonged to Charles, Lord Stourton. So that it seems probable that the source from whence John Foxe acquired his information was from Hartgill's descendants, from Thomas Chafyn and Willoughby, and some part most certainly through Sir John Thynne. This fact alone must always cause Foxe's narrative to be dis- trusted as a partial and biassed account, emanating from the opponents in life of Lord Stourton. The vindictiveness of Foxe towards Catholics in general and Lord Stourton in particular, as a Catholic writer and an upholder of Roman Catholicism in the Upper House in the reign of Oueen Mary, is another pro- minent reason. The letters of the Duke of Somerset to Sir John Thynne, and that of the latter to Mr. Wolseley, clearly proves that Sir John sided with William Hartgill, for his letter to Mr. Wolseley clearly indicates that. One cannot agree with all Sweetman says regarding Charles, Lord Stourton, when he speaks of Lord Stourton being "hot headed''. No man, suffering from insults and gross injustice from a discharged servant, as we find Lord Stourton ESTATES SOLD BY HARTGILL FOK WILLIAM, /TH LORD STOURTON. 3O9 undoubtedly was, would be likely to show a tranquil and amiable disposition. He knew he had been defrauded of property, paid for by his father, but which Hartgill, ostensibly buying for his master, had actually had conveyed to himself. Speaking of Hartgill, Sweetman says : " He appeared to grow too big for his boots, and he became, like other stewards of rich men, also rich, having lands in Shaftesbury, Bristol, Kilmington, Motcombe, and East Knoyle, besides much cattle and money. . . ." " He was entrusted by the 7th Lord Stourton with the carrying out of most important transactions, amongst others the purchase of the estate of Norton-Ferrers and the payment of the purchase-money on behalf of his Lordship ; in short, the whole matter appears to have been entrusted to him. ... At last William, Lord Stourton, suspected him, and wrote to him as shown in the letter of the 2 1 St June, 1546- • • • Charles, Lord Stourton, appears to have suspected Hartgill still more, as in many ways he had found him undoubtedly acting in hostility." In addition to being entrusted by Lord Stourton with the purchase of Lord Ferrers' property (some of which Hartgill was holding at his death of the heirs of Lord Ferrers, notwithstanding the letter of Lord Ferrers to William, Lord Stourton, that he had sold to his Lordship all his lands in Somersetshire, which neither Lord Ferrers nor any of his could thereafter make claim thereunto'), Hartgill was also charged with the sale of many of the family estates for his master. Thus he sold some estates in Co. Dorset to Messrs. Gerard Brown and Fisher for ^480 ; the Essex estate, which had come through the Moigne family to the Stourtons, to Sir Ralph Warren, Lord Mayor of London, for fjoo. The estates in Co. Wilts, com- prising the manor and advowson of Hilperton, property in Alton, Ashton (Steeple), Maddington, Marston, Potterne, Poulshot, and Worton, to Thomas Long, Esquire, of Trowbridge, for ^2,100; besides the estates at Shipton Moyne, Co. Gloucester, and Faston-Grey, Co. Wilts. In the parish of Hilperton there was formerly a charity, now lost, and the Parliamentary returns for 1786 showed that John, Lord de Zouch, . . . Seymour, and W'illiam, Lord Stourton, gave land for the church and parish of Hilperton to James, William, and Stephen Slade, William P>yer, and John William Spragg [the date is erroneously given as 1555, but the 7th Lord Stourton was then dead]. The Charity Commissioners, however, could not trace the same. In a manu- script account at Longleat belonging to William Hartgill the sale of these estates was entered by him, and it contains a schedule for a few years down to 1548, showing that he received .1^2,073 2S. od., for rents, sales of wood, &c., as steward to William, Lord Stourton. It is found that Lord Stourton sold the Manor of Ve.\ford in 310 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Stogumber, to John Sweeting, gent. At the time of Hartgill's death, notwithstanding his undoubted misappropriation of Lord Stourton's property, it is declared by his will that Charles, Lord Stourton, owed him ^368 6s. 8d., value of money, corn, cattle, and debts which Hartgill alleged Lord Stourton owed and wrongfully kept from him. This is shown to have been the amount of the damages (assessed on the oath of William Hartgill alone) in the life of the 8th Lord Stourton. The property at West Ashton in Steeple Ashton indicates how the name of Stourton was perpetuated in " Stourton Farm " and "Stourton Hill," both of these having been called after the family. The reversion of the Gloucestershire property appears to have been vested in the Crown, from which the Stourtons held in chief, and in 40 Elizabeth the Jury found that Shipton-Moyne and Shipton-Dovell, and the advowson t)f the church, were held of the Queen in chief, by the 40th part of a knight's fee, and were worth £21 2s. od., clear of all expenses. The property was sold by William, Lord Stourton (who obtained a licence from the Crown), in 1543, to John Hodges, Esquire, and probably included with this was the whole of the property which had come to the Stourtons in that county from the Moyne family. From the title deeds the Stourtons appear, as Lords of Shipton Moyne, to have claimed suit of court or other kind of acknowledgment from the owner of Estcourt ; for William, Lord Stourton, wrote : " Estcourt, I gryte you well. . . . And where it is so that ye have oxen of my fermers of Shepton I will and comande you that ye deliv'' or cause to be deliv^'ed the same oxen agayne and to take yor tenants oxen that be in the kepynge of my seid fermor. . . . And also I will ye certifie me shortly howe I shall be awnshered of suche sute as ye ofte right to doo unto my Court of Shepton. . . . And also wyll advise you to speke shortly with yo' lerned councell. . . . And that you and theym to make me awnshere how I shal be contented and recompensed of my grete costs and charges with other grete trespasses that ye have done and comitted within my Lordshipp there. . . . And this to order yourself or els to send me yo"^ mynde in wretinge what yo"' mynde is, to th' intent I may advertise my councell lerned, as the case shall require. Wreten fro' Stourton the xiiijth day of May. . . . It'm diverse tymes ye have ben required for to do yo'' homage and ye do it not. . . . I hav ben spokyn withal by my Baily ther and other of my servants to respete the mater or els I wuld a distreyned you or this tyme. ... Ye made promise to speke with me for your causes and charges of land but ye come not. Do your duty and ye shall have that ye ofte to have of right. Wylliam L[ord] Stourton." Sweetman, speaking of William, Lord Stourton, says : " He was himself a distinguished soldier, and in favour with the king (Henry VHI.). . . . He was the possessor of many broad acres at Caundle, Stourton, Kilmington, Charlton, PROPERTY OBTAINED AT THE DrSSOLUTION OF THE MONASTERIES. 31I Musgrove, and Wincanton, Roundhill Grange being given to him at the dissolution of the monasteries." He might have added many other estates which he held in the counties of Wilts, Dorset, Somerset and in London, some freehold, and some leasehold, held of the Bishop of Sarum and others, whilst other lands were held in chief of the Crown. King Henry VHI. had granted the Manor of Mere for a term of years to one Pyster, who assigned it to Lord Stourton, after whose death it passed to Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, who obtained a renewal of the leas€ of the manor for forty years. It passed under his attainder to the Crown, and it was re-granted to Thomas Chafyn, with several adjoining manors belonging to Lord Stourton. The property which had come from the Crown to the 6th Lord Stourton from amongst the possessions of the dissolved Monasteries all reverted into the hands of the Crown on the attainder of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton. Lawrence Hyde wrote asking Queen Elizabeth to grant the reversion of Kilmington Manor to his sister Hartgill, and it will have been observed that, previous to the Stourtons acquiring the Manors of Kilmington and Norton-Ferrers, they had been ancient holders of land in the parish. The farms of the Manor of the Chapelry of Hinton Mary, with four closes of pasture-land called Priest's Land, and the Manor of Caundle, Dorset, lately part of the possessions of the dissolved Priory of Shaftesbury, passed from the Crown, after the attainder, in 2nd of Elizabeth, with the Manor of Niland and certain rents in all those places, with the services of the customary tenants there, to Robert Ereke and his heirs.* The Manor and Advowson of the Abbey of Athelney in Purse Caundle, with a wood called Abbotswood, or Rough Croft, containing 6 acres, lately belonging to the then dissolved abbey, and the Manor of the Monastery of Shaftesbury in Purse Caundle, lately belonging to that dissolved monastery, likewise passed (after the attainder) from the Crown, in ist of Elizabeth, to William Button, Esquire, of Alton, and Thomas Estcourt and the heirs of William Button, Esquire. The parcels which had belonged to the dissolved Priory of Mayden- Bradley, in Co. Wilts, and which had been granted by the Crown to Lord Stourton, comprised only some small rents in Bristol, the farm of Spotclose in Deverell-Langbridge, and Adnam's Close in Nonny, all of wh ich, on the attainder, reverted to the Crown, as did the farm of Arseygrove, or Hargrove, near Fountmell, lately belonging to the dissolved PJonastery of Shaftes- bury. The property granted to Lord Stourton, which had belonged to the Priory of I aunton at the Dissolution, comprised the Rectory of Wincanton, with the advowson of the church there (subject to the payment of a stipend to a chaplain for celebrating Divine Service in Wincanton Church, and 1 2s. 6d. for bread, wine and wax in the * .See also under Charles, Slh Lord Slourton. HIST(JRY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. same church yearly), the capital messuage or Mansion of Roundhill, with the appur- tenances, then or late in the tenure of John Dier, the Manor of Roundhill, near Barrow, and lands in the hamlets of Barrow Common and Charlton Musgrove, valued at £<) IIS. 2d. These, after the attainder, were sold in 1557 to John Dier, whose name is mentioned in one of Hartgill's letters, relating to the coroner's jury formed by his clerk. Ministers' Accounts, Priory of Taunton. Wincanton. Roundhill. Barrow. Assised Rents, 5s. Farm of the Manor Assised Rents, /8 6s. 6d. Farm of Rectory, ^8. House, £ci. Perquisites of the Court, 5s. 6d. Probably the fullest account of Wincanton, Roundhill and Barrow is to be found in the " Valor Ecclesiasticus." Lord Stourton married Elizabeth, daughter of Edmund Dudley, Esquire, one of the Privy Council to King Henry VH.* Elizabeth Dudleyt was half-sister of John The Arms of Stourton impaling those of Dudley, namely, " Or, a lion rampant double-queued verlT Dudley, Duke of Northumberland.^ The contention that Lord Stourton married a second wife in the person of Agnes Ryse, the daughter of the Countess of Bridge- water, seems untenable, and is disputed by the actual facts. Nevertheless, the marriage is said to have taken place January 6th, 1545-46. Lord Stourton, in leaving her a legacy under his Will (as will be seen later), describes her, however, as " Mrs. * In the 1688 pedigree, in the possession of Lord Mowbray and Stourton, he is erroneously described as "Edmond, Lord Dudley." \-a'Cae.'-' Complete Peerage" Elizabeth Dudley is described as daughter of Edmund Dudley " by his second wife Maud, daughter of Thomas (Clifford) Lord Clifford." Other writers give " Anne, daughter of Lord Windsor," as her mother in place of Maud. t Some historians have alleged that she was widow of Lord Stourton's deceased elder brother, Peter Stourton, and " G.E.C.," in his recently published ''Complete Peerage" definitely describes her as the "widow of his brother Peter Stourton (who d.s.p. 1496-97)." It should, however, be borne in mind that such a marriage with the widow of a deceased brother, though under certain circumstances voidable by either of the parties concerned, was not necessarily at that date illegal. But a reference to the Deed of Settlement contained in the Inquisition Post Mortem of Charies, 8th Lord Stourton (see Appendix), will prove conclusively that no marriage was ever solemnized. It is, however, quite possible they were betrothed. X So created October nth, 1557. ALLEGED SECOND .MARRIAGE OF THE 7TH LORD STOURTOX. Agnes Ryse, dau. of the Countess of Bridgewater."* Lady Stourton was then (in 1548, when the will was made) living, and, in fact, survived Lord Stourton, not dying until 1560. Agnes Ryce (or Ryse) sued Lord Stourton's son in her maiden name after the death of Lord Stourton, and continued to so use it in all the proceed- ings. It has been stated, however, that, as " Agnes Stourton," zvidow, she adminis- tered to the will of William, 7th Lord Stourton, in July, 1557. It will, however, be shortly seen from the will itself that probate was granted of this same will on two occasions, viz., November 25th, 1548, immediately following upon the death of William, 7th Lord Stourton, and again on July 15th, 1557, after the execution and attainder of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton. Anne (not Agnes) Stourton, named in the later act of probate, was the widow of Charles, Lord Stourton, not of his predecessor. When Agnes Ryse married Sir Edward Baynton after Lord Stourton's death, she married him in her maiden name. The assertion in Collins's " Peerage " (taken from the GeiUienians Magasine) that she married Lord Stourton is certainly not proved by the evidence he brought forward to substantiate his contention. The allegation in the deed of 9th October, 1573, of Richard Gore, who had married Mary, daughter of Agnes Ryse, is hardly evidence admissible in law. There was nothing to prevent Richard Gore describing his wife Mary as a daughter of William, Lord Stourton, by Agnes Ryse, his wife. And although under the deed he appointed (nearly thirty years afterwards) Richard Askew as his lawful attorney, to enter on the lands of Lord Stourton and take possession for Mary Gore as the alleged daughter and sole heir of the 7th Lord, it is known that this had no effect. This Mary was the only issue of Lord Stourton and Agnes Ryse, and it is worthy of note that, in a pedigree recorded in the College of Arms (I., ix., p. 83), in which she appears as the wife of Richard Gore, no suggestion of bastardy is made, though her legitimacy is almost impossible. Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, moreover, undoubtedly succeeded his father as son and heir, inheriting the Peerage and all Lord Stourton's estates. The mere fact that the Court of Probate granted the 8th Lord Stourton Letters of Administration, with his father's will annexed, would seem to be prima facie evidence that Lord Stourton must have been the "natural and lawful son" of the testator. When Charles, Lord Stourton, sued Agnes Ryse, witnesses tried, but failed in the attempt, to prove that she was the legal wife of Lord Stourton. In the Inquisition Post Mortem of William, 7th Lord Stourton, Sir Charles Stourton, Knight (afterwards 8th Lord Stourton), was found to be the next heir. This was a complete answer in support of the validity of * The "Countess of Bridge*ater " was Katherine, daughter of Thomas (Howard), 2nd Duke of Norfolk. She married firstly Sir Rice ap T/ioiiias, K.G. {vide "Complete Peerage"; but Burke gives her husband as Sir Rhys ap Griffith, _i,'.>-(;«(fo;« of Sir Rhys ap Thomas, K.G., which seems from the dates improbable) and secondly, Henry (Uaubeney), first Earl of Bridgewater. Agnes was of course a daughter bv the former marriage. 3<4 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. the marriage with Elizabeth Dudley, and it also disproves completely Mary Gore's claim of heirship by blood. By Elizabeth Dudley, his wife, William, 7th Lord Stourton, had issue : I. — The Right Honourable Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, of whom hereafter. II. — Andrew Stourton, who died unmarried and without issue. The Privy Council wrote from Westminster on i ith March, 1550, to Lord Stourton, that he might well enough help his brother Andrew with money towards his return into England without the offence of the King's Majesty, notwithstanding the offence of the said Andrew being then pardoned by His Majesty upon the said Andrew's submission. HL — Arthur Stourton, of Moyne, Co. Dorset, was Master of the King's Jewels, was M.P. for Westminster, 1555, and one of the keepers of the Palace at West- minster. Strype says: "In December, 1550, Sir Andrew Dudley, brother to the Earl of Warwick,* gained the office of keeping all the Jewels of the Robes and other things in the Palace of Westminster, with whom was joined Arthur Stourton, which place was granted to them for life, and the longest liver, with the fee of 100 marks." The Historical Manuscripts give the account, dated in 1553, of Sir Andrew Dudley, Knight, and Arthur Stourton, Esquire, Keepers of the Palace at Westminster ; and on 1 5th of June, 7th of Edward VI., the receipt of Arthur Stourton, Esquire, collector for copes, vestments and tyssues, &c., &c., delivered to him by the Commissioners appointed " to collect church goods and ornaments, &c., in the hundred of Farneham, Godalmynge, Wokynge, Godleygh, Blakehethe and Wotton, County Surrey." Strype erroneously calls him Anthony, brother of Lord Stourton, and says that on the iith February, 1557, iie was buried at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields. This is Strype's descrip- tion of him : " This man [sic] was receiver of all the copes of cloth of gold, that were taken away out of churches in King Edward the sixth's time, by the devise of the Duke of Northumberland and certain of the then Bishops. And he delivered the said copes back again for the same parishes' use to which they formerly belonged ; that is, as many as could be known and owned ; if they had not been disposed to other places in the realm. And this by the allowance of Queen Mary, when she came to the Crown." 1 1 appears that in the i st and 2nd of Philip and Mary, he had a grant of the custody of the Palace called York Place, part of the Palace at Westminster, with the great garden and orchard, also the garden and orchard at Charing Cross, tennis-play, bowling-alley, pheasants' court, &c., with " Paradise Hell and Purgatory," being within " our Hall at Westminster." He is called " Arthure Stourton, Esquyer, at the * This was John Dudley (half-brother of Andrew Stourton's mother), afterwards Duke of Northumberland. He was created Earl of Warwick February the i8th, 1546-47, and Duke of Northumberland, as previously stated, October the iith, 1537. ISSUE OF WILLIAM, JTH LORD STOURTON. 315 Kynges Maiesties Pallace at Westminster," in the records relating to the Church goods for Co. Surrey, 7th of Edward V^I. On the 2nd of October, 1551, the Council wrote from Hampton Court to Sir Richard Sakeville, Knight, Chancellor of the Augmenta- tions, willing him to make out a lease for twenty-one years unto " Arthur Sturton gentle- man " of the Manor of Stokingham, of the yearly value of ^136 12s. gd., whereof in free rents 42s. 3d., customary £iig 2s. gd., rents at will ^8 14s. gd., and rents by indenture ^7 3s. od. On the 3rd of August, 1553, the Council wrote to " Mr. Sturton keper of the Quenes Palaice at Westminster " to bring to-morrow to the Tower a casket with jewels and money appertaining to Sir Andrew Dudley, Knight, whereof he gave him the custody. On the 7th of February, 1557,* the Star Chamber ordered Arthur Stourton, who had in his custody .^100 belonging to his brother, Lord .Stourton, to deliver the same to Sir John Mason, to be employed by him m such sort as by the Council should be appointed for the charges that might fall out by the said Lord Stourton's case then in action. This sum was duly paid, for on the 23rd of February, 1557, a letter was sent by the Council to Sir John Mason to pay to Mr. Hampton ^6 13s. 4d. of the ^100 which then remained in his hands of the Lord Stourton's, for so much paid by Mr. Hampton to Mr. Wadham, Sheriff of the Counties of .Somerset and Dorset, for bringing up of certain prisoners thither. An Abstract of the Will of .Arthur Stourton will be found in the Appendi.x. He married Anne, daughter of Henry Mac Williams, Esquire, + of the County of Dorset, by whom he had issue : 1. — Edward Stourton, of Over Moigne, Co. Dorset. William Stourton, of Wormister and Fauntleroy's Marsh, gave to his "cousins,! Edward and Philip Stourton," all his household stuff in Over Moigne. § It is not known whom he married. He had issue three daughters : Elizabeth Stourton, buried at Over Moigne, Co. Dorset, the 3rd of September, 1593. Jane Stourton, baptized at Over Moigne, Co. Dorset, the 8th of January, 1593. Frances Stourton, buried at Over Moigne, Co. Dorset, the 4th of December, 1606. 2. — Philip Stourton, of Over Moigne, Co. Dorset. As stated above, he, with his brother, is mentioned in the will of his uncle William Stourton. * .\ccording to Slrype, he died four days afterwards. t In the illuminated pedigree of l6S8 now in the possession of Lord Mowbray and Stourton, the arms of MacWilliams, impaled with those of Stourton to indicate this alliance, are "party per bend gules and ar^^ent, three roses in bend counterchanged, barbed vert." X Nephews were often designated *' cousins " in old wills. ; This was generally used for younger members of the Stourton family, and let for three lives for their benefit. 3l6 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. In a manuscript in the possession of Lord Mowbray, Segrave, and Stourton, is the following pedigree : Philip Stourton of Moyne in j com Dorsett i was grand son' [ of the Lord ' Charles '; Stourton. j Henry Stourton of Moyne in com Dorsett. ■ 2. son of I Philip . Stourton. j 1 Matheu Stourton of Moyne in com. Dorsett i eldest son of Henry Stourton. Sr. Charles Stourton of Moyne in com Dorset Esqr. lately made a Kt. of the ordre of St. Maurice by the Due of Savoye s. son of Matheu Stourton. John Best of AUington Castle in com Kent. N. N. John Blounte de Yeo in com Salop. Elizabeth Price mar- ryed to John Blount de Yeo. Edward Havard. N. N. Frances daur. of John Best marryed to Henry Stourton. Francis Blount of Richards Castle in com Hereford 3. son of John Blount. Bridget Blount daur. of Francis Blount marryed to Matheu Stourton. Mary Havard dau. of Edward Havard marryed to Francis Blount. On the back of this pedigree is written the certificate which will be found in the Appendix under the name of Chevalier Charles Stourton. The above pedigree alleges descent from Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, but Philip Stourton, according to all other pedigrees, was descended from William, 7th Lord Stourton, consequently making this branch ISSUE OF PHILIP STOURTON. a collateral one with the descendants of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton. Philip Stourton married Joan St. John,* by whom he had : i. — William Stourton, of Over Moigne, Co. Dorset, gent, who registered his pedigree at the Visitation for Co. Dorset in 1623. He married Margaret, daughter of George Crope,t of Ashley, Co. Hants. Both were legatees under the will of Francis Stourton, of Over Moigne, brother of William, nth Lord Stourton. By his wife he had issue : [a). — Philip Stourton, born 161 3, shown in the Visitation of 1623 ; legatee under the will of Francis Stourton aforesaid. J In the 1688 pedigree he is said to have married " Dorothy, dau. of . . .'' The surname and also the space for the impalement are left blank. (6). — Charles Stourton, baptized the 28th ot May, 1616, at Over Moigne, shown in the Visitation of 1623, and legatee under the will of Francis Stourton. (c). — Thomas Stourton, born 1621, shown in the Visitation of 1623, and legatee under the will of Francis Stourton. According to the 1 688 pedigree so frequently referred to, and now in the possession of Lord Mowbray and Stourton, he married Jane, Lady Cottington, daughter of . . . Samwayes of Dorsetshire. Apparently he had no issue by her. The Sam- wayes arms are " sable a fesse between * The .St. John Arms emblazoned in the 1688 pedigree are "argent on a chief gules, two mullets or," She is merely described therein as " dau. of . . . St, John of Wilts." t The Crope arms are emblazoned " argent, six mascles, three, two and one gules." I Of Over Moigne, brother of William, iith Lord Stourton. 3'3 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. three cross crosslets or." [He might have been identical with Thomas Stourton of South Petherton, Co. Somerset, who was buried there i6th February, 1683. He died intestate, and Letters of Administration to his goods and chattels were granted to his widow, Ann Stourton, on 22nd Febru- ary, 1683, their son and heir being buried on 20th January, 1683. But this does not seem likely, as it is at variance with the above quoted pedi- gree, unless he contracted a second marriage.] {d). — Anne Stourton, buried the i8th of August, 1612, at Over Moigne, not shown in the Visitation of 1623. Predeceased Francis Stourton. (e). — Margaret Stourton, baptized the i6th of June, 1 6 18, at Over Moigne, shown in the Visitation of 1623, and legatee under the will of Francis Stourton. She is described as " eldest daughter " in the 1688 pedigree. [Anne is not mentioned at all, so must have died quite an infant.] She married Richard Lacy (arms, " barry wavy of six ermine and gules "), and had issue four daughters. ( / ). — Frances Stourton, shown in the Visitation of 1623, and legatee under the will of Francis Stourton. {o). — Dorothy Stourton, born after the Visita- tion of 1623, and legatee under the will of Francis Stourton as one of the si.N; children of William Stourton, of Over ■Moigne. ISSUE OF HENRY STOURTON OF OVER MOIGNE. 3 19 The aforesaid Dorothy died May the gth, I 702, according to the registers of Over Moigne : 1702. "Dorothy Stourton departed y" Hfe May 9th." {/i). — OHve Stourton. She is not mentioned in any pedigree, but the following entry occurs in the Over Moigne registers : 161 1. "Olive (or Olivet) yg* Daughter of William Stourton, gent, and Mar- garet his wife was buried iS*'' of August." ii. — Henry Stourton,* of Over Moigne, who with his wife, Frances,! daughter of John Best, Esquire, of Allington Castle, Co. Kent, were legatees under the will of Francis Stourton aforesaid. They had issue : {a). — Matthew Stourton of Stourton and Over Moigne, who married Bridget, daughter of Francis Blount,^ Esq., of Richard's Castle, Co. Hereford, by Mary his wife, dau. of Edward Havard. Bridget Stour- ton was buried at Stourton on the ist of October, 1707, and her husband on the 20th of April, 1 69 1. They had issue : 1. — Henry Stourton, bapt. at Stour- ton the iSth of January, 1659. 2. — Francis Stourton, bapt. at Stour- ton the 29th of March, 1667. 3. — Thomas Stourton. 4. — Matthew Stourton, who fell at the battle of Luzara, in August, 1702. 5- — Chevalier Charles Stourton, made a Knight of the Holy Religious and Military Order Whom Sir Richard Colt Ho.ire mistook for Hercules Stourton, of Little Langford, Wilts., thinkinc. the shield with H. S. stood for Henry instead of Hercules Stourton. In the 16SS pedigp.-e her name is given in several places as " Margaret.'' The Best .irms are emblazoned sable, semee of cross crossleis htchce, a cinquefoil or." The lilount arms are emblazoned "harry nebuly or and sable, in chief thiee torteaux 320 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. of St. Laurence and St. Maurice by the Duke of Savoy. He was by Patent dated July the 2nd, 1723, declared to be an Effective Knight in Justice of that Order. The certificates will be found set out in the Appendix. He died about the year 1724. 5. — Mary Stourton, elder daughter. In the 16S8 pedigree, written in a later hand, is added " mar. Francis Biss," so the marriage probably took place after 1688. 7. — Elizabeth Stourton, second daughter, described in the 1688 pedigree as "deceased." She is probably the " Eliza- beth Stourton " v.'ho was buriedatStourton, Dec. 7, 1675. (d). — John Stourton, second son. He was prob- ably the " M'^ John Stourton" who was buried at Stourton on April the 25th, 1707. He married a daughter of John (or James) Bennet, of Abingdon, Berk- shire. It is probable that she is the " IVIrs. Elizabeth Stourton, wid''," who was buried at Stourton on December the 26th, 1716. They had issue ; 1. — James Stourton. 2. — Thomas Stourton. 3. — John Stourton. 4. — Elizabeth Stourton, who mar- ried her kinsman Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton. (c). — Anne Stourton, eldest daughter, who mar- ried John Culliford, of Somersetshire. ISSUE OF HENRY STOURTON OF OVFR MOIGNE. 321 (d) . — Frances Stourton, second daughter, who married ..." Wall of the Kingdom of Ireland." (e) . — Margaret Stourton, third daughter, who married . . . Watson. {/). — Mabel Stourton, fourth daughter, who married ..." Lockyer of Berkshire." iii. — Edward Stourton, buried at Over Moigne, Aug. 4, 1604. iv. — Grisester Stourton, a daughter, who was probably the cousin mentioned in the will of Francis Stourton, of Over Moigne. IV. William Stourton, of Wormister, Co. Somerset, and Fauntleroy's Marsh, Co. Dorset. Appointed steward by patent of Maidenbradley in succession to Will iam Hartgill.* He married firstly Thomasine Fitzjames.f He had a grey mare under the will of his uncle Roger Stourton, of Ruston. He purchased on 4th May, 1550, of Sir John Thynnej and Lawrence Hydej a messuage, then lately belonging to the Guild of Corescomb, and in 1555 had a grant of the school house, &c., in Corescomb to certain of the Canons of Wells. In 1592 William Sturton, of Wells, Esquire, was one of the recusants ^/uyi supposed to be remaining at liberty in the County of Somerset. He married secondly Mary, daughter of John Wogan, of -Silving in White Lackington, Co. Somerset, Esquire, who made his will 27th October, 155S. It was proved [6 Cheney] 6th May, 1559, by his wife Agnes Wogan, who made her will Sth February, 1575. This latter was proved [16 Pickering] 30th April, 1575, by her daughter, Mary Stourton, whose then husband, William Stourton, of Wormister, Esquire, and her .son, John iNIorgan, of Maperton, Co. Dorset, gent., by Robert Morgan of the same place, her first husband, were two of the trustees of Agnes Wogan's will, whereunder the residue of the Testatrix's goods were given to her daughter I\Iary Stourton, who was appointed sole executrix. William Stourton and Thomas Moleyns were overseers appointed b\- William Faunt- leroy, of Fauntleroy's Marsh, who made his will 28th August, 15S1. It w^as proved [32 Darcy] 28th September, 1581, by Cecily Fauntleroy, his relict and executrix. William Stourton (as her cousin) gave Cecily Fauntleroy, widow, £\o by his will of r2th March, 32 Eliz., proved [iS Drury] 19th March, 1591, by Mary Stourton, widow, he describing himself as of Fauntleroy's Marsh, Esquire, and appointing his wife executrix. Besides the residue, he gave to her and her heirs, his [freehold) lands in * See letter of his brother, the Sth Lord, to Sir Edward S eymour. t .See mention of that family under Charles, 8ih Lord Stourton. % Same. Sir John Thynne got the Stourton letters into his possession, and Lawrence Hyde wrote to the Queen for the reversion of Kilmingion for his sister Hartgill. 322 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. White Lackington, Selvinch, Atherstone, Shepton, Montague, Pitcombe, Cole and Brewton, Co. Somerset ; together with his leases in VVormister and the Prebend and Parsonage of Pilton. Besides the Stourton legatees mentioned under their names in the text, he mentions his cousin and servant Richard Harrison, to whom he leaves ^20; his sons-in-law,* (i) William Morgan, who was to have his household stuff in the Manor House of Little Comberton, Worcester,t (2) Christopher Morgan, who was to have one bed with its furniture, &c. ; he appointed his friends John Fits James, Thomas Chafyii and Christopher Morgan, overseers of his will, to each of whom he gave a silver bowl of ^3 value. At F"olke, Dorset, was buried 30th March, 1591, " Mr. William Stourton, Esquire." Mary Stourton was widow of Robert Morgan, of Maperton, whose will was made 15th July, 1567, and proved 25th September, 1567 [25 Stonarde], by Mary Morgan, relict and e.xecutri.x. They were parents, inter alia, of the above William Morgan, executor of his mother, and Christopher Morgan, who made his will 7th January, 1590 {ad. cum test, granted [ri St. Barbe], 20th February, 1590, to Ann his relict), which shows he was Lord of Witherston in Dorset, besides holding lands in Broad Windsor and Marnhull. The evidences of this he gave to his mother Mary Stourton (an overseer of his will) until the full age of his son, Christopher Morgan, who was appointed executor, and to whom the Manor and lands were devised after the death of Mary Stourton. He never proved his father's will, and by his Inquisition taken 21st March, 7 James L, Elizabeth, wife of Sir Thomas Trenchard, and Mary, wife of Richard Brodrepp, Esquire, were found to be his two sisters and coheirs at law, who had inherited the .said Manor and lands. j Mary Stourton, then of Wormister, widow, made her will 15th December, 1595, and it was proved [53 Drake] 9th July, 1596, by her son, William Morgan, sole devisee of her lands, residuary legatee and sole executor. She gave legacies to all of her children by Robert Morgan ; to the poor of Pilton, Wormister, Wootton and White Lackington ; and £\ to her godson, Thomas Fitz James. V. — John Stourton, who was presumably the John Stourton who was buried at Stourton, 22nd April, 1581. He had 40/- and a gelding under the will of his uncle, Roger Stourton, of Ruston. VL — George Stourton, who had a black mare under the will of his uncle, Roger Stourton, of Ruston. VH. — Giles Stourton of Over Moigne, gent., who married there 22nd August, 1569, Joan Gifford. He had a roan mare and six lambs under the will of his uncle, Roger Stourton, of I^uston, and £20 under the will of his brother, William Stourton. * Even now there seems to be much confusion between stepsons and sons-in-law. t His uncle, John Dudley, i;)uke of Northumberland, had grant of the Manor and Advowson from Henry VIII. i They had Ad. de bonis non of their father, 7th December, 1627. WILL OF WILLIAM, 7TH LORD STOURTON. VIII. — Ursula Stourton, who married as his second wife, in 1541, Edward CUnton, Lord Say and Clinton, created Earl of Lincoln 4th May, 1572. Lord High Admiral of England, who died i6th January, 1585, and was buried under a stately monument in St. George's Chapel, Windsor. On the 17th July, 1550, he had a licence to go into Lincolnshire " and because he desired the companie of the Lord Stourton therefore licence was given him also for his absence for xl days. Ursula Clinton was ancestor by her husband, the Earl of Lincoln, of the Dukes of Newcastle-under-Lyme, and died in 1551. IX. — D(3rothy Stourton, who married Sir Richard Brent, kt.* William, 7th Lord Stourton, made his will 8th September, 154S. A copy of the will is preserved in Somerset Houset and is as follows : — In the name of god Amen. The yere of o'' Lorde god a Thousande fyve hundreth fourtie and eight in the sccounde yere of the Reigne of our Soveraigne lorde Edwarde the Sixte by the grace of god kinge of Englande Fraunce and Irelande, defender of the faithe and of the churche of England and Irelande the supreme hedd. The viij"' daye of September, I William Stourton Knight Lorde Stourton deputie generall of Newhaven and the marches of the same beinge sicke of bodye and parfitt of Remembraunce utterly revokinge and Refusinge all former willes by me Heretofore made or ordeyned, Ordeyne and make this my onely will and last testament in maner and forme folowinge. First I give and bequethe my soule to almightie god my onely Maker and Redemer, and my bodye to be buried where it shall please god. Item I give and bequethe to my doughter Clynton two silver pottes to the value of twentie poundes, And I give also to my doughter Brent two other silver pottes of like value of twentie poundes, to be caused to be made by my Executor, all white with my Armes and name uppon them. I will and Ordeyn that my said Executor shall delyver unto my said doughters wi"'in one q'ter of one yere next ymediatlye folowinge after my deathe, to thentent every of them maye have the better Remembrance to praye for my soule. Item I do give and bequethe to M'res Agnes Ryse doughter to the Counties my lady bridgewater all my plate of silver gilte, or p'cell gilte now remayning at Newe haven here in her Keping or custodie, with also all my beddes and other stuf of household moveable and unmoveable in all places *" Had the 7th Lord .Stourton another d.iughler, Jane Stourton, who married Thomas Cole, of Slade, Devon, Esquire, as his first wife ; the i-aid Thomas Cole having died on the 31st January, 1541, as proved by his Inquisition taken in 34 Henry VIII..' The lady inust have predeceased the 7th Lord long before he made his will. She was called daughter of William Stourton, Esquire, the arms of Stourton and Cole being blended, apparendy illegally. A " Jane Sturton " was a complainant against Charles, Lord Stourton, in 1554; see later. t P.C.C. VVraslley 34 (registered also previously Populwell 17). 324 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. remayning \vi"'in my Manour or Lordshippe of Stourton, aswel! Corne and hey as all Other necessaries for husbandry and household. And also I give and bequethe to the saide Agnes Rise two hundreth of my best wethers going at Stourton aforesaid, ten Oxen, xij Kyne, one bull, Three of my best geldings, to be taken at her choise w* thapparell to them belonging. And also I give to the said Agnes all my Corne, as well presently growing, as in my barnes, garnettes or other places within the said Lordshipp of Stourton, or otherwise provided for my household there. The residue of all my goodes not bequeathed I give and bequeathe to Charles Stourton my eldest sonne, whom I make sole Executor of this my last will and testament. And he to bestowe for my soule helth as conscience and reason shall requyre. But yf the said Charles dye before me, then 1 will and ordeyne my next heire to be myne Executor in maner and forme above written. And I ordeyne and make ov'seers of this my last will and testament the lorde Willyam Hawarde and S' John bridges knight nowe deputie of bollen, and to ev'y of them I give and bequethe tenne poundes sterling. Witnes wher of to this my saide Last will and testament I subscribed my name with myne owne hand and also my seale the daye and yere above written. [sig?iea) Willyam Stourton. Codicil. In the name of god Amen. This Codicill annexed to this my testament and last will made the jx'*' daye of September, Anno, d'ni Mill'imo quingen- tesimo quadragesimo octavo. Et Regni Regis Edwardi Sexti secundo, Conteyninge certeyne legacies and bequestes in this my said will omitted and not especially mentioned, Wherein I the saide Lorde William Stourton beinge in right good memorie and parfitt remembraunce before and in presence of these p'sones under named and wrytten have declared willed and ordeyned all these my bequestes and Legacies to be p'formyd and fulfilled, requiringe them uppon all thes my said bequestes and legacies, this present Codicill to be made and annexed to this my said testament of no lesse strenght and auctor- ite then my said testament, and as p'te and p'cell of the same my testament, wherunto I have also required the p'ties hereunder mencioned to subscribe their names and putto their seales, All whiche bequestes and legacies followe. I Willyam Stourton Knight Lorde Stourton deputie generall of Newehaven and the Marches of the same, beinge in good mynde and parfytte remem- braunce, besides and above all my bequestes and legacies expressed and specified in this my said testament Wherunto this my said Codicill is Annexed, will and ordeyne by the same that my s' vaunts nowe resident and remayning in houshold with me, especially such as by my olde s'vauntes, shall have COniCIL TO WILL OF WILLL\M, 7TH LORD STOURTON. 3=5 duringe every of their lyves suche wages with meate and drinke as they and every of theym have presently of me, yf they will serve my sonne Charles Stourton, and soche others my Servantes, as have bene with me but one yere or two, and will not serve my said sonne, I will that they and every of them shall have one hole yeres wages, and so dep'te where they will. Item, wheare in this my saide testament no mencion is made of my Cattell and household stuf and other goodes moveable and unmoveable, nor also of suche debtes as be due unto me, I will and ordeyne by these presentes that M'res Agnes Ryse mencioned in my said testament shall have possesse and enjoye to her only use all my said Cattell, household stuf and other my goodes, moveable and unmoveable, that I have on this side the see together with all such debtes as be due unto me here, or elles where, whereof the said Agnes Ryse hath a boke and notes Except onely Twentie poundes Lent by me to Will'm Fantle- roy, whiche I will he shall not paye to any parsone (if I chaunce to dye before he paye the said some unto me). Item I will and ordeyne that my servante Henry Barnes* shall have the revercion of certeyn grounde that Thomas Keymys of Curtlingtone in the Countie of Dorsett nowe holdeth of me lyenge in Buckhorne Weston to have and to holde to him for terme of Twentie yeres withoute payinge any fyne or any thing for the same. Item I give and bequethe to Joane Fauntleroy and Anne Townley my maydens to eche of theym Twentie poundes. In witnes wherof we Sir William Pyrton, Knight, Porter of Newhaven, John Aster, gent., baylie of the Marches of Newehaven, Doctour Marten Cornebecke, Sir William Fowler, Gierke, William Paynter, surgeon, have interchangeably set our hande and seales, the daye and yere above written. William Pirton. John Aster. William Painter. Martinno Corenbeckno, Medicus. Gulielmus Fowler, sacellanus. Decimof quinto die Novembris Anno d'ni Mill'imo quingenteslmo xlviij" emanavit com'isso d'no Carolo Stourton militi d'no Stourton e.x' in h'mo'i test'o no'i'at' ad admi'strand' bona jura et credita prefat' def ad viam intestati deceden' eo q'd idem d'ns Carolus oner' execuco'is testame'ti renun- tiavit, &c. de bene &c. Ac de pleno In"° &c. exhibend' Ad s'ca dei Evangelia Jurat'. DecimoJ quinto die Mens' Julij Anno d'ni MiU'imo quingenteslmo Ivij" Emanavit com'issio d'ne Anne Stourton vidue ad admi'strand' bona jura * This is ihe earliest meniion of the Barnes family as servants of the Lords Stounon ; they were Papists, and the Stourton Registers show entries Irom the commenci'ment. The family continued as servants down to the time of the sale of Stourton Manor and Advowson, and many entries are found concerning them. t P.C.C. 17 PopuUvell. + Wrastley 24. 326 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. et creclita d'c'i defuncti, per Carolum Stourton mi*''' d'n'm Stourton non administrator' jux''' tenorum d'c'i testamenti &c. de bene et fidel'er adminis- trand' eadem. Ac de pleno Inventario &c. exhibend'. Ad sancta Ev'ngelia in p'sona Edmundi Brudenell procuratoris sui Jurat. Lord Stourton died on the i6th of September, 1548, and on the 15th November following, Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, having renounced the executorship, had grant of ad. cum test. (Populwell 17). Charles, Lord Stourton, being dead before the completion of the Administration, Letters of Administration de Bonis non were granted on the 15th of July, 1557, to Anne, Lady Stourton, widow of Charles, Lord Stourton, deceased, (Wrastley 24). An " Inquisition Post Mortem*" was taken for Middlesex. No other has been found, though Lord Stourton held land in various counties. It is as follows: — Inquisic'o indentat' Capt' apud Castru' in Seynt Johns Strete in Com' p'd'c'o xxij*' die Novembris Anno regni Edwardi Sexti dei gr'a Anglie Francie & Hib'nie Reg' fidei defensor & in terra eccl'ie Anglicane & Hib'nice Sup'mi Capitis s'c'do Coram Antonio Stapulton & Joh'e Tawe Armig'is Com'issionar' d'c'i d'ni Reg' in Com' p'd'c'o virtue cujusd'm Com'issionis d'c'i d'n'i Reg' ad inquirend' post mortem Will'i Stourton milit' d'ni Stourton in d'c'o Com'issione no'i'at' eisd'm Com'issionar' direct' & huic inquisic'on' consuet' p' Sacru' Will'i Jenyns gent Ric'i Dodd gent X'poferi Rop' Henr' Gasney Will'i Long Joh'is Cooke Sadler Edwardi Thome Henr' Dane Al' Combe Thome marfflete Thome Sattell Joh'is Jolye Thome Fletcher Ric'i Foxe X'poferi Galaunt & Rob'ti Estrydge Qui sup' sacr'm suu' dicunt q'd p'dict' Will'm's Stourton d'n's Stourton die quo obilt fuit sei'tus de & in uno mesuagio uno Gardlno decern Acr' t're decern Acr' p'ti cu' p'tin' in Ciuitat' Westm' in Com' p'd'c'o in d'nico suo ut de feodo Et sic sei'tus de tali statu obiit inde sei'tus Et ult'ius Juratores p'd'c'I dicunt q'd p'dict' mesuag' Gardinu 'decem acr' t'r' & decern acr' p'ti tenent' de d'no Rege in Capit' p' s'uic' vicesime p'tis unius feod' milit' Et valet p' annu' in om'i'bz exitibz ult' repris' tres libras & tres solid' Et ult'ius jurator' p'd'c'i dicunt q'd p'd'c'us Will'm's d'n's Stourton nulla alia sive plura man'ia terr' neqz Ten't' in d'nico reu'c'o'e aut s'uic' die quo obiit h'uit seu tenuit de d'c'o d'no Rege in Capit' aut alit' vel de aliquo alio in Com p'dict' Et jurat' p'dict' Super sacr'm suu' dicunt q'd p'd'c'us Will'm's Stourton d'n's Stourton obiit xvj die Septembr' ultimo p't'it' Et q'd CaroUus Stourton miles d'n's Stourton est ejus filius & p'pin- quior heres Et est etatis vigint' quatuor annor' & amplius. In Cujus rei Testimoniu' tam p'dict' Com'issionar' q'm Juratores p'd'c'i Sigilla sua huic Inquisic'oni indentat' apposuerunt Dat' d'c'o xxij die Novembris anno sup'd'c'o. * Ch. Inq., P.M., 2 Edw, VI., pt. II , No. 36, Middx. INQUISITION TAKEN ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM, 7TH LORD STOL'RTON. 327 The following is a translation of the foregoing- Inquisition : — Co. Middlesex. Inquisition iiulentate, taken at the Castle in St. John's Street in the County aforesaid, on the 221KI day of November in the second 3'ear of the reign of Edward VI., by the Grace of God King of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and Supreme Head of the church in the dominions of England and Ireland, before Anthony Stapulton and John Tawe, Esquires, Commissioners of our said Lord the King in the County aforesaid, by virtue of a certain commission addressed to the same Commis- sioners by our said Lord the King, to make an inquisition after the death ot Sir William Stourton, Knight, Lord Stourton, in the said commission named, on the oath of William Jenyns, gent., Richard Dodd, gent., Christopher Roper, Henry Gasney, William Long, John Cooke, sadler, Edward Thomas, Henry Dane, Alexander Combe, Thomas Marfflcte, Thomas Satell, John Jolye, Thomas Fletcher, Richard Foxe, Christopher Galaunt and Robert Estryde. Who say, on their oath, that the aforesaid William Stourton, Lord Stourton, on the day on which he died was seised of and in one messuage, one garden, ten acres of land and ten acres of meadow, with their appur- tenances, in the City of Westminster in the County aforesaid in his demesne as of fee. And being thus seised, he died seised thereof. And the jury aforesaid further say that the said messuage, garden, ten acres of land and ten acres of meadow are held of our Lord the King in chief, by the service of the twentieth part of a knight's fee, and are worth in all their issues, be} ond expenses, three pounds three shillings \ early. And the jury aforesaid further say that the said William, Lord Stourton neither had nor held any other or further manors, lands or tenements, in demesne, reversion or service, on the day ho died, from our said Lord the King in chief or otherwise, or trom any other lord, in the County aforesaid. And the said jury say upon their oath that the aforesaid William Stourton, Lord Stourton, died on the i6th day of September last past, and that Sir Charles Stourton, Knight, Lord Stourton, is his son and next heir, and is of the age of twenty-four years and upwards. In witness whereof the said Commissioners and jury have both affixed their seals to this Inquisition indentate, dated the said 22nd day of .November in the year aforesaid. Lord Stourton, as has been stated, died September i6th, 154S. His will contains no instructions as to the disposal of his body, nor is the place of its burial known. Ho was succeeded '^\- his son Charles above mentioned. 328 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. The Ris^'ht Honourable Charles, eighth Baron and Lord Stourton, of Stour- ton, Co. Wilts, in the Peerage of England, was the eldest son and heir of William, 7th Lord Stourton, by his wife Elizabeth Dudley, and succeeded his father at the death of the latter i6th September, 1548. According to the inquisition taken after the death of his father he was then aged 24 years and more, but according to the Particulars of Liveries he was aged 30 years when his father died. He must consequently have been born between 1518 and 1524, about the same time as John Foxe (1516) and Lord Burghley (1520), who are shewn hereafter as being mixed up with the only known contemporary account of his life. He was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Cos. Wilts, Somerset and Dorset by Oueen Mary on the 8th July, 1553. He was Lord High Steward and Master of the King's game of the Holt and Bradley Woods and divers other places. He succeeded to his father's estates and was seised of the various manors, lands and hereditaments entailed upon him and the heirs of his body, by sundry ancient covenants thereof made, and of these Manors some were holden of the King's and Queen's Majesties by knight service in chief. His father dealt with giving him in marriage when he was quite an infant, viz., 4th April (1528), 19 Henry VHL Underan indenture quoted at length later, William Stourton, Knight (his father), son and heir apparent of Edward, Lord Stourton (his grandfather), agreed with Walter Hungerford, Esquire of the Body to the King (son and heir of Sir Edward Hungerford, deceased), for the marriage of Charles, or failing him of Andrew, (the first and second sons of the said Sir William Stourton), with one of the three daughters (Elynn, Mary or Anne) of the said Walter*. Neither of these marriages however, ever took place or were further proceeded with, and Charles, Lord Stourton, eventually married by license (granted loth February, 1548) Anne, daughter of Edward Stanleyt, third Earl of Derby, K.G., K.B., Viscount Kynton, Lord Stanley and Strange, Lord of Knokyn, Mohun, Bassett, Burnal and Lacy, Lord of Man and the Isles, by Dorothy his first wife, daughter of Thomas (Howard) second Duke of Grose's Ant. Re]). j Of Latham Hall, Lancashire, died 24th October about 12 o'clock, buried at Ormskirk, 2 miles from Latham, on Tliursday, 4th December, 1572, 15 Eliz. See also Camden's Annals of Elizabeth and the Ncii.' Peerage, lixc. LADY STOURTON's MARRIAGE WITH SIR JOHN' ARUNDELL. 329 Norfolk, Earl Marshal of Eng-Iand, (by his second wife Ag-nes, daughter of Hug-h Tilney, of Boston, Co. Lincoln*) and sister of Sir Philip Tilne)-, Knight. The Earl of Derby was cup-bearer at the coronation of Queen Anne Boleyne, and bearer of the Curtana at the coronation of Edward VI., and Lord High Steward and bearer of the Curtana at the coronation of Oueen Mar)-. The Earl's household expenses amounted to over ^^"'4,000 per annum and his magnificent hospitality was unbounded. Camden in his Annals of Eli::., says "that with Edward, Earl of Derby's death, the glory of hospitality seemed to fall asleep." The Arms of Stourton impaling tliose of Stanley, namely ■' Argent, on a bend azure, three stag's heads caboshed or:' Lady Stourton married secondly, after the death of Lord Stourton, Sir John Arundell, of Lanhernc, Cornwall, who was descended from the Sir John Arundell who married Katherine, one of the two daughters and co-heirs of Sir John Chidiock, the other daughter Margaret, having married William, 2nd Baron Stourton. Lady Stourton is mentioned in the will of Elizabeth, widow of Sir John Arundell, of Lanherne, dated 12th June, and proved 9th November, 1564, and in that of Jane Arundell of Lanherne, dated 2nd September, 1575, and proved 31st October, i557t- The Stourton and Arundell families were closely connected by marriage. Lady Stourton was a most virtuous and true Catholic, thoroughly believing in the ancient Faith and protecting those who were persecuted through the bigoted religious feelings of her time. Being left a widow at a very early age by Lord Stourton's untimely death, she had to bring up a family of 'young children under sad and exceptional circumstances. Lady Stourton states in her petition (as will - Katherine, Countess of Bridgwater, the mother of Agnes Ryse, the reputed "wife" of VVilham, yth Lord Stourton, was also a daughter of Thomas, Duke of Norfolk and Agnes (nee Tilney) and con- sequently a sister of the Countess of Derby, (Agnes Ryse was therefore a first cousin to Anne, wife of Charles, Lord StourtonJ. \ Both proved P.C.C. -30 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. be seen later) to Queen Mary that she had already lost her greatest comfort in this world— her loving, true and faithful husband. Notwithstanding that the whole of Lord Stourton's landed estates had been escheated to the Crown on his attainder, Lady Stourton managed to send her three sons to Exeter College, and bring them up according to the necessities of the condition in life in which they had been born. Her petition stated the case of her sorry position to the Queen effectually and calmly, although she was suffering from heavy troubles. Queen Mary unfortunately soon afterwards died, and Lady Stourton did not receive at Queen Elizabeth's hands such an amount of consideration as it is probable she would have obtained from Queen Mary. True Bills were found in 25 Eliz. against Sir John Arundell, of Clerkenwell, Co. Middlesex, Knight, and Lady Anne Stourton, his wife, for not going to church, chapel or any usual place of Common Prayer from 25th September to the 23rd March*. This house at Clerkenwell was probably the one in which John, 9th Lord Stourton, resided. The Records of the Society of Jesus contain many particulars of the life of Father John Cornelius, who it is stated found a patron in Sir John Arundell, commonly called the "great Arundell", and who, at his death, earnestly recommended the care of his reverend friend to his widow, Lady Stourton. Sir John Arundell had been summoned to London early in 1581 by Elizabeth, and for a time committed as close prisoner, and after some ten years of religious persecution he died at Isleworth, in Middlesex, on the 17th January, 1591, being buried at St. Columb in Cornwall, where in the church was a monument with a long Latin inscription, which shews he had two sons and five daughters by his wife, Lady Stourton. On April 15th, 1594, the depositions of Father Cornelius were taken ; and those of William Holmes his betrayer, (servant to Lady Stourton, then widow of Sir John Arundell), on the 21st April, in which former one the Reverend Father denied ever having said Mass since he came to Chidiock House. William Holmes shewed he had been servant to Sir John Arundell, deceased, and the then Lady his widow, between 13 and 14 years ; that Father Cornelius had been living with them 9 years or thereabouts, andfirst came to Sir John Arundell when he lived at Clerkenwell, remain- ing there two years, following Sir John when he removed to Mowshill, where he remained three years, and afterwards going with Sir John when he finally removed to Isleworth . Holmes deposed that Father Cornelius said Mass at all three places, and afterwards went with Sir John's widow to Chidiock House, Dorset, where, Holmes Gaol Delivery Rolls, Middlesex. BURIAL OF LADY STOURTOX IN ST. COLUMB MAJOR CHURCH. said, Lady Stourton harboured Father Cornelius and certain other priests, and where Mass was said daily, being heard by the Lord Stourton, Mr. Charles Stourton, and other children of Lady Stourton. There are numerous documents extant bearing out the persecution of Lady Stourton, but sufficient has doubtless been said for present purposes to shew that Charles, Lord Stourton, and all the msnibers of the Arundell and Stourton families still believed in the Faith of their Fathers, and that Lady Stourton had desired to spend her widowhood at Chidiock House in fitting retirement with her daughters*. On Saturday, September 30th, 1553, when Oueen Mary came from the Tower through London to Westminster, riding in an open chariot so as to be seen, there was a third chariot in the procession, which contained six ladies in crimson velvet, the first being Lady Stourtont. Lady Stourton is buried in the Church of St. Columb Major, and is com- memorated by a large stone in the floor on north side of central passage, close by the Chancel steps. The Rector writing (15th January, 1898) says that this stone is inlaid with brasses which have been left intact, but the stone itself is cracked. The inscription runs : — D O M. In hoc Divi Columbi Magnorum sepultura Arundeliorum ubi intemerata fulgent sacro atrato hoc marmore tegitur depositum Nobil'"^- Joannis Arundelii Ord : Equest : una cum sua Conjuge Anna Stanley, filia Thomae 111'"^- Comitis Derbiensis. Horum progenies duo fuere filii, Joannes et Georgius, filiie vero quinque Dorothea Elizabetha Cicilia Margareta Gertruda. Depositariij hi ut sanguine, ita et virtutibus claruere amorque patris in Joannem filium parentibus exemplo fuit vixere hie ad 60, ilia ad 71, setatis annum et postmodum hie positi sunt ad suos majores ille 17° Novem : ilia 22" Sept : A" salutis ille 1590 ilia 1602. The Lidenture relative to the proposed marriage of Lord Stoiu'ton previously referred to ran somewhat as follows : — By Indenture dated April 4th, 19 Henry VUL (1528), between Sir William Stourton, Knight, (afterwards 7th Baron Stourton) son and heir apparent of Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, of the ist part, and Walter Hungerford, ' Esquyer foi- the King's bod_\-,' son and heir of Sir Edward Hungerford, Knight, deceased, - For exli.TUSlive accounts see Records ot the English Province of the Society of Jesus, Historical MSS., and Doni. Ser. of State Papers among many others. I This lady Strype says was Agnes Ryse, Lady Stourton, which is clearly erroneous. \ The last letter iu this word is doubtful. 332 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. of the Other part. Sh- William Stourton oranted to Sir Walter Hungerford the ward, custody and marriage of his son and heir, Charles Stourton (afterwards the 8th Baron Stourton), to the intent that he should marry one of the three daugh- ters of Sir Walter Hungerford, viz., Eleanor, Mary, or Anne Hungerford, which -ever their said father should appoint, such appointment to be made at Easter then next ensuing, if the three daughters or any of them assented. In case Charles Stourton should die before the marriage was completed, then Sir Walter Hunger- ford to have like ward, custody and marriage of Andrew Stourton, the second son of Sir William Stourton, Knight, upon the same conditions. Sir William Stourton to deliver Charles his eldest son to Sir Walter Hungerford at Bonham, Co. Somerset, on some day to be named by Sir Walter Hungerford before Xmas then next ensuing, and in the event of Charles' death before marriage, then Andrew to be delivered within one month after Charles' death should be known, Andrew to be at the time unmarried, unaffianced and uncontracted. The consider- ation to be paid by Sir Walter Hungerford at Bonham was ^800, vi."., £200 within 12 days after deliverance of Charles, 100 marks on St. Andrew's day 1529, between 10 and 12 o'clock, and 100 marks on the same day and hour for the next three }'ears then following, then ^"100 yearly on St. Andrew's day until the whole was paid. In the event of the mariage not taking place through the refusal of Charles or Arthur Stoui-ton, then Sir William Stourton to refund all the money he had been paid at the date of such refusal to Sir Walter Hungerford, whose future payments likewise ceased at the same time. The repayments to be refunded in like order and time as the)- were made, the first repayment to be made at Bonham twehe months after the refusal, and so on, from year to year, until the w hole was paid back. If Charles or Andrew Stourton died before marriage, or if the daughters of Sir Walter Hungerford refused or died before marriage, or if Sir William Stourton died, his heir then being under age, in which case the wardship of him would lapse to the Crown, then Sir William Stourton to repay, b)' like instalments as above, all monies paid by Sir Walter Hungerford excepting /, 100, and all covenants on Sir Walter Hungerford's part to cease. Before the end of hilary term then next ensuing Sir William Stou'-ton was to secure to his feoffees : — Lord Montague, Sir John Rogers, Knight. Sir William, Lord Sandes, William Ludlowe, Esq., Sir William, Lord Delawar, John Bonham, Esq., Sir John, Lord Zouch, Henry W^hyte, Esq., Sir John Bourchier, Knight, Andrewe Lutterell, Esq., (son and heir of Lord Fitz.warren). John Stanter, gfent., PROPOSED MARRIAGE CONTRACT FOR THE 8th LORD STOURTON. 33o Sir Henry Wyatt, Knight, Thomas Banffeld, gent., Sir Andrew Wyndesore, Knight, jC^oo in lands of fee simple clear of incumbrance, except chief rents and old rents reserved on leases granted by Edward, Lord Stourton, Dame Agnes, his wife, or Sir William Stourton himself, to the uses, intents, &c. following, that was to say : J. — That on the death of Sir William Stourton's father, Edward Lord Stourton, Sir Walter Hungerford should take ;^^50 per annum for the finding of the son and daughter to be so married, until the son should be 21 years of age, when the ^50 per annum was to go to him and his wife and their heirs male, with other remainders. 2. — And after the death of Edward, Lord, and Agnes, Lady Stourton, Sir Walter Hungerford was to take the whole ;^ioo per annum for the like finding and subject to the same condition, and if then Sir William Stourton's son should die then the use of the jCioo to go to Sir Walter Hungerford's daughter as before limited. 3. — Agreement was made by Sir William Stourton that on the death of his parents and himself the residue of his inheritance should descend to the said son and daughter, and their heirs male, except ^100 which should be reserved for the performance of his will, and also excepting 400 marks for a jointure to his widow. Also within one year after the death of his father and mother he would assure to feoffees 100 per annum clear in lands of fee simple, for the use of the son and wife, in allowance of her dower. Sir John Fitz James to be arbiter in case of any dispute. In the event of this marriage never taking place. Lord Montague and his co-feoffees to hold the lands assigned to them to the use of Sir Walter Hungerford until he should be repaid whatever sums he had advanced in the prospect of it. Sir Willi;un Stourton and Sir Walter Hungerford were mutually bound in the sum of 2,000 marks sterling to fulfil the above conditions. This deed is impor- tant shewing as it does many facts relating to the family. On the 1 2th April, 1547, William, 7th Lord Stourton, wrote to the Lord Protector, thanking him for having taken the bearer of the letter, his son Charles, (afterwards 8th Baron Stourton) into his service, and expressing a hope that his son would behave as of duty became him. Before Charles, Lord Stourton, himself had any conflict with the Hartgills, their violence was brought into question as early as 1540, while the\- were still in the service of William, 7th Lord Stourton. This is shewn by the follow- ;^34 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. iiiL;- depositions, in which will be fotmd alleo-ations of violence and open defiance of the law. The depositions also clearly shew that the Hartgills, who were charged with harbouring a man wanted for felony, were not of such an orderly and law-abiding character as Foxe and Sir Richard Colt Hoare would lead one to believe by their writings. Henry Moore shews "that the seide Hartgill and his sonnes, Willyam and John, hath dyvers tymes layen yn a wayte and pykked quarrelles to this deponent, and made dyvers assaultes as well agayn him as agayn some of his servaunts, yn so moche that Willyam, son of the said Hartgyll, did chace this saide deponent with his swerd drau-en," shewing tor which offence on James Adamps, servant to the deponent, William Hartgill (the son), was bound over to keep the peace for hurting the servant on the arm with his sword, notwithstanding which the said William Hartgill afterwards, with his brother John Hartgill. assaulted the deponent, being r.rmed with a sword and otterspear. Acts of maiming cattle are likewise alleged against the Hartgills, who came also with divers men with bows and arrows and rescued a servant of Hartgill, who was in custod)- for felony, Hartgill bidding his men to shoot Mr. Zouche's servants and kill them. The depositions following were taken before the Somershire magistrates, Sir Giles Strangways, Knight, Sir Hugh Paulett, Knight, Nicholas Fitzjames and George Gilbert, Esquires, at Bruton, April 8th, 1540. "Thomas Amys off South Brewham, Co. Som. saythe that one John Webbe als Smythe being servaunt to William Hartgell of Kylmyngton about ix yeres past with one John Crase, John Bryant, and oders did stele a mare with a colte of the price of xxvjs. viijd. of the goodes of this deponent, for which felonye the said Crase was arrainged and put yn execucon at Yevilchestre, and Crase at the time of his deth did confesse that John Webbe was the principall doer of the stelynge of the mare and colte, and Bryant toke sanctuarij for the same feloyne at Charter House, Witham, and their beyng, confessed the like mater for Webbe and hyni selff as Crase before confessed ; and apon knowledge that Crase was taken for the same feloyne, Webbe fledd the contrey for it. And sithen that t} me apon boldenes of Hartgill, Webbe hathe dyvers tymes resorted yn to this country and hath byn maynteyned by the seide Hartgill yn his house at dyvers tymes." Being a witness against Webbe the deponent was arrested under a warrant " granted by Lorde Stourton*, and thereapon was put yn the stockes, by the space of iiij howres, being tlier extremly thretenyd and ynforced by the same to find nywe sewertyes for the peace and also paide ther iiijs for his fees or he cowlde departe. " VVilliaui, jlh Lord Stourton, father of Charles, Sth Lord- DEPOSITIONS TAKEN AGAINST THE HARTGILLS. 335 " Henry Moore alias Smithe of Kylmyno-ton saithe apon his othe that the seide Hartg-ill and his sonnes Willyam and John hath dyvers tymes layen yn a \va)-te and p\'kkcd quarrelles to this deponent, and made dyvers assaultcs as well a,i,i-ayn him as agayn some of his servaunts yn so moche that Willyam son of the said Hartyyll did chace this saide deponent with his swerd drawen, the Thursday after the feste of the Epiphanye of our Lorde last past, at whiche tyme this saide deponent was rescued from the saide Willyam by oon James Adamps then servaunt to this saide deponent ; and then the said Willyam Hartgyll the yonger did hurt the said James upon the arme with his sworde, whereapon Hartgill was bound over to keep the peace, but nevertheless iiird day of Marche last past, the seide John Hartgill and Willyam sonnes of the saide Hartgill the elder did assaulte this deponent with their swerdes and an otterspcare, he beino^ at the plouq-he aboute his busyness ; the saide John Hartgill did strike at him with the saide otterspcare, as he wold have fledd from theym apon his horssc, but he then escaped from theym with moche daunger. "And ferder that about the fest of All Seyntes last was twelve monethis, oon Edward Huntley, Richard Carpynter, and John Goold, then servauntcs to the seide Hartgyll the elder, did steale a sowe of this said deponents yn a place called the Holt. John Lambart of Kylmyngton forsaide did see theym take the saide sowe with a mastyff dogge, of whiche mater the said Lambert gave knowledge prively to oon Sir Willyam Southey, preste belongyng to the seide Hartgyll, and to oon John Lopham to th' intent that some good ordre myght be taken thereyn by the saide Hartgyll withoute ferther busynes whereapon the said Lambert had a heffcr hurt in the legg, and an oxe hurt yn the legg, and he hymself was after- ward hurt and put yn daunger of his lyffe by the said Edward Huntley. " And ferder Richard Carpynter saide to the wiffe of this deponent and to oon Humfry Smythe that ' his master Willyam Hartgyll hadd in tubbes, fattes, and standv's more brawne then iij the next parishes coude ete at one meale ; and the saide Carpynter ynsued and folowed, with a naked knyffe drawen yn his hand, ij boores of this seid dcponentes, and more he knoweth not. "John Lambert of Kvlmyngton was servaunt to William Hartgill when the mare and colte of Thomas Amys was stolen, and at the same tyme Webbe was servaunt to Hartgyll, and after Crase was taken for the stelying of the mare, Webbe by the space of xiiij daies or more kept hym selff prively yn the wooddes of the forest of Sehvood and somtyme comyng to the said Hartgilles house \ n the nyght tymme, and ymediatly after Webbe fledde oute of the contrey for x or xj veres and was not seen yn the contrey agayn by all that space, for this deponent HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. contynued yn the service of Hart.o'yll ij yeres next after the saide felonye comytted. The deponent was also arrested by a warraunt made by the Lord Stourton and put yn stockes by the space of half-a-day immediately after th' assises by the procurement of Hertgill, and there was compelled to fynde nywe sureties and paide for his fees iiijs. vjd. " Further, on Sonday last past he delyvered a lettre from Sr Giles Strangrwayes and other the Kinge's Comissioners to William Harttjillfor his appaurance before them apon these causes, whereapon Hartgill saide to him " Iff thou wyn by this, thou shalt never lose by no barofayn that ever thou shalt make." "Thomas Rastal! of Stavordell said, that Webbe who was an arrant theffe, when he came back yn to the countrey kept hym selffe prively in the day tyme and was supported in the house of the said Hartgill in the night tyme, wherapon the said Mr. Richard Zouche did send this deponent with oon Edward Morice and others to apprehend the seide Webbe being then in the housse of Hartgill, wherapon hering that Webb used to be every mornyng yn the Holt adjoyning to the forrest of Selwodd, they went to siche place as they supposed the seide Webbe would goo towardes the Holt, thynking that oon of them shuld fetche the con- stable of Kylmyngton to assist them and ther gayng, yn ther way they met with Webbe, and then this deponent saide to him '• I arrest the of felonye" and with that the seide Webbe turned from hym and drew out his swerd and buckler and caste a foyne at hym backward v/herwith he strake this deponent through the cote under his arme, and then this deponent and his felowes didd take Webb and left him to his other felowes, under arrest. " Edward Morice of Stavordell saith that when Webb was arrested, Hartgill came with divers other persons to the number of xiiij, with bowes and arrowes and oder wepons, and som of theym beyng harnysed, did forcibly take a way the seide Webb from this deponent and his felowes, albeit that this deponent didd opynly say to Hartgill that Webbe was arrested by the comanndement of the Kynges Justices. Hartgill then made awnswere and saide that ' Webb was his servaunt and wee shuld not have hym,' and with that Hartgill bade them that were with hym yn his party to 'schute at Mr. Zouche his servauntes and kyll them,' and so took the seide Webb from this deponent and others contrary to our willes. " Robert Vynyng of Wincanton deposed that Hartgill caused ij bandogges to be set on this deponent and his fellowes, to the 'ntent to have their purposes aforesaid. DEPOSITIONS TAKEN AGAINST THE HARTGILLS. 337 " Richard Wynsloo off Pen was servaunt and under keeper to William Hart- giW yn Brucombe yn the forest of Selwodd, and said that William Hartq^yll th' elder William and John his sonnes and John Webbe his servaunte, hath dyvers tymes forstalled and kylled the Kynges dere yn the said forest to a g^rete numbre, and ferder sayth that he fownde Huntley and John Frovvde servauntes to Hartgill, where they hadd kyllid a bore with ij bandogges and put hym in a sack and carried to the house of the seid Hartgill. Item that William HartgiU seide to this deponent, that he hath hadd keepers before hym that hath brought hym a carte loode of wylde boares yn one yere. "James Adamps of Kylm)'ngton deposcth that Willyam Hartgill and John his son, made assaulte apon this deponent }'n the churche yarde of Kylmyngton. and the seid John Hartgill strake hym with his daggar, and the seide Willyam strake at hym, with his wood knyffe and put hym yn jeopardie of his lyfTe, saving that good rescue was had of honest persons that were present. Gylys Strangwayes, John Horsey, Hug. Paulet, Georg Gilbert, Nycholas Fitzjames." Expartc William Hartgill. " Richard Adamps of Bruton saith that aboule x or xj veres past he hadd a dun geldynge stolen at Bruton by oon John Bayly als. Smythe, and that to his knowledge Webbe was not privey to the stelyny; of the seide horsse. Tiiomas Crase of North Bruham saithe that he herd Crase and Bryaunt sav that Webb did stele wyne owte of oon Wyke's wayne but he knoweth not how moche it was, and this was done aboute ix yeres past. "Willyam Leversage of Kylmyngton herd Webb say the morrowe after that he was hurt yn the Grove besides Hartgilles housse, that certeyn of Mr. Richard Zouche is servauntes did sett apon the seide Webb the day before, and badde h.ym _\'eld hym thiffe, and he defended hym selft" the best he coud, wherapon he was hurt, and ferder saithe that Webbe was with Hartgill yn service by the space of a yere, after that Crase was put yn execucion and there contynued tell he hurted oon Water Gullofer, then he gave hym warning to avoyde his service, and more this deponent knoweth not. Gylys Strangwayes, John Horsey, Hug. Paulet, Georg Gilbert, Nycholas Fitzjames." HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. In dealing' with the life of Charles, Lord Stourton, and his unhappy differ- ences with the Hartg-ills, it seems best to take the matter as chronologicall}' as possible. William Hartgill was in the service of Lord Stourton down to about 2istjuly, 1548, but on the 27th of October following- he had been dismissed, probably by Charles, Lord Stourton, at the time of his father's death on the i6th September, 1548. William, 7th Lord Stourton, in a codicil to his will, left in- structions that his servants then resident and remaining in the household with him, especially such as be his old servants, should have during their respective lives such wages, meat and drink as they had then of him, if they would serve his son Charles Stourton, and such other servants as had been with him but one or two years and would not serve his said son, to have a year's wages and so depart where they would. During the lifetime of the 7th Lord Stourton, Hartgill (as the steward) had the sole mana,gement of the family estates whilst Lord Stourton was engaged under the Crown at Newhaven, in the official discharge of his duties there. On the i8th Januar)-, 1543, William, 7th Lord Stourton, purchased from the Crown the Manor of Culmington alias Kylmyngton, now called Kilmington, with all its rights, mem- bers and appurtenances belonging thereto, in Co. Somerset, for which William, Lord Stourton, paid to the Treasurer of the Court of Augmentation of the Revenues of the Crown the sum of 1,264 2s. 6id., and on the said date had grant by Letters Patent of the premises, the reversion remaining in the hands of the Crown, of whom it was held in chief by the 20th part of a knight's fee. Two days afterwards (20th January, 1543), the Crown granted a license to William, Lord Stourton, to alienate, sell, and confirm to William Hartgill, his heirs and assigns for ever, in consideration of a nominal consideration of 13s. 4d. paid into the Hanaper, his capital messuage and farm of Kilmington, then in the tenure of the grantee, with the Barton, two closes, pasture for 40 sheep on Kilmington Heath, " ac aliam coiam suiam " wheresoever in Kilmington, a messuage called Medowes close, two closes called Hullyns Heyes, late in the occupation of John Modon, a pasture called Dyny's Calfe-hayes and Wold-hayes, a wood called Church- grove, late in the tenure of Henry More, a messuage newly built by John More called Dynys ; two closes called New-hayes, with all rights and privileges what- soever, all in Kilmington aforesaid*, and lately belonging to the then dissolved Monastery of Shaftesbury, (of whom William Hartgill had held the same as their tenant), being some, if not all, of the premises granted above to William, Lord Stourton, and held of the Crown, their heirs and successors in chief by the 20th part of a knight's fee. It is difficult to believe that the nominal consideration of 13s. 4d. conveyed to William Hartgill a beneficial right and interest in the pre- It is clear the Manor did not pass, as ou the Stli Lord's attainder the same escheated tu the Crown. Plan ok the \eighbol-rhood of Stol'rton and Kilmington, RcpruiliucJ jrum " CharUi, Lord Staurtoa, and ihi Murder oj the Hurti^ills." 340 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. mises ; and It was probably a preliminary action to a then contemplated trust. It was so considered to be by the son, Charles, Lord Stourton, who after his father's death (as evidenced by the Court Rolls), held his first Court for the Manor of Kil- mino-ton on the 8th April, 3 Edward VI., besides holding- his first Court for the M anor of North-Ferrers or Norton-Ferrers on the 9th of the same month and year, at which former Court William Hartgill was cited to shew at the then next Court, by what right he claimed common of pasture for 100 sheep upon the Rectory of Kilmington ; while at the latter Court of North-Ferrers in Kilmington, although the homage presented that William Hartgill was one of the freeholders there, still they cited him to shew by what right he claimed to hold one acre called the Black Acre, under Knoll Hill, and ten acres there, which the homage said he held unjustly. In subsequent Court Rolls for Kilmington it is shewn that William Hartgill paid (i) free rent of late Henry Compton's 4/- ; (2) for Cortops- hays 13/4 ; (3) New Close £\ 13s. 4d. ; (4) Windmill Acre 2/- ; (5) three pastures 24 acres, and close called Chattes-hays, together 17/4; total per annum ^3 los. From the Court Rolls it can be found that John Hartgill the son, should pay rent for the Church House 3/4 ; and that he (John) and his servants, Nicholas Loo and Thomas Rogers, were fined the value (30/-) of three shields and swords, for an assault on Henry Symms and drawing blood. William Hartgill was fined 6/8 by the same Court for shutting up a highway called Kyteshore Lane ; for not stoning a lane called Hamsher Lane, 6/8 ; for not restoring to their place the stocks, 6/8 ; for not cleaning out a well called the Swallow, 6/8 ; for closing the Kyteshore Lane, 20/-. These Courts were held by Charles, Lord Stourton, which fact would seem to cleariy establish his presumptive right and title to the Manor of Kilmington at that date. In 1557 there is a memorandum for the grant ofalease of the Manors of Kilmington and Norton-Ferrers, said to be parcel of the estate of Charles, Lord Stourton, attainted. William Hartgill also appears to have with- held certain rents due to Lord Stourton in respect of North-Ferrers, (which had been purchased by his late father through William Hartgill, who transacted the purchase from Lord Ferrers,) amounting to ^lo 3s. 7d., for certain of the premises then in the hands of William Hartgill, which it was held were not to be collected until it was proved by what right Hartgill held the same. So it will be seen there were g-rave suspicions of Hartgill not only claiming parcels of the Manor of Kilmington as his own, but of secretly keeping some of the North- Ferrers property, which he had purchased for his late master, in his own hands. Charles, Lord Stourton, never succeeded in getting to the real truth of Hartgill's title, and always believed that Hartgill availed himself of some flaw in the trust deed, and thus acquired for his own benefit the parcels of the Manor of hartgill's claim to property in kilmington. 341 Kilmington, vvhich passed under the will '^ of William Hartg-ill of 12th January, '555i (proved 13th November, 1557). These were ahnost the identical parcels shewn in the license granted to him. A messuage, 52 acres with common called Barkesdale in Norton, said to be then held of the heirs of Lord Ferrers, (who was supposed to have sold all his property in Somersetshire to William, 7th Lord Stourton, especially in Norton-Ferrers, William Hartgill having acted as steward and carried out the purchase for his master), also appeared to be in Hartgill's hands. In writing to Lord Stourton from Bewdeley on the 14th July, 1541, Walter Devereux, Lord Ferrers said, " I have receyved by th'ands of yo^ servt Will'm Hartgill, this bero'', the som of xxvi hundred marks sterlyng in full contentation and paiement for the sale I have made unto yo'i of all my lamb in Somcrsctt Shire, as shall appere by the Endenture und'" my signe manuall and scale, the counf'payn thereof remayning with me under yof syne and seale ; and have signed and sealed all suche wrytings as he hathe brought unto me. And so the sayd lands ar to yo" and yo'^ far cv, and nothcr I nor any of myne can hercaff mak clay me thereunto as knoweth Almighty God, who preserve yor good lordshipp long here to continew in helthe with muche encrease of bono'' to yo'^ gentell herte's desyre." How therefore William Hartgill could have lield of the heirs of Lord Ferrers is only explainable by the supposition of the dishonesty of Hartgill. His inquisition post mortem was taken at Chard, on the nth September, 1557, shewing his possessions in Kilmington as aforesaid, with the Manor of Hardington and 646 acres there, held of the Crown in chief, besides the rectory and advowson of the vicarage of Milton-Clevedon ; but his will also refers to property in Shaftesbury, Bristol, Motcombe and East Knoyle. William Hartgill alleged that on the nth December, 1549, three of Lord Stourton's servants, riotously, with force and arms, broke and entered into the mansion house of the parsonage and rectory of Kilmington, which Hartgill said he claimed under a lease granted him by Thomas Benet, clerk, who he alleged was lawfully seised in his demesne as of fee in the same. On the matter being brought to the Star Chamber, on the evidence of William Hartgill, Lord Stourton was committed to the Fleet for having "attempted a notable offence." The proceedings shew that in June, 1550, both Lord Stourton and William Hartgill were respectively bound over, the former in ;^5oo and the latter in .^200, that they respectively, with their men, servants and friends, should keep the peace as well towards each other as against all other of the King's subjects. * \ man lni.^ht will property aud yet liave no legal or eniiifable title. 342 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. While Lord Stourton was committed to the Fleet, Hartgill had to g'ive dail)' attendance before the Council till he was discharged. Lord Stourton was released and discharged of his recognisance on the 7th September, 1550. But a very significant thing arose in 1556, when on the 12th January Lord Stourton's men actually entered the identical lands named in the license, and dispossessed Hartgill from that time till the 14th August then following, when they were charged before Sir James Fitz James and others, Justices of Frome, with the offence, thus holding possession 8 months. The matter was adjourned till the 20th January, 1557, but on the 12th January, 1557, (the first anniversary of the entering), the Hartgills had been murdered. In the end the Hartgills, after William Hartgill's death, asked the Crown to grant the family the reversion of Kilmington. Lord Stourton is proved to have died possessed of the Manors of Kilmington and North-Ferrers, which on his attainder became escheated to the Crown. Whether they included the parcels in question is not ascertainable. It is seen from the next letter (written a little more than a month after Hartgill had been dismissed), that Hartgill makes several complaints against Lord Stourton, which are dealt with in their order. "My bounden duety right lowly remembred. Yt may please you to be advertised that by my servant I have received your kinde letters whiche I take greatly for my consolation ; and as concrning my offices in the Holte and Bradely Woods there ys a tall fellowe dayly walkinge to kepe the same whiche shall stande you in no penny charge and shall fulfill your comaundement to the utterest. And where as you wrytt to me that no man shall knowe who made informacon oi Nvcholas Fitz-james unfittinge words for your good will, I thancke you, but my meaninge ys no lesse but I wolde that all the worldc knewe that it ys my deade to sett fourthe the same, and I am able with honest recorde to approve the same to be as I firste to you dyd wryte in every poynte. Althowgth my Lorde Stowrton, Horner, and the most partye of the beste of the hearers of the matter, do daily goo aboute to paynte the matter, yet the trewth wilbe proved at al tymes. I thinke you do take my Lorde Stowrton to be your lovinge frende, and so yt may be true, but there ys in hym but lyttell frendship shewed towards you or enny of , yours, for I have herde my Lorde saye of your frendship he passiethe not so greatly as men thynketh. And as tuchynge the matter in varyance betwene my lorde Stowrton and M'ris Ryce I have accordinge to your advertisement not medelled in it as yet. Furder, ycu shall understand that my L Stowrton ys fallen at defyance with Mr. Ludlowe and me because we woll not falsley and most untreuly deseave my Lady his mother from all her right and tytle of porcion that LETTER OF HARTGILL TO SIR JOHN THYNNE. shall cum to her by reason of my Lorde's death, and when I had caussed my sa)'d Lady to goo from my howse against her will to Stourton to be onely at his mynde ordered, he devised articules of his owen myne in manner and fourme tollowinge. Firste, that she shoulde release unto hym all her titles, and that she shoulde ever remayne in his howse at his f)'ndinge, takinge by the yere one hundreth markes in mouney and not to be charged with man nor woman. If there were matters of variance betwene them unpossible to be remcdyed and peaced, then she to goo to his mannor of Caundell and to have two hundredth markes of monney eriey by his handes, but yf she shoulde happen to marry or contract her to enny man or boy, then the payment of the said two hundreth markes for ever to cease and no penny thereof to be payed after. And I tolde hym I had no learninge to frame so great a matter, and tolde hym I wolde not make yt withowt a clawse of dystrese to be appoynted in serten lands for the trew payment of the same whatsoever should happen uppon hym, and then he defyed me false vyllaine, and sayed a fore my Lady, M'res Ludlowe and my wyfe that he found the report of my Lord's Grace* to be very trew of me, for his Grace shewed hym that he should fynde me a false vyllaine as ever lyved, whiche words went very neare my harte. If I wyste that my Lord's Grace sayed so to hym then I wolde I were owt of this worlde, for I trust I never gave his Grace suche cause ; my hold truste ys in you. Also I trust my Lord's Grace shall lyke well the proceadinge of your workes as touching your rrioynnarst, for in one place by Yernfeld, in the common they have searched abowt vj fadom depe, and they finde suche matter that they say shortely they shall fynde there other tynne or els leade, withowt fayle ; they be skylfull men and do apply their busines effect- ually and what your pleasure shalbe furder I pray you declare this to bearer. And thus I remayne all yours assured, as knowethe our Lord God who preserve your good worship with long- lyfe. Wrytten in haste at Kylmingeton the xxvijth of October, 1548I. " Your man with servyse William Hartgyll." "Tothe righte wourshipfull and my singuler good Master Sir John Thynne Kin'ghte be this delivered." As to the first part of the letter, there does not appear to be much evidence to throw any great light on the points referred to. They probably allude in part to many matters afterwards more fully detailed. That is, the Duke of Somerset, Loid Protector. f Miners, ; The original is at Longleat, doclieted " 1548, From Mr. Hartgyll to my Mr." 344 HISTORY OF THE KOELE HOUSE OF STOURTON. With respect to the next part the story certainly brings discredit on William Hartgill, and shews how little he deserved the confidence placed in him. William, 7th Lord Stourton, by his will of 8th September, 1548, when Deputy-General of New- haven and the Marches there, gave and bequeathed to Agnes Ryce, the daughter of the Countess of Bridgewater, ' 'all my plate of silver gilte, or p'cell gilte now remay n- ing at Newehaven herein her Keping or custodie, with also all my beddes and other stuf of household moveable and unmoveable in all places remayning w'^in my Manour or Lordshippe of Stourton," as well corn and hay, as all other necessaries for husbandry and household ; two hundred of his best wether sheep going at Stourton aforesaid ; ten oxen, twelve kyne, one bull, three of his best geldings to be taken at her choice, with the apparel to them belonging ; all his corn as well presently growing, as in his barns, garnetts, or other places within the Lordship of Stourton, provided for his household there ; with all his debts due unto the testator, excepting twenty pounds due from William Fauntleroy, his relative and tenant under lease of Stourton in Wilts ; such leg'acies to be for her only use. This was confirmed by a Codicil dated the following day. His son Charles, Lord Stourton, had but a bare residue of the personalty left him, Mrs. Ryce taking the bulk thereof. However, Charles, Lord Stourton, having renounced the executorship thereunder, had g-rant of Letters of Administration on the 15th November, 154S, and consequently was anxious to get in the personal estate and apply it to the terms of the will. Hartgill had been recently dismissed, most probably on the demise of the 7th Baron Stourton, which had occurred on the i6th September of that year. Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, had known of his father's suspicions concerning William Hartg'ill's integrity and honour, and after finding out his actions with regard to the Kilmington and North-Ferrers property, probably never kept Hartgill in his own service. In fact, if the dates are carefully borne in mind, this is the only reasonable conclusion that can be arrived at. There were Chancery proceedings against Agnes Ryce by Lord Stourton, who appears to have come out of the entire matter with comparative credit, when it is remembered that Mrs. Ryce had taken forcible possess- ion of Stourton, and turned out William Fauntleroy*, the legal lessee, and that she was supported in her illegal acts by William Hartgill and his cousin, Thomas Chafyn. The letter of Hartgill's shews that in little more than a month after the death of Hart- gill 's old master, who had so implicitly trusted his servant, Sir John Thynne was advising Hartgill not to meddle in the matter, to which Hartgill replied that he had " not medelled in it as yet." Can the man be believed from his after conduct in the matter ? In Hilary term 4 Edward VI. (January, 1550), Lord Stourton, as * Ha and his wife Cecilia presented to Stourton Cliurcli. For further concerning them see under William Stourton, son of the 7th Baron Stourton. LORD STOLTRTOX A PRISONER IN THE FLEET. 345 administrator of his late father, complained ag-ainst Agnes R}-ce, in custody of the King's Marshal, that she had on the 2Sth October, 1548, the next day after Hartgill's letter to Sir John Thynne, taken and carried away by force the goods and chattels, which were his father's at his death, at Lambeth in the County of Surrey, specifically specifying the articles, all of the value of ^'40, as well as £100 in money, and that she had committed other damages against him to the value of ^500, to which Agnes Rycc pleaded not guilty, the jury being summoned for Thursday after the quindene of Easter then next ensuing*. This lady, in respect of her conduct in dispossessing Mr. Fauntleroy of his leasehold interest in Stourton, had an injunction granted against her at the suit of Lord Stourton. Th is was dissolved on the 28th October, 1550, at which date in letters to the Lord Chancellor it is shewn that Lord Stourton had been a prisoner in the Fleett. On 25th November, 1550, 'William Hartgill, described as of Kilmington, entered into a bond, binding him in £200 to keep the King's peace as well against the Lord Stourton and all his, as against all other the King's subjects. On the 17th July, 1551, a letter was sent from Hampton Court to the Lord Stourton, requiring him to appear before the Council upon the sight thereof, upon pain of his allegiance to the King, but not to enter the gates of the Court. On the 2ist July, 1551, it appears from letters of the Bishop of Sarum and other Justices of the Peace in Co. Wilts, written unto Sir William Herbert (afterwards Earl of Pembroke), Lieutenant there, that it was declared that a rescue was made by Lord Stourton upon the Sheriff when he would have executed a writ of entry upon assize for the Manor of Stourton. The Council thereupon sent for Lord Stourton, who being examined before them how he "durst contempt" the King's officers and resist his laws. Lord Stourton denied that ever iit made any resistance, and offered to put his hand to anything the Council would devise or require him to do in that behalf; upon which a letter was drawn up by the Council from him to Lady Stourton, his wife, and to his servants at Stourton, to suffer the Sheriff to do his duty, and they to avoid the possession quietly, which letter he subscribed. The letter was sent with one from the Council to the Sheriff declaring that Lord Stourton conformed and willed him to proceed in the execution of the writ, and in case the Sheriff found resistance of force, then with force of the Shire he was to remove it according to the order of the law, ' foreseeing that Coram Regc Rolls. t .\cts of the Privy Council. Lord Stourton was impiisoued in the Fleet, in consequence of his entrv M Kilmington, on the oath of Hartgill. 346 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. there be no spoyle made of Lord Stourton's goods, but g-ently dispatched," &c. At the same time a letter was sent by the Council to the Bishop of Sarum and the other Justices, advising them of the whole, and requiring them to assist the Sheriff if need be. Lord Stourton then entered into a recognizance to appear personally before their Lordships twice a week (Tuesday and Saturday), till he had further liberty. On the 27th July, 1551, the Council sent a letter from Hampton Court to the Sheriff of Co. Wilts, that if he had dispossessed Fauntle- roy and his wife of their possession of the farm of the Manor of Stourton, wliich he had no authority to do, that then he should see them restored again and leave them in as good case as he fotmd them, as appeared by the minute of the Council. At Hampton Court on the 29th July, 1551, Lord Stourton was discharged from his recognizance of the 21st of the same month*. Then the Sheriff proceeded to undo that which he had illegally done, and endeavoured to gain possession of Stourton for Mr. and Mrs. Fauntleroy, who held it under a lease granted by the owner of the fee thereof. But on the Sheriff again going to Stourton he found Mrs. Ryce keeping forcible possession of Stourton against Mr. Fauntleroy, and William Hartgill using taunting speeches!. In a long description sent to the Council on the 31st July, 1551, by Robert Basing and others (whose names are given) from Bonham, it was described how Mrs. Ryce held the Manor Place of Stourton. The gates were fast barred and kept by force of guns, bows, and other weapons. William Hartgill was present there as the upholder of Mrs. Ryce, she declaring that she would hold possession until she was discharged by law, and threatening death to the first intruder. She declined to give Fauntleroy possession, notwith- standing that he produced his lease. William Hartgill was all the time making personal and offensive remarks to Mr. Fauntleroy concerning the slaughter of his deer in the Park, and the Sheriff and his party had to depart without being able to carry oat the Council's instructions to repossess Mr. Fauntleroyj. Lord Stourton's case was hard ; here was his tenant illegally dispossessed by the Sheriff". On his conduct becoming known to the Council, the Sheriff failed to again carry out the Council's orders, and Mrs. Ryce was supported in her illegal act by Lord Stourton's discharged servant. Thus Lord Stourton had to suffer, probablv through the spite of the Bishop of Sarum and other Justices of the Peace in Co. Wilts, for merely protecting his tenant, who was in lawful possession of Stourton. The animus against Lord Stourton is further shewn in this next instance. We shall herein read later much about Thomas Chafyn, of Seals in the parish of Mere, and it should always be borne in mind that he * Acts of the Privy Council. * Acts of the Piivy Council. -I State Papers — Dom. Ser. IIARTGILL FOSTERS TROUBLE BETWEEN LORD STOURTON AND HIS MOTHER. 34/ was a man unworthy of credit. He calls himself, in a letter to Sir John Thynne on the 17th April, 1549, cousin to William Hartgill. He was indebted to William, Lord Stourton, in a bond debt of ^So, which Aijnes Ryce claimed, but which had (in the first instance) to be paid to Charles, Lord Stourton, as administrator of his father. Although Chafyn alleged he had already paid it to Agnes Ryce, it was no answer in law to the claim of the executor and personal representative of the 7th Lord Stourton, and Stephen, Bishop of Winchester, Lord High Chancellor of England, decreed that Thomas Chafyn had confessed the debt, and became debtor unto Charles, Lord Stourton, for the £So. This was in spite of the fact that there in open Court Thomas Chafyn had pro- duced an alleged acquittance delivered unto him by Agnes Ryce, purporting to be for the discharge of the ^'80 in question. This seemed to the Court to be only done by covin between Thomas Chafyn and Agnes Ryce, whereupon the Court ordered, adjudged and decreed that Thomas Chafyn, his executors, administrators or assigns should pay unto Charles, Lord Stourton, his executors or assigns, the said ^'80, together with all costs and charges sustained by his Lordship. The next paragraphs of the letter practically form one point, namely, the differences between the Dowager Lady Stourton and her son, Charles, Lord Stourton, and on this point the evidence of Hartgill is hardly worthy of much attention or credence, and his version of the affair must be received with the gravest doubts. It should be borne in mind that John Foxe commenced his narrative with this affair. It is peculiar he should not have shewn the antecedents of William Hartgill, had he wished to have given an impartial account of tlie controversy between Hartgill and Lord Stourton. But had he done so the true character of Hartgill would have been evident and the prejudiced account of Lord Stourton would have lost its effect. After the death of William, 7th Lord Stour- ton, Lady Stourton married Edward Ludlowe, Esquire, who is called in Hartgill's letter " Mr. Ludlow." Lady Stourton had been commended to the care of Hartgill (and had resided with him), by William, Lord Stourton, her husband, during his stay at Newhaven ; therefore Hartgill doubtless knew in what wa)- he could cause a quarrel between mother and son. Having no kindly feeling towards the latter, he probably endeavoured to set the two at variance on the pretence that Lord Stourton wished to defraud the former of her legal rights. But who is likely to believe it, especially as John Foxe makes it the reason for the iUfeeling between Hartgill and Lord Stourton ? Two years afterwards there is a transaction between the mother and son which probably had some bearing on the jointure of the mother. Charles, Lord 348 HISTORY OF THE NOFLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Stourton, on the 4th Jul}', 1550, bound himself to pay his mother £^00, she then being- wife of Edward Ludlowe, Esquire. The Ludlow family eventually became of considerable note in the county. One branch was raised to the Peerage, the last Earl of Ludlow dying as recently as 1842. Edmund Ludlow the Regicide was also of this family. The next letter shews the probable time when the Dowager Lady Stourton died. " After my hartie comendacons to your very good Lordshippe. Pleasythe yt youre good Lordshippe to understand that the olde Lady Stourton, wife to the Lord William Stourton, is deceasede nowe of late, who helde of the Queue's Majcstie for terme of her lyffe, according to the customes of the Manor of Gillingham, certeyne customary landes within the seid Manor, the reversion of the fee-symple of the seid lands belonging to Charles, Lord Stourton, and to his heirs according to the seid custome. The Lord Charles Stourton was atteynted of felonie in the lyffe of my Lady hys mother, wherby the fee-symple of the seyd customary lands are eschetide to the Queue's Majestic, as I understand. And because I know sute will be made to her Majestic for the seyd lands, whereby I might be prevented, the lands, beinge of no greater valewe than xxl' be the yere or scaste so muche, I shall desire your good Lordshippe most hartely to be a humble suter to her Majestic in my behalfe that I ma)' have the prefermente of the seid lands, other to bye the fee-symple or to have it in fee-farm, paying her Majestic the rent, I beseche your good Lordshippe to travell for me in this and to send me your pleasure by this berer. I am the bolder to troble your good Lordshippe because I take you to be one of my beste frendes and hym that I have moste truste in. If there beany servyce or pleasure I canne do youre Lordshippe I am- at your con-tmaundement as I have had good occasion. And thus I end wissheinge youe goode helthe v. ith muche honour. From Gillingham Lodge the xixth daye of Auguste [c. 1560]. By your poore kynnysman and assured frend " " John Zouche." " To the rig'ht honourable and my very good Lorde my Lorde Robert Dudleye and Master of the Queues Majestie's horse. Delyver this." This, by the way, is a good example of the general scramble there appears to have been for the Stourton property, when it reverted to the Crown upon the death and attainder of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton. The "olde Lady Stourton " whose death is thus announced was of course a near relative of the " Lorde Robert Dudleye " to whom- the letter was written. RELATIONSHIP WITH AGXES RYSE. 349 When it is remembered how bitter the feud had become it is somewhat eurious to notice that Lady Stourton, wife of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, and Aqnes Ryse were closely related, in fact were first cousins, their mothers having- been sisters. The following- pedigree will show the connexion of several of the actors in the events preceding- the trag-edy in the life of Lord Stourton. Catherine, daughter of=Si;- John Slouyton, of---;7>- Edward Baynton, of Bromhain. Husband. From the following two letters of John Ganiage and William Hartgill, it appears that a local question relating to Kilmington took place, in which the aid of Lord Stourton, in his official position as a Justice of the Peace, was obtained. Although the matter does not appear to have much bearing on the Stourton family, still it may be as well to incorporate it in this history. Unfortunately the 3'ear is not disclosed. 350 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. "Ryg-ht Worshipfull. Of m)' bounden devvtie thes shalbe to cert3'fie you that immedyately after I had spoken with Mr. Hartgyll he wylled me to g-oo with him to attach on' of my Lord Stourton's men beyng then snspected of felony which then had seased the _£;-oods of Mr. Hartgyll's pri'st to the use of the Lord Stour- ton, for that the said pri'st, together with his wyff, are also suspected of felonyous murdre, by murdering the late husbonde of the-seid pri'st's wyff, which suspicion sholde seme rather to growe of kankered maHce of Mr. Horner, Fitz James and Basyng, partly because, as I am informed, the seid pris't's wyff being widowe wold not marie a servant of the seid Basyng at his request, and partly because she maried pri'st at the request of Mr. Hartg)'ll, then of any just cause or good profe. For the proff whereof yt may please you to understand that in riding to Wanstrowe where the seid Lord Stourton's servant was we chaunsed to overtake the father (of the said man so supposed to be murdered) cumming from Mr. Fitz James. Mr. Hartgyll fayning hymself to be a friend of the seid parties magny- fving them and ivith most vylc tcrmcs dcpmving hymsdf* and I my self to be vendyd to my Lord Stourton, inquiring of hym what was the occasion of his first sute in that behalf? Who half mistrusted us and wold have departed from us but we compelled hym saying, " we came about the busines and the ayde and if thou leave us we wyll leve thee," but at length he trusted us so much that he declared the matter wholly saying one Hill declared to hym that hys sone x dayes before he dyed dyd swelle a wonderful bygnes, then seid Mr. Hartgyll "made he no wyll?" he answered "Yes". "When?" said he, he answered "more than fower dayes before he dyed." " Well," quoth Mr. Hartgyll, " is this all ye canne saye," he answered '■ No, for ij days before he dyed she brought home Malmesey which she dyd warme at the fire and after gave her husband to drinke and after that threw away the pott," with dy verse others as fonde and fryvolous as vaync and of none effect. " Well" saved Mr. Hartgyll, " then was it by your tale vj dayes after he was poysoned before he made hys wyll and I pray thee what gave he his wyff? " he answered " he made her his executrice and gave her all that he hadd save onlie certen to his sone." " Then " seid Mr. Hartgill, "bethought not then to be poysoned by her I thinke." And further the seid father declared that a chyrurgeon was hyred to cumme and se the ded body beyng taken up and iijs liijd for his labors, which founde that his necke was broken, the whiche, if it be trewe, semeth rather to be done by some polycy than by the woman, for all the day before the man lay above the grownde, the Coroner syttynge upon hym, all men going by and beholding the corse no man perseyvinge his neke to be broken, uother they that toke hyme up nor none of the Coroner's Inquest, insomuch the * Note the admission of Hai'tgill's friend. LETTER OF HARTGILL TO SIR JOHN THYNXE. seid Inquest were determined to have acquyted the seid suspecth, because they had no evydence concernynof the poysonyng' nothing' mencyoned of the brekyng of his necke. Whereuppon the coroner of his hote charitie adjorned the Inquest uppon better advyse to g"yve the verdict at an other tyme and left the corse, as Mr. Hartgyll sayeth, in the custodie of the mortall enymyes of the seid suspecthe to be watched, and so agenst the morning the seid surgyon provyded declared as ys aforeseid. And further Mr. Hartgyll sayeth that the seid suspected can bryng sulficyent wytnesses that were at the deth of the seid partie and continually three or fower bowers before hys deth and sawe hym ded and alyve and after buried and lay fyve wyks in the ground, nothing spoken nor mencloned of any such murdre pretensed, and further at the comaundement of Mr. Hartg\'ll I have sent you herein inclosed the copie of the letters which Mr. Horner of late sent to the seid Basyng. Thus your servant wisheth you prosperous success. From Kylmyngton the xvijth of December. ^ [signed] John Gamage." "To the right worshipful and his singler good Master Syr John Thynne Knight, delyver thies." " My bounden dewtie right lowly remembered. It may please you to be advertysed that according to your plesure I have herein inclosed send to you such certyficatts as ye wrote to me for in every behalfe to the beste of my poure accordynge to the truthe of every parcell in your gentle letters mencyoned. And to the utterest of my powre I wull ayde and councell our Under Sheriff for your Av urshyp with all my stodye. And I have advysed him to make a boke that ye maye se every penny by him taken as well for fees of all kynde of process as otherwyse for the fees of the process moste stop a great gap for it wulbe worthe .^40 or better )'ct it muste be resceyvyd in smawle porcyons. I wuld be right sorry that ye shuld be a loser and ag-ayne I wuld ye shuld not be to mowche a gayner but oonly moderation to Rule. Sir, my pryst his wyff is indyted for poysoninge of here old husbond and also for brekynge of his neck and the pryste and oon other that was moste concordante with them and privy howe he dyed (because he declared to Horner and Fitz-james the truthe) bothe indyted as accessaryes and do remayne in the g^ayle and all theire goods spoyled and suche wemen as were at the dethe of the man have ben sett in the stocks to compcll them to apele fawlsly the saide powre woman but they can sey nothinge but all good and the Coronar and also the Jury do confes that none of them never toke othe of no 352 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. person in jjevyngfe onyman's evydens but only the report of Henry Fytz-james and the Papeste* Jury whiche were made by John Dyer's clerke, who was then the Coronar's clerk and Horner and Fitz-james man : The Coroner by the lawe shuld have requyred the Sheryf and Bayly of the hunderthe to have warned the next four townships and of them they to have made an indeferent Jury which to do the Coroner refused afore your Depute contrary to the lawe ; it is the most faulseste mater handeled that ever was in this contrey. Let God beware how he do come in to this parties ) f he wull do or speke leke hymselff for then yff Horn ?r and Fytz- james wuU sey \e then shall he be indyted of morther at the le)'st. As I shall aunswer affore God all thyngs that I did certyfye ageynst my Lord Stourton's men in hunting is trewe as with credeable persons I am ever redy to justifie, the}' make the k) ngs forest to be m)- Lord Stourton's purlewe ; It is to my Lord Stourton as Saynt Akers the Ruyge and Abbottys-m.ore is to yow and none ..Ttherwyset. And sethens the resa)-te of your letters concernynge the same the_\' liave kylled in the saide forest thre dere at oon tyme and every weke they do k\il as mouche as they may whiche I am able to prove. And also they at Crystmas Kve laste assawted the Kyng's Kepers my servauntsand dyd put them in jeberd)-e of theire h ves and resceyvyd at there handes man)- grete strypys and some d)-d geve agayne. I am scry my Lord and his men have none other rayling stock hut oonly in fawls depraving of me And his Lordship as it shalbe well approvyed lovythe ever)- man well in thes parties but oonl)- my Lord's Grace servaunts and il! other that be knowen your frynds and as he reportethe he wull de mowche to ihem yf God do not help ; he that made aunswer affore \-ou is kno\4en as fawls a ihiff and so be his felowys that here the rule here under my Lord as any be in l{ngland and that my Lord knowethe right well. I truste F)-tz-james and his felowys shall oons here of the unlawfull words that I certyfyed you of. I am redy to justifie it of truthe with oon other right onest gentleman for all theire juglyngs. And this I rema) ne yours with trewe iiart and serv)'se as knoweth God who preserve you in wurship. VVreten in hast the fyrste da)- of Januar)-. by your servaunte assuredly Willm Hartgyll." "To the right worshipfull my most singuler good Master S'' John Th)nne Kn)-ght be this delyveryd." tlartgiil was serving a Protestant master, i Lord Stourton was artually Master oftlie Giinic in tlic Holt and Bradley Woods, and Hartgill «ai. only the steward. LETTER OF THOSIAS CHAFYN TO SIR JOHN THYNXE. 353 Althoucjh these two letters are not dated, it is found from the letter of William Hartg"ill of the 27th October, 154S, and from the letters subsequently dealt with, that the date of the letter written by John Gamage, the under-sheriff, was the 17th December, 154S, and that of the foregoingr letter of William Hartgill was the ist January following-. The subject mentioned in the first three sentences of Hartgill's letter of 27th October, 1548, is the same as continued in his letter of tlie ist of January. It must be mentioned here that Sir John Thynne was chief officer in the service of the Duke of Somerset, that William Hartgill was steward for the Duke, of Mayden Bradley Woods, and that John Hartgill was servant under Sir John Thynne, who had purchased many of the lands which had belonged to certain Abbeys and Chantries at the dissolution. Amongst these he had purchased property formerly belonging to the dissolved Chantry of Berkeley, or the Chantry of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which had been founded in the Church of Mere*. This property Sir John Thynne leased to Thomas Chafyn, of Seals, for 51 years. On the loth and nth November, 1563, Chafyn, during the existence of the lease, acquired from Sir John Thynne the reversion of the premises. It is hardly necessary to follow Hartgill in the latter part of his letter regarding Lord Stourton's men, who probably chastised his own after much aggravation, for the whole tone of the letter shews the nature of the writer. But \vhatever truth there may be in Hartgill's statements as to the killing of deer in the King's Forest of Selv.'ood, it should be stated that by an ancient privilege, every Peer, in passing through the King's Forests, was entitled to kill one or two of the King's deert, and this was a custom in force at that period. In addition to this Lord Stourton was Master of the King's game in the Holt and Maiden Bradley Woods. On the 17th of April, 1549, Thomas Chafyn wrote as follows to Sir John Thynne : — " I^yght wurshipfuU Mr. Thynne my dewtie of humble commendacyons condignely premysed unto you with most hartie thanks for all your gentylnes. These shal be to asserteyne you that I have caused Mr. Leversage to be arestyd by your undershereyffe upon a statute at the sute of Mr. Button, the penaltie wherof is tyve hundred marks, and old Horner, not a lyttel greved therwith, have made soche craftye meanes to your seyd undershereyfe that he hath the custodie of the seyd Leversage at his owne wyll and plesure, doughtynge nothynge but that your seyd depute have taken suere bondds of Horner for your discharge yn that behalfe : yet better had hyt bene yff he had remayned styll with That tljesc dcsciiptions related to one and llie same chapei is proved by the register of Dean Chandler. ^ 1 BK, Com. 167. 354 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. your depute til! an ende had byn taken theryn. Yffe your plesure be to wrete your ernest letter with spede to your seyd depute that he maye folow my coseyne Harti^yll's advice and myne yn the premyses, wee shall soe use the matter that you shall be therin right well contented and Horner nothings therwith pleasyd. I have also sent to you heryn enclosed a letter that was sent to me by the searchers of mettalle that were of late sente downe ynto Wiltshire and Somerset by my Lord's Grace's commaundment desyring' you to loke upon the contents therof. I have sent you in lyke case the copieof a precepte and commaundment addressid from my Lord's Grace to all officers yn the Kyng's Majestie's behalfe for to make provision for horses withyn the lymetts of theire office for the seyd parties yn theyre affayres. Wherupon the Constabulls of Kylmyngton dyd theyre endevor for the trew executyng of my Lord's Grace seyd commaundment, at the request of the seyd parties, to provide them horses withyn theyr office accordingly. And now of late since my Lorde Stourton's repayre into the contrey the seyd con- stabulls for the executing of theyr office yn the prem)'sses have been sett openly yn the stocks by my seyd Lord Stourton with soche crueltie as the lyke have not ben sene. And this open shame have these honest men, beyng the Kyng's officers, reseyved openly att my seid Lorde Stourton's hands for the only doyng and execut)'ng theyr office apon the auctorytie of my Lord's Grace's commaundment. Whereupon these poore men thus beyng punisshed have been with me, and made soche mone for theyr opyn shame that they have this reseyved, yn executing my Lord's Grace's comaundment, that hyt petyeth me to heare it. And for by cause of my bownden dewtie that I owe to my Lord's Grace, and also for my discharge yn this behalfe, and for that I doo thynck this matter redownyth mooch to my Lord's Grace dyshonour, his Grace's commaundement to be had yn soo lyttell regard and by others to be adnychilatted and set naught by, is the cheife cause of my wretinge to you hereof remyttyng hyt holly to your discression. Please it you also, good Mr. Thynne, to understond that my cosyn Hartgyll is wrong named yn the Commission vow for the Relyefe. They have named hym Thomas, where h\'s name is Wyllyam, but Mr. Fitz-james, Horner, and my Lord Stourton bc3'ng of that Commission, doyth not a lytell enjoye thereat. Surely you wold lyttell thyncke howe moche my seyd Coseyne Hartgyll is dysmayde and dyscom- fortyd, what with the betyng and mayminge of hys man and takyng awey of hys lyame hownd and the deteynynge of hym bv my seyd lord Stourton and h3's servants. And now thus hys enemies to tryumphe at hym concerning the prcmysses, I fear the conseyt therof wull shorten hys tyme unlesse some comfort maye cum to hym shortly by your good helpe. And thus levyng to trobull you any farther at thys tyme desyring your helth with the contynuance of the same. HAKTGVI.L's letter to sir JOHN' THYNN'E. 355 From Mere rasshely wretyn the xvii''^ of April by your owne assurecll\ Thomas Chafyn of Mere Too the ri^j-ht wurshipfull and my very good master Sir John Thynne, Kn\-oht, be this delyvered with spede." Hartgill soon recovered from his discomfiture, for he is found writing in haste from Kilmington to Sir John Thynne, Knight, on the 6th Ma}-, 1549. His letter was as follows : — " M\' bounden dewtie right humble remembered with moste lowly thank)-s for your manyfold kyndncs to me and myne alweys shewed in tyme of grete nede. And for your kynd letters sent to my Lord Stourton wherwithall he was gretl)- oflfended insomowche that he sayde that he sett not by your fryndship seinge \ e favored me as ye dyd, with many tymes cawlynge me varlett and veleyne as your servaunte John Hartgyll shewed me who delyvered to hym your letter. And as to my hound I shall not have it. And he handellythe me more with crueltie then he d3-d afore as I truste shortly ye shall knowe more. And as to the car}-age of your stonys, it shall be aplyed with the best of all my lytle powre when the weys be redy. And your undersheryff have used hym selff after a good sort as touch)'nge Mr. Leversa)'ge for he hathe servyd Mr. Button's towrn in the be.-5t manner that may be devysed by meanys of the lawe, for all Leversege's lands within the Hundred of Frome is extend3'd but at ^xxxj by the yere, wherewith Mr. Horner is not beste pleased. And I think hit wull cause Leversege and h)"m to departe company within short tyme. And truste ye shall fynde Mr. Gamage to shewe hymselfif towards you a proffetable oflfycer. And for my parte I truste to fulfyll all your commaundements accordyngly. And this I pra)- Jesu preserve you in wurship with longe lyfF. Wretyn in hast at Kylm3-ngton the vi"i day of May by Your assured powreman Willm Hartgyll To the ryght worshipfull and my most singular good Master, Syr John Th)'nne, Kt. be this delivered." He could hardly have expected much consideration to have been shewn bs Lord Stourton after his own conduct. The next two letters are from Lord Stourton, respectively to the Duke of Somerset and Sir John Thynne, and explain Lord Stourton's side of the case. A space of about 10 or 11 weeks had elapsed between Hartgill's letter of the 6th May, 1549, and Lord Stourton's two letters. 356 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE 01- STOl ITON. " My duetie considered, Pleaseth it yo^' grace to be advertised, that forasmuch as I have Iieretofore received the burden of some reports unto your Grace betwixt liartgill and me, I have therefore at sundry times, borne more than frail nature, by just occasion, wold permytt, and even as I have made answer unto your Grace tor the furst report, so may I say again, which is, that I have not, at any time,mol- cst) d liym with word or dede, nether contrary to a law, nether )-ett to the extrem3-tie thcrof. But as I can learne, my symplisitie and quiet dealing- have ben an encoragMnent to his wilfull presumptyous and outragious mynd. For he hath not only brutyd and reported me to be a maynteynour of Rebellyons, with other imjust reports and slaunders, but also this Wedonsday, being the xixth of June, my poor man, who kepith my houndes, having' them to a place of vile relief wher one of my tenants had a horse dedd, in his retornc, almost att my gates, Hartgill made great spcde towards hym on horsback, with his crose bow bent and forked arrow in the same having' two others riding'" {i.e. running) "after h)-m on foote, with long' bowes and arrowes, and tryumphed with hym as well with outragious talke ag'enst me as also thretening hym to kill hym. Also even the same day certyn of my men chanced to be hunting' of the hare in the fyldes, as indede I steare theni sumtymes to practes theire bowes and somtymes to hunt, bycause I will not have them idle, and in theire returne homeward, Hartgill cam to them with a forest bill and thre others with bowes, and arrowes in them half drawn, and fower with bills and staves, requyring my men to kepe their ground and stay' ; his men being plantyd round about theni, he began to talke at libertie, my men g3'ving hyni no ill word froin the furst to the last, \-ett I am sure my comandyment not to the contrary, they v,'old have beaten hym and hys men and taken their weapons from them. Then he reviled my men and bragged to thcni like a mad man, saying that yf hys men did kill two or thre of my men, he woold bare them out, and moreover said, although he warre sworne to the peace yet wold he borrow a poynt of the law, for he had two or three hnndrith pounds to spend in vayne. And as God wold, my nien departed doying no grief unto hym, howbeit truly Sir the_\- liad much care to forebare hime. Therefore I umbly beseche your grace to stand so moche iv.y good Lord, according to my hope, that I may not be subject imto such one, and that I may not be tempted, nether any of myne, to shew the fraile worke of nature. But in good faith. Sir, if 1 do, I must nedes desier your Grace to bare wilh my weaknes, for I am sure there is no gentleman wold take the like ingratitude that I have done at his hands. Sir, I am sory that I am forced to truble }'our Grace with so long declaracions, yet could I reherse a grcte dealt- .\s early as 1540, lon^ before any quarrel with Lord Stourton, the Hartf^ills were accused of si;nilar conduct, and of violent breaches of the peace. See the depositions previously set out. LORD STOI'RTOn's LETTER TO SIR JOHN THYNNE. 357 more, which yf yt may stand with your Grace's pleasure this bearer may advertise )-our Grace of the wholle. The names of my men arc underwritten, who will be at all tymes at )'our Grace's comaundment to take an othe all this to be trewe. Thus Jesu preserve your Grace in prosperous estate to his worthy will. From Sturton, this Friday, the xxi^t of June, 1549. Roger Ellis, John Blandford, Robert Frank, Ow)-n Tew, Alexander More, and Richard Muckill, of the which the furst two rehersed are auncyent householders and thei all are honest men. Your Grace's to com'and Carolus Stourtu'* To the high and Excellent Prince my Lord Protector's Grace with speed." This letter is such as one would expect Lord Stourton to write. It is tcw- perate in tone, shewing- long suffering at the hands of an objectionable neighbour who had been previously discharged from the service of the writer. It stands forth representing the case of Lord Stourton, and unmistakeably carries the stamp of truth. Lord Stourton writes in a rather different temper to Sir John Thynne, but probably had no little justification for his opinionj. Sir John Thynne, who was chief officer to the Duke of Somerset, was a man who had invariably listened to the two cousins, Hartgill and Chafyn, and had the son of the former, John Hartgill, in his own employment. Both these HartgiUs and another son Willi.\m, were as early as 1540 accused of the most violent breaches of the peace, and certainlv Hartgill's own letters do not prove him to be either a very peaceful citizen or of an agreeable temper. Sir John Thynne, like William Hartgill, was the founder of his family, having been knighted at the battle of Muscleborough-field against the Scots. He eventually grew into such favour with the Duke of Som- erset that he became his chief counciller in State and private affairs. It will be apparent later whether or not the Duke upheld his views regarding Lord Stoin-ton, whose letter to him is now gi\en. "Mr. Thine, w"' harty recomandasions. Whear as yn yo^ laste letters you dyd as well wyshe me to worke advysedly, for the wh I thank you and that yn y judge- ment, 1 was symply governed by sertayn off my men : as also that my men shuld detayn a hound off my Lord Grace, S)-r, I shall lett you to wyett therfor. As for the guberment off my servantts, allthough I be not the myttest to governe, yci am I not the symplyste to be governed ; and as for the outrage and mysusage off my men wh : you say is trew, this my letter shall bearc wytnes, that their apparent * Lord Stourton thus signed his '■ Treatise on tlie Sacrament," with a scroll niter ih^ .'^nrnaiue. t See Sir John Thynnu's letter to Mr. WoUeley Ia!er ou. 358 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. acts may be bothe avoued and allowed, untyll the Law, yn the same, be altered. The truth is, two off my men meatt w"' Hartg-yll's kyper allmoste halff a myle w'hyn my Frehay, waikyng thearnvith his hound as a kyper of the same, for the w'^h he had receaved before that tyme contrary warnyng- ; and my men took his hound from h)-m ; and so shall they do agfayn yff the case requyre the lyke, except my Lord's Grac; coniand the contrary, yn the which I truste his Grace w\'llethe me as mooche lyberty and comodety as any other subjecte. And as for the hound, he shalbe att my Lords Graces comandment with all that I have besydes, trustyng that his Grace's opynyon is so yndefferent towards me ; the hound to be as well yn my custody, doyng wrong to no man, as he shuld be yn Hartgyll's kypyng- oppressyng every man. Mr. Thine, I do not a lytle woonder what shuld cause you to beare suche a V agaynste me, excepte you shuld do hit to spyght me withall. And yff hit be so, truly I shall content myselfe without desertt ; and think myself to lose a frynd which is not worthe the fyndyng. Therfor as I have sayd hertofor, yff you lyste to use me as your neyghbor you may so fynde me, yff not I can say no more, but that Hartgyll's losse wylbe your gayn. Syr, I have send you by this bearer xls*, that is to say froin Myghellmas to our Lady day ; trustyng that you wyll not so moche neglecte my pour good- wyll as to lose hit for Hartgyll's lyes and neadfull flatery. This fare your well. From Stourtun. Yo^ frynd Caroir Stourton." "To my frynd Syr John Thine." There is nothing in this letter to Lord Stourton's discredit. It certainly shews that Sir John Thynne was inclined towards Hartgill. But it was somewhat presumptuous for one in Sir John Thynne's then station of life to offer advice, as he did, to the head of one of the most ancient families in the locality, for had the Duke of Somerset not taken such interest in Sir John Thynne, the latter would probably have never been heard of. The Duke admitted that Lord Stourton had been appointed Master of the King's game of the Holt and Bradley Woods, and that his Grace intended to appoint Lord Stourton to the office of High Steward and Master of the King's game in divers other placest. On the 3rd July, 1549, William Hartgill wrote from Kilmington, to Sir John Thynne, of a party of some four score persons, (mentioning many of the names) sundry times coming in the Lord's Grace's frehay of the Holt and there " In the copy of tliis letter in Canon Jackson's work; " Charles, Lord Stourton and the Murder of the Hartgills " this is copied as LV'- I Vide his Grace's letter to Sir John Thynne. JOHN BERWYKe's letter to sir JOHN THVNNE. 359 killing- deer, &c., and with complaints against certain of his Grace's tenants (including the Mompessons) ofMayden Bradle}', for hunting and killing deer with crossbows, but this has nothing to do with Lord Stourton. John Berwyke, servant or steward to theDuke of Somerset, wrote from Eston on the 1 2th July and 14th September, 1549, to Sir John Thynne, desiring the latter to be a good master to Sir John's old friend and his, William Hartgill. The letters also refer to Lord Stourton, so it is well to reproduce them in full. " After my moste hartyest comendacons to you and to my good ladye your bedfeloughe, desyring you to be Good Master to your olde frend and myne Mr. Hartgyll. I perceyve my Lord Sturton hathe complaynyd of hym to my Lord's Grace : And he " (i.e. Hartgill) " hathe answered the same truly as he will abydc by, as he saythe he hathe many thyngs more to declare agaynst my seyd Lord Sturton the whyche he forbearythe at thys present for trowblyng my lord's Grace. I pray you helpe that he maye lyve in more quyetnes or else yt were better for hym to dwell in Turkey as ye maye perceyve partlye by hys answer and letter. And thus wysshyng you no lesse healthe and felycytie then your gentle herte desyrythe. From Eston the xij'h of Julye 1549. Your assured to commaunde John Berwyke Postscripte Certeyn of thes lewd people of Hamshyre entryd my Lord's Grace parke at Ludgarsall on Fryday last at nyght, brake the parke and toke theyr pleasure in huntyng and kyllyng the dere. But although Mr. Richard Brydges who hathe the custody and profytts thereof, dyd not resyst theym, yet I thought it not ryght to be sufferyd beyng my Lord's Grace's : and desyered theym to remove in the mornyng erly, that happy was he that could runne fastyst nevertheles takyng many of theym dyd show no maner of crueltie uppon theyr further promyse that they wyll do no more so : and hath bownd them to answer when they shal be comaundyd. Further Mrs. Kj^ngsmyle, her husband beyng from whome, sent me a letter herein inclossed the whyche I pray you show unto my Lord's Grace for true it ys theys lewd people be evyll dispossed. To the Ryghte 'Worshyppfull and myne especyall frend Sr. John Thynne, Kn\-ghte, deliver." The second letter dated Sept. 14th, 1549, was as follows : — " After my most hertest comendacons to you and to my good lady with lyke thanks for many your gentylnes. And although I nede notte desyer you to be good Master unto this berer your very frend and myn Mr. Hartgyle, yet he 360 HISTORY OF THE XOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. comyng this way, and I heryng the matter wyche he wyll declare unto you, and of the yvyll deallyngs of my lord Sturton, could no les but desyer the same : so that by your meannys my lord's Grace may be advertessed of the seid lord Sturton's extreme doyngs agenst hym, wherby I dought not his Grace wyll take order that his servant may lyve withought danger. I nede not wryght to you of the seide lord Sturton for that ye harde inough yourself at your late beyng in thos parts th'wyche wer not myte shuld be kept from my lord's Grace. My Lady, my lord's Grace's mother, desyryth you to remembre her as well for th' hangynges of her late chambre at Bromham as also for the blake velvet gown the wyche the late Queue gave her, as she sayth. And thus most hertely far ye well. From Eston the xiiij''^ of September Your most assuredly to comaunde John Berwyke To the Ryght woshipfull my assured frende Sir John Thynne Knyghte be this delyvered." Lord Stourton's complaint therefore was apparently softened down by these three friends and servants of the Duke of Somerset, who would probably be guided a good deal by them. Though not having, as far as can be conjectured, any relation to the dispute between Lord Stourton and Hartgill, chronologically a letter written by Lord Stourton to Sir William Sherington should be here inserted. Unlike the other letters, the originals of which are all extant at Longleat, all that exists of the following is an undated transcript endorsed "Copy of letter sent from the Lord Stourton to Sir William Sherington." From the words "King's Majesty" which occur, it must evidently have been written before the reign of Oueen Mary ; and the reference made to the "authority" and "commission" of Sir William might seem to show that it was written when he was Sheriff ot Wiltshire in 1552-3. This Sir William Sherington was the person of that name who obtained a discreditable notoriety by malpractices in the matter of the coinage. The " Mr. Herbert " referred to was created Earl of Pembroke and Baron Herbert in October, 1551, but Lord Stourton may have referred to him at a later date by his more familiar appellation. " I have receaved your letters. First as for Thynne's part I will doo as I see cause, and doubt you not but the cause shalbe agreable to the deade, your warning not geven. As for your authorite to commaunde, it is to me more straunge in this case then I suppose you have commission for. Well I knowe LORD STOURTON's LETTER TO SIR WILLL\M SHERINGTON. 361 that Mr. Herbert is Hig'h Lieutenaunt of the Shire of Wiltshire, and even as I have no vaine hoope but certainly do knowe him to be myn especiall frende whom I wolde trust for my lief and gooddes, so do I not a litle wonder that he will putt wyne into a broken bottell (as you saie he doth). I have also to geve you thanks for your honest reapport made to the King's Majestie's counsell of me, but indeade not thankes wourthie. 1 doubt not but my truth thearin, scarce as yet well knowen, shalbe hable within fewe daies to blanke your untruth well knowen. I do not knowe the contrary but that you are as like to breake good rule as I ; and I as like to punisshe you and you me ; but let the breach of your allegeaunce be example to your procedinges hensfourthe, and then I doubt not of your part. No more you shall have nede to doubt of myn. To William Sharington." The next letter shews that Sir John Thynne had himself complained to the Duke of Somerset of Lord Stourton, and one cannot help noticing the decisive answer which the Duke makes when writing from Syon, in Middlesex, on the loth August, 1551, to Sir John Thynne, when his Grace says : " For the matter between my Lord Sturton and Hartgill, We shall at our next meeting with my Lord Sturton doo what wee can to make an end between them. And whearas you write that you are informed wee had given from you the kepyng of the game of the Holt and Bradley Woods, unto my Lord Sturton, you shall understand that wee have permitted unto hym to be but onlie Master of our game there, as wee Intend to permit h}'m the like, with th'office of High Stuarde also, in dvverse other places, in consideration of certyn friendshipp he hath done unto us of late. For the Holt wee had of Mr , wee have promised it unto hym agayne of whom wee had it, as we keep it not still in our owne hands. Howbeit wee intend as )-et to occupie it ourselff. " The foregoing letter is worthy of remark, and is weighty evidence in favour of Lord Stourton. But probably its receipt did but little to improve Sir John Thynne's feelings for Lord Stourton. Shortly afterwards Hartgill lost his stewardship of Mayden Bradley, the same being given by patent to William Stourton, brother of Lord Stourton. Doubtless this provoked Hartgill to a still greater extent. The Duke of Somerset was beheaded on Tower Hill on the 24th January, 1552, and unfortunately Lord Stourton was one of the Peers who tried him. 362 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. ^^_^(^ -r^-^jr^-) ^^^^ ^^^^ /''^^P^, ^^,^^^^^A^ /'^■^^ i^CMr^ ^^x*^^ ^ ^^^'aJ^ -^^^^ — ^ Reduced Facsimile of Letter — see next page — from Lord Stourtox TO Sir John Thynne. LORD STOURTOX'S LETTER TO SIR JOHX THYNNE. Lord Stourton's letter to Sir John Thynne in 1553 which follows, shews he bore no animosity to the latter, whom he describes as his neighbour and friend. "After my harty comendacyons. Whereas as off late the Manor off Maid'n-bradley* is ordred to the use of my coosyn Edward Semor, the steward- ship wheroff, (as not unknown to )"ou) is b)' pat'nt geven to my broder Wyll)'am, wherin I am desyred (bycause of his absens) to take some payne for the better servys off the Kings Majcstie and quietnes off his peple ther, notwithstanding my good meanys to that effecte that honest groome Hartgyll doth not onI_\^ proclaime his accostomable talk, but also sayth that nether my broder, Gyles Slade, nor I, shall have to do therew*- : also co'trary to his hauctoryte or comyssion for the same doth make replevyns, wh'- you know doth appartayn to the Steward to do, which well apperyth by patent, & also that yn all my fader's tyme the replevyns weare made yn his name & not yn Hartgylls : att my last beying yn London, I brak thes matters to my cosyn Semor, who lyke a kynsman advised me as I culd desyre. Therfor, bycause I know you to be in crcdytt with my cosyn Semor, I shall desyre you to send me word wheder Hartgyll's bragg hath any ground or no and what your oppynyon is theryn. This fare you well. Your neyghbour & frynd Charolls Stourtn. " "To my frynd Syr Jho Thynnet." Lord Stourton need hardly have written to Sir John Thynne on the subject. His brother had been appointed by patent and it was the duty of the steward to make out the replevins in the Lord's name, as well as all legal papers. Hartgill was clearly in the wrong, and probably only desired to cause annoyance to Lord Stourton. William, 7th Lord Stourton, had held these Priory lands of the Crown under lease, and at the dissolution they were granted to the Duke of Somerset. On his attainder they reverted to the Crown, which had the reversion also of the premises. Sir Edward Seymour, the Duke's eldest son by his tirst The Manor here spoken of was that which represented the Priory lands formerly belonging to the Priory there, oi whom it was held by the Lambert lamiiy down to the time when W illiam Lambert was found to be heir to his father uf the same, and being witinn age, his ward and mairiage vested in the Crown, who granted a lease of the same to William, 7th Baron Stourton. The Manor waseitlier one ot repute or subinfeudation to the other Manor in the same parish, but it is known no Courts were held fur it. Tlie Daungen family anciently held it and from them it passed by descent to the Lamberts, who held it for several generations, it being called both the .Manor of Maiden Bradley and Lambard's Conrt. Sir Richard Colt Hoare admits he could never find out what property the Lamberts held iu Mayden Bradley. I Docketed " received from Lord Stourton .... 155J." 364 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. « ifc, afterwards purchased of the Commissioners appointed to dispose of church lands the "Manor" of Mayden Bradley. Under a private act in 1552, John Seymour, the second son of the Duke of Somerset, by his first wife, had recom- pense made to him for his mother's lands, which are said to have included the Priory lands of Mayden Bradley. On the 28th January, 1553 (7 Edward VI.) an act was passed for the restitution in blood of Sir Edward Seymour, Kniijht, son and heir of Edward, late Duke of Somerset, and Katherine, Duchess of Somerset, his first wife. Edward Seymour, under the title of Lord Seymour, died seised of the Manor of Mayden Bradley, which undoubtedly included all the Mayden Bradley property. Among the Star Chamber Proceedings of (probably) 1551 or 1552, there is a long list of Interrogatories sent down into Co. Wilts, for the purpose of closely inquiring into the particulars of certain assaults alleged to have been committed by Lord Stourton and his agents upon Thomas Chafyn and others. From these interrogatories it appears that onthe i8th September, 1550, Lord Stourton sent notice to Thomas Chafyn to give up possession of the demesne lands of the Manor of Mere, and laid an Indictment before the Justices. Nevertheless Thomas Chafjm, who was cousin to William Hartgill and of whom mention has been previously made, alleged that Lord Stourton forcibly drove his sheep off the demesne lands of Mere, impounding them at Stourton, on the i6th February, 1551, while Lord Stourton's indictment against Chafyn, for not giving up possession of such demesne lands, was pending before the Justices. The sheep were restored, but on the i6th May following, the servants of Lord Stourton were alleged to have entered the demesne lands and taken Leonard Chafyn and two more, Imprisoning them for some days in Stourton House ; while on the 12th July Chafyn's shepherd was imprisoned in Stourton House, and on the 12th August 240 sheep belonging to Chafyn were taken away and driven to Lord Stourton's grounds and by his command proclaimed in the market as "strayers," 1,000 more being impounded there on the 22nd of the same month. On the 24th August, Lord Stourton and his servants entered the barley fields, part of the said demesne, and carried away 40 loads of barley, all taken off the demesne lands of Mere, and " inned" it, that is, took it home and housed it. At first this looks a serious charge, but when the circumstances are known the charge dwindles down to a matter of ownership. Lord Stourton was at the time actually Lord of the Manor of Mere, in actual pos- session. Chafyn, consequently, with his men, was a trespasser, indictable before the Justices or Quarter Sessions, and what followed was legally done, for Lord Stourton, being in the Commission of the Peace had the right not only of ejecting LORD STOURTOn's TITLE TO THE JtANOR OF MERE. the trespassers from his premises, but also of imprisoning them until brought to trial. Lord Stourton was within his rights in impounding the sheep and housing the barley. Unfortunately the Court Rolls relating to Mere are not extant from 24 Henry VII. until 8-9 Eliz., but although they would help much, still there is abundant evidence to support Lord Stourton's actions and prove that Chafyn had no title at all. Any landlord would have done the same under the circumstances. The case requires to be met on its merits, as it is one of those matters by which John Foxe maligns Lord Stourton at the end of his narrative. Henry VIII. was seised in fee — inter alia — of the Manor of Mere in Wilts, and in the 35th year of his reign demised the same for a term of years to one Pyster, who assigned it to William, 7th Lord Stourton. From him it passed to his son the 8th Lord, who had a renewal for 40 years, and on whose attainder it passed to the Crown, which was petitioned by his widow. Lady Stourton, for " the lease of the Manor of Mere grauntyd to her late husband," thus shewing he held the lease at his death. The point at issue was as to whether the title vested in the Crown or the Prince of Wales as Duke of Cornwall, and as to which had the right to con- vey, and it is proved that the Manor had descended from Edward III., who was seised in fee, to Henry VIII., "ut consanguines et heredi ipsius Edw. 3." Edward VI. (who had no legal or equitable right to convey), in the 4th year of his reign, demised to Thomas Chafyn 200 acres of land there for 21 years, during the time the legal lease to Lord Stourton was in full force and virtue, and during the time Lord Stourton was in the actual full enjoyment and possession of the Manor. The Court held that Edward VI. had no power or right to grant the lease to Thomas Chafyn, and that Henry VIII's lease was both valid in law and of good effect. The suit-at-law is referred to in Coke's Reports as one involving some nice points touching the Crown's rights during the minority of the Duke of Cornwall. Lord Stourton being in full enjoyment and actual possession of the premises, Thomas Chafyn's remedy was to gain possession by proving his title first in a proper court of law, and not by forcibly entering on the lands and dispossessing Lord Stourton. By doing so Thomas Chaf)'n onl)- appears to have received his deserts. The connexion of the Stourton family with Mere, as has been previously noted, dated from an early period. In 1399-1400 (i and 2 Henry IV.) there had been a grant by Henry IV. (as Duke of Cornwall) to (Sir) William Stourton, father ot the first Lord Stourton, on a lease for five years at 66s. per annum of " Our Lodge and the herbage of our Park of Mere : Our beasts of chase to be also reasonably kept up, "("ultra rationabilem sustentationem ferarem nostrarum"). 366 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. In 1552, Sir John Zouche was Steward of Mere for the Crown, and in that year King Edward VI. had some intention of selHng it. In a letter upon the subject to the Royal Commissioners, written from Wilton January the gth, 1552, Sir John Zouche recommends that the sale should be postponed, and says " Indede the late Lord Stourton in the tyme of the late King Henry th'eight was very desirous of the purchase of it ; which when his Majestic understode, he did furthwith stay it, although the money was before-hand paid." Thomas Chafyn held the Manor of Seals Cleevdon near Bonham, and on the attainder of Lord Stourton, he acquired the Manors of Mere and Seals Gilsbury. The three Manors were the subject matter of an action in 1568, the Queen being plaintiff against Thomas Chafyn. On the 22nd October, 6 Edward VI., Lord Stourton is alleged tohave entered with his servants to the number of 12, the copyhold lands claimed by one Robert Coward in Mere- Woodlands, holden of the Manor of Seals-CIeevdon and Wood- lands, Lord Stourton placing his own servant in possession, turning Robert Coward off the premises, imprisoning his servant at Mere and impounding his cattle. These premises were a part of the Manor of Mere, and came within the same title shewn in Chafyn's case, Lord Stourton treating Coward as a trespasser. These acts of alleged ownership by other persons against a Lord of a Manor were very frequent in those days, especially where the Lord's title was in question. After Lord Stourton's death Robert Coward, although he had previously set up some alleged copyhold title in Lord Stourton's lifetime, claimed land holden of the Manor of Mere, under an alleged grant of Charles, then late Lord Stourton, to the use of himself and others, at the same time admitting that the then late Lord Stourton was tenant for years of the Manor of Mere, the reversion thereof belonging to the Crown. This is an answer to Chafyn's claim. The details of this dispute between Lord Stourton and Robert Coward are to be found in the Proceedings in the Star Chamber, 6 Edward VI., in the form of the complaint lodged by Coward as tollow^s : — "October, 1552. To the Kyng our Soverayn Lord. In moste humble wise sheweth and compleyneth unto your excellent Majestye your pore subject Robt. Coward, that where at a Court holden at the maner of Seylis-clevedon and Woodlands the xxi.x day of August in the sixt yere of your most noble raign cam one Jane Dycke wyffe of William Dycke, whiche held one close of lands and pasture with the appertenaunce in Woodlands called Grete White Mede, and two acres of errable lande with th'appurtenances in Southbrooke called Pyper's coward's complaint. Acres, which the said Jane did holde of the said maner according to the custonie of the same for terme of her lyffe, and then and ther surrendred the premusses in to the Lordes handes to the use of your seid subject, Randall his son, and Edith his dowg-hter, to whome seison was delyvered by thelordeto have and to holde to your said subject, Randall and Edith, for terme of their lyves and the longer lyver of them successivelye, according to the custome pf .the. seid maner : by force whereof your seid subject was admitted tenaunt and; paid Tiis fyne and did his fealty. And after your said subject into the said pi'^emus.. ;s did entre and was therof seized in his demesne ae of freeholde according to'the custome of the said manor, and your said subject, as beyng therof seized, the issues and profittes therof did quyetly and peasably perseve and take untill now of late that Charles Stourton, Knyght, Lord Stourton, John Webbe, Rich. Dicke, John Blanford, Roger Horseman and William Dackhani, with dyvers other ryotouse and evill disposed persons to the nomber of xij to your said subject unknowen ryotousl\' and in ryotouse maner, that is to saye with swordes, buklers, billes, bowes and arrowes and other maner of wepons in maner of warr arrayed, the xxij daye of October in the sixte yere of your most noble raigne entred into the premusses apon the lawfuU possession of your seid subject, and then and there ryotously with like force expulsed and put out your seid subject from the possession of the same, and then and there with like force took one Robert Lawnsdown, being the servaunt unto your seid subject and kepyng the catell of your said subjectes apon the premisses, and him did imprison at Mere in the seid countie of Wiltes, and then and there the cattell of your seid subjectes did take and impounde, and the seid Lord Sturton and the other ryotouse persons with ih.:i not contented, the seid Lord Sturton and the other ryotous and evell disposed persons the day and yere aforesaid with like force, did put into possession of the premisses the said William Dackcombe contrarye to your Majestye's lawcs and statutes in suche cases provyded and contrarye to your gracious pais, crown and dignitye to the perrillous and evell example of all suche ryotouse and evell disposed persons, except con- dyng ponysshment be unto them showed in this behalf. In consideracon wherof it may pleise your Highnes the premisses considered to graunt your gracious severall wryttes of sub-pcna to be directed unto the said ryotous and evill disposed persons, comandyng them b)- the same personally to appere before your most honorable Councell in the Sterr-Chamber at Westminster at a serten daye and a ccrtan payne by your highness to be lymytted, ther to answer unto the premisses and after to abide suche decree and order as your said most honorable Counsaill shall take in this behalf. And ) Our said subject shall daily praye to God foi- the preservation of \-our noble estate long to endure." 368 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. But Lord Stourton's difficulties and differences were not confined to these disputes relating- to the assertion of his manorial and other landed rights. Some of the letters now extant at Longleat show that the antag^onism which had been engendered by these personal quarrels was afterwards translated into a political issue following upon the death of King Edward VI. and the consequent succession of Queen Mary. The following pedigrees shew that Lord Stourton was related to both of the opposing' factions. RIGHT OF SUCCESSION TO THE CKOWN. Queen Mary and Lady Jane Grey. John, 1st Lord Stouri'jn, Q{=Mayf;aret, dauj;hter of Sir John Stourton, Co. Wilts. Ancestor j Wadliam, of Merefield, Co. of Edward VI., King of [ Somerset, Knight. England. Sir George Darell, of Littlecote,=Mar^'a)Y( Co. Wilts, Knight. Stourton. I I'rom whom the Lords Stourton descended. Now represented by Lord Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton. Sir John Seymour, oi \Vo\ihal\,=Elizabcth Darell. Co. Wilts. 1 Sir John Seymour, o{'SNo\i[i^\\,=Margaret, daughter of Sir Co. Wilts. I Henry Wentworth, K.B., of Nettlestead, Co. Suffolk. Kalherinc, daughter of=Annc, daughter of S\r=Heury the VIIL, King Qi=.Jane Seymour. Third Ferdinand V., King of | Thomas Boleyn. Second 1 Spain. First wife. | wife. England. A CathoHc who conformed to Pro- testantism. Consort. Sister to Ed- ward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, who was be- headed by Edvvard VI. Mary, Queen of England in succession to Edward VI. Catholic. Elizabeth, Queen of England in succession to Mary. Protes- tant. Edii'ard VL, King of England. On whose death without issue the Crown devolved respect- ively on Mary and Elizabeth. Edmund Dudley. i WHliani, yth Lord=^-Elizabeth Dudley, Stourton. De scended from the above ist Baron Stourton. Cath- ohc. wife of the 7th Lord Stuurton, whom bhe sur- vived. Half-sister of the Duke of Northum berland. I "I John Dudley , Duke-- of Northumber- land. Beheaded by Queen Mary. -Jane, o f Ed w dau. S i r a r d G nilfor d, Marshal of Calais. John Grey. of Suffolk. Be headed by Queen Mary. Dnke— Prances, daughter of Sir Charlej^ Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, by Princess Mary, daughter of Hen- ry VH. Charles, 8th Lord Stourton. Appointed Lord Lieutenant of Wilts, Somerset and Dor.set by Queen Mary. Catholic. Author of the " Treatise on the Sacrament." /I r " Li>rd Guilford Dudley .r-— Lady Jane Grey. Beheaded by Beheaded by Queen Queen Mary. Protestant. Mary. LORD STOURTON APPOINTED LORD LIEUTENANT. 369 Lord Stourton was nephew of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, who is alleged to have been partly the cause of the overthrow and ultimate execution of Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset. And Lord Stourton was not only a kinsman of the Duke of Somerset, but was actually one of those peers who sat on his trial. When King Edward died there was naturally great jealousy and contest between Catholics and Protestants concerning his successor. It is a matter of history that claims were made in favour respectively of Lady Jane Grey and of Queen Mary ; and the subsequent execution of the Duke of Northumberland and of his son. Lord Guilford Dudley and of Lady Jane Grey, who had been proclaimed Oueen loth July, 1553, to the exclusion of the right of Oueen Mary, are equally matters of general knowledge. It is evident that Lord Stourton must have been a noble- man of some power in the country, especially when the royal pedigrees previously set out are compared and borne in mind ; and, moreover, it should not be forgotten that Lady Stourton and Oueen Anne Boleyne had been first cousins. During the reign of King Edward VI. Lord Stourton had dedicated his " Treatise on the Sacrament" (to which a more detailed reference will be made later) to Princess Mary, and any one observing the career of Lord Stourton in Parliament in Oueen Mary's reign must undoubtedly come to the opinion that he would have been inclined to favour the claims of a Catholic rather than those of a Protestant, notwithstanding his relationship to Lady Jane Grey. During the days of Henry VIII. and Edward VI. his family, like himself, had believed in the tenets of the ancient Faith, and Lord Stourton undoubtedly looked forward with joy to the probable succession to the throne of a staunch Catholic, which Oueen Mary was. The Duke of Somerset was beheaded on the 32nd of January, 1552, and the Duke of Northumberland (John Dudley) came into power and great favour. King Edward VI. died on Thursday the 6th of July following (1553), and four days afterwards the Duke of Northumberland caused his daughter-in-law Lady Jane Grey to be proclaimed Oueen. Oueen Mary was not proclaimed until July iglh. A Commission from the latter dated the 8th of July was sent to Lord Stourton appointing him Lord Lieutenant of Wilts, Somerset and Dorset, with power to raise forces on her behalf. On the 19th of July, orders were sent down to certain Justices of Co. Wilts, Sir James Stumpe, Sir John Bonham and others, to proclaim Oueen Mary. Lord Stourton at the same time received similar orders ; and, through an officer, or agent, one Mr. Kent, proceeded to carry out his instructions in the town of Warminster. But Sir John Thynne, being High Steward of that town, conceived ^-O HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. it to be his duty to proclaim Queen Mary there, and the more so, as he alleged that he had received no formal advice of the appointment of Lord Stourton to be Lord Lieutenant. Sir John accordingly appears to have put Mr. Kent aside : whereupon Lord Stourton addressed to him, and to his colleague Sir John Bonham, another magistrate, the following letter, a few words of which have been, in the original (now at Longleat), effaced by damp. "Where as of late I resceyvyd the Queue's* Male's letters as well for pup- plyshyng of here highnes Juste title unto the crowne of this Realme of England, Fraunce and Hyreland with all dyngnytes belonging unto the same, as also tor the charge of thre Sherys, that is to say, Wyltes, Somerset and Dorset, the good order of the same and Reysynge, Revueing and Armynge the powyrs of these said Counties ageynst all here highnes enymes as the case shall requyre : doinge my dewtie ther in causyng here Ma'ies Juste tytle and name to be pupplysshed by the officer of Warmester, thou, most trayturrusly, as I am credeably informed dydes not oonly rebuke, revyle, but also thretyn the saide person to hange hym and indede haddyste sleyne hym, yf good hap had not byn, because he so dyd : wherin thou hast shewyd thy selfe to be . . not only an untrysty . . but chyefly an arraunt and rank traitor. This shalbe to lett the wyte that I am a man most un . . . . , a matter. Yet I lett the wyte that there shall be founde more truthe in me without spot ether of effeccion or of flatery as both are to be found in thee, yea then have byn in thy grete " {master) "whom thou dost soe mowche extoll : therefore I Comaund and Requyre the in the Queue's highnes name that thou nether stere nor caull togeder ony person or persons to arme or leade levy in batell for ony intent withoute my assent and knowleyge : yf thou do, I lett the wete I will proclayme thee traytour : and as for thee to have a copy of my comys- sion thou getyst none. Thowe shaltt geve credyt to onester men than thy selff, and so I advyse the to do, or eyls I wull spend my blod but I wulbe thy skurge. From my bowse xxij* of July. ' ' By me, Charles Stourton.'' ". . . . {effaced) . . . Thynne w«> all speede." An address was sent to Queen Mary dated July the 22nd, 1553. A copy of it (now at Longleat) is docketed in the handwriting of Sir John Thynne : "The Copy of Mr. Bonham's, Mr. Wroughton's, Mr. Stumpe's and my Letters to th queues highnes xxii° Jidy, 1553." But two days later these same gentlemen wrote to the Privy Council as follows : — * In the original Lord Stourton liad written " Ki " evidently beginning to write the word "Kings". " Qu " is written over it. e LETTER OF WILTSHIRE JUSTICES TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL. 37 1 "Our Duties remembered. Whereas your Lordship and others the Lords there addressed your Letters of the xix"i of this present unto us among others not only for the proclayming of our Soverayn Lady Ouene Mary to be in just and lawful! possession of Th'imperiall coroun of this Realm, to take order that the subjects should be kept in due and faithfull obedience unto her, but also for the better service of her Highnes to appoint certeyn gentlemen of the Shire whom we should think mete forthwith to repaire unto London with their convenient furniture to do that in her Highnes behalfe should be commaunded unto them : These shalbe to signifie unto your Lordships that havinge accomplished the too first parts of your Letters and mynding to take order for the third, the Lord Stourton not only caused himselve to be proclaymed in Warmynster, but as we are informed in divers other places, the Queue's Highnes Lieutenant of the countyes of Wiltes, Somerset and Dorset, by vertue of her Highnes Letters set forth by him, to him sent from Her Highnes as he affirmyth, of the viii'h of this present, the copies whereof we have sent unto your Lordship herewith, with also the copy of his letters and precept addressed for th'execution thereof. Wherfor we desire your Lordship to declare unto the said Lords so as we may be advertised thereof from them and you what we shall do further herein tor th'accomplishement of our duties towards her Highnes, whiche we wol endevor ourselves to ensure to th'uttermost of our powers, as knoweth the Lord who ever preserve your Lordship. From Broke, the xxiiijth of July James Stumpe.'' Docketed by Sir John Thynne " The mynute of S'' Wroughton's, S^ Stumpe's, Sir Bonham's, and my Letters to the Lords of the Counsaill, 1553." Two days later Sir John Thynne wrote to Lord Stourton in reply to his letter of Jul)' the 22nd : — " Jesus." " I having received letters for the proclayming of the Ouene's Highness our liege Soverayne ladye, and repayring in quiet order to Warminster (whereof I am High Steward) for the purpose, at my coming thither was answered by that seditious and lying vile knave Kent, that I should not proclayme her Highness there that day, declaring that you had given him so in commandment, which was strange to me to hear, for two causes, the one for that no good subject ought to deny the setting forth of Her Highness' most just title in good order ; the other, for that if ye had borne me the like friendship as I have and meant 372 HISTORY CF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. towards you, ye would have made me privy thereunto being- officer there, and so nere unto you, and not have committed the doing thereof to so vile a person, which might have besemed the best wilhin the Realm in his own person to have put in execution ; yet I, taking this thing to have risen rather of the cankerdness of that varlet towards me than that ye would either for the matter's sake or lack of friendship toward me commit any such thing to him, send one to you in friendly sort to desire to know the truth of your Commission, offering myself ready for the accomplishment of the same as the case should require ; and wher yesternight at my Repair home I thought to have found the copy of your said commission if you had received any, I found a letter sent hither from you which toucheth me so near as I cannot leave it unanswered. And wher in your said letters ye say ' ye received the Queen's Majestie's Letters for the publishing of Her Highness' just title to the Crown of this Realm of England, France and Ireland, with all dignities belonging to the same, as also for the charge of iij Shires, that is to say, Wiltshire, Somerset and Dorset, the good order of the same and Raising, levying and arming the powers of the said countries against all Her Highness' enemies, as the case shall require, doing your duty therein causing Her Majestie's just title and name to be published by the officer of Warminster, (as ye say) I most traitorously, as ye are credibly informed, did not only rebuke revile but also threaten the said person to hang him, and indeed had slain him if good hap had not been, because he so did,' which I answer is most false and untrue, for I made no quarrell to him therefore as all the town and country can and will testifie, but my doings there to be to the setting forth to the uttermost of my power of Her Highness' most just title to the Crown, and sure I am that neither myself, nor any of mine, nor any other to my knowledge, drew any weapon upon him, or offered to strike him, nor yet threatened to hang him (although I once saved him from hanging) but indeed I told the varlet I would make him know me (and so I will) to be High Officer there, and not in this troublesome time, or at any other time, to proclaim any lieutenancy there without shewing commission from the Queen's Highness, or other sufficient warrant for the same, as he did now, neither shewing commission, copy of commission, nor yel letters of your hand to declare the same, but only his own credit which, being so vile a knave, methought to sklendre in such a case, all things considered. And whereas ye call me ' not only traitor but also arrant rank traitor,' without cause, m}' duty of allegiance resyrved, I therein defie you and all others, and when time may serve I will purge myself of that vile name to your and all others' shame that shall charge me therewith. Wher ye let mc to wit also in your said letters that there shall be found m.ore troth in you without spot either of affection or REPLY OF SIR JOHX THYNNE TO LORD STOURTON. 373 flattery as both are to be found in me, yea, than have been in 'my great master, whom ' (ye say) ' I do so much extol ' : I let you to wit as for my troth and dut_\- to my Soverayne I will compare it to be as much and as unspotted as yours or any other's, and I pray to God that when others shall be sifted as I have been, their's be found no more spotted nor blotted than mine hath been ; and as for flattery hitherunto, I never flattered you, and Master have I had none but the King's Majesty sithens the death of the Duke of Somerset, nor have depended or sought to extol] any one subject before another, nor whom ye should mean thereby I know not. Farther, whcr ye command and require me in the Queen's Highness' name, that I neither stir nor call together any person or persons to arm or levy in battle for any intent without your consent and knowledge (denying me the copy of your commission), assure yourself I will do nothing without good warrant and authority to bear me in that half. Either let me have a copy of your Commission by this bearer, or else to advertize me to whom I may send for the same, which soon I will according to my duty obey with as obedient hearty and humble good will to the uttermost of my power in all points as any subject or liege man her Highness hath within this realm. And I would ye knew it, your threatenings shall not make me forget the obedience of a good subject, wherefore I overpasse them at thistyme. From Longlete the xxvi'h of July 155,;,. John Thynne." Endorsed by Sir John Tliynne : " The copy of my letter to the Lord Stour- ton xxvi July 1553." The next document is, in the original, not the actual letter sent and received, but a copy of it, apparently also in the handwriting of Sir John Thynne. In style and matter it so nearly resembles Sir John's own answer to Lord Stourton that at first it might seem to be no more than Sir John's rough draft for the letter he wrote. But, though extremely like this it is still a different letter ; for in the first place it is endorsed as "The copy of Sir John Bunkani's letter," and in the next, it contains a particular expression : "I wol set my fote by your's," not to be found in Sir John's letter ; to which it will be noticed that Lord Stourton especially retorts in his reply to Sir John Bonham, "Therefore set thy foot," &c. It is accordingly most probable that Bonham, either as a fellow-magistrate, or, perhaps, as Deputy High Steward of Warminster, had attended or supported Sir John Thynne in the scene there with Mr. Kent : and that consequently Lord Stourton had written to Sir John Bonham in the same tone as to Sir John Thy nne, and that Thynne and Bonham, having received similar letters from Lord Stourton, had prepared together one and the same sort of repl)'. The document referred to is as follows : — 374 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. " Whearas you write me your letters charg-ing me that I should not only rebuke and revile (that vile and lying knave Kent) but also thretyn him to hang him, and that I had slayn him, if gode hap had not been, for that he did by \ or comaundment proclaym our Soverayn Lady the quenes highnes in Warminster by vertue of her highnes comyssion to you (as you say) addressed ; The hole country can and will witnesse with me that ye falsely and unjustly charge me therewith, as manvfestly it did and may appere by my comyng thither myselve and my doings there in that behalve, thinking it more my duty to do it myselve than to com.yt it to any verlet ; who, hering myn intent, made report over night that I Ll.auld not proclayme her hyghnes there that day, for the whiche and proclayming your lieutenantsie of thre sheres without showing any comission from the quenes Ma^e, or letter of your hand signifying the same, was the cause wher I used him as I did, considering the Lady Jane, doughter to the Duke of Suffolk, was proclaymed so near you and within your lymities and nothing doon to the contrary, with also you^ nerenes of blode to th'arche traitor fawtour of all this mischeve. And where ye call me traitor ye and Rank traitor, without spot or cause, provoking me to shew my selve an yll subject in this troblesome tyme, whiche ye shall never be hable to do, my duty of alegeance resyrved, and this busynes quietyd, assuer your selve I wol set my fote by yours to purge my selve of that vile name to your greate shame. Wher ye also write to me of my greate Syn [/ cannot make no aunswcr thcrnnto, for that I know noon sucbc For sure I am*.] I let you wit I have served noon but a King this xx yeres. As for flatery, if you call your words you had to me at Sarum to remembraunce you have small cause to charge me therewith till more tyme of quietnes may serve for the better trial! thereof. And to conclude for this present, for that I mynd, as I have alweys hitherunto doon, to live and eontynue in the obedience of a good subjecte, I require you in the quenes hignes behalfe that either you send me by this berer the just copie of yo^ comission or else t' advertise me to what gentlemen of wurship within this shire I may repaire unto, that have seen the verry comission signed with her highnes hand, whiche I wol for duties sake towards her highnes, beinge my soverayn and liege Lady, as redyly obbey to th'uttermost points thereof as any subjecte within this Realme, with my tenants and officers, notwithstandyng your thretyning woords. And in the meane to you shall fynd me obedyent in trust therof notwithstanding my formar ernest intent to have repayred to hir Ma'ie with such poor force of horse- men as I was able, not doubtyng but that you wylbe my dyscharge yf any lak be found in me therof." - The wLrds in italics werv^ erased. LORD STOURTON's REPI,V to sir JOHN BONHAM. 375 The foreg-oing is docketed: "The copy of Sir John Bonham's Letter answering- the Lord Stourton's lewd letters July 1553." The copy of the reply which Lord Stourton made to Sir John Bonham is undated and is endorsed " The mynute of my Lord Stourton's letters lewdly written to Mr. Bonham July 1553." " What I have wrytten I have wrytten and thereto wyll I answer much to the allege of yo^ prowd brags, and all can as you touch me with the proclymacyon of Janne Greye to be nygh me and nothing done by me therin to the contrarye, although it was not nedfull for me to mak you privye of my doyngs, yet your betters of more honest trust can be my wyttnes what my intent was. Wheras you somewhat touch me with the bloud of a traytor, supposing summe parcyalytye in me for the same, if you allege the same susspectyon by question to the Ouenes Highnes, her Ma'ie, I am sure, will fullie answer you. I let the witt, Bonham, ther is nether the blood of uncle nor brother which shall make me forgett my naturall aleageaunce, and therefor set thy foot to myne when thou wylt, I doubt not but my truthe shall waye thy malece. As for your goynge to the queues highnes w'h yor ayde in her behalf, I saye it is after meat mustard. As for the copye of my commyssion I suppose ye have alredy sene it at the hands of my cosyn Sr Henry Longe, also in the cittie of Saruni at the Mayor's hands, wherin ye may do as ye think good : and so, consydering my dut}'e wilbe yo'^ watcher To Jhon Bonham of Brook." The next development of this quarrel seems to have been the following letter, which was written from Court by Lord Stourton to the Sheriff of Wiltshire, at that time John Ernele, Esquire, of Cannings. " After my harty comendacyons thys shalbe nott onlye as your frvnde butt chefBye as doing my dewtye of Allegeance to geve yowe and all th ere the Ouenes Ma'ies true and feytheful subjects advyse and warnynge to have good respecte in the Eleccyon as well of the knyghts as of the burgeses, for the parlyamente, novve comyttyde unto youre dyl\'gence, that ys to seye, in case by yoW awne knowledge, or by creadyble Reporte made unto yowe, yow shall understonde onnye person within yor countye bathe eyther favorede, sett fourthe, mantaynyde or proclaymyde the lady Jane Graye in souche traytorous ordre, as ys well knowne unto ) owe, that yowe neyther electe or geve voyce to onnye souche, yee or have att onnye tyme lette or interruptydc onnye good procedynge off the quenes Ma''e. And for a farder dcclaracon unto yowe, as in dysburdenynge myselfe and chargynge yowe with the same, I lette yowe wytte that Syr John Thynne and S'' John 376 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Bonham have abusyde ther dewtys unto their Soveraygne ladye the queue's h\ghnes, uppon the artycles wherof they stande presentlye acusyde, ether to sufTre the lawe or elles to be att ther fyne by the queue's mercy. Furder I am comaundyde to geve yowe to understande, that the queues pleasure ys, nott to have onny souche spottyde persons within her courte off parlyamente. Wherfor say nott butt that I have warnyde yowe. And I requyre yowe to kepe thys my lettre safFiye as well as for my d3'scharg-e as for yow'' warraunt. Thys fare you well. From the Court the 20 off Septembre, 1553. Yo' lovynufe frynde, Charylles Stourton." " To my lovynge frend the Shereife or Shreif s Deputye of Wiltsher and to all my lovinge neybors assembled for the electj'on of Knights of that Shire." Sir John Thynne and Sir John Bonham then proceeded to bring an action against Lord Stourton for slander, probably basing it on the following " Articles,'' the draft of which, revised by Sir John Thynne, is among the papers at Longleat. " Certen Articles to be objected ag-ainst Charles Lord Stourton on the behaulf of John Thynne and S'" John Bonham, Knights. 1. First: his procla3'ming hymself Lieutenant of the Thre Shires, viz., VViltes, Somerset and Dorset, without shewing any commission to warraunt the same " [to any gentleman of Wiltcs to our k)iowledgc ; (erased) ]. 2. Item; the keaping- of the Ouene's Hieghnes Letters bearing date the viiith dale of July, without publisshing- or proclayming the same untiil the xxijth dale foloying. 3. Item ; Tharnehill, being more familiar with the said Lord Stourton then others, came the xvij^i day of the said July to the house of the said Lord Stourton and tarieng there all that night departed from thence the next morning, viz., the xviijtii daie to the Towne of Shaston in Dorsetshire being distant from the said Lord Stourton's house not past v miles, and there proclaymed the Lady Jane Grey, for the title of the Crown. 4. Item ; the xix"^ daie of the same July was the Lady Jane Grey proclaymed at the town of Frome in Somerset-shier, being in like sort distaunt from the said Lord Stourton's house on the other side not past v miles, he doing nothing to the let or withstanding of the said proclamation. 5. Item : at Welles in the said countie of Somerset, being distaunt from his house X miles, wheare the like proclamacion was made, and the Busshop of Bath SIR JOHN THYWE COMMENCES AN ACTION POR SLANDER. 377 preaching a vile and unseamely sermon in his Cath. Church (what daie certainly we know not) against the Ouene's Hieghnes Title, the saied L. Stourton never- thelesse neither sturing or doing any thearein untill iiij or v daies after th' apprehension of his unkle the Duke of Northumberland : and also that Sir John Saintlow, Knyght, had taken order for the said Busshop's fourthcoming, according to the part of a good subject, at the least iiij daies before, and then the saied L. Stourton rode to the saied Busshop and by his auctoritie newely apprehended hym. 6. Item : After the Bishop of Sarum had proclaymed the saied Lady Jane, Wensday the xix'h daie of July, and by letters that came to him in post the Thursday foloying about vi of the clok at night had revoked the said former proclamacon and set furth the Ouene's Highnes just title, a servant of the L. Stourton's lieing at the said Busshop's for newes advertysed hym thereof : how- beit incontinently the said L. Stourton's not geving credit thereunto wrote his letters to the said Bishop to be advertized of that he wolde aunswer unto. Whereappon the Bishop sent hym the veary letters, whereby he proclaymed the Ouene's Highnes, which were from Penruddok, servaunt toth'Erle of Pembroke." (N.B. — The last '■'■Item" in the original is crossed out ; the following paragraph to be substituted ; which, together with all the remainder, is in the handwriting of Sir John Thymic). "The Lord Stourton received a letter from the Bishop of Sarum the xx"' of July with the copy of a Proclamacion, to proclayme the Ouene's Highnes, which he wold not credite unles the Bishop sent him th'originall signed with his hand, as he wold answer to it, albeit he hath confessed to have before that received the Ouene's own letters for that purpose which he kept secret vij daies at the least. Furder, he never proclaimed the Ouene till his uncle was apprehended. 7. Item : He promised to get the Subsidy forgiven, seeking thereby to pervert and take awry the Ouene's Highnes thanks if it be ment to be forgiven. We were in fere of him lest he wold have entered and rifled our houses when we had been goon forth in the Ouene's aide, as he ons did myn (Thynne), when I was at Windsor with the King before the Duke of Somerset's first apprehension." Now follow two letters to Sir John Thynne from his lawyer Mr. Humphrey Molsley*, of the Middle Temple. " Harty salutations premysed according to my bounden duety. With suche thanks as my harte can thynke and wyshe to you for your fatherly gentlenes The name is so given in Canon Jackson's book, but it seems almost eerlain that the Mr. Wolseley previously and subsequently mentioned must be the same person. 378 HISTORY OF THE XOBLE HOl^SE OF STOURTON. lately shewed to me. * * * Sir John Bonham hath preceded with his action ag-aynst the Lord Stourton. His councell wold delyver to me the copye thereof for the halfe of v pounds which they say his coste was in drawcing the Writte. I have a copy thereof moch better chepe which they know nott. The Lord Sturton's councell wold gladly (as I erste shewed to you) have your frendshyp, &c : and savyng the frendshyp you are joyned with Mr. Bonham all was agaynst the Lo. Stourton's harte which he wrote, spake or dyd att any time agaynst vou. I perceyve that he feareth, loveth and regardeth you as moche as you do your der- est frende. His honour may nott suffer to submyte hym to you. You may use wyttie polycie (kepyng your owne councell) to shew yourselfe to Mr. Bonham and all others to be preceding ernestly with your action agaynst the Lo: Stourton to purge his sklaunder, and that you have comytted the delygent followyng there- of to me and other lerned Councell, which may wel be beleved, for I shew the lewde letters openly in our hall to every man and help the matter forth with suche exposcyon that moche dyspleaseth his Councell and maketh them and all honest men ashamed to here the rasshe folly of the lord, &c. I thynke the sayd Lord dothe so perfectly repente his rasshe folly towards you that you shall have of his owne offer more than Mr. Bonham shal be able with his charge to recover, &c. You may, as occasyon may honestly serve, encourage Mr. Bonham to procede with effecte, &c: And even so you may write ernestly to me to precede with let- ters I will shew to his Councell to styrr him up to seke your frendship &c: I am bolde thus to wyshe you by honest polycie to kepe yourself quyett and yett to have your owne desyre satysfyed. My chief care if to help you to be att quyett (for )'our owne profytte) with all men. And yet (knowyng the wolfe from the shepe) you may enter into famylyar credite and company with suche as you best knowe approved, &c. Charytie is the virtue which most pleaseth God, who encreas you in all virtues to his pleasure with encreas of comfortable wurship to all your lyfe, aggreying with th'example of the most holy and virtuous men of wurship that hath lived. Wherunto with dayly prayer I comytte you. From the quyett Temple this Monday xiijtfi of Novembre scribled as may appere — 1553. " most bounden Humfrey Molsley." Docketed: "Reed, 16 November, 1553." The next letter from the lawyer is dated in the January following : — " Tyme putteth me in mynde of my bounden duet-y to write unto you even so trustyng that you, my good Lady and all others your friends are in prosperouse helth, which God long continewe with much encreas, &c. * * * * * LORD STOURTOX RAISES TROOPS FOR THE OUEEN. 379 This day the Lord Robert Dudley is arraig^ned in London as some thynke to be made redy to hange and suffer with his brothers, &c. * * * * It is also reported that th'Erle of Pembroke is in great credyte and restored to all his former authorytie and charge of your countrey and Walys. The Lord Stourton is here lytle talked of. Of his credyte and favour I here none of th'accustomed braggs, &c., &c. God kepe peace amongst us and honorably turne and appease the sedycyous and rebellous harts of all the lewde persons. And I pray to God to geve us grace to serve and obbey hym in all virtuous lyvyng, dayly prayers, charitie and love. Wherunto with my dayly prayer I comytte you. So leaving further to trowble your mastership att this presente I wysshe to the same helth and moche encrease of cowmfortable wurship. From the quyett Mydle Temple this Monday of January. " Yr most bounden Humfrey Molsley." " To the right Wurshipfull Sir John Thynne Knyght, geve these att Longleate in Wiltes." The next letter is from Mr. Chafyn to Sir John Tl>ynne, written probably during the disturbance created by Sir Thomas Wyatt's rebellion against Queen Mary. " My dewtie rembred. Pleaseth it your good mastershipp to be advertysed that these be the certen newse that I can lerne yn Sarum. The Lorde Stourton sent hys letters from Basynge Stoke to Sarum upon Tewarsday last, as he came from London ward, directed to the Mayere and his bretherne there, comaundyng theym by the same letter that the hole Citie sholde be yn a rediness to serve the Queue's Majestic under hym with all theyre wepons and artelary : and not to move at none noo otherse comaundment, whatsoever he wer, but only at hys, excepte they sholde resseyve the queue's specyal! letters. And also declared by the same letter that he was Levetenaunte of this shire and others : and had auctor)-te to put the lawse yn execusion withyn the same shires : and the Duke of Sothefolk and his ij bretherne were by name proclaymyd Traytors apon Mondaye last yn Sarum. I have sent you gunpolder and bowstrynges, for weche-hazell bowes there be none. Arnold the joyner I cannot speke to, but a frynd of myne wull cawse hym to cum over to you. The gunpolder coste me xvid every pownde but it is warrant me good : yff you wull have eny more, at that price you may have inow att Corneles yn Sarum. The blessed Trinyte preserve you safely. IVrcten from Sarum the vijth of February by yours assuryd, T. Chafyn of Mere." " To the right wurshipfull Sir John Thynne Knyght, be this deiyvered with spede. " HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. The last document that has been met with relating- to the quarrel arising out of the Proclamation of Oueen Mary is a letter from Sir John Thynne to Mr. Wolseley. It is a very long' one, reproaching" that person with ing'ratitude and neglect in sundry matters. The following' extract relates to Lord Stourton : — "As touchyng-e the Lord Stourton's suit agaynst me as daungerous as you make hyt (consyderyng' that in dede hyt is but a feyned quarrell) I lyttell waye yt, not douting" but that Justice shall be so mynystred that the truthe shall take effect wheresoever h_\'t be tryed, althoug'h you (whiche shall not become you) woold be against me. And as touching' Modie's fryndshipp in decept of hym that doeth putt hym in trust I will nether praj'se nor allowe. Neither can I immaggyn why Modie shuld offer me suche fryndshipp (beyng a man with whom I never hadd acquayntance), onlesse hyt were for some other respect then I can well under- stand. And where you say he is ernest to have lovynge fryndshippe betwene the Lord Stourton and me, and hath practised with my Chapleyn for the same I ihynke you knowe that I sought not the breache of fryndshippe betwene hym and me neither will I seke the rcconsiliacyon. " I do not a lyttell marvell that you charge me that I should ayde, styrre or coniforte Mr. Hartgill to be stowte agaynst the Lord Stourton, consyderynge that yourself knoweth (no man better) that I never meddell in any man's matters but myne own, although I pitie his manyfeste injuric and almost utt;er undoing, and sure I am if the honorable councell dyd as well know all his doyngs towards Hartgyll as hyt ys knowen to the cuntrye, there is no doute but they would sett an Order betwene them." The result of this great slander case, if it ever came to trial, there is no means of knowing. Sir John Thynne, chief officer and councillor of the Duke of Somerset, had lost after the death of the Protector what little prestige he had formerly had, and was only too ready to bring against Lord Stourton the charges of being a traitor and of treason felony, by the aid of his friends Sir John Bonham, Thomas Chafyn, Sir James Stumpe (brother-in-law to Sir Edward Baynton, husband of Agnes Ryse,) and William Hartgill. Lord Stourton as before had the better of his accusers, insomuch that he was appointed on the 8th July, 1553, by Oueen Mary, (to their discomfiture), Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Somerset and Dorset. The enmity Lord Stourton must have caused is evidenced by the many angry letters that passed between the parties, angry as looked on to-day, but hardly so when one considers the strange vicissitudes of those times, and the illfeeling- caused through private and religious wrongs. Oueen Mary evidently disregarded the THE SERVANTS OF LORDS PEMBROKE AND STOURTON FIGHT. 38 1 false statements that Lord Stourton had been guilty of favouring Lad}' Jane Grey. What had originally been a private quarrel with Thynne, Chafyn and Hartgill, changed into a political contest, in which Lord Stourton overcame their accusations, and lived to see Oueen Mary on the throne, himself made Lord Lieutenant of three counties, his wife's father Lord High Steward for Oueen Mary's coronation, and his wife, Lady Stourton, so favoured by the Queen that she rode in the third chariot in the procession from the Tower to Westminster on the 30th of September, 1553. The next document does not appear to be in any way connected with the Proclamation quarrel, otherwise in the order of its date it should have been previously inserted. It very evidently refers to some collision between the retainers of the Lords Pembroke and Stourton, about which nothing more is definitely known, though from the letter it can be gathered that the matter had become somewhat serious. But as William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, had been displaced from the Lord Lieutenancy of Wiltshire to make way for Oueen Mary's nominee. Lord Stourton, the retainers on both sides had probably conceived themselves to be in duty bound to take the earliest opportunity of coming to blows. In Haynes's State Papers (Edw. 'VL, p. 162) it is mentioned that " Roger Erthe alias King, servant to the Earl of Pembroke, and William Ferror, servant to the Lord Stourton, were, for making of a fray, committed to the charge of the warden of the Fleet." The letter written on the igth of August •553 ^^■^'s from the Council at London to the Council at Court. " After our right harty comendations * * *. Touching the mattre betwene the earl of Pembroke's servauntes and the Lorde Sturtone's, what is allredy doon, you my Lorde of Norfolk can well declare. This afternoone we will traveil to the best of our powers to make a parfight ende thereof. And thus we bedde your goode Lordeshyppes most hartyly well to fare. From London the xix'h day of August 1553. Your goodde Lordeships to commaund. "Winchester. J.Bedford. Shrewsbury. R. Ryche. Wm. Paget. Chr. Rusheworth. Henry Jernegin. Jo. Masone. Jo. Bakere." Addressed : "To my very goode Lordes and others of the Queue's Highnes Counsaill attending upon her Grace's person in the Courte. Hast, hast, hast, hast with all possible diligence. " The Earl of Pembroke was a noticeable personage in the times in which he lived. Aubrey in his " Lives of Eminent Men" {ii. 479) writes of the Earl as follows : — 3S2 HISTOUV OF THE NODLE JiOUSH OF STOURTON. " William, Earle of Pembroke (The first Earle of that family) was born (I think I have heard my cos. Whitney say) in . . . in Monmouthshire. Herbert, of Colbrooke, in Monmouthshire, is of that family. He was, (as I take it) a younger brother, a mad fig'hting' young fellow. 'Tis certaine he was a servant to the house of Worcester, and wore their blew coate and badge. My cos. Whitney's great aunt gave him a golden angell when he went to London. One time being at Bristowe, he was arrested, and killed one of the Sheriffes of the city. He made his escape through Back-street, through the then great gate, into the Marsh, and gott into France. Mem : Upoij his action of killing the Sheriffe, the city ordered the gate to be walled up, and onl)^ a little posterne gate or dore, with a turnstile for a foot-passenger which continued so till Bristowe was a garrison for the King, and the great gate was then opened in 1644 or 1645. When I was a boy there, living with my father's mother, who was maried to Alderman John Whitson (who was my god-father) the story was as fresh as but of yesterday. He was called filack Will Herbert. In France he betooke himself into the army, where he shewed so much , courage, and readinesse of witt in conduct, that in a short time he became eminent, and was favoured by . . . the King, who afterwards recommended him to Henry VHI. of England, who much valued him. Upon the dissolution of the abbe\'s, he gave him the abbey of Wilton, and a country of lands and man- nours thereabout belonging to it. He gave him also the abbey of Ramsbury, in Wilts, with much lands belonging to it. Cardiff Castle, in Glamorganshire, with the ancient crowne-lands belonging to it. Almost all the country held of this castle. It was built by S^" Robert Fitzhamond the Norman, who lies buried at Tewkesbury abbey, with a memorial, and he built the abbey of Gloucester. It afterwards came to Jasper, Duke of Bedford, &c. so to the crowne * * * He maried . . . Par, sister of O. Katherine Par, dau. and co-heire of . . . Par, I thinke, Marquisse of Northampton, by whom he had 2 sonnes, Henry Earle of Pembroke, and . . . the ancestor of the Lord Powys. He was made conservator of Henry the eighth. He could neither write nor read, but he had a stamp for his name. He was of good naturall parts, but very cholerique. He was strong sett, but bony, reddish-favoured, of a sharp eie, sterne look. In Queen Mary's time, upon the return of the Catholique Religion, the nunnes came again to Wilton Abbey, and this William, E. of P. came to the gate (which lookes towards the court by the street, but which is now walled up) with his cappe in hand, and fell upon his knee to the lady abbesse and the nunnes, crying peccavi. Upon Q. Mary's death, the Earle came to Wilton (like a tygre) and turned them out, crying, " Out ye whores, to worke, to worke, ye whores, goe spinne." ■LOKD STOCKTON .WD THE F.ARI. OF PEMBROKE. He being a stranger in our country, and an upstart, was much envyed, and in those dayes (of sword and buckler) noblemen, and also great knights, as the Lviigs, when they went to the assizes or sessions at Salisbury, &c. had a great number of retainers following them, and there were (you have heard) in those days, feudes, — e.g. quarrells and animosities, — between great neighbours, particularly this new Earle was much envyed by the then Lord Sturton, of Sturton, who would, when he went or returned from Sarum (by Wilton was his rode) sound his trumpetts, and give reproachfull challenging words ; 'twas a relique of Knighthood errantr}'. In Q. Eliz. time, some Bp. (I have forgot who) that had been his chaplain, was sent to him from the Queen and Council, to take interrogatories of him. So he takes out his pen and inke, examines and writes ; when he had writt a good deale ; sayd the Earle, " Now leit me see it ; " " Why " the Bishop, " your Lordship cannot read it?" "That's all one, I'll see it," qd he, and takes it and tears it to pieces. " Zounds, you rascal," qd he, " d'ee thinke I will have my throate cutt with a pen-knife ? " It seemes they had a mind to have pick't a hole in his coate, and to have got his estate. 'Tis reported that he caused himself to be lett bloud, and bled so much yt. it was his death, and that he should say as he was expiring, "They would have Wilton — they would have Wilton," and so gave up the ghost. This present E. of P. (1680) has at Wilton 52 mastives and 30 grej-hounds, some beares, and a l}'on, and a matter of 60 fellowes more bestiall than they. Mem : this Wm. (the founder of the family) had a little cur- dog which loved him, and the E. loved the dog. When the Earle d)'ed the dog uould not go from his master's dead body, but pined awa\-, and dyed under the hearse ; the picture ol which dog is under his picture, in the Gallery at Wilton, which puts me in mind of a parellell storie in Appian (Syrian Warr) He was buried in of St. Paule's, London, where he had a magnificent moniunent, which is described, with the epitaph, by Sir Wm. Dugdale, wch. vide." That Sir John Th^'nne sympathised with Hartgill is evidenced very plainly by his letter to Mr. Wolseley on the 15th of July, 1555, in which he says : " I do not a h'ttell marvell that you charge me that I should ayde styrre or comforte Mr. Hartgill to be stowte agaynst Lord Stourton consyderynge that yourself knoweth (no man better) that I never meddle in any man's matters but myne own although I pitic his manyfeste injurie and almost utter undoing, and sure I am if the honorable Councell dyd as well know all doyngs towards Hartgyll as hyt ys knowen to the cuntrye there is no double but they would sett an Order betwene them." 384 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. But to continue the Acts of the Privy Council, it appears that on the 28th ot Februarj', 1553, Lord Stourton was commanded by the Council to apprehend one John Younge, and to send him up to them in safe custody, they requiring Lord Stourton to use such diligence that Younge might be there at the latest within six days, and four if possible. Between this and the next date King Edward VL had died and Queen Mary had succeeded to the throne, and Lord Stourton had been made Lord Lieutenant of the Counties of Wilts, Somerset and Dorset. On the 27th July, 1554, the Council desired the appearance of Lord Stourton at Winchester. On the 7th August, 1554, Lord Stourton acknowledged before the Council at Windsor that he owed the King and Queen ^1,000 to be levied of his lands, goods and cattle, under a recognizance then entered into by him. The reason of this appeared to be that John Younge, Esquire, claimed certain goods and other things which had been (as alleged) committed to the custody of Lord Stourton. If the goods and cattle were restored between that date and the Michaelmas then next following, or the value thereof according to the arbitration of Sir William Portman, Knight, and Humphrey Coles, Esquire, the arbitrators appointed by the Council, then the recognizance to be void. A similar recognizance for £1,000 was also entered into by the said John Younge to abide by the award and arbitration of the said arbitrators. This was in all probability some formality consequent upon the execution of Lord Stourton's official duties, and does not appear to have any relation to his dispute with Hart- gill. But the same da)- Lord Stourton was called before the Council to ansiver certain matters alleged against him by William Hartgill and Jane Stnrton*. Lord Stourton promised that before the ist September then next ensuing, he would either send unto the Lord Chancellor such matter as he had to shew for the discharge of the said affairs, or else take some such end with both the said parties that they should have no further cause to complain. Not having apparently settled the matter by that time, the Council on the 17th of September, 1554, wrote from Hampton Court to Lord Stourton according to the minute remaining in the Council's chest. Matters then appear to have lapsed until the 23rd of June, 1555, on which date the Council wrote from Hampton Court to the Master of Requests enclosing the certificate of the said arbitrators in the controversy between Lord Stourton and John Younge, and they were required to consider the matter by the 30th of the month and to report to the Council. On the 14th of July, 1555, the Council (still at Hampton Court) wrote to Lord Stourton to make his repair before them on the 24th or 26th then instant, for the matters in variance between him and John Younge. Lord Stourton still remaining silent and disregarding the sum- Tlic identity of tliis lady remains a mystery. THE PRIVY COUNCIL WRITH TO LORD STOURTON. nioiis of the 14th July 1555, another year passed. Lord Stourton then wrote to th« Council, who replied to him from St. James's on the 5th July, 1556, signifj'ing receipt of his of the last month. They willed him to have more consideration of the Privy Seal sent unto him for his delayed repair to the Council, than he had done of sundry letters sent by them to him. The Council then issued (same day) a commission to the Sheriff of Wiltshire to deliver the enclosed Privy Seal to Lord Stourton, and to signify how and when the same was delivered and how it was received, and in case Lord Stourton should be in Co. Dorset they issued a like commission to the Sheriff of that county. On the 2gth July, 1556, when sitting at St. James's, the Council, taking into consideration the sundry contempts of Lord Stourton, ordered that a Privy Seal should be sent unto him charging him upon his allegiance to make his immediate repair before them. They also directed that a letter should be sent unto him from the Council, declaring the insufficiency of the acquittance he alleged, and advising him also thereby, notwith- standing his former doings to theniv to understand that the Queen's Majesty's writ of Privy Seal- then sent must be more effectually considered by him. The feud between Lord Stourton and William Hartgili had been renewed on the izth January, 1556, when Lord Stourton 's men entered Kilmington and held possession, dispossessing Hartgili, and they held possession as late as the 14th of August, 1556, when the matter was still in dispute. It remained so at the deaths of the parties. The following particulars of this final dispute are extracted from a Latin Document - and it should be noticed that the fields specified are amongst those which are named in the original Deed of Sale from William, Lord Stourton, to Hartgili in 1543, which Charles, Lord Stourton, had always considered to have been obtained by fraud. "At Frome, before James Fitz-james Knighfi John Mawdle\' gentleman and their fellow Justices on the oath of Twelve Jurors. It was presented 14th August, 1556, That Owen At Yew, yeoman, Anna At Yew, his wife, spinster, John JefFeryes, weaver, Walter Gallofer, husbandman, Thomas Marsh, bow-string- maker, Margery his wife, spinster, Henry Danyell, mason, and Joan his wife, spinster, all late of Kilmington, and John Marteyn husbandman late of Yarn- field, did on xij January, 1556, armed with swords, shields and staves, forest-bills, and knives, riotously and forcihK' take possession of a messuage called Modon's * Coram Rege Rolls, 3 ami 4 Philip and Marv, xxxiiij. ' He was of Rcdlynch, near Brutoii, Co. Somerset. He was afterwards chari^ed with abet t in Loid Stourtou aud was fined £100 to the Crown and ;^5o to the two widows Hartgili. j86 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE Of STOURTON. with 6 acres of meadow, a sheep-j-ard and 24 acres called Hollens-hays : also a pasture and grange called New-hays and 24 acres of pasture and wood all in the parish of Kihnington, whereof William Hartgill, Esquire, -was then seised in his desmesne and of fee, and therefrom did expel the said Hartgill, and he from the said 1 2th January to the present 14th August is forcibly kept out of possession. The said Owen At Yew and the others, having been summoned to appear at Westminster by Leonard Sanhill their Attorney on M-onday next after the morrow of All Souls, say they are not guilty and put themselves upon their country. Sir Thomas White, Kt., being prosecutor for the Crown, the trial is appointed for the Octaves of St. Hilary next*." In Trinity term, 1556, the Court mulcted Lord Stourton in damages to the amount of ^368 6s. 8d., assessed on Hartgill's oath alone, either to answer the complaint made on the 27th July, 1554, or for the entry made on the Kilmington lands on the 12th of January, 1556, which latter affair was still in abeyance at the death of the Hartgills. On the 29th December, 1556, Lord Stourton appeared before the Council at St. James's and then entered into a bond of i;2,ooo, the condition being that Lord Stourton was then licensed to depart home into the country, but was to return again and make his appearance before the Privy Council upon fhe first day of the next term, yielding himself thenceforth a prisoner in the Fleet, and to so continue until such time as further order should be taken with him, and that then Lord Stourton's recognizance should be void. Lord Stourton had obtained his temporary release in order that he might go to pay Hartgill these damages which had been assessed on Hartgill's oath alone. The unhappy sequel came all too quickly. Lord Stourton returned home, but the judgment against him and the imprisonment he had suffered he was not likely to readily forgive or forget, and once more he took the law into his own hands Of what followed a copy of a contemporary account will be found later. There is grave reason to wholly distrust the details with which the narrative is o-arnished, but the bare facts are beyond question. Lord Stourton sent for the Hart-ills under pretence of paying them the damages which had been awarded, and on the nth Januarv the two Hartgills met Lord Stourton at Kilmington Church. Instead of making the payment Lord Stourton arrested them both tor felony They were taken to his house at Bonham, and about 11 o'clock on the night of Tuesday, January the 12th, William Hartgill and his son John Hartgill were murdered by the orders and in the presence of Lord Stourton. The Octaves of St. Hilary next " would have been January the 20th, 1557- tHF. .MURDER OI" TIIK IIARTGILLS. 387 The friends of the Hartgilis must have taken action immediately upon the arrest, for the Council Books contain the following orders dated the 14th January. At Grenewich the xiiij'h da)- of January An" 1556-7. "A letter to the Lord Sturton to cause the bodyes of William Hartegill and John Hartegill (whome the Lordes of the Council! are infourmed he hath attached for felonye and keepeth them in his owne cu'Stodie) to be delivered to the Sherife of Somerset- sheire to be used accordyng to justice, and to repaire hether himself to morowe to make declaracons of his doinges in this behalfe. " " A letter to the sherife of Somersetsheire to take the Bodies of William Hartegill and John Hartegill (whom the Lord Stoivrton hath attached of fellonie) into his custodie, and in case they be baileable to cause sufficient bandes to be taken of them for their forthecomi-nge to be ordered accordinge to justice, and to sett them thereupon at theire libertye ; or if they be not baileable then to cause them to be sente upp hether imder safe and sure custod-ie to be further used as occasion shall serve*. But the interference of the Council had come too late to save the Hartgills. On the zSth January Lord Stourton was committed to the Tower: and some of his money appears to have been seized towards payment of costs. Sir James Fitz-James was also sent to prison on suspicion of being concerned in the matter with Lord Stourton. The details are as follows ; — tHilary Term 1557. " Lord Sturton in the Fleete, sent for to be in courte to heare the judgment of the court for the assessment of his fyne for the procureing his men to comitt the ryottes of the Hartgilles plaintiffs against him. The Lord Chancellor then declaring his fyne to bee 300 markes, saying, " He was not content with the order of the Court of conviction the last terme." Lord Sturton replied "I am sorie to see that Retorick doth rule where law should take place," which wordes the Lord Chancellor said were to the slaunder of the Court and to be punished, yet the punishment respited till the Queen might be advertised thereof. The Chancellor declared to the Lord Sturton, there was an informacion against him for certaine misdeiVieariors committed against the Hartgills which was openly redd, whereby it appeared he pretended a frendly ende to be had between him and them, and so drew them to meete under that colour that bee meant to pay them mony according to the order of the court ; they meetinge to that ende were * Council Book. tHarl. M.S. 2143. ^88 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. imprisoned in his own house, bound hand and foote, and after that never heard of. Hee being asked by the CounceU, where they were ? said hee could not tell, but thought escaped from the constable to whom hee comitted them : where upon the Court comitted him and three of his men to the Tower close prisoners, and put him out of Comission for the Peace. Some other of his men were comitted to other prisons. Sr John Fitz Williams* and his men comitted close prisoners for the suspition of the murlher of the said Hartgills." In the Starr Chamber the vij day of February Ano 1556-7. " It was ordered that Arthure Sturtont havinge in his custodye 100 pounds appertayninge to the Lorde Sturton should delyver the same to Sir John Mason to be by him employed in such soarte as by my Lordes should be appointed for the charges that might fall out by the said Lord Sturtons case presently in ure," i.e., now in actionj. Orders were issued for the apprehension of Lord Stourton's servants, one of whom, Roger Gough, as appears from the next document, had made his escape into Wales. At the Starr Chamber the xiijih day of February Ano 1556-7. "A Letter to the Vice president of Wales to cause dilligent searche to be made for one Gogh who lately served the Lord Sturton and is presently fledd in to Wales ; and upon his apprehension to comyte him to safe warde : which Gogh was supposed to have ben of counsaill in the shamefull murder of the HartgillesS;." 23 Feb. 1556-7. " A Letter to Sir John Mason to pay to Mr. Hampton vi'i xlijs iiijJ of the 100 pounds which remaine in his handes of the Lord Stourton's for so much paid by the said M'' Wadham, Sheriff of the counties of Somerset and Dorset, for bringing up of certain prisoners thither." On the 19th February an Inquisition was held at New Sarum before John Prydeaux, Serjeant-at-law, Henry Brouncker, Christopher Willoughby, John Hooper, Esqrs., and a Jury of twenty gentlemen of the county impanelled by Sir Anthony Hungcrford the Sheriff. A true Bill was found : and the names of the Jury, and a copy of the Indictment here follow : — "Jurati pro Domino Rege et Regina. Will'm's Horsey, armig'. Joh'es Abyn, gent'. Joh'es Batt, gent'. AnthoniusBarrowe, armig' Will'm Eyer, gent'. Carolus Moggryge, gent'. * This is evidently a niistalie for Sir James Fitz-James. I Lord Stourton's Ijrotlier. 1 Council Book. ; Council Book. THE INniCTMEXT AGAINST LORD STOUKTON. Thomas Sowthe, annig^'. Rob'tus GryfFyth, armig'. Will'm's Webbe, gent". Gabriell Pledell, gent'. Ric'us Hungerford, gent'. Ric'us Bryant, gent'. Thomas Pyle, gent'. Rob'tus Baylye, gent'. Will'm's Moggrygc, gent' Thomas Cater, gent'. Anthonius Hungcriord, miles. Vice-comes." Joh'es Nycholas, gent'. X'toferus Tuckar, gent'. Thomas James, gent'. Simon Hunt, gent'. The Indictment ; — " Jurati presentant pro Domino Rege et Domina Regina, quod cum Carolus Stourton, nuperde Stourton, in coniitatu predicto, Miles Dominus Stourton, Deum pro oculis suis non habens, sed instigancia diabolica seductus, ac gerens in corde suo per longum tempus odium mortale versus quosdam "Willielmimi Hartgyll, nuper de Kilmyiigton, in com' Somerset, generosum, et Johannem Hartgyll nuper de Kil- myngton generosum filium et hjeredem apparentem ejusdem Willielmi Hartgyll, machinans que et intendens eosdem W. H. et J. H. ad mortem et finalem destruc- cionem suas perducere, ex suji nephanda et diabolica malicia montem proposuit et intencionem die Lunge proxima post Festum Epiphania; Domini viz. : — xj° Jan' 3to anno 4*0 Phil'et Mar', ad dictam nephandissimam maliciam, mentem, pro- positum et intencionem sua exequenda, aggreatis sibi apud Stourton, Willielmo Farre, alias Cutter, Henrico Symmes, Johanna Davyes, alias Johanne Welshman, Rogero Gough et Machuto Jacobbe, omnibus nuper de Stourton, \-omen, domesticis servientibus dicti Caroli Stourton, ac diversis aliis hominibus ad numerum 40 personarum*, accessit ad Kylmington ubi Will' Hartgyll et J. Hart- gyll ad tunc habitabant et ibidem false et maliciose pretendens eosdem W. H. et J. H. feloniam fecisse, in ipsos W. H. et J. H. insultum fecit ac ipsos ad tunc et ibidem cepit et arrestavit ac manus eorum a retro coram terga ligari fecit, eosdem que quasi latrones et felones imprisonavit, ac ipsos sic imprisonatos detinuit usque horam secundam post mediam noctem ejusdem diei Lunas, circa quam horam idem Carolus dictos W. H. et J. H. a Kylmington usque quandam donium ejusdem Caroli vocatam Bonhamf sub custodia servientium suorum duci et imprisonari mandavit ; virtutecujus quidem mandati W. H. et J. H. a Kylmington usque Bonham eadem nocte per servientes dicti Caroli adducti fuerunt ipsos que a tempore adductionis illius per totum diem Martis tunc proxime sequentem viz : — xii" Jan' usque horam decimam in nocte ejusdem dici apud Bonham in prisona per servientes proprios dicti Caroli custodiri fecit, ad quam quidem horam decimam predictus Carolus perseverans in sua nequissima malicia secrete conspiravit cum Foxe's narrative says fto persons. I Hiiriliani was then in lease to the Stonrtons. HISTORY OF THE NOP.LE HOUSE OF STOURTON. W. Farre ct catcris supra dictis ad ipsos W. H. et J. H. apud Stourton inter- ficicndos et murderandos. Et ad facinus et scelus illud horrendum exequendnm idem Carolus apud Stourton postea et circa eandem horam decimam in nocte ejusdem diei Martis ex malicia sua proecog-itata ac felonice procuravit et mandavit W. Farre, &c., ad perducendum W. H. et J. H. a Bonham usque Stourton ad intencionem eosdem W. H. et J. H. murderandi. Qui quidem W. H. & J. H. juxta eandem procura- cionem Caroli a Bonliam usque ad Stourton per dictos W. Farre, &c., perducti fuerunt, ubi idem Carolus ad tunc etibidem prasens fuit et postea scilicet eadem nocte circa horam undecimam, apud Stourton in quodam Clauso vocato Le Worth, juxta' gardinum Capitalis domus mansionalis ipsius Caroli, eidem domui adjacente, W. Farre, &c., vi et armis et felonice in ipsos W. H. et J. H. in forma predicta lig-atos insultum fecerunt. Et W. Farre, cum quodam fuste precii 2 denariorum, quem idem W. Farre in manibus suis adtunc et ibidem tenebat, prefatum Johannem Hartgyll super caput suum felonice percussit. Et predictus H. Symmes cum quodam alio fuste W. Hartgyll super caput suum similiter percussit, dantes tisdem J. H. et W. H. duas seperales plagas mortales ex quibus plagis W. H. et J. H. ad terram corruerunt et semi-mortui jacebant. Quo facto W. Farre, &c., immediate corpora ipsorum W. H. et J. H. susceperunt et portaverunt super humeros suos in pr;edictam capitalem domum Caroli, D'ni Stourton, transeundo per quoddam ambulatorium vulgariter vocatum "A Galerie " infra prsedictam domum usque ad quandam cameram domus illius super quendam locum infra domum vocatum "A Donfjyon " portaverunt, in quam quidem cameram Carolus .Stourton circa mediam noctem personaliter acccssit ac corpora predictorum W. H. et J. H. forme niortua jacentia inspexit et vidit, iisdemque Carolo, W. Farre, &c, ad murdram perpetrandam ad tunc pr£esentibus, W. Farre cum quodam cultello precii 4 denariorum quam in manu sufi dextra tum tenuit gulas sive guttura dictoruni W. H. et J. H. uon plene mortuorum sed adtunc spirantium et gemcn- tium voluntarie scidit, per quod dicti W. H. et J. H. instanter obierunt. Et quod sic Carolus Stourton, W. Farre, Sic, pra;dictos W. H. et J. H. murdraverunt contra pacem D'ni Regis et Reginae coronam et dignitatem, &c. Et cum cito W. H. etj. H. sic interfccti fuerunt, eorum cadavera in pra;dicto loco vocato "a Dongyon " per mandatum dicti Caroli et in praesentia sua per R. Symmes et R. Gough profunde in terra sepulta fuerunt. Et Carolus exultans in nephandissimis murdris prasdictis Williclmo Farre et cajteris hiec Anglicana verba scquentia adtunc et ibidem dixit et propalavit, viz. " It is but the rydding of a coople of knaves oute of the waye, the which have longe troubled us in Godde's lawes and the kinge's " in pessimum et perniciosissimum cxemplum aliorum consimihter delinquentimii. {In dorsn) " Inquisitio capta apud civitatem Nova; Sarum in CONFESSION OF LORD STOURTON. com. Wiltes. xixo die Februarii coram Johanne Prideaux, Serviente ad Legem. Henrico Brounker, Ciiristophero Willoughby et Johanne Hooper Armigeris*. Per me Johan' Prideaux. By me Henry Brouncker. By me Christopher Willoughby. Per me Johan" Hooper." On Friday the 26th of February he was brought in the custody of Sir Robert Oxenbridge, Constable of the Tower, and arraigned at Westminster Hall before the Judges and divers of the Council, including the Lord Chief Justice Sir Robert Broke, Henry Fitz Alan, Lord Arundel (the Lord High Steward), the Lord Treasurer and others. " It was long " (says Strype) " ere he would answer, till at last the Chief Justice declared to him that if he would not answer the charge laid upon him he was by the law of the land to be pressed to death." The Latin Record* of his confession and sentence, translated into English, runs thus : — " And being thereupon asked how he would acquit himself of the felony and murder with which he was charged, he answered, that 'he cannot say he is not guilty' : and the said Lord Stourton expressly acknowledged the said felony and murder and for the same placed himself in mercy of the King and Queen. Upon which the Serjeants at Law and Attorneys of our Lord the King and Oueen immediately sued judgment against the said Lord according to due form of law, and execution to be done for the King and Queen. Whereupon, all and singular the premises being under.stood, it was the sentence of the Court that the said Charles Lord Stourton should be hanged, together with his four men." He was ordered to be taken to the Tower to wait further orders from the Council. The further orders were as follows : — " At Grenewiche the xxvij day of February An" 1556-7. Present, &c. A Letter to the sherife of Wiltesheire to receave the bodie of the Lord Sturton at the handcs of S^ Hughe Paulet and to see him executed according to the writte -sente unto him for y* purpose &c. accordinge to the minute in the Councaile chestet." " At Grenewiche the i day of March Ano 1556-7. A Letter to the Lord Lievetenaunt of the Towere to delivere the bodies of the Lord Sturtone's fower -servantes remaininge in his custody to Sr Hugh Paulet, to be by him convayed downe unto the countye of Wilts to receive there their furder tryallfor murderinge of the Hartgilles, accordinge to the order of the lawes*." - Baga dc Secretis. f Council Book, p. 514. | Council Book, p. 516. 392 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. On the 2nd of March Lord Stourton with his four servants, in the charge of Sir Robert Oxenbridge and certain guards, rode from the Tower towards SaUsbury. Lord Stourton's arms were pinioned, and his legs fastened under the horse. The first night they rested at Hounslow : the next day they came to Staines : thence to Basingstoke, and so to SaHsbury. On the 6th of March in the Market-place at Salisbury Lord Stourton suffered the extreme penalty of the law. Bishop Burnet seems to be the authority for the story that he was -hanged in a silken cord, and in an old MS. (being a kind of Tourist's Notes, without name or date) mention is made that there was an " old silken string " hanging over his tomb. Dodsworth says that a twisted wire, with a noose emblematic of a halter, remained till about the year 1775. Though this has now disappeared from the tomb, a very small piece of the wire still (1898) remains in the Cathedral, and from a photograph thereof the accompanying illustration is here reproduced. The hist reiULlining pifcd of the ivirc which used to hang over the tomb at Salisbury, Lord Stourton's monument in Salisbury Cathedral formerly stood at the East end of the Church, but was removed and is now on the South side of the nave. It is a plain tomb with three apertures on each side intended, as Dodsworth explains them, to represent the six wells or fountains in the armorial shield of the Stourton family, but the resemblance is not very striking. There is no inscription. The four servants sent down to Salisbury for further trial (two of whom would certainly be William Farre and Henry Symes, who knocked the Hartgills down) were executed according to the following Order (Council Book, p. 532.) "14 March, 1556-7. A Letter to Sir Anthony Hungerford Sheriff of the county of Wilts of thankes for his diligence and good service being well reported here by Sr Hugh Poulet Knt. He is also willed to deliver three of the late Lord Stourton's servants, being condempned, to the Sheriff of Dorset and Somerset, to be by him hanged in chaines according to the writ sent unto him for that purpose ; and to cause the fourth to be hanged at Myers" (Merc) " in chaines." BISHOP Burnet's account of a reprieve. 393 Canon Jackson says: "The other agents in the murder John Davyes, John Welshman, and Machute Jacob, are all described, in a sentence of outlawr\', as ' Yeomen of Slourton, and domestic servants of Charles, Lord Stourton'," but Joiin Davyes and John Welshman were one and the same. Farre, Symmes, Davyes, Gough and Jacobbe are mentioned in the indictment with Lord Stourton, but Gough escaped at first into Wales, so that probabl)- the others are the four sent down for further trial. A reprieve is believed to this day, to have been issued by Oueen Mary, revoking the capital sentence upon Lord Stourton, and Wm. Herbert, Earl of Pembroke is believed to have caused the reprieve to have been frustrated. Bishop Burnet in his history of the Reformation, sa)-s " I had in my former work given a due commendation to that which seemed to me a great firmness in the Oueen, not to pardon the Lord Stourton for so heinous a crime as the murdering father and son in so barbarous a manner. But since I have lived long in Wiltshire, I find that there is a different account of this matter in that neighbourhood. The story as it has been handed down by very old people, is this. The day before the execution was appointed, there was a report set about that a pardon, or reprieve was coming down ; upon which the Sheriff (Sir Anthony Hungerford) came to the Earl of Pembroke, who was then at Wilton, for advice. That lord heard the report, and was much troubled at it, so, apprehending some message mig-ht come to him from the court, he ordered his gates to be shut somewhat early, and not to be opened till next morning. My Lord Stourton's son* came down" (to Wilton) "with the order, but since the gates were not to be opened, he rode over" (to Salisbury) "to his ftither" (in the jail), "who received the news with great joy. In the night the sheriff left Wilton, and came so secretly to Salisbury, that Stourton knew nothing of it, and believed he" (the sheriff) " was still at Wilton, where he knew he was the night before. But when he" (Lord Stourton's son) " was so far gone" (again to Wilton), "that the sheriff knew he could not come back in time to hinder the execution, he brought his men together, whom he had ordered to attend on him that day ; and so the lord was executed before his son could come back with the order to stop it. I set down this story upon a popular report of which I have had the pedigree vouched to me, by those whose authors, upon the authority of their grandfathers, did give an entire credit to it. So meritorious a man as the Lord Stourton was, who If there is ;iny truUi in the story of a reprieve, tliis was in all probability Lord Stom-ton's brother William Stourton. who was steward for the Seymour family after the elder Hartgill had been dis- missed ; Lord Stourton's son and heir was aged 4 } ears and 2 months. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. had protested against everything done in King- Edward's Parliament, had no doubt many intercessors to plead for him in his last extremit)'. I leave this with my reader as I found it." John Aubrey says : " In Oueen Marie's time there was a great feud between this Lord" {i.e., Lord Stourton) "and William Herbert, the first Earl of Pembroke of that family, who was altogether a stranger in the West, and from a private gentleman and of no estate, but only a soldier of fortune becoming a favourite of King Henry VHL, at the dissolution of the Abbeys, in few years from nothing, stept into a prodigious Estate of the Church's Lands, which brought great envy on him from this Baron of an ancient (Wiltshire) family and great paternal estate, besides the difference in religion*.'' On the other hand it has been seen (see page 361) that Charles, Lord Stourton wrote to Sir William Sherington, "Well, I know that Mr. Herbert is High Lieutenant of Wiltshire, and even as I have no vain hope, but certainly do know him to be mine especial friend, whom I would trust for my life and goods, &c." The Earl of Pembroke's hatred of the Catholics is according to historians well known. It is alleged by some that the Earl was the original deviser of the whole conspiracy to place Lad)- Jane Grey on the throne, and was moved to this by a personal dread of losing his property if a Catholic Sovereign should succeed to the crown. He took part against the Protector Somerset and was rewarded by the grant of the Duke's possessions in Wiltshire, and that vicinity. Froude's " Mary," says " Pembroke in the black volume of appropriations of lands distributed among themselves by the Council of Edward VI., was the most deeply compromised, and in Wilts and Somerset, where his new lands lay, was hated for his oppression of the poor." Edward VI., in 1549 issued a proclamation to restrain certain noblemen and gentlemen from enclosing certain open commons and waste lands, and from converting them into and using them as pastures and parks for their own benefit, and thus greatly injuring those who depastured their cattle, &c., thereon, inflicting heavy penalties on those who had made such enclosures, if they did not by a certain day restore them to their original state. The Commoners consequently rose in tumult, and broke down the enclosed parks of Charles, Lord Stourton and Sir William Herbert, the latter of whom under a Royal Commission raised a body of his men and soon effectually quelled the disturbances. On page 386 reference is made to a contemporary account of the affrays at Kilmington and the painful events which followed. The account was written by John Foxe the Martyrologist, and whilst the biassed standpoint of the writer is only too evident the narrative must be inserted for what it may be worth. See also the extract from Aubrey on page 383. DESCRIPTION OF FOXe's NARRATIVE. 395 Unfortunately it is the only contemporary account. It has from the first been divided into two parts, both of which are extant. One now forms Harkian Mnuusci-ipt 590, a folio book wherein are contained some of the papers former!}- belong-ing to Mr. John Foxe, the Martyrologist, including — inter alia — (folios 76 and 76/)), the "Relation of the differences between Charles, Lord Stourton, and William Hartgill, Esquire, which terminated in the hanging of the said Lord tor murder." The book was bought by Strype from Alice Foxe, great-grand-daughter of Samuel Foxe, eldest son of John F"oxe, the Protestant Martyrologist, and Strype sold it to Edward Harley, Earl of Oxford. The other part of the manu- script is LniisdoK'ne Mamtscript No. 3, containing amongst other matters (Article 49), " Articles against Lord Stourton, being a full declaration of the manner of the murdering the two Hartgills by his procurement 1556." This latter part was purchased by Strype from Richard Chiswell, a stationer of London, who in his turn had bought it from Sir William Hicks, great-grandson of Sir Michael Hicks, Secretary to Lord Burghley, the original owner, who was contemporary with John Foxe, (Foxe 1516-15S7, Lord Burghley 1520-1598). In speaking of this narrative of Lord Stourton's case, Sweetman says in the commencement of his account that "It has been no easy matter to decide, in republishing this painful story, whether to re-write it, clothing; it in the language of to-day, or to give it in the words of the first writer, Fox. . . . There is such simplicity in the narrative that it seems a pity to modernise it." Canon Jackson hinted that the writer was "evidently no friend" of his Lordship, and Sweetman adds that the bare recital of the story as given by Foxe makes " Lord Stourton blacker than he need be painted." John Foxe was born in 1516, and consequently was aged about 40 at the time of the murder of the Hartgills. After Foxe's secession from the Romish religion he was about as staunch a Protestant as Lord Stourton was a Catholic. John Foxe was in England when Lord Stourton dedicated his "Treatise on the Sacrament" to Princess Mary, afterwards Queen of Engj-land, during whose reign Foxe was compelled to live out of England. But he must have known that Lord Stourton was one of the 27 Peers who sat on the trial of the Protestant Duke ot Somerset, the strong supporter of Lord Burghley, and that Lord Stourton was one of those Peers, who, during King Edward's reign, had dissented in Parliament from the Acts (i) for the destruction of the old service books ; (2) for bringing men to divine service ; (3) for the marriage of the clerg)- ; (4) for the confirmation of the marriage of the Marquis of Northampton-, and (5) for the attainder of Bishop Tunstall. John Foxe had seceded from the Catholic Religion after the Tliij; confiriiiation was repealed 135J, (i Mary). 3g6 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Reformation and had conformed to Protestantism, whicli he appears to have professed dm-inq- the remainder of his Hfe. Thus during- the reig-ns of King- Henry VIII. and King- Edward VI. Foxe remained in England, but during Queen Mar_\ 's reig-n he lived abroad, returning to England when Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne. At the time of his return the fact that Lord Stourton, a staunch Catholic, had been executed at Salisbury during a reign when Catholicism was the State religion, and when the Protestants were persecuted, was undoubtedl)' considered by Protestants, from a religious point of view, to be one of the just acts of pueen Mary. A few years afterwards Foxe is found holding a prebendal stall in the Cathedral Church of Salisbury. Without greatly entering into the merits of Foxe's sincerity and veracity, it is sufficient to endeavour to establish to him the authorship of both of the narratives dealing with Lord Stourton. The style of these compilations should be compared with the admitted works of Foxe, especially his book of Protestant Martyrs, and it will be then seen that not only do parallel sentences occur, but that the style is similar throughout. Strype sa)-s in the preface to his "Ecclesiastical Memorials," "I have had also the use of numerous MSS. of Ecclesiastical affairs, sometime belonging to the famous martyrologist, John Fox ; and that by the kindness of a gentleman that was executor to the said Fox's last descendant, deceased, I have had perusal of divers notable state letters, or of more private correspondence between persons of the highest rank and quality in Church and Court preserved in the house of a gentleman of qualit)-, descended from a Secretary of the Lord Treasurer Burghley, under Queen Elizabeth." This would seem to render it almost a matter of certainty that the second manuscript, as well as the first one, was composed by Foxe. Canon Jackson so considers it ; though, on the contrary, Foxe was not in England at the time, and the latter narrative must, from the reference to the wife of John Hartgill, have been written very shortly indeed after tlie occurrence. Queen Elizabeth appears to have given Foxe the Prebend and parsonage of Shiplor, in the county of Oxon, belonging to the Church of Sarum as a reward for his Martyrology, in the 6th year of her reign, he having dedicated his "Acts and Monuments" to her Majesty. Strype says in reference thereto, "John Foxe, the great martyrologist . ... in the times of Elizabeth much reverenced, whom I find this year [1584] requesting the Lord treasurer to obtain the Queen's hand for his prebend of Sarum (called Shipton Underwick Wood in Oxfordshire) to be renewed and confirmed to him, and his son after him, the bishop aud chapter of that church having granted the same." According to Strype he made this request in a well penned epistle, some part in Latin and some in Greek* to the said Lord, his old and known pafron : ■■■ Most writers say that Foxe could not read these Languages and was not a classical scholar. FOXE S WRITING UNRELIABLE. 397 and at Salisbury Foxe completed his Book of Martyrs. Hence it is clearly evident that John Foxe and Lord Burghley were known to each other. Strype consequently makes his copies from MSS. actually in his own possession, and by him printed for the first time in 1721. Lord Burghley favoured the Reforma- tion and he was warned during Queen Mary's reign not to neglect his own religion. On the accession of Queen Elizabeth, he was again a staunch denouncer of Popish errors, notwithstanding that he had, in Queen Mary's reign, through his outward belief in the ancient faith, been actually nominated, with others, to conduct Cardinal Pole into England. In speaking of the Harleian MS. Strype says, "I shall give a more particular account of the first original, and the progress of it, from an authentic MS. written about the time." After exhausting that MS., he, speaking of the Lansdowne one, says "as I transcribe them out of my papers :" whilst he concludes with "And thus ends this relation which was writ soon after this bloody act done upon the Hartgyls." As Strype in 1721 was the first to print the MSS. which were clearly written 1557-68, they had remained in manuscript for at least 150 or 160 years, in the actual possession of the original owners or their representatives, so that naturally no representative of Lord Stourton was aware that such an account existed or needed contradiction. No stronger antagonist could have written the account than Foxe, for his "Book of Protestant Martyrs," was then, and for many years subsequently,accepted as a great argument in support of Protestantism. Sweetman says " there is such simplicity in the narrative that it seems a pity to modernise it." This was the case with all Foxe's works, and the simple, and apparently unbiassed style, gave credence and probability to his writings. To-day, however, Foxe's " Book of Protestant Martyrs* " is a generally discredited work. A careful handling of Foxe's papers has shown that amongst them are several letters written to Foxe, pointing out, and wishing to have corrected, the most fabulous errors in Foxe's "Book of Protestant Martyrs." Foxe, although he had made these gross mis-statements, took no trouble to correct them, leaving the false statements in his writings to posterity as facts. This work was "revised and completed" at Salisbury, where a copy was chained in the cathedral, tmd where Lord Stourton paid the last penalty of the law. Consequently if Foxe's published work is now known to be so devoid of credibility it must stand to reason that his narratives of the murder of the Hartgills cannot be thoroughly accepted as a true or impartial account of what had taken place. In the narrative everything to the prejudice of Lord Stourton is set forth, everything in extenuation of his actions is suppressed. * Fox in 1582 is referred to as " the Martyr maker," and some few years afterwards men were proseciitod for calling this boolt a " legend of lies." Dom : Ser., State Papers. 3g8 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOL'RTON. Lord Stourton's victims are made to appear as most peaceable and law abiding- people. That Lord Stourton had many real grounds of complaint ag-ainst them is quite overlooked. No mention is made of the fact that Hartgill was of a notoriously violent character as early as 1540, long before he ever quarrelled with Lord Stourton ; nor of the fact that Hartgill was himself bound over as well as Lord Stourton in one of their disputes. Nothing is even hinted of the fact that Hartgill was a dishonest and a dismissed servant of Lord Stourton. No mention is made of the fact that after his dismissal by Lord Stourton, Hartgill, together with Agnes Ryce, held forcible and unlawful possession of Stourton, against the lessee of Lord Stourton, his late master, defying the Sheriff, and actually doing the same illegal things for w-hich Foxe condemns Lord Stourton. And to take for example the case of Thomas Chafyn, Foxe omits to mention that Chafyn was a cousin of William Hartgill, and he does not state that this Thomas Chafyn, was held by the Court to have aided and abetted and connived with Agnes Ryce, to defraud Lord Stourton of a debt due him. The Court had severely condemned Chafyn for his conduct. Foxe says nothing concerning the real reason of the impounding of Thomas Chafyn's sheep, and the imprisoning of his men by Lord Stourton, all of which have been previously explained herein at some length. The bias with which the narrative is written, however, culminates in the last two paragraphs and in the statement that Lord Stourton's "other routs, ryottes, robberyes, and murdres yt wer to long to wright." This is a most wilful and utter mis-statement. Of Lord Stourton's other collisions with the law the details have been fully set out, but Lord Stourton was never in any way implicated in, nor is he elsewhere even accused of any other murder whatsoever. Bearing all this in mind one can only come to the conclusion that the details of the narrative are worthy of but little if any belief, and that the true facts, whatever these may have really been, are not, and never will be, available. From Ihrkian Manuscript 590. John Foxe's Account : — "Li the tyme of Kynge Edward the 'Vlth, William Lord Stourton havynge charge of one of the kynges peces nygh Bullen dyed,* shortly after whose death Charles Lord Stourton sonne and heyre of the sayd Lord William Stourton, came to Kylmyngton in the countye of Somerset to th'ouse of one William Hartgyll Esquyer where Dame Elizabeth late wyff to the sayd Lord William and mother to the sayd Lord Charles Stourton did sogorn, and then and there was ernestly William, ytli Lord Stourton, died i6tli December, 154S. foxe's naruativk of thf affrav at kilmington. 309 in hand with the said William Hartgyll to be a meane unto the sayd Dame Elizabeth that she shuld enter in to band to hym the sayd Lord Charles in a great some of money, that she shuld never marrye, which the sayd William Hartgv ll refused to do onlesse the sayd Lord Charles Stourton woold assign owt some good yerely portion for hys sayd mother to lyve uppon. Discoursynge of thys matter the sayd Lord Charles Stourton fell utterly owt with the sayd William Hartgyll, and shortly after uppon a Wytsonday in the mornynge the sayd Lord Charles Stourton came to Kylmyngton churche with a great many men with bowes and gunnes, and when he came almost to the churche dore, John Hartgyll Sonne of the sayd William Hartgyll, being a tall lusty gentleman, beyng told of the sayd Lord Stourtons cummynge, went owt of the churche and drew his swerd and ranne to his fathers house adjonyng fast to the churche yard syde. Diverse arrowes were shott at hym in hys passynge but he was not hurt. Hys father the sayd William Hartgyll and hys wyff beynge old folkes were dryven to go upp in to the towre of the churche with towe or thre of theyr servauntes for safe gard of theyr lyves. When the sayd John Hartgill was come in to hys fathers house, he toke his longe bowe and arrowes and bent a crosse bowe and charged a gonne and caused a woman to carry the crosse bowe and gonne after hym, and hymself with hys longe bowe came foorth and drave awey the sayd Lord Charles and all hys men from the house and from aboute the churche. So that not one of all the cumpany taryed, savynge half a score that were entred in to the ciiurche, emongist whome one was hurt with hayle shott in the shulder by the said John Hartgill. And when all that were abroed were fledd, the savd John Hartgyll axed hys father what he shuld do ? Unto whom hys father answered and sayd "Take your horsse and ryde upp to the Court and tell the honorable Councell how I am used." Whereuppon when the sayd John Hartgyll hadd taken order to provyde meat and dryncke to be pulled upp in to the Towre of the churche to releve them that were there, he rode awey, and the Mundaye toward evenynge he told the honorable Councell how hys father was delt withall : wheruppon they send downe Sir Thomas Speake, Knyght, then high SheryfF of Somerset not only to delyver the sayd captyves but also to brynge up with hym the sayd Lord Charles Stourton : whom, when he came, the sayd honorable Councell comniyted to the Flete where he taryed not longe. Yt ys to be remembred that assonc as John Hartgyll was rydden toward London to th'onorable Councell, the Lord Stourton's men retorned to the churche of Kylmyngton, and aboute Hartgills house agayn, and so contynued untyll the commynge down of the sayd Shsryflf whiche was the Weddensday in the Wytson weke, dm-ynge all wiiiche i\ nie the sa\d William Hartgyll and hys men 400 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. were kept in the churche Towre. Mary, the said Hartgylls wyff, was permytted to go whome the Wytsondaye toward nyght. In thys meane tynie the sayd Lord Stourton's men went to a pasture of the sayd Hartg-illes and there toke upp hys own rydinge geldynge, beynge then well woorth eight poundes, and caryed hym to Stourton parke pale, and there shott him with a crosse bowe and k\lled the geldynge, noysynge abroed that the sayd William Hartgyll hadd that night been huntynge in the sayd parke uppon the geldynge.* Thus the sayd Lord Stourton contynued his mallice styll durynge all kynge Edwarde's regn and with violence and force toke from the sayd William Hartgyll all the corn and catall, that he could any way come bye which were the sayd Hartgilles. When kynge Edward was dedd the sayd William Hartgyll and John hys Sonne made humble sute to Ouene Marye hyr honorable Councell for some redresse, h\-r majestic lyinge then att Basynge in Hamshyre ; whiche sayd Councell called the sayd Lord Stourton and the sayd William Hartgyll before them and there the sayd Lord Stourton promysed that yf the sayd William Hartgyll and hvs Sonne woolde come whome to hys house and desyre his good will they shuld not only have yt but also shuld be restored to theyr gooddes and cattalles that he hadd of theyrs. Wheruppon they, trustynge hys faythfull promesse made before suche a presence, toke one John Dackombe Esquyer with them to be a wytnesse of theyr submyssion ; and when they came nygh Stourton house, in a lane, half a dussen of the Lord Stourton's men russhed foorth and lettynge Mr. Dackombe and the sayde William Hartgyll passe them, stept before the sayd John Hartgyll, and wlien he torned hys horsse to have rydden away whomeward agayn syx of the sayd Lords men were there with wepons to staye hym, and so beynge besett boathe before and behynd they strake at hym, and before he could drawe hys swerd and gett from hys horsse, they hadd woonded hym in threorfoure places : then he gat his backe to a hedge and there defended hymself as well as he could, albeit they woounded hym in the hedd, the hand, the bodye and the legges, and left hym for dedd. Nevcrthelesse when he had lyne so almost half an hourehe came to hymself agayne, and by the helpe of a coke, of the sayd Lord Stourton's who toke pytye uppon hym, he got uppon hys horsse and so rode to th'ouse of one Rychard Mumpesson of Maj'den Bradley gent for he" Thus far the case is carried in Harlcian Manuscript 590, which, being only a fragment, here abruptly terminates. The remainder is told in Lansdowne Manuscript (No. 3, Art. 49), as follows : — It might have been an actual fact that Haitgill had been so hunting, for this was one of the charges laid against him in earlier depositions, namely, maintaining secretly a man wantefl for steahng a tnare and colt ; lying in wait and picking quarrels ; stealing a sow, with a mastill dog ; hurtmg an heifer and ox in the leg ; causing two boars to be followed with intent to kill them with a knile ; illegally killing the king's deer in the forest ; and inciting his keepers to illegally kill wild boars and feloniously receiving them for his own use and benefit. THE NARRATIVE OF THE MURDER. 401 " Th" Order of My Lord Stourton's Proceeding's with the two Hertgilles " "Being lycenced a lytle before Christmas for certeyn consideracons to repayre into his countrey uppon bandes of two thousand pounds to render him self prisoner agayne in the Fleet, the first daye of the tearme, promising fayth- fully in the meane time to paye unto the Hertgilles such somes of monney as he was condemned to paye them, he devised within thre or iiij dayes after his arr)-va!l at his howse of Sturtone Caundel* to send certayn parsonages to the said Hertgilles to declare unto them that he was readye to paye unto them the said somes of monney according as yt was ordered in the Starre chambre, and to commune with them also for a further ending and quyeting of all matters between them : for the which purpose he desyred a place and tyme to bee appointed of meeting togithers. The two Hertgilles receyvd this errand with much conten- tacion ; and albeit theie stoode in some feare that my Lord ment not all together as he had caused to be declared unto them, and therfore stood in much dought to adventure themselves, yet were they in th'end content to meete with him at Kylmingtone church the Monedaye after Twelfth Daj-e. At whiche Mondaye, being the xi'h of Januarye, aboute x of the clock the saide Lord Sturtone came to Kylmingtone accompanyed with xv or xvj of his own servantes and sondry of his tenantes and some Gentelmen and Justices to the nombre of Ix parsons in allt. The Hertgilles attending at the place appointed, seing my Lorde Sturtone to bee at hand and to come with so greate a companye, beganne vearj' moch to dreade. My Lorde came not to the church but went to the church-house, being xl passes distaunt from the church yarde : from thens he sent worde to the Hertgilles, who yet were in the church, that the church was no place to talke of worldeh e matters and therfore he thought the church-howse to be a fitter place. The Hertgilles came out of the church, and being within xx passes of my Lorde, olde Hertgill after dew salutacion said ' My Lorde, I see manny ennemyes of myne abought your Lordship and therfore I ame very moch afrayed to come anny nere.' My Lorde assured him first him self, and after him Sir James Fitz James, ChafFyn and others boldened him so moch as they coulde, saying they durst bee bounde in all they hadd theie should have no bodely hurte. Uppon this comforte he approched to my Lorde's parson, and then my Lorde tolde him he was come * The reason Lord Stourton was then living at Stourton-Caundle, in Dorset, was th.at he had let Stonr- ton House to his relative, Mr. Faiintleroy, who had had his quiet possession and enjoyment, provided by the lease, disturbed by Agnes Rice and William Hartgili, as has been before shewn. f The fact that Lord Stourton had Go persons with him (the Indictment says 40), would shew that Lord Stourton could not have premeditated the murder at that time. He was not likely to"commit such an act in the presence of so many of his servants and tenants, or of any gentlemen and justices. Perhaps the Tio persons, if the number is not over estimated, represented the friends of both Lord Stourton and Hartgill. Of the latter's the account s.iys nothing. vm 402 HTSTORY OF THE NOP.I.K TIOUSK OF STOURTON. ■ to payc ihcm monnc)' which he hadd broug-ht with liim and woldc have had them to goo into the church-house to rcceyve )'t. But the Hertgllles fearing yll to he ment unto them, refused to entre into ann)- couvcred place, the church excepted \ Wheruppon some being present thought good that a table shoulde bee sett uppon the open grcne, which was done according!)'. My Lorde layed theruppon a cappccase, and a pursse, as though he had intended to make payment : and calling nere unto him the saide two Hertgilles saied unto them that the Councel had ordered him to paye imto them a certayne some of monney which they should have every penney. ' Mary, he woldc first know them to be Trew menne.' This was the watche-worde that he gave to his menne as he came by the waye thitherwarde, and therewith he layed handes on them boothe saying ' I arrest yowe of fellonye.' And therewith his men which to the nombre of x or xij stoode purposely rounde aboughte him, layed hold on them and with all crewelnes straight tooke them boothe and by vyolence thruste and drew them into the ■ church-howse, where with his owne handes he tooke from them their pursses, of the which one of them fallinge from him was by a servaunt of his named Upham taken upp and afterwarde brought by him to Sturtone where my Lorde receyved yt, and fynding a turquoyse therin he made therof a present unto my Ladyet. And then the said Lorde Sturtone having in a redynes two blew bands of incle which that morning he had purposely brought with him from Sturtone, delivered them to his men to bynde the saide Hertgilles withall in the saide church-howse, and whilest they were a bynding he gave the saide Upham, being one of his men, two greate blowes bccawse he went abowght to pvnion them and did not tye their handes behinde them. And to the yonger of the Hertgilles being bounde he gave a greate blowe in the face for that he said the crueltye shewed unto them was to moch. And coming owte of the howse with his naked sworde, fynding at the dore the saide yonge Hertgill's wyef, first spurned at her and kycked so at her as with his spurres he rent a greate pece of one of her hosen from her legge, and fynally he gave her with his saide sworde soch a strooke bctwen the necke and the hedd as she fell therwith to the grounde as deade, so'as in three howres the companye had moch a doo to kepe lyfe in her : of the which strooke she kepcth yet her bcdd and lyeth in soch case as Godd knoweth what wilbe coom of her. It will l)e noticed Iiciw precise the writer is to place, in inverted commas, the exact conversation, and that he docs not forget to add that old Hartgill did not venture to speak in Lord Stourton's presence initii he had made his " dew saintacion." Anyone observing with care Hartgili's previons attitude towards Lord Stourton, would hardl}' conceive this to be likely. Hartgill certainly had one friend there, Thomas Chafyu, his cousin, but Ironi the narrative it might be thought that Cliafyn was the friend of Lfjrd Stourton. ]- If there is any truth in the statement, the whole life of Lady Stourton would conclusively prove that she had no knowledge of the source from whence the jewel came. THE NARRATIVE OF THE :WUKnEK. 40,3 From thcns being fast hoiindc he cawscd them to bee convayed to the Parsonnage of Kylmingtone where all that daye they wer kept, their armes being bounde behind them, withowte meate or drincke ; in the which place, hadd he not bene otherwise perswaded by one of his men, they hadd that night bene murdered. Abought one or ij aclock in the morning they were from thens convayed to a howse of his called Bonham two myles of, within a quarter of a mile of Sturtone where my Lord him self laye, where arryving the Tuesdaye abought iij of the clocke in the morning they were layed fast bounde in two severall places withowte meate or drincke, fyar, or anny thing to lye uppon. Abought iiij of the clocke in the after noone my Lorde sent unto them two Justices of the peace to examyne them, whome he made bcleve he wolde the next morning send them to the gaoule ; and to that end he cawsed the said Justices to put their handes to a mittimus. As sonc as the Justices came unto the howse, fynding them bounde, they caused them to bee loosed, and advised my Lorde's men that kept them to suffer them so to contynue, saying that ther was no dought of th'escaping of them. But assone as the saide Justices were departed, my Lorde sent first Saunder More, and then Franck and fynally Farre, being all three his men, to cawse them to be bounde agayne and to bee layed in severall places, comaunding further all the kepers to come awaye saving soch as he had especially appointed for the murder which ensued, v/home he had before procured to doo th' acte, promising that they shoulde doo no more then he him selfe would doo. Abought x of the clocke my Lorde sent to Bonham William Farre, Roger Gough, John Welshman and Macute Jacob, comaunding them to fetche the saide Hertgilles to the place appointed uppon warninge them that in case by the waj'e the saide Hertgilles uppon suspicion what was ment to them shoulde make anny noyse, to rydde them of their lyves before the comyng of them to the saide place. The four above named, fynding at Bonham Henry Symes whovvas appointed to watche the howse, went into the same and brought ought the two Hertgilles and bringing them to a close joyning hard to Sturtone they were knocked in the heades with two ckibbes, wherwith, kneling on their knees and their handes fast bounde behinde them, being at one strooke felled, they receyved afterward sondry strookes till the murderers thoug-hi they had bene starck dedde, My Lorde in the mcanc scasone standing at the gallery dore which was not a good coyte's cast from the place of execucion. This doon they wrapped them in their owne gownes and so caryed the bodyes among them through a g-ardeyn into my Lorde's gallerye, at the dore whereof they founde my Lorde according as he had proinjsed and from thens into a i) tle place in th'end therof, my saide Lorde bearing the candle before them, where he that caryed olde Hertgili, missing a piancke, fell dovvne into a 404 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. hole and the body with him. This place was hard by my Lorde's chamber, to the which place being the bodies brought not full dedd, they groned very sore, specially th'eldre Hertgil, which hering, William Farre, one of the murderers, swearing " By Godde's bloude they wer not yet dedd," and Henry Symes saying " It were a good deede to rydde them owte of their paynes," and my Lorde him self bidding their throotes to bee cutte leaste a French preeste lyeng nere to the place might here, the saide Farre tooke owte his knyfe and cutt bothe their throotes, my Lorde standing by with the candel in his hande. And one of the murderers then sayed "Ah my Lorde ! this is a pytiouse sight ; hadde I thought that I now thincke, before the thing was doon, your hole land could not have woon me to consent to soch an acte." My Lord answered "What, fainte harted knave! }'s yt anny more then the rydding of two knaves that lyving were trooblesome bothe to Goddes lawe and man's. There is no more accoumpt to bee made of them then the kylling of ij sheepe*." Then were the bodyes tombled downe into a dongeon, my Lorde walking bye upp and downe : and after Harry Simes and Roger Gough wer convayed downe by cordes (for ther were no staires therunto), who digged a pytt for them and there buryed them bothe together, my Lorde oftentymes in the meane tyme calling unto them from above to " Make speede for that the night wentawaye." The bodyes have sj-then bene digged uppe by Sir Anthonye Hunger- fordc sent purposely to the place for that purpose : and wer found in the self same apparayle that they wer taken in, berryed very depe, couvered first with earthe and then with two coursses of thicke paving, and fynally with chippes and shavinges of tymbre above the quantetye of ij carte loodes. In th'examynacon of these matters yt is fallen owte that he cawsed not long sythen a barne of one Thomas Chaffyn to bee sett on fyer by iij of his servantes, against which Chaffyn, for that he sayed yt was not doon withowte the knowledge of the saide Lorde or of some of his servauntes, Lorde Sturtone tooke an action uppon his case and recouvred of him a hundred pounds domage, for the payment wherof he tooke owte of Chaffyn's pastures by force twelve hundred sheepe with the woll uppon their backes, all the oxen, kyne, horsses and mares that he coulde fynde in the saide pastures. From one Willoughbye he cawsed to bee taken for his pleasure a hole teme of oxen wherof ij were founde at this present a fatting in the stall in his bowse. Hys other routs, ryottes, robberyes and murdres yt wer to long to wrightt." * This answer is different from that alleged in the Latin Bill of Indictment. In the latter Lord Stourton is not stated to have said so much, and his words as therein quoted are much less to his discredit. -| The Manuscript is endorsed "Articuli contra Dominum Sturton " and in another hand is written " Declaration of the whole manner of tlie murdering of the two Hertgills." THE CHURCH HOUSE AT KILMINGTON. 405 A plan* of the neighbourhood of Stourton, shows the proximity and relative positions of Kilmington, Stourton House, and Bonham. There is a road from the north, which passes from Frome by the west side of Longleat House, through Maiden Bradley Woods, then by the west boundary side of Maiden Bradley Park. A little to the North of Maiden Bradley Park, and more in the parish of Maiden Bradley, near to the church, the road branches into two, that on the west leading to Kilmington, and the one on the east leading through Norton-Ferrers, (which is north-east of Kilmington), to the site of old Stourton House. This road passes down to Bonham, which is a little south of the Stourton demesne. At Kilmington the western road from Maiden Bradley is joined by a cross road to the eastern one, and the western road also comes down to the Stourton demesne. On the borders of Somerset and Wiltshire lie the two contiguous parishes of Kilmington and Stourton, Kilmington being in the former, Stourton in both. The church-house at Kilmington is still standing, a few yards north-west of the church, and has windows of an ecclesiastical pattern. Anciently the " Church- house " in a parish was the place where Annual Meetings or " Ales " were held, to raise money for church purposes. The room in the Tower of the church, is merely a small belfry, some ten feet squaret. The best view of Kilmington Church, is probably that given by Collinson§ ; it, however, differs materially from the view given by Canon Jacksonj. This is probably owing to the different aspects from which the views were taken. Collinson's view must date from before 1 79 1, in which year his third volume was published, but he does not shew the Church-house. But this does appear in the wood-cut reproduced by Canon Jackson, and from this it can be seen that the Church-house was entered by a small wicket gate, from a path through the churchyard. It must have been standing in Collinson's time, for Canon Jackson (1864) says, it "is still standing a few yards north-west of the church," though his view looks as if it adjoined the steeple. The house in which the Hartgills lived is not standing, but the old Church-house still survives'^ Canon Jackson when speaking of the Hartgills, says, "There are two tombs in the church-yard and one mural tablet in the church, but all to later members of the family. In the register are forty entries of his legitimate descendants, the last of whom a female, was baptized in 1760." " The Hartgills themselves " (says Sweetman) " do not appe.-r to have been very peaceable people, and in regard to the elder. Lord Charles felt that he had a right to be angry with him. He had been for a long time steward * See page 339. f Wilts Arch. : Mag.: Vol., VIII. » Same Magazine. i Collinson's History of Somersetshire. Vol. III. 'i Sweetman's historical pamphlet of the Stourton Family, 1890. 4o6 IlISTOUY OK TriK NOm.E HOUSE OF STOURTON. for Lord William, and in the very nature of things, in the long absence of his master, when he had control of everything-, even to the guardianship of Lady Elizabeth the wife of Lord William and the mother of Lord Charles, he appeared to grow "Too big for his boots." He became like other stewards of rich men, also rich, having lands in Shaftesbury and Bristol, Kilmington, Motcombe, East Knoyle, besides much cattle and money. He was entrusted by Lord William to carry out most important transactions, buying the estate of Norton Ferrers and paying the money foT his lordship; in fact the whole business appears to have been entrusted to him. At last Lord William suspected him and wrote* to him that he found " daylye by trewe reporte made unto me that yowe seeke youre owne gayne more than my comodytie and honour, but I entende to take an accompte of yowe (whyche I never yet dyd) at my next commyngover; then shall I trye your honestie, " he then goes on to accuse him of dismissing his old servants and putting in new ones, and altogether acting to his Lord's detrimentt." "The quarrel" (says Paul Plod) "between Lord Stourton and the Hartgills appears to have originated in Edward VPs reign— a reign memorable for stirring events and popular insurrections, and also for a deadly hatred which existed between protestant and catholic. Some think that this public hatred had something to do with intensifying the ill-will which Lord Stourton felt towards the Hartgills, who were protestants. No doubt there is some truth in this statement, considering the excited state of religion at this time. But yet there are no facts to prove that religion had anything to do with the quarrel. It will be remembered that the Marian Persecution, which consumed in its fires nearly 300 protestants, began in O'ueen Mary's reign (1555), and this was the year previous to the one in which the murder was committed. Religious animosity was extremely bitter, and the reaction had set in against the progress of the Reformation in the previous reign. In 1555, Rogers was burnt at Smithfield, Hooper suffered death at Gloucester, Saunders at Coventry, and Taylor at Hadleigh. Ridley and Latimer were aftenvards burnt ; and, in the same year (1556) as the Hartgills were murdered*, Cranmer suffered at the stake. In such an eventful period, one would naturally infer that even private quarrels would be somewhat intensified by religious bigotry, and therfore there is no cause for wonder that some accounts of the murder convey the impression that religion had something to do with the quarrel between Lord Stourton and William Hartgill§." * Sec letter on jjagc juy. f Sweetman's historical pamphlet of the Stourton family. : The murder took place in January, 1530-7. ilccordiug to tlie present method of reckoning this «x.uld be now known as Jannaiy. 1557- ; I .uil I'lod. THE CHARACTER OF WILLIAM HARTGILL. 407 Another writer refers to William Hartg-ill thus: "A surl)' dogged, crosse fellowe it seems he was, who, at last, when his Lordship had advanced him to be steward of his estate, cosined his Lord of the Manor of Kilmanton, the next parish. I thinke it was a Trust. The Lord Stourton, who also had as good a spirit, seeing that his servant Hartgill had so ensnared him in law tricks, as that he could not possibly be relieved, not being able to bear so great and ungrateful an abuse murthered him*." Collinson sa3's : " In the tower of the church of St. Mary at Kilmington, poor old Hartgill and his wife, and several of their servants, took refuge from the assault of Lord Stourton, who on the morning of a Whitsunday, came to this church with a number of men, armed with bows and arrows and guns with an intent to force away the said Hartgill and his son to his Lordship's house at Stourton. What could not be effected by force, was afterwards accomplished by treachery, and an apparently amicable invitation to Stourton, was an unhappy prelude to the dreadful assassination of both father and son, and the consequently ignominious exit of the perpetrator. The Hartgills were interred in the church, but most of the inscriptions over'their graves are effaced b}- timet." " It would" (says Sweetman) "be manifestly wrong, to try in any degree, to apologise for the cruel murder of the Hartgills. That it was a wilful one there can be no reasonable doubt. That it was the culminating act of a series of outrageous acts on the part of Lord Charles it is evident, but the bare recital of the story as given by Fox, makes Lord Stourton blacker than he need be painted. He lived in semi-barbarous days, let us make him all the allowance we can on that score, and if we can go so far as to make a still further allowance for an ungovern- able temper, let us do so ; at any rate we so excuse ourselves either rightly or wrongl)-, do not then, let us mete out a measure of justification to ourselves, which we are not willing also to allow him. We sometimes, erroneously think of the times of the eighth Harry as of times of civilization, but a little thought will soon dissipate such an error. The king himself did such manifestly unjust acts, that were a monarch of these days to follow his example, his power would soon be ended, not by assassination let us hope, but by no less certain means. As was the king, so were the people, they were certainly no better. The times were lawless, the people were headstrong, barons, squires, farmers, people of the poorer sort in their degree " did what was right in their own ej es." This being so, let us not expect in Charles Lord Stourton a development of the law abiding spirit " John Aubrey, on the authority of the Rev. Francis Pottei-, rector of Kilniin-tou. t Collinsou's History of Somersetshire. 40S HISTORY OF THE NOBLE IIOl'SE OF STOURTON. ' '' which you, "gentle reader" always show'." Sweetman later on says, "but what comes out with much clearness is the fact that the Hartgills were not companionable people, not desirable neighbours, and for many years the elder Hartgill seems to have been what in these days we should call decidedly " cantankerous "." The opinions of some other writers have now been quoted at length concerning Lord Stourton. The majority of those who have chronicled the event have written from a preconceived standpoint, and with but a very imperfect knowledge of the whole of the facts. Few save Canon Jackson in his work "Charles Lord Stourton and the Murder of the Hartgillst" have troubled to ascertain or put forward any alternative side to the case. But in reviewing the whole of the circumstances connected with the murder of the Hartgills, and the consequent execution of Lord Stourton there is much to be borne in mind. It is neither possible nor necessary to attempt to show that Lord Stourton was a pattern of propriety or completely innocent of the crime ; but at the same time there is so much that can be said in extenuation of his actions that their pitiable culmination may well be viewed with a lenient charity, and the result regretted, rather than that he, himself, should be allowed to remain the object of utter execration which Foxe and some other writers would have him to be considered. To find the true beginning of the whole of the mischief one must turn back to the life of his father. William, 7th Lord Stourton was appointed Deputy General e^f Newhaven, and during the latter part of his life was resident in France in which country he died. Lady Stourton and her children remained in England and the companion of Lord Stourton in France was Agnes Rice, to whom in his will Lord Stourton made large bequests. The management of Lord Stourton's Estates was entrusted to his agent or steward, William Hartgill ; and Lady Stourton, and probably her children, were committed to the care of William Hartgill in whom Lord Stourton appeared to have at one time placed very considerable confidence and trust. Charies, afterwards 8th Lord Stourton, was in England with his mother and it is highly probable that as he grew older he greatly resented the control which Hartgill no doubt exercised. " It is not unlikely that Lady Stourton was aware of the liaison between her husband and Agnes Rice. It is probable that husband and wife had quarrelled, for Lord Stourton makes no mention of his wife in his will, and a passage -- Sweetman's liistorical pamphlet of the Stourton family. I It is with grateful acknowedKciiients that this book is mentioned, as much heroin has been taken from its pages conccniins; Cliarlcs, Lord Stourton. THE CAUSES I.EAniXG TO THE MURDER. concerning her in his letter to Hartoill (page 307) can hardly be called affectionate. Consequently, it is no stretch of imagination to suppose that Charles, Lord Stourton, educated under his mother's care, had from his early boyhood looked upon Hartgill as antagonistic to himself. Certain is it, however, that William Lord Stourton was made aware that Hartgill's dealings on his behalf were neither honest nor straightforward, and the letters which still remain, and which have been previously quoted, show that Lord Stourton called Hartgill sharply to account. During the whole of the period of Hartgill's mismanagement of Lord Stourton's affairs, Charles Stourton, the son, was at home and must undoubtedly have been aware of what Hartgill was doing. Then came the matter of the lands at Kilmington. The nominal consideration mentioned in the deed of sale to William Hartgill, shews plainly that it certainly was not a mere business matter of purchase and sale between Lord Stourton and Hartgill. The transaction is hardly likely to have been meant as a gift to Hartgill out of gratitude for past services when Lord Stourton had had occasion to question his honesty, and it is in every way probable that this deed of sale was, as has invariably been maintained, merely a part of the creation of a trust for the benefit of Lord Stourton's own family. That this was the case and that William Hartgill had wrongly appropriated the lands to his own personal use and benefit, Charles, Lord Stourton frequently endeavoured to assert. On the death of his father, Charles, Lord Stourton himself took action. He at once dismissed Hartgill, and from that moment the two were constantly at variance. There was absolutely no opportunity whatsoever by which Hartgill could annoy Lord Stourton which the former failed to take advantage of. He allied himself with Agnes Rice, and he also endeavoured to create strife between Lord Stourton and his mother. Hartgill himself was of a violent and cantankerous disposition and the constant annoyance which he caused Lord Stourton must have been intolerable. Lord Stourton believing himself and his father to have been greatly defrauded, as was undoubtedly the case, by William Hartgill, and smarting under the injustice of his father's will, and the opposition and irritation and annoyance due to Hartgill was unquestionably betrayed into doing many things which had been better left undone. But Lord Stourton was a Peer of England of ancient creation, a Lord Lieutenant, and a large landowner, and moreover a relative not only of the Ro)-al Family, but also of the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland, the two most striking figures in the political history of that period. So that the difference between his own social position and that of his discredited servant must inevitably have intensch- aggravated the annoyance and injury which Lord Stourton felt. Hartgill could ha\e been a pleasant neighbour to no one, and to LordStourtjn HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. lie proN'cd himself a constant and continual and intolerable source of irritation. Loi'd Stourton, doubtless, was impetuous and hotheaded, but he suffered imder very real grievances. But by coming" into collision as he did with others in his neig-hbourhood, he without doubt alienated much sympathy which otherwise he mig-ht have counted upon : and the uncompromising attitude he assumed in favour of the old religion placed him in additional difficulties. Though the taking of human life is at the present date considered an unpardonable crime it was in those days viewed from a widely different standpoint. Not only was duelling an every da)- occurrence but faction fights were quite as common. Had the Hartgllls met their deaths in one of the constant collisions between themselves and their servants and the retainers of Lord Stourton, the law, it is likely enough, would not have interfered. In those days human life was held cheaply enough, and when ever3-thing to Lord Stourton's detriment has been said, the fact will yet remain that the intense annoyance and irritation which the Hartgills caused Lord Stourton would have led many another man in those days to have pursued a similar course of action. In considering the unhappy sequel in which matters culminated it must be admitted that there are many things which have to be taken into account, and these, if not fully justifying the whole of Lord Stourton's actions, at least collectively amount to a great excuse therefor, and constitute a certain extenuation and palliation of the murder. The famil}- of Fitz James are frequently mentioned throughout the occurrences, of which records remain, in Lord Stourton's life, and Thomasine Fitz James was the first wife of William Stourton (brother to Lord Stourton) who was appointed steward of Maiden Bradley. Sir Janies Fitz-James was one of the Justices before whom Lord Stourton's men appeared at Frome on the 14th of August, 1556, on the charge of having entered on the 12th January, 1556, on the Kilmington lands, which were alleg-ed by Hartgill to be his. Sir James Fitz-james was also at the final meeting between Lord Stourton and Hartgill at Kilmington Church as stated in the narrative. This was 8 days before the date to which the trial before himself of Lord Stourton's servants had been adjourned, namel)', the 20th of January, 1557. On the 6th of April, 1557, Sir James Fitz-james was called before the Council and compelled to pay ^loo as a fine to the Crown, and ^25 each to the widows respectively of William and John Hartgill, as having been implicated in the matter. Sir James Fitz James was of Redlynch, and was High Sheriff of Somer- set and Dorset : and he was knighted in 1553 on the morrow after the coronation of Oucen Mary. He married at St. Martin's on Ludgate Hill, near St. Paul's Cathedral, London, on the 9th December, 1574, Jane, daughter of Sir John Newton, Knight, of East Harptree, Somerset, and widow of Hugh (or George) Cartwright, LORD STOURTOX'S THEOLOGICAL TREATISES. 411 of Mailing- Abbc)-, Kent, b_v whom he had no children. He was heir to his brother, Robert Fitz-james, and succeeded to the Redlynch estates on the death of the latter in 1563. He made his will 25th August, 1579, and gave his wife for her widowhood — inter alia — the uac and occupation of the Stourton chamber in his house at Redlynch. Lord Stourton was the author of two Theological treatises. Canon Jackson, in referring to them, states that " both of them indicate a ready acquaintance with the Bible and the writings of the Fathers." The one treatise preserved amongst the papers at Longleat, is a "Discourse on Matrimony.'' The document is merely a rough copy, probably the original draft, and is full of alterations and interlineations. The handwriting is similar to that of Lord Stourton's letters and on one of the pages is scribbled " Charoll Stourton." The peculiar spelling of the Christian name is one he is known to have sometimes adopted. At the back is written " Oualis rerum lectio, talis legentium profectus." As, for some utterly inexplicable reason, some others of Lord Stourton's papers seem to have subse- quently found their way into the hands of Sir John Thynne, there is every reason to believe that the treatise is correctly attributed to Lord Stourton. The other manuscript is a " Treatise on the Sacrament" and is now preserved in the British Museum. (Add M.S. 21. 566). The text is in a clerkly hand, shewing man)' alterations and interlineations in the handwriting of Lord Stourton. It is signed by Lord Stourton, and the signature " Carollus Stourto' " agrees with other known signatures. The " Treatise on the Sacrament" is prefaced by a dedication to "The mooste excellente and vertuouse prynces, my Lady Maries Grace," whom the author addresses as " Mooste vertuouse and elected Adamant.'" The work is so dedicated to the Princess Mary, not because she is uninstructed, for he is certain she is in height the laurel of all this realm ; but to advertise her Grace, that the author daily prays the Almighty, that every one ma)' serve him in spirit, and neglect the barren fruits of the flesh. Lord Stourton concludes his dedication thus, "And chieflie to corroborat And Contynue his mercyfull Grace and Goodnes, yn our mooste noble And Deareste belovyd Soverayne kynge Edwarde the 6." The treatise is in the form of a dialogue between Francis Flechar, (a flagellant), who represents the Catholic doctrine, and Tom Tynker, who represents the tenets adopted by the Protestants, the dissenters from the ancient Faith. In a prologue to the Reader, it is stated that heresy creepeth in to a realm, and chokes the good corn like weeds. " Now how heresye may have his entrve and passage, hyt ys necessarye to be knovven, for then maye hyt the better be ^12 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. foresene. But forasmoche as theng-lislimans aftenvyt is better than his foresighte, we may synge Wei a waye hyt ys to late." Heresy can only creep in by neglect of the orders of the Catholic Church, (agreeing with God's word) for private wealth ; and the water which settcth the ship afloat is presumptous pride. The reader is to pray for light to peruse this simple dialogue with humble charity, and also to pray with the author, on behalfe of the realm of Enghand, that God may spare his servants from the plague of utter confusion. The author has named the two colloquitors, Francis Fiechar and Tom Tynker, because he that will take upon him to be a Catholic must make all things straight to the true meaning of Christ and His Church ; and "the schismatick or heretick, I cannot compare him to a better craft than a tinker, for as the tinker carryeth nothing in his boogctts but pieces of old and stynking brasse, so hathe the heretick nothing to make the buyldinge of his doctrine uppon, but that whiche hath ben confuted and caste away (for naughte) by ye Catholyke Churche many ycres syns And as the tynker will make w*"" the olde paches of a broken pann a whoole skymmer as will the heretike gather owt gobbets of sentences which shall make somwhate (at the fyrste blushc) for his purpose And make therof A p'fect orato' And as the tinker wyll oftentymes bow his plate thys way or that wa3'e to make hym serve sy wyll the heretike wrest the sentences whiche make cleane agaynst hym And say thus he ment or thus hyt owt to be expounded Althoughe thow shalt not finde yn this any good and rethoricall learnynge yet At the lest show shalt well p'ceaue my meanynge &c." After some preliminary wrangling, Fiechar proceeds to convince Tynker of the error of his ways, by quotations from the fathers. Tynker declares that the sacrament is celebrated to commemorate the death of Christ ; but Fiechar demon- strates it is the very body and blood of Christ that is present in the bread and the wine, quoting St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, and others. The risen body of Christ was not only the very same body that was born of the Virgin Mary, but (being glorified) was made omnipotent to the eternal godhead. The body of Christ may therefore become, at his will, visible and invisible, palpable and impalpable. God cannot change his incorruptncss, but may change a corruptible creature into his own incorruptncss ; therefore reason must affirm the above-said things to be true, or else we must allow Christ to have no body. Tynker acknowledges himself persuaded that the body of Christ need not be local, and Francis Fiechar then proves that the body of Christ is in the bread and the wine, on the authority of the Church, who have received all truth together with the Holy Ghost from the apostles, by the laying on of hands ; and that the apostles had previously received the same from Christ, who is Truth. In the SIGNATURES OF CHARLES, LORD STOURTON. quotation of historical matters and patristical opinion Tynker is worsted. Flechar then argues the question philologically, demonstrating the truth of Catholic tenets from the grammatical forms of the Vulgate. Tom Tynker suggests that in saying " This is my body," Christ laid his hand upon his breast, and at the same time gave the bread to his disciples ; but his opponent convinces him that such an interpretation adds something to the Scriptures, for which there is no authority. Tom Tynker finally falls on his knees, and acknowledges himself most bounden to his lord and maker Christ, for giving him this time of disputation with so Catholic a man, who has taken away the veil of blindness from before his eyes. They conclude with prayers for King Edward VI. and all men. These prayers are expressed in beautiful and eloquent language. At the end are the words " This work ended and compiled the 14 October 1549," followed by Lord Stourton's signature. Lord Stourton does not appear to have adhered to any set form of signature. As already noted he signs this treatise " Carollus Stourto' " with a scroll following the "o". His name as written upon one of the pages of his " Discourse upon Matrimony " is " Charoll Stourton." Other forms are " Charylles Stourton", " Charles Stourton ", " Charolls Stourton ", " Charolles Stourtun '." A reduced facsimile of a letter in the handwriting of Lord Stourton appeared upon page 362 and from that letter the following actual facsimile of the signature is reproduced. The following particulars are taken from the Book of Wards, and are of much interest : — Charles, Lord Stourton for murder by hym commytted, the 12"' of Januarie 3 and 4'° Phi & M &c was thereupon atteynted, and the 6'^ daye of Marche in the said yere suffred paynes of deth. By force whereof, and for that at the tyme of his deth he was seased of sundry manors, lands and hereditaments in tayll to hym and heires of his body by sundry ancient covenants thereof made, of whiche said Manors some beholden of the king and the Queen's Ma'ties by knights ■■ These are extracted from Canon Jackson's liook " Cliarlcs, Lord Stourton and the murder of the Hartgills." The actual letters have not themseh-es been available. HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. service in chief, Thcrfore the wardship of John Lord Stourton, sonne and hyer of the said L, is given to the king and the Ouene's Ma'ties ; which said John Ld Stourton, at the deth of his father, was of the age of 4 yeres and 2 moncthes. And all the said Manors and lands and hereditaments be worth by yere . . . £319 14s., 2 = d. The wardship and maryage of John Ld Stourton and for want of hyni and hys next heyre male being w'in ayge, w' one ann'yte of twenty pounds yerely from the deathe of the father untyl the warde come to th' ayge of ten yeres, and after the ayge of ten yeres \vt one annutye of forty pounds yerely towarde hys fynding untill he come to hys full ayge In consyder- ation of the prefarremt of the maryage graunted by the Ouens Ma'tie to Hughe Powlett Knyghte, and for that the same S'' Hughe hathe byn at some charges in fynding of the office, and shall also content and satisfye John Welche and Humphrey Cootes, Esquyers, for theyre charges and well taken in about the same office, Yt is therefore the 13th day of November, 1557, solde to the seyd Sr Hughe Powlett for the some of three hundred and forty pounds, whereof 4oLi to be payed at the signing out of the letters pattent and every feaste of Easter and Hallotomas after fyfety pounds, tyll the whole be payed . . . ^340-." Lady Stourton petitioned Oueen Mary against such an arrangement, as is evident from the following document of which the original is now at Longleat. According to the Patent Rolls, 4 and 5 Philip and Mary, the Crown granted her the person and marriage of her son. A.D. 1557 " A Brief of the Petitions of Dame Anne Stourton to be had to the Ouene's Majestie Imprimis : Where the said Ladie Stourton hath allrcdy lost her greatest comfort in this world, her loving trew and faithfull husband. Hit may please her Majestie calling to her Highnes rememberans his approved truthe at all tymes towards her Majestie to have compassion upon his Auncient bowse, never before spotted in any capitall cryme. Sccondaryly : That it may seme unto her Highnes most convenient and natural that the said Lady Stourton now comfortles may have the educacion of her owen child her heyre and greatest com- fortt now left and of hislyvinge during his minoritie standing assured in her con- ciens that her late husband wold not writt for the prefarrement of S^' Hugh Pawlet therein but next unto her being naturall mother. Thirdly: the said Lady Stourton yf her frinds and fortune were not so happie to obtayne the pre- farment of her sonne, she cold best content herself that Sir Hugh Pawlet should obteyn the same, bynding hymself to matche hym in his owen bludd, and not to Books of Wards and Liveries- LADY STOURTOX'S PETITION TO THE QUEEN. 415 make merchaundize of hym and the said Lady, and her frends shalbe bound that her Sonne shalbe alwaies forth comyng for th'accompHsshement of suche mariag-e. Foiierlhly : That the said Lady Stourton may, upon such bonds, have the educa- cion of her said sonne, being of the tender ageof iiij°'' yeres, untill he be X yere old ; and for the educacion and bringing up of hym, and the rest of her six small child- ren, and charges of their mariage, the said Lady only desireth the bowse of Stourton in Wilts, with all the demaynes and commodities thereunto belonging, with lease of the manor of Mere, grauntyd to her late Husband, during the mynoritie of the said heire. In consideracion the house appoynted in the Ladie Stourton, her jointer is ruynous, and standing in most corrupt heire, and the demeanes therof is all sett out for lyves, so that she hath no other bowse to dwell and bring up her children in."* It will be seen later, that John and Edward, ninth and tenth Lords Stourton, and their brother Charles, were all educated at Exeter College. Lady Stourton, at the date of her petition, was probably at Stourton-Caundle in Dorset. This petition shews the manner in which Lord Stourton had held the Lease of the Manor of Mere, the age of the son and heir, (proving consequently that the latter did not take any part in the killing of the Hartgills) and the exact number of Lord Stourton's children. A letter, dated from Greenwich on the 20th of April 1557, was sent by the Council, to "Sir Hugh Powlet, Kt., and the rest of the Comissioners, for the sale of the late Lord Stourton's goodes, that where the Queue's Majestic is pleased that the said Ladie Sturton wiefe to the said Lord Sturton shall have the goodes of her saied husband, paieing for the same according to the rate of the valor there- of: they are willed to stale the said goodes from sale, for the space of tenne dales, by which tyme, the said Lady promiseth to make redy, mony to paie therefore, whereupon they are willed to deliver the said goodes unto her accordingly, and to return the money received therefore to their former comission." By his wife the Lady Anne (Stanley), daughter of the third Earl of Derby, Charles, Lord Stourton had issue : — I.— The Right Honourable John, gth Lord Stourton, of whom hereafter. II-— The Right Honourable Edward, loth Lord Stourton, of whom hereafter. III. — Charles Stourton, of Exeter College, where he matriculated under the date of the 3rd of December, 1575, being then aged 14 years. He took his " Petition of Latiy .stourton : from a document at Loiigicat; tliis is cndorsud " Ladie's Deinandcs of yueene Mane." HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. degree as Bachelor of Arts on the 15th of December, 1576. He is called "cousin''* "iarotherof my honorable good kinsman Edward, Lord Stourton," in the will of his uncle William Stourton, of Wormister and Fauntleroy's Marsh, who bequeathed to him £20. Nothing further seems to be known of him. IV.— Mary Stourton, who married Thomas Tregian, of the County of Cornwall. In the 1688 illuminated pedigree, Thomas Tregian is said to have died in Portugal in the year 1608. The Tregian arms are therein emblazoned "argent, on a chief dancette sable, three martlets or." Catherine Trudgean, called "cousin", had a legacy under the will of Francis Stourton, of Over Moigne. Edward, loth Lord Stourton had the reversion of the estate, and sought the custody of Mary Tregian, a Papist recusant. Francis Trowgian was sued with Edward, loth Lord Stourton, by Francis Tresham, uncle of this Mrs. Mary Tregian. When Benjamin Tichborne was released from prison on condition that he would act as a spy on his fellow Catholics, his first letter to Lord Keeper Puckering, dated May 28th, 1594, reported "meeting with one Byrd, brother to Byrd of the Chapel. I understand Mrs. Tregian, Mrs. Charnock, and Mrs. Sybil Tregian will be here at the Court [at Greenwich] today." v.— Anne Stourton, who married Edward Rogers, of Feltham, near the town of Frome, Co. Somerset. They were the parents of Father John Rogers, alias Bamfield, who it appears was born on the property of his father at Feltham afore- said, and who, in his statementj records that "at length my uncle, Lord Stourton^ asked my father what he could do for me, and proposed my entering the service of his wife, the Lady Stourton':." The Rogers arms as emblazoned in the 1688 pedigree are "argent, a chevron between three bucks courant sable. VL— Catherine Stourton, who married, as his first wife, Richard Sherburne, of Stonyhurst, in Lancashire. She is called on the inscription at Mitten Magna, to the memory of her son and heir, "wife of Richard Sherburne, Esq., that died April 17th, 1629, 3etat83, and daughter of Charles, Lord Stourton, and niece to the Right Honorable Henry Stanley, Earl of Derby, &c." She was married in the 20th year of the reign of Oueen Elizabeth. Her husband was captain of the Isle of Man, a position he doubtless owed to his wife's relationship to the Stanley family. He is stated to have been the founder of, or the one who completed, the manor house at Stonyhurst. Although his death is given on the above inscription * In old wills of this date '■Cousin " is often used with the meaning of nephew. f P. R. O., Domestic, Elizabeth, vol. ccxiviii., n. iiS. ; In the Archives of the English College, Rome. § This refers to Edward, roth Lord Stourton. <1 Extracted from the Records of the Society of Jcsns, Vol. IV. STOXVHURST AXD THE SHERBORNE FAMILY. as having occurred on the 17th of April, 1629, the registers at Mitten Church record his burial on the 3rd of April, 1628. The Sherburne arms are "quarterly I and 4, argent, a lion rampant vert : 2 and 3, vert, an eagle displayed argent.'' Stonyhurst, which had been the property of the Sherburne family from the times of the early Plantagenets, eventuall}' devolved on Maria Winifred Francisca Sherburne, who married Thomas, 8th Duke of Norfolk, and in 1794 Stonyhurst Mansion was chosen as the seat of an English Catholic College, in which many of the Stourton family have been educated. With the death of Charles, Lord Stourton, one epoch of the history of the House of Stourton came to a close. To that point the Stourton family had been steadily increasing in influence, in position, in wealth and in importance. The execution and attainder of Lord Stourton were the beginning of that long catalogue of misfortune, of reverse, and of persecution through which the House of Stourton was to pass in the centuries which followed. Lord Stourton's infant son succeeded to a sadly diminished inheritance. 4i8 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. The Rig-ht Honourable John, ninth Baron and Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., in the Peerage of England, was the eldest son and heir of Charles, eighth Lord Stourton, by his wife, the Lady Anne (Stanley), daughter of Edward, third Earl of Derby. Lady Stourton in her petition (see page 414) dated 1557, stated that her son was " of the tender age of iiiio'' yeres," and it is stated in the " Book of Wards " (see extract quoted on page 413), that the "said John Lord Stourton at the detb of his father, was of the age of 4 yeres and 2 monethes." The death of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, took place March the 6th, 1 556-7. The fact of the months being added to the years in the statement of age gives a definite exactness to the information. Lord Stourton must therefore have been born in January, 1552-3, or possibly in the previous December. It is important to note, by the wa)-, that within a few months of the execution and consequent attainder of his father, he is described in a Crown record as "John, Lord Stourton " certainly before any steps were taken in view of a restoration. His infancy at the time of the death of his father effectually disposes of the erroneous statement that he took part in the murder of of the Hartgills. For the same reason he could not have played the part assigned to him by Bishop Burnet in the tradition of the obtaining of a reprieve for his father. He matriculated at Exeter College, in the University of Oxford, December the 3rd, 1575, at which date his age is entered as 20 years. But he was probably somewhat older: as, had he been born in 1555, it is not likely that his mother would have described him in 1556-7 as being then four years old. A note in the "Complete Peerage" on this point says "The 3 brothers matric. at Oxford (Ex. Coll.) all on the same day, 3 Dec. 1575, viz., John, Lord, Wilts ("dialecticus") aged 2q; Edward, Dorset. "Baronis fil," aged 16, and Charles, Wilts, " Baronis fil," aged 14; but it is difficult (even supposing Charles to be posthumous) to reconcile his age, and that of Edward, with the date of their father's death." But Lady Stourton in her petition speaks of her "six small children " so that even if Charles were the )-oungest of the six, and his birth posthumous, he must have been born very early in the year 1557. The age given at the date of the mat- riculation of Charles Stourton is therefore wrong, and probably the ages attributed to his brothers are equally incorrect. But the intervals between the respective LORD STOURTOX COMMITTED TO THE CHARGE OF THE ARCHBISHOP. 419 ag-es of the brothers are not unlikely to be correct. In the Inquisition Post Mortem of John, Lord Stourton, taken Sept. the i6th, 1589, Edward his next iirotlier and heir is found to be of the agfe of 32 years and over, and was therefore probab!}- born in the )-ear 1556. The wardsliip and marriage of John, Lord Stourton, was sold (as has been already detailed) for the sum of ^"340 to Sir Hugh Powlett, Knight, on the 13th of November, 1557. Lady Stourton petitioned* that her son might remain in her ciiarge. Tlie Crown granted her, in response to her petition, the person and marriage of her son. Lord Stourton probably remained in his mother's charge until became of age. On the 30th of March, 1573, the Council wrote from Greenwich to the Lord Viscount Byndon " thanking him for his paines taken in the staie of the Lord Stourton and to send him upp w ith his two servantes and money that was taken with him." Lord Stourton was a Catholic and had not then conformed to the state religion. The next letter from the Council shews that Lord Stourton was entrusted to the care of Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, for the purpose of bringing about Lord Stourton's conversion. The letter is dated the 12th of April, 1573, and directs the Archbishop " to take my Lord Sturton that pretended to flee the realme for religion, and having submitted himself is committed to his Lordship lo be better instructed and to be kept from all such as are likely to hold him in his errours." On the 2nd of November, 1573, the Council wrote from from Greenwich to the Archbishop of Canterbury, "to permitt Mr. Peryam, Mr. Pophani, Mr. Becket and Mr. Edward Arundall, to make their repaier to the Lord Sturton, for to conferre with him for matters touching his inheritaunce." Lord Stourton is thus spoken of at that timet : — " In the beginning ot this year (1573), the Lord Stourton, a young gentleman whose name was John, the eldest son of that Charles, Lord Stourton, whom Queen Mary made an example of severit)- for a barbarous murder, notwithstanding iiis being a zealous Roman Catholic, which he thought would have procured him a pardon. This young Lord, by the advice of his instructer, one Williams, then in the Marshalsea, privately attempted to steal away beyond the sea, anil to become a fugitive ; but by some means or secret intelligence, was seized, the Oueen being tlien very jealous of her subjects, especially persons of honour, going out of England, lest they might, with the King of Spain, combine Sl-c pa^c- 414. ' Sirvpe's Life of .Arclibisliop Parker. 420 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. against her. He being taken, was put under strait confinement, and the Queen's Majesty's high displeasure was signified to him ; but his imprisonment was but short. The next care was to bring him off from the prejudices of his Education, and to make him a good subject to the Queen. And for that purpose he was committed to the Archbishop's keeping, in the month of April, at Lambeth ; where he sat with him at table, and enjoyed his conversation. The Archbishop was instructed to deal with him, in order to the making him sensible of his error in what he had done, and bringing him up to be willing to come to a Protestant. Accordingly, he and some of his Chaplains, conferred with him, and entertained him with all friendliness. In his discourses with him, he found he was of no reading, but depended upon some of his old corrupt instructions. The Archbishop laid before him, his unkindness to the Queen's Majesty, to steal away from her governance in such sort, and charged him with unnatural affection towards his country, to withdraw his such aid as he might do unto it, telling him, that if her Majesty's favour was not yet the more, he might be utterly undone. This discourse of the Archbishop .with him, had this effect, that it made him perceive his own folly and great over sight, and promise, that hereafter he would be better advised, and take better heed. He feared much that her Highness was in great displeasure with him, and fain he would have pardon, and desired much to hear some comfortable words, that he might understand of her Highness' mercy and clemency ; howsoever, his foolish youth, as he said, had overseen itself. Some comfort he gathered, because he was no longer kept in prison, nor committed more hardly. The kind Archbishop promised him to write in his favour. " He found him at first very stiff, insomuch as he could not hear of the disabling of his religion, and of the reasonableness of ours ; which the Archbishop told him was established by public authority, however some fond people, pretending the love of it, go out of the way. Nor could he persuade him to come to the daily prayers, in the chapel with the household. But some time after he relented, and seemed to be ready to hear and read, and thought in some things otherwise than he had done. And April the 25th the very day wherein the Archbishop writ all this before mentioned, unto the Lord Treasurer, concerning this Lord, he promised that he would come unto the common prayer both then and after. The Archbishop told the said Lord concerning him, that he had good trust in his nature, and that he thought it pity, liniiiii fitmigantcm cxtinguere. He saw honesty in him, as he termed it, and gave this instance of it : that when the Archbishop had charged him much, that his schoolmaster, then in the Marshal- had been his instructor, upon whom he depended ; he thought utterly to sea, THE archbishop's LETTER TO LORD EURGHLEY. 421 excuse him, and commended him, and sorry he was that he should be hardly entreated for his sake ; as not guilty any more, than when he spake to his tutor to g-o over with him, he agreed thereto. The Archbishop advised to use mercy towards him ; that as Terence said, Pecuniam in loco negligere, maximum interdum lucrum ; so he thought, Summumjus non exigere, summum interdum lucrum. As he thought her Majesty was altogether inclined that way, though in necessary severity he doubted not her Majesty would do like a Prince. And so having acquainted the Lord Treasurer with his case, he left it to him to order it as he should think best ; praying that he might hear of some information to instruct or to comfort his guest ; or to hold him yet in some suspense about all his doubts. Two days after he petitioned the Oueen that he might hear some favourable message from her, and his suit was reposed with his uncle, the Earl of Darby ; and that because he understood the Archbishop was going into Kent, who had appointed a gentleman to wait upon the said Lord Stourton in his absence. Yet I find the Archbishop at his house at Lambeth, the latter end of July, when he sent a message to the Lord Treasurer to know how this his guest should be used. So that all this summer he remained under the Arch- bishop's roof at Lambeth. The Oueen went her progress this Summer, and so left this Lord under restraint till her return home. In November the Lord Treasurer sent one Mr. Arundel to the Archbishop with this message, that he should send unto his Lordship some commendations of the Lord Stourton. Whereupon the Archbishop wrote him word that he could testify of his coming to his chapel with the rest of his household, and that he gave ear to the Lessons there read, and heard such sermons as were made there. He saw him also modestly behaving himself, and orderly at the table, according to his degree so used by him, and prayed his Lordship to be good unto him for his further liberty." The actual letter which the Archbishop wrote is still in existence, being preserved in the British Museum*. It runs as follows : — " S'' Mr. Arundell sheweth me that yo'' L. thought it neccssarie that I shoulde write unto yo>' hono'' in some comendacon of the L. Sturton. Yo" shall under- stande that I can testifie of his com)-ng into my chappie w*'' the reste of my householde, and that he giveth eare to the lessons there reade, and heareth such sermons as are made there. I se him modestly behaving himself, and orderlie at my table, according to his degre so used by me. Thus much I doe testifie, praying yo" to be good L. to him for his further libertie, if yo" shall thinke yt so Lansdovvne MS. 17, fol. 124. 422 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTOX. o-ood. And thus I comend yo'' hono'' to the tuycon of the Ahnightie. From my house lit Lambithe this xjth of November. [1573]. Yo'' L. loving frindc in Christe (signed) Matthue Cantuar." [To Lord Burleigh]. The Council then wrote from Somerset House on the i6th of December, 1573, to the Archbishop, " to give order to bring hither the Lord Stoughton (sic) to morow comitted to his custodie and to bring sureties with him that will undertake for his good demeanour." On the igth of December, 1573, Lord Stourton accordingly attended before the Council at Somerset House. This is evident from the reports of the Council, which state that "The Lord Sturton being comitted to the custodie of the Lord Archbishop of Caunteburie was this day called before the Lords and after a good lesson given to conforme himself to the Queues proceadinges in religion and otherwise, bondes were taken of Sir John St. Legier Knight and Richard Wendesley Esquier in the somme of two thowsand poundes that he shalbe of good behaviour betwixt this and the last day of the next terme and in the meanetyme not to depart the realme without the Queen's Majesties licens ; aud at that day to make his apparaunce not to departe till he shalbe licensed or to bring in new sureties to be bound in such condicions as shall them seme convenient to their Lordships as by the bond remayninge in the Counsell chest apperith." ' Consequently on the 17th February, 1573-4, during the next term. Lord Stourton again appeared before the Council, then sitting at Hampton Court. The records state that "The Lord Sturton's bonde of ij'" taken that he shold not for one yere to cum departe the realme without her Majesties speciall licence." Considering his age and the position in which Lord Stourton found himself, small wonder is it that he wavered in his faith. He was not even at liberty to leave the country to practice his religion in peace. The persecution and imprison- ment which his step-father. Sir John Arundell, and his mother afterwards suffered rather than relinquish their religion, only demonstrate that such persecution of those then professing Catholicism was an actual reality. And they also afford evidence of the pressure which must have been brought to bear upon Lord Stourton to induce him to embrace the Protestant creed. To a certain extent he does appear, from the foregoing, to have conformed, but at a later date he repented and bitterly regretted ever having done so. £2,000. JOHN, LORD STOURTON, SUMMONED TO PARLIAMENT. 423 Eighteen years after the death of his father, but only shortly after he attained his majority (if 1552-3 be taken as the date of his birth), and almost immediately upon his conforming to the established religion. Lord Stourton was summoned to Parliament and took his seat accordingly on the nth of February, 1575-6. There had been no reversal of the attainder, nor, at that date, had there been any proceedings of any kind which could have operated to that effect. But an attainder for felony carried with it no confiscation of the Peerage, as would have been the case with an attainder for high treason. Consequently, as a reference to the Peers Rolls will shew, the subsequent Lords Stourton have all succeeded unquestioned under the original creation by the Patent of the 13th of May, 1448, and have been always placed upon the Peers Rolls with that precedence. On the 6th of March, 1575-6, a bill was introduced in the House of Lords, and read for the third time on the 7th, to restore Lord Stourton, and also his brothers and sisters, in blood, but it never became an act of Parliament : and no such act is to be found in the list of Private Bills passed in the year 1575, or in any subsequent year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Courthope, in his "Historic Peerage of England" says A bill signed by the Queen for his restoration in blood, was introduced into Parliament, but after considerable discussion it never passed the Houses." The Journals of the House of Lords shew that on Wednesday the 7th March, 1575, the bill for the restoration in blood of John, Lord Stourton, and his brothers and sisters, whose father was attainted, was read a third time, and then sent to the Commons. It is said in D'Ewes's "Journals of the House of Commons" (pages 264-265), that "the Lords would not accept a proviso inserted in the bill by the Commons." The bill was sent to the Commons by Dr. Yale and Dr. Barkley, and there reached its second reading. It was alleged, by some in the Commons, against the passing of the Bill that Lord Stourton had before given cause (probably concerning his religion) for men to think he would not thereafter be worthy of so much favour, and by some that there wanted in the Bill, sufficient provision for such as had been purchasers from his father, grandfather, and other of his ancestors. To the first objection, it was urged by others, that inasmuch as the Queen had yielded to Lord Stourton s petition, her Majesty must have been well satisfied in all such things as might touch him. Concerning the second and most important objection, the Bill was com- mitted to the Chancellor of the E.xchequer, and others named, who considered the clause in the Bill not to be sufficient, (although it was the usual saving clause to be found in such bills, and which the House of Commons had not previously refused to pass) and they added accordingly, a proviso, in which Lord Stourton ^24 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. was barred from takinof advantage of any error* in any fine, recovery, or other conveyance passed by his father or his ancestors, and that Lord Stourton should be in that respect as though he were not restored in Blood. The right of interference with the bill in the House of Commons was not suffered or admitted by the House of Lords. The occasion was but one of many similar collisions between the two Houses. Hale was of opinion that petitions relating to attainders, though returnable in full Parliament, might have been, and most probably were formerly decided upon by the House of Lords only. Blackstone, in defining the rights of the Lords, clearly lays it down that "'all bills respecting the Peerage, must, by custom of Parliament, begin with the Lords, and suffer no change in the Commons. The unfortunate result to Lord Stourton was that the additions made in the House of Commons were never admitted or read in the Upper House and the bill therefore came to an end. Though he was consequently never restored in blood by Act of Parliament, he of course continued to sit unquestioned in the House of Lords. Courthope proceeds to say that in consequence of the failure of the act to pass, "it may therefore be contended that the attainder of felony passed upon Charles, Lord Stourton, operated to the forfeiture of the dignity by patent, and that the writs to John, Lord Stourton, and subsequently to Edward his brother, created new dignities. On the other side, it may be urged that a dignity by Patent is a tenement within the meaning of the statute De Boms, and that therefore the attainder for felony did not prevent the descent of the dignity " [vide Fourth Peerage Report p. 311]- The matter is summed up in a note in the " Complete Peerage,"! the latest and probably the best authority, as follows : — "The effect at this date of an attainder for felony on a peerage in tail was not the same as that of one for high treason. By statute 26 Hen. VHL" [i534-35] 'all estates of inheritance, including estates tail, were rendered subject to forfeiture for high treason ' [but this act] ' did not render them subject to forfeiture or escheat for felony ; and consequently it seems that a dignity entailed would descend to the heirs of the body of the person attainted, if a dignity were subject to the same law of entail as lands.' [Pike's ' Constitutional History of the House of Lords' in which able work this case of Stourton is quoted as "the best illus- tration in support of the doctrine, that ' an entail saves the rights of the heir to a dignity, after attainder of felony']". Is it possible, that the litigation between Charles, Sth Lord Stourton and William Hartgill suggested this proposal ? ■| Vol. VII., page 255. SUCCESSION UNDER THE ORIGINAL PATENT. It has been said by some writers* that Charles, Lord Stourton, having- been attainted, the succession at his death devolved on his next brother, Arthur Stourton, Master of the Jewel Office, temp. Philip and Mary. Such a statement is of course ridiculous. All Peerage writers seem to agree that the attainder of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, could not, and did not, vitiate the succession, under and by virtue of the oyiginal patent, of his children and their descendants. The dignity does not seem to have been at any time denied to John, Lord Stourton. He is so described in the Book of Wards — an official record of the Crown. He succeeded immediately upon his father's death to the entailed portion of his father's estates. He was always, without exception, styled "Lord Stourton" by the Privy Council in their instructions concerning him, a practice by no means followed after an attainder for high treason. Lord Stourton was summoned to the House of Lords very shortly after attaining his majority, and almost immediately upon his having conformed to the Protestant religion : and it is particularly important to note that he was summoned to Parliament and sat before the introduction of the bill. This bill moreover was not for the reversal of his father's attainder, (as is usual after cases of attainder for high treason) but was merely to restore the children of Charles, Lord Stourton in blood. The foregoing points seem to shew incontrovertibly that John, Lord Stourton, succeeded his father in the ordinary course of events, and that he was always regarded at that time as having so succeeded.! The Act was probably introduced only for the purpose of endeavouring to obtain his succession to the unentailed portion of his father's estates, which owing to the attainder, he had not inherited. Certain is it that the subsequent Lords Stourton have always considered themselves to have succeeded under the original Patent of the creation of the Barony, and, as may be seen from the coffin plates at Allerton Park, have numbered themselvesj from the first holder of the Peerage. What is more to the point, moreover, is that until the termination of the abeyance of the Barony of Mowbray gave to the Lords Stourton a still higher position, they have been officially ranked and have taken the precedence of the date of 144S, which is the date of the original Patent. This definitely settles the matter. Sir Richard Colt Hoare, Strype, and others. f Refer to Inq. P.M. of gth and lotli Lords Stourton. I Save for the failure to include Francis, 4th Lord Stourton, in the enumeration. 426 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Most of the Estates in the Counties of Dorset, Somerset and Wilts, which in one way or another, remained in the possession of, or reverted to. Lord Stourton, are to be found detailed in the Survey made in 1633, particulars of which will be found inserted in the life of Edward, loth Lord Stourton. But to these must be added, the Manor and Advowson of Stourton, and lands, hereditaments and premises in Old Sarum, Wilton and Stoford, Co. Wilts, and the Hundreds of West Perrott, Williton, Freemanors and Anders- field, Co. Somerset. Amongst the estates, which it is known were disposed of by the Crown, was Marston Bigot, in Somerset. Walsingham wrote to Lord Burghley, that the Oueen desired Mrs. Baynton (Agnes Ryce, daughter of Griffith, son of Sir Rice Ap Thomas, K.G. and wife of Sir Edward Baynton, of Bromham) not to part with her interest in the Manor of Marston Bygot, to John, Lord Stourton, which might greatly prejudice Mr. Hatton. This manor had been leased* to Thomas Rose, and was the subject of a suit in 1580, and had also been the subject of a dispute between Charles, Lord Stourton, and the Duke of Somerset. The Manors of Hinton St. Mary and Margaret Marsh, with that of Niland, formerly the property of the Monastery of Shaftesbury, in Co. Dorset, were sold by the Crown in the 2nd year of Queen Elizabeth's reign, to Robert Freake and his heirs. They were expressly described as having lately belonged to Charles, Lord Stourton, attainted. In 20 Elizabeth, Alfradus Young, sued for protection of his copyhold title messuage and land in Margaret Marsh, within the Manor of Hinton St. Mary, granted to the plaintiff for three lives, according to the custom of the said Manor, by Charles, Lord Stourton, then deceased, when Lord thereof. The Manor of Purse Caundle, which was divided into two moieties, one formerly belonging to the Abbey of Althelney, in Somerset, and the other to the Monastery of Shaftesbury, with other premises respectively belonging thereto, was in the ist year of Elizabeth's reign, sold by the Crown to William Button, Esquire, of Alton, and Thomas Estcourt, and the heirs of William Button, Esquire. The Rectory and advowson of Wincanton, the Mansion at Roundhill, with its appurtenances, the Manor of Roundhill, near Barrow, and lands in Barrow Common and Charlton Musgrave, formerly property belonging to the Priory of Taunton, were sold in 1557-8 to John Dier, of Roundhill, Esquire. The Manor of Norton-Ferrars, and certain lands there, including the farm of Norton, all in Kilmington were sold in the 40th year of Elizabeth to Messrs. Hartgill and Willoughbyf. All the other * Tlie Queen v. Edith Rose: — Exchq. Depons. by comm. ; Trin. ; 1580, Trin. and Hil. 15S1. i Tl)o Ministers' Acconiils oi' the dissolution give full particnlars of the premises in Wincanton, Roundhill and Barrow ; and further accounts appear in the "Valor Ecclesiastieus " Icmp. tleuiy VIII. IJotli shew which promises in these parishes belonged to the then late Priory of Taunton. IT ESTATES FORFEITED AND RETAINED. 427 Crown Lands held by the 8th Lord Stourton, including the Manor of Kilming- ton, and all the property in Mere, &c., as before shewn, reverted to the Crown. The accounts of Charles, Lord Stourton, in 1549, shew that he was tenant of the Manor of Bonham, for a term ofyears, of Nicholas Bonham, Esquire, Lord of the Fee of Bonham. Leland wrongly presumed the Stourtons to have previously held the fee of the Manor, and states that they built a house in the grove on a hill there. The Lease on the attainder of Charles, Lord Stourton, reverted to the lessor, and it was some years before the Lords Stourton, as will be seen hereafter, again became the leaseholders of Bonham, under the Bonham family. The Stourton family, eventually purchased the fee simple of the manor. Various rents in Vexford and Cathanger, in the parish of Stogursey, (late a part of the possessions of the Priory of Barliche) and a farm of the Manor of Monkesham, with its members, late part of the possessions of the Priory of Witham, all in the county of Somerset, were likewise forfeited. A similar fate befell rents in Old Market, Cornestrete, St. Peter's Parish, Bristol, certain farm lands called Spotclose in Deveryll Langford, Co. Wilts., and Adnam's close in Nonny parish, Somerset, all a part of the former possessions of the then dissolved Monastery of Mayden Bradley. Leasehold lands in Hill Deverell, Wilts., held of George Ludlowe, Esquire, a part of his Manor of Boores, alias Ludicot, reverted to the Lessor, whose son, Edmund Ludlowe, claimed the title deeds in a Chancery action*. The anonymous author of a description of some places in Dorsetshire, writing in 1579!, saj s " the noble Manor of Lidlinch has a very good benefice and a fatte endewed with a beutifull house and a good parson named (John) Whytel, and lerned that the Lord and patron thereof is John, Lord Sturton, and there are no arms in the churche, but only in the steeple . . . the Lord Sturton's is placed with Stafford;!:, as I take it."' This Manor was held by Thomas Chafyn (cousin to William Hartgill) at his death. Chafyn presented in 15SS, and held the Manor of the Bishop of Sarum (as the Stourtons had done certainly as late as 1579) in socage and i2d. rent and suit to the Hundred Court of Sherborne, but Lord Stourton's old rents of this Manor with its members of Hide, Heydon and Ramesbury were sequestrated. Little Langford, Wilts, passed on the attainder to the Crown. It was regranted to the Earls of Pembroke. According to a statement in the "Complete Peerage "§ a marriage between Lord Stourton and a "Mrs. Paston " was in contemplation in Feb., 1576-7. This did not take place, however, and Lord Stourton married, in the 22nd year * Chancery Proceedings, temp. Eliz., Edmund Ludlowe v. John Jourden and others, f Cottonian Library. ; "Edward Stowrton, gent., of St. Martin's-in-the-fields," had a licence dated tlie 12th of Decomhor, 1579, (London) to marry "Mary Stafiuvde, spinster of the same " but the identity of this Edward does not seem clear. ? Vol. VH., patje 255. 428 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. of Elizabeth, (1580) Frances, daughter of William (Brooke), loth Lord Cobham, K.G., Ambassador to the King of Spain and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, The Arms of Stourton impaling those of Brooke, namely, ■'Gules, on a chevron argent, a Hon rampant sable." by Frances his second wife, daughter of Sir John Newton. Frances (Brooke), Lady Stourton, was born January the 12th, 1561-2. Of this marriage there was no issue. On the 6th September, 1595, Sir Thomas Sherley wrote to Sir Thomas Heneage, asking him to intervene for the purpose of effecting a reconciliation with Lord Cobham's family. The letter was as follows :— "I do hold myself much bounden unto your honour in that you will please to do your best to reconcile me unto Sir Robert Cecil* and my Lady Cobham both which I have mightily wronged in the carriage of my marriage. For in very truth I, being moved with the worth of my Lady Sturtont, and the great honour of her house, had a desire to make her possessor of all my love and thoughts, till love (whose quality I doubt not but your honour is acquainted withal) forced me to settle all my fancies and resolutions on another, whose love I now possess. Yet during the time of my affection unto her I was often wandering, sometimes being shaken with the slanders she was subject unto, some other time deeply continuing the inestimable worth of my Lady Sturton ; all which things rightly weighed, I hope that Sir Robert Cecil and all those honour- able ladies, who I have thus wronged will be pleased rather to blame love. Yet is there behind a oreater offence which I will unfold unto your honour that when you know it you may the better excuse it ; that is, that being married I Sii- Robert Cecil, afterwards created Earl of Salisburj-, was the youngest son of Lord Bnrghley. He married Elizabeth Brooke, daughter of Lord Cobham and sister of Lady Stourtou. The death ol his daughter Elizabeth (i^ih Jan., isy;.--/) greatly affected Lord Cobham, who died March the bill, 15911-7. i Lord Stourton, as mil be seen later, had died October the 13th, 15^8, and Lady Stourtou was then a widow. LORD STOURTON AT THE TRIAL OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS. continued going to my Lord Cobham, which I assure your honour I did for fear of offending my father with my double dealing, neither durst in outward shew to him seem to leave my first desires till I had found some good means to win to like the second. In which course though I did very ill yet not so badly as some do think, for I never spake unto that lady of marriage, neither indeed would her honourable father suffer me to do, being moved by some holy influence that I was not fit for such a motion. Now your honour percelveth the depth of my case. I humbly beseech you to hold such a course as may win the whole noble family once again to think me honest and I will ever hold those direst courses and be so thankful unto your honour as you shall have no cause to be ashamed of that you shall do fore me." In the British Museum* are preserved three letters from Sir Robert Cecil to Lady Stourtont. The first f/o/. 3), is a letter from Ro : Cecill to his sister-in- law, Lady Frances Stourton, (not dated). He thanks her for acceding to his request about taking charge of his daughter. His late wife, Lady Sturton's sister, was ever wont to account her sister's well-doing as her greatest comfort. His heart is relieved of a great care, for being a man, wholly dedicated to public affairs, he could perform in his daughter's youth, no office necessary for her education, &c. The second letter f/o/. 5j, is from the same to the same. If his daughter recovers, it will be owing to Lady Stourton's care and kindness. He is sending an honest man down to see his daughter, who is very skilful in making bodies to cover deformities. The third letter (fol. 7), is also from the same to the same. His daughter is to be sent privately to him in London, to be treated by some skilled person, so that her deformity may be hid ; and will then be returned to Lady Stourton as to her best friend. Lord Stourton was one of the 24 Peers who sat upon the trial of Mary, Oueen of Scots, at Fotheringay in the year 1586, but he afterwards deeply regretted having done so. A reference to the pedigree (on page 122) will shew that Mary, Oueen of Scots, the great-grand-daughter of King Henry VII., was lineally descended from Edith Stourton, daughter of Sir John Stourton of Preston and Stavordale, who was the direct ancestor of the Lords Stourton. Though Lord Stourton had in his youth conformed to the Protestant religion, he was denounced as a Papist to the Government during the later years of his life. In "The true and wonderful story of the Lamentable Fall of Anthony Add. MS. 29, 974. f See previous note as to the relationship. 430 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. TjTrclI, Priest, from the Catholic faith, written by his own hand, before which is prefixed a preface showing; the causes of publishing the same unto the world "* the name of Lord Stourton will be found mentioned on various occasions. In the year 1586 Tyrrell was apprehended and committed to the Counter in Wood Street. After examination he was condemned to be executed. But pressure was was brought to bear upon him, and eventually Tyrrell was released upon condition that he consented to act as a spy upon other Catholics, and in tlie hope of gaining favour with the Government he invented and made many false charges. He afterwards repented and wrote an account of the whole proceedings confessing his false statements. It appears from Tyrrell's account that he was sent for by Justice Young, who handed him a letter from Lord Burghley in which Tyrrell was charged to supply such information as he could. Tyrrell answered the letter and in his narrative he referred to this reply* and rehearsed the greater part of its contents. In so referring to his reply to Lord Burghley, the narrative contains the following : — " I did moreover accuse Ballard for repairing unto many noblemen in this land, as to the Lord Windsor, the Lord Stourton and others : which I protest was contrary unto my knowledge, and that I did speak it altogether of malice." To quote Tyrrell's own words "This letter being ended, sealed, and sent, the next day my Lord Treasurer sendeth me a catalogoe drawn out into articles to answer unto, which he gathered out of the contents of my former letters, which I have here set down verbatim as I have it written with my lord's own hand." In the answers to these articles the accusation is repeated against Lord and Lady Stourton that Fortescue {i.e. Ballard) visited them and reconciled them to Rome, they being included amongst a list of " noblemen and women " so accused. In the list of questions sent by Lord Burghley to Anthony Tyrrell, was one which, headed "Article 24," was as follows : — "In what places was Fortescue conversant with the Lord Stourton and his wife, and at what times ?" In his narrative Tyrrell referred to his reply thus — " Here, as I had falsely feigned before that Ballard had conversed with the Lord Stourton and his wife, so now being pressed to make up the tale, I added also that it was at my lord's house in the country, a thing of my own inventing only." * Included in " The Troubles of our Catholic Forefathers, related by themselves " (Second Series) edited by John Morris, Priest of the Society of Jesus. ] The original letter written by Anthony Tyrrell is still in existence (P. R. O., Mary Queen of Scuts, vol. xix., n. Ciy). It is endorsed by Lord Burghley " 30 Aug., 1586. Tyrrell's second confession. " AXTHOXY TYRRELL FALSELY ACCUSES LORD A\D LADY STOURTON. A letter was written in October 15S6 by Justice Young to Tyrrell, whilst the latter was still in confinement. The letter was as follows : — "Sir, — -I have delivered your letter to her Majesty's own hands, with your note or list, who hath graciously accepted them, and she told me that she had taken order with my Lord Treasurer for your relief. Her Majesty's pleasure is that )-ou shall keep still your credit with those wicked persons, whereby you may the better know all their wicked practices, and what you can find to advertise her Majesty. And further she willed me that you shall seek out what you can find against Mr. Bold, and also to advertise her who did reconcile those personages you name, and when they were reconciled, to wit, the Lord Windsor, the Lord Thomas, the Lord William, the Lord Compton, the young Lady Stourton, the Lady Darc)-, the Lady Mildmay, and young Mr. Southwell, or any other ; and she willed me to tell you from her that you fear no man, for she hath, and will have, care over you. And for these matters, I pray you let me hear from you as soon as you may, for that her Majesty is desirous to know these things. Further, I am to advertise you that I have spoken with my Lord Treasurer, who hath told me that he will take order for you very shortly. Sir, I perceived by my man Harris that you were desirous to have him come unto you, but I was half in doubt to send him, therefore I pray you advertise me, for I would not have you to be suspected. And thus I commit you -to the Almighty God, who ever keep you. This 27th of October, 1586 Your friend assured, Richard Young." T\-rrell in the course of his narrative referred to each of the persons named in the letter, and the following is an extract from his account : — "As for the young Lady Stourton, I informed that Ballard was very familiar in her house, and therefore it might be that he reconciled her, but I knew it not certainh- ; and for my part I protest that I never knew my lord or my lady, and much less do I know what acquaintance Mr. Ballard had with them." At the end of his narrative Anthony Tyrrell added various lists of those whom he had falsely accused : and in a list of "The names of such as I have most falsely and unjustly accused here in England that are living, whereof some are in prison, some at commandment, and some at liberty," &c. were the names ot " The Lord Stourton and his wife." The narrative is dated the 26th of January, Whether Lord or Lady Stourton suffered in any way ' on account of these accusations is not known. Probably the relationship of Lady Stourton to Lord Burghley was no little protection. 432 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. On the 4th of July, 1588, Lord Stourton, in writing- from Stourton to the Council, said he had provided and furnished six lances, and 14 liq-ht horses of his own household servants, and was ready to attend with them upon her Majesty's sacred person, and was very sorry his ability yielded not a far g^reater number. Lord Stourton died* October the 13th, 15SS, at Stourton. He must then have been about the age of thirty-five. The follow'-ing account of the death of Lord Stourton is taken from the Records of the English Province of the Society of Jesus, Vol. IIL ''This nobleman, who was a Catholic, had through fear in those terrible times conformed to the State religion, having' greater regard for his temporal than for his spiritual and eternal interests. Lest, however, death should surprise him in this sad neglect of his duty he entertained two priests in his house, and had taken all imaginable precautions that both should never be absent at the same time, being fully resolved to die within the pale of the true Church. But God's inscru- table providence and just judgment did not allow this, for when he met with the accident which carried him off, both priests were absent at the same time, nor could the most anxious search discover where they were. Still, God in His great mercy infused into the Baron's heart so lively a sense of the horror of his sin and so deep a contrition, that, not satisfied with begging pardon of God and promising- within his own mind amendment and satisfaction, he called together his wife and steward and all the family, and with floods of tears acknowledged before them his crime and the scandal he had given, declaring- that he was wllling- to make amends were it even by shedding his blood. He expressed his grief at being deprived of the rites of the Catholic Church when he most wished to receive them, and protested that he died a Catholic, out of which religion there was no salvation, then imploring God's mercy he expired. He not only besought them all to bear witness of this his act before both men and the dreadful tribunal of God ; but even, it is said, made a confession of his sins to a servant man in sign of his sincere repentance, desiring thereby to testify his full determinrition to have con- fessed to a priest, had time and opportunity permitted. Father Cornelius, when asked his opinion if in this case it was lawful to pray for the deceased Lord, replied that it was both lawful and obligatory. The following incident is related by Dame Dorothy Arundell, the half sister of the deceased Lord, in her M.S. Acts of the blessed Martyr Cornelius. "One day my mother, Lady Arundell, begged Father Cornelius to offer up Mass for the soul Sec Inquisition Post Mortem. THE DEATH AND APPARITION OF LORD STOURTON. 433 of her soil John, Lord Stourton, which he consented to do. When at the altar, he remained a considerable time in prayer between the consecration and the memento for the dead. After Mass was finished he made an exhortation on the words, Bcati mortui qui in Domino Moriuntur — ' Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord,' and then told us that he had just seen a vision. Before him was presented a forest of immense size in which all was fire and flame, and in the midst he perceived the soul of the deceased Lord, who with tears and lamentable cries accused himself of the evil life he had led for several years especially whilst at the Court, and his dissimulation in frequenting the Protestant Church, though still a Catholic, to the scandal and grievous hurt of the souls of his relations. But above all, in the most bitter terms, he accused himself of having been one of the forty-seven chosen by Oueen Elizabeth to condemn the innocent Mary Queen of Scots, a crime for which he had experienced so deep a contrition that it had hastened his death. After these avowals of the deceased Lord to Father Cornelius, he exclaimed in the words of Holy Scripture, Miscvcmini mei, misercmini mci, saltern vos, amici mci, quiii maims Domini tetigit mc — " Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least \ ou my friends, for the hand of the Lord hath touched me." Having implored the Father to assist him with prayers, the appearance, by which he had been recognized, vanished. Father Cornelius wept much in relating his vision to us, and all the household, who to the number of about eighty persons were listening to him, united their tears with his. The server of the Mass, John Carey, afterwards a sufferer for the faith with Father Cornelius, saw and heard all that passed in the vision ; but as for myself and the rest of those present, we only perceived, while it was manifested, a glimmering reflection like that of live coals on the wall against which the altar stood.*" The following account of the same occurrence is given in " The Troubles of our Catholic Forefathers, related by themselves "t (Second Series), but, as will be seen, it differs in one or two details. The account is included in the life of Father William Weston. " The story is well known of the apparition of the soul of Lord Stourton, asking for prayers and Masses. It is given by Bishop Challoner from the narrative of a priest named Manger, who says the vision was seen at the same time by Patrick Salmon, who was afterwards martyred with Father Cornelius, and was then serving his Mass. Dorothy Arundell, who was present, also wrote an account of this vision, which was sent to Rome. ' From the MS Acts of the blessed Martyr CurneUys, by Dame Dorothy ArundelK as printed in tlic Records of the Society of Jesu«. t Edited by John .Morris, Priest of the Society of Jesus, (Loudon, Burns Oates, 1S75). HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. " I am not quite sure whether the incident that occurred during the Mas« said by Father John Cornelius, tools: place at this time or a little later on. It was as follows. A man of high rank had fallen from the profession of his faith, and after persevering in error for a few years not without considerable remorse of conscience, was assailed at last by a deadly disease. When his last hour seemed near he was not ignorant of how much he stood in need of a priest's assistance in order to expiate his sins and receive the Viaticum before he died. Through a faithful servant, therefore, he gave directions that one should be sought out and brought to him. The servant used, though in vain, all the diligence of which he was capable, and with great disappointment he at length returned to his master, without having succeeded in finding a priest. It was certainly a case to be much lamented ; for the greatness of the nobleman's sorrow arose from the circumstance that it was the everlasting safety of his soul, more than the life of his body, that stood in jeopardy. He did, nevertheless, all that lay in his power, since he could not do that which he desired. He assembled all his family, and made an open profession of the Catholic religion ; he called upon those present to be witnesses for him, in the Day of Judgment, that he repented of his faithlessness and his fall ; that he was a Catholic, and as such he wished to die ; and that there was no way of saving the soul excepting in that faith. Soon after these words he breathed forth his soul. " Some days afterwards Father John was celebrating Mass in London, in the house of Sir John Arundell (whose wife was the mother of the nobleman in question), and the dead man appeared to him at the altar entirely surrounded with flames. Father John recognised him by his high bald forehead, which was conspicuous even amidst the flames. The Father asked him wherefore he was in that state, and what he wished for. The apparition mentioned who he was, and in what suffering : he was in hope of salvation ; he entreated his prayers and those of all ; then he vanished. My memory has failed me if it was not also reported that those who were present at the Holy Sacrifice heard a sound of voices, though low and indistinct, and saw something upon the altar that shone in an unwonted manner. The Father informed them of the vision, and told them to pray earnestly for the soul of the dead man, who was said likewise to have made his confession to his faithful servant when all hope of seeing a priest was quite at an end." A copy of the will of Lord Stourton is preserved at Somerset House*. It does not appear to be dated, but it was proved March 22nd, 15S8-9, and this date 33 Leicester. THE WILL OF JOHN, LORD STOURTOX. 435 ippcars in some cases to have been quoted as the date upon which the will was made. The document is as follows : — In the name of the blessed trinity the father the sonne and the holye o-hoste. I John Lorde Stowrton doe make this my last will and testament. First I giue and commend my sowle into the hands of my maker and Redemer at whose hands most hartely and humblye I crave perdon for my <,n-eate offences And my bodye to be buried in the Chappell of the Churche ol Stowrton I doe ordayne Dame Fraunce' my wyfe my sole executrix Item i doe giue vnto my brother Edward Stowrton the Lease of Little Merson whiche I boughte of Mr. James Hodges Item I doe giue to my brother Charles Stowrton the Lease of Penn Mill Item I doe giue to every one of my seruante one wholle yeares wages Item I doe giue to my nephewe Edward Rogers the some of forty pounds vppon the surrender of a bonde forfcicted to be paidc when he shall accomplishe thage of one and twenty yeares And if my Wyfe dye before that time Then my Will is that the same "shalbe paide by him that then shalbe Lorde Stowrton Item I doe giue to the poore of the parishe of Stowrton somewhat to be distributed as my Wyfe shall thinck convenient Item I doe owe vnto M>- Brian three score pounds Item I doe owe vnto Rives of Compton Chamberlaine threescore pounds Item I doe owe vnto M'- Martin of Cheapeside the some of threescore pounds and vpward Item my will is that all the residue of my debts that maye be Lawfully demaunded and not here specified be in Lykewise paide at convenient times in the p'sence of theis herevnder written. Thomas Muttelbury, John Muttelbur}-, Thomas Cabell, Edmond Rogers. Probatum fuit Testamentum suprascriptum apud London Coram m'ro Johanne Hone Legum Doctore Surrogato venerabilis viri m'ri Will'mi Drury Legum etiam Doctoris Curie Prerogative Cant' Mag'ri Custodis sine Co'missarii etc'. Vicesimo secundo die mens' Martii Anno D'ni iuxta cursum et computac'o'em cccl'le Anglicane Mill'imo quingentesimo octagesimo octavo. Juramento Edwardi Orwell notarii publici procu'ris Francisce Relicte diet' defunct' executric' in h'mo'i testamento nominaf. Cui com'issa fuit administrac'o etc'. De bene et fidel'r administrand' etc'. Ad sancta Dei Ev'ngelia Jurat'. According to the mstructions contained in his will, as above quoted, Lord Stourton was buried at Stourton. The entry of the burial in the registers of the Parish Church of Stourton in the year 1588, is as follows " Nov. 25. The Right 436 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOUKTON. Hononihle Lord John Stourton.'' There is the following- inscription upon one of the black marble slabs covering the Stourton vault : — " Hie jacet sepultus d'nus Johannes Stourton Baro' de Stourton, qui diem extremum clausit anno d'ni 15S7, at regni Elizabethse Reginse Anglise Anno 28." The date upon this inscription is clearly incorrect. • An Inquisition Post Mortem appears to have been held in the County of Somerset. The following is a copy of the record" : — Som' Inquisitio Indentata Capta apud Bridgwater in Com' pred' xvj'o die Septembris Anno regni d'ne n're Elizabeth dei gr'a Angl' Franc' & Hib'nie Regine fidei defensor Tricesimo primo Coram Joh'e Colles Armigero Feodar' Com' pred' Joh'e Lancaster Armigero & Joh'e Ewens gen'oso Escaetore d'c'e d'ne R'ne ejusdem Com' virtute Com'issionis d'c'e d'ne R'ne in natura br'is de diem cl'it extremu' eis & aliis inde dir'c'e ad inquirend' post mortem Joh'is d'ni Stourton & huic Inquisit'oni consut' p' sacr'm Joh'is Hippesley Ar' Ric'i Pollard Ar' Xpoferi Symcockes Ar' Alex'i Chocke Ar' Roger! Sydenham Ar' Lodovici Pollard Ar' Hugonis Mallett gen'osi Will'i Sheppard gen'osi Jacobi Raynoldes gen'osi Joh'is Durston gen'osi Ph'i Holworthee gen' Rob'ti Adyn gen'osi Will'i Watkys gen'osi Rob'ti Owen gen'osi Simonis Courte gen'osi Petri Ball gen'osi Ric'i Sheppard gen'osi & Thome Sherwood gen'. Oui sup' sacru suu dicunt q'd quidam Carolus D'n's Stourton pater pred'c'i Joh'is d'ni Stourton in d'c'o br'e no'i'ati fuit se'it' in d'nic' suo ut de feod' talliat' sibi & hered' masculis de corpore suo I'ittime p'creat' Jur' hereditar' virtute quar'dam I'rar' paten' p' Henr' nup' Regem Angl' sept' Anno regni sui xxv'o nup' fact' cuidam Joh'i tunc d'no Stourton & hered' masculis de corpore suo I'ittime p'creat de & in hundred' de Westp'ott Wyllyton Andresfild & Freemann's in d'c'o Com' Som's Ac de & in om'ibz Cur' Turnis Let' & vis' Franc' pleg' infra hundred' pred' tenend' & quicquid ad hu'mo'i Cur' Turn' Let' & vis' Franc' pleg' p'tinet Ac de om'ibz exitibz iinibz amerciament' & om'ibz alijs p'ficius quibuscunqz in eisdem seu inde quoquo modo forisfact' p'ven' seu emergen' Et p'd'cus Carolus d'n's Stourton sic inde se'it' existens in feod' talliato h'uit exitum masculum de corpore suo I'ittime p'creat p'd' Joh'em d'n'm Stourton in d'c'o br'e no'i'at' & Ed'r'm nunc d'n'm Stourton & Carolum Stourton Ar' & de t'li statu obiit inde se'it' Post cujus mortem p'd' hundred' cu' p'tin' descendebant & de jure descendere ~' Chauccrj' Inq. p.m., 31 Elizabeth, pt. x., 105, INOUISITiON TAKEN AFTER THE DEATH OF LORD STOURTON. 437 debent p'd' Joh'i d'n'o Stourton in d'c'o br'e no'i'at' ut filio & p'x' hered' masculo de corp'e pred' Caroli d'n'i Stourton I'ittime p'creat' virtute cujus pred' Joh'es d'n's Stourton in d'c'o br'e no'i'at' in hundred' pred' cu' p'tin' intravit & fuit inde se'it' in d'nico suo ut de feod' talliat' Et idem Joh'es d'n's Stourton sic inde se'itus existens de t'li statu obiit inde se'it' sine hered' masculo de corpore suo I'ittime p'creat' Post cujus mortem p'd' hundred' cu' p'tin' descendebant p'fat' Ed'r'o nunc d'n'o Stourton ut fr'i et hered' masculo p'd'c'i Joh'is ut filio et p'x' hered' masculo de corp'e p'd'c'i Caroli I'ittime p'creat'. Et dicunt ulterius Jur' p'd'c'i sup' sacru' s' q'd quidam Ed'r'us Stourton nup' d'n's de Stourton fuit se'it in d'nico suo ut de feod' de & in Man'io de Kingeston juxta yovell cu' p'tin' in d'c'o Com' Som's. Et sic inde se'it' existens p' script' suu' geren' dat, . . die . . Anno regni d'ni Henrici nup' Regis Angl' . . . feoffavit inde quosdam Will'm Fontleroy Cl'icum, Tristramu' Fontleroy, Petrum Fontleroye, Rogerum Stourton, Xpoferum Stourton, Will'm Rowell, Will'm Thornehill Ar' & Will'm Hartgill gen'osum H'end' & tenend' eis & hered' suis imp'p'm ad usum p'd'c'i Ed'r'i Stourton d'ni de Stourton Ac d'ne Agnetis adtunc ux'is ejus & hered' masculor' de corp'e d'cor' Ed'r'i & Agnetis I'ittime p'creat. Et pro def cu hu'm'oi exitus ad usum rector' hered' d'c'i Ed'r'i d'ni de Stourton imp'p'm. Virtute cujus ac vigore & p'textu cujusdam actus parliament' de usibus in possess' transferend' iidem Ed'r'us d'n's de Stourton & d'na Agnes ux ejus fuer' inde se'it' in d'nico suo ut de feod' taliat' Reman'e inde rectis hered' d'c'i Ed'ri imp'p'm. Ip'Lsqz sic inde se'it' existen' p'd'ic Ed'r'us d'n's de Stourton & d'na Agnes ux ejus h'uer' exitum de corp'e eor' I'ittime p'creat' Will'm d'n'm Stourton & postea pred' Ed'r'us d'n's de Stourton de t'li statu obiit inde se'it' et p'd'c'a d'na Agnes se tenuit intus in Maner' pred' & cetera p'missa pred' cum p'tin' p' jus accrescendi. Et postea pred' d'n'a Agnes obiit. Post cujus mortem Maner' p'd cu' p'tin virtute feoffamenti pred' descendebat p'd' Will'o d'n'o de Stourton ut filio & hered' masculo inter p'd' Ed'r'm d'n'm de Stourton & Agnetem I'ittimo p'creat' Qui quidem Will's in Maner' pred' cu' p'tin' intravit & fuit inde se'it in d'nico suo ut de feod' taliat' & h'uit exitum de corp'e suo I'ittime p'creat' Carolum d'n'm Stourton Et sic inde se'it de t'li statu obiit se'it. Post cujus mortem Maner' p'd'c'm cu' p'tin' virtute feoffamenti p'd' descendebat p'fato Carolo d'no de Stourton ut filio & hered' masculo de corp'e p'd' Will'i d'ni Stourton I'ittime p'creat'. Post cujus mortem pred'c'us Carolus in Maner' p'd' cu' p'tin' intravit & fuit inde se'it in d'nico suo ut de feod' taliat'. Et p'd'c'us Carolus sic inde se'it' existen' h'Liit exitum mascul' de corp'e suo I'ittime p'creat' d'c'm Joh'em d'n'm HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. StoLirton in Com'issione pred' no'i'at', Ed'r'm modo d'n'm Stourton cSt Carolum Stourton Ar' & postea de t'li statu obiit inde se'it'. Post cujus mortem Maner' pred' cu' p'tin' Virtute fcoffamenti prcd' descendebat p'fato Joh'i d'no Stourton in Com'issione p'd no'i'at ut filio & p'x hered masculo de corp'e p'd' Caroli d'ni Stourton I'ittinie p'creat'. Virtute cujus idem Joh'es d'n's Stourton in IVIaner' p'd' cu' p'tin' intravit & fuit inde se'it' in d'nico suo ut de feod' tal'iat'. Ip'o'qz sic inde se'it existen' de t'li statu suo obiit inde se'it' sine herede masculo de corp'e suo I'ittime p'creat. Post cujus mort' Maner' p'd' cu' p'tin' descendebat p'fat' Ed'r'o nunc d'no Stourton ut f ri & hered' masculo p'd' Joh'is & filio & hered' masculo de corpore p'd' Caroli I'ittime p'creat. Dicunt etiam Jur' pred' sup' sacru' suu' q'd d'c'us 'Vi-'ill's d'n's de Stourton se'it' fuit in d'nico suo ut de feodo (inter alia) de & in sex mesuai^nis trescent', acr' terr' sexag'int' acr' prati ducent acr' pastur' & quadraginta acr' bosci cu' p'tin in Frome in Com' p'd' Et sic inde se'it' existens Ric'us Winton Ep'us Egidius Dawbeney miles d'n's de Dawbeney ac Camerarius d'n'i R' Henr' septimi Carolus Som'set miles d'n's Harbert ac Comes Wigforn Thomas Lovell Ric'us Empson & Jacobus Herbert mil' Ed'us Dudley & Thomas Lucas Ar' Ter'i'o s'ci Mich'is Anno regni d'c'i d'ni Henr' nup' Reg-is Ang-l' septimi xxj per br'e d'c'i d'ni nup' R' Henr' septimi d[e] ingr'u sup' dissei 'nam in le post premissa p'd' cu' p'tin' versus p'd' Will'm Stourton Recupav- 'unt Que quidem Recup'acio mo & forma p'd' fact' & h'it fact' fuit adversus entenc'ones sequen' viz. quoad unam medietatem omn' mesuag-ior' terr' & tentor' p d' cu' p'tin' in Frome p'd' ad usum p'd' "Wiiri d'ni Stourton pro ter'i'o vite sue & post ejus decessum ad usum Will'i Stourton s'c'di filii Ed r i Stourton Ar' fr'is & hered' p'd'c'i Will'i d'ni Stourton & Elizabeth' ux'is ejus et hered' de corporibz eor' I'ittime p'creat'. Et p' def'cu t'lis exitus ad usum rector' hered' d'ci Will'i d'ni Stourton imp'p'm. Et quod alt'am medietati p'd'c'or' mess' terr' & Ten' cu' p'tin' in Frome p'd' ad usum p'd' Will'i d'n' Stourton p' ter'i'o vite sue. Et post ejus decessum ad usum p'd' Ed'r'i & hered' de corp'e suo I'ittime exeun'. Et p' def c'u t'lis exitus ad usum rector' hered' d'c'i Will'i d'ni Stourton imp'p'm prout p' quandam Indentur inter p'd' Will'm d'n'm Stourton p' nomem Will'm Stourton militis ex una p'te & Ed'm Dudley Ar' unu' Conciliar' ejusdem d'ni R' ex altera p'te fact' & h'it geren' dat' xij die Novembris Anno regni d'c'i Regis Henr' Septimi xxiiijto plene liquet & apparet, d'c'usqz Will's d'n's Stourton postea scil't decimo septimo die Februarii Anno R' H viij" xvj'"o apud Stourton pred' obiit. Post cujus quidem Will'i mortem Recup'tores p'd' se'it' fuer' de medietat' mesuag' terr' & ten' p'd' cu' p'tin' in Frome p'd' ad INOL'ISITIOX TAKEN AFTER THE DEATH OF LORD STOURTON. 439 p'd' sep'ales usus in Indentur' p'd' sp'ificat usqz ad & in iiij'' diem Fcbruarii Anno regn\ p'd'c'i nup' R' H viij' xxvij'"" Quo quidem die Ed'r'us d'n's Stourton fuit se'itus de medietate p'd in d'nico suo ut de feod' taliat' viz' sibi & hcred' de corp'e suo I'ittime p'creat' Et sic inde se'itus de t'li statu obiit inde se'itus. Post cujus quidem Ed'r'i mortem p'd' medietas mesuagior' terr' & ten' pred' cu' p'tin' in Frome pred' descendebat pred' Will'o d'no Stourton ut filio & hered' de corp'e d'c'i Ed'r'i d'ni Stourton I'ittime p'creat'. Virtute cujus idem Will's d'ns Stourton fuit inde se'it' in d'nico suo ut de feod' taliat' Et p' def'c'u t'lis exitus Reman'e inde rectis hered' p'd'c'i Will'i d'ni Stourton. Et de altera medietate pred' mesuagior' terr' & ten' p'd' cu' p'tin' in Frome pred' ijdem Will's d'n's Stourton & Elizabeth' ux' ejus fuer' inde se'it in d'nico suo ut de feod' taliat' viz. sibi & hered' eor' inter eos I'ittime p'creat' Et pro def'c'u t'lis exitus Reman'e inde rectis hered' p'd'c'i Will'i d'ni Stourton imp'p'm. Et p'd'c'i Will's & Elizabeth' sic inde se'it' h'uer' exit' inter eos I'ittime p'creat' p'd'c'm Carolum d'n'm Stourton. Et pred' Will's sic inde se'it' de t'li statu obiit inde se'it' & p'd'c'a Elizabeth' ip'm supervixit & se tenuitintus in pred' medietatem mesuagior' terr'. and Ten' pred'c'or' cu' p'tin' in Frome p'd' p' jus accrescend' & se'it' existit de medietat' p'd' in feod' taliat' viz. sibi & hered' de corp'e p'd'c'or' Will'i & Elizabeth I'ittime p'creat'. Et sic inde se'ita existens de t'li statu suo obiit inde se'ita. Post cujus mortem mesuagia terr' & ten' p'd' cu' p'tin' in Frome p'd' Virtute Recup'- ac'onis & Indenture p'd' descendebant p'fato Carolo d'no Stourton ut filio & hered' inter pred' Will'm d'n'm Stourton & Elizabeth I'ittime p'creat' Qui quidem Carolus in mesuagia terr' & ten' p'd' cu' p'tin' in Frome p'd' intravit & tuit inde se'itus in d'nico suo ut de feod' taliat' & h'uit exit' de corp'e suo I'ittime p'creat' d'c'm Joh'em d'n'm Stourton in Com'issione p'd' n'oi'at'. Ed'r'm modo d'n'm Stourton, & Carolum Stourton Ar' Et postea de t'li statu obiit inde se'it'. Post cujus mortem Mesuag' terr' & ten' p'd' cu' p'tin' Virtute Recup'ac'onis & Indentur pred' descendebant prefato Joh'i d'no Stourton in Com'issione pred' no'i'at' ut filio & p'x' hered' de corp'e p'd' Caroli d'ni Stourton I'ittime p'creat'. Virtute cujus idem Joh'es d'n's Stourton in Mesuag' terr' & ten' p'd' cu' p'tin intravit & fuit inde se'it' in d'nico suo ut de feod' taliat' Ip'oqz sic inde se'it' existen' de t'li statu suo obiit inde se'it' sine hered' de corp'e suo I'ittime p'creat'. Post cujus mortem Mesuag' terr' & ten' p'd' cu' p'tin' descendebant p'fato Ed'r'o nunc domino Stourton ut fr'i & hered' p'd'c'i Joh'is & filio & hered' p'd'c'i Caroli I'ittime p'creat'. Et Ulterius Juratorcs p'd' dicunt sup sacru' suu' q'd p'd' Carolus nup' d'n's Stourton fuit se'it' in d'nico suo ut de feod' de & in Manor' de Parva Marston HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. cu' p'tin' (inter alia) ac de & in om'ibz mesuagiis terr' ten' & hereditamentis quibuscunqz in Parva Marston pred' in d'c'o Com' Som's' & sic inde se'it' ante obitum suu' viz. Anno Regni d'ni Ed'r'i nup' R' Angl' sexti Tercio (inter alia) dedit & concessit quibusdam Henr' Comiti Sussex Francisco Comiti Huntino-don Henr' d'no Str'unge, Ed'r'o d'no Clynton tunc d'no Admirair Angl' Will'o d'no 'VVindesorre, Thome d'no Wharton mil' Ed'r'o Hastuiges mil' Thome Arundell mil' Joh'e Rogers Mil' & "WiU'o Hannam gen'oso pred' Maner' de Parva Marston ac o'nia mesuag' terr' ten' & hereditament' p'd' cu' om'ibz & sing'lis eor' p'tin' quibuscunqz in p'va Marston p'd' in d'c'o Com' Som's' H'end & tenend' Maner' Mesuag' terr' ten' & hereditament' p'd' cu' p'tin' in Parva Marston pred' p'fat' Henr' Comif Sussex & ceter' cofeoffatis suis p'd' hercdibz & assign' suis ad opus & usum p'dict' Caroli d'ni Stourton & d'ne Anne ux'is ejus ad t'min' vite eor' & alt'uis eor' diutius viven'. Et post eor' decessum ad opus Et usum heredu' de corpore d'c'i Caroli I'ittime p'creat' seu p'creand' Et pro def'c'u talis exitus ad opus & usum rector' hered' d'c'i Caroli imp'p'm. 'Virtute cujus quidem doni Ac vigore'& p'textu cujusdam actus Parliament' de usibus in posscssione transferend' Quart' die Eebruarii Anno regni d'ni Henr' nup' R' Angl' Octavi xxvijo nup' edit' & provis' iidem Carolus d'n's Stourton & d'na Anna ux ejus in Maner' p'd' & cetera p'missa in Parva Marston cu' p'tin' intraver' & fuer' inde se'it'in d'nico suo ut dc lib'o Ten' p' ter'i'o vitar' suar' & alt'ius eor' diutius viven'. Et post eor' decessum ad opus & usum hered' de corp'e ip'ius Caroli I'ittime p'creat' seu p'creand'. Et pro def'c'u t'lis exitus ad opus & usum rector' hered' d'c'i Caroli imp'p'm. Ip isqz sic inde se'itis Idem Carolus h'ens exit' de corp'e suo I'ittime p'creat' de t'li statu obiit inde se'it'. Et p'd' Anna ip'm sup' vixit & se tenuit & adhuc se tenet in Maner' p'd' & ceter' p'missa cu' p'tin" p' jus accrescend'. Et fuit & adhuc est inde se'it' in d'nico suo ut de lib'o Ten' p' ter'i'o vite sue Reman'e inde hered' de corp'e p'd' Caroli nup' d'ni Stourton spectan' Que quidem Anna temp'e Capc'onis hujus Inquisic'onis in plena vita existit viz. apud Mosvvell hill in Com' Midd' Post cujus quidem Caroli mortem (ut p'fert") p'fatus Joh'es d'n's Stourton de Reman'e p'd' fuit se'it' ut de feod' taliat', ut filius & heres de corpore p'd' Caroli I'ittime p'creat'. Ip'oqz Joh'e sic inde se'it' existen' de t'li statu inde obiit se'it'. Post cujus mortem pred' Ed'r'us modo d'n's Stourton est se'it' de Reman'e p'd' in feod' taliat' ut frater & heres p'd'c'i Joh'is et filius & heres de corp'e p'd' Caroli I'ittime p'creat'. Dicunt etiam Jur' p'd' sup' sacru' suu' q'd virtute ac vigore quar'dam conveianc' and assuranc' fact' & cxecut' p' prefatum Joh'em nup' d'n'm Stourton Ouedam Erancisca filia TRANSLATION OF INQUISITION POST MORTEM. 441 p'nobilis nunc d'ni Cobham & nup' ux p'd' Joh'is nup' d'ni Stourton est se'it' p' ter'i'o vite sue no'i'e Juncture sue (inter alia) de & in hundred' p'd' de Westp'ott, Williton, Andresfild & Freemann's Ac de & in Maner' de Kings- ton juxta yevell p'd cu' p'tin'. Et q'd cad' d'na Francisca adhuc superstes & in plena vita existit apud Cobham-hall in Com' Ranc' Et ulterius Jur' p'd' sup sacru' suu' dicunt q'd p'd' hundred' de Westp'ott, WilUton, Andresfild & Freemann's cu' p'tin' tenenf^ de d'na R"* in Capite p' vicesimam p'tem unius feod' militis Et val' p' Ann' in om'ibz exitibz ultra rep'zas Cxl^ Et q'd Maner' pred' de Kingston juxta yevell cu' p'tin tenet" de d'c'a d'na R"''' in Capite p' vicesimam p'tem unius feod' militis. Et val' p' Annu' in om'ibz exitibus ultra rep'zas Ivij'i vjs vj'^ Et p'd' Maner' de Parva Marston pred' cu' p'tin tenet" de d'c'a d'na R"* sed p'que servicia Jur' pred' ignorant' Et val' p' Annu' in om'ibz exitibus ultra reprizas ad p'ns nichil quia rem' in extent' (inter alia) cuidam Will'o Byrde de London Ar' ut executori testi et ultime voluntatis Thome Long nup' de Trowbridge in Com' Wiltes Clothier r'one execuc'onis sup' statutu' duar' milliu' librar' per d'c'm Will'm nup' d'n'm Stourton p'fat Thome Longe cognit donee & quousqz idem Will's Byrde de d'c'is duabus mill' libris plane satisfact' foret & p'solut & post extent' ill' exon'at' valet clare p' Annu in om'ibz exitibus suis ultra reprizas xxiiij" Et q'd p'd' Mesuag' terr' Ten' & cetera p'missa cu' p'tin' in Frome p'd' tenentu de Ed'r'o Lev'sage Ar' ut de Maner' suo de Frome sed p' que servicia Jur' p'd' penitus ignor'. Et val' p' Annu' in om'ibz exitibus ultra reprizas v'' .xvjs ij recitat' Indentur' liniitat' exprimit' vel declarat' ad usum d'c'i Ed'r'i d'ni Stowrton p' t'mino vite sue absqz impetic'o'e vasti ct post ip'ius decess' ad usum d'ci Will'i Stowrton & hered' mascul' de Corpore suo I'ittime p'creat' et p' defect' talis exit' ad usum d'ci Thome Stowrton & hered' mascul' de Corpore diet' Thome Stowrton I'ittime p'creat' et p' defectu talis exit' ad usum d'c'i Francisci Stowrton fil' & hered' mascul' de Corpore d'c i Francisci Stowrton I'ittime p'creat et p' defectu talis exit' ad usum d'c'i Ed'r'i Stowrton fir & hered' mascul' de Corpore d'c'i Ed'r'i Stowrton I'ittime p'creat et p' defectu talis exit' ad usum rector' hered' d'c'i Ed'r'i d'ni Stowrton imp'p'm Proviso semp' q'd bene liceret p'fat' Ed'r'o d'no Stowrton om'ibz temporibz extunc imposter' et de tempor' in tempus duran' vita sua natural' concidere om'i'od' terr' custumar' om'iu' vel aliquor' maner' p'dict' p' Copiam Rotulor' Cur' s'c'd'm sep'al' consuetud' d'c'or' maner' respective Acciam p' suu' script' sive script' Indentat' manu sua p'pria signat' & sigillat' facer' aliq'm concess' vel concessiones imposicion' p' t'mino viginti & unius Annor' vel infra vel p' una duabz vel tribz vitis vel p' aliquo t'mino Annor' det'minabil' sup' un' duas vel tres vitas vel p' una vel duabz vitis in reverc'o'e unius vit' in possessione vel p' una vita in reverc'o'e duar' vitar' in possessione vel p' aliquo numero Annor' det'min' sup' un' vel duas in reverc'o'e unius vite in possessione vel p' aliquo numero Annor' det'minabil' sup' un' vit' in reverc'o'e duar' vitar' in possessione de capital' mesuag' firmis & terr" d'nicis de Ower moigne & Suddon p'dict' & de talibz & tantis alior' p'miss' qual' & quant' usualit' dimis' & concess' fuer' p' spaciu' viginti Annor' adtunc ultimo p't'ito Ita q'd tot' Stat' alicujiis rei sit concedend' tarn in possessione q'm in reverc'o'e aliquo uno tempore non excedat t'minu' viginti unius Annor' aut triu' vitar' vel aliquem numer' Annor' det'min' sup' tres vitas ad majus (except maner' terr" & ten' in p'dict' recitat" Indentur' p'antea limitat' ad & p' Junctur' d'c'e Francisce moore sup' quern antiqus & consuet' an'ual reddit' vel plus reservabit' an'ualit' debend' & solvend' duran' continuacion' ejusdem stat' \ el Stat' concession' & concessionu' sic h'end' vel faciend' al' p'son' & p'sonis p' tempore existen' cui p'x' & medial' revercio vel remaner' ejusdem p' veram intencio'em recitat' Indentur' de jure spectabunt & p'tinebunt et q'd con- venc'o'es & condic'o'es ex p'te taliu' quibz tal' stat' ut p'dict' est conciderent' p' cos respective p'formand' & observand' p'dict' p'son' & p'sonis cui vel quibz im'ediat' revercio vel remaner' eor' dat' p'tinebunt erunt p'formand' & observand" Et Jur' p'dict' ult'ius sup' sacr'm suu" dicunt q'd postea scil't T'mino s'c'e Trinitat' Anno regni Jacob! nup' Regis Angl' &c decimo t'cio sup'd'c'o quidam finis in Cur' d'c'i d'ni Jacob! nup' Angl' &c Regis cum HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. p'clamac'o'ibz fact' s'c'd'm formam statuti in h'm'o'i casu nup' edit' & p'vis' levat' fuit coram tunc Justiciar' suis de Banco apud "Westm'r int' p'dict' Thomam Freke milit' Ric'm Tichborne milit' Joh'em Sydinham milit' & Georgia' Philpott milit' queren et p'd'c'm Ed'r'm d'n'u' Stowrton & Carolum Stowrton Ar deforcien' de diet' hundred' manor' ten' & hereditamen' p'dict' cum p'tin' juxta veram intencio'em diet' resitat' Indentur' p'ut p' p'dict' recital' Indentur' et diet' fin' sup' inde levat' ac Jur' p'dict' tempore Capc'o'is hujus Inquisic'o'is in evidene' ostens' int alia plenius liquet & apparet virtute cujus quidem Indentur' & finis p'dict' ac vigore & p'textu cujusdam act' Parliament' de usibz in possessionem T'nsferend' quarto die Februarii Anno regni d'ni henr' nup' Regis Angl' octavi vicesimo septimo nup' edit' & p'vis' Idem Ed'r'us d'ns Stowrton se'it' fuit de & in man'iis Capital mesuag' firm" terr' & ten' p'dict' cum p'tin' (except' p'except') juxta sep'al' limitac'o'es & declarac'o'es sep'al' usqz p'dict' p'miss' ut p'dict' est remaner' eciam inde ut p'dict' est Ac ult'ius Jur' p'dict sup' eor' sacr'm dicunt q'd idem Ed'r'us d'n's Stowrton sic se'it' existen' de & in om'ibz & singulis p'dict' hundred' maner' terr' ten' & hereditamen' & cet'is aliis p'miss p'dict' quibuscunqz cum p'tin' ut p'dict' est except' maner' de Bonham p'dict' cum p'tin de tali statu sic inde se'it' obiit post cujus quidem Ed'r'i mortem ut p'fert' p'dict' Will's modo d'n's Stowrton est se'it de & in remaner' om'iu' p'dict' p'miss' in feodo taliato videl't ut fir et heres mascul' de Corpore p'dict' Ed'r'i nup' d'ni Stowrton I'ittime p'creat' Et Jur' p'dict' sup' sacr'm suu' ult'ius dicunt q'd p'dict' Ed'r'us nup' d'n's Stowrton ante obit' suu' p' quandam al' Indentur' suam geren' dat' vicesimo die Octobris Anno quinto Regni d'ni n'r'i Caroli nunc Regis Angl' &c int' p'fat' Ed'r'm d'n'm Stowrton p'nomen p'nobilis Ed'r'i d'n'i Stowrton ex una p'te & Thomam Stowrton Franciscum Stowrton & Ed'r'm Stowrton Ar' fil' d'c'i nup' d'ni Stowrton Joh'em Charnock de holcott in Com' Bedd' Ar' & Joh'em Foyle de medio templo london' gen' ex alt'a p'te p' consid'ac'o'e in eadem Indentur' menc'onat' dimis' concessit & ad firmam tradidit p'dict Joh'i Carnock & Joh'i Foyle Tot' ill' capital' p'fat' mesuag' & firm' de Owermoigne p'dict' in d'c'o Com' Dors' simul cum om'ibz & om'i'odis domibz edific' terr' ten' leasur' pasc' pastur' cor'i'is boscis sub- boscis quibuscunqz cum p'tin' eisdem spectan' inciden' sive quoquo modo p'tinen' vel cum eisdem capital mesuag' sive firma adtunc p'antea usualit' dimis' occupat vel gavis' vel accept' reputat' capt' vel cogn' ut p's memb'r' vel p'ceir eor'dem & extunc nup' in tenur sive occupac'o'e Will'i Stowrton Ar' adtunc def'c'i avunculi diet' nup' d'ni Stowrton vel Will'i Fantleroye Ar' adtunc eciam def'c'i vel eor' aut alt' eor' assignat' vel assignator' Aceciam un' IN-QUISITION AFTER THE DEATH OF EDWARD, LORD STOURTON. 473 pecudum Ambulat' Angliceone hogslight sive pecudum pastur' de Sudden & Owen moigne p'dict' simul cum om'i'odis p'fic' esiamen' viis passag' & com'oditat' eisdem spectan' vel cum eadem adtunc nup' occupat' sive gavis' except' duobz customar' ten' cum p'tin' in Ower moigne & Gaulton in d'c'o Com' Dors' adtunc vel tunc nup' in sep'al' occupac'o'ibz Nich'i holmer & Nich'i martyn vel eor' assign' vel assignator' h'end' & tenend' diet' capital' plac' mesuag' & firm' domus edific' terr' ten' pecud' ambulat' Anglice hoggs- light sive pecudum pastur' & om'ia alia p'miss' p'dict cum om'ibz & singulis p'tin' (except p'except) diet' Joh'i Charnock & Joh'i Foyle executor' Adminis- trator' & assign' suis a Festo s'c'i Mich'is Arch'i ultimo p't'ito ante dat' ultime recitat' Indentur' p' & duran' t'mino nonaginta & novem Annor' extunc p'x sequen' & plenar' complend' & finiend' si p'dict' Thomas Stowrton Franciscus Stowrton & Ed'r'us Stowrton fil' aut aliqui vel alt' eor' tarn diu vix'it sup' istam fiduc' & confidenc' nihilominus q'd illi d'c'i Joh'es Charnock & Joh'es Foyle eor' executor' Administrator' & assign' & eor' quilib't a tempore confecc'o'is ultime Indentur' recitat' duran' tot' Annis d'c'i t'mini nonaginta & novem Annor' quot vitur' in vita nup'd'ni Stowrton p'mitterent & sinerent diet' nup' d'n'm Stowrton & assign' suos quiet' & pacifice h'ere tenere & gaudere om'ia diet' dimis' p'miss & recep'e & capere reddit' p'ventus & profic' eor'dem ad usum & benefic' suu' p'priu' et post decess' d'c'i nup" d'ni Stowr- ton tunc sup'istam ult'ior' fiduc' & confidenc' q'd diet' Thomas Stowrton & assign' sui p' & infra reddit' reservac'o'es convenc'o'es Articull' & agreeamen' in ultim' diet" recitat' Indentur" content' quiet' & pacifice tenebit & Gaudebit un' plen' terciam p'tem d'cor' dimis' p'miss' in tres p'tes dividend' & recepiat & capiat reddit' p'venien' & p'fic' ejusdem ad suu' p'priu' usum & benefic' p' & duran tot' de resid' d'c'i T'mini nonaginta & novem Annor' det'minabil' ut p'dict' est quot vitur' in vita diet' Thome Stowrton Et si p'dict Thomas Stourton obier' tempore vite Elizabeth' tunc uxor' sue h'ens exit' tunc viven aut p'dict' Elizabeth' tunc pregnan' tempore mortis sue de Corpore suo de Corpore diet' Elizabeth' I'ittime p'creat' q'd tunc p'dict' t'cia p's d'c'i firme & p'miss' & reddit' exit' & p'fic' ejusdem t'cie p'tis de & post ejus decess' capient' utent' & disponent' ad & p' melior supp'tacion' manutencion' & educacion' talis exit' p' & duran' resid' diet' t'mini nonagint' & novem Annor' extunc ventur' & non expirat' si diet' Francisc' Stowrton & Ed'r'us Stowrton filii vel eor' alt' tam diu vix'it reservac'o'ibz & convenc'o'ibz in p'dict' ultim' recitat' Indentur' content' ac eciam un' an'uitat' Centum & viginti libr' p' Annu' exeund' de Maner' de Ower moigne in d'c'o Com' Dors' & ex p'miss' in diet' ultime recitat' Indentur' dimis' p' & duran' vita d'c'e d'ne Francisce 474 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Stowrton adtunc ux' Will'i Stovvrton milit' modo d'ni Stowrtoii si ill' sup' vix'it d'c'm d'n'm Stowrton & Will'm Stowrton cxtunc p'porcionabil' solvend' p' rata semp' except' & reservat' et eciam sup' istam ult'ior' fiduc' & confidenc' q'd post mortem diet' nup' d'ni Stowrton p'dict' Franciscus Stowrton fil' & tal' ux' qual' ille reliquerit s'viven' tempore mortis sue & ip'ius & illius assign' p' & infra reddit' reservacion' convencion' Articul' & agfreamen' in p'dict' recitat' Indentur' content' h'ebunt tenebunt & g-audebunt unam al' integram t'ciam p'tem p'dict' dimis' p'miss' in tres p'tes dividend' & recipient & capient reddit' provenien' & p'fic' ejusdem ad usum & benefic' suu' p'priu' p' & duran' toto resid' d'c'i T'mini nonagint' & novem Annor' dct'minabil' ut p'dict' est adtunc ventur' & inexpirat' subject' eciam ed soluc'o'em p'porcion- abilis p'tis diet' An'uitat' Cent' et viginti librar' si fuer' solvend' ut p'dict' est Et sup' istam ult'ioi' fiduc' & confidenc' q'd post mortem d'c'i nup' d'ni Stowrton d'c'us Ed'r'us Stowrton fil' & talis ux' qual' reliquer' s'viven' tempore mortis sue & ejus vel illius assign" p' & infra reddit' reservac'o'es eonvenc'o'es Articul' & agreamen' in diet' ultim' recitat' Indentur' content' h'ebunt tenebunt & gaudebunt un' al' integram t'ciam p'tem p'dict' dimiss' premiss' in tres p'tes dividend' & capient reddit' exit' & p'fic' ejusdem ad illius & eor' p'p'r' usum & benefic' p' etdur' toto resid' d'c'i t'mini Nonaginta & novem Annor' det'minabil' ut p'dict' est adtunc ventur' & non expirat' subject' ad soluc'o'em p'porcionabil' p'tis d'c'e Annuetat' Centum & viginti libr' p' Annu' si solubil' fore contig'it ut p'dict' est Reddend' & solvend' an'uatim de & post mortem d'c'i nup' d'ni Stowrton p' & duran' diet' t'min' p' p'dict' ultim' recitat' Indent' dimiss' tal' p'son' & talibz p'sonis quibz reddit' & revercio p'miss' p'tinebant sep'al' antiques & eonsuet' an'ual' reddit' p'ut p' p'dict ultim' recitat' Indentur' Jur' p'dict' tempore capc'o'is hujus Inquisic'o is in evidenc' ostens' int' alia plen' liquet & apparet Et Jur' p'dict' ult'ius sup' eor' sacr'm dicunt q'd p'dict' Thomas Stowrton Franciscus Stowrton & Ed'r'us Stowrton fil' adhuc sup' stit' & in plena vita existunt videl't p'dict' Thomas Stowrton apud Wansworth in Com' Surr' Franciscus Stowrton apud Clarkenwell in Com' Midd' & p'dict' Ed'r'us Stowrton fil' apud Stowrton p'dict' in Com' Wiltes' Et ult'ius Jur' p'dict' sup' sacr'm suu' dicunt q'd p'dict terr' & ten' in Shastebury p'dict' tenent' dc Ep'o Sar' sed p' que s'vic' Ignor' et val' p' annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' decem solid' Et q'd p'dict' terr' & ten' cum p'tin' in Sturmister marshal p'dict' ac hundred' de Combisditeh al's Knokesditeh p'dict' cum p'tin' tenent' de Will'o Comit' Salisbury ut de man'io suo de Cramborne p' quartam p'tem unius feodi milit' et val' p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' quadraginta solid' Ft q'd diet" INQUISITION AFTER THE DEATH OF EDWARD, LORD STOURTON. 475 maner' de Ower moyne & cert' terr' & ten' in Suddon & Galton p'dict' cum suis p'tin' tenent' de d'c'o d'no Rege in Capite p' s'vic' militare sed p' q'm p'tem feed' milit' ignor' et val' p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' duran' vita p'dict' Thome Francisc' & Ed'r'i Stowrton tres libr" sex solid' & octo denar' sed post mortem d'c'or' Thiome Stowrton Francisci Stowrton & Ed'r'i Stowr- ton filior' valebant p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' viginti & un' libr' decern solid' et quatuor denar' Et q'd p'dict' terr' & ten' cum p'tin' in Sherborne Oborne Thorneford & Castletowne p'dict' tenent' de Ep'o Sar' sed p' que s'vic' Jur' p'dict' penitus ignor' et val' p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' tres libr' tres solid' & un' denar' Et q'd p'dict' Burgag' in Warneham p'dict' cum p'tin' tenant' de quo vel de quibz Jur' p'dict' penitus ignor' et val' clare p' annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' duodecim denar' Et q'd p'dict' maner' de Buckhorne Weston al's Buckeresweston & lidlinch ac p'dict' cert' terr' & ten' inholbroke Blackrewe & Ramsbury cum p'tin' tenent' de quo vcl de quibz Jur' p'dict' penitus ignor' et val' clare p' annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' viginta libr' Et q'd p'dict' maner' de Fiffett Nevell ac diet' div'sas terr' & ten' in Fiffett Nevell p'dict' tenent' de D'no sive D'nis maner' de Pimperne ut de man'io suo de pimp'ne p' vicesimam p'tem unius feodi milit' et val' clare p' annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' Centum solid' Et q'd p'dict' maner' de East Chelborough cum p'tin' tenet' de d'no Rege p' quartam p'tem unius feodi milit' et val' clare p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' septemdecim libr' octo- decim solid' & sex denar' Et q'd p'dict' terr' & ten' cum p'tin' in Antioxe p'dict' tenent' de Ep'o Sar' sed p' que s'vic' Jur' p'dict' penitus ignor' et val' clare p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' tres libr' Et q'd p'dict' terr' & ten' in hindes cum p'tin' tenent' de d'no Rege ut de imp' monaster' de Abbthes- bury sed p' que s'vic' Jur' p'dict' penitus ignor' et val' clare p'annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' quatuor libr' Et q'd p'dict' terr' & ten' in marshe p'dict' tenent' de quo vel de quibz Jur' p'dict' ignor' et val' clare p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' novem solid' & octo denar' Et q'd p'dict' maner' de houghton cum p tin ac p'dict' medietat p'dict' terr' cum p'tin' in houghton al's Winter- borne houghton tenent' de d'no sive d'nis maner' de Pimperne ut de man'io suo de Pimperne sed p' que s'vic Jur p'dict' ignor' et val' clare p' annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' quadraginta sex solid' & octo denar' Et q'd p'dict' virgat' terr' cum p'tin' in Gillingham ad q'm p'tinet et a tempore cujus contrar' memor' ho'is existit p'tinebat quedam Balliva ad custodiend' Forest' & pare' de Gillingham voc' Forest' de feod' sive Balliva Forest' de feod' infra Forest' & parcum p'dict' tenent' de d'c'o d'no Rege p' s'vic' custodiend' p'ci & Forest' de Gillingham p'dict' & val' clare p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' 476 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOUKTON. repris' quadrat^inta solid' Et q'd p'dict' maner' de Stourton & Advocac' Eccl'ie p'ochial' de Stowrton p'dict' d'c'o maner' appenden' & p'dict' ten' voc' Colecatt infra maner' de Stowrton p'dict' tenent' de d'no Rege in Capite et val' clare p' Anna' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' quadrag-inta & duas libr' decern solid' quinqz denar' & un' ob' Et q'd p'dict' maner' de Penley cum p'tin' tenet' de quo vel de quibz Jur' p'dict' ignor' et val' clare p' Annu' in om'ibz exit ult' repris' decern libr' Et q'd p'dict' terr' & ten' in Stowford & Newton p'dict' tenent' de Ph'o Comit' Pembroch' & moitntgom'y ut de man'io suo de South Newton p'cell' possession' de Wilton p' fidelitat' & reddit' tres solid' tant' & val' clare p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' viginti & quinqz solid' Et q'd p'dict' terr' & ten' cum p'tin' in 'Wilton' veter' Sar' & Wyly p'd' tenent' sed de quo vel de quibz Jur' p'd' ignor' et val' clare p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' quatuor libr' Et q'd p'dict' hundred' de West parratt & Wyleyton Andresfeild & Freemanner' ac om'ia Cur' Tur' let' & vis' Franc' pleg' cum om'ibz & singulis suis p'tin' p'dict' ten't' de d'no Rege in Capite p' vicesimam p'tem unius feodi milit' et val' clare p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' quadraginta solid' Et q'd maner p'dict' de Kingston juxta yevell cum p'tin' tenet' de d'c'o d'no Rege in Capite p' vicesimam p'tem unius feodi milit' et val' p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' quadraginta libr' Et q'd maner' de parva marston ac p'dict' mesuag' terr' ten' & hereditamen' in p'va marston p'dict' tenent' de d'c'o d'no Rege sed p' que s'vic' Jur' p'dict' ignor' et val' clare p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' octodecim libr' Et q'd p'dict' mesuag' terr' & ten' & cet'a p'miss' cum p'tin' in Froome p'dict' tenent' de Leversage Ar' ut de man'io suo de Froome sed p' que s'vic' Jur' p'dict' penitus ignor' et val' p' Annu' in om'ibz exit' ult' repris' quinqz libr' sexdecim solid' & duos denar' Et ult'ius Jur' p'dict' sup' sacr'm suu' dicunt q'd p'dict' Ed'r'us nup' d'n's Stowrton in d'c'o br'i no'i'at' septimo die maii ultimo p't'ito ante capc'o'em hujus Inquisic'o'is apud Stowrton Candle p'dict' in d'c'o Com' Dors' obiit Et q'd p'dict Ed'r'us nup' d'ns Stowrton tempore mortis sue nulla alia sive plura D'nia maner' terr' sive ten' h'uit sive tenuit in possessione reverc'o'e remaner' vel usu ad notic' Jur' p'd'c'or' Et q'd p'fat' Will's modo d'n's Stowrton est ejus filius maximus natu & p'x' heres et est etat' Triginta & Novcm Annor' & amplius. In cujus rei &c. &c. The following is a Translation of the foregoing Inquisition taken after the death of Edward, tenth Lord Stourton : — Co. Dorset. Inquisition indentate taken at Blandford Market in the County aforesaid TRA'NSLATION OF THE INQUISITION. 477 on the twenty-sixth day of September, in the ninth year of the reign of our Lord Charles, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c., before George Savidge, Esquire, Escheator of our said lord the King in the County aforesaid, by virtue of a writ " de diem clausit extremum" of our said Lord the King, addressed to the said Escheator and attached to this Inquisition, to make an Inquisition after the death of the most noble Edward, Lord Stourton, on the oath &c., &c. who say on their oath, that long before the death of the said Edward, Lord Stourton, in the said writ named, the said Henry VI., formerly King of England, by his Letters Patent, dated at Westminster on the tenth day of May in the twenty-sixth year of his reign, in consideration of the staunchness and ancient family renown of his well-beloved and faithful knight, Lord John Stowrton, as well as the laudable services which the said John had rendered both to the dearly loved father of the said King then deceased, and which he continued still to render day by day to the said former King himself, made and raised the said John to be Baron and Lord Stowrton of Stowrton, in accordance with his merits, and gave and granted to him all and every kind of style, name, dignity, seat, prerogative and pre-eminence whatsoever to the rank of Baron appertaining, to have all that style, name, dignity, seat, prerogative and pre-eminence to him the said John Stowrton and the heirs male of his body. And the said lord King, willed and granted by the said Letters Patent that the same John Stowrton should be styled and called Lord, and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten should be styled and called Lords Stowrton of Stowrton, as is with other things more fully set forth in the same Letters Patent. And by virtue of these said Letters Patent, and in accordance with their force, tenor and effect, the said Sir John Stourton was styled and named by the name of Sir John Stowrton, Knight, Lord Stowrton of Stowrton, and the said John so styled and named, had issue male of his body lawfully begotten, William Stowrton. And afterwards the said John died, after whose death the aforesaid William Stourton was called and known by the name of William Stowrton, Lord Stowrton of Stowrton and the said William so named had issue male of his body lawfully begotten John Stowrton, William Stowrton and Edward Stowrton. And afterwards the said William, Lord Stowrton, died, after whose death the aforesaid John was called and known by the name of John Stowrton, Lord Stowrton, and the said John thus styled and named, died without heirs male of his body law- fully begotten, after whose death the aforesaid William Stowrton, brother of the said John, Lord Stowrton, and kinsman and nearest heir of the said John HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. ill the said Letters Patent named, was called and styled by the name of William, Lord Stowrton of Stowrton* ; and this William, so named and styled died without issue male of his body lawfully begotten, after whose death the aforesaid Edward Stowrton, brother of the said William, and kinsman and next heir male of the body of the aforesaid John, Lord Stowrton of Stowrton, in the said Letters Patent named, was called and styled by the name of Edward Stowrton, Lord Stowrton of Stowrton. And this Edward, so named and styled, had issue male of his body lawfully begotten, William Stowrton ; and afterwards the said Edward died, after whose death the aforesaid William Stowrton was called and styled by the name of William Stowrton, Lord Stowrton of Stowrton ; and this William, thus named and styled had issue male of his body lawfully begotten Charles Stourton, and afterwards the said William died, after whose death the said Charles Stowrton was called and styled by the name of Charles Stowrton, Lord Stowrton of Stowrton. The said Charles, so named and styled, had issue male of his body lawfully begotten, John Stowrton and Edward Stowrton, and afterwards the said Charles, Lord Stowrton, died, after whose death the aforesaid John Stowrton was styled and called by the name of John Stowrton, Lord Stowrton ot Stowrton ; and this John, so named and styled, died without heir male of his body lawfully begotten, after whose death the aforesaid Edward Stowrton, brother of the said John, Lord Stowrton, and kinsman and next heir male of the body of the said John, Lord Stowrton, in the said Letters Patent named, was called and styled by the name of Edward Stowrton, Lord Stowrton of Stowrton, and this Edward, so named and styled, had issue male of his body lawfully begotten Sir William Stowrton, Knight of the honourable Order of the Bath, now Lord Stowrton, Thomas Stowrton, Francis Stowrton and Edward Stowrton ; and afterwards the aforesaid Edward died, on the seventh day of May last past before the taking of this Inquisition, after whose death the aforesaid Barony of Stowrton descended to the aforesaid William, now Lord Stowrton, as son and heir male of the body of the aforesaid Edward lawfully begotten. And further the aforesaid Jury say on their oath that the said Edward, late Lord Stowrton, in the said writ named, 'father of the said William now Lord Stowrton, was seised in his demesne as of fee tail, that is to say to himself and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten, of and in divers lands and tenements in Chastesbury, Sturmister Marshall, Suddon, Galton and Sherborne in the said County of Dorset ; and of and in the Hundred of Combesditch otherwise Sknokesditch with its appurtenances in * Francis, fourth Lord Stourton is here omitted. But, as he never inherited the estates, the omission is not surprisiiis- TRANSLATION OF THE INQUISITTON. 479 the said County of Dorset ; and of and in a burg-age in Wareham with its appurtenances in the said County of Dorset ; and of and in the manors of Lidlinch, Buckhorne Weston otherwise Buckersweston, Candell Haddon, Over Moigne, Fiffett Nevell and East Chelborough with their appurtenances ; and of certain lands and tenements in Hindes, Holbroke, Blackreweand Ramsbury with their appurtenances in the said County of Dorset; and of and in divers lands and tenements with their appurtenances in Antioxe, Marshe and Fiffett Nevell aforesaid in the said County of Dorset ; and of and in the manor of Hough- ton with its appurtenances ; and of and in a moiety of certain lands with their appurtenances in Houghton otherwise Winterborne Houghton in the said Count}' of Dorset ; and of and in a virgate of land with its appurten- ances in Gillingham in the said County of Dorset, to which virgate of land there belongs, and from time immemorial has always belonged, a certain bailiwick to have the custody of the Forest and Park of Gillingham, and which is called the Forest of the Fee, or the Forest Bailiwick of the fee, within the Forest and Park aforesaid ; and of and in the manor of Stowrton in t ic County of Wiltshire, and the advowson of the parish church of Stowrton in the said county of Wiltshire, to the said manor belonging ; and of and in a tenement called Colecatt in the manor of Stowrton aforesaid ; and of and in the manor of Penley with its appurtenances ; and of and in divers lands and tenements with their appurtenances in Wilton and Old Sarum in the said County of Wilts ; and of and in divers lands, tenements and pastures with their appurtenances in Stowford, Newton and Wyly in the said Count)- of Wilts ; and of and in six messuages, three hundred acres of land, sixt\- acres of meadow, two hundred acres of pasture and forty acres of wood with their appurtenances in Froome in the County of Somerset ; and of and in the manor of Little Marston with its appurtenances ; and of and in all messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments whatsoever in Little Marston aforesaid in the said County of Somerset. And the aforesaid Jury further say on their oath that the said Edward, late Lord Stowrton, in the said writ named, father of the said William, now Lord Stowrton, was seised in his demesne as of fee tail, that is to say to himself and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, of and in the Hundreds of West Perrott, WilHton, Andresfeild and Freemanners in the said County of Somerset, and of and in all courts, tourns, leets and views of Frankpledge to be held within the aforesaid Hundreds, and whatsoever to such courts, tourns, leets and views of Frankpledge appertains ; and of and in all issues, fines, amercements and all other profits whatsoever in the same or therefrom in any manner forfeit, arising or issuing ; and of and in the manor of Kingston b\- \'evell with its HISTORY OF THE KOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. appurtenances in the said County of Somerset. And further the aforesaid Jury say on their oath that the aforesaid Edward, late Lord Stowrton, in the said writ named, father of the said WilHam, now Lord Stowrton, being thus seised of and in the manors, messuages, lands, tenements, hundreds and hereditaments aforesaid with their appurtenances in the Counties of Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset aforesaid, by a certain indenture bearing date the sixth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and fifteen, and in the thirteenth year of the reign of James, late King of England, and the forty-eighth of his reign in Scotland, between the aforesaid Edward, Lord Stowrton, by the name of the most noble Edward, Lord Stowrton, and Charles Stowrton, brother of the said Edward, Lord Stowrton, and William, now Lord Stowrton, by the name of William Stowrton, son and heir apparent of the said Edward, Lord Stowrton, of the one part ; and Sir Thomas Freake of Iwerne Courtney in the County of Dorset, Knight, Sir Richard Tichborne of Tichborne in the County of Southampton, Knight, Sir John Sydenham of Brympton in the County of Somerset, Knight, Sir George Phillpott of Thruxton in the said County of Southampton, Knight, and Frances Moore, one of the daughters of Sir Edward Moore of Odyham in the said County of Southampton, Knight, of the other part, and produced as evidence to the Jury aforesaid at the taking of this inquisition, by which indenture, for considerations set forth and contained in the same, on behalf of himself and his heirs he agreed, allowed and granted to and with the afore- said Sir Thomas Freake, Sir Richard Tichborne, Sir John Sydenham and Sir George Phillpott, their heirs and assigns, that they the aforesaid Edward, Lord Stowrton, and Charles Stowrton and their heirs and the heirs of the survivor of them, would, before the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord then next ensuing after the date of the Indenture recited, by fine or fines to be raised in legal form with proclamations according to the provisions of the Statute passed on this subject, convey and assure to the said Sir Thomas Freake, Sir Richard Tichborne, Sir John Sydenham and Sir George Phillpott and their heirs or the heirs of any one of them, the manor, capital messuage, farm, lands and tenements of Stowrton, Penly and Newton with their appurtenances in the County of Wilts, and the advowson of the parish church of Stowrton afore- said, and all lands, tenements, rents, reversions, services and hereditaments to these premises or to any of them belonging or appertaining ; and all other lands, tenements and hereditaments of the said Edward, Lord Stowrton and Charles Stowrton and either of them, situated, lying and being in the parishes, towns, townships, fields, prccints or hamlets of Stowrton, Penley, TRANSLATIOX OF THE IXOL'ISITION. 481 Newton, Salisbury, Wilton, Old Salisbury, Stowford and Wyley or anywhere in the said County of Wiltshire, and also the manor, capital messuage, farms, lands and tenements of Stowrton Candle otherwise Candle Haddon, Marsh, Antiox, Ower Moigiic, Suddowe, Gaulton, East Chelborough, Lidlinch, Ramsbury, Blackrewe, Haydon, Holbrooke, Hades otherwise Hides, Wareham, Buckhoriie Weston otherwise Buckeresweston, Fiffet Nevell and Houghton otherwise Winterborne Howghton, Sturmyster Marshall, Shaftes- bury, Sherborne, Oborne, Thorneford and Castle Towne in the County of Dorset, and also a capital messuage and a virgate of land commonly called East Haymes, situated, lying and being in Gillingham in the said County of Dorset, and the Bailiwick or Forest Fee and Custody of the Forest and Park of Gillingham in the said County of Dorset and all fees and profits to the said Bailiwick or office belonging, and the advowson of the parish churches of Ower Moigne, East Chelborough, Lucam otherwise Lukeam, Marshe, Rushton, Houghton otherwise Winterborne Houghton, Buckhorne Weston otherwise Buckeresweston and Lidlincli in the said County of Dorset, and also the Hundred of Knokesdyche otherwise Combeshditch in the said County of Dorset, and also all lands, tenements, rents, reversions, services and here- ditaments to the said premises in the said County of Dorset or to anv or any one of them belonging or appertaining, and also all other lands, tenements and hereditaments of the said Lord Stowrton and Charles Stowrton and of either of them in the said County of Dorset (except certain lands and tenements in Gillingham, afterwards excepted in the said recited indenture), and also the manor of Kingston by Yevell otherwise Evell and Froome Selwood with its appurtenances in the County of Somerset, and the free chapel or advowson of the free chapel of the parish church of Kingston, called Pitney by Yevell otherwise Evell in the said County of Somerset, and the hundred or hundreds of Andresfeild, West Pcrrott, Willyeon otherwise Willeton and Freemaners with their appurtenances in the said County of Somerset, and all lands, tenements, rents, reversions, services and hereditaments to the said premises in the County of Somerset or to any one of them belonging or appertaining, and all other lands, tenements and hereditaments of the said Edward, Lord Stowrton and Charles Stowrton, and of either of them in the several couniies of Wiltshire, Dorset and Somerset (except the manor of Little Marston in the said County of Somerset, and the manor of Bonham in the said counties of Wiltshire and Somerset, and a tenement called Colecatt in the parish of Stowrton in the said County of Wiltshire, and except the manor lands and tenements of them and either of them in Gillingham in the said county of HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Dorset, other than the aforesaid capital messuage and viro-ate of land called East Haymes and other than the Bailiwick or office of the Forest Fee and Custody of the Forest and Park of Gillingham aforesaid and the profits and advantages to the same belonging. Which fine and fines thus to be levied, and all other fines, conveyances and assurances whatsoever, to behad, made, raised or executed by or between the parties to the above-recited indenture or any of them at any time or times thereafter, and the full force, benefit and effect of them or any of them should be considered, construed and held, and theconizees in the said fine or fines to be named, their heirs, and any one of them and any other person or persons then being seised or who afterwards might be seised of or in the said manors, messuages, lands, tenements, advowsons and other premises before specified in the said recited indenture, and in any one or in any part and parcel of the same for ever, from and after the levying of the said fine or fines, should stand and be seised of and in the same and any part thereof to the several uses, purposes and intents then afterwards in the said recited indenture particularly mentioned, expressed and declared, and to no other uses, intents or purposes to wit, of the manors, capital messuages and farms, lands and tenements of Stourton Candle, otherwise Candle Haddon, Ower Moigne Suddowe, Gaulton, East Chelborowe, Kingston by Evell and Penley afore- said, and the advowsons of the parish churches of Over Moigne and East Chelborough, and of the free chapel of Kingston called Pitney by Yevell, otherwise Evell, and of all and singular the messuages, tofts, cottages, houses, buildings, structures, barns, stables, mills, dove-cots, orchards, gardens, lands, tenements, meadows, grazing-grounds, pastures, commons, wastes, woods and underwood, briar and heath, moors, marshes, waters^ fishings, rents, reversions, services, courts, leets, views of Freakpledge, perquisites and profits of Courts and Leets, waif and stray cattle, goods of felons and fugitives,, liberties, freedoms, profits, advantages and hereditaments in Stowrton Candle otherwise Candle Haddon, Ower Moigne, Suddon, Gallon East Chelborowe, Kingston by Yevell otherwise Evell and Penley aforesaid, excepting the capital messuage of Ower Moigne, and the farms of Ower Moigne and Suddon aforesaid, to the use of the said Edward, Lord Stourton, during the life of the said William Stourton, his son, and the most noble Frances, Lady Stourton, relict of John, Lord Stowrton, deceased, and at that time wife of the said Sir Edward Moore, Knight, and for and during the life of the survivor of them the said William Stowrton and the said Lady Stowrton, and after the death of the said William Stowrton and of the said Lady Stowrton then to the use of the said Frances Moore for the term of her life, TRAXSLATION OF THE INQUISITION'. as and under the name of her jointure, and after her death then to the use of the said WilHam Stowrton, and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten on the body of the said Frances Moore, and for lack of such issue to the use of the heirs male of the body of the said William Stowrton lawfully begotten and for lack of such issue to the use of Thomas Stowrton, second son of the said Kdward, Lord Stowrton, and the heirs male of the body of the said Thomas Stowrton lawfully begotten, and for lack of such issue to the use of Francis Stowrton, another of the sons of the said Edward, Lord Stowrton, and the heirs male of the body of the said Francis Stowrton, lawfully begotten and for lack of such issue to the use of Edward Stowrton, another of the sons of the said Edward, Lord Stowrton, and the heirs male of the said Edward Stowrton, the son, lawfully begotten, and for lack of such issue to the use of the right heirs of the aforesaid Edward, Lord Stowrton for ever. And of touching and concerning the said manors, capital messuages and farms of Lidlinch, Ramsburye, Blackrewe, He)'don, Holbrooke, Hindes otherwise Hides, Wareham, Buckhorne Weston other- wise Buckeresweston. Fiffett Nevell, Houghton otherwise Winterbornc Houghton, Sturmyster Marshall, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Oborne, Tiiorneford and Castle Towne, and of, touching and concerning all lands, tenements and hereditaments in the towns, townships, hamlets and fields of of Lidlinch, Ramsbury, Blackrewe, Hydon, Holbrooke, Hindes otherwise Hides, Wareham, Buckhorne Weston otherwise Buckeresweston, Feiffett Nevell, Houghton otherwise Winterborne Houghton, Sturmyster Marshall, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Oborne, Thorneford and Castletown aforesaid and in any of them to the use of the said Edward, Lord Stowrton, for the term of his life, without damage or waste, and after his death to the use of the said William Stowrton and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten on the body of the said Frances Moore, and for lack of such issue to the use of the said Sir Thomas Freake, Sir Richard Tichborne, Sir John Sydenham and Sir George Philpott, conizees in the said fine, and to the survivor of them and his executors and administrators, for so long as, and until, they or some one of them, out of the rents, issues and profits arising from the last recited premises shall have satisfied, settled, and paid, or caused to be paid, for the benefit and advantage of such daughter and daughters of the said William Stowrton as he shall have begotten on the body of the said Frances Moore, the several sum and sums of money expressed in the indenture recited, to wit, if at the time of his death the aforesaid William Stourton shall have only one such daughter, living [begotten] of his body on the body of the said Frances HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Moore, then a sum of four thousand pounds good and lecral money of England, as aiid for the share and portion of that only daughter ; and if it happens that the said William Stowrton shall have two daughters begotten of his body on the body of the said Frances Moore, and living at the time of the death of the said William Stowrton, then a sum of five thousand pounds to be equally divided between the aforesaid two daughters ; and if it happens that the aforesaid William Stowrton shall have more than two daughters begotten of his body on the body of the said Frances Moore, and living at the time of the death of the said William Stowrton, then a sum of six thousand pounds to be divided equally amongst them and to be paid to each of them severally as the}- attain their respective ages of fifteen years, or as soon afterwards as it can be raised from the premises aforesaid, provided, nevertheless, that if any one of them should die before completing her fifteenth year, then the portion of her so dying shall remain to the survivors of the said daughters to be equally divided amongst them and to be paid as aforesaid, and on tho death of the said William Stowrton without issue male of his body lawfully begotten on the body of the said Frances Moore, then to the use of the heirs male of tho said William Stowrton lawfully begotten, and for lack of such issue then to the use of the said Thomas Stowrton, and the heirs male of the body of the said Thomas Stowrton, and for lack of such issue to the use of the said Francis Stowrton, the son, and the heirs male of the body of the said Francis Stowrton lawfully begotten, and for lack of such issue to the use of the said Edward Stourton, the son, and the heirs male of the body of the said Edward Stowrton lawfully begotten, and for lack of such issue to the use of the said Edward, Lord Stowrton, and his heirs for ever, and of, touching and concerning all the rest of the said manors, capital messuages, farms, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, services and hereditaments before mentioned, (except the before-excepted) concerning which no other use has been appointed, expressed or declared in the said recited indenture, to the use of the said Edward, Lord Stowrton, for the term of his life, without damage or waste, and after his death to the use of the said William Stowrton and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, and for lack of such issue to the use of the said Thomas Stowrton and the heirs male of the body of the said Thomas Stowrton lawfully begotten, and for lack of such issue to the use of the said Francis Stowrton, the son, and the heirs male of the body of the said Francis Stowrton lawfully begotten, and for lack of such issue to the use of the said Edward Stowrton, the son, and the heirs male of the body of the said Edward Stowrton lawfully begotten, and for lack of such TRANSLATION OF THE INQUISITION. issue to the use of the right heirs of the said Edward, Lord Stowrton, for ever. Provided always tliat the said Edward, Lord Stowrton, should have liberty at all times thereafter, and from time to time during' his natural life to grant all the customary lands of all or any of the manors aforesaid, by copy of the rolls of the courts according to the several customs of the said manors respectively, and also by his deed or indenture signed and sealed with his own hand to make any grant or grants of possession for the term of twenty one years or less, or for one, two or three lives, or for any term of years determinable in one, two or three lives, or for one or two lives in reversion after one life in possession, or for one life in reversion after two lives in possession, or for any number of years determinable in one or two [lives] in reversion after one life in possession, or for any number of years determinable in one life in reversion after two lives in possession, of the capital messuages, farms and demesne lands of Ovver Moigne and Suddon aforesaid and of such and so much of the other premises aforesaid as had been usually demised and granted for the space of twenty )'ears then last past, so that any status to be granted in any property, whether in possession or in reversion, at any one time should not exceed the term of twenty one years or of three lives, or some number of lives determinable in three lives at the most (excepting the manors, lands and tenements previously appointed in the said recited indenture as and for the jointure of the said Frances Moore), upon which the ancient and accustomed yearly rent or more shall be reserved as yearly due and to be paid during the period of the said status or statuses, grant or grants, thus to be had or made, to every person and persons to whom should belong and pertain for the time being the next or other reversion or remainder of the same, according to the true intent of the indenture recited, and that the agreements and conditions to be respectively carrried out and observed on the part of those to whom such status as aforesaid might be granted, towards the person and persons to whom the immediate reversion or remainder of the property should belong, should be carried out and observed. And the Jury aforesaid further say on their oath that after- wards, that is to say in the Trinity Term in the said thirteenth year of tiie reign of James, late King of England, &c., a certain fine was levied in the court of the said Lord James, late King of England, &c., with proclamations made in accordance with the enactments of the Statute published and made in that behalf, before the Judges of his Bench for the time being, at West- minster, between the aforesaid Sir Thomas Freke, Knig-ht, Sir Richard Tichborne, Knight, Sir John Sydenham, Knight, and Sir George Philpott, HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Knight, plaintiffs, and the aforesaid Edward, Lord Stowrton, and Charles Stowrton, Esquire, deforciants, of the said hundreds, manors, tenements, and hereditaments with their appurtenances, according to the true intent of the said recited indenture, as more fully appears and is set forth in the said recited indenture and the said fine levied in consequence thereof, which the Jury aforesaid bring forward, with other things, as evidence at the time of the taking of this Inquisition ; by virtue of which said indenture and fine, and by force of, and under, a certain Act of Parliament, " de usibus in possessionem transferendis " lately passed and published on the fourth day of February in the twenty-seventh year of the reign of Henry VIII., late King of England, the said Edward, Lord Stowrton, was seised of and in the manors. Capital messuages, farms, lands and tenements aforesaid with their appurtenances (except the before-excepted) according to the several appoint- ments and arrangements with regard to the said premises severally made as aforesaid, and with remainder thereof also as aforesaid. And the said Jury further say upon their oath that the said Edward, Lord Stourton, being thus seised of and in all and singular the aforesaid hundreds, manors, lands, tenements and hereditaments, and the other premises aforesaid with their appurtenances, as is aforesaid, excepting the said manor of Bonham, died thus seised, after the death of which Edward, as aforesaid, the said William, now Lord Stourton, is seised of and in the remainder of all the aforesaid premises in fee tail, that is to say as son and heir male of the body of the aforesaid Edward, late Lord Stowrton, lawfully begotten. And the aforesaid Jury on their oath say further that the aforesaid Edward, late Lord Stowrton, before he died, by a certain other indenture, bearing date the twentieth day of October in the fifth year of the reign of our lord Charles, now King of England, &c., between the aforesaid Edward, Lord Stowrton, by the name of the most noble Edward, Lord Stowrton, of the one part, and Thomas Stowrton, Francis Stowrton, and Edward Stowrton, Esquires, sons of the late Lord Stowrton, John Charnock of Holcott in the County of Bedford, Esquire, and John Foyle of the IVIiddle Temple, London, gentleman, of the other part, for the consideration in the said indenture set forth, demised, granted and surrendered to farm to the aforesaid John Charnock and John Foyle all that said capital messuage and farm of Ower Moigne aforesaid in the said County of Dorset, together with all and all kinds of houses, buildings, lands, tenements, leasows, grazing-grounds, pastures, commons, woods and under- wood whatsoever with their appurtenances, to the same belonging, falling, or in anywise pertaining, or with the said capital messuage and farm previously TRANSLATION OF THE INQUISITION. 487 to that time usually demised, occupied or enjoyed, or accepted, reputed, held or considered as part, member or parcel of the same, and then late in the tenure or occupation of William Stowrton, Esquire, then deceased, uncle of the said late Lord Stowrton, or of William Fantleroye, Esquire, then likewise deceased, or of the assign or assigns of them or either of them ; And also a cattle run, vulgarly called a hogslight, or cattle-pasture of Suddon and Ower moigne aforesaid, together with all kinds of profits, easements, way, pathways and advantages to the same belonging, or with the same at that time lately occupied or enjoyed, excepting two customary tenements with their appurten- ances in Ower moigne and Gaulton in the said County of Dorset, up till then or then lately in the several occupations of Nicholas Holmer and Nicholas Martyn, or their assign or assigns, to have and to hold the said capital messuage, place and farm, houses, buildings lands, tenements, cattlerun, (vulgarly hoggslight) or cattle pasture and all other the premises aforesaid with all and singular their appurtenances (except the before-excepted) to the said John Charnock and John Foyle, their executors, administrators and assigns from the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel last past before the date of the indenture recited, for and during the term of ninety-nine years then next en- suing and to be fully completed and ended, if the aforesaid Thomas Stowrton, Francis Stowrton and Edward Stowrton, the son, or any or any one of them so long should live, upon this trust, nevertheless, that they, the said John Charnock and John Foyle, their executors, administrators and assigns and any of them, from the time of the making of this last recited indenture during so many years of the said term of ninety-nine years as the said late Lord Stowrton should live, should permit and allow the said late Lord Stowrton and his assigns quietly and peacefully to have, hold and enjoy all the said premises so demised, and to receive and take the rents, issues and profits of the same to his ow n proper use and benefit, and after the death of the said late Lord Stowrton, upon this further trust that the said Thomas Stowrton and his assigns should, by and under the grants, reservations, agreements, articles and arrangements in the said last recited indenture contained, quietly and peacefully hold and enjoy one full third part of the said premises so demised, to be divided into three parts, and should receive and take the rents, issues and profits of the same to his own proper use and benefit for and during so much of the remainder of the said term of ninet)--nine years determinable as aforesaid as he, the said Thomas Stowrton, should live. And if the aforesaid Thomas Stowrton should die during the life-time of Elizabeth, then his wife, having issue then living, or leaving the said Elizabeth at the time of his death with HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. child lawfully beo-otteii of his body on the body of the said Elizabeth, that then the aforesaid third part of the said farm and premises, and the rents, issues and profits of the same third part, from and after his death, should be taken, used and applied to and for the better support, maintenance and education of such issue for and I'u/ing- the remainder of the said term of ninety-nine years at that time still to come and unexpired, if the said Francis Stowrton and Edward Stowrton, the sons, or either of them, should have lived so long, under the reservations and agreements in the aforesaid last Indenture contained, with the exception and reservation also of an annuit}' of one hundred and twenty pounds a year issuing out of the Manor of Ower Moigne in the said County of Dorset and out of the premises in the said last recited indenture demised, for and during the life of Lady Frances Stowrton, at that tinie wife of Sir William Stowrton, Knight, now Lord Stowrton, if she should survive the said Lord Stowrton and Sir William Stowrton, from that time forward to be paid in proportion to the share ; and upon this further trust, that after the death of the said late Lord Stowrton, the aforesaid Francis Stowrton, the son, and such wife as he might leave living at the time of his death, and his or her assigns, should by and under the grants, reservations, agreements, articles and arrangements in the aforesaid last recited indenture contained, have, hold and enjoy another whole third part of the said premises so demised, to be divided into three parts, and should receive and take the rents, issues and profits of the same to their own proper use and benefit for and during the whole of the remainder of the said term of ninety-nine years, determinable as aforesaid, at that time still to come and unexpired, subject also to the proportional payment of a part of the said annuity of one hundred and twenty pounds, if it should have to be paid, as aforesaid. And upon this further trust that after the death of the said late Lord Stowrton, the said Edward Stowrton, the son, and such wife as he might leave living at the time of his death, and his or her assigns, should, by and under the grants, reservations, agreements, articles and arrangements in the said last recited indenture contained, have, hold and enjo)- another whole third part of the aforesaid premises so demised, to be divided into three parts, and should take the rents, issues and profits of the same to his and their own proper use and benefit, for and during the whole of the remainder of the said term of ninety-nine years, determinable as aforesaid, at that time still to come and unexpired, subject to a proportional payment of part of the said annuity of one hundred and twenty pounds a year, if it should happen to be paj-able as aforesaid, returning and paying every year from and after the death of the TRANSLATION OF THE IXOUISITIOX. 489 said late Lord Stowrton, for and during the said term by the said last recited indenture demised, to such person or persons to whom the rents and reversion of the premises may belong, the several ancient and customary annual rents, as in the said last recited indenture (to the said Jury produced in evidence at the time of the taking of this inquisition) amongst other things more fully appears, and is set forth. And the aforesaid Jury further say upon their oath that the aforesaid Thomas Stowrton, Francis Stowrton and Edward Stowrton, the sons, are now alive and living, to wit, the said Thomas Stowrton at Wansworth in the County of Surrey, Francis Stowrton at Clarkenwell in the County of Middlesex, and Edward Stowrton, the son, at Stowrton aforesaid in the County of Wiltshire. And the said Jury further say upon their oath, that the aforesaid lands and tenements in Shastebury aforesaid are held of the Bishop of Sarum, but by what services ihey do not know, and are worth in all issues, beyond expenses, ten shillings a year. And that the said lands and tenements with their appurtenances in Sturmister Marshal aforesaid, and the hundred of Combisditch otherwise Knokesditch aforesaid with its appurtenances are held of William, Earl of Salisbury as of his Manor of Cramborne, for the fourth part of a Knight's fee, and are worth in all issues beyond expenses forty shillings a year. And that the said manor of Ower Moigne, and certain lands and tenements in Suddon and Galton aforesaid, with their appurtenances, are held of our said Lord the King in chief by military service, but for what part of a Knight's fee they do not know, and are worth in all their issues beyond expenses, during the lives of the said Thomas, Francis and Edward Stowrton, three pounds, six shillings and eightpence a year, but after the death of the said Thomas Stowrton, Francis Stowrton and Edward Stowrton, the sons, they will be be worth in all their issues beyond expenses twenty one pounds, ten shillings and fourpence. And that the aforesaid lands and tenements with their appur- tenances in Sherborne, Oborne, Thorneford and Castletowne aforesaid, are held of the Bishop of Sarum, but by what services the said Jury do not know at all, and are worth in all their issues beyond expenses, three pounds, three shillings and a penny a year. And that the said Burgage in Warneham aforesaid is held of some person or persons, unknown to the said Jury, and is of the clear annua! value in all its issues beyond expenses of twelve pence. And that the said Manors of Buckhorne Weston otherwise Buckeresweston and Lidlinch, and the said certain lands and tenements in Holbroke, Black- rewe and Ramsbury with their appurtenances, are held of some person or persons unknown to the said Jur)-, and are of the clear annual \alue beyond HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. expenses of twenty pounds. And that the said Manor of Fiffett Nevell and the said divers lands and tenements in Fiffett Nevell aforesaid, are held of the lord or lords of the Manor of Pimperne as of their Manor of Pimperne for the twentieth part of a Knight's fee, and are of the clear annual value in all their issues beyond expenses of one hundred shillings. And that the said Manor of East Chelborough with its appurtenances is held of our Lord the King for the fourth part of a Knight's fee, and is of the clear annual value in all its issues beyond expenses of seventeen pounds, eighteen shillings and sixpence. And that the said lands and tenements in Antioxe aforesaid are held of the Bishop of Sarum, but by what services the Jury do not know at all, and are of the clear annual value in all their issues beyond expenses of three pounds. And that the said lands and tenements in Hindes are held of our Lord the King, as of the late monastery of Abbthesbury, but by what service the said Jury do not know at all, and are of the clear yearly value in all their issues beyond expenses of four pounds. And that the said lands and tenements in Marshe aforesaid are held from some person or persons unknown to the said Jury, and are of the clear annual value in all their issues beyond expenses of nine shillings and eight pence. And that the said Manor of Houghton with its appurtenances and the said moiety of the said lands with its appurtenances in Houghton otherwise Winterborne Houghton, are held of the Lord or Lords of the Manor of Pimperne, as of his Manor of Pimperne, but by what service the said Jury do not know, and are of the clear annual value in all their issues be)'ond expenses of forty-six shillings and eight pence. And that the said virgate of land in Gillingham to which belongs and from time immemorial has belonged a certain bailiwick for the custody of the Forest and Park of Gillingham, called the Forest of the Fee, or the Forest Bailiwick of the Fee within the Forest and Park aforesaid, are held from our Lord the King, by the service of keeping the Forest and Park of Gillingham aforesaid, and is of the clear annual value in all its issues beyond expenses of forty shillings. And that the said Manor of Stourton, and the advowson of the parish church of Stourton aforesaid to the said Manor belonging, and the said tenement called Colecatt within the Manor of Stowrton aforesaid, are held of our lord the King in chief, and are of the clear annual value in all their issues be3'ond expenses of forty two pounds, ten shillings and five pence halfpenny. And that the said Manor of Penley with its appurtenances is held from some person or persons unknown to the said Jury, and is of the clear annual value in all its issues beyond expenses of ten pounds. And that the said lands and tenements in Stowford and Newton aforesaid are held of TRANSLATION OF THE INQUISITION. 491 Philip, Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, as of his Manor of South Newton, parcel of the possessions of Newton, by fealty and a rent of three shilling's only, and are of the clear annual value in all their issues beyond expenses of twenty five shillings. And that the said lands and tenements, with their appurtenances in Wilton, Old Sarum and Wyly aforesaid are held from some person or persons unknown to the said Jury, and are of the clear annual value in all their issues beyond expenses of four pounds. And that the aforesaid hundreds of West Parratt and Wyleyton, Andresfield and Fremanners, and all courts, towns, leets and views of Frankpledge with all and singular their appurtenances aforesaid, are held of our Lord the King in chief, and are of the clear annual value in all their issues beyond expenses of forty shillings. And that the said Manor of Kingston by Yevell with its appurtenances is held of our said lord the King in chief for the twentieth part of a Knight's fee, and is worth in all its issues beyond expenses forty pounds a year. And that the manor of Little Marston, and the said messuage, lands, tenements and hereditaments in Little Marston aforesaid, are held of our said Lord the King, but by what services the Jury do not know and are of the clear annual value in all their issues beyond expenses of eighteen pounds. And that the said messuage, lands and other premises in Froome aforesaid are held of Leverseage, Esquire, as of his manor of Froome, but by what services the said Jury do not know at all, and are worth in all their issues beyond expenses five pounds, sixteen shillings and two-pence. And the said Jury further say upon their oath, that the said Edward, late Lord Stowrton, in the said writ named, died on the seventh day of May last past befoi'e ihe taking of this Liqaisition, at Stowrton Candle* aforesaid in the said County of Dorset ; and that the said Edward, late Lord Stowrton, at the time of his death, neiiber hrd nor held any other or further lordships, manO''s, lands or tenemenis, in possession, reversion, remainder or use, to the knowledge of the said Jury. And that the aforesaid William, now Lord Stowrion, is his elde.U son and next heir, and is of the age of thirty- nine years or more. In witness whereof, &c., &c. Lord Stourton was succeeded by his eldest son, Sir William Stourton, K.B., eleventh Lord Stourton. * All other authorities seem to state tliat Lord Stoiirtun died at his house in Clerkcnwcll. 492 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. The Right Honourable William, eleventh Baron, and Lord Stourton of Stourton, Co. Wilts., in the Peerage of England, Knight of the Most Honour- able Order of the Bath, was the eldest son and heir of Edward, tenth Lord Stourton, by his wife Frances, daughter of Sir Thomas Tresham, Knight, of Rushton, Co. Northampton. In the Inquisition taken September the 26th, 1633, after the death of Edward, Lord Stourton, William his eldest son and next heir was found to be of the age of 39 years or more (see page 491), and must consequently have been born about the year 1594. Though the baptismal registers of the parish church of Stourton commence in the year 1572, they contain no entry of his baptism, nor of that of his next brother Thomas. Francis, the third son was, however, baptised there (see page 456) on January the 12th, 1599. Lord Stourton married "about 1616 ''* Frances Moore, daughter of Sir Edward Moore, Knight, of Odiham, Co. Hants., and of Worth, Co. Sussex, Lord of the Manor of Godalming, Surrey, by his wife Frances (nee Brooke) daughter of William, loth Lord Cobham, and widow of John, 9th Lord StoLirtoii {ride page 448). Sir Edward Moore, by his will, bequeathed to his son-in-law, Lord Stourton, the Manor of Hurtmore in Surrey, which the Testator had This is the date given in the "Complete Peerage." The indenture dated June the 15th, 1615 (see page 480) and recited in the Inquisition taicen after the death of Edward, Lord Stourton, was donhtless the ante-nuptial deed of settlement, Frances, wife uf William, nth Lord Stourton, is therein referred to throughout by her maiden name of Frances Moore. The Anns of Stourton inipaling those of Moore^ namely " sable, a swan ari^ent, within a bordare engmiled or." LORD STOURTON MADE A KXIGHT OF THE BATH. 493 purchased from the Crown June the 13th, in the 13th year of James I. The manor was formerly part of the possessions of the late Priory of New Place, otherwise Newark, near Guildford, held by the twentieth part of one knight's fee, and 9s. ■jd. rent yearh'. William, Lord Stourton was made a Knight of the Order of the Bath at the Creation of Prince Charles, Duke of York, afterwards the unfortunate King Charles I., as Prince of Wales, November 3rd, 1616. Lord Stourton as son and heir of Edward, Lord Stourton, had license to enter on lands in the county of Somerset, on the 30th of October, 1634. On February the i6th, 1638-9, Lord Stourton wrote to Mr. Secretary Windelbaiik that in obedience to his Majesty's letter, he tendered the services of his person and fortune to the utmost extent thereof ; but Lord Stourton stated in this letter that his father had left him but a weak estate, having made over near the moiety thereof unto his three brothers in lease for their lives, there remaining unto himself not per annum, " communibus annis" ; that he was much in debt and had five children, two of them daughters near ready for marriage, besides suits-at-law, and all this he averred to be true. He would, notwithstanding- this, present to his Majesty £500, three of them presently, and crave pardon for two more until midsummer term ; this much he entreated to be made known to his Majesty. In the iith of Charles L, Lord Stourton and Richard Perne sued Thomas, Lord Bruce, Earl of Elgin and others, concerning the office of fee forestship or forester of the fee of the then late disafforested forest of Gillingham, and touching allotments made by the Commissioners upon the disafforestation of Gillingham*. It does not seem that Lord Stourton was ever convicted as a Royalist, or himself took any very prominent part in the differences between King Charles and the Parliament. It appears in the proceedings that on ist December, 1646, when Lord Stourton petitioned to compound on the Oxford Articles for delinquency in leaving his usual places of habitation and going to Oxford and other places in the King's quarters, he expressly stated that he never bore arms or otherwise assisted His Majesty. On the contrary his son Edward, had died in the King's garrison at Bristol in 1644, in Lord Stourton's lifetime. Lord Stourton is described as "of Stourton, Papist," when in 1648 his Manor of Stourton and rents in Penley, &c., then lately valued at ^'200, were stated to have been sequestered in March, 1646, and two-thirds of which were formerly let at ^"100 and then at ^"130. There appears to have been a rent charge of jC^oo yearly on the Manor of Stourton, Co. Wilts, and ^'300 yearly on the Manor of Little Marston, Co. Somerset, which Sir Thomas Longville, of * £.\cbq. Dcpoiis. by Comm. 494 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON, Bradwcll, Co. Bucks., successfully claimed in right of his wife, as issuing' out of those Manors, the property of Lord Stourton. The respective sequestration Committees for Wilts, and Somerset had under an order of the 7th of August, 1651, divided Lord Stourton's estates in those counties into three parts, and laid out the demesnes of Stourton and Little Marston, and had left Sir Thomas Longville to his remedy at law to recover his rent charges against Lord Stourton's one-third of those Manors. But Sir Thomas Longville claimed that Lord Stourton had been allowed £200 as an incumbrance in his composition for Stourton Manor and had omitted £0 compound for Little Marston as belonging to his {i.e. Sir Thomas Longville's) wife, and he prayed that as Lord Stourton had already paid ^6,000 for the deed long before his delinquency, that he (Sir Thomas) might have the benefit. Sir Thomas Longville petitioned a second time for the recovery of the ;^5oo rent charges, praying on this occasion that as Lord Stourton's income did not amount to ;^8oo a year, his estates in any county whatsoever mig-ht be divided into three parts for the better enabling Sir Thomas Longville to receive the ^500 a year, and although the previous order was confirmed, Sir Thomas was eventuall}- allowed both rent charges in full, with arrears from 20th September, 1650, on paying his proportion of the taxes on the arrears and for the future. Walter Barnes, of Shaston, was allowed to keep the courts of Lord Stourton's lands. He also became yearly tenant (probably for Lord Stourton's benefit) of two-thirds of Lord Stourton's estates in the counties of Wilts., Dorset and Somerset, and with William Hussey*, purchased the lease of Monckton Farleigh Manor, Wilts., from Lord Stourton and his wife. Of this two-thirds only had been sequestered, and oniSthMay, 1649, Messrs. Barnes and Hussey had petitioned to be allowed to compound for it. Amongst the Exchequer bills of the reign of Charles L for Wiltshire, the following (No. 1 10) is one to which Lord Stourton was a defendant. The Bill, dated Easter 17 Car. L (1641), by " Richard Uridge, Clerk, parson of Mouncton Farley," Co. Wilts, was wdth regard to rights claimed by William, Lord Stourton, Thomas Stourton and William Hussey, Esq., (defendts., with William King) to present to the church of Mouncton Farley, the advowson belonging to the manor of Mouncton Farley, which they claimed to hold for the residue of a lease. The wife of Thomas Stourton is also made a defendant, but her name is left blank. As one instance of the injustice which Lord Stourton had to suffer, for being a Catholic he could at that time expect neither justice nor commiseration, the following, doubtless but one of many such instances, may be mentioned. It appears that although the Committee had a surplus belonging to Lord Stourton Proba-biy Lord SEuurtoii's steward.. STOURTON HOUSE GARRISONED FOR THE KING. 495 amounting to ^^2,563 2s. 6d., over and above the sum they were legally entitled to claim, which money was fully acknowledged to have been received; the Commissioners merely asserted that they had no treasury from which to repay the same. Consequently Lord Stourton had no alternative but to suffer the loss of it, and in his case this was the more distressing, as some few years previously, as will be seen by his letter hereafter, Lord Stourton had informed the authorities that all his estate was sequestered, and that his wife, his children, and his grandchildren had no beds to lie upon. .Stourton House was a garrison for the King during the Civil Wars, and the inmates were summoned to surrender by Ludlow the regicide, who had marched there one night in September, 1644. This was, of course, during the lifetime of Edward Stourton, the eldest son. Ludlow's summons not being obeyed, he called on' his men to force an entrance therein, which they did by piling faggots against one of the gates and lighting them, with the consequence that the gate was soon burnt down in obedience to Ludlow's commands. During the attack on the gate of Stourton House, the inmates took the necessary precaution of making their escape, the tradition being that they did so by way of Stourton Park. The General finally entered, ravaged the building, rendered it uninhabitable, and then passed on with his men to Witham in Somersetshire to proceed with his iniquitous work of confiscation and destruction. Writing from O.xford on March 24, 1645-6, to Lord Grey of Warke, Lord Stourton said that fearing his former letters had miscarried, he renewed his suit that Lord Grey would procure a pass for him to come to London to compound, if the Lords so pleased, or to go into Wiltshire to any tenant's house to reside and compound there. Lord Stourton writes in his letter, " For all my estate is sequestered, and my wife, children, and grandchildren have not beds to lie on. I pray you to present my sad condition to the Lords." On the same date he wrote a very similar letter to the Earl of Pembroke ; and on May 5, 1646, he, with other persons of note, sent for passes to go out, but the General denied them all, except for treaty or parley. They applied not only on behalf of themselves, but for all Catholics residing in Oxford at its surrender to the Committee for breach of Articles, stating in their petition that they, conceiving themselves to be within the nth Article, had previously applied to the Commissioners, then at Goldsmith Hall, for leave to compound, which the Com- missioners had refused, inasmuch as the House of Commons had given them no direction to compound with recusants. The Petitioners stated further that they had since then represented their condition themselves to the House of Commons, but as yet without success, and that under the late order to imprison all persons who had been in any of the King's garrisons, and had not prosecuted their compositions with effect, and also the late ordnance commanding all such persons to depart the Lines of Communication belore the iSth of December, they were likely to be imprisoned 496 IIISTOUV OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. and to suffer other inconveniences. They therefore prayed that some speedy course might be taken for their admission to compound and for protection in the meantime. On the 5th of July, 1648, FVances, Lady Stourton, appHed for a pass for her husband, herself, her children, and servants, with their coach, horses, and other necessaries, to go to Stourton, in Wiltshire, there to remain free from trouble and intrusion, they demeaning themselves quietly to the Parliament. Lord Stourton was one of the sureties for his brother, the Honourable Thomas Stourton, in 1658, both being then described as of Duke Street, Covent Garden, " After the Restoration, on the 9th of July, 1661, Lord Stourton petitioned the House of Lords, and in his petition he recited that in 1655 he exhibited a Bill in Chancery against William, Lord Petre, concerning the payment of /3000, the residue of ^6000, payable before the late Wars for the marriage portion of Mary, eldest daughter of Robert, Lord Petre, father of William, Lord Petre, the defendant, to Edward Stourton, son and heir of the Petitioner. This case had been three times brought to a hearing, and on the last occasion Lord Petre, having no other refuge, had claimed privilege of peerage as appeared by an Order of the Court annexed to the petition ; therefore Lord Stourton prayed that the House of Lords would, as the cause had continued so long and was between Peer and Peer, either hear the case or order Lord Petre to waive his privilege. In August, 1660, John Thornbury petitioned the King for the confirmation of the grant and presentment of Lord Stourton and Humphrey Weld of the Rectory of Owre Moigne, Dorset, inasmuch as though the petitioner had been legally inducted he was molested by an intruder. It appears from a true Bill found in 1 1 Charles I., that on the 6th March, 10 Charles I., Thomas Needle, carpenter, William Clarke, brickmaker, and William Perice, carpenter, all three late of Clerkenwell, " stole and carried off a leaden cisterne worth ten shillings of the goods and chattels of the most noble William, the Lord Sturton." William Perice being then at large, the other two, pleading guilty, were branded.! Trances, Lady Stourton, died January the 5th, 1662, and was buried in Dorking Church, Surrey. In the floor of the Chancel is a black stone slab. It bears in a plain shield, surmounted by a Baron's coronet, the arms of Stourton and Moore impaled. Below this is the following inscription^, to the memory of Lady Stourton : — " Here lyeth interred the body of Frances, Lady Stowrton, wife vnto William, Lord Stowrton Shee departed this life on the 5th day of Janvary, an" d'" 1662 at Darking. O. P. A." * Middlesex Session Rolls : refer to pajje 455 herein. f Gaol Delivery Rolls— Middleso:— u Charles L I The whole ol the inscripiion is in capital letters. CHILDREN OF WILLIAM, ELEVENTH LORD STOURTON. 497 By Frances (Moore) his wife, William, nth Lord Stourton, had issue four sons and two daughters, namely : — I. Edward Stourton, eldest son and heir, who was aged 5 years in 1622. He was a strong and devoted adherent of King Charles I. On the 6th of July, 1 64 1, he and others, as lay Catholic recusants, petitioned the House of Lords for the redress of grievances under which they were then suffering.* By way of settlement upon him his Father had conveyed all his landed estates in Dorset, Wilts, and Somerset, subject to a life interest which he reserved for himself He died during the lifetime of his Father in the garrison of Bristol, in January 1644. He had married Mary (Petre), eldest daughter of Robert, 3rd Lord Petre, by his wife Mary, daughter of Anthony (Browne), 2nd Viscount Montagu, by Jane, daughter of Thomas (Sackville), Earl of Dorset. Robert, 3rd Lord Petre, was the grandfather of Robert, 7lh Lord Petre, whose widow eventually married Charles, 15th Lord Stourton, Mary, wife of Edward Stourton, was buried at Stourton in the Parish Church, September the 27th, 1672. The entry in the registers describes her as " Mrs. Mary Stourton." Edward Stourton, by Mary (Petre) his wife had issue — 1. The Right Honourable William Stourton (who succeeded his grand- father as) I 2th Lord Stourton, of whom hereafter. 2. ]\Iary, who died unmarried in Paris. f H. John Stourton, who died unmarried in his Father's lifetime. 111. William Stourton, who married Margaret, daughter of George Morgan of Penrith, Cumberland. The 168S illuminated pedigree describes her as " dau. of Thomas Morgan of Penros, Monmo'\" The Morgan arms therein emblazoned are, " Or, a gryphon segreant sable." It is not known that there was any issue of this marriage. William Stourton died during his * Historical MSS., report iv.. p. 84. t Illuminated Pedigree (16SS) now in the possession of Lord Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton. T/i^ Anns of Stflurloii impaling tiiose of Peirc^ namely gidcs^ a bend or, between two escallops argenti' 498 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOUKTON. Father's lifetime. His wife died May the 7th, and was buried at Stotirton May the lith, 1665, tlie entry in the Registers merely describing her as " M" . . . Stourton, w. of M'. William Stourton." The slab in Stourton Church containing the inscription to her memory is now hidden by the floor of the seating, but both Aubrey and Hoare give the inscription as follows : — " Hie jacet Domina Margarita Stourton, filia Georgii Morgan, Arm., e.\ antiqua familia Lanthernham et Pentre ; obiit die septimo Mali, Anno Dom. 1665. Carissimee conjugi posuit Gulielmus Stourton, Ar'g'r." IV. Thomas Stourton, a monk in holy orders of the Catholic Church, professed at St. Gregory's, Douai, 164.5 '< ^ Missioner in the .South Province. He died the 5th of [anuary, 16S4, at St. Edmund's, in Paris, where he was buried. The Archives of St. Lawrence's College, Ampleforth, co. York, say that " F. Thomas Stourton was born in the castle of Stourton in Wiltshire, & was professed at St. Gregory's, Douai, on the 2nd of April 1645 during the Priorship of F. John Meutisse. He was a Missioner in the South Province for many years, but for some time before his death he was allowed to travel as tutor to some young noblemen, & had said his Mass at St. Edmund's at Paris two days before his death. He died on the 5th of January 1684 of a de(lu.\ion which fell on his lungs & was buried at St. Edmund's, for which the Church of the parish in which he was buried received 100 llorins, for allowing him to be buried there." V. Mary Stourton, who married in 1649, Sir John Weld, Knight, of Lulworth Castle, in the county of Dorset, and Compton Bassett, in co. Wilts. She died the 15th of May, and was buried at Stourton, the 17th of May, 1650. The description in the entry of the burial in the Stourton parish registers, May the 17th, 1650, is as follows : — " Marie w. of Sir John Wild & d. of the right Honourable William Lord Stourton." There is an inscription now remaining in Stourton church to her memory as follows : — " Here lyes interred the body of Mary, Lady Weld, wife of Sir John Weld, Knight, the eldest daughter of William Lord Stourton, who died the 15th day of May 1650." But the registers at Lulworth state that the body of Mary, Lady W'eld, wife of Sir John Weld, was brought from Stourton, co. Wilts, and interred in the vault at Lulworth, May the 12th, 1676, the inscription on her coffin- plate being " Mary, wife of John Weld, deceased anno 1650." Sir John Weld died the 11th of July, 1674, as stated on his coffin-plate, and was buried at Compton Bassett, in co. Wilts, the registers at Lulworth stating that the body of Sir John Weld was brought from Compton Bassett and interred in the vault at Lulworth May the 9th, 1676. There is an inscription to his HISTORY OF THE KOBLE HOUSE OF STdURTON. Fathers lifetime. His wife died May the 7|;h, and was buried at Si May the i uh, 1665, the entry in the Registers merely describing ■ M'" , . S^. r M;i V. of M'. William Stourton." The slab in Si' 1. ' i .: iscription to her memory is now hidden by the floor vubrey and Hoare giv^ the inscription as follows : — . I viargarita Stourtpn, filiii Georgii Morgan, Arm., ex Lanthernham et Pentre ; obiitljie septimo Maii. Anno Dom. .nx conjugi posuit Gulielmus S^urton, Ar'g'i I monk in holy orders of tl- ' 'Ic Chuicii. [;h>i. ,» ■ ' uai, 1645 ; a Missioner in ii Province. ' He died 1 January, ij584, at St. Edmund's, ir> Paris, where he was buried. I ill- . hives of St. Lawrence's C< ' ' > . co. York, say that '■ 1'. Thomas Stourton was born in i . arton in Wiltshire, & was professed at St. Gregory s, Douai, on thif 2nd of April 1645 during the Priorship of F. John Meutisse. He wa;* a Missioner in the South Province for many years, but for sdme time before his death he was allowed to travel as tutor to some young- noblemen & had said his Mass at St. Edmund's at Paris two days before his death. He died on the 5th of January 1684 of a.defiuxion which fell on ^is lungs & was buried at St. FLdmund's. for which the Church of the parish in which ho was buried received ipo florins, for allowing him to be buried there." .Mary Stourton, who married in 1649, Sir ' f^ld. Knight, ol lui,\mi..! Castle, in the county of Dorset, and Cc ^ . issett, in co. Wilts. She died the 15th of May, and was buried at Stourton, the 17th of May, 1650. The description in the entry of the burial in the Stourton parish registers, ^ ' the 1 7th, 1650, is as follows :— " Marie w. of Sir John Wild & d. of the Honourable William Lord Stourton." Tiere is an inscription now remaining in Stourton church to her memory as follows : — " Here lyes interred Lady Weld, wife of Sir Johil Weld, Knight, the eldest :^ T,ord Stourton, who died the 15th day of May 1650." ulworth state that the body of Mar>', Lady Weld, was brought from Stourton, co. W'ilts, and mterred ,:i il; ^i, May the i2th, 1676, the inscription on hi-r coffin- plate e of John Weld, deceased anno 1650. ' Sir John Weld died v 1 July, 1674, as stated or his coffi' id was buriedatC .. tt, in co. Wilts, tb -s at Luhv. ., .; mg that the body > ^\ eld was brought - .^jton Basse! • interred in the vault at Lulworth May the 9th, 1676. Thsre is an DEATH OF WILLIAM, LORD STOURTON. 499 memory on a marble tablet in Lulworth Church, as follows : — " Here lieth buried the body of Sir John Wild alias Weld, who died the i ith day of July, 1674," &c., and stating that he married the daughter of William, Lord Stourton, of Stourton. Within the grounds of Lulworth was founded an Asylum for the Monks of La Trappe, when those austere brothers were driven from France by the Revolution. A lineal descendant of Sir John and Mary, Lady Weld, viz. Catherine Weld, who was born at Lulworth, the iSth of December, 1778, was married there the 1st of October, iSoo, to the Honourable William Stourton, of Stapleton Park,* co. York, who afterwards succeeded as i8th Lord Stourton. VL Frances Stourton, a nun at Cambray, who died the 4th of August, and was buried at Stourton, the 5th of August. 1646. She is described in the Stourton Parish Registers in the entry of her burial, August the 5th, 1646, as " M" Francis d. of the right Honourable William, Lord Stourton." There is an inscription, t as given hereunder, to her memory in Stourton Church, but for some reason this is upon the same stone as, and bcLiw, the inscription to the memory of Winifred, Lady Stourton, who died more than a century (1753) later: "Here lyes Francis Stourton, daughter of William Lord Stourton. obiit 4th Aug. 1646." William, i ith Lord Stourton, died April the 25th, 1672, and was buried at Stourton the 7th of May following. He is described in the entry of his burial in the Parish Registers as "The R'. ho"*'" Lord Will. Stourton." Upon the same large slab, which bears the inscriptions to the memories of his uncle, John, 9th Lord Stourton, his father, Edward, loth Lord Stourton, and his grandson, William, 12th Lord Stourton, is the inscription to himself which is as follows : " Item, hie Jacet sepultus dominus Gulielmus Stourton Baro' de Stourton, filius prsedicti Edwardi, miles balnei qui obiit vigesimo quinto Aprilis, anno Caroli Secundi Regis Anglire vigesimo quarto, annoque Domini Dei 1672." The original will of William, iith Lord Stourton, is still preserved at Somerset House, J and is as follows : — " In the Name of God Amen. I S' William Stourton of the honorable Order of the Bath Knight Lord Stourton of Stourton in the Countie of Wilts being nowe in good health and of sound and perfect memorie, Thankes be to God, but considering * There is a very good view of Stapleton Park, drawn by J. P. Neale and engraved by T. Barber, j^iven in Vulume v. of Neale's ''Views of -Seats." This is identical with "Stourton Place," mentioned as the husband's address in the Lulworth Registers in October, iSoo. See aUo entry from the Holme Hall Chapel Reiiislers in 17S4. t See note \n ''Tne lu'd) Stourton. Signed sealed and published in the p'nce of \\'alter Barnes. Richard Kellyford. Thomas Lamb. John Stourton. Matthew Stourton. J. Warham. Probatum fuit Testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram venerabili et egregio viro domino Leolino Jenkins milite legum doctore Curi^ praerogativa; Cantuariensis magistro custode sive commissario legitime constituto vicesimo octavo die mensis Junii Anno domini millesimo sexcentesimo septuagesimo secundo juramento Gulielmi Stourton armigeri unius Executorum in hujusniodi Testamento nominat' cui commissa luit Administratio omnium et singulorum bonorum jurium et creditorum dicti defuncti de bene et fideliter administrando eadem ad sancta dei Evangelia vigore Commissionis jurat'. Reservata potestate similem Commissionem faciendi Georgio Hussey alteri executori in eodem Testamento nominato, cum venerit eandem petitur' (Gulielmo Knype altero Executore demortuo) de bene et fideliter administrando eadem ad sancta dei E\-angelia vigore Commissionis jurat'." 502 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. The following is a facsimile of the signature of William, L.ord Stourton, repro- duced from a photograph taken from the foregoing will : — n This is the first signature amongst those of the Lords Stourton which is found showing only the titular designation of the peerage without any Christian name bemg prefixed thereto. From the will depends a large wax impression of an armorial seal, of which an illustration will be here found. The seal itself which is of good design, does not appear to have been deeply cut, and consequently after this lapse of time the wax impression (and consequently the illustration thereof) are not by any means as distinct as could be wished. There are no supporters and no coronet upon the seal— but no coronet for the rank of Baron existed until such had been assigned by a warrant of Charles II. subsequent to the Restoration. The helmet upon the seal is in profile, and the seal shows in addition both crest and lambrequin. The crest, as shown in this case, should be noticed, inasmuch as it is one of the earliest representations now existing, and dis- tinctly depicts the sinister hand of the demi-monk merely folded upon the breast. In other representations of various dates, a book, or a cross, or occasionally a church, has been placed in the hand. But the form as upon the seal, in which the hand is represented empty, is believed to be both the oldest and the most correct, and is now always adopted. Another point of variation has been in the number of the lashes attached to the scourge ; but unfortunately the impression is not now sufficiently perfect to decipher the number in this instance. The shield contains twelve quarterings in three rows of four. Of course, no tinctures are indicated upon the seal, and some of the quarter- ings are practically illegible, but a full description of what is believed to be 3 correct description is here given, as it affords the opportunity of noticing the arms and quarterings of the Lords Stourton at that date. Those parts inserted here in capital letters it is possible to decipher with certainty from the impression of the seal. ARjrs. — Quarterly of twelve. 1. Sable, A bend or, between sl\ fountains proper. [The arms of Stourton.] 2. Chequy. [No such quartering is known for the Stourton family at this period ; but perhaps this is intended for the arms of Vernon, viz., " Argent, fretty sable," for the marriage of Sir William Stourton (see p. 57) with Joan or Jane (the 1688 pedigree says Margaret), daughter of Sir Richard Vernon, knight ; but she is never described as an THE SEAL ATTACHED TO THE WILL OF WILLIAM. IITH LORD STOURTON-Ste Page 502 ARMS ON LORD STOURTOn's SEAL. heiress, and the first quartering of the Stoiirton family is invariably quoted as Le Moigne, which follows next.] 3. Argent, two bars, and in chief three mullets sable [The arms of Le Moigne, brought in through the marriage (see page 103) of Sir William Stourton with Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Sir John jMoyne, of Maddington and elsewhere. This is the usually accepted coat of this family, but it is curious to notice that the 1688 illuminated pedigree gives throughout "or, a cross engrailed sable" in place thereof] 4. (?) Barrv. [This coat is most difficult to decipher, but it probably is " barry of si.x or and vert," which, described as " Le Moigne ancient," IS given as the third quartering in the scheme of 304 quarterings depicted in the beautifully emblazoned pedigree (now in the possession of Lord Mowbray, Segrave and Stourton) which was painted in the year 1879 by Thomas Close.] 5. Argent, on a bend sable three calves of the field. [The arms of Veele, brought in through the marriage"" of Sir Henry Moigne with Johanna, dau. and sole heir of Sir Peter Veele.] 6. Argent, ten billets, four, three, two and one sable. [The arms of Belvale, brought in through the marriage* of Sir John Moigne with Johanna, daughter (and presumably heir) of John Belvale.] 7. Quarterly or and gules, an escarbuncle sable. [The arms of Mandeville (according to the 1879 pedigree) ; -.'itA- page 152.] 8. Gules, AN inescutcheon within an orle of eight martlets argent. [The arms of Chidiock, brought in through the marriage (see page 228) of William, second Lord Stourton, with Margaret, elder daughter and co-heir of Sir John Chidiock.] 9. Quarterly per fesse indented ermine and gules. [The arms of Fitz Warine, brought in through the marriage {v2(/e 1879 emblazoned pedigree) of Sir John Chidiock with Eleanor, daughter and sole heir of Ivo de Fitz Warine.] 10. Gules, three covered cups argent. [The arms of Argentine brought in through the marriage (vide 1S79 emblazoned pedigree) of ivo de Fitz Wjirine with Maud, daughter and co-heir of Sir John Argentine.] 1 1 . Azure SIX martlets or, a canton ermine. [The arms of Fitz Tek, brought in by the marriage {vtWe 1879 emblazoned pedigree) of John de Argen- tine with Ellen, daughter and co-heir of Guy Fitz Tek.] * i'iiif 168S emblazoned pedigree. 504 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. 12. ... a BORDURE [?]. Helmet and mantling. Crest on a wreath of the colours, a demi-monk proper, habited in russet, his girdle or, and wielding in his dexter hand a scourge also or, thereon five knotted lashes. [Another crest of the Stourton family would appear to have formerly been an antelope's head (see page 1 74). The demi-monk is derived from the Le iNloigne family.] Edward, son and heir-apparent of Lord Stourton, having died in the lifetime of his father, William, only son and heir of Edward Stourton and grandson and heir of William, eleventh Lord Stourton, consequently succeeded as twelfth Lord Stourton upon the death of his grandfather, April the 25th, 1672. BIRTH AND MARRIAGE OF WILLIAM, TWELFTH LORD STOURTON. 505 The Right Honourable William, twelfth Baron, and Lord Stourton of Stourton, Co. Wilts, in the I^eerage of England, was the only son and heir of Edward Stourton, Esquire, by his wife Mary (Petre), eldest daughter of Robert, third Lord Petre : and was grandson and heir of William, eleventh Lord Stourton, K.B., the said Edward Stourton, who had died in his father's lifetime, having been the eldest son of the eleventh Lord Stourton by his wife Frances, daughter of Sir Edward Moore, Knight, of Odiham, Co. Hants. William, twelfth Lord Stourton, was probably born about the years 1644 or 1645. He is said to have been forty years of age at his death in 1685, and, more- over, his father died January, 1644. Lord Stourton married, before the year 1665, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John The A nils of ^iotirton viipalntg those of Pi'eston^ najne/y, " argent^ tiuo bars i^ltles, on a canton of the last, a cinqnefoil or.'^ Preston, Knight and Baronet, of Furness, Co. Lancaster, by Jane, daughter and heir of Thomas Morgan of Heyford, Co. Northampton. Sir John Preston was Lord of the Manor of the Abbey of Furness, in the Co. Palatine of Lancaster, and of Preston Patrick and Under Levins Hall, in Westmoreland. He was created a Baronet by King Charles in 1644, '^"d he raised at his own expense a regiment for the service of his Majesty, at the head of which he fell in 1645. At the death of his grandfather, in 1672, when he succeeded to the Peerage, Lord Stourton, at the same time, succeeded to the following estates : The manors and lands of Stourton, Pcnley, and Newton, with the advowson of Stourton ; lands, hereditaments and premises in Sarum, Old Sarum, Wilton, and Stoford, Co. Wilts ; 5o6 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. the castle, manor, and lands of Stourton-Caundle, Marsh Antioch, Over Moigne, Galton, East Chelborough, Lidlinch, Ramsbury, Blackerew, Heydon Holbrook, Hyde in Wareham, Shaston, Buckhorn Weston, Fifehead Neville, Winterbourne Houghton, Sturminster Marshall, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, O'Borne, Thornford, and Castletown ; and to the advovvsons of Over Moigne, East Chelborough, Lucomb, Winterbourne Houghton, Buckhorn Weston, and Lidlinch, Co. Dorset ; and to the manors of Kingston juxta Yeovil, Little Marston, and Frome Selwood, Co. Somerset ; and to the free chapel of Kingston juxta Yeovil, besides other property. From a letter written by H Saville from Paris on the 8th of November, 1679, to H. F. Thynne, it appears that Lord Stourton went from Paris for England on Monday then last.* Lord Stourton was a Papist recusant, and was one of the Catholic peers excluded from the House of Lords under the Act passed in 1678, which Act remained a foul blot upon the Statute Books until the passing of the Catholic Emancipation Act in the reign of George IV. On the 25th of January, 1678-9, and the 15th of P'ebruary, 1684-5, writs of summons were issued to " William Stourton, de Stourton chavalier," but, being a recusant, he could not sit in Parliament. He was the first of his house to be deprived of his privilege as a Peer, and his monument at Stourton records this ; " primus exclusorum suEe domus Baronum in Parliamentariis apud Magnates sessionibus et suffragiis propter non ejujare fidem avorum sanctam." Consequently, William, 12th Lord Stourton; ILdward, 13th Lord Stourton; Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton; Charles, 15th Lord Stourton; William, i6th Lord Stourton; and Charles Philip, 17th Lord Stourton, were all prevented from taking their seats in Parliament; and it was not until May the ist, 1829, when William, iSth Lord Stourton, took his seat, that a Lord Stourton again sat and voted in the House of Lords. On the 26th of May, 1677, the House of Lords, on account of Lord Stourton's privilege as a Peer, issued an order to attach Edmond Reddish for having arrested Charles Barnes,f a servant of Lord Stourton ; and there is a memorandum, signed by John Hellier and John Rowe, that, upon their showing to Edmond Reddish Lord Stourton's certificate for the release of Charles Barnes, his menial servant, Edmond Reddish said he valued not the House of Peers nor their protections. J By Elizabeth his wife, daughter of Sir John Preston, Knight and Baronet, of Furness, Co. Lancaster, William, 12th Lord Stourton, had issue: * Historical MSS. + Members of the Barnes family had continued in the service of the Lords Stourton from at least ihe time of the sixth Lord. 1 Historical MSS. ISSUE OF WILLIAM, TWELFTH LORD STOURTOX. 507 The Right Honourable Edward, i3di Lord Stourton, of whom later. Thomas Stourton, second son by birth, who died in infancy. Neither his baptism nor burial appear in the Stourton parish registers, but the entries therein of the baptism of his brothers Edward, Thomas, and Charles have all been interlined in another handwriting. It is, therefore, not an unlikely conjecture that the actual ceremonies of baptism took place elsewhere (perhaps in the private Catholic chapel at Bonham, or privately in Stourton House, though it should be borne in mind that Lord Stourton bad not then succeeded to Stourton House, and may have been living elsewhere), and that the entries in the register were added at a later date when the existence of this Thomas had been forgotten. He duly appears, how- ever, in the 1688 pedigree, and is also mentioned in the "Complete Peerage." . The Right Honourable Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton, of whom here- after. William Stourton, fourth son by birth, who died in infancv. H e IS not mentioned in the Stourton parish registers, doubtless owing'to the reasons Stated under his brother Thomas, the second son. The Honourable Charles Stourton, by birth t^fth, but third surviving son. He was baptized at Stourton, November the 4th, 1669, being described in the entry under that date in the parish registers as " Charles s. of William Lord Stourton and Elizabeth." The entry in the registers is interlined in another handwriting. He married, in November, 1699, Catherine, eldest daughter and co-heir of Richard Frampton, Esquire, of Bitson, Co. Dorset The Arms of Stourlon and in firetcnce those of Frampion, namely, "Argent, a denii gules, cotised sable.'' (who was born in 1630), by Jane his wife (who died in 17,,), daughter of Sir Lrancis Cottington, of Fonthill, Co. Wilts. John Cottington, in his will of the i6th of October, i 724, proved the 3rd of Februarv, i 725, mentions his 5o8 HISTORY OF THE NOIILE HOUSE OF STOURTON. cousin, who had a daughter Mary Langdale. The arms of Frampton as above, which are, "Argent, a bend gules, cotised sable," of course, devolved as a quartering upon the descendants of Charles and Catherine Stourton, together with the other quarterings brought in through this marriage \_vidc 1879 pedigree], namely, (i) quarterly gules and errtiine, in the first and fourth quarters a goat's head erased argent [being the arms of Moreton] ; (2) sable, a chevron or, between three stag's heads caboshed argent [being the arms of Broughton] ; (3) azure, on a fesse argent, between three roses or, as many bugle-horns stringed sable [being the arms of Cottington]. Charles Stourton had a life interest in the estate at Buckhorn Weston, &c., and also had an annuity of £20 in right of his wife, granted by her uncle, William Frampton, Esquire.* Fie was in remainder to himself and his heirs male after the death of his brother Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton, without male issue (which was eventually the case), to the manor of Bonham. He was a Captain of the Guards temp. James IF, and died at Liege.t on the 1 8th of September, 1739, and was buried there in the Church of the English Convent with his wife, who had predeceased him in 1736. By his .said wife Catherine (Frampton), the Hon. Charles Stourton had issue : 1. The Right Honourable Charles, 15th Lord Stourton, of whom later. 2. William Stourton, who was born in 1703, and died in infancy. 3. The Right Honourable William, who succeeded his brother Charles, 15th Lord Stourton, as i 6th Lord Stourton, and of whom later. 4. Richard Stourton, who died in infancy. 5. Thomas Stourton, who died in infancy. 6. Thomas Stourton, was buried at Stourton, 10 September, 1713. In the entry of his burial in the Stourton Parish Registers he is described as " Thomas, s. of the hon'^''" Charles Stourton, Esq., & Catharine his wife." 7. James Stourton, who was baptized at Stourton, 24th September, 1715 (described as "James, s. of the Hon"' Charles Sturton & Catharine"), and who will be found mentioned in the will of his uncle Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton, dated 1738. 8. Mary Stourton, who was born September, 1700. She married, before 1721, Jordan Langdale, Esquire, of Cliffe, in the East * English Catholics, Nonjurors 171 5. ,, j » u j r n f + Liege, which is now included in the kingdom of Belgium, was annexed to Holland at the downlall ol Napoleon, In 1795 had been annexed by France, having formerly belonged to Austria. JAMES STOURTON. Brother of Charles, 15th. and William, 16th Lords Stourton. BAPTISED AT STOURTON, THE 24th OF SEPTEMBER 1715. From a h Cihs //xis,\y (of Marnhuil), n! Ui;l-rookr. ISSUE OF WILLIAM, TWELFTH LORD STOURTON. 509 Riding of Yorkshire. Of this marriage there was issue (i) PhiHp L-angdale, Esq., of Houghton and Cliffe, who married Elizabeth, only daughter and heir of Sir Richard Acton, fifth Bart., but died without issue. He bequeathed his property to the son of his first cousin, namely, to the Hon. Charles Stourton, on condition that he assumed the name and arms of Langdale. Though the Lords I-.angdale and the Langdales of Houghton and Clifle descended from common ancestors, the relationship was remote. The bequest of the estate of Houghton, and the assumption of the name and arms of Langdale, were due to the relationship with the Langdales of Houghton, and not to the descent from the Lords Langdale. (2) Peter Langdale, died without issue. (3) Catherine Langdale, who married William Constable, of Burton Constable, Es(iuire. but died without issue. Mrs. ALtry Langdale will be found mentioned in the will (1738) of her uncle Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton ; and she was also mentioned in the will of John Cottington. She died at York, the 21st of November, 1764. The arms of Langdale are " Sable, a chevron between three estoiles argent." Katherine Stourton, who was born at Stourton, in Xovember, 1706. She will be found mentioned in the will (173S) of her uncle Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton. She was a nun (a Chanoinesse — Edmondson) in the English Convent at Liege, where she died July the 29th, 1777. The Convent of the Holy Sepulchre was founded at Liege in 1642. The nuns were eventually driven from Liege at the time of the French Revolution. Through the hospitality of Charles Philip, 17th Lord Stourton, the community were for some time resident, at a later date, at Holme Hall in Yorkshire. The details relating to that period will be found in the life of the 17th Lord Stourton. Eventually the nuns found a permanent home at New Hall, Chelmsford, where they now remain, and the following details, which are extracted from the records of the Convent, have been supplied by the Prioress of the Convent. " The first Stourton who entered the Convent was .Miss Catherine Stourton daughter of Hon'"' Charles Stourton of Wiltshire & Miss Catherine Framton of Dorsetshire. (The Register almost always states the county to which the parents of the nuns belong.) She took the habit May 3''' 1725, was clothed Oct' 22"'' of the HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. same year, professed Ocf 23"' i 726 aged 20. Her religious name was S" Mary Angela. She was procuratrix from 1746 to 1751, & again from 1752 to 1757. The offices are only held for five years, but after one year the same offices may be held again. What other offices she held we have no means of ascertaining now. She died July 29"' 1777. She was the first of her family to be professed, but not the first to die, for her sister Elizabeth whose religious name was S" Mary Sales died April 7''' 1741. She took the habit on Our Lady's Presentation, Nov"" 21" 1728, was clothed May 3"' 1729 & pro- fessed May 7''' 1730 aged 18." 10. Jane Stourton, who was born the 7th of January, 170S, and who married Anthony Kemp, Esquire, of Slyndon, in the County ot Sussex. She died in the English Convent at Liege, the 2 ist of December, 1769, and was there buried. She had no issue. The arms of Kemp were " Gules three garbs within a bordure engrailed or." 11. Elizabeth Stourton, who was born in May, 171 1. She was a nun (according to Edmondson, she died a Chanoinesse) in the English Convent at Liege, where she died April the 7th, 1741. The details of her brief religious life are quoted under the name of her sister Katherine. She will be found mentioned in the will (1738) of her uncle Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton. 12. Dorothy Stourton, who died in her infancy, and was buried at Stourton, the i ith of July, 1720. In the entry of her burial in the Stourton Parish Registers she is described as " Dorothy, d. of the Hon"' Charles Stourton, Esq., & Catherine his wife." VI. Botolph Stourton, by birth sixth, but fourth surviving son of William, 12th Lord Stourton, who was born February the 2nd, 1672, was unmarried 16SS (see 1688 pedigree), and will be found mentioned as his "brother" in the will of Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton. He died unmarried and without issue, though when or where is unknown. VII. William Stourton, of St. Giles-in-the-Fields, in the county of Middlesex, by birth seventh, but fifth surviving son, who was born February 5th, 1673. His will, which is dated the 3rd of April, 1724, was proved April 13th, 172S. He died without issue. VIII. John Stourton, by birth eighth, but sixth surviving son, who was born the 27th of December, 1673. He was in Holy Orders of the Catholic Church, FATHER JOHN STOURTON, PRIOR OF WINCHESTER.- 511 being professed at St. Gregory's, Douai, July 14th, 1693, and ordained Priest in 1699, became Cellarius in 1704 and was Vicar to the nuns at Cambray from 1705 to 1 71 7. He was Prior of St. Gregory's, and was elected Prasdicator Generalis. He was Prior of St. Edmund's, in Paris, in 1725. He was Cathedral Prior of Bath, 1729; Propositus of Yorkshire, 1733 ; Definitor of the Regimen, 1741 ; and First Definitor of the Regimen, 1745,' in which year he became Cathedral Prior of Winchester. He is stated to have been a Prior of St. Benedict, in Flanders. He will be found mentioned as "brother" in the will of Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton, in 1738. He died, at Antwerp, on the 3rd of October, 1748, of course unmarried and without issue. The Archives of St. Lawrence's College, Ampleforth, give the follow- ing interesting account concerning him : " F. John Stourton, the 8th & youngest* son of William, the iithf Lord Stourton of Stourton in Wilt- shire was professed at St. Gregory's^ on the 14th of July 1O93 during the Priorship of F. William Hitchcock. He was ordained Priest in 1699 & became Cellarius in 1704. He passed from his Convent at the Chapter of 1705 to act as Vicar to the nuns at Cambray with whom he continued until he was elected Prior of St. Gregory's at the Chapter in 171 7, & professed two choir monks during his quadriennium, & was elected a Pra;- dicator Generalis at the end of it. At the Chapter in 1725 he was elected Prior of St. Edmund's where he professed three choir monks : was honoured with the Cathedral Priorship of Bath at the Chapter 1720. Having been employed in active life in the service of the Congregation for a number of years, he passed to the Mission in the North Province & was stationed at W^henby in Yorkshire in 1720 where he continued three years. then passed to Gilling Castle. He was elected the Propositus of York- shire at the Provincial Chapter in 1733, and continued to be re-elected until he vacated the office on leaving the Province. At the General Chapter in 1741 he was elected a Definitor of the Regimen. During the following quadriennium this venerable Father feeling the weight of years & itt infirmities withdrew from Gilling Castle & from the Mission & repaired to reside with the nuns at Antwerp about the year 1743. He personally attended the next General Chapter which was held at St. Gregory's in 1745 at which he was elected ist definitor of the Regimen & received an additional proof of the esteem & regard of his brethren by exchanging + t„' ^lK^'* ^Jl""^" brother Peter, who, however, did not survive his infancy, t In reahi)- the twelfth Lord btour.on. + At Douai in France. -12 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. his Cathedral Priorship for that of Winchester, This Jubilarian was gathered to his Fathers full of years & merit on the 3rd of October i 748 while he was residing with the nuns of Antwerp." IX. Peter Stourton, by birth the ninth son, who died in his infancy.. William, I 2th Lord Stourton, and Elizabeth his wife, though the parents of nine sons, had no daughters born to them. Lord Stourton died on August the 7th, 1685, aged forty years.'" He was buried at Stourton, but there is no entry of the ceremony in the parish registers. On the same large slab which bears the inscriptions to the memories of John, 9th Lord Stourton, Edward, loth Lord Stourton, and William, nth Lord Stourton, is the following inscription to himself : " Item hie jacet sepultus dominus Gulielmus Stourton Baro' de Stourton, filius honorandi Edwardi Stourton, filii natu maximi pr:edicti militis balnei, primusque exclusorum sua; domus Baronum in Parliamentariis apud magnates sessionibus et suffrages, propter non ejurare fidem avorum sanctam, qui obiit septimo die Augusti anno Jacobi Secundi Regis Anglia; primo, annoque Domini Dei 1685." Lord Stourton died intestate, and Letters of Administration to his personal estate were granted March the 3rd, 1685-6. Lady Stourton survived her husband dying in April, i688,t but the place of her burial is unknown. Lord Stourton - - succeeded by his eldest son and heir, Edward, 13th Lord Stourton. was * Vide ' Complete Peerage," vol. vii., p. 236. t nia. MARRIAGE OF EDWARD, THIRTEENTH LORD STOURTOX. The Right Honourable Edward, thirteenth Baron, and Lord Stourton of Stourton, Co. Wihs., in the Peerage of England, was the eldest son of William, twelfth Lord Stourton, by Elizabeth his wife, daughter of Sir John Preston, Knight and Baronet, of P'urness, Co. Lancaster, and succeeded his father, August the 7th, 16S5. Edward, 13th Lord Stourton, was baptized at Stourton on June the 24th, 1665, being described in the Stourton parish registers, in the entry of his baptism, as " Edward s. of William, Lord Stourton, & Elizabeth." The entry is interlined in a different handwriting, and it is possible (refer to remarks on page 507) that the actual ceremony took place elsewhere. As a Papist, Lord Stourton never sat in Parliament. Lord Stourton married, in Paris, Teresa, daughter of Robert (or Thomas — vide " Complete Peerage ") Buckingham, Equerry to King James II., who had followed his Majesty into P" ranee ; but of this marriage there was no issue. He succeeded to the greatly impoverished and encumbered estates of his father. These were but little indeed in comparison with the large property which in previous generations had once formed the inheritance of the Stourton family. The attainder of Charles, 8th Lord Stourton, had been the first break in the prosperity of the Lords Stourton. The severe penalties and restrictions enforced in the sequestration of the estates of William, i ith Lord Stourton, and also of his eldest son, had told heavily upon the estates ; and added to this were the results of the sequestrations of several junior members of the family who had held leases for three lives of a considerable part of the property. There was little or no alternative but to part with the estates, and Lord Stourton commenced to dispose of them soon after his succession. There could have been little inducement to retain them, for, encumbered as they were, the annual income accruing therefrom to Lord Stourton could only have been smail. As a Catholic, moreover, he would, in England, have been subjected to continual annoyance and persecution, and, like so many other Catholic noblemen at that time, he seems to have followed the e.xiled King into France. In 168S the hundreds of \\'est Perrott, Willitcjn, Freemanors, and Andersfield were sold, and this apparently was the first portion of the pro|)erty to be parted with. The details of the dispersal of the greatest part of the family estates at this period form a most melancholy 5H HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. chronicle, culminating in the sale of Stourton House and the Manor, Advowson and lands of Stourton, from which the Lords Stourton derived alike their name, their arms, and the designation of their Peerage, and where they had resided, at any rate, since the time of the Conquest, if not from a period long anterior to that date. This property was disposed of nominally for the sum of /"i9,4O0. Sir R. C. Hoare, in his " Hundred of Mere," page 46, in a footnote has : " This Edward Lord Stourton disposed of the greater part of the manors and estates he succeeded to on the death of his father ; amongst which, those of Stourton, CO. Wilts, and Stourton Caundle, co. Dorset, with the advowsons, were sold, anno I 714, to Sir Thomas Meeres, Knight, as trustee for Richard Hoare, Esq., &c. &c. &c." This is not strictly accurate. The property was mortgaged in June, x6S6, for ,{4,000, and in the following December for a further ^2,000, and in 1690 for £4,000 more. In 1695 it was still further encumbered to the extent of ^3,500. This sum appears to have been reduced, but in 1703 the estates were still charged with ^9,900. In 1707 Sir Thomas Meres purchased the then e.xisting mortgage and advanced a further sum of ^2,645 is. od., the sum then fixed as the amount of the redemption money being ^17,700. In 1707 the estates were conveyed to Sir Horatio Pettus and Robert Meres upon trust for sale. An Act of Parliament was obtained to enable the estates to be conveyed in fee simple, and on the 5th and 6th of October, 1714, the estate was finally sold to Sir Thomas Meres, the amount of the purchase money being ^19,400, of which ^18,624 o.s. 3d. was applied to the discharge of the mort- gages, and ^775 19s. gd. was handed to Lord Stourton. Sir Thomas Meres then became the absolute owner of the Manors, Lands, and Advowsons of Stourton and -Stourton Caundle. It does not seem, either, that he held the property as a trustee. Sir Thomas Meres died, his will being proved May the 14th, 1716. His son. Sir John Meres, succeeded, and by deeds dated February 26th, 1717, and in considera- tion of the payment of / 14,000 for Stourton and ^9,000 for Stourton Caundle, he conveyed the property to Vigerus lidwards, of the Inner Temple, London, Gentle- man, and John Miller, of the Middle Temple, London, Esquire, one of the Masters of the High Court of Chancery. By a deed dated the 7th of July, 1720, Messrs. Edwards and Miller released the estates to Mr. Henry Hoare, in whose family they have since remained. Preserved with the Stourton estate deeds is the " abstract of title " of Sir John Meres, evidently prepared in anticipation of his sale of the property. As it recites the dealings with the estates from the reign of Queen Elizabeth until they finally passed from the Stourton family, it will probably be of interest if inserted herein in full. It is as follows ; EXTRACT OF TITLE TO THE STOURTON ESTATES. e Sir John Meres s Title to the Manors of Stourton in Wilts and of Stoiirton Canndle in Dorset* 5th November 22 Eliz : Anno Dn 1580 Bv Ind-- inrolled in Chancery between John Ld Stourton Edv/'i Stourton & Charles Stourton Esqres of ye one part Wm Ld Burleigh Ld High Treasurer of England Thomas Earl of Sussex Ld Chamberlaine of Her Maties Household Wm Ld Chobham then Warden of ye 5 Ports S'' Wm Cordell Knight then Master of ye Rolls & Rogers Mannors Esqr of ye other part And by a Fine levyed pursuant to ye sd Indr In cons of a Marriage then to fore had between ye sd John Ld Stourton & y sd Ffrances his then Wife one of ye Daughters of sd Wm Ld Chobham The sd John Ld Stourton Edwd Stourton & Charles Stourton Did among divers other Manors settle & convey All that ye Manor of Stourton with ye appurts with ye advowson of y Parish Church of Stourton And all lands tents rents Revcons Services & Hereditamts thereunto belonging In ye County of Wilts And all that ye Manor of Stourton Caundle in ye County of Dorset And all lands tents rents Revcons Services & Hereditamts thereunto belonging In ye sd County of Dorset And as to ye Manor of Stourton &c in Wilts To ye use of ye sd John Ld Stourton & Frances his Wife for their lives During ye Life of ye Lady Anne Stourton ye Mother of ye sd Lord And as to ye sd Man-^ &c of Stourton Caundle in Dorset To the use of ye sd John Ld Stourton During ye Life of his sd Mother and after her decease as to ye Manor & pmes last menconed To ye use of ye sd John Ld Stourton & ffrances his Wife & ye Heirs Male of ye sd John Ld Stourton Rem-- To ye heirs male of Wm then late Ld Stourton ye Grandfather Rem-- To ye heirs of ye body of ye sd John Ld Stourton Rem-- To ye heirs of ye body of ye sd Wm Ld Stourton Rem-- To ye Right Heirs of John Ld Stourton for ever And after ye Death of ye sd Lady Anne The sd Manor of Stourton & lands In Wilts were setled To ye use of ye sd John Ld Stourton & ye heirs Male of his body Rem-- To ye heirs Male of ye body of ye sd Ld Wm ye Grandfather Rem"- To ye heirs of ye body of ye sd John Ld Stourton * hL'n' LThf'^''" °^ '"'■"'''l "P*" '"PP"'^^ (''^98) by the solicitors of Sir Henry Hoare. It has not been posMble to comp.ire it with the original document. 5i6 HISTORY OF THE KOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Rem' To ye heirs of ye body of ye sd Wm Ld Stourton Rem'' To her late Matie Queen Eliz : her Heirs & Successors The sd John Ld Stourton died wthout Issue whereby ye sd Manor & prmes in Wilts & Dorset descended To Edward Ld Stourton ye Brother of ye sd John Ld Stourton as heir in Tail Male & Tail genall under ye Limitacons aforesd To ye heirs of ye body of ye sd Ld W m the Grandfather And on ye Decease of Edw'' Ld Stourton ye p'mes descended to his Son & heir W'm Ld Stourton 20 Aug 16 C : 2 1 664 By Ind'' Tripartite Betw : Sr. Wm Stourton Knt of the Bath Ld Stourton of Stourton in Wilts Wm Stourton Esq Son & heir of Edw'' Stourton Esq desed who was eldest son & heir apparent of ye sd Ld Stourton and Tho Stourton (Brother of the sd Lord Stourton) of the first Part Sr Tho Preston Baronet Jane Morgan Widow & Eliz Preston sister of the sd Sr Tho Preston and Grandchild of the sd James Morgan of the 2nd Part Sr Edw'' Seymour Bar' Sr Geo Hoare Bar* William Gerard Esq & ffrancis Bagshaw Esq of the 3d Part In cons of a marriage between the sd Wm Stourton Esq & Eliz : Preston & of ^2000 paid & 3000 Secured to be paid by the sd Sr Tho Preston for the marriage Porcon of the said Eliz : And for settleing the same The sd Lord Stourton William Stourton & Tho Stourton Cov'ed before the end of the next Michas Terme by one or more ffines to convey & assure unto the sd Sr Edw"' Seymour Sr Geo How Wm Gerrard & ffrancis Bagshaw inter alia The manors capital messgs ffarmes Lands & Tents of Stourton in Wilts and the advowson of the Church of Stourton and all other their Lands in Wilts And the castle manor capital messgs ffarmes Lands & Tents of Stourton Caundle als Caundle Haddon in Dorset And the Advowson of the Parish Church of Marsh in Dorset and all other their Lands in Dorset Which sd fine or fines or all other fines levyed within 12 months past or to be levyed were declared and agreed to be to the uses foil that is to say As to the Castle Demesne Lands and ffarms of Stourton Caundle and the ffarme Demesne Lands of Stourton (Excepting mansion House Park of Stourton) To the intent that the sd Wm Stourton might receive a Rent of ^500 p annum during ye Joint lives of Wm Stourton Eliz : Preston & Wm. Ld Stourton And if Eliz : died leaving W'm. Stourton Esq Then Wm Stourton was to have ^^600 per annum during his and the said Ld Stourtons lives. EXTRACT OF TITLE TO THE STOURTON ESTATES. 517 And to the Intent that Sr Tho Preston might receive yearly Rent of ^200 during the Joint lives of Wm Stourton Ld Stourton & EHz Preston And if ye sd Ld Stourton dyed leaving Wm Stourton and Eliz Preston Then Sr Tho Preston was to receive a yearly Rent of ^150 during ye joint lives of Wm Stourton & Eliz Preston And that ye sd fines of ye sd Lands charged with the said Rents were declared to be to the further Intent that ye sd Eliz Preston aft the death of her Intended Husband in case she did survive him shd out of ye same receive ye yearly Rent of ^600 for her life for her Jointure in Bar of Dower And as the sd uses shall determine and as to all the residue whereof no use was before declared To the use of the sd Wm Ld Stourton for his life Rem' to Wm Stourton Esq for his life Rem'' To the use of the Trustees to secure the contingent uses But to take ye profits for ye benefit of sd Wm Stourton Esq Rem"' for the first and other son & sons of ye sd Wm Stourton Esq on ye body of ye sd Eliz : Preston & the heirs Male of ye body of such first son &c And for want of first heirs To ye use of the sd Sr Tho Preston & James Morgan for 99 years to commence from the Death of ye sd Wm Preston* Esq on Trust aft m^nconed And aft the determinacon of that Estate To ye use of ye sd Wm Stourton Esq and the heires Male of his body by any other wife Rem"' to Wm Stourton Esq Grandson to ye sd Wm Ld Stourton & the heirs male of his body Rem"' To ye sd Tho Stourton third son of ye sd Ld Stourton & the heirs male of body Rem'' To Thomas Stourton Esq hereto & the heirs male of his body Rem'' To ye sd Wm Ld Stourton his heirs The Trusts of ye sd 99 years Terme are declared to be (in case of no issue male or such issue dye without issue before &c and there shd be issue daughters) for raising such Daughters Porcons if one daughter ^5000 if 2 or more ^8000 at 18 or marriage wth maintenances in the mean Time Provided that ye Ld Stourton might appoint the mannor of Stourton Caundle except Castle & Demense of Stourton Caundle unto ye use of any wife or wifes he shd happen to marry for her life for her Joynture The like power to Wm Stourton And Powers of Leasing for lives or yeares And a Power for Wm Stourton to make any Lease or Leases of Stourton Caundle to commence aft the death of Wm Ld Stourton and such woman as He shall marry & after ye Death of Wm Stourton or the survivor of them for 21 * Doubtless a mistake for Wm Stourton. 5^8 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. years for porcons of the younger son or sons & for ye Daughter or Daughters as He shall Direct This Deed is executed by the sd Ld Stourton Wm Stourton Sr Tho Preston James Morgan & Eliz Preston I 6 Charles 1 1 A Copy of a Fine in Dorset Wilts & Somerst Edm Seymour Geo How- Baronet Wm Gerard ffrancis Bagshaw P^sq Wm Dm Stourton Wm Stourton & Tho Stourton Ar Oldford of the Castle of the & of ye P'ishery* in the water of Stower & of advowsons aforesd Thomas Edwardf Lord Stourton was the heir mail of the sd Marriage 27 May 1687. By Indr of Bgaine & Sale inrolled in Chansory 4 June in ye same yeare Tripar- tite Between ye said Edwd Lord Stourton of ye first Part ffrancis Bagshaw of ye second pt Robert Brent of ye 3d pt. The sd Ld Stourton in Cons of /,ioo Did bargaine and sell all land in Wilts and Dorset and the advowsons of Stourton Mask to Bagshaw & his heires to make him tent to a Precipe for ye suffering a recovery to be had agt Him by the sd Brent who was to vouch the Ld Stourton & to ye Com Vouchee Which Recovery was thereby declared to pass to the sd Ld Stourton & liis heires. Trinity 3" Jac 2 A Copy of a Common Recovery in Wilts where-in Robert Brent is Demandent agt ffrancis Bagshaw who vouched the sd P^dward Lord Stourton who vouched the Comon Vouchee Of the manners of Stourton and Penley. 10 mesgs 5 Tofts 3 Mills 3 Dovehouses 10 Gardens 250 acres of Land 50 acres of meadow 2i]o acres of Pasture 100 acres of wood 500 acres of ffuze & Heath Comon of Pasture and omnibus &• free warren in Stourton Penley Newton Salisbury Wilton Salisbury Stoford and Wylie And of the Advowson of the Church of Stourton Trin 3° Jacobi 2. A Copy of a Common Recovery in Dorset wherein the sd ]\.obert Brent is Demand'' agt the sd ffrancis Bagshaw who vouched the sd Edward Lord Stourton who vouched the Common Vouchee Of the Castle of Stourton Caundle als Haddon and ye manners of Stourton Caundle als Caundle Haddon other mannors 20 mesgs ten Tofts six Mills 6 Dovehouses 20 Gardains 400 acres of Land 150 acres of * This clause is queried in the copy supplied. t Evidently an error, Thomas and Edward being different sons, of whom Edward (I3ih Lord Stourton) ivas the elder. EXTRACT OF TITLE TO THE STOURTON ESTATES. 519 Meadow 600 acres of Pasture 100 acres of wood 50 acres of ffuze & Heath and Comon of Pasture And the ffree ffishery in the water of Stour And the Advowson of the Church of Marsh 5 June 3d Jac 2d Ao Dn 16S6. By Ind'- ye sd Edwd Ld Stourton in Cons of /4000 pd by John Ld Bollasys Did De mise All ye sd p'mes (int aha) To ye sd Ld Bollasyse for ye Terme of 500 Years On Condicon to be void on payment of .;^4200 5 Dec'' 3 Jac 2d 1686 By Ind'' ye sd Edwd Ld Stourton in Cons of ye further Sume of ^2,000 paid U> him by ye sd Ld Bollasyse Released ye aforesd Proviso Redemable on paymt of £6^00 6 Dec 4 Jac 2d. By Ind'' Tripartite between ye sd Edwd Ld Stourton of ye ist pt ye sd Ld Bollasyse of ye 2d pt Thomas Earl Aylesbury & Rich : Earl of Scarborough of ye 3d pt jP In Cons of ^6000 to ye Ld Bollasyse The sd Ld Bollasyse by ye direccon of ye Ld Stourton assed ye p''mes (int alia) to ye sd Earls for ye Residue of ye sd 500 years Subject t(j Redempcon on payment of .^6300 5 June 1690. By Ind'- between ye sd Ld Stourton of ye one pt The Lady Anne Bollasyse & ye sd Earls of ye other pt The sd Ld Stourton Released All Provisoes & Agreemts for Redempcon to ye sd Earles And in Cons of ye further sume of /4000 to ye sd Ld Stourton paid by ye sd Lady Anne The sd Ld Stourton Did Grant & demise to Her (int al"-) ye sd p''mes for ye Terme of 2000 years from ye day next before ye day of ye date of this Deed Subject to a Provisoe on payment To ye sd Earls of /"6300 & to ye Lady Bollasyse of /'4200 The 2000 years Terme was to be \-oid and the Earls were to assign or surrender ye 500 years Terme 18 Jan"- 1 69 1 By Articles Between ye sd Lady Anne Bollasyse Relict & one of ye E.x'''' of ye sd John Ld Boliasy.se of ye ist pt John Webb of ye 2d pt & Sr John Webb Bar' father of \ e sd John Webb of ye 3d pt 520 IIISTORV OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. The Lady Bolhisyse Covenanted that ye sd Mortgages for ^6ood & ^^'4000 shd be holden IN Trust for ye sd John Webb & Sr John Webb f(jr securhig ^loooo & Int (i.e.) ^2000 & Int to Sr John Webb & /8000 & Int to John Webb The Lady Anne Bollyasyse died having first made her Will & ye sd John Webb to whom with ye Sr John Webb ye sd ^loooo Did belong one of her Ex'''^ & John Talbot Esq'' ye other of her Ex''' 23 Nov'' 1695 By Ind'' Sextipartite between sd Ld Stourton sd Sr John Webb & John Webb (i John Talbot of ye 2d pt sd Earl of Aylesbury & Earl of Scarborough of ye 3d pt Thomas Earl of ffaulconbridge Sr John Talbot Knt & Wm Thursby Esqre surviving Exrs of ye last Will of ye late Ld Bollasyse deced of ye 4th pt Richard How Esq'' afterwards Sr Rich : How of ye 5th pt & Thomas Windham Esqr of ye 6th pt In Cons of ^^2000 pd by sd Sr Richard How to sd Sr John Webb by sd Ld Stourtons Direccons & by ye sd Earl of Aylesbury Earl of Scar- borough & John Talbots Consent & of ^8000 pd by Rich: How to sd John Webb by ye direccon of sd Ld Stourton & wth ye Consent of ye sd Earls of Aylesbury & Scarborough & Earl of ffaulconbridge Sr John Talbott & Wm Thursby & of ^3,500 pd by sd Richard How to sd Ld Stourton & of 5s apiece paid to ye sd Earl of Aylesbury & Earl of Scarborough by sd Rich : How The sd Earls of Aylesbury & Scarborough by sd Ld Stourtons Direccon & wth ye Consent of sd Earl of ffaulconbridge Sr John Talbott & Wm Thursby Did assigne unto ye sd Sr Richard How (inter alia) The sd p''mes for ye Residue of ye sd 500'' years And ye sd Sr John Webb & John Talbott for ye Cons aforesd & of 5s pd by said Thomas Windham Did by ye direccon of sd Rich : How & by ye Consent of ye sd Ld Stourton & Sr John Webb assigne ye sd p'mes unto ye sd Tho : Windham for the Rem'" of sd 2000 years And ye sd Ld Stourton for ye Cons aforesd Did confirm to sd Sr Rich : How & Thomas Windham respectively & to their respective Ex'''* All ye sd Premes thereby assed for ye Residue of ye sd 500 years & 2000 years And did Release ye aforesd Provisoes & agreements for Redempcon Subject nevertheless to Redempcon on paym* to ye sd Richard How of 14600 EXTRACT OF TITLE TO THE STOURTON ESTATES. 52 1 6 March ijco By Ind"" Quadripartite Between ye sd Ld Stourton of ye ist pt sd Sr Richard How of ye 2nd pt ye sd Thomas Windham of ye 3d pt & Henry ffrederick Thynne Esqr for whom ye sd Sr Richard How & Tho : Windham were Trustees of ye 4th pt Reciting ye sd sumes of /2000 ^Sooo & /3500 paid by How as is menconed in ye last Ind'' were ye proper monys of sd Henry ffrederick Thynne & that there became afterwards due to ye sd Thynne for ye Principal money & Int ^17438 and that ^3438 had been pd to ye sd Henry ffrederick Thynne And that there remained due to him ^14000 I he sd Ld Stourton for securing sd ^14000 & Int Did Confirm unto ye sd Rich: How & Tho: Windham respectively int alia All ye sd p''mes for ye Residue of ye sd 500 years & 2000 years Term Subject to Redempcon on payment to ye sd Henry ffrederick Thynne by ye sd Ld Stourton of ^14840 10 Nov'' I 703 By Ind'' Sextipartite Between sd Edw'' Ld Stourton of ye ith pt sd Sr Richard How of ye 2d pt sd Thomas Windham of ye 3d pt sd Henry ffiFederick Thynne of ye 4th pt Sr Edwd Seymour Bar' Comptroler of her Maties Household of ye 5th pt & Francis Gwynne Esqr of ye 6th pt Reciting that ye sd /14840 was not paid according to ye Proviso Contained in ye Indrof ye 6th March 1700 and that ye Estate of sd Sr Rich: How & Tho: W'indham in ye p''mes was become absolute In trust for ye sd ffrederick Thynne and that there was then due to ye sd Henry ffrederick Thynne on his Securities ^9900 In cons of ^9900 pd by ) e sd Sr Edwd Seymour to ye sd Henry Frederick T hynne by sd Ld Stourtons direccon in full for Principal & Int And of /loo to ye sd Ld Stourton pd by sd Sr Edwd Seymour & of 5s to sd Sr Rich: How making together /"icooo The sd Sr Rich: How by ye direccon of sd Henry Frederick Thynne & Ld Stourton Did assigne &c unto ye sd Sr Edwd Seymour All ye sd p'mes m W ilts & Dorset part of ye Lands well were Com- prized in ye former Mortgages for )-e Residue of ye sd 500 years Terme And ye sd Tho: Windham for ye Cons aforesd & in Cons of 5s by ye Direccon of sd Henry Frederick Thynne & Ld Stourton Did assigne &c ye p'mes to ye sd Francis Gwynne for ye Residue of ye sd 20CO years Terme In Trust for ye sd Sr Edwd Seymour And ye sd Ld Stourton Did Confirm ye sd p''mes to ye sd Sr Edwd 22 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Seymour & Francis Gwynne Respectively for ye Residue of ye sd Tcrme of 500 years and 2000 years And Did Release unto them ye aforesaid Provisoes for Redempcon Subject nevertheless to a new Proviso for Redempcon on paymt to Sr Edward Seymour of £1 1800 th Oct: I 706 By I nd"^ Tripartite Between sd Ld Stourton of ye it pt Samuell Rich Esqr f ye 2d pt & Richard King Gent of ye 3d pt Reciting that sd Ld Stourton & Sam" Rich became joyndy bound on ye 6th of April then last by Bond then dated (for ye sd Ld Stourtons proper debt) to sd Rich: King in /1500 for paymt of /750 on ye 6th of October then Instant with Int And Reciting that ye sd Ld Stourton by Ind'' of Lease dat ye 7th ot October then Instant Did demise to sd Samuell Rich All that Copyhold messe & lands cum plin'- parcell of sd Manor of Stourton Caundle in sd County of Dorset called Hanns als Hanns Living als Hanns Tent And all those 3 late copyhold cbses cont 12 acres Parcell of sd Man'' then late in ye possion of Walter Tite and all that Dwelling House & outhouses &c reaching from sd House to Catherine Wheel lane Cont 18 acres then late in ye possion of Catherine Roper Widow being a moiety of a Tent ye other moiety whereof then late was in ye possion of Richard Bridlecombe And all that Copyhold messe & Lands thereto belonging Cont 102 acres then in ye Possion of Joan Lambert Widow ^ To Hold sd Premes before Recited to be in ye possion of sd Joan Lambert unto sd Samuel Rich after ye determinacon of ye sevall Estates of sd Joan Lambert & John Haskett Jun'' therein during ye Terme of 80 years if either of them the said Samuel Rich or Richard King shd so long live And to Hold all other ye sd p'nies cum plin unto ye sd Sam" Rich from ye day before ye date of sd recited Ind'' for ye Terme of 99 years if sd Sam" Rich Richard King & Thomas Hussey any or either of them shd so long live under ye Yearly Rents & payable at ye times in sd Ind'' menconed And Reciting that besides sd Principal sume of /750 there was due to sd Richard ving ^23 ICS for Int making together ^773 : los For ye Cons of ^26 : los making ye sd sume of ^773 : los ^800 pd to" Ld Stourton and for other Cons therein menconed sd Ld Stourton Did Demise &c unto sd Richard King ♦ In the copy supplied by Sir Henry Hoare's solicitors this term is queried upon each occasion that it occurs. EXTRACT OF TITLE TO THE STOURTON ESTATES. 523 All that then late Copyhold messe cum plin parcell of sd Man' called Stourtons Tent als Castle farm then in ye possion of John Whittle as undertent of sd Ld Stourton And also All that messe cum plin in sd County of Wilts parcell of sd Man'' called Colecat als Colecat farm now in ye possion of John Witchell as undertent of sd Ld Stourton together wth all Houses Outhouses &c To Hold sd p''mes unto sd Richard King from ye day next before ye date thereof for ye Terme of 99 years If sd Richard King Samu^^ Rich & Mary Daughter of Thomas Vine of Catstock in sd County of Dorset Husbandman any or either of them shall so long live Under ye sevall Rents & Reservacons therein menconed And for ye Cons aforemenconed & in Cons of 5s paid by sd Richard King to sd Sam" Rich sd Sam" Rich at Ld Stourtons Request Did Grant &c unto sd Richard King All sd p'mes in sd Recited Ind' demised unto sd Sam" Rich wth their appurts Unto sd Rich: King from thenceforth for ye respective Termes of 80 and 99 years for which sd p''mes are before recited to be demised unto sd Samuell Rich And sd Ld Stourton for ye Cons aforesd Did Ratifye & Confirm unto sd Richard King sd p-^mes for sd respective Terms of 80 years & 99 years aforesd Subject to Redempcon on paymt to King of ^800 & Int 24 June 1 707 By Ind'- Quinquepartite Between Ld Stourton of ye it pt sd Sr Edwd Seymour nf ye 2d pt Francis G Wynne of ye 3d pt Sr Tho: Meres of ye 4th pt Sr Gilbert Dolbin & Whitechcott of ye 5th pt In Cons of ^12345. 18. 6. to Sr Edwd Seymour pd Sr Tho : Meres at ye Request of Ld Stourton in full of Principal & Int & of ^2645. i. 6. to Ld Stourton pd by Sr Tho : Meres & for securing ye sd sevall sumes making together /"isooo wth Int at 6 p Cent Sir Edwd Seymour by Direccon of Ld Stourton Did assio-ne to Meres ye sd P remes fur ye Rein'^ of ye sd 500 years And in Cons of 5s to Gwynne pd by Dolben & Whitechott Gwyne Did at the request of Ld Stourton assigne by ye direccon of Meres & in Trust for him To Dolbin & Whitchcott sd Premes for ye Rem"- of ye sd Terme of 2000 years The sd Ld Stourton Did Release & Confirm ye p-^mes to Meres & his Trustees respectively for ye Rem' of ye sd sevall Termes Subject to Redempcon on paymt of ^17700 as therein is menconed 524 HISTORY OF THE NOHLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. 27 28 Oct : I 709 By Indrs of Lease Quadripartite and the Release Ouinquepartite Between the sd Edwd Lord Stourton of the first part Sr Horatio Pettus Baronet & Robert Meres Esq of the second pt Sr Tho : Meres Knt 3d pt and Sr John Meres Knt Son & heir apparent of ye sd Sr Tho Meres of ye 4th pt Reciting the assignments to ye sd Sr Tho Meres & his Trustees of ye sd 500 yeares &' 2000 yeares Termes dated the 24 June 1707 And also the Convey- ance to Pettus & Meres of the inheritance on trust as aforesaid dated 25 & 26 July 1707 It is witnessed that for Barring all Intail & Remainder and to the Intent to cor- roborate the said effects & Terms for 500 yeares & 1000 yeares (by mistake instead of 2000 yeares) afsd to Sr Tho Meres his Trustees as afore recited And for further assuring the sd Sr H Pettus & Meres on the Trusts aforesd & of 5s to ye sd Ld Stourton Pettus & Meres pd by Sir John Meres They ye sd Pettus & R Meres and Ld Stourton Did Grant Release & Confirm unto ye sd Sr John Meres his heirs and assigns All the ppy in Wilts & Somerset for ye suffering ye Common Recovery of the then mischas Terme The uses whereof and of all former Recovery are thereby declared to be ye use of the sd Sr Tho Meres Sr Gilbert Dolben & Geo VVhitchcott respecti\'ely their Ex adms & assigns for ye several Terms of 500 years & 2000 yeares Subject to such Redempcon as the same were then lyable unto And after the expiracon or other determinacon thereof & subject thereto To ye use of ye sd Pettus & ^leres and their heires Upon the Trusts in the sd Indre of ye 26 July 1707 This Deed is executed by all parties An Exemplificacon of a Recovery in Wilts wherein Joseph Sherwood is Demandant Sr John Meres is Tenant and Edwd Ld Stourton Vouchee who vouches the Comon Vouchee Of the Castle of Stourton and the Mannor of Stourton and ye Park of Stourton 50 messes 620 acres of Land 350 acres of Meadow 550 acres of Pasture 100 acres of wood 400 acres of ffuze & Heath 100 acres ot More Comon of Pasture ffree warren & affair in Stourton And ye advowson of the Church of Stourton 30 October i 708 By Ind'' Between sd Ld Stourton of ye one part & ye sd Sr Thomas Meres of ye other part It was agreed that /900 then due for ye sd ^15000 shd become Principal & carry Int & that ye Mortgaged Premes shd stand charged therewith EXTRACT OF TITLE TO THE STOURTON ESTATES. 525 to December 1 709 By Ind"' Between sd Ld Stourton of ye one part and Thomas Stone farmer of ye other pt The sd Ld Stourton for Cons of ye Rents & Cov'-* therein menconed Did Lease unto sd Thomas Stone All that messe or Tent in Stourton Caundle in sd County of Dorset then in ye tenure of John Whitde vvth ye appurts To Hold ye same from Lady day then next ensuing for 12 years Under ye yearly Rent of £100 Payable half yearly 10 December i 709 By Ind-- Between sd Ld Stourton of ye one pt & William King of Stourton in ye sd County of Wilts Farmer of ye other pt The Ld Stourton for Cons of ye Rents & Covts therein menconed Did lease unto sd Wm Kine o The Dairy House & divers Lands part of ye Demens of ye said Ld Stourton in Stourton aforesd vizt in Wilts To Hold ye same from Lady day then next ensuing for 12 years Under ye yearly Rent of ^365 payable half yearly And King agrees to collect & pay ye Quit Rents & to do certain other services I 2 Anne By Act of Parliament Reciting the sd Settlemt of ye 2 2d year of Queen Eliza- beth of ye Manor & Lands in Wilts & that ye Rem' thereof was vested in ye Crown And Reciting ye descent of ye sd p'mes to ye present Edwd Ld Stourton as aforesd And Reciting that He had some time then since Mortgaged ye sd p'mes in Wilts & Dorset to Sr Thomas Meres for Z15300 & had since contracted with him to sell him ye same for /19400 in wch sd /15300 & an Arrear of Int were included And Reciting that sd Sr Tho : Meres brought his Bill in Court to compell paymt of his Mortgage mony or foreclose And that sd present Ld Stourton brought a Cross Bill to oblige sd Sr Thomas to go on wth his Purchase and that ye Court Decreed sd Sr Thomas a Purchaser if sd Ld Stourton could make an Absolute & indefeazible Estate in Fee Simple of ye p'mes wch he could not do without An Act of Parliament for vesting ye sd Rem' in ffee in ye Crown in some psons to make it Capable of being Barred 526 HISTORY OF THE KOBI.E HOUSE OF STOURTON. It was enacted that ye Rem'' in Fee Simple of sd j/mes cum plin shd be divested out of ye Crown & be vested in Sr Jeffery Palmer of Carleton in ye County of Northampton Bart & Thomas Modlycot of ye City of Westm' Esqr To ye Intent that ye same might be barred by a Comon Recovery m 25 26 Pune I 707 By Ind'** of Lease and Release ye Release being Tripartite & made Between sd Ld Stourton of ye it pt The sd Sr Thomas Meres of ye 2d pt and Sr Horatio Pettus Bart & Robt Meres of ye 3d pt All ye sd P'mes were granted unto & to ye use of ye sd Pettus & Robert Meres & their Heirs On Trust to Sell ye same & out of ye moneys in ye It place to pay ye mony Due to Sr John Meres in Discharge of his sd Mortgages & Securities And to pay ye Residue to ye sd Ld Stourton 1718 June 1713 By Ind'*" of Lease & Release ye Release being Ouinquepartite & made Between sd Ld Stourton of ye it pt Sr Horatio Pettus Bart & Robt Meres Esqr of ye 2nd pt sd Sr Thomas Meres of ye 3d pt Joseph Sherwood Gent of ye 4th pt & Win Evelyn Gent of ye 5th pt Reciting ye Ind"' Quinquepartite^of ye 24th June 1707 vizt The sd Assignmt from Sr Edwd Seymour to Sr Thomas Meres & his Trustees And Reciting that ye Freehold & Revcon of sd p'mes was vested in sd Sr Horatio Pettus & Robt Meres And Reciting there had been some Treaty or Proposals made for sd Sr Thomas's becoming a Purchaser And that by a Decree in Chancery made ye I 8th of June in ye loth year of Queen Anne in certain causes wherein ye sd Sr Thomas Meres and others were Pits & ye said Ld Stourton Rich Horatio Pettus & Robert Meres & Peter Battiscombe were Defts and in a Cross Cause wherein ye sd Ld Stourton & Rich were Pits & Sr Thomas Meres & Sr John Meres Knights were Defts It was decreed that if ye sd Ld Stourton could make an Indefeazible Estate of Inhitance in Fee simple then Sr Thomas Meres shd proceed in his Purchase And Reciting ye sd Act of Parliamente It is Witnessed That for ye Docking and Barring All estates Tail Revcons & RenV" of & in ye Premes and to ye Intent to Confirm ye sd Termes of 500 years & 2000 years aforesd to Sr Thomas Meres & his Trustees EXTRACT OF TITLE TO THE STOURTON ESTATES. 527 as aforesd and for confirming ye premes & ye Revcons & Inhitance thereof To Pettus & Robt Meres on ye Trusts thereinafter menconed & of 5s apiece to sd Ld Stourton Pettus & Robt Meres pd by Joseph Sherwood The sd Ld Stourton & by his Direccon sd Horatio Pettus & Robt Meres Did grant Release & Convey ye sd p"'mes To & To ye use of ye sd Joseph Sherwood his Heirs & assigns To ye Intent that He might be a good Tent of ye ffreehold of ye sd prmes untill a good Recovery shd be had against him for ye same by sd Wm Evelyn Demandant wherein sd Joseph Sherwood shd vouch to warranty sd Ld Stourton who shd vouch ever ye Comon Vouchee so that a perfect Comon Recovry might be had thereof And it was thereby declared that ye sd Comon Recovery shd be to ye use of ye sd Sr Thomas Meres Sr Gilbert Dolbyn & Geo: Whitchcote respectively for ye sd 500 years & 2000 years & for corroborating thereof And aft ye expiracon or other Deter- minacon of ye sd Termes To ye use of ye sd Pettus & Robert Meres & their heirs. In trust to convey ye same as ye sd Court of Chancery shd direct in ye sd Causes 12° Anne Termino see Trinitat An exemplificacon of a Comon Recovry of sd Premes in Wilts suffered psuant To ye said Ind' of ye iSth June 1713 by such names descriptons & number of acres as are menconed in the Recovery of Mich"' 9° of the Queen 8th July I 7 14 By Ind' Ouadrupartite between sd Ld Stourton of ye it pt Peter Battiscombe Esqr Ex' of ye sd Rich: King deced & Sam" Rich of ye 2d pt sd Sr Tho: Meres of ye 3d pt & Wm Hodgson Gent & John Reeve Gent of ye 4th pt Reciting the Ind' of ye 8th October 1706 vizt Mortgage to Richard King and that ye sd Richard King abt 7 years & ^ then past (ye 800/ menconed in ye sd Ind' of ye Sth of October 1706 & all Int thereon due being unpaid) Departed this Life having ist made his Will & ye sd Peter Battiscombe Ex' who thereby became intitled to ye p'mes menconed to be demised in ye sd Ind' of ye 8th of October for the Residue of ye Terme of 99 years Determinable as therein is menconed and also subject to ye Proviso for Redempcon as therein is menconed And Reciting that ye sd Sr Tho: Meres had advanced sevall sums of mony on mortgages to him made by sd Ld Stourton of sd p'mes and on ye Sth July 528 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. 1709 Did Contract wth sd Ld Stourton for ye Purchase of sd p'mes so mortgaged to him and that sevall suites in Chancery being comenced & pro- secuted between sd Sr Thomas Meres & others & ye sd Ld Stourton & others as aforesaid And Reciting that upon hearing sd causes originally ye i8th June 171 1 & on ye further hearing sd Causes 21 July 1713 for ye further direccon of ye Court on ye matters reserved The Contract between sd Sr Tho: Meres & sd Ld Stourton was established and decreed to be pformed And an acco' was directed to be taken by Mr Medlycott one of ye Ma'" of sd Court int al touching sd ^800 & Int and sd Sr Tho: Meres was ordered to pay what sd Ma' shd certifye due on Acco' of sd /800 & Int before his Purchase out of ye Purchase mony and out of his own Estate all Int due for sd ;^"8oo since ye sd Purchase And Reciting that sd Ma' had by his Rep' dated ist July then last Certifyed that there would be due on acco' of sd ^800 & Int at 6 p cent to ye date thereof ^905. IS. & appointed sd Sr Thomas to bring ye same before him on ye sd 8th of July in order to divide ye same between ye sd Peter Battiscombe & Sam" Rich according to their respective Rights wch sd Report stood absolutely confirmed And Reciting that psuant to sd Report sd Sr Tho: Meres paid unto sd Ma= said /905. is. In Cons of sd /905. is. pd sd Peter Battiscombe by sd Wm Hodgson & John Reeve The sd Peter Battiscombe by ye direccon of sd Ld Stourton & Samuell Rich Did assigne &c unto sd Wm Hodgson & John Reeve All sd p'mes menconed in sd Ind' of ye 8th October for ye Residue of ye sd Terme of 97 years In Trust for ye sd Sr Tho: Meres his Heirs & Ass To ye Intent ye same might be kept on foot & waiting on ye Inhitance of ye sd p'mes gted or intended to be gted unto sd Sr Tho: Meres his Heirs and ass 5 6 October 17 14 By Ind" of Lease & Release Between sd Ld Stourton of ye rst pt sd Sr Horatio Pettus & sd Robt Meres of ye 2dpt & sd Sr Thomas Meres of ye 3d pt Reciting That Sr Thomas ye 24 June 1707 had lent at Int at 6 p cent pann to sd Ld Stourton 5000 Principal mony on ye Residue then to come of ye said sevall Termes of 500 years & 2000 years wch terms were assed to Sr Thomas Meres or to Sr Gilbert Dolbin & Geo: Whitchcotte In Trust for Sr Tho: Meres And afterwards sd Sr Tho: Meres Did lend to Ld Stourton ye further sume of ^900 EXTRACT OF TITLE TO THE STOURTON ESTATES. And Reciting the Ind' of Lease & Release Tripartite dated ye 25 & 26 June 1707 whereby all ye sd Man'^ & p'mes were gted by Ld Stourton unto & to ye use of ye sd Pettus & Robt Meres & ye heirs On Trust to make Sale thereof for ye purposes aforemenconed And Reciting Sr Thomas did on ye Sth July 1709 Contract wth ye sd Stourton for Purchase of ye sd p'mes & all ye Estates & Int of ye sd Ld Stourton in Wilts & Dorset for ^15400 And Ixeciting sevall suites in Chancery aforemenconed And that upon ye hearing thereof on ye iSth June 171 1 The Contract between ye sd Thomas ]\Ieres & ye sd Ld Stourton was established & agreed to be pformed If ye sd Ld Stourton could make an Absolute & Indefeazible Estate of Inhitance in ffee simple of sd prmes And it was referred to Mr Medlycott to see whether he could make such Estate as aforesaid And Reciting ye Ma= by his Rep' 13th May 1712 Did Certify that as to ye sd Man' & prmes of Stourton in Wilts he found that ye Rem' in ffee Expec- tant on Certain Estates Tail menconed to be in sd Ld Stourton was in ye Crown wherefore He conceived Ld Stourton could not make such Indefeazible Estate And Reciting that upon hearing sd Causes on ye spial matter of sd Report of ye 17th of Octob 1712 ye sd Court in regard ye sd purchase had so far pro- ceeded gave sd Ld Stourton time to ye end of ye next Session of Parliam' to make sd Sr Tho: Meres a good Title And that then each side shd be at Liberty to get sd Causes set down to be heard on sd Rep' And Reciting that at ye Session of Parliament next afforsd 17th of October sd Ld Stourton obtained such Act of Parliament as aforesd And Reciting ye Ind''" of Lease & Release dated 17th & i8th June 1713 and the Recovrys suffered in psuance thereof whereby ye Rem' in ffee by ye sd Act of Parliament vested in Sr Jeffery Palmer & Tho : Modlycott was barred & the Premes were setled on ye sd Pettus & Robt Meres On Trust to convey ye same as ye sd Court of Chancery shd direct in ye sd Causes And Reciting sd Causes came again to be heard 20 July 1713 touching ye mres reserved on sd former hearing And ye Court declared that (ye aforesd objeccon to ye Title being ans''ed by ye Act of Parliam') sd purchase ought to be perfected and directed sd Sr Horatio Pettus & Robt Meres to convey ye sd p'mes to sd Sr Thomas Meres his heirs or ass or as He or they shd appoint And that ye sd Ma" shd take an acco' of sd mortgages & Purchase mony and touching a Prior Mortgage made by sd Ld Stourton to one Rich : King by Ind' Tripartite dat Sth Octob 1706 for 99 years determinable on ye Death of certain psons therein named And that ye Principal mony due to sd Sr Tho : 530 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Meres on his sd Mortgages & Int for ye same to ye 8th of July 1709 being ye day sd Sr Tho : Meres contracted for sd purchase And also ye Principal mony & Int due on sd Rich : Kings said Mortgage to that time And all monys had by sd Ld Stourton of sd Sr Thomas Meres after sd Purchased And all monys paid for ye sd Ld Stourton by sd Sr Tho ; Meres & sd Sr Tho : costs in sd Causes after ye hearing & costs at Law before ye hearing were to be deducted out of sd Purchase mony And ye rest of ye purchase mony was to be pd to Ld Stourton wth Int. And Reciting that ye sd Ma" by his Rep' dated 15th June 17 14 certify that of ye sd ^19400 purchase mony 18624 ^ 3^ Int for what remained of sd Purchase mony at ye time of sd Purchase had been pd by sd Sr Tho : Meres to or for sd Ld Stourton or by Costs as aforesd taxed sd Sr Thomas & other things directed to be discounted as aforesd And that there was & would be due to sd Ld Stourton on 26th of July then next on acco' of sd Purchase mony & Int from ye time said Purchase was made ye sume of ^775 : 19 : 9. And sd Ma' appointed ye same .2^775 : 19 : 9. to be pd sd Ld Stourton on ye 26th day of July then last Which Report stands confirmed on ye mocon of ye sd Ld Stourton himself And Reciting ye sd sevall Termes afsed as aforesd To or In Trust for sd Sr Tho : Meres were assed to Thomas Martin Goldsmith & Sr Jeffery Palmer Bart Trustees to attend ye Inhitance of sd p'mes therein menconed to be conveyed to ye use of sd Sr Tho : Meres his heirs & ass The sd Ld Stourton for ye Cons of ^18624 : o : 3. Part of sd ^19400 Purchase mony so by ye sd Rep' of ye 15th June last certifyed to be paid as aforesd and on cons of ^775 : 19 : 9. Residue of ye sd Purchase mony Certifyed to be due to ye sd Ld Stourton paid to him by ye sd Sr Tho : Meres & of 5s apiece to Pettus & Robert Meres paid by Sr Tho : Meres and in psuance of ye sd Order dat 20 July 1713 and by his Direccon & in psuance of ye same Order sd Horatio Pettus & Robert Meres Did grant Release & Convey unto sd Sr Tho : Meres his Heirs & Ass All that ye Castle Man' or reputed Man' & Capital mess of Stourton in ye County of Wilts wth ye & every of ye Rights Members & appurts And also all messes Farms Lands Tents & Hereditam''* to ye same Castle Man' or reputed Man' of Stourton belonging in ye Counties of Wilts & Somerset or either of them And all that Water Mill in Stourton aforesd wth ye lands Ponds Pools & appurts to ye same belonging And all that farm in ye Parish EXTRACT OF TITLE TO THE STOURTON ESTATES. 531 of Stourton aforesd then late in possion of John Mitchell his undertents or ass commonly called or known by ye name of Colecatt als Colecatt ffarm And all ye Lands to ye same be- longing and ye Royalty Liberty or Right of Fishing in ye River Stour And ye Advowson to ye Parish Church of Stourton aforesd And also All other ye messes &c of sd Ld Stourton Sr Horatio Pettus & Robert Meres in ye Parish of Stourton aforesd And also all that ye Castle Man' of Stourton Candle als Caundle Haddon in ye County of Dorset wth all Rights to ye same belonging And also all messes &c of ye sd Ld Stourton Sr Horatio Pettus & Robert Meres in ye Parishes &c of Stourton Caundle als Caundle Haddon and ye advowson of ye Parish Church of Marsh and all other ye lands & Hereditam'" in Stourton Caundle als Caundle Haddon & Marsh or either of them And also all and singular other ye Estates & Int of him ye sd Edward Ld Stourton in ye sd Counties of Wilts & Dorset or either of them And also all and singular Houses Edifices &c And ye Revcon & Revcons Rem' & Rem" &c And all ye Estate Right &c And all Deeds &c & true Copies &c To Hold ye sd p'mes unto sd Sr Tho : Meres his Heirs & ass To ye only use of ye sd Sr Tho : Meres his Heirs & ass for ever Out of ye Cov' ag' Incumbrances are Excepted ye sd sevall Terms for years assed to or In Trust for Sr Tho : Meres & since assed or intended to be assed to him & his Trustees In Trust for him his Heirs & ass To attend ye Inhitance And except ye sd mortgage to King for 99 years determinable as aforesd Wch Terme is also assed to Wm Hodgson & John Reeve In Trust for Sr Tho : Meres & his Heirs By Ind' Quadrupartite dat 8th July 1714 To attend ye Inhitance as to ye Particulars whereof ye same was so made as aforesd And except a High or Chief Rent of 7s & id issuing out of sd Man' of Stourton And except such Estates by Copy of Court Rolls & Leases for years determinable on Lives as are menconed in ye Surveyors Schedule thereto annext Whose Rents from Lady Day 1 709 were agreed to be paid and con- tinue to be paid to ye sd Sr Tho : Meres & his Heirs 532 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. 6th Octob 1 7 14 By Ind' Tripartite Between ye sd Edwd Ld Stourton of ye ist pt ye sd Pettus & Robt Meres of ye and pt & Sr Tho: Meres of ye 3d pt In part of Performance of ye Cov' for further assurance menconed & Con- tained in ye last menconed Ind' of Release and on cOns of ^19400 pd to or for ye sd Sr Tho: Meres as in ye sd Release is menconed Wch was pd for ye absolute Purchase of ye p'mes And on cons of 5s apiece to sd Pettus & liobt Meres & other good Causes The sd Ld Stourton & by his direccon ye sd Pettus & Robt Meres Did grant Bgain & Sell unto ye sd Sir Tho: Meres his Heirs & ass ye sd p'mes. To ye use of him his Heirs and ass Acknowledged 7th Oct 1714 & inrolled in Chancery 7th Oct 17 14 Sir Thomas Meres' Will has no date but was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury 14 May Anno Dm 1716 by Sr John Meres his Son & Heir and is said to have been made 25 yeares before his Death However none of the Lands of his aforesaid Purchase are menconed or taken notice of therein but the sd Lands Descended to Sr John Meres as his then Eldest son & Heir at Law Thomas his Eldest Brother died in the life Time of Sr Thomas as in the sd Will is menconed Now witnesses to this Will I approved of this title (Signed) Ri: Webb Feb: 19th 171 7 In the deeds previously referred to (see page 514) dated February the 26th, i 717, by which Sir John Meres conveyed the estates to Vigerus Edwards and John Meller the parcels conveyed are detailed at greater length as follows : All that the Castle Manor or reputed Manor and capital messuage of Stourton in the County of Wilts with their and every of their rights members and appurtenances And also all and singular the messuages cottages farms lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever to the said Castle Manor or reputed Manor of Stourton belonging or in anywise appertaining in the Counties of Wilts and Somerset or in either of them And also All that Water Mill in Stourton aforesaid with the lands ponds pools and appurtenances to the same belonging And also all that Farm in the Parish of Stourton aforesaid now or late in the possession of John Mitchell his undertenants or assigns commonly called or known by the name of Colecatt Farm And all lands to the same belonging And the Royalty liberty or right of fishing of and in the River DETAILS OF THE MANOR OF STOURTON. 533 Stour with all privileges and appurtenances thereto whatsoever And also the Advowson or right of patronage or presentation to the Parish Church of Stourton aforesaid And also all other the messuages cottages farms lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever of him the said S" John Meres situate lying and being in the Parish Town Village field precinct or Hamlet of Stourton aforesaid And all and singular other the estates and interests of him the said S' John Meres in the said Counties of Wilts and Somerset or in either of them Which the said S"" Thomas Meres deceased Father of the said S' John Meres heretofore purchased of the Right Honourable Edward Lord Stourton And all and singular houses edifices buildings dovehouses barns stables gardens orchards yards backsides closes lands meadows pastures feedings commons waste folds courses trees woods underwoods hedges ditches furzes heaths moors marshes ways passages waters watercourses mills springs fishings piscaries rents reser- vations services fees fines heriots reliefs deodands Courts leet Courts Baron views of frankpledge perquisites and profits of courts and all that to Courts leet Courts baron and views of frankpledge do belong or appertain amerciaments waifs estrays goods and chattels of felons and fugitives and of outlaws and put in exigent parks warrens fairs and all other rights royalties privileges liberties franchises profits commodities advantages emoluments hereditaments and appur- tenances whatsoever to the said Castle Manor Advowson messuages cottages farms water mill lands tenements hereditaments and premises and to every or any of them held or in anywise appertaining or with them or any or either of them demised let used occupied or enjoyed or accepted reputed or taken as part parcel or member thereof or of any part or parcel thereof And the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders yearly and other rents issues and profits reserved due or payable in or upon all and every or any demise lease or grant of the said Manor Royalties Fair fisheries Advowson messuages cottages farms mill lands tenements and premises and every or any part thereof And also all the estate and estates right title interest use trust benefit of trust possession property claim and demand whatsoever whether at Law or in Equity of him the said S' John Meres of in and to the same premises and every part and parcel thereof And also all Deeds evidences writings surveys Court Rolls and Court Books whatsoever touching or concerning the said Castle Manor Lordship royalties and premises only or any part or parcel thereof All that the Castle and Manor of Stourton Caudle alias Caundle Haddon in the County of Dorset with all and singular the rights members and appurtenances to the same belonging And also all and singular the messuages cottages farms 534 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. lands tenements and hereditaments whatsoever of him the said Sir John Meres situate lying and being in the Parish of Stourton Caudle alias Caundle Haddon aforesaid And also the Advowson Right of patronage and presentation to the Parish Church of Marsh in the said County of Dorset And also all other the lands tenements and hereditaments of him the said Sir John Meres situate lying and being within the Parishes Towns villages fields Precincts or Hamlets of Stourton Caudle alias Caundle Haddon and Marsh aforesaid or either of them And also all and singular other the estate and estates and interests of him the said Sir John Meres in the said County of Dorset Which the said Sir Thomas Meres deceased Father of the said Sir John Meres heretofore purchased of The Right Hon"' Edward Lord Stourton Saving and except out of these Presents the next Presentation only of and to the said Parish Church of Marsh aforesaid heretofore given or granted by the said Sir Thomas Meres to Osmund Hill of Mere in the County of Wilts Gentleman And all and singular houses outhouses edifices buildings dovehouses barns stables gardens orchards yards backsides closes lands meadows pastures feedings commons waste fould courses trees woods underwoods hedges ditches furzes heaths moors marshes ways passages waters watercourses mills springs fishings piscaries rents reservations services fees fines heriots reliefs deodands Courts leet Courts Baron and views of frankpledge perquisites and profits of Courts and all that to Courts Leet Courts Baron and views of frankpledge do belong or appertain amerciaments waifs estrays goods and chattels of felons and fugitives and of outlaws and put in exigent and all other rights royalties privileges liberties franchises profits commodities advantages emoluments hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever to the said Castle Manor Advowson messuages cottages farms lands tenements hereditaments and premises and to every or any of them belonging or in anywise appertaining or with them or any or either of them demised let used occupied or enjoyed or accepted reputed or taken as part parcel or member thereof or of any part or parcel thereof And the reversion and reversion's remainder and remainders yearly and other rents services issues and profits reserved out or payable in or upon all and every or any demise lease or grant of the said Manor Royalties fisheries advowson messuages farms mills lands tenements and premises and every or any part thereof And also all the estate and estates right title interest use trust benefit of trust possession property claim and demand whatsoever whether in Law or Equity of him the said Sir John Meres of in and to the same premises and every part and parcel thereof And all Deeds evidences and writings Surveys Court Rolls and Court Books whatsoever touching or concerning the said Castle Manor Lordship Royalties and premises only or any part or parcel thereof SIGNATURE OF EDWARD, LORD STOURTON. 535 Almost immediately after Stourton House passed into the possession of the Hoare family it was entirely pulled down. The exact date has not been ascertained but it was during or about the year 1720. William Wake, then Dean of Exeter, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, purchased in 1703 the Manors and Advowsons of Over Moigne and Galton, Dorset. Sir Edward Seymour, Baronet, Comptroller of the Household to Queen Anne (ancestor of the later Dukes of Somerset), purchased in the same year the Manors of Little Marston and Frome Selwood. Henry Devenish, Esq., purchased the Manor and Advowson of Buckhorn Weston in 1704. George Turner, Esq., pur- chased, the same year, the Manor of Upper Penley, which included the Mansion- house of Penley and a large farm in Westbury, Wilts. Messrs. William Dawe and Nicholas Hardy purchased in 1701 the Manor of East Chelborough, with certain lands in Lucomb ; and in i 7 1 1 Samuel Rich, of Woodbride, Co. Somerset, purchased the Advowson and right of presentation to the Rectory of Lucomb, Dorset, to which the Stourton family had presented since the year 1452. Sir John Morton, Baronet, of Milborne St. Andrew, who died in 1698 (without male issue, when his baronetcy became extinct), purchased in 1697 the moiety of the Manor of Winter- bourne Houghton, Co. Dorset, which was anciently the inheritance of the Chidiock family, and which had been equally divided between the Arundell and Stourton families. The hundreds of West Perrott, Williton, Freemanors, and Andersfield were purchased in 1688 by Mr. Gore, steward to Lord Stourton. The other premises which were small holdings, mostly in Dorsetshire, but some in Wiltshire, were chiefly leaseholds holden of the Bishop of Sarum and others at small rentals, as was the Manor of Lidlinch, held of the Bishop of Sarum, together with some minor lands in Shaftesbury. The premises in Sturminster Marshall, of which the Trenchard family were Lords, were but small holdings, and the entire manorial title is extant. Some of these premises had merged in the freehold by surrender, or the tenure thereof had expired by effluxion of time. Some were sold to numerous small purchasers. In fact, to all intents and purposes, the whole of the landed property of the Stourton family was sold. The following facsimile of the signature of Lord Stourton possesses a melancholy interest, inasmuch as it is reproduced from a photograph taken (by the courtesy of Sir Henry Hoare, Bart.) from one of the deeds conveying the Stourton property away from the Stourton family. 536 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Lord Stourton died in Paris, intestate and without issue, in October, 1720. The exact date of his death is unknown, as are also the place of his burial, the date of the death of his wife, and the place of her burial. Probably at the time of the death of Edward, 13th Lord Stourton, the Stourton family had reached the greatest depth of their misfortunes, which surely had been many in number. Lord Stourton having no children the succession devolved upon his next surviving brother and heir, Thomas Stourton, thereafter i4th Lord Stourton. MARRIAGE OF THOMAS, FOURTEENTH LORD STOURTON. 537 The Right Honourable Thomas Stourton, fourteenth Baron, and Lord Stourton of Stourton, Co. Wilts., in the Peerage of England, was by birth the third, but was the second surviving, son of William, twelfth Lord Stourton, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Preston, Knight and Baronet, of Furness, Co. Lancaster, and succeeded his elder brother in October, 1720. Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton, was baptized at Stourton June the 14th, 1667, being described in the entry of his baptism in the Stourton parish registers as "Thomas s. of William, Lord Stourton, & Elizabeth." The entry is made in the margin of the registers, in a different handwriting, and it is possible (refer to remarks on page 507) that the actual ceremony took place elsewhere. As a Papist, Lord Stourton never sat in Parliament. He settled the Manor of Bonham, Co. Somerset, in default of his own male issue (which was eventually the case), upon his brother Charles and his heirs male. The Manor of Bonham had been previously leased from the Bonham family by the 7th and 8th Lords Stourton. Thomas, Lord Stourton purchased the remainder of an old lease, and obtained a new lease from the Lord of the Manor. He eventually purchased the fee simple. Lord Stourton married his cousin Elizabeth, second daughter of John Stourton, of Over Moigne, Dorset, Esquire, by his wife, a daughter of John (or James) Bennet, The Anns of Stourton impaling the Arms of Stourton. of Abingdon, Co. Berks. This John Stourton (see page 320) was the second son of Henry Stourton, of Over Moigne, Co. Dorset (see page 319), by his wife Frances, daughter of John Best. The said Henry Stourton was the younger son of Philip 538 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. Stourton, of Over Moigne (see page 315), who was the younger son of Arthur Stourton, Master of the King's Jewels (see page 314) ; and Arthur Stourton was the third son of William, 7th Lord Stourton. Of this marriage there was no issue. Lord Stourton died at Bonham, March the 24th, 1743-4, aged 76, and was buried at Stourton, April i, 1744, being described in the entry of his burial in the Stourton parish registers as " The Hon'''= Thomas, Lord Stourton." Lord Stourton had made his will April the 19th, 1738, and it was proved May the 2nd, 1744. The original is still preserved at Somerset House (P. C. C, Anstis, 131), and is as follows: " I Thomas Lord Stourton, Baron of Stourton do hereby revoke and make void all and every Will and Wills Testament and Testaments by me at any time heretofore made and do declare this to be my only last Will and Testament which followeth that is to say First I Will that my debts and funerall expences be paid and Satisfied Also I give and bequeath to my two Brothers Botolph and John Stourton the Sum of Ten pounds apeice of lawfull British money payable at the end of Twelve months next after my decease Also I Give to my Neice Langdale the Sum of Twenty Pounds of like money payable at the time aforesaid Also I Give to my Nephew James Stourton the sum of Ten Pounds And to my Neices Katherine and Elizabeth Stourton the Sum of Five pounds apeice of Like money payable as aforesaid Also 1 Give and bequeath to John Nelson whom I put out Apprentice to Mr. Villeneuf in London the sum of Fifty Pounds of like money to be paid him at the end of Twelve months next after my decease as aforesaid Also I Give devise and bequeath to my Wife the Lady Stourton one clear Annuity or yearly Sum of Twenty Pounds to be paid to her without any deductions whatsoever during the Term of her natural life by two equall half yearly Payments the First of the said Payments to begin and be made at the end of Six Calendar months next after my decease And 1 make the said Annuity or yearly Sum chargeable on and payable out of all my Personal Estate and for the better security of the Payment thereof to her during her life-time as aforesaid I will and direct that my Executor hereinafter named (who is to pay the same) do within Six Callendar Months next after my decease give unto my said Wife good and Sufficient Security to her Satisfaction for the true and due payment thereof in manner as aforesaid And I Also Will and Devise that if my said Executor shall refuse or Neglect to give her such sufficient security Then I give and bequeath to my said Wife the Sum of Four hundred Pounds payable to her at the end of Six Callender months next after my decease And I further give and devise to my said Wife all the ready money And all the Goods & Effects within Door and without which I shall WLL OF THOMAS, LORD STOURTON. 539 have at or in my Dwellinghouse at Bonham at the time of my decease Lastly I give devise and bequeath all the Rest residue and Remainder of my moneys Goods Chattels and Effects And all other my personall Estate whatsoever and wheresoever to my Nephew William Stourton whom I make nominate and Appoint Sole and only Executor of this my said last Will & Testament In Witnesse whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and Seale the Nineteenth day of Aprill in the year of our Lord 1738. (Signed) Stourton. Signed Sealed Published and declared by the said Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of Joseph Turner; Jo. Hughes. This Will was Proved at London the Second day of May in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and forty four before the Worshipfull William Strahan doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Worshipfull John Bettesworth also doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oath of William Stourton Esquire the Nephew of the Deceased and Sole Executor named in the said Will To whom Administration was granted of all and Singular the Goods Chatties and Credits of the said deceased being first Sworn duly to Administer the Same." The following is a facsimile of Lord Stourton's signature, reproduced from a photograph taken from the foregoing will : The seal is small, probably the impression of a signet-ring, and merely shows a shield of the unquartered arms of Stourton surmounted by a coronet. Lady Stourton survived her husband until 1749. She was buried at Stourton June the 14th, 1749, being described in the parish registers as "The Hon"" Elizabeth, Lady Stourton." Lord Stourton was succeeded by his nephew, Charles Stourton (see page 508), eldest son and heir of the Honourable Charles Stourton (fifth, but third surviving, son of William, 12th Lord Stourton, and next surviving brother of Edward, 13th, and Thomas, 14th Lords Stourton), by his wife Catherine, eldest daughter and co-heir of Richard Frampton, Esquire. 540 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. The Right Honourable Charles, fifteenth Baron, and Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wihs., in the Peerage of England, was the eldest son and heir of the Honourable Charles Stourton, Captain of the Guard, temp. James II. (by birth the fifth, but the third surviving son of William, 12th Lord Stourton), by his wife, Catherine, eldest daughter and co-heir of Richard Frampton, Esquire, of Moreton, Co. Dorset, and was the nephew and heir of Thomas, 14th Lord Stourton. Charles, 15th Lord Stourton, was born March the 2nd, 1701-2, and succeeded to the peerage on the death of his uncle, March the 24th, 1743-4. He was admitted to Gray's Inn, November the 8th, 1725. As a Papist he never sat in Parliament. Lord Stourton married, April the 2nd, 1733, the Right Honourable Catherine, Dowager Lady Petre (widow of the Rt. Hon. Robert (Petre), 7th Lord Petre of Writtle, Co. Essex), who was the daughter of Bartholomew Walmesley, of Dunken- halgh, Co. Lancaster, Esquire, by Dorothy, daughter and heir of John Smith. Lady 'J'/ie Arms oj Stourton, mid in pretence those of Walmesley, namely, ^\t;ules, on a chief ermine, tivo hurtsT Stourton was the sister and heir of Francis Walmesley, also of Dunkenhalgh, afore- said, who died in 171 1, unmarried, at the age of 15, when she (who was born the 4th of January, 1697) succeeded to the real and personal estate as sole heir. A Lease and Release was enrolled in Chancery of 30 and 31 March, 1733, the Release being between Catherine, Dowager Lady Petre, then widow of Robert, 7th Lord Petre, Baron of Writtle, Co. Essex, and daughter, and eventually heir, of Bartholomew Walmesley, of Dunkenlagh, Co. Lancaster, Esquire, of the first part; Charles Stourton (afterwards Lord Stourton), of the second part; Edward, Duke of Norfolk, Hereditary Earl Marshal of England, only surviving son of Lord MARRIAGE OF CHARLES, LORD STOURTON. 541 Thomas Howard, of Worksop, Notts, deceased, and eldest surviving grandson and heir male of the body of Henry, then late Duke of Norfolk, deceased, one of the sons of Henry, then late Earl of Arundel, also deceased ; Sir Francis Andrews, of Norton, Co. Norfolk, Baronet, and Henry Hoare, of Lincoln's Inn Fields, Co. Middlesex, Esquire, with another trustee therein named of the third part ; all by the names, titles, and descriptions therein specifically mentioned. Thereby All the Real Estate of Catherine, Dowager Lady Petre [including her estates in East and West Cheam and Ewell, Co. Surrey, and Whittlesea, Isle of Ely, Co. Cambridge, which were afterwards subject to her Indenture of 29th August, 1749, and Articles of the same date, made in contemplation of the then intended and afterwards solemnized marriage of William Stourton (afterwards Lord Stourton, brother and heir presumptive of the said Charles, Lord Stourton) with Winifred Howard, daughter of Philip Howard, of Buckenham, Co. Norfolk, Esquire, and his only daughter by Winifred, his first wife, daughter of Thomas Stonor, of Stonor, Co. Oxford, Esquire], in contemplation of the then intended and afterwards solemnized (and of April, 1733) marriage of Catherine, Dowager Lady Petre, with Charles (afterwards 15th Lord Stourton), and for other the considerations therein mentioned, was settled, in the parties of the third part, as trustees, to and for the separate use and benefit of Catherine, Dowager Lady Petre, subject to a power to her, notwithstanding her coverture to make void, alter, or change, by deed or will, all or any of the uses, trusts, estates, &c., thereby limited, or expressed as thereby limited, &c. These trusts were partly revoked under her deed dated the 29th of August, 1749, by the creation of a term of 1,000 years, as expressed in the said deed, and in other muniments of title which will be found under the life of William, i6th Lord Stourton.* By Articles of Agreement of the 17th of April, 1762, between Catherine, then Dowager Lady Stourton, the grandmother and guardian of Robert Edward, then Lord Petre, at that time aged 20 years and upwards, and the said Robert Edward, Lord Petre, of the first part ; Henrietta Howard, widow of Philip Howard, late of Buckenham, Co. Norfolk, Esquire, late brother of Edward, Duke of Norfolk, mother and testamentary guardian of Ann Howard, spinster, her daughter, then an infant, aged 19 years and upwards, and the said Ann Howard of the second part ; Edward, Duke of Norfolk, Hereditary Earl Marshal of England, uncle of Ann Howard, of the third part ; Henry, Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire, George Henry, Earl of Lich- field, Hugh, Lord Clifford of Chudlcigh, Co. De von, and Thomas Howard, Esquire * Recited in the Indenture of 29th August, 1749, which was produced in evidence at the hearing of Lord Stourton's Petition in the Mowbray and Segrave Peerage Claims. 542 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. nephew of Edward, Duke of Norfolk, and brother of Ann Howard, of the fourth part ; and also William, Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., George Howard, of Bookham, Surrey, Esquire, Lieutenant-General in his Majesty's forces, and Colonel of the Third Regiment of Foot, George Fieschi Heneage, of Hainton, Lincoln, Esquire, Thomas Bramston, of Skreens, Essex, Esquire, and Philip Langdale, of South Cliffe, York, Esquire ; after reciting that a marriage was then intended shortly to be solemnized by and between Robert Edward, Lord Petre, and Ann Howard, with the consent of Catherine, Dowager Lady Stourton, and Henrietta Howard, widows, as their guardians respectively ; Catherine, Dowager Lady Stourton, in con- sideration of her natural love and affection for her grandson, Robert P2dward, Lord Petre, and to facilitate the conclusion and solemnization of his said marriage, covenanted and agreed in her own person, on behalf of Robert Edward, Lord Petre, to resettle and assure, as therein expressed, the family estates in Essex and Devon, save only the then existing yearly rent-charge then payable to Catherine, Lady Dowager Stourton, for her life for her jointure. William, Lord Stourton, was one of the Trustees to whom the estates were settled to the use of for a term of 400 years then created. The deed recites certain indented articles of agreement of the 5th of November, 1739, made before the marriage of Philip Howard, of Buckenham, Norfolk, Esquire, with Henrietta Proli, widow and relict of Peter Proli, of Antwerp, Esquire, and one of the daughters of Edward Blount, of Blagdon, Devon, Esquire. These Marriage Articles of 17th April, 1762, however, chiefly concerned the Petre family.* Robert Edward, Lord Petre, in a codicil (dated the 2nd of November, 1799) to his will dated the 2rst of July, 1795, and proved, with other codicils, at London, the 14th of July, 1801, exercised the power of appointment reserved to him under the will of Catherine, Dowager Lady Stourton, and devised all the estates actually situated in Lancashire, which had passed under the will of Lady Stourton. t There are various portraits of Lady Stourton in existence. The one which is here reproduced is from a painting in the possession of Lord Gerard, at Garswood, Lancashire. There are two other portraits exactly the same, one being now in the possession of Lord Petre, at Thorndon Hall, Essex, and the other in the possession of the Marquise de Lys {nee Gerard), who is residing at Malvern Wells. Which of the three is the original and which are copies is not known. There is still another painting of this Lady Stourton at Dunkenhalgh, Lancashire, the property of Mr. Henry Petre, and this is the portrait which called forth the remark of Whittaker, * This deed is set out in the Minutes of Evidence in Lord Stourton's Claim to the Mowbray and Segrave Peerages. t This Codicil, together with the Will and other Codicils, are all set out in the above Minutes of Evidence. J 542 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OE STOURTON. nephew of Edward, Duke of Norfolk, and brother of Ann Howard, of tl part; and also William, Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., George H' Bookham, Surrey, Esquire, Lieutenant-General in his Majesty's forces, anu of the X^hd Regimeni of Foot, George Fieschi Heneage, of Hainton, Lincoln, Esquire, Thomag.. Bramston, ■ ■, Essex, Esquire, and Philip Langdale, of South Cliffe, York. Hsquir'- i .g that a marriage was then intended shortly to be solemnii'H by and Robert Edward, Lord Petre, and Ann Howard, with the Dowager Lady Stourton, and Henrietta Howard, ' ' ^tively ; Catherine, Dowager Lady Stourton, in con- iid affection for her grandson, Robert Edward, Lord Petre, and t 'J the conclusion and solemnization of his said marriage, , ov' In her own person, on behalf of Robert Edward, Lord Petre, i, j i c V ^ .13 therein expressed, the family estates in Essex and Devon, save only the then existing yearly rent-charge then payable to Catherine, Lady Dowager Stourton, for her life for her jointure. William, Lord Stourton, was one of the Trustees to whom the estates were settled to the use of for a term of 400 years then created. The deed recites certain indented articles of agreement of the 5th of November, 1739, made before the marriage of Philip Howard, .of Buckenham. i\'firl>ilk, Esfjuire, with Henrietta Proli, widow and relict of Peter Proli, of Antwerp, i:sqi ;re, auJ one of the daughters of Edward Blount, of Blagdon, Devon, E.squire. These Marriage Articles of 17th April, 1762, however, chiefly concerned the Petre family.* Robert Edward, Lord Petre, in a codicil (dated the 2nd of November. 1799) to his will dated the 21st of July, 1795, and proved, with other codicils, at London, the 14th of July, 1801, exercised the power of appointment reserved to him under the will of Catherine, Dowager Lady Stourton, and devised all the estates actually situated in Lancashire, which had passed under the will of Lady Stourton.t The l ious portraits of Lady Stourton in existence. The one which is n a painting in the possession of Lord Gerard, at Garswood, ■<.• two other portraits exactly the same, one being now in the possPssi(^ii of Lord Petre, at Thorndon Hall, Essex, and the other in the possession oft' rard), who is residing at Malvern Wells. Which of the i! L ^, iich are copies is not known. There is still another painting of this Lady Stourton at Dunkenhalgh, Lancashire, the property of Mr. Henry Petre, and this is the portrait which called forth the remark of Whittaker, • This deed is set out in the Minutes of Evidence in Lord Stourton's Claim 10 the Mowbray and Segrave Peerages. This Codicil, together with the Will and other Codicils, are all set out in the above Minutes of Evidence. EARL OF SHREWSBURY CHAPLAIN TO LADY STOURTOX. 543 to the effect that she appears to have had small pretensions to beauty, but was a very beneficent and amiable woman. _ Three farms in Furness and Winswick, in the County of Lancaster, were vested m the same Lady Stourton in 171 1, the year in which her brother died. These had been given for the foundation of a novitiate for the English Province in the District of Furness, of the College of St. Aloysius, for the Society of Jesus.* Father Gilbert Talbot,+ - alias Grey," was for some time chaplain to Lady Stourton, at Dunkenhalgh near Preston, having pre^'iously been chaplain to Lord Petre, her first husband at ngatestone Hall. He lived for many years at Dunkenhalgh, in the Lancashire Hills, as Lady Stourton s chaplain, always amongst the poor, living with the Steward and enjoy- ing the confidence of Lady Stourton. H e was Rector of the College of St, Aloysius from 1734 to 1738. It is stated in a letter written from Stonyhurst, on the 4th of June 1820, by Father Charles Plowden. that he had often heard that Father Talbot's advice prevented Lady Stourton from yielding to the importunities of her second husband Lord Stourton, who pressed Lady Stourton to settle the Dunkenhalgh property which she had inherited from her father, on the Stourton fVimily, rather" than on her own grandson, Lord Petre.+ But this amounts to no more than mere gossip of a hearsay " character, and is in no way corroborated or substantiated from any other quarter. It seems very unlikely to be correct, for Lord Stourton had no children, and his brother and successor was more or less provided for by his marriage with Miss Winifred Howard. Certain is it that none of the Walmesley property (with the e.xception of the life-interest referred to in Lady Stourton's will) was settled upon or inherited by any member of the Stourton family, and but little credence need be given to this uncorroborated tale to the prejudice of Lord Stourton. The Stourton family do not appear to have permanently benefited by this marriage with one of the wealthiest heiresses of her day. It may be of interest to here recapitulate the arms and quarterings to which the Lords Stourton had already become entitled, before their alliance with the House of Howard brought in the numerous and illustrious quarterings which were then added to the Stourton achievement. Up to the present time (1898) no attempt has been made to formally prove or place upon record at the College of Arms the whole of the quarterings which have been inherited by the Stourton family. But a very elaborate illuminated pedigree was drawn up in the jear 1879 by Thomas Close This is prefaced by a shield of 304 quarterings, and though this does not comprise the whole of those which it seems likely could be established, there does not appear to be ♦ Records of that Society. 544 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. any reason to doubt the accuracy of those which are there given. Of these 304 those which had accrued up to this point in the family history were as follows : Arms : Quarterly i. Sable, a bend or, between six fountains proper (Stourton). 2. Argent, two bars, and in chief three mullets sable (Le Moigne, see pages 103 and 503). 3. Barry of six or and vert (Le Moigne, ancient, see page 503). 4. Argent, on a bend sable, three calves of the field (Veele, see page 503). 5. Argent, ten billets, four, three, two, and one sable (Belvale, see page 503). 6. Quarterly or and gules, an escarbuncle sable (Mandeville, see pages 152 and 503). 7. Gules, an inescutcheon within an orle of eight martlets argent (Chidiock, see pages 228 and 503). S. Gules, three lions passant in pale argent, debruised by a bend azure (Fitz Payne, brought in by the marriage — see page 43 — of Sir John Chidiock, Knight, with Isabella, daughter and sole heir of Robert, second Baron Fitz Payne). 9. Quarterly per pale indented or and gules, in the first and fourth quarters a cross lozengy of the second (Lincoln, brought in by the marriage of Robert Fitz Payne with Margaret, sister and co-heir of Alured de Lincoln, Lord of Winterbourne Longton, Co. Dorset, vide 1879 pedigree). 10. Chequy or and azure, on a bend gules, three lions passant or (Clifford, brought in through the marriage [vide " Complete Peerage "] of Robert, first Lord Fitz Payne, with Isabel, daughter and finally sole heir of Sir John Clifford, of Frampton, Co. Gloucester) see page 4 3. 11. Argent, a bend sable, a label gules (St. Loe, brought in by the marriage — vide page 44 — of Sir John Chidiock with Joan, daughter and co-heir of Sir John St. Loe). 12. Azure, a cross flory or (Pavely, brought in by the marriage of Sir John St. Loe with Alice, daughter and heir of Sir John Pavely, vide page 44). 13. Quarterly per fesse indented ermine and gules (Fitz Warine, vide pages 44 and 503). Till-. AkMoklAI. lii;Ak[\iiS Ol' l-lli". I.OkDS sruL'KTOX, liieliuIiiiL;' UiL' I'riiicipiil guartcringb itihci-itcil print- tu (he Alli;iucc willi Howard. SloLiiLon, 2. >[oigiiL', 3. \\-v]c. 4. lichak-, 5. MaiuiiMilL-, 6. Cliidiock, 7. Fitzpn> 8. St. Lix\ 9. ]*"itz Warinc, 10. Argentine, 11. M[/'[\'k, 12. Fianiplon. QUARTEKINGS 01'' THE LORDS STOUKTOX. 545 14. Or, a human leg couped at the thigh azure (Haddon, brought in by the marriage — see page 52 — of Sir William FitzWarine, K.G., Knight Banneret, Lord FitzWarine, with Amicia, daughter and heir of Sir Henry de Haddon, of Caundle Haddon, Co. Dorset). 15. Gules, a bend between six cross-crosslets fitchee or (Forneaux, brought in by Haddon, vide 1879 pedigree). 16. Gules, three covered cups argent (Argentine, vide pages 52 and 503). ' 17. Azure, six martlets or, a canton ermine (Fitz Tek, vide page 503). 18. Argent, crusilly fitchee and three fleurs-de-lis sable (Hereford, brought in by the marriage of Sir John Argentine, with Agnes, daughter of Sir William Hereford, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and sister and co-heir (vide 1879 pedigree — but also see Genealogical Magazine, Vol. I., page 624) — of Sir Edmund Hereford of Langley Manor). 19. Argent, three roses gules, a bordure engrailed sable (D'Arcie). 20. Argent, three roses gules (D'Arcie, ancient). 21. Gules, an orle within eight crosses crosslet in orle or (Hertram of Mitford)., 22. Argent, a bend gules, cottised sable (Frampton, see pages 507 and 508). 23. Quarterly gules and ermine, in the first and fourth quarters a goat's head erased argent (Moreton, vide page 508). 24. Sable, a chevron or, between three stag's head's caboshed argent (Hroughton, vide page 50S). 25. Azure, on a fesse argent, between three roses or, as many bugle- horns stringed sable (Cottington, vide page 508). Crest on a wreath of the colours, a demi-nionk proper, habited in russet, his girdle or, and wielding in his dexter hand a scourge also or, thereon five knotted lashes. SuproRTERS on either side, a sea-dog sable, finned and scaled or. Motto : " Loyal je serai durant ma vie." B.\DGE : A sledge. The accompanying illustration is of the arms and the principal quarterings inherited by Charles, 15th Lord Stourton, and his brother William, i6th Lord Stourton. The former bore the arms of Walmesley in pretence, and the latter 546 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. impaled those of Howard, in right of their respective wives. The original crest of the Lords Stourton was an antelope's head erased (vide pages and 504). The original supporters of the Lords Stourton were "two antelopes azure," as maybe seen upon the tomb of Edward, 6th Lord Stourton, at Stourton. The Stourton arms as formerly set up in the Manor House of Lyte's Cary, were also supported by two antelopes azure. When, or why, or by whom the sea-dogs were assumed in their place is unknown, but they are recorded in the College of Arms, and date from at least as far back as the time of the Restoration. An ancient motto of the Stourton family would seem to have been " Espoir en Dieu," this being the motto which is stated to have been carved below the arms in Little Langford Church. Unfor- tunately it is now illegible. The Baptismal Registers of the old Catholic Mission, at Cheam, Surrey, commence on the 8th of May, 1757, and the first entry is that of William, son of John and Susan Smith, the god-parents being " Gulielmus, Baro' de Stourton, etCatherina, dila de Stourton, vidua Caroli, Baronis de Stourton."'"' Lord Stourton died without issue, at his wife's seat at Cheam, Surrey, on the iith of March, 1753, aged 51, and was buried in the chancel (which Lady Stourton had rebuilt in 1750) of the Church at Cheam, as appears from a marble tablet bearing the following inscription to his memory : " In a Vault opposite to this Monument lies interred the body of the Right Honourable Charles, Lord Stourton, Baron of Stourton. He died the iith of March, 1753, in the 51st year of his age. Requiescat in pace. Amen." Lord Stourton died intestate, and administration of his personal estate was granted the 21st of May, 1753. Lady Stourton survived her second husband for very nearly thirty-two years, dying at the age of 88, on January the 3tst, 1785. She was buried with her first husband, Lord Petre, at Ingatestone, Co. Essex. t Her will, which is dated August the 25th, 1783, was proved February the 7th, 1785, and is now preserved at Somerset House.| It is as follows : "In the Name of God Amen. I Catharine Lady Dowager Stourton (the widow and Relict of Charles late Lord Stourton my second husband deceased) having one Grandson and three Grandaughters who are Children of my Son Robert James late Lord Petre deceased make this my last Will and Testament as follows (to wit) Whereas I am minded to make some Disposition of both my real and Personal * Oli English Catholic Missions. — Liber ab Hieresi Conversorum. -f The Petre vault is in Ingatestone Parish Church, and although search has been made, no tablet or brasses relating to Lady Stourton are to be found. This vault has not been opened for several )ears, and during the life of the late Lord Petre the idea of opening it was abandoned, as it would have been attended with some little risk. i p. C. C, 98 DucareL WILL OF CATHERINE, LADV STOURTOX. 547 estate respectively as herein after mentioned. Now therefore first I hereby charge my Selbye Estate cum membris with such Sum and Sums of Money and Interest as upon and before the Marriage of my late Husbands Brother William Stourton now Lord Stourton I have by Deed made payable from my Estates in the Isle of Ely and part of my Surrey Estate. To the End those Estates may be wholly indemnified against the same And also I charge all and every my several Estates in Yorkshire Lancashire the Isle of Ely Surrey and Susse.x with such annuities yearly or other Sum or Sums of Money as I shall at any time or times in Writing under my hand with or without Witnesses Give or direct to be paid out of the same Estate or any of them respectively And as for my said Estate in the Isle of Ely and all my Surrey and Sussex Estates discharged of the Incumbrances brought thereupon or upon some part thereof by the said Deed made upon or before the Marriage of the said William now Lord Stourton I direct the same Estates to be settled To my said Grandson for his life without Impeachment of Waste and with trustees for preserving Con- tingent Remainders And from and after his decease To his first and other Sons successively according to Seniority of jige in Tail male And for default of such Issue To my Eldest Grandaughter for her life without Impeachment of Waste and with a Power if she shall marry and her Husband shall her survive for her either before or after her Marriage by Deed or Will (which notwithstanding her Coverture shall be good and effectual) to give the same to him for his life without Impeachment of Waste and with trustees for preserving Contingent Remainders And from and after her Decease (subject to such Estate, if any, therein as she shall in pursuance of her said Power Give to her Husband) To her first and other Son and Sons successively according to Seniority of age in Tail Male and for default of such Issue To my Second Grandaughter with like Power and her Issue Male in like manner as to my said Eldest Grandaughter and her Issue Male and so on To my third Grandaughter and her Issue Male and for default of such Issue to my own right Heirs And as for my Lancashire and Craven Estates whereof part is Leasehold but much the greatest part Freehold I direct such part of the same as is Freehold to be settled To my said Grandson for his life without Impeachment of Waste and with trustees for preserving Contingent Remainders as aforesaid And from and after his decease To such one or more of his Younger Sons in tail Male as he shall by Deed or Will appoint And in default of such Appointment to such of his Sons as at his decease shall be his second Son in tail Male Remainder To such of his Sons as at his decease shall be his third Son in tail Male And so on To all his other Younger Sons successively according to Seniority of age in tail Male Remainder to such of his Sons as at his decease shall be his Eldest or only son in tail Male Remainder To my said Eldest Grandaughter for her life without Impeachment of W'aste with Trustees to preser\-e 548 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON as aforesaid and with such Power of Giving her Husband an Estate in the Premises for his life in such manner as I have herein before directed that she shall be impowered to do of and in my said Estates in the Isle of Ely and Surrey Remainder To such one of her Sons or more of them in Tail Male as she whether single or married and notwithstanding her Coverture shall by Deed or Will appoint. And in Default of such Appointment To such of her Sons as at her decease shall be her second Son in Tail Male Remainder to such of her Sons as at her decease shall be her third Son in Tail Male and so on in like manner To all her other younger Sons successively according Seniority of Age in Tail Male Remainder to such of her Sons as at her decease shall be her Eldest or only son in Tail Male and for Default of such Issue To my said second Grandaughter with such Power as aforesaid and her Issue Male in like sort as to my said Eldest Grandaughter and her Issue Male and so on To my said third Grandaughter and her Issue Male and for Default of such Issue To my Cousin Thomas Walmesley (the son of my Cousin Thomas Walmesley of Showley in the said County of Lancaster Esquire) for his natural life without Impeachment of Waste and with trustees to preserve Contingent Remainders And from and after his decease To his first and other Son and Sons successively according to seniority of age in Tail Male. And for Default of such Issue To his Brother Joseph Walmesley for his natural life without Impeachment of Waste and with trustees to preserve Contingent Remainders And from and after his decease To his first and other Son and Sons successively according to seniority of age in Tail Male And for Default of such Issue to my own right heirs And I direct my Leasehold Estates in Lancashire and Craven aforesaid to be settled so near as may be to the manner I have herein before directed my Freehold Estate there to be settled. And as for and concerning my said Selbye Estate cum membris Charged and Chargeable as aforesaid I direct the same to be settled together with other my Yorkshire Estates not in Craven aforesaid (whereof part is also Leasehold) in such and the like manner as is herein before directed of and concerning my said Lancashire and Craven Estates (Except as to such Limitations as are herein before directed to be made of those Estates in Remainder to my said two Cousins Thomas Walmesley the Son and Joseph Walmesley and their Male Issue as aforesaid. Provided always and my Will is That in the Settlements hereinbefore directed to be made there shall be contained a Power for every of the several Persons thereby to be made Tenants for life and whether they be or be not Femmes Covert and notwithstanding their Coverture being intitled or intitling their Husbands to the present Possession of the Premises or any part thereof to Lease at the Antient Rent such of the Premises as have been accus- tomed to be so leased and at Rack Rent the Rest of the Premises But so as no such Lease at the antient Rent shall be for any longer continuance than three lives in WILL OF CATHERINE, LADY STOURTON. 549 being at once and so as no such Lease at Rack Rent be for any longer term than twenty one years absolute from- the making thereof and so as the Lessees therein to be named do execute Counterparts of the same respectively. And as for and concerning the whole of my Personal Estate not directed to be settled or disposed of as aforesaid I hereby give and bequeatli the same unto the said William now Lord Stourton Subject nevertheless to my Debts (Except such of the same respectively as are or shall be directed or provided to be paid out of any of my real Estates) and also subject to such Gifts and Legacies as I shall by any Writing under my hand whether Witnessed or not Witnessed direct or appoint. And Lastly I desire that no more than twenty pounds shall be expended in my Funeral and I nominate and appoint the said William now Lord Stourton to be Executor of this my Will and hereby revoking all former and other Will and Wills by me at any time or times heretofore made I declare this to be my last Will and Testament contained in three Sheets of Paper to each of which I have subscribed my name and to the last affixed my Seal the twenty fifth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty three [Signed) C. Stourton. Signed sealed published and declared by the above named Catherine Lady Dowager Stourton the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the Presence of us who have subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto in the Presence of her and of each other the Words (in the County of Lancaster) in the twelfth line from the top of the second Sheet being first interlined. [Signed) Jn° Maire, [signed) William Hodgson, [signed) Tho" Kiernan After my Death I give and bequeath to M' William Short one hundred Guineas. Item to my Servant Margaret Matthews two hundred pounds. Item to my Servant Danice Peard eighty pounds. Item to Betty Brown fifty pounds Item to Betty Plumbr forty pound Item to Richard Bumba and his wife thirty pound apiece and to Edward Tree thirty pound a year during his life. March y° 2'" 1767 [Signed) C. Stourton. This is to testify that I settle upon my two Niece Landales Fifty pound a year a piece during their lives to be paid from the day of their Brothers Death Yearly half Yearly or Quarterly as they choose and I Charge my Selby Estate with the same. March y" 14"' 1764. [signed) C. Stourton. I have signed a Bond dated June the 16"" 1764 for their better security but choose to have them charged as above on my Selby Estate. i\I'^ have paid one half year all to the 21" of N° 1765 and now paid to the 2 1*' May 1767 now p'' to November 21" 1773 550 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. This is a Codicil to my last Will and Testament being desirous to extend the Power of Appointment given by my said Will to Lord Petre my Grandson I direct all my Freehold Estates in Yorkshire Lancashire and Craven and all my Leasehold Estates there (as far as may be) to be settled after his decease on such one or more of his younger Sons or on such one or more of his Grandsons or both on such of his younger sons and such of his Grandsons and for such Estates and upon such Condi- tions as my Grandson shall by Deed or Will appoint with such Remainders over in default of such appointment as in my said Will are mentioned And I also direct that by such Settlement the sum of ten thousand pounds be made payable out of my said Freehold and Leasehold Estates in Yorkshire Lancashire and Craven to such of the younger Children of my late Grandaughter Catherine Heneage as shall be living at my decease And I also direct that by Such Settlement the Sum of twenty thousand pounds be made payable out of my said Freehold and Leasehold Estates in Yorkshire Lancashire and Craven and be applied in Exoneration and satisfaction of the Sum of twenty thousand pounds charged on my said Grandsons Estate by his Marriage Settlement for the benefit of his Daughters and Younger Sons and all my Estate and Effects not disposed of by my said Will or by this Codicil I give and devise according to their nature and quality to Lord Petre his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns to and for his and their own proper use and benefit. And I appoint my said Grandson* to be my sole Executor and in all other respects except as above I confirm my said last Will and Testament. Witness my hand and Seal this the tenth day of May in the Year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and eighty four. [Signed) C. Stourton. Signed Sealed Published by me Catherine Lady Stourton as and for a Codicil to her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto. {Signed) Tho' Kiernan {signed) Law : Kiernan {signed) Jn° Colerick. Item I give to my Great Grandaughter Gifard five hundred Pounds now married to M' Thorckmorton C. Stourton. This Will was proved at London with four Codicils the seventh day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty five before the Wor- shipful Andrew Coltee Ducarel Doctor of Laws Surrogate of the Right Worshipful Peter Calvert also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oathe of the Right Honourable * William, Lord Stourton, wlio was originally appointed executor, had predeceased Catherine (Walmesley), Lady Stourton. SIGNATURE OF CATHERINE, LADY STOURTON. 551 Robert Edward Lord Petre the Grandson of the deceased and sole Executor named in the said third Codicil to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having been first sworn duly to administer." The following facsimile of the signature of Lady Stourton, which is reproduced from a photograph taken from the foregoing will, is the first signature which it has been possible to obtain of any of the wives of the Lords Stourton. Charles, 15th Lord Stourton, having had no issue, was succeeded by his next surviving brother, William, i6th Lord Stourton. 552 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. The Right Honourable WilHam, sixteenth Baron, and Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wihs, in the Peerage of England, was by birth the third, but was the second surviving, son of the Honourable Charles Stourton (by birth fifth, but third surviving, son of the Right Honourable William, 12th Lord Stourton) by his wife Catherine, eldest daughter of Richard Frampton, Esquire, of Bitson, Co. Dorset, and was the next surviving brother and heir of the Right Honourable Charles, 15th Lord Stourton, whom he succeeded March the iith, 1753. William, Lord Stourton, was born in August, 1704, and was admitted to Gray's Inn the 28th of July, 1741. Lord Stourton married, the nth of October, 1749, Winifred, the eldest child and the elder of the two surviving daughters of Philip Howard, Esquire, of The Anns of Stourton, impaling tliose of Howard, namely, gnles, a bend between six cross crosslets fitchee argent, and, as an honourable augmentation to commemorate the victory of Floddcn Field, on the bend a?i inescutcheon or changed -with a demi-lion rampant pierced through the mouth by an arrow, and within the Royal trcssure of Scotland gules. Buckenham, Co. Norfolk. The aforesaid Philip Howard was the fifth son of Lord Thomas Howard, of Worksop, Co. Nottingham [younger son of the Most Noble Henry, 6th Duke of Norfolk, by his wife, the Lady Anne Somerset, eldest daughter of the Most Honourable Edward (Somerset), Marquess of Worcester] by his wife, Mary Elizabeth, daughter and sole heir of Sir John Savile, Baronet, of Copley, Co. York, and brother of the Most Noble Thomas, 8th Duke of Norfolk, and the Most Noble Edward, 9th Duke of Norfolk. Philip Howard, who was born January the 24th, 1688 (and died January the 23rd, 1749-50), married firstly, January the 7th, 1723-4, Winifreda, eldest daughter of Thomas Stonor, Esquire, of Stonor and Watlington, Co. Oxon, by whom he had issue : DESCENT OF WINIFRED, I.ADV STOURTON. 553 I. Thomas Howard, Esquire, born February the 4th, 1727-2S, and died s.p. January tlie 9th, 1763. II. Winifred, born August the 31st, 1726 [wife of Lord Stourton, as stated above], and died July the 15th, 1753. Winifreda Howard i^nde Stonor) died the 3rd of February, 1730-31, and PhiHp Howard married secondly, November the 8th, 1739, Henrietta, daughter and co- heir of Henry Blount, Esquire, of Blaydon, Co. Devon,* and widow of Peter Proli, of Antwerp, by whom he had issue, III. Edward Howard, Esquire, born January the 22nd, 1743-44, and died s p. February the 7th, 1767. IV. Anne [wife of Robert Edward, Lord Petre]. Winifred, Lady Stourton, is invariably described as co-heir (with her half-sister. Lady Petre), of her father, Philip Howard. As an actual matter of fact, she never was, inasmuch as both her brother and step-brother survived her. But by the death s.p. of her brother Thomas in 1763, and her half-brother Edward in 1767, she in fur isstie became co-heir (with her half-sister Anne, Lady Petre) of her father, Philip Howard, and by the deaths of her uncles Thomas, 8th Duke of Norfolk, Henry Howard, Esquire, Edward, 9th Duke of Norfolk, and Richard Howard, Esquire, all s.p., she, in ker issue, became, on the 20th of September, 1777, co-heir (with her sister Anne, Lady Petre) of Lord Thomas Howard, and consequently (Henry, 7th Duke of Norfolk, K.G., having died without issue) of Henry, 6th Duke of Norfolk, Earl- Marshal, Earl of Norwich, Earl of Arundel, &c. Her son, Charles Philip, afterwards 17th Lord Stourton, therefore eventually became, through his mother, heir-of-line, and senior co-heir general of the ancient Houses of Howard, Mowbray, Segrave, and Talbot, and as a consequence inherited an entire moiety of the Baronies (by WVit) of Mowbray, Segrave, Furnivall, Strange de Blackmere, and Talbot, together with other co-heirships, which will be more fully dealt with hereafter when tracing the devolution of the Baronies of Mowbray and Segrave. Henry, 6th Duke of Norfolk, was lineally descended from Sir Robert Howard, Knight, Earl-Marshal, by his wife Margaret, eldest daughter of Thomas de Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, son and heir of John, Lord Mowbray, by Elizabeth his wife, daughter of John, Lord Segrave, by Margaret Plantagenet, Countess and Duchess of Norfolk, his wife, the sole issue of Thomas Plantagenet de Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk, and Earl-Marshal of England, son of King Edward I. The whole of the quarterings of the Howard family were, of course, inherited by the Hon. Charles Philip Stourton, in 1767, on the death of his uncle, Edward Howard, Esquire, and they have since formed a prominent part of the Stourton achievement. William, Lord Stourton, before he inherited the Peerage, was of Cheam, in Surrey, and he is called " Cousin William Stourton of Cheam," Co. Surrey, in the will * Pedigrees registered amongst the Peers' pedigrees. 554 HISTORY OF THE N(JBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. of Mary Giffard, widow of Thomas Giff^ird, of Long Birch, Co. Stafford, which was dated the i8th of December, 1749, and was proved 13 March, 1753.* His name appears at Cheam in the baptismal register of the old Catholic Mission, after the death of Charles, 15th Lord Stourton, as " Gulielmus, Baro' de Stourton," on the iSth of May, 1757, together with that of his sister-in-law, Catherine, widow of Charles, 15th Lord Stourton.f He is described as of Witham Place, Essex, in the marriage register of his son and heir, the Honourable Charles Philip Stourton, afterwards 17th Lord Stourton, at Holme Hall Chapel, on the (2th of July, 1775. By an indenture dated the 29th of August, i 749, enrolled in the Court of Exchequer the 3rd of November following, made between Catherine, Lady Stourton, wife of Charles, Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts,, of the first part; William Stourton, then of Gray's Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, brother and heir-presumptive of the said Charles, Lord Stourton, of the second part; Hugh, Lord Clifford, of Chud- leigh, in the County of Devon, and Lawrence Monck, of the City of Lincoln, Esquire, of the third part ; and Edward, Duke of Norfolk, Hereditary Earl-Marshal of England, Sir Francis Andrews, of Norton, in the County of Norfolk, Baronet, and Henry Hoare, of Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire (being the survivors of the trustees named in the thereinafter recited Indenture of Release of the 31st of March, 1733, and belbre set out) of the fourth part ; it was witnessed that in consideration of the natural love and affection which Catherine, Lady Stourton, had for Charles, Lord Stourton her husband, and out of the regard and esteem she had for his family, and for the preferring and advancement of his brother, William Stourton, and in order to enable him to marry with Winifred Howard, spinster, niece of Edward, Duke of Norfolk, and daughter of Philip Howard, his brother, by Winifred, his first wife deceased, she, Catherine Lady Stourton, in pursuance of the powers vested in her under the release of the 31st of March, i 733, absolutely revoked and made void all uses, trusts, &c., in the said release limited and expressed concerning her estates in East and West Cheam, and Evvell, in the County of Surrey, and in Whittlesea, within the Isle of Ely, in the County of Cambridge, and she expressly by the present deed limited the premises to her said trustees for 1,000 years without impeachment of waste, and then to follow the uses and trusts contained in the release of the 31st of March, 1733 ; and it was by the pre.sent deed expressly declared and agreed that the .said term of 1,000 years, the trustees of which were Hugh, Lord Clifford, and Lawrence Monck, was created upon trust for Charles, Lord Stourton, and Catherine, Lady Stourton, and the survivor of them, immediately on whose decease, if the then intended marriage between William Stourton and Winifred Howard * This testatrix had administration of the personal estate of her mother, the Honourable Dorothy Thimeby, of St. Andrews, Holborn, widow, granted to her the 25th of February, 1721. t See also text and note relating to same, under the 15th Lord Stourton. 554 TIISTOKY OF TII lOUSE OF STOL'RTON. of Mary Giffard, widow of Thoma? Gi^ard, of Long Birch, Co; Stafford, which was (i ited the i8th of December. ' ; proved 1,3 March. ifSo * His name ajipears at Cheam in the baptisi, ^ n the old Catholic Mission, after the death of Charles, 15th Lord Stourton. ;is "Gulielmus, Baro' de StOLirton," on the 18th of May, 1757. together with that ler-in-law, Catherine, widow of Charles, 15th Lord Stourton-t He is <1 .f Witham Fla*^, Essex, in the marriiige register of his son and heii ble Charles Philip Stourton, afterwards 17th Lord Stourton, at Holme 1 . Mi of July, i ^75. Byanini' 'i ' ' , Hn the Court of Exchequer . the 3rd of N ,c, Lady Stourton, wife of Charles, Lofd Sto ilts., of the first par^ .William Stourton, then of Gray's Inn, in i k, Esquire, brother and heir-presumptive of the said Charles, i_ -.econd part; Hugh, Lord Clifford, of Chud- leigh, in the County of Devon, and Lawrence Monck,, of the City of Lincoln, Esquire, of the third .part; and P-dward,. Duke of Norfolk, Hereditary Earl-Marshal of Encriand, Sir' Francis Andrews, of Norton, in' the County of Norfolk, Baronet, and Henry Hoare. of Lincoln's Inn fields, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire (being the survivors of the trustees named in the thereinafter recited ■ Indenture of Release of the 31st of March, 1733, and before set out) of the fourth part ; it was witnessed (hat in consideration of the natural love and affection which Catherine, Lady Stourton, had for Charles, Lord Stourton her husband, and out of the regard and tn she had for his family, add for the preferring and advancement of his brother, .lam Stourton, and in order to enable him to marry with Winifred Howard, spinster, nieceof Edward, Duke of Norfolk, and daughter of Philip Howard, his brother, by Winifred, his first wife deceased, she, Catherine Lady Stourtoi), in pursuance of the powers vested in her under the release of the 31st of March, 1 733, absolutely revoked and made void all uses, trusts, &c., in the said release limited and expressed concerning her estates in E?ist and West Cheam, and Ewell, in the County of Surrey, and in Whittles' ' V o( Cambridge, and she expressly by the pi\- ; . ... -aid trustees for 1,000 years without impeachment of waste, and tl|ien to follow the uses and trusts contained in the release oi the 31st of ; j and it was by the present deed expressly declared and .tgreed that t i ~' > ycirs, the trustees of which were Hugh, Lord Clifford, and I . reated upon trust for Charles, Lord Stourton, and Catherine, Lady Stourton, and the survivor of them, immediately on whose decease, i;' the then intended r ' 1 William Stourton and Winifred Howard * This ■'■ • I'r' . h.- l In estate of her mother, the Honoi;r.(ble Dorothy 'rhiincby, t to her the 25ih of February, 1731. ider the ijih Lord Stourton. MARRIAGE SETTLEMENT OF WILLIAM, LORD STOURTON. 555 should take effect (which it did), then to be held upon the trusts mentioned and contained in the following Articles of the 29th August, 1749.* By Articles of Agreement of 29th August, 1749, entered into and previous tb and in consideration of the marriage of William Stourton, then of Grays Inn, Middlesex, Hsquire, brother and heir-presumptive of Charles, then Lord Stourton, of Stourton,' Co. Wilts., with Winifred Howard, daughter of Philip Howard, of Buckenham, Norfolk, Esquire, by Winifred, his first wife, daughter of Thomas Stonor, of Stonor, O.xford, E,squire, they being of the first and second parts respectively, whereby William Stourton, afterwards Lord Stourton, covenanted with Hugh, Lord Clifford, Baron of Chudleigh, Co. Devon, and Lawrence Monck, of the City of Lincoln, Esquire, who were parties of the third part, that all sums of ^1,000 at any time received after the solemnization of the said marriage, by gift, donation, or succession either from his brother, Charles, Lord Stourton, or from Mary Gifford, then of Long Birch, Co. Stafford, widow, which might vest in William, Lord Stourton, to his own proper use and benefit, .should be brought into a common fund against the sum specified to be raised from the estates so set aside as aforesaid by Catherine, Lady Stourton, under _the trust of 1,000 years, and treated as part of the money to be so raised, if received by William, Lord Stourton, before he had raised the full amount under the term, with power to the trustees to invest the sums so received from Catherine, Lady Stourton, Charles, Lord Stourton, and Mary Gifford, upon trust for William, Lord Stourton, for life,^ without impeachment of waste, with a limitation to the trustees and their heirs during his life for preserving contingent remainders, and from the decease of William, Lord Stourton, then in trust for the first and other son and sons of the then intended marriage successively according to seniority of age. and the heirs male of their re.spective bodies lawfully issuing, and in default, which event did not happen, then (so far as the said moneys raised under the said term) subject to the appointment by deed or will of Catherine, Lady Stourton, whether married or sole, and notwith- standing coverture, as therein specifically expressed, with remainder in default of such appomtment to revert to the said Catherine, Lady Stourton, her heirs and assigns for <;ver. as far as the moneys raised under the said term of 1,000 years were concerned. By Articles of Agreement made the loth of October, 1749, between William Stourton, afterwards Lord Stourton, Baron of Stourton, Co. Wilts., of the first part ; Philip Howard, of Buckenham, Norfolk, Esquire, and his daughter Winifred Howard, afterwards Lady Stourton, of the second part ; and Thomas Stonor, of Stonor, Co. Oxford, Esquire, and Philip Southcote, of Wooburn Farm, Co. Surrey, Esquire, of the third part; the principal sums of money mentioned in the * ™s '"denture was produced .n evidence before ihe House of Lords, on the hearinj; of Lord Siourton's 556 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. schedule thereto were, in consideration of the said marriage, agreed to be settled and disposed of by a deed of settlement thereby agreed to be afterwards made in the same manner as in these articles of agreement were expressed, which should contain a general power to William, Lord Stourton, of revocation and new limitations, with the consent of Philip Howard, and his daughter, Winifred Howard, and the other persons therein mentioned, and it was specifically provided that William, Lord Stourton, should have power of appointment by deed, with the consent of the other parties to these articles, or the survivors or survivor of them, &c., to revoke or make void all or any of the trusts, &c., therein contained, and to make any new trusts, &c., as herein specifically provided for. By Deed Poll, under the hand and seal of Catherine, Lady Stourton, then widow of Charles, Lord Stourton, of the 20th of June, 1759, endorsed on the said Articles of Agreement of the 2gth of August, 1749, after reciting that the principal sum to be raised under her estate for the benefit of William, Lord Stourton, under the term of 1,000 years, might have been reduced by the value of some real estate which had accrued to William, Lord Stourton, by the death of his brother Charles, Lord Stourton, though not by his gift or donation, but by virtue of some family settlement, yet, not- withstanding that a doubt might be made whether such real estate might not, by virtue of the word " succession," be considered in part satisfaction of the principal sum to be raised under the term, and it not being the intention of Catherine, Dowager Lady Stourton, that the sum in her provision should be subject to reduction on the succession of William, Lord Stourton, to the Stourton family estates, she was therefore minded and desirous to take away all such doubt, therefore she, by the present deed, appointed under the power reserved to her for that purpose, that the real estate to be purchased with the said sum under the term, should descend after the deaths of William, Lord Stourton, and his son, Charles Philip Stourton, and in failure of the latter's issue male of his body, to the first and other son and sons of the body of William, Lord Stourton, by any after taken wife or wives lawfully begotten, &c., and for default of such issue to James Stourton, Esquire, brother of William, I.ord Stourton, in tail male, with an ultimate remainder to Catherine, Lady Stourton, in fee simple. By Deed Poll of the 2nd of March, 1764, enrolled in the Court of Exchequer on the 24th of May following (endorsed on the foregoing indenture) under the hand and seal of the therein named William Stourton, but then Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., whereby (after reciting that soon after the making and executing of the within written indenture, by the within named Catherine, Lady Stourton, then Lady Dowager Stourton, the marriage therein mentioned to be intended between William, Lord Stourton, and Winifred Howard, took effect and was solemnized) William, Lord Stourton, acknowledged the trusts of the indenture of the 29th of August, DEED OF GIFT BY EDWARD, DUKE OF NORFOLK. 557 1749, so far as he was concerned, had been duly performed, and in consideration thereof he (Lord Stourton) executed the present Deed Poll, at the desire and for the satisfaction of Catherine, then Dowager Lady Stourton, and he thereby acquitted, released and for ever discharged Catherine, Dowager Lady Stourton, her heirs, &c., Lord Stourton covenanting to apply the amount which Catherine, Dowager Lady Stourton, had charged her estates with for his benefit, to such purposes as were intended, and Lord Stourton further covenanting, at all times to save, keep harmless, and to indemnify Catherine, Dowager Lady Stourton, against the said amount and every part thereof as in the said Deed Poll was expressly declared.* By Indentures of Lease and Release of 15th and i6th of September, 1767, enrolled in the Common Pleas, the release made between Edward, Duke of Norfolk, Hereditary Earl Marshal of England, Earl of Arundel, Surrey, Norfolk, and Norwich, only surviving son of Lord Thomas Howard, of Worksop, Co. Notts, deceased, and grandson and heir male of the body of Henry, then late Duke of Norfolk, deceased, one of the sons of Henry, then late Earl of Arundel, also deceased, of the first part ; William, Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., and Charles Philip Stourton, his only son and heir apparent, by Winifred, Lady Stourton, his then late wife, deceased, which said Charles Philip Stourton was then an infant under the age of twenty-one years, of the second part ; Richard, Earl of Scarborough, and William, PZarl of Strafford, of the third part ; and Henry Hoare, of Stourhead, Co. Wilts., Esquire, and Philip Langdale, of Houghton, Co. York, Esquire, of the fourth part ; Edward, Duke of Norfolk, in consideration of the great affection, regard, and esteem which he had towards William, Lord Stourton, and in regard of the alliance which existed between his Grace and William, Lord Stourton, by means of the latter's inter- marriage with Winifred, Lady Stourton, his late wife, who before her marriage was known by the name of Winifred Howard, the only daughter of Philip Howard, Esquire, deceased, by his first wife, Winifred Stonor, daughter of Thomas Stonor, then late of Stonor, Co. Oxford, Esquire, deceased ; and in consideration of the love and affection which Edward, Duke of Norfolk, had for Charles Philip Stourton, his great nephew, as for his Grace's kinsman, Charles Howard the younger, then of Greystock, and Charles Howard the elder, then late of Greystock, and Henry Howard, of Sheffield ; granted and conveyed unto the said parties of the third part all those messuages, tenements, farms, granges, lands, and hereditaments among others therein mentioned and described, in the respective occupations of Mr. Edmonson, Thomas Simpson, Matthew Norton, Edward Ellerker, William Burrow, Joshua Holl, Jane Briggs, Mary Dodgson, James Mallorie, John Simpson, William Clarkson, Thomas Hargrave, and John Reynor, at the respective rentals therein expressed, all which premises, with the * This deed was produced in evidence in the Mowbray and Segra\-e Peerage Claim. E.xecuted " Stourlon," ?nd witnessed by John Maize and Richard Ellah. 55^ HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. appurtenances, were situated within the towns, townships, precincts, and enclosures of Skircote, Eland, Greetland, Rothwell Hay Park, Rothwell Hay, Roundhay Park, Roundhay, and of Barwick, in Elmet, Co. York, to hold to the use of the Earls of Scarborough and Strafford, and their heirs, to the use of Edward, Duke of Norfolk, and his assigns for life, without impeachment of waste, with such powers and privileges as therein were mentioned ; with remainder to the said trustees during his Grace's life to preserve contingent remainders ; with remainder to the first and every other son of Edward, Duke of Norfolk, begotten successively in tail male, with remainder to the parties of the fourth part, their executors, &c., for a term of 500 years from the decease of Edward, Duke of Norfolk, without impeachment of waste upon the trusts thereafter declared concerning the said term ; with remainder to William, Lord Stourton, and his assigns, during his life, without impeachment of waste ; with remainder to the Earls of Scarborough and Strafford, and their heirs, during the same life upon trust to preserve contingent remainders ; with remainder to Charles Philip Stourton, and his assigns, during his life, without impeachment of waste ; with remainder to the Earls of Scarborough and Strafford, durmg the same life, to preserve contingent remainders ; with remainder to the first and every other son of the body of Charles Philip Stourton, begotten successively in tail male ; with divers remainders over.* There was an Indenture of the 19th of January, 1778, made between William, Lord Stourton, of Stourton, Co. Wilts., of the first part ; Charles Philip Stourton, his only son and heir-apparent, of the second part ; Robert Edward, Lord Petre, and Ann, Lady Petre, of the third part ; Henrietta Howard, widow of Philip Howard, deceased, of the fourth part; Henry Hoare and Philip Langdale, Esquires, of the fifth part ; and Henry, Earl of Fauconberg, of the sixth part. This, after reciting the Lease and Release of the 15th and i6th of September, 1767; the death of Edward Howard, late of St. James's, Westminster, Co. Middlesex, Esquire, on the 7th of February, 1767, intestate and unmarried, to whose goods and chattels letters of administration were granted on the 23rd of March, 1767, to Ann, Lady Petre, wife of Robert Edward, Lord Petre, as his natural and lawful sister, his mother, Henrietta Howard, widow, having first renounced the same ; and that Edward, Duke of Norfolk, died the 20th of September, 1767, without any issue of his body; stated that a certain sum of money had been raised and paid to William, Lord Stourton, Charles Philip Stourton, and others therein named ; and that the Earl of Fauconberg had agreed to advance a certain sum of money to Robert Edward, Lord Petre, and Ann, Lady Petre, his wife, at the special request of William, Lord Stourton, Charles rpo ROTHWELL HAIGII COLLIERY. ' [^59 Philip Stourton, and others therein named ; whereby in consideration thereof and for some other nominal considerations the parties respectively of the first five parts bargained, sold, assigned, transferred and set over, ratifying and confirming all the before mentioned premises in Roundhay, with the appurtenances, unto Henry, Earl of Fauconberg, his executors, &c., from the day prior to the date of this deed, for the residue and remainder of the term of 500 years, created by the foregoing lease and release of the 15th and i6th of September, 1767, with the usual mortgage covenants by the Mortgagors, and with power of redemption.* The property known as " The Rothwell Haigh Estate " reverted to the Stourton family in the year i 794, under the deeds dated i 5th and 1 6th of Sept., 1767. This deed of gift, made in 1767, does not give any quantities, only stating the names of the Town- ships in which the different lands were situated. But in the Settlement of 1 800, made on the marriage of the Hon. William Joseph Stourtont with Miss Catherine Weld, the lands, &c., in the parish of Rothwell are stated to contain 1,704 a. o r. 9 p., let at yearly rents amounting to .^^5,299 15s. 2d., and the land, &c., in the parish of Barwick in Elmet, to contain 1,422 a. 2 r. 26 p., let at yearly rents amounting to .^1,153, the wood- lands in which were valued at ^40 a year. Prior to the Settlement of 1800, viz.. in 1799, a farm called Woodsend, in the parish of Rothwell, had been sold to Thomas Fenton. It contained about 70 acres. It seems from these quantities that the estates comprised in the Deed of Gift contained about 3,196 acres. The township of Roundhay is in the parish of Barwick in Elmet. In a deed dated 18 15 it is stated that the manor and estate at Roundhay had been sold to Thomas Nicholson and .Samuel Elam. The following e.Ktracts from "The History of Rothwell " (by John Batty, 1877) give some particulars relating to this property, and may perhaps more fitly be here inserted, though the Lord Stourton therein referred to was William Joseph, i8th Lord Stourton. " From the conformation of the ground, it is to be seen that many old shafts have been sunk in this neighbourhood. " During the time these pits were working Rothwell Haigh Coal was oftered for .sale on a lease by Lord Stourton, Mr. Fenton felt the importance of securing it ; moreover, he knew that another party was also in the market. Mr. Fenton immediately took one of his best horses and rode in the direction of London, with * This deed was produced in evidence in the Mowbray and Segrave Peerage Claim ; it was executed bv all the Mortgagors, and witnessed by Thomas Kiernan : John Hutton, Gray's Inn ; Kras. Hutton ; Ben Parnell ; John Johnston; James Grey; Jos. Rushbrook : James Mathen. The Receipt for the iviort- gage money was endorsed and signed by Lord and Lady Peire, to whom the money was oaid t Afterwards i8ih Lord Stourton. 56o HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOUI^TON. very short stoppages on the way ; his animal, however, failed when only a few miles from the city ; he was obliged to leave it and engage another. He was just in time to conclude the bargain, as his competitor, who had had the start of him, was arriving, thus Mr. Fenton was rewarded for his promptitude. "On the authority of Mr. William Hargreaves, who, along with J. B. Charles- worth, Esq., examined the old books, the Jiist pit sunk at Rothwell Haigh was in I 760" " Mr. Thomas Fenton then lived at Rothwell Haigh, in the large house named Haigh House, now occupied conjointly by Mr. Oliver and Mr. Atkinson. It used to be called the Manor House, Red Hall, Low House, Fenton House. Though belonging to Lord Stourton, Mr. Fenton greatly enlarged it. " In 1820 the lease of the coal belonging to Lord Stourton had lapsed. Mr. Fenton and his steward, Mr. Twaites, were careless in renewing it, believing that no one was able or would be willing to pay the valuation likely to be demanded, so extensive were the works. Seeing the wealth accumulated by the Fentons, Lord Stourton asked a larger price. This was objected to. In the meantime, Messrs. Joseph and John Charlesworth, a rising firm, having already become owners of pits at Wrenthorpe, and were working the Haigh Moor seam, came forward, and, backed by Wakefield gentlemen, paid the valuation, and agreed to the terms of the new lease. This was on the 8th of January, 1820." William, i6th Lord Stourton, received a grant on the 27th of October, 1768, from Father Ricci, General of the Society of Jesus, of a share in all the Masses and other good works of the Fathers of the Society throughout the world, on account of the great goodness he had shown to the Society. The original grant on vellum is in existence, and, as an example of illumination, is of some beauty. It is decorated with six portraits of the Holy Fathers: S. Ignatius de Loy, Soc lESU F"und ; S. F>anciscus de Borgia ; S. Aloysius Gonzaga ; S. Franc. Xau Indiar, Apost. ; S. lo. Fran Regis . . . M.M. ; S. Stanislaus Kostka. The document is sealed with the seal of the Society, which shows a cross and the letters I. H. S. within the inscription (in capital letters). SOCIETATIS * lESU PR.'EFOSITI * GENERALIS. The grant is signed " Laurentius Ricci " and " Gabriel Comolli Sec™'' Soc*'* lesu." It is in a remarkably good state of preservation, and the gold and black letters in which it is illuminated are very vivid. The grant runs as follows : DEATH OF WINIFRED, LADV STOURTON. LAURENTIUS RICCI PR/EPOSITUS GENERALIS SOCIETATIS lESU NOBILISSIMO ET ILLUSTRISSIMO DOMINO D'NO GULIELMO BARONI STOURTON DE STOURTON MAGNyE BRITANNI/E; PARI &c. Salutem in Domino Sempiternam. NTA EST Illmce Dom"'' V"= Virtus, ac Pietas, & in Societatem nostram beneuolentia, & nota merita requirunt, ut quicquid a nobis mutui obsequij in Domino referri possit, id iure debitum esse existi- memus. Ouamobrem cum nostrum hunc in Illmam Dom"' V™ animum nullis alijs rebus, quam spiritualibus obsequijs declarare ualeamus, pro ea auctoritate, quam nobis Dominus licet indignis in hac nostra Societate concessit lUman Dom"' V"'" omnium, & singulorum Sacrificiorum, Orationum, leiuniorum, & reliquorum denique bonorum, operum, ac piarum turn animas tiim Cor- poris exercitationum, quae per Dei gratiam in uniuersa hac minima Societate fiunt participem facimus eorumque plenam communicationem ex toto cordis affectu in Christo lesu impertimur. In nomine PATRIS & FILII, & SPIRITUS SANCTI insuper DEUM.&PATREM D.N. lESU CHRISTI obsecramus, ut concessionem banc de Ccelo ratam, & firmam misericorditer habeat, ac de inexhausto eiusdem Filij sui meritorum thesauro nostram ipse inopiam supplens Illmam Dom" V"" omni gratia & benedictione in hac uita cumulet, ac deinde a;terna; gloria corona remunerare dignetur Datum Roma; die 27 Octobris MDCCLXVIII. (Signed) Laurentius Ricci. Gabriel Comolli Sec'"' Soc"' lesu.* The signature of Lord Stourton, as here given, is reproduced from a photograph taken from the original marriage settlement, dated 1775, entered into prior to the marriage of his only son and heir, Charles Philip Stourton, afterwards 1 7th Lord Stourton, with the Hon. Mary Langdale. Winifred Lady Stourton died at Bristol, on the 15th July, and was buried at Stourton, Wilts., 19th July, 1753,1' where an inscription on a flat stone on the floor of the church records : " Here lyes Winifred Lady Stourton, wife of William Lord Stourton, niece of Fxlward Duke of Norfolk, daughter of the Honourable Philip Howard, of Buckenham * Xow preserved at Allerton Park. t The Gcnlhmaiis Magazine gives the place of death as at Bath, and the date as the 2Sth of Julj', 1753. 562 HISTORY OF THE NOBLE HOUSE OF STOURTON. in the County of Norfolk, by Winifred his wife, daughter of 7'homas Stonor of Stonor, in the County of Oxford, Esq. ; obiit 15 Juhi Anno D'ni 1753, cetatis 26." She is described in the parish register as " The Hon'''= Lady Winifred late w. of Lord William Stourton." She was the last member of the Stourton family to be buried at Stourton, and the record of her burial is the last occasion on which the name of Stourton appears in the parish registers of Stourton. William, 1 6th Lord Stourton, had, by his wife Winifred, daughter of Philip Howard, Esquire, of Buckenham, the following issue : L The Right Honourable Charles Philip, 17th Lord Stourton, of whom here- after. n. The Honourable Catherine Agatha Stourton, who was born August the 1 6th, 1750. She was a novice in the English convent at Liege, where she died the 2nd of September, 176S. Administration to her personalty was granted January the loth, 1778.* HL The Honourable Charlotte Mary Stourton, who was born September the i6th, 1751. She was a nun at the English convent at Liege, where she died the 2nd of November, 1775.+ Administration to her personalty was granted the loth of January, 177