THE RHYMED CHRONICLE OF JOHN HAkESTAFFF. II5 



Pie bungle them together as I may 



Lesse reckoninge method, soe y' truth I say. 



Some yeare & more before her husband dyed 

 For three \ eares terme he fullye had agreed 

 W ,h Clement Austyn* (most unworthile) 

 Then Rector of y e Church of Sudburye, 

 Both for y e Parsonage house y e Tythes and all 

 The profitts w ch within the terme should fall. 

 This Parsonage had continued in his handes, 

 Since first he entrel on his fathers landes : 

 Who held y e same before for manie a yeare, 

 Contentinge those y' were Incumbents there 

 Th' Advowson beinge theirs they did present 

 Such Clarkes as yearlie Stipends did content 

 Both sonne and Father kept good house thereon, 

 (For other dwellinge place there had they none.) 

 There did this Vernon keep his Sherifaltie, 

 And did mayntayne good hospitalitie 

 Duringe his lyffe : for though himself elsewhere 

 Did somtymes live, his household still kept there. 



This sorie Clement whom he had preferr'd 

 As soone as he was dead himself bestir'd 

 He would no longer to his bargaine stand, 

 But he would have possession out of hande. 



She who misdoubted his inconstancie 

 Had sent downe Francis Buck to Sudburye 

 Sir Edward Littleton was there lykewyse, 

 Suspectinge y' some troubles would aryse. 

 Ere longe into y e house y e Parson came, 

 Demaundinge then possession of the same : 



* In 1563, Henry Vernon presented William Washington to the rectory 

 of Sudbury ; W. Washington was succeeded in the rectory by Clement Austyn, 

 on the presentation of John Vernon, but the year of Austyn's institution 

 cannot be discovered, as there are neither episcopal nor parochial registers for 

 the latter part of Elizabeth's reign. 



