THE RHYMED CHRONICLE OF JOHN HARESTAFFE. I45 



And goodly Mannors, all which (as appeares) 

 Went by partition to the tlnee Coheires, 

 The daughters of S r John Mountgomerie : 

 Of whom was Hellen (second of those three) 

 To S r John Vernon joyn'd in manage. 

 And so by her a goodly Heritage 

 To Henry Vernon did descend and came, 

 Their onely sonne, and heire unto y e same. 

 And after Henryes death these Lordships fayre 

 Discended to this John his sonne and heire, 

 Who spent most of his daies in single lyfe, 

 And in his later yeares he tooke to wyfe, 

 Mary y e Widowe of his kinsman deare, 

 Call'd Waller Vernon who of Houndhill were 

 To her such love he bore and true affection, 

 That where he had no chyld, he made election 

 Of Edwaid Vernon (whom I nam'd before) 

 Her eldest sonne whom she to Walter bore : 

 Adoptinge him his heire to Sudburye 

 And Aston mannors with all landes y l bee 

 To theim belonginge, from y e death of's mother 

 To whom for lyfe he gave both one and th' other. 

 But after John's decease, great suites did growe 

 About these landes : for it had fain out soe 

 His yonger brother Henry beinge dead, 

 To whom their mother had her lands convey'd, 

 Both Hilton, Aspley, Sugnell, Essington, 

 And all her other landes, she beinge one, 

 Oth' daughters and coheirs of Swinnerton, 

 Had left one onely daughter who beinge yonge 

 Was made y e Princes Warde (y e more her wronge) 

 Whose Guardians then on her behalf pretended, 

 That all her Uncles lands of right descended 

 By course of comon lawe unto this daughter, 

 Whereby great suites and troubles followed after 

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