SIR WILLIAM CAVENDISH 1557- 87 



Besides the enormous grants of lands which Thomas 

 Cromwell, Earl of Essex, obtained, having the ear of the king, 

 the number of bribes and presents he received from religious 

 houses, to be good master to them and to spare them, were 

 unnumbered. 



As an instance of how abbey lands, and money, were squan- 

 dered, and stolen, and not accounted for, this may be sufficient. 

 After Cromwell's death the following memorandum was written 

 and still remains among the Cottonian MSS. : — 



May yt please yr moast excellente Majestic to be advertised that I your 

 moast humble Servant. John Gostwyck (one of the Commissioners) have 

 in my hands whiche I treasured from tyme to tyme unknowne unto th' 

 Erl of Essex, whiche if I had declared 

 unto hym he wolde 



have caused me to ' X. M.li.1 



disburse by Commandcment 

 without Warrannt, 

 as heretofore I have don. 



On the principle of " set a thief to catch a thief," Cromwell 

 looked very sharply after those whom he chose to dissolve and 

 sell up. Sir William Cavendish and Doctor Leigh were charged 

 with having falsified accounts and kept back certain moneys in 

 their hands. A Commission was appointed, to which the 

 following refers : — 



Declaration, made by Sir John Daunce by express command of the 

 King, for the trial of certaine particular sums of money paid by William 

 Cavendishe, Comm"" appointed with Thomas Leighe, doctor in the law, 

 for the dissolution of divers and sundry houses of religion hereafter 

 ensuing for the rewards and wages of divers and sundry persons being 

 servants within the same, " at the first jiayment," whereunto the said 

 William Cavendishe added sundry sums of money, written with his own 

 hand, without knowledge of any of his said clerks. 



Total of the additions, ^£34 13s. 8d. ; about ^350 in present 



value. 



Memorandum. — As touching the Plate that was supposed to be sold by 

 the late Abbot of Meryvale to George Warrene, Goldsmith of London, 

 to the value of ;^i8 st. (about ;^i8o now) wherein information was 

 given to Dr. Leigh and Will™ Cavendishe after they dissolved the said 



1 ;<i'ro,ooo would amount to ;^ioo,ooo in the present day. 



