54 
first husband. ‘On January 11th, 1556,” writes in his diary 
Henry Machyn, Citizen and Merchant Taylor of London, “ was 
bered my lade Challenger, the wyff of ser Thomas Challenger, and 
was the wyff of ser Thomas Lee of Hogston, and bered at Shor- 
dyche chyrche with ii. whyt branchys and ii. dozen stayffes torchys 
and iii. grett taypurs and a harold of armes and iii. baners of 
emages and a viii. dozen of skochyons of armes and the strett 
hangyd with blake boythe the strett and the chyrche and armes.” 
During the reign of Philip and Mary, Chaloner is said to have 
been in some peril on account of his religious opinions, and that 
he was only saved from the persecution which fell on so many of 
his friends by the exertions of some high in the state whom he had 
befriended during the reign of Edward. He certainly, however, 
received a grant of the manor of Steeple-Claydon, in Buckingham- 
shire, on the 13th of August, 1557, a grant made after the little 
preliminary form of a payment of #2100 in money. A confirm- 
ation of the grant, and probably an additional one of lands at 
Guisborough, was made to him July 16th, 1558, on the conditional 
payment of £135 15s. 414d. annually. 
On the accession of Queen Elizabeth he at once took a high 
position at Court, and a conversation between himself and the 
Emperor’s Ambassador, Von Holfenstein, Baron of Gundelfingen, 
respecting the propriety of the Queen’s speedy marriage is recorded. 
The Ambassador recommended his master the Emperor’s son, the 
Archduke of Austria, and on his return home sent Chaloner a 
portrait of him, and a letter in which he enlarged upon his comeli- 
ness, but that his mind and abilities far exceeded the attractions of 
his person ; that if the most excellent virtues and gallant endow- 
ments of his soul were as well known generally as to him, they 
would be found by many degrees to excel the beauty of his body. 
Unfortunately the picture was damaged on its way. Holfenstein 
promised to send another of his “whole body,” and that of his 
brother also. Nothing came of it; but Strype the historian says : 
“ The Queen, though she would sometimes retain suitors, was not 
minded to wed herself but to her kingdom only.” 
On the 17th of July, 1559, he was sent Ambassador to Brussels, 
