276 Charles, Lord Stourton, 8fC. 



Dudley, resident at Hartgill's house at Kilmington. (See above p. 

 245.) The letters are without date of year, but they must have 

 been written within two or three years of his death in 1548. 



William, Lord Stourton to William Hartgill. 

 (No. 18 Original at Longleat), c. 1546. " 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 wythin the walles. Let myne owne men whiche 

 have borde-wages help sometymes. I am not contented that my wiffe doth goo 

 so farre a brode as I here saye she dothe. Yf my c usen Richard Zouche* do 

 oum to youe for any money lett hym have xl pounds, so that he wj'll bynde 

 his lands ... .for hyt to be payde at a daye." 

 From Newhavenf the secoude off Marche. 



" Your lovynge master, 

 • " W. Stourton." 



" To my trustye 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." 



From the second letter, it is clear that there must have been 

 some intermediate correspondence, not forthcoming : that reports 

 had been reaching William Lord Stourton unfavourable to Hartgill's 

 character for trustworthiness : and that, whether well or ill-founded, 

 they had produced a remonstrance from his Lordship. This letter 

 is certainly a very remarkable one : throwing strong light upon 

 the position of affairs when, very soon after it was written, Charles 

 Stourton succeeded to the estates. 



The same to the same. 



(No. 19, Original at Longleat,) c. 1547-8. 



" Hartgill. Whearas I sende yow worde yn my laste letters that yow 

 weare not so trustye unto me yn my absence as I thowght yowe to have ben, 

 I fynde daylye by trewe reporte made unto me that yowe seke youre owne 

 gayue more then my coniodytie 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. Yow have receavyed the whole profyts of my landes synce 

 1 departed firste oute off Inglande, and youe saye my barne standethe me yn 



*The -words vmdcilined arc struck out with the pen apparently at the time. This is the R. Zouche 

 mentioned in Document No. 16. From some Star-chamber rroccetlings, 1 or 2 Edward Vt. (1547-8), 

 it appears that Hartgill as Steward, had been obliged to complain against Mr. Zouche for depriving 

 of their rights of Common, &c., some of Lord Stourton's Tenants in his Manor of Romidhill, co. 

 Somerset. Possibly this may have occasioned the erasui'e of Lord Stourton's intention to lend Mr . 

 Zouche the £40. 



+ Hot New-haveu in Sussex, but " Newhavtu in France," meaning llavre. 



