294 Charles, Lord Stourton, 8fc. 



ton who, as Mr. Chafyn says, had only executed orders sent down 

 by the Protector Somerset the owner of Maiden Bradley adjoining. 

 The second grievance will be often referred to : the detention by 

 Lord Stourton's keepers of a favourite blood-hound of Hartgill's. 



(No. 28.) 1549, April 17. Mr. Chafyn to Sir John Thynne. {Original at 

 Longleat.) 



" E.yght wurshipfull Mr. Thynne my dewtie of humble commendacyons con- 

 dignely premysed unto you with most hartie thanks for all your gentylnes. 

 These shal be to asserteyne you that I have caused Mr. Leversage to be arestyd 

 by your undershereyffe upon a statute at the sute of Mr. Button, the penaltie 

 wherof is fyve hundred marks, and old Horner, not a lyttell greved therwith, 

 have made soohe crafty e meaues to your seyd undershereyfe that he hath the 

 custodie of the seyd Leversage at his owne wyll and plesure, doughtynge 

 nothynge but that your seyd depute have taken suere bondds of Horner for 

 youi- discharge yn that behalfe ; yet better had hyt bene yff he had remayned 

 styll with your depute tyll an ende had byn taken theryn. Yffe your plesure 

 be to wrete your ernest letter with spede to your seyd depute that he maye 

 folow my coseyne Hartgyll's advice and myne yn the premyses, wee shall soe 

 use the matter that you shall be therin right well contented and Horner nothing 

 therwith pleasyd. 



I have also sent to you heryn enclosed a letter that was sent to me by the 

 searchers of mettalle that were of late sente downe ynto Wiltshire and Somerset 

 by my Lord's Grace's commaundment, desyring you to loke upon the contents 

 therof. I have sent you in lyke case the copie of a precepte and commaundment 

 addressid from my Lord's Grace to all officers yn the Kyng's Majestie's behalfe 

 for to make provision for horses withyn the lymetts of theire office for the seyd 

 parties yn theyre affayres. Whorupon the Constabulls of Kylmyngton dyd 

 theyre endevor for the trew executyng of my Lord's Grace seyd commaundment, 

 at the request of the seyd parties, to provide them horses withyn theyr office 

 accordingly. And now of late since my Lorde Stourton's repayre into the 

 contrey the seyd constabulls for the executing of theyr office yn the premysses 

 have been sett openly yn the stocks by my seyd Lord Stourton with soche 

 crueltie as the lyke have not ben sene. And this open shame have these honest 

 men, beyng the Kyng's officers, reseyved openly att my seid Lorde Stourton's 

 hands for the only doyng and executyng theyr office apon the auctorytie of my 

 Lord's Grace's commaundment. Whereupon these poore men thus beyng 

 punisshed have been with me, and made soche mone for theyr opyn shame that 

 they have this reseyved, yn executing my Lord's Grace's comaundment, that 

 hyt petyeth me to heare it. And for by cause of my bownden dewtie that I 

 owe to my Lord's Grace, and also for my discharge yn this behalfe, and for that 

 I doo thynck this matter redownyth mooch to my Lord's Grace dyshonour, his 

 Grace's commaundement to be had yn soo lyttell regard and by others to be 

 adnychilatted and set naught by, is the cheife cause of my wretinge to you 

 hereof remyttyng hyt holly to your discression. Please it you also, good Mr. 

 Thynne, to understond that my cosyn Hartgyll is wrong named yn the Com- 

 mission now for the Eelyefe. They have named hym Thomas, where hys name 



