318 Charles, Lord Stoiirton, 8fc. 



the xix"> day of August 1553. * » * Your goodde Lordeships to commannd 



" WiNCHESTEH. J. BeDFOED. ShREWSBUKX. R. EtCHE. 



Wm. Paget. Che. Rxtshewoeth. Henet Jeeneqin. 

 Jo. Masone. Jo. Bakeee." 

 {Addressed) " To my very goode Lordes and others of the Q,uene's Highnea 

 Counsaill attending upon her Grace's person in the Courte. 



Hast, hast, hast, hast with all possible diligence." 



His loyalty to Queen Mary being now full blown, Lord Stourton, 

 writing from the Court to tbe Sheriff of Wilts, denounces all 

 favourers of Lady Jane Grey, proclaims Sir John Thynne and Sir 

 John Bonham traitors, and in the Queen's name dictates to the 

 Electors of Wilts what kind of Representatives they are noi to 

 send to. Parliament. 



(No. 687) 1553 September 20. Charles Lord Stourton to the Sheriff of Wilts.* 

 [Original at Lonyleat.) 



" After my harty comendacyons thys shalbe nott onlye as your frynde butt 

 chefflye as doing my dewtye of AUegeance to geve yowe and all there the Queues 

 Ma'''^' true and feythefuU subjects advyse and warnynge to have good respecte 

 in the Eleccyon as well of the knyghts as of the burgeses, for the parlyamente 

 nowe comyttyde unto youre dylygence, that ys to seye, in case by yow' awne 

 knowlege, or by creadyble Reporte made unto yowe, yow shall understonde 

 onnye person within yo"^ countye hathe eyther favorede, sett fourthe, mantaynyde 

 or proclaymyde the lady Jane Grave in soiiche traytorous ordre, as ys well 

 knowne unto yowe, that yowe neyther electe or geve voyce to onnye sonche, 

 yee [jjea] or have att onnye tyme lette or interruptyde onnye good procedynge 

 off the queues Ma"''. And for a farder declaracon unto yowe, as in dysbur- 

 denynge myselfe and chargynge yowe with the same, I lette yowe wytte that 

 Syr John Thynne and S' John Bonham have abusyde ther dewtys unto their 

 Soveraygne ladye the queue's hyghnes, uppon the artycles wherof they stands 

 presentlye acusyde, ether to suffre the lawe or elles to be att ther fyne by the 

 queue's mercy. Furder I am comaundyde to geve yowe to understande, that 

 the queues pleasure ys, nott to have onny souche spoltyde persons within her 

 courte off parlyamente. Wherfor say nott butt that I have warnyde yowe. 

 And I requyre yowe to kepe thys my lettre safflye as well for my dyscharge as 

 for yow"" warraunt. Thys fare you well. From the Court the 20 off Septembre 

 1553. 



" Yo' lovynge frynde, 



Chaetlles Stoueton." 



" To my lovinge frend the Shereife or Shreif s Deputye of Wiltsher and to all 

 my lovinge neybors assembled for the electyon of Knights of that Shere." 



•John Ernele, Esq., of Cannings. Edward Baynton had been appointed Sheriff of WUts after the 

 death of King Edward VI. (6th July 1553) by Lady Jane Grey ; and the order for his Patent, signed 

 "Jane the Queen," without date, is still preserved in the Rolls Chapel Office ; but to that order is 

 prefixed another signed " Mart the Queen," dated 6th July 1553. How long Baynard continued 

 Sheriff is not known : but John Eniele appears to have been Sheriff in the latter part of 1553. See 

 List of WUts Sheriffs, WUts Arch. Mag., vol. iu., p. 213. 



