376 A Letter to Cromwell concerning the Surrender of Lacock Abbey. 
person as the subsequent grantee of the site, ete. This seems to 
show that he had already fixed upon Lacock as a desirable place 
of residence, though it was not formally granted to him till July 
26th, 1540. As Sharington came of a Norfolk family, and had, so 
far as we know, no interest in the county of Wilts before, the 
question presents itself, what drew his attention specially to 
Lacock ? and a possible answer may be the following: Sharington 
was at this time married to his second wife Elyanor, daughter of 
William Walsingham. This lady’s first cousin, Eleanor, daughter 
of Sir Edmund Walsingham, William’s brother,was the second wife 
of Edward Baynard, of Lackham; may we suppose that during some 
visit to that place, knowing as he must have done, that all religious 
houses were doomed to suppression, Sharington chose Lacock as his 
share of the spoil, and prevailed on Cromwell to give him the 
administration of the house, until such time as a more formal 
grant should be issued ? 
W. G. CLakK-MAXWELL. 
Letters and Papers, Henry VIII., vol. xiv., part i., No. 100. 
A letter addressed :— 
“To the Right Honorable 
and his most singla’ good 
lorde and Maister my lord 
pryvey seall 
‘* My most bownden duetye remembryd it may please yo" lordyshipp to bee 
aduertised thatt sens the departing of m' smyth m' Tregonwell and I haue 
receyvyd the Surrenda' of the monasterye of Lacok the demaynes 
wherof war all leassyd vnder covent seall befor o' comyng And nothing of 
the same remayning in ther hande att this tyme wee hadd nott examyned _ 
the maner of grawnting the same whiche according to yo' lordyshippe 
commawndment wee wyll examyf befor o* departing, and after leave the — 
possession of the howse wt m' Sharington accordinge to yo' pleasure. Jn all 
other thinge wee shall endevo" to accomplishe theffecte of yo" lordyshippe 
lres send vit to vs according to o' most bowndeii duetyes as knoweth God 
who have yo' lordyshipp in his most blessyd keping ffrom Lacok the 
xxth of Januarye : 
‘‘ Yor lordyshippe most bounden 
‘‘beadyman and s'uant 
*¢(S*) Witir1am PETRE.”’ 
[ Endorsed] “‘ Docto' Peter.” 
[In another hand] ‘ shewinge the s'render of Lacok Abbaye.” 

