By C. R Straton. 291 



Wharf, in London. Here, in 1559, he entertained Queen Elizabeth. 

 His " servants " formed one of the best companies of stage players 

 in England ; and after supper the Queen took a boat and rowed up 

 and down the Thames, hundreds of barges rowing about her, and 

 thousands of people crowding the banks. As tlie Queen moved 

 about trumpets blew, drums beat, flutes played, guns were fired, 

 and squibs were hurled into the air. 



At various times the Earl was Master of the Horse, President 

 of Wales, Captain-General of the Army in France, and Lord Steward 

 of the Household. But dangerous as were the times in which he 

 lived, he generally managed to prosper when others fell : indeed 

 his success was as often due to the shortcomings and misfortunes 

 of others as to his own undoubted abilities. On the attainder of 

 the Protector Somerset he got Ramsbury and Bedwyn ; on that 

 of Sir Thomas Arundel he got Wardour and Shaftesbury. Other 

 manors came to him on tlie execution of Lord Stourton. Many 

 other estates in Devon and Somerset followed. On more than 

 one occasion the Eail of Pembroke himself was in danger, and 

 twice he was a prisoner in his own castle or at Windsor. But his 

 tact and address never forsook him, and he was always able to 

 play OH' his enemies one against the other and keep himself scatheless. 



All great proprietors ought, according to Eleta, to have a proper 

 survey made of their manors, so tliat they may know what are 

 their own rights, and the services, fines, and rentals to which they 

 are entitled. With this purpose the Earl of Pembroke, a few years 

 before his death, appointed two commissioners, Robert Grove and 

 Charles Vaughan, to visit all his manors and those of his wives (for 

 on the death of Katherine Parr he had married a daughter of the 

 Earl of Shrewsbury) ; and after spending four years of labour over 

 it they made their report on three large rolls of vellum. The 

 Commissioners began the work of visiting the manors in January, 

 1566, taking during that year Dinton, Tetfont, South Newton, 

 Stoford, Chilhampton, Little Wishford, North Ugford, Burcombe, 

 Washerne, South Ugford, Netherhampton, Bulbridge, Ditchampton, 

 Burdensball, Foulston, Quidhampton, Avon, Chalke, Alvediston, 

 Wardour, Sutton Maundeville, Berwick St. John, and West Overton. 



