104 The Westhury Acorn Cuf. 



In March, 1903, however, I received a letter from Sir J. C. 

 Robinson, F.S.A., of Newton Manor, Swanage, enclosing the photo- 

 graph which is here reproduced, and asking if anything could be 

 discovered as to Col. Wancklin and his doings. The cup had then 

 been in Sir J. C. Robinson's possession for about ten years, and 

 was purchased from a London dealer who was said to have bought 

 it from a silversmith at Bi'ighton. It was put up for sale at Christie's 

 with other objects belonging to the same gentleman, but as it did not 

 reach tlie reserve price he bought it in at £69 17s. 6fZ. After some 

 further correspondence the owner most kindly entrusted me with 

 the cup itself, to exhibit at the meeting of the Society at Devizes, 

 in July, 1903, when I gave what information I had been able to 

 glean as to the persons mentioned in the inscription upon it, 

 chiefly from notes supplied by Sir J. C. Robinson himself. 



Hoare, in Modern Wilts (Westhury), p. 36, says : — 



" James Ley, the third and last Earl of Marlborough,' who died in 1665, 

 was possessed of many manors in Westhury, of which Bratton was one. By 

 his will he appointed Thomas Wancklin, Esq., commonly called Colonel 

 Wancklin, a trustee, and it is supposed that the said person married the 

 widow of [Henry], Earl of Marlborough, for I find engraved on a silverchalice 

 among the communion plate at Westhury ' The gift of Colonel Wancklen 

 and Mary, Countess of Marlborough, 1671,' and I have seen an old lease 

 dated 17th May, 1666 (18 Charles II.), by which Thomas Wancklin, of 

 Heywood, in the parish of Westhury, conveys an estate on lives in the 

 manor of Bratton." 



This is all that Hoare has to say on the subject. 

 Cockayne's Complete Peermje, vol. V., L to M. : — 



" II. 1629. Henry Ley, Earl of Marlborough, son and heir by first wife, 

 born before 1595. M.P. for Westhury, 1614, for Devizes 1621—22, and 

 1626-28, for Wilts, 1625. Knighted at Vale Royal, Cheshire, 24th August, 

 1617. Summoned to Parliament vita patris in his father's barony as Lord 

 Ley, taking his seat 2nd March, 1625-6, a month after his father's elevation 

 to an earldom. Three years later lie succeeded, 14th March, 1628-9. He 

 married, 5th November, 1616, at Hadham Parva, Herts (he about 21, and 

 she about 18), Mary, first daughter of Sir Arthur Capel, of Hadham, afore- 

 said, by Margaret, daughter of Lord John Grej'. He died 1st April, 1638. 



' This is an error. James Ley, 3rd Earl, son of Henry, second Earl, was 

 killed ill the battle of the Texel, against the Dutch, June 3rd, 1665, and dying 

 unmarried was succeeded by William Ley, fourth and last Earl, who married 

 Margaret, daughter of Sir William Hewett, and died without issue 1699. 



