132 Leland’s Journey through Wiltshire. 
Lelous Souruey theaugh Wiltshire: 
A. D. 1540-42. 
WITH NOTES BY THE REV. J. E. JACKSON, 
Joun Lry.ANnD (commonly spelled Leland) was born in London; 
the parish and year unknown; but about the beginning of the 
16th century. He was educated under W. Lilly, the grammarian, 
then went to Cambridge, and was afterwards of All Souls College, 
Oxford. Thence he proceeded to study at Paris: and on his return 
took holy orders, and became chaplain to King Henry VIII., who 
gave him a benefice in the Marches of Calais. He seems to have been 
an accomplished man; was acquainted, itissaid, with eight languages, 
and wrote Latin with facility and elegance. On being appointed 
library keeper to the King, he left his rectory abroad, and received 
in 1533 a royal commission under the great seal to travel over 
England in search of antiquities, with power to inspect the libraries 
of cathedrals, abbies, and other depositories of historical records. 
It was in this year that the monasteries were visited, previously to 
their impending dissolution. Fuller! enumerates this royal com- 
mission to Leland amongst the “commendable deeds’’ done by the 
King, upon the fall of the religious houses. ‘‘ He would have the 
buildings destroyed, but the memorables therein recorded, the 
builders preserved, and their memories transmitted to posterity. 
This task Leland performed with great pains, to his great praise ; 
on the King’s purse, who exhibited most bountifully unto him.” 
Leland is connected with Wiltshire by one of these “exhibitions :” 
viz., the Prebend of North Newnton (or Newton, 4 miles west of 
Pewsey) to which was annexed Knoyle Odierne, (Little or West 
1 Church Hist. B. vi. sect. iv. 8. 9. 
