By G. Poulett Scrojje, Esq., M.P. 15 



Heytesbury, those of Clatford, "Wexcomb, and Ditchampton near 

 Wilton, the Borough of Bedwin, the Hundred of Kinwardeston, and 

 a Manor in Sutton-Mandeville in the Hundred of Dunworth. The 

 bulk of these estates, forming a portion of the great fee of the Clares 

 Earls of Gloucester and Hertford, had passed to the Staffords by 

 marriage of Margaret Audeley, sole daughter and heiress of Hugh 

 de Audeley, Earl of Grioucester, by his wife Margaret, coheir of 

 Gilbert de Clare Earl of Gloucester, to Ralph first Earl of Stafibrd, 

 21 Edward III. They were successively possessed by Hugh his 

 son, and Thomas his grandson, Earls of Stafford, by Humphrey first 

 Duke of Buckingham, and his grandson Henry second Duke, who 

 was beheaded without trial at SaKsbury, I. Richard TIL, 1483, 

 and by Edward Duke of Buckingham his heir, on whose at- 

 tainder the Manors escheated to the Crown, with the Dukedom and 

 its dependent fees. 



A junior branch of the family represented by Sir John Stafford, 

 Knight, seventh son of Humphrey fifth Earl of Stafford and first 

 Duke of Buckingham, became possessed of the important "Wiltshire 

 Manors of Warminster and Westbury, by his marriage with Con- 

 stance, daughter and heir of Sir Henry Grene, of Drayton and 

 Lowick, in Northamptonshire, who had inherited them from his 

 mother, daughter and heir of Thomas Mauduit of Warminster. 

 And it was the heir of this marriage. Sir John Stafford, who was 

 created Earl of Wiltshire, by Edward lY. 5th January, 1470, pro- 

 bably with the view of attaching this branch of so wealthy and 

 powcrfid a family to the fortunes of the House of York ; the 

 Staffords having long been adherents of that of Lancaster. 

 He was moreover made a Knight of the Garter in 1471, but did 

 not live long to enjoy his honors, his death taking place in 1473 ; 

 when he was succeeded in the Earldom of Wilts, by 2. Euwaud 

 Stafford, his son and heir, who dying in 1499, without issue, the 

 Earldom again became EXTI^XT. Edward Stafford, Earl of Wilts, 

 was buried in the Chixrch of Lowick, otherwise Luffwick, in the 

 county of Northampton, wlicro his monument still exists.' His will 

 is to be seen in Sir Harris Nicolas's * Testamcnta Yctusta,' p. 437. 



1 It is engraved in "Gouj,'L',s Sepulchral Monuments," vol ii, pi, cxxx. p. 339. 



