By Charles Edward Long, JEsq. 215 



Of Darell's habits, we gather something by means of letters 

 and other memoranda still existing at the Rolls Office, and trans- 

 ferred thither from the Tower. He was born, as will be observed, 

 in 1539, and it may be admitted that he began his career of wildness 

 and extravagance in 1560, or as soon as his minority had ceased. 

 He was, beyond a doubt, what the world calls "very fast," a 

 "scamp," a "scrajje-grace," and in the end, as is generally the case 

 a ruined and an untruthful spendthrift, and these we firmly 

 believe to be the only charges, and quite enough, which can be 

 brought against him. A.mongst the MSS. at Stourhead, is a letter 

 without date, but, from internal evidence, written between the years 

 1563 and 1583, from his cousin, -Anthony" Hungerford, of Down •<*'***-^ 

 Ampney. He was doubly related to him both on his father's and"^'' 

 on his grandmother's side. There is no difficulty in identifying 

 this Anthony Hungerford, and, as his father Sir John is spoken of, 

 and was living until 1583, we may fairly give this letter a date 

 somewhat anterior to that year. The writer calls Darell his "dear 

 Will," and speaks of "varieties" who by their "tales and vile and 

 abominable practices" have plagued him, and, as he says, "for your 

 sake." He then entreats him to "poke up" his "wittes and memory 

 to defend this my unfortunate cause and yours," "what witnesses 

 be best to be had and sought for," &c. We have no means of ascer- 

 taining the nature of this scrape, to get the parties out of which, 

 no less a person than the Earl of Leicester proffi^red his assistance. 

 The next of these/r«ca.s in which the Lord of Littlecote figures, is the 

 dispute with the Earl of Pembroke, before-mentioned. It would ap- 

 pear that Darell had felled timber, to supply his necessities, at Ax- 

 ford, and which Lord Pembroke claimed to belong to him. Lord 

 Pembroke was, at that time, the possessor of Ramsbury House, after- 

 wards, during the civil war, described by Symonds in his MS. 

 Journal, as "a fine square stone house — a brave seate, tho' not com- 

 parable to Wilton." Of the letters relating to this dispute at the Rolls 

 Office, there are two from Popham to his "loving friend, Mr. Will. 

 Darell, Esq., at Ly tclcote," one of which is dated from Cloford, March 

 3rd, 1582, giving advice, and praying hira "to forbear to cuttdown 

 any more woods and trees at Axford." We have also DarcU's reply, 

 dated March 27 ; " from my pouro house at Lytellcoto," aud^it is 



