4 THE BROCKLESBY HOUNDS. 



Couucillors, wearing a scarlet mantle from the royal 

 wardrobe. Being in the confidence of his sovereign and 

 held in high honour by him, it is not to be wondered that 

 he was frequently the recipient of royal favours. 



Pelham was entrusted with the custody of the youthful 

 James I. of Scotland, who was captured by the English in 

 the second year of the reign of Henry V., and the sum of 

 £700 a year was granted for his maintenance and instruc- 

 tion, he being taught how to handle his weapons as well 

 as " the understanding of tongues." When he died, in 

 1429, John de Pelham left estates that exceeded one-sixth 

 of the whole of Sussex, and a charter relative to one of 

 them is still preserved, on which is his seal of three 

 pelicans " vulning themselves to the breast," and his crest 

 of a peacock in his pride. 



William Pelham, a descendant of this John de Pelham, 

 married twice, Sir Nicholas, his son by his first wife, in- 

 heriting the family estates in Sussex, and Sir William, his 

 other son, became the owner of Brocklesby. Sir Nicholas 

 was buried at Lewes, and his helmet still hangs over his 

 monument, on which is an inscription containing the 

 curious couplet — 



"What time the French sought to have attacked Seafoord, 

 This Pelham did repel 'em back aboord." 



This attempted landing was made in 1545, by Claud 

 d'Annabant. 



Thomas Pelham was created a baronet, and about a 

 century later his great-grandson was made Baron Pelham 

 of Laughton ; he married the sister of the Duke of New- 

 castle, and had a son called Thomas. This Thomas was 

 adopted by his maternal uncle, the Duke of Newcastle, 

 who had no family, took the name of Holies, and eventually 

 became Duke of Newcastle. He was Secretary of State 

 for thirty years, and Premier from 1754-1756, as head of 

 the Broad Bottom Ministry, and from 1757-1762 as chief 

 of the Government, of which Pitt was leader in the House 

 of Commons. He was leader of the Whig party, and had 



