240 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book IV. 



"^ Sir George Marshall, knighted by James I. at Royston, 

 October 6, 1614, was connected with the royal studs from this 

 time to his death. In 1628 he had iJ^5oo a year, payable at 

 Michaelmas and Lady Day, for " keeping his Majesty's race 

 of mares " in Cole Park and West Park, Wiltshire. Some of 

 his descendants also fulfilled these offices to temp. George II. 



^' Sir Edmund Verney, third son of Sir Ralph Verney, 

 of Penley and Middle Clayton, Buckinghamshire, on the 

 death of his half-brother. Sir Francis Verney, succeeded to 

 the family estates in 161 5. Before Edmund Verney had 

 attained his majority, he had seen war in the Low Countries, 

 and had visited the courts of France and Italy. On his 

 return to England, a gentleman accomplished in all courtly 

 qualities, he was taken into the household of Prince Henry, 

 where he filled the office of chief sewer, while his uncle 

 Francis was one of the prince's falconers. On January 7 

 1610-11, Edmund Verney was knighted. In the same year 

 he visited Madrid. He returned to England to find Prince 

 Henry dead, and in the interval which took place between the 

 death of the king's eldest son and the establishment of the 

 household of Prince Charles, Sir Edmund espoused Margaret, 

 eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Denton, Knight, of Hillesdon, 

 Bucks, December 14, 161 2. During the ensuing year the 

 new regulations of Prince Charles's household took effect, 

 and Sir Edmund was appointed to the place of one of the 

 Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber. For some years following 

 he attended to the management of his estates, and took an 

 active part in the local affairs of his county, in which his 

 status was considerably increased by his appointment to the 

 lieutenancy of Whaddon Chase. In 1623 he joined the suite 

 of attendants despatched to constitute the retinue of the 

 prince during his stay in and journey back from Madrid. Sir 

 Edmund Verney was returned Member of Parliament for the 

 borough of Buckingham in 1624. The accession of Charles I. 

 made a material improvement in the position of Sir Edmund 

 Verney and all those who had been in his Majesty's household 

 during the lifetime of his father. On December 25, 1625, the 



