HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 285 



death of Henry Lord Stafford, in 1637, his sister Mary became sole 

 heiress of his estate. She married Sir William Howard, who was 

 created a Baron by Charles I. by the title of Lord Stafford. This 

 lord being found guilty of a plot against Charles II. was publicly 

 beheaded on Tower-hill, in 1682, and the title devolved on Henry, 

 his eldest son, who was created Earl of Stafford by James II. On 

 the abdication of James, this earl, who was a zealous papist, at- 

 tended the fugitive king into France, and married Claude Charlotte, 

 eldest daughter of the Count de Grammont, by whom he had no 

 issue.* 



In the reign of Edward VI. the burgesses obtained a confirma- 

 tion of the charter of King John, with many additional privileges. 

 Queen Elizabeth also extended her munificence to this town, and 

 established the Assizes and Quarter Sessions here by Act of Parlia- 

 ment, in the 17th year of her reign. During her progress through 

 England, in 1575, her Majesty perceiving the town to be rather on 

 the decline, enquired the reason, and was informed, it was partly 

 owing to the circumstance of the Assizes having been removed, in 

 consequence of which she promised that this beneficial privilege 

 should be restored. A record of this memorable visit is preserved 

 in the parish register of St. Mary's church: "Mem. That the 

 sixth day of August, 1575, our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth 

 came from Chartley in progress to Stafford castle, and was re- 

 ceived upon the Pool Dam, without the east gate, by the bailiff 

 and burgesses, with an oration made by Mr. Lamb the school- 

 master, in the name of the town. And the bailiff delivered to her 

 Majesty a goodly large standing cup of silver and gilt, of white 

 wine, which her Highness respectfully and gratefully received ; 

 and so she passed through the East Gate Street, the Market-place, 

 the Crobury-iane, and the Broad Eye, and thence on the road to 

 Stafford Park, in the 17th year of her Majesty's most gracious 

 reign." 



According to the Charter granted by Edward VI. Stafford is 

 governed by a mayor, recorder, ten aldermen, twenty common- 

 council-men, a town-clerk, and two serjeants-at-mace. 



A weekly market is held on Saturday in the market-place, 

 which is a spacious square, and in the market-hall behind and con- 

 tiguous to the town-hall. 



In the twenty-third year of the reign of Edward I. A. D. 1295, 



* Magna Britannia, No. 62, p. 68. 



