By the Rcr. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.8.A. 



273 



George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland), afterwards the celebrated 

 Countess dowager of Dorset Pembroke and Montgomery (about 

 whom see Whitaker's Craven, p. 313). Daivyel was patronized 

 at Court and became Groom of the Privy Chamber to Queen Anne 

 of Denmark, for whom he wrote masques. His principal poem 

 was on the Civil Wars of the Roses. He also wrote a History of 

 England to the end of the reign of King Edward IV. Of his 

 poetry Michael Drayton says : — 



" His Kimes were smooth, his metres well did close, 

 But yet his matter better fitted — prose." 



Towards the latter part of his life he retired to a small property, 

 probably at Ridge, near Beckington, where he died in October, 

 1619. In Beckington Church is a tablet to his memory, placed 

 by Lady Anne Clifford, an exact copy of which is given in " Se- 

 lections from his works by J. Morris, Bath, 1855/'' A memoir 

 of him was published in the " Bath and Bristol Magazine, 1833." 



The words (which we have marked by italics) seem to intimate 

 that he was at this time busy writing his poetical history, and 

 that stooping from so sublime an occupation to such vulgar mat- 

 ters as the squabbles of tenants, the selling of hay, the price of 

 pigeons, &c, was a disturbance to his elevated thoughts, and that 

 he found the employment not altogether to his taste. This com- 

 plaint, and the " longing to hear about the receipt of his pay/' 

 make it likely that some financial pressure had driven him to 

 accept the situation.] 



1. 1608, May 20th. 



" Charissim 0 patron' mio. I mervayle I cannot heare one worde from you 

 whether you live or what you doo in yo r world w h is a world I know of busynes 

 and misery. I sent to your Brother concerning Wraxhall and inclusively to yo r 

 self a very volume of a le'r, w h methinks might require the answere of a lyne in 

 all this tyme, that we yo r pore Baylifs have expected yo r directions so long, as 

 we are now at a stand. Keeping comes to me w th a complaynt that Maltman 

 seeing he went from his bargayne w h he held before, cavells with Moxham* for 

 an half Acre of land w h he claymes uppon exchange w th Billingley, enters uppon 

 the same & disquiets the man. I wrote unto him to forbeare to molest his 



♦ In a MS. List of Wilts Freeholders of A.D. 1660 at Longleat occur the names of "Thomas 

 Maltman of South Wraxhall," and " Christopher Moxam of Leigh [Bradford]." 



VOL. XVIII. NO. LIV. 



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