Commnnhated by Mr. James Waylen. 



65 



writing" this he was at Lacoek, visiting Lady Stapylton, on his way 

 out of Devonshire towards Yorkshire, protected by a pass from Sir 

 Thomas Fairfax. The family prejudices were, no doubt, in favour 

 of royalism rather than of the Parliament's cause, for Sir Francis 

 had been knighted at the coronation of King Charles, who enter- 

 tained at the commencement of the war so high an opinion of his 

 attachment as to entrust him with the government of Doncaster 

 Castle, and afterwards with that of Lincoln Castle. How long he 

 held these posts is not stated ; he appears to have laid down his 

 arms in the spring of 1644; his first petition to Goldsmiths' Hall 

 to be admitted to compound is dated 29th December, 1645, and 

 his signing the Covenant, in the presence of William Barton, 

 minister of John Zachary's, is dated 7th May, 1646. His petition 

 " Sheweth — that whereas power and authority is committed unto 

 this honourable committee to receive petitions from such as, having 

 taken arms on the King's party, do bona fide desire to come in and 

 submit themselves, the petitioner, who hath unadvisedly served in that 

 kind, to take up arms on the King's party, and desires unfeignedly 

 to come in and submit to the Parliament, doth humbly beseech this 

 honourable committee to admit him to make composition and hereafter 

 to remain in the grace, favour, and protection of Parliament, &c." 



Sir Francis's estates were dispersed in Yorkshire, Huntingdon- 

 shire, Gloucestershire, V/iltshire, and " the Savoy near London." 

 In Wiltshire he is seised of a freehold during two lives of and in 

 the rectory of Melksham and the manor of Cannonhold, held of the 

 Dean and Chapter of Sarum, worth before the troubles £100 per 

 annum. Another freehold during one life of certain lands and 

 tenements in the forest of Blackmore, worth before the troubles £50 

 per annum. In mitigation of his fine he declares that his debts 

 amount to £2550, besides interest thereon for two years. Moreover, 

 his personal estate, to the value of near £5000, has all been seized 

 and sold for the use of the State. He further prays for abatement 

 in consideration' of his having, previous to his marriage with the 

 Lady Darcy, and before any act of delinquency on his part, handed 

 over to the following feoffees, Sir William Armyn, William West, 

 and John West, £400 a year levied on lands in Yorkshire, parcel of 



VOL. XXIV. — NO. LXX. 1 



