50 



Thr Littlecote Legend. 



Now this olfor of making ovor the reversion of his estate, under 

 a bond of no less a sum than £5000 for so doing, to the Lord 

 Chancellor, if he would be his (DareH's) good Lorde, (a phrase in 

 those days used to signify Patron or Protector in difficult circum- 

 stances), coupled with the doleful complaints, which fill the rest of 

 the letter, of the troubles and ill fortune under which he had long 

 been and still was labouring, seems to shew that Darell was at this 

 period in danger from some serious legal proceedings, in which j 

 the Chancellor's protection would be worth purchasing by so large 

 a bribe. 



For as a bribe it seems clearly to have been intended. It is 

 certainly not the kind of offer which would be made to a powerful 

 Law Officer like the Lord Chancellor in return for ordinary 

 friendliness of a legitimate character. That it could not be meant 

 merely as a grateful requital for the past favors enumerated above, 

 is shewn by the interjectional phrase "0 that I might, &c," and the 

 conditional tenour of the offer, " if it may be I have him my good 

 and indifferent Lorde, &c." Still more by the bond to the amount 

 of £5000 for the due execution of the engagement. 



2. Next in order of time we find that Darell was certainly 

 indicted at Marlborough Sessions in October 1585, i.e. two years 

 and four months after the date of the above letter, of some offence 

 (see p. 217, vol. iv.), but from which he some-how got off. Is it 

 not possible that this indictment had some relation to the charge 

 of child murder ? (It is well known that courts of Quarter Sessions 

 were competent to try all felonies). And further may it not be 

 that the protection sought by Darell on such high terms of the 

 Lord Chancellor Bromley two years before might have been on that 

 occasion obtained of Mr. Solicitor- General Popham in 1585, and 

 rewarded in some similar manner ? 



3. For the reversion of Darell's estate had certainly before his 

 death in 1589 been made over to Popham, since upon that event 

 occurring, Popham instantly took possession of it, and of the title 

 deeds then in the house at Littlecote, through his agent, William 

 Rede, (p.^20, vol. iv.) 



