By the Rev. J. E. Jackson. 



293 



and every weke they do kyll as mouche as they may, whiche I am able to prove. 

 And also they, at Crystmas Eve laste, assawted the Kyng's Kepers my servaunts, 

 and dyd put them in jeberdye of theire lyves and resceyvyd at there handes 

 many grete strypys, and some dyd geve agayne. I am sory my Lord and his 

 men have none other rayling-stock but oonly in fa wis {false) depraving of me. 

 And his Lordship, as it shalbe well approvyd, lovythe every man well in thes 

 parties but oonly my Lord's Grace (Protector Somerset) servaunts, and all 

 other that be knowen your frynds ; and, as he reportethe, he wull do mowche 

 to them yf God do not help: he that made aunswer affore you is knowen as fawls 

 a thiff, and so be his felowys that bere the rule here under my Lord (Stourton), 

 as any be in England and that my Lord knowethe right well. I truste Fytz- 

 james and his felowys shall oons here (i.e. shall one day hear) of the unlawfull 

 words that T certyfyed you of. I am redy to justine it of truthe, with oon 

 other right onest gentelman, for all theire juglyngs. And this I remayne yours 

 with trewe hart and servyse as knowethe God who preserve you in wurship. 

 Wreten in hast the fyrste day of January 



by your servaunte assuredly 



WlLLM. HaKTGYLL." 



" To the right worshipfull my moste singuler good 

 Master, S r John Thynne, Knyght, be this delyveryd." 



Law- Suit with the Protector Somerset. 

 1548-9. In Lord Stourton's bailiff's accounts of this year there 

 is an entry that " the Bailiff keeps back 40s. of Rent for lands in 

 Marston Bigot pending a Suit with the Duke of Somerset until 

 the justice of the I^aw determine it, as he, the bailiff, would 'be 

 liable." This entry is repeated, and in both places Lord Stourton 

 writes on the margin " E-ecepi, Charolls Stourton," from which it 

 would appear that he established his claim. 



Kilmington Constables in the Stocks. The Blood-hound. 

 The next letter is from Thomas Chafyn Esq., addressed to Sir 

 John Thynne. Mr. Chafyn (who has been mentioned before) was 

 the head of an old Wiltshire family living at Seal's Clevedon (now 

 called Zeals) in the parish of Mere adjoining that of Stourton. 

 He speaks of Hartgill as " my Cosin." The first part of the letter 

 refers to one of the Leversedge family, owners of Yallis and West 

 Woodlands in the parish of Frome, co. Somerset. "Mr. Horner" 

 was probably of Cloford in the same county. The rest of the 

 letter contains two new complaints against Charles Lord Stourton : 

 first, for putting into the Stocks the parish Constables of Kilming- 



