LIFE OF LORD SCUDAMORE. 
65 
him. He was appointed about this time, Captain of Horse in Herefordshire, by the Earl of North¬ 
ampton, the then Lord Lieutenant of the County. 1 The following year by a patent, dated June 1, 
1620, he was created a Baronet. The circumstances of this appointment are not known, but it was 
in the early days of the creation of the order, and it seems to be sufficiently explained by the fact, 
that his friend Laud had, by this time, obtained very great influence at Court, and was intimately 
associated with George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, who was then the chief administrator of 
patronage. The creation was aided no doubt by his own address and abilities. Certainly the 
formal words of the Patent styling him “ Virum Familid , Patrimonio , Censu , el Morum probitate 
spectatum ,” were never better merited. 
It appears from the Register at Holme Lacy, that Mr. John Scudamore was married in the 
Chapel there, on March 12th, (1614-15) when only just 14 years of age, to Elizabeth, the only 
daughter and heiress of Sir Arthur Porter, Knt., of Llanthony, near Gloucester, a child still 
younger than himself. But it was not until six years afterwards (about 1620) that the young 
couple took up their residence at Cradock, or Caradoc, 2 an estate about five miles distant from 
Holme Lacy, belonging to his great uncle Mr. Rowland Scudamore. The bride brought as her 
dowry, considerable property in the County of Gloucester. The marriage settlements on the Porter 
side are dated 20th February, 12 Jac. I., (1614-15) and those on the Scudamore side are dated 3rd 
March, 12 Jac. I. (MSS. penes Sir H. E. C. Scudamore-Stanhope, Bart.) 
The following year, 1621, Sir John Scudamore was returned, without opposition, as member 
of Parliament for Herefordshire, and during the next few years he necessarily spent a great portion of 
his time in London. In 1623, April 14th, his grandfather, Sir John Scudamore, died, and he then 
succeeded to the Holme Lacy estates, and moved from Cradock to the family mansion. 
Neither his domestic happiness, his attention to his own private affairs, his parliamentary 
duties, nor the distraction^ of the Court, or of London society, were able to keep him from a regular 
systematic course of study, until, at last, his health began to give way, and his friend Laud, now 
Bishop of St. David’s—at the quiet suggestion, it may readily be imagined—of my Lady Scudamore, 
had to give him the advice ’ “ Book it not too much” (July 10, 1624.) “ The remarkably studious , 
1 In the Scudamore MSS. at St. Michael’s Priory, is the draught of an excellent speech by Sir John Scudamore, to show 
how the County Troup of Horse could be rendered more effective ; and there is also a paper, dated May 1st, 1627, giving 
“ The names of mine own Company of trayned men ” consisting of “ Household Servants,” (25) Retayners trayned,” (20) 
and “ Retayners untrained,” (20). 
2 The Manor and Mansion of Cary Craddock, or Cradock, or Caradoc, as it is variously termed, is beautifully situated on 
a high wooded bank of the river Wye, in the parish of Sellack. It is the reputed residence of Caradoc Vraich-Vras, or Strong 
Arm, a British Chieftain, and one of the Knights of King Arthur’s Table. He is the hero of the well known ballad of 
“ The Boy and the Mantle ” (Percy's Reliques) and there is to be found near it the traces of a small encampment. But to 
come to authentic history:—The estate was purchased from Mr. Roger Mynors in 1594 by Mr. Rowland Scudamore, who 
made it his chief residence. He probably rebuilt the house, which is one of the finest specimens of the Elizabethan style of 
Architecture in the County. It remained in the family, and appears to have been generally occupied either as a jointure 
house, or by some junior member of the family. In the year 1864 it was purchased from the Trustees of the late Earl Digby 
by Mr. Elisah Caddick, who is the present proprietor. This gentleman has much enlarged, and in a measure re-modelled the 
house, but the grand oak-panelled hall and its other old features, have been preserved, so that it is not unworthy of its beauti¬ 
ful site, and of the associations with which its past history is linked. 
(“ Manor Houses of Herefordshire by Rev. C. J. Robinson, M. A.) 
