She did not grudge, nor murmur at her paine,
Though paines were great, and lasted very long,
Resting on high her hope of future gaine,

Than hearte could think, or could be tould by tongue;
Comfortes she sought because her flesh was frail,
By preachers sounde which never did her faile.

When that her sickness did her soe restraine,
As that her house shee forced was to keep,
Shee did intreate three preachers to take paine
Her to instructe and stay from dangers deepe.
And this they did by turns one week bestowe,
In lore most sound, till she too weake did growe.

When pangs grew great shee found but little rest,
Yet faith was strong in God, her father deare,
And from this faith she found it alwaies best

To praise her God, and praise to him in fear,
And to this end the preachers she would call
To come to her, who failed her not at all.

In all her dangers she did never faile,

From day to day, to crave their help in this,
For them to seek it did not much availl,

For them to call shee did but seldom miss,
Thrise many times, and most times twice a day,
That shee with them, and they with her might pray.

These were the fruits of one that learned had

To serve her God in sickness, health, and all: In health to fear, in sickness to be glad,

Though flesh be fraill and find itself in thralle; This fruite came not from father Adam's tree, Our second Adam taught her such to bee.

This then she was, and was unto the ende,

This did shee show; many can witness this; This to be true none neede doubt to defende; Wee rest in woe, and shee is gone to bliss, Where God this ladye in his armes doth take, And crowne with glorie for Christ Jesus' sake.

Vivit post Funera Virtus."

A blank was left on the tomb for the name of Sir Francis, which, by some strange neglect, was never inserted.

Walter, the sixth and youngest son, was of Kirby, and marrying Joyce, or Jocosa, daughter of Christopher Roper, of Linsted, in Kent, Esq. and sister to Sir John, created Lord, Teynham, had by her one son, Sir Henry Hastings, of Kirby, and afterwards of Braunston, Knt. who, like the rest of his kindred, was firmly attached to the royal cause during the civil wars, and paid 20727. to the usurping party for redeeming his estates.

Of these six sons of Francis, second Earl of Huntingdon, it was observed, "that they agreed better in temper and affection than in persuasion and principle;" some of them continuing steadfast adherents to the Roman Catholic religion, and the rest as zealously embracing Protestantism; notwithstanding which, the utmost harmony and fraternal affection prevailed amongst them.

CHAPTER VI.

OF HENRY, THE THIRD EARL OF HUNTINGDON, ELDEST SON AND SUCCESSOR
OF FRANCIS, THE SECOND EARL.

HENRY, third Earl of Huntingdon, eldest son and heir of Francis, second Earl, was married in 1553, being then about eighteen years of age, at Durham, now called Northumberland, House, in the Strand, London, to Catharine, daughter of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. In 1557, he obtained a grant of the office of Steward of the Prince's fee in Leicester; and in 1559, during the life-time of his father, was summoned to attend parliament. The following year he was appointed to the office of the Hart Hounds; and Earl Francis, confiding in his son's care and discretion, made him supervisor of all his estates, with the power of granting leases. Having, by the death of his father, succeeded to the Earldom on the 20th of June, 1561, at the age of twenty-six years, he next day petitioned Queen Elizabeth for livery of all his honours, castles, manors, &c.; and on the next New Year's Day, himself, the Countess his wife, and the Countess Dowager, his mother, presented three purses to her Majesty; his own of the value of 157., and the two others of 107. respectively; in return for which, each of them received a suitable gilt cup. In 1562, he obtained a grant of lands in Leicestershire and Warwickshire; and was about that time cited to show by what title he held the manor of Wotton Court, in the County of Somerset. The same year he purchased from his uncle,

Edward, Lord Hastings, of Loughborough, for 26257. the inheritance of the Manor of Bosworth, with the advowson of the parsonage, under a proviso, that if that sum was repaid into his hands before the October next following, the bargain should be void. In the month of June of this year, he received the Queen's express command to prepare himself, his wife, and suite, in such splendid manner as might best become his rank, and the importance of the occasion, to attend her Majesty, and be present, at an interview then concerted to take place between her and Mary Queen of Scots, at York, or some other place convenient to Trent. The following is a copy of the order on this subject addressed by her Majesty to the Earl of Huntingdon:

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"Elizabeth R.

Right trusty and right well-beloved cousin, we greet you well. Forasmuch as a meeting and interview betwixt us and our good sister and cosyn the Quene of Scotts, hath bene of long time motioned to be had some time this summer, which as we are accorded shall take effect about Bartholomew tide next, eyther at our Citty of Yorke, or some other convenient place on this side neere unto Trent. We meaning to have you there, to attend upon us, as is meet for the degree and place which you hold, do will and require you to put yourself (our cousin) your wife and your trains in order to attend on you both, being so many in number as at the least twenty-six of them may remain to attend upon you both about our Court, and be ready to meet us on the way near unto Trent, at such place and day of the month of August next, as shall be signified to you by our Chamberlain, or some others of the Councill, at the furthest before the midst of July; for seeing that the array of yourselfe, your wife, and your trains, may be according to the best of your

states and degrees, and meetest for the honour and presence of such an interview. Given under our signet at our Manor of Grenewiche, the 16th of June, in the fourth yere of our reigne."

In 1564, his Lordship was exonerated from the payment of a fee farm rent for the demesne of Gracedieu, and its dependencies. About this time his title to the Crown of England, by descent from the Duke of Clarence, was a subject of much conversation and surmise in political circles, as well as a source of great private uneasiness to himself, inasmuch as he had received, it was said, some marks of displeasure from the Queen, whose jealousy about the succession is well known. On that occasion his Lordship addressed, to his brother-in-law the Earl of Leicester, the annexed letter, which throws some light on Elizabeth's feelings, and in which he disclaims all ambitious pretensions in so decided a tone, and accompanied with such sentiments, as are equally honourable to his character as a loyal subject and an excellent and amiable man:

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My honourable good Lord; I am sorry that my present disease is such that there are left me but these two remedyes, eyther to swallow up those bitter pills lately receyved, or to make you a partner of my griefes, thereby something to ease a wounded heart. At my wive's last being at Court to doe her duty as became her, it pleased her Majesty to give her a privy nippe, especially concerning myselfe, whereby I perceive she hath some jealous conceipt of me, and, as I can imagine, of late digested. How farr I have been alwayes from conceyting any greatness of myselfe, nay, how ready I have been alwayes to shunne applauses, both by my continual lowe saile and my carriage, I doe assure myselfe is best knowne to your Lordship, and the rest of my nearest friends; if not