reception of the prince of Spain, then to be married to queen Mary, was, in 1554, appointed master of the horse. In the first of Philip and Mary he was created viscount Montacute or Montague, having chosen that title by reason that the lady Lucie, his grandmother, was one of the daughters and coheirs to John Nevil, marquis Montague. After receiving this honour, he was by order of parliament sent to the pope (together with Thirlby bishop of Ely) for reducing of this realm to an union with the church of Rome, and to the obedience of that see. Being elected a knight of the garter, he was installed at Windsor, Oct. 22, 1555. In 1557 he was lieutenant general of the English forces in Picardy, and much in favour with queen Mary. At the accession of Elizabeth he was left out of her privy-council, and upon the grand dispute in parliament for abolishing the pope's supremacy, he was the only peer who with Francis earl of Salisbury voted against it, urging, that it would be a great dishonour for England, which was so lately and so well reconciled to the apostolic see, to make so sudden a revolt from it: and moreover, that the hazard would be as great as the scandal, should the pope thunder out his excommunication, and expose the nation by that means to the resentment of its neighbouring enemies, upon the score of this defection. That he for his part had, in the name of the whole body of England, tendered obedience to the pope, the performance of which he could by no means

• See Dugdale, vol. iii. and Collins, vol. vi.

dispense with 5. Being highly esteemed by Elizabeth for his prudence and wisdom, though earnestly devoted to the Romish religion, he was thought a most acceptable person to be employed as an embassador to Spain, to satisfy Philip the second what just cause the queen of England had to send an army into Scotland; and to represent that the practices of the Guises might be of dangerous consequence as well in Spain as to England. All that our genealogists found farther memorable of this lord is, that he was one of the peers who sat on the trial of the queen of Scots; and that a little before his death queen Elizabeth paid him a visit. He departed this life at Horsley in Surrey, October 19, 1592, and was buried at Cowdray, where was the ancient family mansion, till destroyed by fire in 1793.

The following letter of lord Montague, addressed to the privy-council, in consequence of a thousand soldiers being levied out of Sussex, occurs in Harl. MS. 6990.

"To the right honorable my verie good lords the lords and others of the queenes majesties most honorable privie councel, gyve thies with hast.

"It may please your lordships to be advertised, that wheras by order from the quenes majestie and your lordships, this shier hathe presently put in order vi C. souldiours, and of that numbre sent forthe to Portchmowthe ii C. besydes one C. pioners. I have this instant receaved straight commandement from Mr. Vice

› See Camden's Eliz. p. 19. This was the speech probably recorded by bishop Tanner.

chamberlayn (as by the copy of his letter sent herin, it may appere) to send forthe vj C. moo than was before appoyntid, besides a number of pioners, which be daylye taken up here by his commission. I have immediatlye writen to all the justices to send forthe undelayedlye those iiij C. which remayne of the vj C. by the first order appoyntid; and also to muster and gather together other vi C. to folow the rest; if they have no other advertisement to the contrarye.

"This I thought my dewtie, the waight of the service and the straight chardge gyven me considerid: and yet dowting whether Mr. Vice-chamberlayn hathe knowledge of suche numbers of men as have before within this yere bin sent to Newhaven, out of this shier, at sondry tymes; which moved your lordships to appoynt but vj C. at this tyme: I have bothe signifyed the same to hym, and according to my dutie thought mete to know your lordships pleasures herin. For that I assure your lordships this greate numbre being takin, this coste shalbe marveylously weakned and unfurnyshed, bothe of strengthe and also for helpe to take upp t'harvest now in hand. Neverthelesse, the greater matter is to be regardid: and upon your lordships pleasure knowin, the menn shalbe undelayedly sett forthe, and he not differid to be presently put in a readynes, howsoever it shall please your lordships to consider of the state and necessitie of this shier, as well knowin to dyvers of your lordships as to my self.

"Besydes the numbre of souldiours and pioners bothe at Mychelmas last, sythense and now presently sett forthe the principall strengthe of this sheir, which

were our marioners and fyshermen, is also taken up for the service of the sea. Thus beseching your lordships to be spedely advertised of your lordships resolutions herin, I committ your lordships to the protection of Almighty God. From my house of Cowdery, the xvijth of July, 1563.

"Your lordships att commaundement,

"ANTHONY MOUNTAGUE."]

45

FERDINANDO STANLEY,

EARL OF DERBY,

[SON and heir to Edward, fourth earl of Derby, succeeded his father in 1592, and survived him but a short time; for having been tampered with by one Hesket, an agent of the jesuits, to assume the title of king, in right of his grandmother Alianore (one of the. daughters and coheirs to Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, by Mary youngest daughter to Henry the fourth), and having rejected the proposal with indignation, though threatened with sudden death if he either hesitated at, or revealed the proposal, he died of poison on April 16, 1594; according to the menaced vengeance of Hesket, who upon his lordship's information had been apprehended and convicted of treason".

Lord Orford designated this young nobleman as "one of our early bards, and not an unpromising one 3." His only known production, preserved in an nnique manuscript, was communicated to the Antiquarian Repertory by sir John Hawkins, and is transferred from that curious publication to the present work: not well admitting of abridgement.

• Collins's Peerage, vol. ii. p.470.

• Works, vol. i. p. 534.