locked up as I shall leave itt. I have a littale box wth some trifles in itt yt ar my sonne Herbert's, wch I desire likewise may be delivered him locked up as I shall leave it: this I doe not to destroy in any part my former will, but to declare to whom the things here above-mentioned belong, yt they may be restored to ther right owners according as I have here declared itt. I have likewise given my servant Jerome Morrell and his wife in my life time, all such linen and goods, whatsoever in my howse, and ye Mulberrie Garden, excepting ye bed and hangings in ye chamber wher I lie; of the rest wtsoever, I have but the use of during my life, as I shall thinke good with their consent; but the trew right is in them: I desire in this generall guift made unto them, I doe only except, besides the above named, the furniture of my great chamber and roome wthin itt, and all my silver plate wtsoever: wth my bed in my chamber, and the furniture therin to be disposed of by my executors; for my pewter, and linen clothes, with linens not made up whatsoever, with the other moveables within ye sayd house of ye Mulberrie, I believe to be theirs, and yt I have no right nor propertie in them:

this I make bold to recommend unto yr lop. yt you may see, according to my declaration herein, everie thing disposed of wt belongs unto me, being only thos particulars above mentioned. Desiring yr lop.'s pardon, praying God to give you many yeares of hapenes, I rest

Yr most affectionat servant,

Mulb. Garden, 7th of

March, 1638.

WA. ASTON.

Jerome can publish under my hand a paper of what I have given him some monthes since, besids whatsoever shall be found, excepting ye above named, in their possession, and trunkes, are their owne goods, which they have gotten in my service, and they have been so good servants to me, yt I could wish it much better.*

* Lord Aston appears to have possessed one amiable quality, which may certainly be considered as a sure sign of a good heart and an affectionate disposition. He was paticularly kind and attentive to his servants and dependants. In the church-yard at Tixall, there is an altar-tomb affixed to the church, in memory of Richard Biddulph, who was

A declaration to be delivered to the Earle of Portland, of whos I have so good experience, in case yt neyther of sonnes should****

steward to four successive generations of the Aston family, on which is the following inscription, now almost defaced, and scarcely legible:

"Heare lieth Richard Biddulph, that was born at Tixal, in the yeare of our Lord 1546, and died on the 15th June, in the 82d yeare of his age: he served 4 of the Astons, Sir Edw. Aston, Sir Wa. Aston, Sir Ed. Aston, and W. Lord Aston. He was faithful and diligent in his service; he was loving to his friends, and a just man towards all. He was beloved of his masters, and having spent his whole time in their service, Walter Lord Aston payes this acknowledgment to his memorie, 1627."

LETTER XVIII.

To the Right Honorable Walter Ld. Aston, at Stondon, nere

Puckeridge, in Hartfordshire,

by way of London,

Humbly present.

MY TRUELY HONORED AND Dear Ld., I received your lordship's letter of the 15th of this month, which was very welcome to me, it giving me an accompt of your owne and your bonble. lady's good health, and told me where you were at present settled, which I did not hear before I was at Tixall to have wayted on you agen; but found you were gone to my great griefe: and there I met with the news of my Lady Abergavenye's death. But I am sorry you give me no assurance of my seeing you in

* This letter was addressed to Walter, third Lord Aston, of whom the reader will find some account in the fifth and last part of this work.

Staff. this summer, soe that I doubt whether I shall ever have the happines to kisse your hands againe. Your lordship desires that I should give you some accompt of your honoble grandfather, which I am very willing to doe in the best manner I can, which is thus :

Your grand-father, you know, was sonne and heire of the last Sr Edward Aston,* who dyed the first of February in the 39th yeare of Q. Eliz. leaving your grand-father but 17 yeares of age, whose wardship was granted to Sr Edward Coke, father to Mrs Saddler; and when

*See Appendix, No, I.

In the year 1596-7.

There is in the library at Tixall, a small thin MS. quarto volume, covered with black leather, which is ornamented with gilt death's-heads, and cross bones. The inside consists entirely of mourning paper; and the title of the MS. is "An Elegy, sacred to the immortall Memory of the true Mirrour of this Age, and Master of the English Law, Edward Lord Coke, dedicated to the truly worthy and most accomplished with all noble Perfections, Mrs ANNE SADLEIR, by her most humble and devoted Servant Robert Codrington, Mr of Arts."

The work consists of “ An Ode to the most exquisitely accomplished Mrs Anne Saddleir."-" The Achrostic Epitaph;" and "Teares on the Death of Edward Lord Coke." In this last poem there are a few passages sufficiently