Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/370

 278 RENT-ROLL OF THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. The Household Book m his lordship's possession extends over seven months of one year (27th Hen. VH.), and shows the Duke's expenditure in London, at Thornburj, and on journeys to and from London and Gloucestershire ; every- thing is stated with wonderful exactness as to the price of every article of consumption for man and beast, and the quantities of each article consumed. Li this 3^ear (1 507) was celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany at Thornbury Castle by a party of 459, of whom 134 were gentry. The rehgious services of the day were rendered more impressive by the presence of the Abbot of Kings- wood, and the choir consisted of eighteen men and nine boys.^ The actual amount of the income of this nobleman. Lord Bagot informs me, he has never 3^et been able to discover throughout the Stafford MSS. This valuable collection, com- prised in 13 foho volumes, is now safely deposited amongst his lordsliip's archives. The MSS. are of various ages and descriptions. Two cartularies contain copies of deeds, creations of nobility, and other matters of moment. The eldest son of this last-named duke was Henry Stafford, who was restored in blood, but admitted only to the barony of Stafford in 1547. The great estates, says Camden, writing in 1607, which the Staffords had gained b}'' their honourable marriages, are all fled and scattered, in heu whereof they enjoy a happy security. A small provision was granted to this baron out of these immense estates which had been forfeited. Afterwards a grant was made to him of Stafford Castle, but the whole property yielded only the small yearly sum of 317/. 136-. Id. These were all the possessions which he and his wife had to live upon. He could not sing or say with the good Countess of Pembroke, in her mis-metred lines " From many noble Progenitors I hold Ti-ausmitted lands, castles, and honours which they swayed of old." Wood speaks of him as a man of great " virtue, learning, and piety," who, in a calm and innocent retirement, endea- j voured to avert his mind from his misfortunes by a close i application to literature, and in assisting others who were I busied in similar employments. At his suggestion, the well- ' 3 Arcfaseologia, vol. xv. p. 323. I