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 CHAPTER VII

THE EXETER LINE

LORD WIMBLEDON'S eldest brother, William, who succeeded his father as second Earl of Exeter, was born in 1566. In spite of his own experiences of foreign travel Sir Thomas sent him to Paris with his tutor, Mr. Bird, at the age of seventeen, and two years later he was travelling in Italy, where the reputation of his grandfather, Lord Burghley, stood him in good stead. He visited Rome, contrary to his father's express command, and wrote to Walsingham, requesting him to intercede with Sir Thomas for him. 1 Enemies of the Cecils reported that he had become a Catholic, 2 as they did again when he was in Italy fifteen years later.

In January, 1589, he married Elizabeth Manners, Baroness Roos, or de Ros, daughter of the Earl of Rutland. She was only thirteen years old, and being a ward of the Crown, could not marry with- out licence, which she had not obtained. For this offence she and her husband were fined 600, it having been shown in their defence that the late Earl of Rutland desired the marriage, and that the Countess had given her consent to it. 3 Their

1 Cal. S. P. Dom., November 24th, 1585.

2 Hatfield MSS., III. 130.

3 Barren, Northamptonshire Families, p. 29.

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