Page:The house of Cecil.djvu/27

 THE FOUNDING OF THE FAMILY 13

and Upton, all in Northamptonshire. He received the reversion of his father's office of Bailiff of Wittlesea Mere and Keeper of the Swans for a term of thirty years, and in 1539 1540 he was Sheriff of Rutland.

In addition to these appointments, he received very numerous grants of lands, the most important of which, dated July gth, 1540, included the site of St. Michael's Priory, near Stamford, the church, and 229 acres of land in the parish of St. Martin's Stamford, with the advowson, the convent house in Easton, Northants, and the manor and advow- son of the vicarage of Wothorpe. He also purchased various estates in Rutland, as well as in Kent and Lincolnshire. 1

Henry VIII. showed Richard Cecil a last mark of favour by leaving him 100 in his will, but it is doubtful whether he profited by this generosity, as the legacy was not payable until the King's debts had been discharged. He continued to act as Groom of the Wardrobe to Edward VI., and died at his house in Cannon Row in March, 1553, being buried at St. Margaret's, Westminster. He married Jane, daughter and heir of William Heckington, of Lincolnshire, by whom he had one son, William, afterwards Lord Burghley, and three daughters : Anne (or Agnes), who married Thomas White of Tuxford, Notts : Margaret, who married Roger Cave, and afterwards Ambrose Smith : and Elizabeth, who married Robert Wingneld, and

1 See Blore, History of Rutland, and Barren, Northamptonshire Families.

�� �