Layston
by Sir Henry Chauncy Vol I pages 253 to 260 first published in 1700
the Lands of this Kingdom, and some Men have Estates of great Value held by that Tenure: the Settlement of them in many Cases proves more intricate and difficult than of Freehold, which is often left to the Skill of the Steward, because he best knows the Customs that govern those Estates ; besides Writs of Right Patent, Right of Dower, De rationabili Parte, of Ne injuste vexes, De Recto Clauso, &c lye in these Courts; here Replevins are brought, Escheats, and forfeited Estates presented, Homage Fealty, Suit of Court, Reliefs, and other Services ought to be paid and performed; therefore it behoves all Lords of Mannors to retain such Stewards who are most learned in the Settlement of these Estates, the Laws of the Land, the Customs of the Mannor, and the Practice and Usage of these Courts.
He was a Member of the Inner Temple, in. Autumn 18 H. VIII. Reader of that Society; in 21 Henry VIII. Speaker to the House of Commons in that long Parliament, who dissolved all these Religious Houses; Anno 21 H. VIII. Attorney for the Dutchy of Lancaster Michaelmas Term following, advanced to the State and Degree of a Sergeant at Law; 14 November following, made King's Sergeant; Anno 24 H. VIII. knighted, and made Lord Keeper of the great Seal, soon after Lord Chancellor of England; and when the Priory of the Holy Trinity, call'd Christ Church in London was supprest, the King gave him that House, all the Plate and Lands belonging to it, and the great Abby of Walden in Essex; and by Letters Patents dated the 29th Nov. 30 H. VIII. created him Lord Audley of Walden, to hold to him and the Heirs Male of his Body, and also installed him Knight of the honourable Order of the Garter; and he died on the 30th April, 1544 Anno 35 H. VIII. at his Place of Christ Church; and was buried at Walden, leaving Issue by Elizabeth his Wife, Daughter of Thomas Grey, Marquis of Dorset, two Daughters Margaret and Mary, who dying in her Infancy,
Margaret was his sole Heir, and being within Age at the Death of her Father, the King granted the Wardship of her Body and Lands to Sir Anthony Denny, Kt. one of the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber, who received the Profits of the Guardianship during the Reign of that King, and a great Part of Edw. VI.; he held Courts in his own Name, but Anno 4 Edw. VI. died, and his Lady Joan Denny had the Guardianship and held Courts in her Name, but upon her Death, Queen Mary, Anno 1 Regni, held Courts in her Name; shortly after she married the Lord Henry Dudley, a younger Son to John Duke of Northumberland; and on the fifth day of July, 2 & 3 P. and M. that King and Queen restored this Mannor to Henry Dudley and Margaret his Wife, and the Heirs of Margaret; Anno 1557, 4 & 5 P. and M. he was slain at St. Quintius in Picardy; after his Decease she married Thomas Duke of Norfolk, and was his second Wife.
Which Duke sold this Mannor to John Crowch, Citizen and Clothworker of London, born at Berwick in the Parish of Standon, in this County, and married to Joan Daughter and Heir of John Scot of Londond, by whom he had Issue five Sons John, Thomas, Richard, Nicholas, and William; and five Daughters, the first Elizabeth, married to Matthew Flyer of London, Merchant, by whom she had Issue Matthew, who died in her Life time; Francis, who purchased the Mannor of Brent Pelham, in this County; and Elizabeth: and after his Decease she married William Freman of the same City, Merchant, by whom she had Issue, Ralph Freman of Aspeden, Esq.; Joan, married to Sir Thomas Soam of Throcking, in this County, Knight; Elizabeth, married to Sir Samuel Luke of Wood=end in the Parish of Cople, in the County of Bedford, Kt.; the second Jane married to Sir Edward Barkeham, Lord Mayor of the same City, by whom she had Issue two Sons, Sir Edward Barkeham of Southacre, in the County of Norfolk, Bart, and Sir Robert Barkeham of Wainfleet, in the County of 'Lincoln, Kt.; and four Daughters, Susan, married to Robert Walpole of Houghton, in Norfolk, Esq.; Elizabeth married to Sir John Garrard of Lanmer, in this County Bart.; Jane, married to Sir Charles Caesar, Kt. Master of the Rolls, and Chancellor of the Exchequer; and Margaret, married to Sir Anthony Irby of Bolton, in the County of
Lincoln, Kt.; the third Anne, married to -------- Hare, Esq.
one of the Prothonatories of the Court of Wards, and after his Decease to Edward Lord Montague of Boughton, in the County of Northampton; the fourth Joan, married to Sir Ralph Freman, Kt. Sheriff, and afterwards Lord Mayor of London, by whom she had Issue only Elizabeth, married to Sir George Sands of Lees Court, in Kent, Bart, afterwards Earl of Faversham; and the fifth Margaret, married to John Hare of Totteridge, in this County, Esq. another of the Prothonatories of the Court of Wards, by whom she had Issue Hugh Hare, created by Patent, dated the third of August, 1625, Baron of Coleraine, in the Kingdom of Ireland; after his Decease she married Henry Earl of Manchester, by whom she had Issue two Sons, George Montague of Horton, in the County of Northampton, Esq.; Sidney Montague of the Middle Temple, London, Esq.; and one Daughter Susanna, married to George Lord Chandos. This John Crowch the Father bore Argent, on a Pale Sable three Crosses Pattee Or, within a Bordure engrail'd of the Second.
Which John bestowed this Mannor on his. second Son Thomas, who married …… Galyard, by whom he had Issue John and Thomas one of the Fellows of King's Col-
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