Letter from Sir Oliver Wallop 1553

On 15th May 1553 Edward VI granted Christchurch Castle and other property to Sir “John Gates, knight , vice chamberlain and captain of the Guard and chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster”.

Henry VIII’s Letters & Papers of 1539 refer to the letters patent of the Countess of Salisbury, by which Oliver Wallop had been appointed as “keeper of Christchurch Castle and Stirfield Chase, Hants, 6l. 13s. 4d.”.

December 1540

May 1541

A fewterer was a keeper of the greyhounds, and would stand alongside the noble and his bowbearer.

Wallop’s eldest son was at this time only 13 years old.

Edward VI died four days later, following which Gates vigorously supported the Duke of Northumberland’s promotion of the succession of Lady Jane Grey. By 2nd August, Gates was imprisoned in the Tower on the orders of Queen Mary, and was executed on 22nd August – thereby probably depriving him of the questionable delight of ever receiving this letter.

Letter from Sir Oliver Wallop to Sir John Gates

[transcribed from British Library, Stowe 141 f.40]

My devote hombles Remembered thankyng your msterschyp for your grete gentelnes
schowed to me at the Kyngs Majestes beynge in hamschere at Basynge: it maye
plese you where the kynges majeste hathe geven to you and your keypers
the castell of Chrystchurche and the chase of Sturffelde wiche I praye
to geve you mouche joye thereat where at my devote it to seme
unto your masterschyp in this case desiryng you to be goode master
to me where I have hade the kepyng of the castell of Cristchurch
and also the kepyng of the chase of Sturffelde the contennance of the
xxx yeres and never was owght of wiche offices I
received fyrfte of the late countes off Salesbures gefte by patente
under her stele of armes fee by the yere
and after the Dethe of my olde lorde Sandes who had apatentait
off the seyde Countes off xx markes by the yere of the seyde offyce
as and I kepyng the office by his lyfe and after
his Dethe I to enjoy the hole fee of xx markes the seyde castell
and chase by the dethe of the seyde Countes fell in the Kyngs
majestes the handes iii yeres or there abwght or the
olde Lorde Sandes Dyede at whose dethe I was in
posesion of the seyde offyce the Lorde beyng in the kynsmaister
houdes as my Delite was I made sure unto the
Kyngs majeste to have the hole fee off xx markes as
my olde Lorde Sandes hade wiche I obtayned at
the kyngs majestes handes before the late Erle off Southehampton
who was then but one of the kyngs majestes secortores
beyng then my very good master and frynde and made
me to brynge hym my patente that I had of the Countes
of Salesbure wiche patent I dely’d him and he promyste
me to obtayne a newe at the kyngs majestes handes and so
he dyde obtayne a newe patente wiche patent I cowde never
gette owght of his handes nother note the olde but surely
he hade apatent and willed me at his bequeste that I
wolde be contente to geve him leve to make the stewarde bothe
of Cristchurche and Ryngwode and to take owghtof the xx
markes for the stewardes fee wiche he gave to
myelys of Hampton and I to have for the castell
and the chase wiche I have injoyed contentedly ever syns
that tyme I have byn a futer to master pye
one off the late Erle of Southehamptons exsecutores but I cannot obtayne
the said patent in my case so that nowe I stand but at your
masterschyps gentelnes wiche with my moste homble to you
I desire your masterschyps favor and goodness to me in this
my porre fate my schalbe as it becomythe allwayes
to do your masterschyp plesure my lyvyng that I have
lefte me by my brother Sir John Wallop it not clerely
but one honderd markes by the yere my lady my sister
hath owght off my landes for her joynter one hondred
and xjl yerely I paye for my lyvery and my brothers
gefters by his wile for ammetes to his one hundred
powndes and x yerely my sone hathe owght of my landes
xll every yere & I the Lord Monntageu xx yeres
and this paye offyce was all that I hade for my rewarde
at the Countes his mothers gefte I ame sory to trowbull with this
my Rude wrytyn for it were my very dewty to wayte
on your masterschyp my selfe wyche I shalbe glad to do
at all tymes by the grace of God who sende you
mouche honore longe lyffe with goode helthe from my poure
house at Ffarley the seconde daye of July yours to
commande

[d.1566]