Page:Lewesdon Hill, a poem (IA lewesdonhillpoem00crowiala).pdf/33

his infancie, he had shedd; he resolved to leave all worldly delights, and betake himself to a religious life, the better to contemplate on his former sinnes and to obteyn Pardon for them. And, with much importunitie, having gotten leave of the Kinge (who was unwilling to want the assistance of so grave and worthy a Counsellor) to resign his temporall honors; and having obteyned the bishoprick of Sarum, he gave Sherburne with other lands to the Bishoprick. To which gift he annexed this curse,
That whosoever should take those Lands from the Bishoprick, or diminish them in great or in small, should be accursed, not only in this world, but also in the world to come; unless in his life-time he made restitution thereof. And so he died bishop of Sarum.
Those lands continued in the possession of his successors till the reign of King Stephen, who took them away; 'whereupon (says this Account) his prosperity forsook him.' King Stephen being dead, 'these lands came into the hands of some of the Montagues (after Erles of Sarum) who whilest they held the same, underwent many disasters. For one or other of them fell by misfortune. And finally, all the males of them became extinct, and the Earldome received an end in their name. So ill was their success.
After this the lands were restored to the Bishoprick; but were taken away a second time by the Duke of Somerset, in the reign of Edward VI; 'when the Duke, being hunting in the Parke of Sherburne, he was sent for presently unto the Kinge (to whome he was Protector) and at his coming up to London, was forthwith committed unto the Tower, and. shortly after, lost his head.' The lands then, in a suit at law, were adjudged to the Bishop of Sarum; and so remained, 'till Sir Walter Raleigh procured a grant of them; he afterwards unfortunately lost them, and at last his head also. Upon his attainder they came, by the King's gift, to Prince