THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
149
"brought him to Leyrmarny, imprisoned him there, and while so im-
"prisoned compelled him by force and duress to grant all his lands of
''inheritance to the said Robert Marny and his heirs, and to bind himself
"as executor of one William Feraunt of Cotene, whom he never saw or
"knew, to the said Robert in £1,000, both by oath and by a public instru-
"ment hereof made before Master John Vernoun, official of the Arch-
"deacon of London, and a notary, and carried his goods to the value of
"£100, and all the charters, writings and other muniments relating to the
"said inheritance found at Hatfield Peverel, and held the said lands, the
"keeping whereof pertained to the King, for three years and more by
"colour of the grant thereof so made by force and duress, took and con-
"verted to their own use the issues and profits thereof pertaining to the
"King and committed destruction of the lands, houses, woods and gardens
"of his inheritance." Whether these depredations were condoned and
pardoned, or restitution made, I am unable to say, but certainly the
family grew in prosperity and authority, for the son of the before-
mentioned Robert, Sir William Marney, was High Sheriff of Essex and
Herts. in 1402, and with his grandson, Sir Henry, afterwards Lord Marney,
the family fortunes reached their zenith. He began the pursuit of fortune
as Henry Marney, Esq., and although he had inherited the paternal
property was described by Henry VIII. as one of those "scant well-borne
gentlemen of no great lands till they were promoted by us and so made
Knights and Lords," and, as already mentioned, he ended his life as
Henry, the first Lord Marney. He secured an appointment, probably in
some minor capacity, in the household of Margaret, Countess of Richmond,
and by his ability found favour in her eyes to such an extent that she
appointed him one of her executors. Her grandson,' Prince Henry,
afterwards King Henry VIII., regarded him with great affection, and at
his solicitation he was made Privy Councillor to Henry VII., and also
served that monarch as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. He played
his part as a soldier in the Wars of the Roses, of course on the Lancastrian
side. The partiality with which the Prince had regarded him was con-
tinued after his accession to the throne as Henry VIII., and he made
him a Privy Councillor, Knight of the Garter, Lord Privy Seal, Captain
of the Body Guard, and finally Baron by the title of Lord Marney (1523).
Continuing his military career he saw much service in France and par-
ticipated in the Battle of Spurs, at which the King was present in person,
but returning to England he died at his house in St. Swithin's Lanc,
London, on 24th May, 1523.
It is probable that the original home of the Marneys was an ordinary
medium sized manor house, principally constructed of timber and like
to many other dwellings of similar character, of which there were numerous
examples in the county. A building of this description would naturally
hardly be considered by Lord Marney as consonant with his dignity and
fortune, so the older building was demolished and plans prepared for
the erection of a magnificent residence on a large scale, and the work
must: have been in progress for some considerable time when it was
interrupted by his death. The buildings then completed consisted of the
noble tower, a 70 feet flanking range of apartments on the west side, a
corresponding range on the east side of 125 feet, and at some little distance