(Vol. ix., p. 125.)
In a note to Parry's _Royal Visits and Progresses in Wales_, p. 317., I
find the following allusion to the circumstances mentioned in ELFFIN AP
GWYDDNO'S Query regarding Leicester's Rangership of Snowdon, and the
patriotic opposition offered to his oppressions. I regret I am unable to
afford the desired information respecting the imprisonment of the Welsh
gentleman in the Tower. Could not this be furnished by some of your readers
who have access to public documents and records of the period? This
imprisonment is not mentioned either in the account I append, or in a
longer one to be found in Appendix XVI. vol. iii. of Pennant's _Tour in
Wales_:
"Among the Welsh nobility who formed a part of her Majesty's household,
were Sir Richard Bulkeley, Bart., and Mrs. Blanche Parry, both of whom
seem to have been brought up in the court from their infancy, and,
consequently, in great esteem with her Majesty; so much so, that the
Earl of Leicester, the Queen's favourite, began to be jealous of Sir
Richard: and with a view of having him removed from court, he made an
attempt to have him accused, upon false evidence, of treason. With this
wicked design, the Earl of Leicester informed her Majesty that the
council had been examining Sir Richard Bulkeley, and that they found
him a dangerous person; that he dwelt in a suspicious corner of the
world, and should be committed to the Tower. 'What! Sir Richard
Bulkeley!' said the Queen; 'he never intended us any harm. We have
brought him up from a boy, and have had special trial of his fidelity;
ye shall not commit him.' 'We have the care of your Majesty's person,'
said the Earl, 'and see more and hear more of the man than you do: he
is of an aspiring mind, and lives in a remote place.' 'Before God!'
replied the Queen; 'we will be sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, he
never intended any harm.' And then her Majesty ran to the Bible, and
kissing it, said: 'You shall not commit him; we have brought him up
from a boy.' Sir Richard, however, was too high-minded to suffer such
an imputation to be laid to his character. He insisted on an inquiry;
during which it appeared, that Lord Dudley, Earl of Leicester, had been
appointed a ranger of the Royal Forest of Snowdon, which, in the
Queen's time, included some portion of Merioneth and Anglesey. This
nobleman's insolence to the inhabitants of the forest was more than
could be brooked. He tried to bring many freeholders' estates within
the boundary; juries were empannelled, but the commissioners rejected
their returns as unfavourable to the Earl. Those honest jurors,
however, persisted, and found a verdict for the country. But in the
year 1538, he succeeded by a packed jury, who appeared in his livery,
blue, with ragged staves on the sleeves; men who, after this nefarious
act, were stigmatised with the title of 'The Black Jury who sold their
country.' Sir Richard Bulkeley, who, with Sir William Herbert and
others, superseded a prior commission, resisted this oppression with
great firmness, and laid those odious grievances before the Queen,
whose regard for her loyal subjects in Wales was evinced by the
recalling of the first commission, by proclamation at Westminster, in
1579. The Earl being worsted, sought the life of Sir Richard by having
him charged as above. But this generous and patriotic nobleman, by his
excellent and manly conduct, overthrew every malevolent design of his
enemy; and came out of this fiery trial as clear as the pellucid
crystal of Snowdon."