Dictionary of National Biography (Volume 14)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ...Hospital (Xote and Queries, 4th ser. ii. 325, 402, 477). An abstract of Wilford's will is given in the 'Genealogist' (iv. 5). His widow Joyce, daughter of John Barret, was buried beside her husband on 15 Sept. 1580. Wilford's younger wother. Sir Thomas WrLF0M or Wiisford 11530 r-1604?. bom about 1530, was son of Thomas Wilford by his second wife. Rose, daughter of William Whetenhall of Peckham. His sister Cecily was second wife of Archbishop Edwin Sandys q. v. He also was brought up as a soldier, and, after considerable service (see his petition in State Papers, Dom. Elix. ccxxx. 114). was in 1585 in command of a company at Ostend. He was a strong advocate of English interference in the Netherlands, and several of his letters to his patron Walsingham are quoted bv Motlev ( United Setkrrland. i. 375, 376. 382. 384 cf. Leycenter Correp. pp. 40. 79, 302: Hatfield MSS. iv. 35, 264, v. 367). He was knighted by Willoughby in the Low Countries in 1588 (mbtcaltb. p. 137). In September 159 he was appointed marshal of the expedition to be despatched to France (Arts P. C. 1589-90, p. 415: Cal. State Papers, Dom. Addenda, 1580-1625. pp. 202-3). In the following month he was made lieutenant of Kent, and in 1590-1 was superintending the admiralty works in Dover Harbour. In 1593 he was governor of Camber Castle; on 17 March 1594-5 he was, on Puckering's introduction, admitted a member of Lincoln's Inn: and in July 1595 was commissioned (RncEK, xvi. 279) to exercise martial law in Kent, and to arrest and summarily execute vagrants and others--a commission with which 'no other measure of Elizabeth's reisrn can be compared in point of violence and illegality' (ilvjjaii, Cotut. Hist. L 241). On 5 April 1596 Essex appointed him colonel of the English...