Diary of Edward VI. 04 Aug 1550. Mr. Setlienger (age 54)² was apointed by mi lettres patentes to be deputy there (in Ireland), and had his commission, iastructions, and lettres to the nobles of Irland for the same purpose.

Note 2. Sir Anthony St. Leger (age 54), K.G. had been lord deputy of Ireland for several periods since the year 1540. He had been replaced by sir Edward Bellingham (see before, p. 221) by patent dated 22 April, 2 Edw. VI. (1548). Sir Edward was now dead, and sir Anthony was reappointed by patent 4 Aug. 4 Edw. VI. (1550). He was succeeded by sir James Croft (age 32) on the 29th April following, but again became lord deputy after the accession of Mary. On the 28th June, 1550, the council had resolved, "That in consideration of the greate chardge the lorde deputie of Irelande doth and shall susteigne in th'execucion of his office there, his fee shall be augmented CC marks, to make it up full a thousand pounds a yere." (Council Book.)

Diary of Edward VI. 03 Apr 1551. Mr. Croftis (age 33)³ apointed to goe into Irlande, and there with Rogers and certain artificers to take the havens aforsaid, and begine some fortification.

Note 3. "Feb. xxiij. A lettre to the lorde deputie of Irelande, declareing the cause why sir James Crofte (age 33) is presently sent thither, requireing him to credit him; and further instruccions were given unto the said sir Jamnes, the mynutes whereof to remaigne with the secretaries.

"Feb. XXV. The King's majestie's lettre to the lorde deputie of Irelande, by sir James Crofte, haveing credit and commission thereby for certaine fortificacions at Corke and Kinsale, against the lorde Cobham's repaire thither with an armye for like purpose.

"Feb. xxvj. A warrant to sir Edmund Peckham to paie unto sir Thomas Challoner, threasorer of th'expedicion into Irelande, cc. li., to be paied over in trust to sir James Crofte."

This incident in the life of sir James Croft was overlooked in the memoir of him (compiled by the late Sir T. E. Croft and Sir Harris Nicolas,) pubUshed in the Retrospective Review, 1827. On the 23rd May following he became lord deputy of Ireland, in succession to sir Anthony St. Leger (age 55).

Henry Machyn's Diary. 07 Jul 1553. [The same day there came to the Tower the lord Treasurer, the earl of Shrewsbury (age 53), and the lord Admiral, with others; and there they discharged sir James Croft (age 35) of the] constabullshype of the Towre, and ther thay put [in the said lord] Admerall, and toke ys othe and charge of the Towre, and [the morrow] after he convayd in-to all plasys of the Towre and ... grett gunnes, as the Whyt Towre on hee.

Chronicle of Queen Jane and Two Years of Queen Mary 1553. 23 Jul 1553. A lettere written in London mentiones that the lord admirall, and the lords Greye (age 44),^b Garret, Wormon,^c and the lord Fitzwarren, sir Henry Sidney (age 24), and sir James Croffts (age 35), with divers others, have already their pardon graunted them.

The duke of Northumberland is in custody of the garde as a prisoner in Cambridge, and my ladie his wyfe, the lord Guilford (age 18), and the lady Jane (age 17), are in the Towere as prisoneres. My lord marques of Northampton, the earle of Huntingdon, sir Henry Gates, and divers other, cannot as yet gett their pardones."

Note b. William lord Grey of Wilton (age 44) was the commander upon whose military talents the duke of Northumberland seems to have mainly relied: but lord Grey, who had been an adherent of the duke of Somerset, probably did not serve on this occasion very cordially. He seems to have left Northumberland when at Cambridge, and made his submission to Mary; who on her arrival at her manor of Newhall in Essex, on the 31st of July, dismissed him to his former charge of the castle of Guisnes, with a reinforcement of 350 footmen and 50 horsemen demi-lances: see her letters patent, printed in the Appendix to the Life of Lord Grey of Wilton, No. VI.

Note c. The earl of Ormond.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 21 Feb 1554. The sam day cam rydyng to the Towre the lord Thomas Gray, the duke of Suffoke('s) (age 37) brodur, and ser James a Croft (age 36) knyght, sum tyme depute of Yrland.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 17 Apr 1554. The xvij day of Aprell was had to Yeld-hall [Map] ser Necolaus Frogmortun (age 39), ser James a Croft (age 36), master Wynter, master Vaghan; and ther Waghan gaff evedens agaynst ser Necolas Frogmortun (age 39) of tresun, but the qwest dyd qwytt hym.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 29 Apr 1554. The xxix day of Aprell was raynyd at Yeldhall [Map] ser James a Croft (age 36), late depute of Yrland, and cast; and master Wynter whent ther too.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 18 Jan 1555. The sam day whent to the Towre [Map] my lord chansseler (age 72), and dyvers odur lordes and of the conselle, and delyvered a nomber presonars, as ther names folowes-ser James a Croft (age 37), ser Gorge Harper, ser Gawynn Carow, ser Necolas Frogmortun (age 40), master Vaghan, ser Edward Varner, Gybbs, the bysshope of Yorke, master Rogers (age 50), and dyvers odur presonars, and after ther was a gret shottyng of gones.