Lovell, Knight of the Garter, was an active man, in King Henry the Seventh's time; in 1485, when he was an esquire only, he was made Chancellor of the Exchequer for life, and the same year had an annuity of 40 marks, as Esquire to the King's body; in 1473, Henry Heydon, Esq. granted him an annuity of 20s. out of his manor of Snoryng-Parva, called Dorketty's, for his good counsel, that he had already, and should hereafter give him. He was first made Bannerct, and in 1487, was knighted, at the battle of Stoke, and afterwards installed Knight of the Garter; in 1502, he was Treasurer of the Household, and President of the Council; he was one of the executors to Henry the Seventh's will, Constable of the Tower, Surveyor of the Court of Wards, Steward and Marshal of the House to King Henry VIII; he built the Gate-house at Lincoln's Inn, and placed on it the King's arms, the Earl of Lincoln's, and his own, by which I imagine he had been of that society; he built EastHerling Hall, on the tower of which his arms still remain, and a brass bust of his own likeness, surrounded with the garter. He refounded Halliwell nunnery, near which he had a stately house, and dying at Enfield, May 25, 1524, was buried at Halliwell, in a fair chapel which he had built, on the south side of the choir of that church, under a tomb of white marble. This priory was dedicated to St. John the Baptist, being situate in Shoreditch parish by Norton Fald-gate, London, and being much decayed, was rebuilt, and an addition made to its endowment, by him, which occasioned the following verses to be inscribed on a wall of that house:
All de Dunns of Dalimell, Drap de bath Dap and night For the Soul of Sir Ehomas Lobell, Wham barry the Sebenth made knight.
By his will, dated Oct. 14, 1522, proved Sept. 26, 1528, he gave his manor-place at Enfield, called Elsings, (where he died,) to Tho. Mannors, now Lord Rosse; and to his cousin, Francis Lovell, all his manors and estates in East Herling, Bridgham, Gnateshall, Brunsell, Chosell, Bichamwell, Ashfield's in Bichamwell, Irenhall, Wyrenhall, Wrotton, Denver, Tirrington, Sporle and Pagrave, in Norfolk and Suffolk; and Tyde St. Giles in Lincolnshire; Burghwell, Badlingham, Harston, and Upware in Cambridgeshire; his manors in Wolley in Kent; his lands in Iseldon, Holwey, Edelineton, and Totenham in Middlesex; his tenements in Sandwich, Querington and Marsham in Kent; his manors of Dukelington, Cockthorp, and Fringeford in Oxfordshire; lands in Redlings, Berford, and Dounton in Wiltshire, to hold to the said Francis for life, remainder to Sir Thomas Lovell, son of Sir Francis, &c.; after Francis's death, the manors of Lome and Sibell's in Willingham, and Well's in West-Wyckham in Cambridgeshire, to go to the said Thomas, son of Sir Francis, for life, and to his heirs in tail: Edward, the brother of Francis, to have the moiety of Bassingbourne castle in Cambridgeshire for life, remainder to Francis and his heirs. His lady is buried in Enfield chancel, on the north side, under an altar tomb, with an inscription in brass, and Lovell and Muswell's arms quartered impaling Roos. He left
