Wardship

When Edward de Vere became the 17th Earl of Oxford at age 12, he was instantly “Garrisoned” as a royal ward under William Cecil (later Lord Burghley). This was not a simple foster-care arrangement; it permitted legal extraction of his family’s wealth. Oxford’s wardship was governed by the Court of Wards and Liveries, a fiscal body that treated underage noble heirs as assets to be liquidated.

Burghley had full management of Oxford’s lands. While Oxford’s father had intended him to have an income of £666, properties were set aside to pay off the 16th Earl’s massive debts. When Oxford finally “sued his livery” to gain control of his estates in 1571, he was hit with bill for oversight and inheritance of £7000. To seal these debts, the Queen required Oxford to put up all his lands as security. This created an “Incombered” legal web that made it nearly impossible for him to sell land later without triggering massive penalties.