[1228]He[1229] had an elder brother[FH] whose name was Francis, a wealthy man, and had been alderman[XC.] of the borough; by profession a glover[XCI.], which is a great trade here[XCII.], and in times past much greater. Having no[1230]child, he contributed much to, or rather altogether maintained, his nephew Thomas at Magdalen hall in Oxon; and when he dyed gave him an agellum (a moweing-ground[1231]) called the Gasten-ground, lyeing neer to the horse-faire, worth 16 or 18 poundes per annum; the rest of his landes he gave to his nephew Edmund.
[XC.] 'Alderman' is the title of the chiefe magistrate here. Alderman and
...; vide;
quaere Sir J<ames> Long.
[XCI.] Shall I expresse or conceale this (glover)? The philosopher would acknowledge it.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 29v.
[XCII.] Malmesbury famous for good gloves.
[1232]At Sherston about 3 miles hence (vide map) are groundes likewise called the Gasten-grounds—perhaps 'tis Garston grounds. At Sherston was heretofore a castle, and perhaps (and quaere) if these grounds are not where the vallum or bulwarkes might be drawne. Gaer, Britannicè, signifies some such thing, vide Dr. Davys' British Dictionary.
In Hexham's Dutch dictionary Gast signifies 'a guest'; so that Gasten-ground will be 'the ground for the guests'; probably to putt the horses of the guests (that came to lye at the abbey) to grasse. They speake broad in our countrey, and do pronounce guest, gast, etc. Monasterys had their guest-halls; and it should seeme they had likewise their guest-grounds for the strangers' horses: as here.
<His brother and sister.>
[1233]Thomas, the vicar of Westport, maried ... Middleton[FI] of Brokenborough[XCIII.] (of a yeomanly family), by whom he had two sonnes and one daughter (quaere my brother William Aubrey)—Edmund, his eldest (was bred-up to[1234] his uncle's profession of a glover); and Thomas (philosopher), second son, whose life I now write. Edmund was neer[1235] two yeares elder then his brother Thomas, and something resembled him in aspect[1236], not so tall, but fell much short of him in his intellect, though he was a good plain understanding countrey-man[1237]. He had been bred at schoole with his brother; could have made theme, and verse, and understood a little Greek to his dyeing day. He dyed (quaere William Aubrey) about 13 yeares since, aetat. circiter 80.
[XCIII.] Brokenbrig: vide Camden.—MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 30v.