OF FATALITIES OF FAMILIES AND PLACES.
[NEARLY the whole of this chapter, with some additions, is included under the head of "Local Fatality" in Aubrey's Miscellanies. 12mo. 1696.-J. B.]
"Omnium rerum est vicissitudo". Families, and also places, have their fatalities,
"Fors sua cuiq' loco est." OVID, PAST. lib. iv.
This verse putts me in mind of severall places in this countie that are or have been fortunate to their owners, or e contra.
The Gawens of Norrington, in the parish of Alvideston, continued in this place four hundred fifty and odd yeares. They had also an estate in Broad Chalke, which was, perhaps, of as great antiquity. On the south downe of the farme of Broad Chalke is a little barrow called Gawen's-barrow, which must bee before ecclesiastical lawes were established. [Aubrey quotes a few lines from the "Squire's Tale" in Chaucer, where Gawain, nephew to King Arthur, is alluded to.-J. B.] ___________________________________
The Scropes of Castle-Comb have been there ever since the time of King Richard the Second. The Lord Chancellor Scrope gave this mannour to his third son; they have continued there ever since, and enjoy the old land (about 800li per annum), and the estate is neither augmented nor diminished all this time, neither doth the family spred.
The Powers of Stanton St. Quintin had that farme in lease about three hundred yeares. It did belong to the abbey of Cyrencester. ___________________________________
The Lytes had Easton Piers in lease and in inheritance 249 yeares; sc. from Henry 6th. About 1572 Mr. Th. Lyte, my mother's grandfather, purchased the inheritance of the greatest part of this place, a part whereof descended to me by my mother Debora, the daughter and heire of Mr. Isaac Lyte. I sold it in 1669 to Francis Hill, who sold it to Mr. Sherwin, who hath left it to a daughter and heir. Thos. Lyte's father had 800li. per annum in leases: viz. all Easton, except Cromwell's farm (20li), and the farmes of Dedmerton and Sopworth. ___________________________________
The Longs are now the most flourishing and numerous family in this county, and next to them the Ashes; but the latter are strangers, and came in but about 1642, or since. ___________________________________