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family ; in whose heirs Bronsil continued until the middle of the eighteenth cen- 

 tury, when it was purchased by Mr. Cocks, of Castle Ditch, an ancestor of the 

 present Lord Somers. A singular anecdote, illustrating the superstition of the 

 period, was preserved in the Reede family. Towards the end of the reign of 

 Queen Elizabeth, or very early in that of James I., Bronsil was disturbed by the 

 visits of some restless spirit, whose nocturnal perambulations effectually banished 

 every attempt at sleep from the eyes of the troubled inmates. Mr. Gabriel Reede, 

 the proprietor, was advised to represent his case to Master Allen, of Gloucester 

 Hall in Oxford, who, according to Anthony a' Wood, was "the father of all learn- 

 ino- and virtuous industry."— Ooningsby's M.S. Not unknown in Herefordshire, 

 where, probably, others besides the servants at Holme Lacy considered the watch 

 that he carried to be •his familiar spirit. [See anecdote in "Letters from the Bod- 

 leian Library," 1813.] To the University Mr. Reede repaired, and, on communi- 

 cating- to the learned Wizard the purpose of his visit, was desired to procure "a 

 bone of the first Lord Beau champ," as the only effectual means of silencing the un- 

 earthly disturbance ; being assured that as long as the relic of its former celebrated 

 proprietor remained within the walls, the castle would be free from any repetition 

 of this spiritual infliction. Bones were procured and taken to Bronsil, which 

 ever afterwards remained in peace. These wonder-working bones, portions of 

 the vertebrra, were long regarded as heir-looms in the Reede family, and escaped 

 the destruction in which the contents of the castle were involved when it was 

 burnt. Mr. Reede removed to his seat at New Court, in the parish of Lugwar- 

 dine, and thither the cedar box containing Lord Beauchamp's bones was carefully 

 conveyed. New Court has, within the last hundred years, repeatedly changed 

 masters and it is not therefore surprising that this interesting proof of the cre- 

 dulity of the seventeenth century should have been lost from a want of informa- 

 tion respecting its historical value, but the box labelled "Lord Beauchamp's 

 bones " was carefully preserved during many generations, and in existence sub- 

 sequent to the accession of King George III. Although so much of the castle 

 was standing in 1731, the hand of the spoiler had been there before Kennion's 

 visit in 1779, for he states that one tower alone was then left, probably the other 

 portions had been despoiled to furnish materials for the erection of the dwelling- 

 house and outbuildings now standing hard by, and an interesting memorial of 

 the past was sacrificed to the demon of greed, or bad taste, or both, as the deso- 

 late ruin painfully attests. 



To this very brief historical account may be added the following traditions, 

 which were lately preserved among the elderly people of Eastnor. One of the 

 Beauchamps, Lord of Bronsil, died in Italy, and could never rest until his bones 

 were delivered to the right heir of the castle ; accordingly, they were sent from 



" of the raigne of o'r .Soueraigne Layde Elizabeth by the grace of God quene of Englande, 

 "France, and Irelande, defender of the faythe, &c." Amongst very many bequests, a majority 

 of them being curiously insignificant in value, the Testator gave as follows : " Item- 1 gyve to 

 " my Sonne in lawe Gabriell Keed my seconde beste silver salte." " Item — I gyve to my Sonne in 

 "lawe Gabriell Reed the one halfe likewise of all the debte that he shall owe me at the tyme of 

 "my decease." The will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, igth May, 1576. 



