54 Records of the Rising in the West, A.D. 1655. 



" that in the latter's time the abbey had more learning therein than 

 8 abbeys of the same bigness/' The descendants of Lady Adeliza, 

 the Viscountess of Devon, some 40 years after the foundation, fell 

 wards to Henry II., and were by him given in marriage to the 

 Lords Courtenay, father and son. The Courtenay family were for 

 a century or more munificent patrons of the monastery, and many 

 of that family were buried within its precincts ; amongst others, 

 Robert Lord Courtenay who died at Iweme Courtenay (afterwards the 

 home of Mrs. Arundell Penruddock, Col. John''s wife), August, 1242. 

 Time passed, and the love of the patrons grew cold, and there came 

 troublous times for the brothers of Ford. But the house, just ere 

 its dissolution, appears to have shone out with fresh vigour, 

 under its last Abbot, Thomas of Chard ; who rebuilt large portions 

 of it, specially the hall, the entrance tower, and the cloister, which 

 are its chief ornaments to day. After the doors were shut upon 

 the monks, it passed through various hands as a private residence^ 

 amongst others, William Rosewell, Queen Elizabeth's Solicitor-Gen- 

 eral, whose son sold it to Mr. Prideaux. Such were some of the 

 associations of this venerable pile, and there it stood with its hand- 

 some centre tower flanked on one side by the hall, on the other by 

 the cloister, a happy example of rich decorated Tudor Architecture. 

 But it was no country house for the wealthy' Attorney General, per- 



1 In King's Pamphlets, Sm. Qto., vol. 832, there is a tract which has some 

 account of Mr. Prideaux on this head. It is called " The mystery of the Gold 

 Cause briefly unfolded — in a catalogue of such members of the late Parliament 

 that held office both civil and military contrary to the seK-denying ordinance," 

 published London, 1660. It is very Cavalier in sentiment, and may not be 

 correct, but I give it here for what it is worth, p. 27. 



" Edmund Prideaux, formerly Commissioner of the Great Seal worth £1500 

 annum : did by ordinance practise within the bar as one of the King's Counsell, 

 worth £5000 per annum ; and after that was Attorney-General worth what he 

 pleased to make it; Postmaster for all the inland letters at 6 pence the letter 

 worth £15000 per annum; and he got it thus, the Lord Stanhope, the Post- 

 master and Carrier of England complained in Parliament against Mr. Wethering 

 and others touching the carrying of letters; whereupon the benefit of forraine 

 letters was given to the Earle of Warwick worth more than £7000 per annum, 

 and inland letters to Mr. Prideaux. Was not this good Justice ? " This is 

 (juoted by Mr. Prince's Worthiesi of Devon, p. 508. 



In the same work, at p. 18, there is the following : " Nicholas Love, son of 



