206 Wuilfhall and the Seymours. 
No. XXV. 
Letter from Mr. T. Gape, her steward, to Frances (Devereux) Duchess 
of Somerset, widow of William Seymour, Marquis ot Hertford 
and Duke of Somerset, about the funeral of her grandson, William, 
third Duke of Somerset, at Bedwyn. Christmas, 1671. See p. 163. 
E.* 
‘¢May it please your Grace 
We came safe with the Hearse to Reading the first night, having Col. Cooke’s 
mourning Coach and himselfe, Sir John Elwes [Nephew to the Lady Seymour ]t 
Mr. Wingfield the Herauld & myself therin, drawne by my Lord Marquesse of 
Worcester’s | 6 Horses, having in all about 8 or 10 Horsemenattending the 
Hearse and Coach, we bayted not, nor so much as dranke by the way. The 
next morning betwene 5 and 6 we sett forth from Reading towards Hnngerford, 
and came thither about 1 at noone, where the gentry of the countrey, viz. Sir 
Francis Popham with his coach in mourning and sixe horses, & a Gentleman of 
his kindred with him (but Sir Francis was in a light greyish suite) Sir John 
Elwes of Barton, Mr. Giles Hungerford, Mr. Pleydall of Mugehill, Mr. Geoffrey 
Daniell, Mr. Goddard, Mr. Deane, Mr. Hungerford of Chisbury, and many 
others of lesser note, together with many of his late Grace’s servants, tenants, 
farmers, Bayliffs, & some others. After dinner we removed towards Bedwyn 
and came thither about 3 in the afternoone, and drove into the Church-yard ; 
the Coffin was covered with blacke velvett and a silver plate nayled on it, having 
an inscription in a plate of silver with his Grace’s Titles of honor, a black velvett 
Cushion with a Ducal Coronett thereon. The Corps being taken out of the 
Hearse was carried by some of his Grace’s servants ; Sir Francis Popham, the 
two Sir John Elwes, Mr. Daniell, Mr. Giles Hungerford and Mr. Pleydall bearing 
up the Pall at the 4 corners and the middle part. The Chauncell was hung 
round with blacke Bayes, having Escutcheons with his Grace’s Coat-Armes 
pinned thereon. Mr. Charlett, Parson of Collingbourne Ducis performed the 
Funerall service, in the middle of which after the Corps was lett down into the 
grave, the Herauld rehearsed his Grace’s Titles of Honour and Dignity. Col: 
Cooke was the chiefe mourner. There was much rudenesse of the common 
people, amongst whom none suffered that I hear of, but my selfe, I having above 
a yard of the cloth of my long Black Cloake cutt or rent off in the crowd at my 
going into the Church. I lay that night at the great House at Bedwin, being 
now in the possession of S' John Elwes of Barton [who married the widow of 
Mr. Duke Stonehouse]. Col: Cooke, St John Elwes the younger, the Herauld, 
Mr. Thomas (who came into our company at Hungerford), the late Duke’s & the 
Lord Marquess’s Servants went that night to Marlborough: of whome I can give 
your Grace noe further information, save what I heare from Mr. Clotterbocke 
(who went with them thither) that Mr. Thomas hath displaced the Woodward 
of Collingbourne Woods, and putt his younger brother Alexander Thomas (who 
had runne out of his whole Estate, and left the Countrey for debt) into his place. 

* E. for ** Emanuel” (see above page 195). 
+The Lady Seymour alluded to was Elizabeth, daughter of William Lord Allington, wife of 
Charles Lord Seymour, of Trowbridge. 
+ Mary Capel, the mother of the deceased William Third Duke, had remarried Henry, Marquis of 
Worcester, afterwards first Duke of Beaufort, 
