174 



Sir William Croft is thus alluded to by the Rev. Clement Barksdale in the 

 Cotswold Muse, who was rector of Sudeley, and also (says Wood) master of 

 Hereford Free School, vicar choral, and vicar of Allhallows (All Saints), 

 Hereford : — 



Quoth I have forgot the Castle now 



Where Skydmore's men met such an overthrow. 



The wisest are not (as we see of late) 



Or valiantest ever the most fortunate. 



But perish may the place, perish the day, 



When sober Croft came to such a fray. 



Name me not Birch, or Morgan, there. 



When Croft was slain they conquered Herefordshii-e. 



There was more wit and valour in that one, 



And one more prisoner, than in all that ran. 



Thou wert preserved a prisoner* to tell 



How sadly Croft, how honourably fell ! 



Let not the pair of virtuous sisters hear 



Till the good Dean his cordials prepare. 



Of all the gentry of any note in Herefordshire, Sir William Croft is the only one 

 who is found to have perished in the field of battle. Sir William Croft was 

 never married, and after the death of his second brother, Colonel Sir James 

 Croft, also unmarried, in 1669, the family estate of Croft Castle devolved on the 

 third brother, Herbert Croft, then Dean and afterwards Lord Bishop of Hereford 

 from 1662 to 1601, who charged his estate with a perpetual rent-charge payable out 

 of the Croft Castle estate for providing pensions for widows of clergymen who 

 have officiated in this county, and also for apprenticing the sons of clergymen 

 requiring such assistance — which fund is still in existence and is managed by 

 three of the Canons Residentiary of Hereford Cathedral. His son Herbert was 

 created a Baronet November, 1671. And of the second son (Francis) of the first 

 Baronet, the writer of this paper is a lineal descendant, and possesses the 

 signature of Sir William Croft, of whom no picture is known to exist. 



Col. Wroughton was the prisoner alluded to. 



