By the Rev. F. H. Manley. 291 
family, doubtless, it obtained its name of Somerford Bolles. In 
the Visitation of Wilts, 1565, the pedigree of Bruning, of Seagry, 
is given, traced back through five generations to Nicholas Bruning, 
of Winterbourne Stepleton, county Dorset. Richard Bruning seems 
to have been the first of the family to settle in Seagry. His wife 
was the eldest daughter and one of the heiresses of William Wayte, 
of Wymering, Co. Hants, who through his wife, Ann Mompesson, 
grand-daughter of Isabella Drew, owned much property in Seagry. 
In the reign of Elizabeth we have the foot of a fine levied between 
William Bruning and his mother, Eleanor Bruning, in connection 
_ with property in Somerford Magna. This Eleanor was the wife of 
the Richard Bruning mentioned above and William, their fourth son. 
T am inclined to think that the Brunings also purchased some of 
the Maltravers property, anyhow they were prepared to dispute the 
rights of the Jasons. They described their property as the Manor 
of Great Somerford or Somerford Bolles, and held their courts. 
In 1676 Sir Robert Jason only established his right to present 
‘to the Rectory after a law-suit with Edmund Bruning, of 
Hambleden Park, Southampton. As late as 1751 one of the farms 
| which formed part of their property was let on a lease, in which 
~ occurs this proviso, “that it may be lawful for the said Richard 
Serle, his heirs, &c. and the Steward of the Manor of Somerford 
Boles, during the same term to enter into the said messuage to 
keep the courts of and for the said Manor, &c.” A curious rent 
charge on this manor, which had come into the hands of trustees 
of a charity at Shinfield, Berks, was paid off by Mr. Beak for a 
lump sum in 1870. It seems that in 1628 Anthony Bruning, Esq., 
a grandson of Richard Bruning, of Seagry, then the owner of _ 
the manor and estate of Somerford Boles, refused payment of 
this rent charge of £6 6s. O3d., then claimed by William 
Wallingscott, the elder, and William Wallingscott, the younger, 
sonnection with an annuity enjoyed by Sarah Ann Wayte. - 
Mr. William Randell found himself saddled with this aco 
when he purchased the above-mentioned farm in 1774, and, in 
yonsequence, as lord of the manor, had thought of preventing the 
