312 Notes on the History of Great Somerford. 
times by Aubrey. Aubrey also speaks of the son Richard in the 
following terms, “This was collected by my ingeniose friend Mr. 
R. Browne, of Magdalen Hall, Oxon.” I think these Brownes came 
from London and were not connected with the Lucian Browne 
family, long resident in Minety, one of whom married into the 
Calley family, of Burderop. Mr. Robert Hanson seems to have 
been a prosperous London man of business. Le Neve gives his 
pedigree, two generations back, to Thomas Hanson, of Blewbury, 
Berks, but plainly did not like him. After giving his coat of arms 
he says, “This was the coat borne by him. Qre the right. Was 
a silly drunken fellow and so were two of his sons with whom I 
went to school at Merchant Taylors school in London.” His ap- 
pointment to be sheriff pleased the Government of the day, for in 
the calendar of State papers, 28th September, 1665, it is noted, — 
“ Aldermen Hanson and Hooper, honest and loyal men, are that 
day chosen sheriffs.” He became Lord Mayor in 1672. “ London 
Triumphant, or the City in Jollity and Splendour,” is the title of 
the pamphlet describing the pageants attending his coming into 
office. His Majesty graced the triumph with his royal presence, 
the expenses being borne by the Worshipful Company of Grocers, 
of which Sir Robert was a member. A picture in oils of Sir Robert 
and his first wife, Barbara Norton, dated 1638, is in the possession — 
of Mrs. Wightwick, of Codford St. Peter. His son Berkeley, a . 
barrister of the Inner Temple, died at the age of 31, and was buried 
in the Temple Church. By his second wife, Catherme Jones, he 
left two sons and one daughter, to whom he bequeathed the whole 
of his property, the Palmers not being mentioned in his will. 
Elizabeth Palmer, who, at such an early age, was wedded to Mr. | 
Richard Browne, was left a widow when only 27, with three young 
children. Of these the eldest, Richard, afterwards lived with his 
wife in the parish of St. Edmund ye King, London, but was laid to 
rest in Great Somerford Church, December 29th, 1735, where he 
had already buried the three children of his marriage. Mrs. 
Elizabeth Browne within a year of her husband’s death was married 
to his successor in the rectory, Mr. Edmund Wayte. There were 
many members of the Wayte family in Malmesbury and the 
