68 The Wiltshire Compounders. 
those parts and commanded you not to pay me any rent; and I doubt not but 
the Colonel will give you leave to keep the letter for your discharge if they should 
take you prisoner for paying me. Truly I was forced to send this speedily to 
you, for the money I builded upon from Mr. Sadler fails me, by reason of his 
reves [bailiffs P] being taken prisoner yesterday to Bristol, and J cannot well go 
any further until I have what I expect from you. And let as much of it be in 
gold as you can, and make it up strong in the pannel of my man’s saddle, and 
send some country fellow with him as far as Bath next market day. So with 
my love and service to my good old aunt, my love to your father and mother, 
brothers and sisters, and to the whole generation of you, I rest, your affectionate 
friend, 
‘oR. Fane. 
“P.S.—I received the letters safe from my sister Cope, aud have given the 
honest man that brought them a shilling to drink. The other three I leave you 
to pay, and set upon my next account.” 
The Governor of Lacock here referred to is Colonel Jordan 
Boville, who with a troop of horse has lately come to occupy the 
Abbey in the King’s name ; but who, in the ensuing autumn, will 
have to surrender it to Sir Thomas Fairfax, simultaneously with the 
fall of Devizes Castle. The alternate demands for rent made by 
the rival forces, frequently resulting in double payment, drove many 
tenants besides faithful Mr. Michell to exasperation, and appears to 
have extorted from him « momentary expression of anger even to- 
wards the house of Fane. His superior endeavours to mollify him 
as follows :—- 
“ For my kind friend Mr. Thomas Michell near Melksham. 
*¢ Ashton near Bristol, 28 June, 1645. 
“Mr. MicHett. I am sorry you should take it so unkindly the letter I 
wrote to Colonel Boville to compel you to pay me what you owed me for my 
parsonage of Melksham and other rents. Truly necessity hath no law, especially 
in these unhappy times that I have lost almost all I have elsewhere in England. 
I do acknowledge to have received from Colonel Boville £25 10s., which I think 
will be enough for your discharge until you and I reckon. You complain of the 
hardness of your bargain, considering the times, and you threaten to cast it up 
into my hands if you have not your own rate. You know well enough I cannot 
get another tenant in these times, else you would not do it ; and I had as lief you 
had a good bargain of me as another. Therefore I am contented you should 
hold it this year for £70; and the unusual taxes and payments I am contented 
to allow out of it, which is according to your own desire. For my parsonage of 
Seend, I am contented to comply with your father’s desires and to let him have 
