336 The Wittshire Compounders. 
his account occur the words, “To be reviewed, for that he was an 
attorney-at-law.” The fact of his having served in the Salisbury 
Commission aforesaid, commonly spoken of as “ the Illegal Assizes,” 
was in itself sufficient to preclude any idea of mercy, notwithstanding 
his having subsequently taken the Negative Oath and the National 
Covenant. 
Mr. Tidcombe’s real estate consisted of messuages in Devizes and 
lands round the base of the Castle, with other lands at Bedborough, 
in Bishops Cannings, and Great Ashley, at Bradford-on-Avon ; all 
which, more elaborately set forth, may be seen in the History of 
Devizes. He appears in his latter days to have retired to Bradford. 
It was there that he had married, in 1626, Susanna, sister and co- 
heir of John Blanchard, of Great Ashley aforesaid. In the parish 
Church a square slab surmounted by a plain shield, against the 
north wall, memorialises his death in 1662, and that of a daughter, 
Sarah, in 1661; and thus pronounces his requiem :— 
“ Tidcombus tumulo jacet hoc Michaelis in alto 
Sospes dum clangit buccina ‘ Surge’ manet,” 
Epwarp Topps, of Stockton, Esq. His delinquency lay in his 
having acted in the capacity of a commander for the enemy, and 
also in that of a local commissioner. He rendered in October, 1645, 
that is to say, before the first war was fairly over ; and four weeks 
subsequently he petitioned. In extenuation of his offence he urges 
the usual plea of living under the power of the King’s army, 
whereby he was enforced to execute Sir Ralph Hopton’s warrants 
to levy money in Wilts and Dorset. He humbly acknowledges 
that he hath justly offended the Parliament; but having made his 
submission on the 24th October, and taken the two oaths, he prays 
for a favourable composition, &. For his personal estate, consisting 
of corn, plough-oxen, horses, goods and chattels, he hath already 
compounded with the Wilts Committee for £150, of which £50 
still remains unpaid. His real property embraced farms at Stockton, 
Fisherton Delamere, and Bridgmore, all in Wilts; Crendon, in 
Somerset; old-rents at Codford St. Peter, and a life estate in Gil- — 
ingham Forest; with sundry drawbacks, the most formidable of 
