By the Rev. Arthur Fane. 107 



who was wholly a Wiltshireman — the fidelity of the Giffard who 

 proved himself true liegeman to his Lord — the fervent piety of 

 the little band of heroes — all these strong points seem to invite the 

 more peculiar notice I have taken of the Alexander Giffard, of 

 whose effigy and tomb I am happy to present to our Association a 

 very striking drawing by a most ingenious Archaeologist as well as 

 excellent draftsman, the Rev. G. Stallard. 1 



The history of the last scions of the Giffard family was clouded 

 with the dark storms of the turbulent age in which they lived. 

 The John Lord Giffard of Brimsfield, who carried off in 1271 

 Matilda Longespee, widow of the son of the Hero of Mansoura, 

 appears to have had a son, Sir John Giffard of Brimsfield, whose 

 widow, Margaret, resided at Boyton until her death. The eldest 

 son of this marriage was John Giffard, surnamed le Rych, from his 

 vast estates. 



This last of a most illustrious house joined in the rebellion of 

 Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, and being taken prisoner with Lan- 

 caster at the battle of Boroughbridge, he was conveyed to Gloucester 

 and was there beheaded. His vast estates were forfeited to the 

 crown — a life-interest, however, being retained by his widowed 

 mother, the Lady Margaret, upon whose death this family became 

 extinct, at least in direct and positive genealogy. 



J scarcely doubt that the last male Giffard was interred in 

 the Church of Boyton, in the North Chapel. A very large slab of 

 Purbeck marble was placed in the centre of this Chapel, which was 

 evidently built for mortuary purposes : a very magnificent brass 

 had once adorned the stone, and described do doubt who slept 

 below. I had occasion to move this stone from its being 

 wholly concealed by pews, and also from a sinking of the 

 floor. Beneath the marble slab was a stone grave (not coffin), and 

 in this lay a skeleton with the skull placed on the left side of the 

 tkeleton, aa if on the interment this position had been originally 

 ibliflhed. The remains had apparently never been moved. The 

 ■keleton lay in perfect order, except the strange position of the 



i See Vol. I, i>. 287. 



p2 



