314 Broughton Gifford. 
“shepe, ewes, and lambs, kyne, and calves.” The name frequently 
occurs in the Melksham parochial registers, among the Selfes, the 
Marshmans, and the Flowers—all very respectable people. They 
were allied to the Brounkers and the Longs. I do not gather that 
they made money, as usual then about here, by weaving. But one 
inference I do draw from their wills. I take it they were strong 
Protestants, and firm supporters of the new royal order of things 
in matters of faith. Other wills of the same date pay more or less 
respect to the old religion. A very usual phrase is, “I bequeath 
my sowle to Almighty God, our blessed Lady, with all the whole 
company of heaven.”! Others are still more pronounced, “TJ be- 
queath my sowle to Almighty God, with his blessed mother Mary 
[sic], and all the holy company of heaven.”? ‘This confession of 
faith would surely be deemed too strong by Roman Catholics of the 
present day, assertors of the immaculate conception though they 
be. That made by the Mays is decidedly Lutheran, “I bequeath 
my sowle to the Lord Jesus Christ, by the merits of whose passion 
I do hope to be saved.” This is the language of gratitude to 
King Henry VIII. To Robert May, the founder of the family, in 
the same year that he bought our quarter manor, a grant® was 
made of the manor of Hydon, part of the possessions of Witham 
Monastery, with 1700 acres there. The fines show his further pur- 
chases of lands here, in Beanacre, Whitley, East Lavington, Marlbo- 
rough, and of the manor of Elston, Co. Gloucester. He died 17 Sept., 
1549. His son and successor of the same name resided at Brough- 
ton. He is styled in one of the May wills, 1558, “my well beloved 
uncle Robert May of Broughton Gifford, Gent.,” clearly a man made 
much of, named as executor, and invited to witness the signatures 
of many Broughton testators, in his own family and out of it. 
Henry Prior of Broughton even puts him (1558) before the Rector! 
“T name overseers of y* will Robert May, my ghostly father y° par- 
son, and Thomas Carter my wyfe’s uncle.” Yet Henry Prior was, 
as his language implies, and as his bequest of “ xi‘ unto y* Churche 
1 The will of Edward Auste of Broughton 1541, 
? John Lucas of Broughton 1559, _ 
3 Preserved in the Originalia. 
