By the Rev. J. Wilkinson. 315 
of Broughton” proves, no contemner of persons or things spiritual. 
Indeed, from internal evidence, I am strongly inclined to believe 
that the Rector himself drew this will, and put his own name after 
Robert May’s. Such was the new lord’s parochial position. I 
have been the more anxious to ascertain it, because, as I believe, 
he was the first lord of Broughton who ever honoured the place by 
residing in it. Of him we possess more information, thanks to 
domestic troubles, and the consequent intervention of the law. By 
his first wife, Dorothy Sidrington, he had two sons and three 
daughters. The eldest son John dying young, there remained 
Henry, Alice, Mary, and Anne. The decree in the Court of Chan- 
cery (13 Feb. 1598) now takes up the story. ‘About 1565, 6, 
‘Robert May being then a widower and well stricken in years did 
purpose to marry one Joan Sachefield (or Sarsfield) then a young 
maiden and daughter to one Thomas 8. of Bath, with whom he 
should receive no fortune: therefore to the intent the said Joan 
after her marriage should not have any greater interest or benefit 
in her husband’s manors, than he intended to assure to her, he 
(Robert May) did before his marriage make a lease for 99 years of 
his manors to Robert May of Whitley in Melksham for a nominal 
' rent in trust for benefit of lessor. Afterwards Robert May married 
Joan, but continued well affected towards his son Henry till his 
marriage with Eleanor [Hinton], who by her misconduct offended 
her husband’s father, for which cause he (Robert May) declared 
that neither she nor her children should ever enjoy a foot of his 
lands after his son’s death, but that his lands should go to his three 
daughters. He settled his manors and lands accordingly by deed, 
20 Oct. 1583, and died 1588, when Henry entered into possession. 
Then Henry and his wife Eleanor, with their daughter Anne and 
her husband John Eyre, and two others allied to Eleanor, got the 
settlement into their hands, and combined to defeat and destroy the 
reversion to the three sisters. They promulgated and proved an 
old cancelled will of Robert May’s in their favour. Therefore the 
three sisters and their husbands instituted proceedings against 
them. Finally compromise was arranged. The lands and manors 
went as Robert May had settled them, but an annuity of 100 marks 
Y2 
