By Charles Edward Long, Esq. ^11 



information indiscriminately gleaned. The particular Memoir of 

 Sir John Popham, in which he introduces the Littlecote legend, 

 seems to have been composed nearly 100 yeai's after the death of 

 Darell, and 80 after that of the Judge himself. Both of them had 

 died long before Aubrey was born. He could therefore have 

 scarcely had any personal motive for traducing the character of 

 either of them : and indeed it becomes very probable both from 

 Aubrey's general character and his habit of devouring, arrectis 

 aurihiis, whatever he heard, that his only authority for the tale of 

 Darell, introduced in the way it is, was neither more nor less than 

 the remnant of some story picked up about the Inns of Court, 

 where eminent men have at all times their enemies as well as their 

 friends. 



The narrative as given by Aubrey in his Memoir of Judge Pop- 

 ham,^ runs thus : — 



" Sir Dayrell of Littlecote, in Co. Wilts, having gott his 



Lady's waiting- woman with child, when her travell came, sent a 

 servant with a horse for a midwife whom he was to bring hood-winked. 

 She was brought, and layd the woman, but as soon as the child was 

 borne, she sawe the Knight take the child and murther it, and 

 burn it in the fire in the chamber. She having done her businesse 

 was extraordinary rewarded for her paines, and sent blindfolded 

 away. This horrid action did much run in her mind, and she had 

 a desire to discover it, but knew not where t'was. She considered 

 with herself the time that she was riding, and how many miles she 

 might have rode at that rate in that time, and that it must bo some 

 great person's house, for the roomc was 12 foot high : and she 

 should know the chamber if she sawe it. She went to a Justice of 

 Peace, and search was made. The very chamber found. The 

 Knight was brought to his tryall ; and to be short, this judge had 

 this noble house, parke, and mannor,'- and (I thinke) more, for a 

 bribe to save his life." 



Then follows a note in Aubrey's handwriting. " Sir John Pop- 

 ham gave sentence according to lawo, but being a great person, 

 and a<favourite, he procured a noli prosequi." 



' Lives of Eioincnt Men, vol. ii. p. 493. ' Moaning Littlecote. 



p2 



