142 EPONYMOUS FAMILIES OF DORSET. 



Stourton, in his parish church of Henstridge about the year 

 1460. 



His son, John Carent, was probably the last of the family 

 resident in Dorset, for which county he sat as M.P. He married 

 the daughter of Thomas Brooke, the first Lord Cobham of that 

 surname, and step- son to Sir John Oldcastle. Their son, 

 William Carent, took up his residence at Toomer, and there his 

 descendants remained, gradually discontinuing their connection 

 with Dorset. 



In the year 1463 the Bishop of Bath and Wells granted an 

 indulgence of forty days "to all true penitents who should go to 

 the tomb of that worthy man, William Carent, Esq., erected in 

 the prebendal church of Henstridge, and devoutly repeat a 

 Pater Noster and Ave for the welfare of the said William Carent 

 and of the venerable Mr. Nicholas Carent and John Carent, 

 sen., his brothers, and John Carent, his son, and for the soul of 

 Margaret Carent, deceased, wife of the said William Carent, and 

 the souls of the other persons here named after their deaths."* 



The scope of this very comprehensive benediction is surely 

 rather remarkable, and one is tempted to surmise that these good 

 wishes were intended to confirm, as much as to commend, the 

 orthodoxy of some members of this family. 



The fact that the heir had married a kinswoman of Sir John 

 Oldcastle seems to suggest that the elders may have been on 

 intimate terms with some of the Lollard leaders, whose influence 

 it was thought desirable to neutralise ; and it was politic to try to 

 win back waverers with the ready currency of benevolent expres- 

 sions in cases where stronger measures would be inexpedient. 



Another family, named Carrant, seems to have been a younger 

 branch of the above ; its members bore arms that, like their 

 name, differed very slightly from those shown here, being 

 Argent, three hurts charged with two chevronels, gules, in 

 other words ; the roundels were blue instead of red, and the 

 markings red instead of gold. 



*Harleian MS., 6966 F108, "Bekington." 



