64 THOMAS GERARD OF TRENT. 



century, under Trent, William and Mary Gerard, with some 

 servants, are entered. * 



The inquisition held after the death of William Gerard 

 returns that he held the family property undiminished in 

 Trent, Nottington, Broadway, and Waddon ; and that his 

 heir is his son Thomas, aged eleven years on the 17th March 

 last past, 1603-4. f 



Thomas Gerard was therefore born 17th March, 1593. He 

 is very probably the Thomas Gerard who matriculated from 

 Gloucester Hall, Oxford, on 18th June, 1610, though the age 

 is given as sixteen years. The next thing known about him 

 is his marriage in 1618 to Anne, daughter of Robert Coker of 

 Mappowder, in Dorsetshire. Of this alliance he was so proud 

 that he caused to be painted on the soffit of the arch separating 

 the Storke aisle from the nave of Trent Church an elaborate 

 heraldic tree, showing on one side the alliances of his own 

 family, and on the other those of the Coker family. J 



Relying on the evidence given in Part II. of these notes to 

 reckon Thomas Gerard as the author of the Particular Descrip- 

 tion of Somerset, this book will give a very fair idea of the 

 man and his mental equipment. One point comes out very 

 plainly. Whatever the theological leanings of his parents 

 he was decidedly anti-Roman Catholic, and was fond of a sly 

 dig at the weaknesses of its professors. He was an enthusiastic 

 herald and genealogist, and frequently apologises to the 

 reader for providing so much of his favourite studies. He 

 was well known to the landowners of Somerset and Dorset, 

 and was evidently given carte blanche to transcribe the 

 title-deeds of their lands. He is, however, careful not to 

 put down anything that might cause trouble, and writes, 

 " you must not look for tenures here, for too manie looke 

 into them." (P. 2.) He had a great admiration for Camden ; 



* Som. and Dor. N. and Q., V., Art. 86. 

 t Inq. p. m. ; C., 282, 53. 



% A good illustration will be found in Collinson II., 384. Mr. Batten 

 has identified nearly all the arms in his paper. 



