68 



The Wiltshire Compounders. 



those parts and commanded you not to pay me any rent ; and I doubt not but 

 tho Colonel will give you leave to keep the letter for your discharge if they should 

 take you prisoner for paying me. Truly I was forced to send this speedily to 

 you, for the money I builded upon from Mr. Sadler fails me, by reason of his 

 reves [bailiffs P] being taken prisoner yesterday to Bristol, and I cannot well go 

 any further until I have what I expect from you. And let as much of it be in 

 gold as you can, and make it up strong in the pannel of my man's saddle, and 

 send some country fellow with him as far as Bath next market day. So with 

 my love and service to my good old aunt, my love to your father and mother, 

 brothers and sisters, and to the whole generation of you, I rest, your affectionate 

 friend, 



" F. Fane. 



" P.S. — I received the letters safe from my sister Cope, aud have given the 

 honest man that brought them a shilling to drink. The other three I leave you 

 to pay, and set upon my next account." 



The Governor of Lacock here referred to is Colonel Jordan 

 Boville, who with a troop of horse has lately come to occupy the 

 Abbey in the King's name ; but who, in the ensuing autumn, will 

 have to surrender it to Sir Thomas Fairfax, simultaneously with the 

 fall of Devizes Castle. The alternate demands for rent made by 

 the rival forces, frequently resulting in double payment, drove many 

 tenants besides faithful Mr. Michell to exasperation, and appears to 

 have extorted from him a momentary expression of anger even to- 

 wards the house of Fane. His superior endeavours to mollify him 

 as follows : — 



" JBor my hind friend Mr. Thomas Michell near MelTcsham. 



" Ashton near Bristol, 28 June, 1645. 

 " Me. Michell. I am sorry you should take it so unkindly the letter I 

 wrote to Colonel Boville to compel you to pay me what you owed me for my 

 parsonage of Melksham and other rents. Truly necessity hath no law, especially 

 in these unhappy times that I have lost almost all I have elsewhere in England. 

 I do acknowledge to have received from Colonel Boville £25 10*., which I think 

 will be enough for your discharge until you and I reckon. You complain of the 

 hardness of your bargain, considering the times, and you threaten to cast it up 

 into my hands if you have not your own rate. You know well enough I cannot 

 get another tenant in these times, else you would not do it ; and I had as lief you 

 had a good bargain of me as another. Therefore I am contented you should 

 hold it this year for £70 ; and the unusual taxes and payments I am contented 

 to allow out of it, which is according to your own desire. For my parsonage of 

 Seend, I am contented to comply with your father's desires and to let him have 



