The Socicti/s MSS.—Note I. 



225 



have seen, were founder's kin at St. John's. Thomas Stephens, of 

 Burderop, the younger, was at the time of young Nicholas Vilette's 

 matriculation, or shortly before, a fellow of that society. Four 

 Yilettes, born at Swindon, in three successive generations, 

 matriculated subsequently at that college, and there can be little 

 doubt that we have correctly identified the first of the series. He 

 grew up, settled in Wiltshire, is described in his step-father's will 

 (p. 136) as " of Overtowne, gent.," in 1608 and 1611 (Wilts Arch. 

 Mag., ii., p. 187, and xix., p. 261) as "of Swindon, gentleman," 

 and heads the pedigree of " Vilett of Swindon," printed in Burke's 

 " Landed Grentry " (ed. 1846). According to this pedigree, which, 

 though meagre, seems fairly accurate, he had issue by " Elizabeth 

 Stephens," his wife : — 



1. Thomas, his heir. 



2. Eichard, who married and had issue three sons, Eichard, 



Nicholas, and Edmund. 



3. Nicholas. 



4. Arthur, who married and had issue three sons and a 



daughter, viz., Nicholas, Arthur, Charles, and Elizabeth. 



It would be interesting to ascertain the parentage of " Elizabeth 

 Stephens," the mother of the above four sons. It might be 

 supposed that Nicholas Yilett found a wife, according to the usual 

 custom of those days, among his step-father's children ; his sister 

 Bridget Yilett did so marry, for she became the wife of John 

 Stephens, Thomas Stephens' son and executor; moreover, there 

 was an Elizabeth in that family, John Stephens' sister, but she did 

 not become the wife of Bridget's brother, Nicholas Yilett, having 

 married, according to Harley MS., 1443, " Anthony Groddard of 

 Cleeve." Probably, however, Nicholas Yilett's wife was, as stated 

 in Sir Thomas Phillipps' " Kibble white Kin " pedigrees, niece to 

 Thomas Stephens of Burderop, viz., daughter of his brother 

 Nicholas Stephens. 



Of Nicholas Stephens we know nothing, beyond that he is 

 described as "of Chiselden," and that according to Harley MS., 1111, 

 fo. 42 b. (where, however, he is wrongly affiliated), he married 

 " Anne daughter to Kekewith of Cornwall, widow to John 



