AO Records of the Rising in the West, A.D. 1655. 



Royalist Captain and the Orator of Repeal, there must be a far 

 deeper feeling, even that of affection for the memory of that high- 

 souled Wiltshire girl who risked her own life for her brother's. 

 One regrets that the veil of time has fallen upon the story of her 

 life, her features, and her hand -writing. Most rarely is such 

 courage to be found in the records of the human race. 



Perchance just before the commissioners left Chard, they received 

 the following noble petition from the prisoners under sentence of 

 death at Exeter. Sir Richard Hoare, Modern Wilts, Hund. Mere, j 

 p. 31, and Hund. Damerham, p. 81, gives us a copy of this, however 

 signed " J ohn Penruddock 33 and " Hugh Grove/'' 1 He does not 

 tell us what MS. he followed, or what authority there is for saying, 

 as he does, that it was delivered at Chard. The date, April the 

 26th, is, I believe, the only hint, if any, upon the subject. The 

 whole is in Col. Penruddock's handwriting ; but has no signatures, 

 and is endorsed : — 



To the Lord Lisle one of the Commissioners of the Greate Seale, Judge 

 Role, Judge Nicholas, Serjeant Glyn and Serjeant Steele and to all other the 

 Com" 8 of Oyer and Terminer. A coppy of the pn'soners Letter in Exon Goal." I 



Moreover it is apparently but a fair copy, of what may have been 

 presented to the judges as above-mentioned. 

 " Honourable Sirs* 



We knowe that our Redeemer (blessed for ever !) hath pulled out the sting of I 

 death, and therefore hope we shall never be so little his as to feare dying ; j 

 Againe we know long Life to be one of God's great blessings, and therefore hope 

 we shall never be guilty of the neglect of any lawful means in the acquiring of 

 it. Indeavours for the last are no ways inconsistent with preparation for the 



to ride behind him on horseback to his cottage, was concealed, but nearly 

 discovered there. Soon after he escaped with his collier friend to France. 

 There hearing that his sister Margaret was to be executed for him, he was about 

 to return and surrender, but was prevented doing so by being placed under re- j 

 straint abroad by Charles II. On the restoration the king refused to restore 

 him the family property at Enford. Captain Hunt, however, continued | 

 to live there, on a small estate which had been overlooked by Cromwell's 

 officers. He was offered the valueless (?) Chancellorship of the Duchy of 

 Lancaster, but refused it, This office afterwards his descendant tried to abolish." \ 

 The grandfather of Henry Hunt, M.P. 1820, was married to Miss Biggs, of 

 Stockton, Wilts. 



1 Why signed by only two of the condemned ? 



"Compton.MSS, 



