By the Ven. Archdeacon Macdonald. 135 



lies, still lineally represented but no longer here — that of Nicholas. 1 

 John Nicholas was of Ryndway so early as a.d. 1300. The family 

 branched off and is found at several other places in Wilts : as at 

 Compton Chaniberlayne, Cote in Bishop's Cannings, Brokenbo- 

 rough, Stert, and All-Cannings, all in 1553. At Seend, 1669; and 

 Manningford Braose, 1706 ; also at Ashton Keynes. In Ryndway 

 their original holding (under the Bishop in socage) seems to have 

 been called " Nicholas Place." They had also " Cray's " in 1504. 

 In 1598 Robert Nicholas held at his father's death, as of ancient 

 inheritance, a capital messuage, toft, and six virgates of land, here 

 and at Southbroom : also "Le Hould croft in Ryndeway" then 

 fallen to the Crown as parcel of the estates of the dissolved Priory 

 of Bradenstoke : also a small piece of ground in Ryndway, held of 

 John Sloper as of his share of the manor of Horton Quarles. (I. p.m.) 



Griffin Nicholas, Esq. was a benefactor to the poor of Devizes. 

 By will 1634, he bequeathed to the poor of St. James's parish £105. 

 To St. Mary's poor £155. To St. John's poor £52 10s. : and to 

 Calne poor £50. Total £362 10s. 



In 1659 Ryndway was under-leased to Captain Robert Chaloner, 

 whose family (of Co. Denbigh) was connected with that of Nicholas 

 by marriage. 2 Thomas Chaloner, Lancaster Herald 1668, appears 

 to have lived here. 3 



1 The following notices of this family are principally taken from documents 

 kindly lent by Edward Richmond Nicholas, Esq. of Bewdley, Co. Wore. 



2 Joan Chaloner was the mother of Robert Nicholas, Esq., Recorder of Devizes. 

 The family notices say that she died at Devizes in 1732, aged 97: and that she 

 dressed singularly, always wearing a black cap. 



3 Time renders so harmless the sting of personality, that we hope no living 

 person is likely to take offence if we revive out of John Aubrey's letters to An- 

 thony a Wood, the character which those two oddities settled for this gentleman. 

 A. Wood was trying to obtain a situation in the Herald's Office. Aubrey makes 

 some enquiry on his behalf, and then writes " There is not yet any vacancy: but 

 Mr. Dugdale supposes that one I know is not fit for the place will be contented 

 to resign for money. He is Lancaster Herald : and one that the Office (and I 

 thinke every body) hates, or ought to doe, if they knew him as well as I doe : 

 for he hath been the boutefeu (tire-brand) to set me and my dame" (his 

 intended) "at variance." To which A. Wood replies. "The person that you 

 mentioned in your letter that is now Lancaster Herald, his name is Chaloner, 

 whose character I have heard by one of his neighbours that liveth at the Devizes. 

 I know also that he hath been an Officer in the Army, a bustling man for the 



