44 



Wesibury under the Plain. 



is built between two of the columns that divide the nave from the 

 south aisle. They were among the earliest patrons of Bishop 

 William of Edington, the founder of that fine old monastic Church, 

 and no doubt assisted him in the work. 



WlLLOUGHBY. 



By marriage with one of the two co-heiresses of Cheney, Brook 

 came to Sir William Willoughby (of a junior branch of Willoughby 

 D' Eresby), who was created baron by Henry VII. with the annex 

 of "de Broke " to his name. His grandson, Edward, died leaving 

 no male issue, so the estate was divided between Edward's two 

 sisters, one of whom married Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy, and 

 the other W. Paulet, Marquis of Winchester ; and the title fell into 

 abeyance. But the grandson, Edward, left a daughter, who married 

 Sir Fulke Greville, ennobled as Lord Beauchamp of Broke. He, 

 again, leaving no son, his daughter married Sir Richard Verney, 

 who, being raised to the peerage, adopted the old title of Willoughby 

 de Broke, by which the Verney Family still continues to be repre- 

 sented in the House of Lords. 1 



Blount, Lokd Mountjoy. 



By marriage with one of the two co-heiresses of Willoughby, 

 Brook was next the property of Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy. 

 The family of Blount was a widely-spread one, and produced many 

 remarkable men. Their history is published in a large volume, 

 which, in that department of literature, bears a high reputation. 

 William, Lord Mountjoy, the father of Charles, who obtained Brook 

 by marriage, had filled several high offices under Henry VII. and 



1 The Harleian MS. No. 433, p. 486, mentions that " Brooke and Southwick 

 were granted to Edmund Ratcliffe, late traitor Willoughby." The explanation 

 of this is, that Sir Robert Willoughby the second and last baron was one of those 

 who favoured Henry, Earl of Richmond, and conspired under Humphrey 

 Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, to bring him to the thone, in opposition to King 

 Richard III. Stafford was beheaded, the rest fled abroad, but soon returned, 

 and were successful sharers in the Battle of Bosworth. {Dugdales Baronage.) 

 Southwick, in the adjoining parish of North Bradley, had belonged to the Cheney 

 family, and by marriage of an heiress had passed to the Willoughbys. 



