360 JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
of an ancestor of mine engaged in the woollen trade, a business 
which brought him into connection with the traders of Bristol and 
Taunton, hence her being sent to him. She was hidden in a room 
in the roof of his house in Fore Street, Totnes, and this room could 
only be got at by a ladder, which was removed when not wanted. 
Her being there (so great was the danger) was known only to the 
heads of the house, who at night took the poor girl’s food to her, 
and there she remained until the storm had somewhat blown over. 
Even in his quiet vicarage at Berry, Prince could not help seeing 
the signs which showed unmistakeably that, though Monmouth’s 
rebellion had been crushed, James sat very insecurely on his throne; 
signs which, as time-wore on, were not wanting in his immediate 
neighbourhood ; for in December, 1687, an order from the king 
was received by the mayor of Totnes dismissing Sir Edward 
Seymour, Baronet, from the recordership. This was the Sir 
Edward who had presented Prince to the living of Berry, and the 
father of the proud Speaker. The order to the mayor and corpora- 
tion was not alone for the removal of Sir Edward, but was accom- 
panied by a letter requiring them to elect Sir John Southcote, a 
Catholic, in the room of Sir Edward, without administering to him 
the usual oaths, which were dispensed with. The old burghers of 
Totnes were not however to be intimidated, even by a king, and 
out of thirty-nine members of the corporation present only four 
voted for Sir John Southcote, thirty-three against him, and two 
were neutral. Among those who voted against were all the lead- 
ing men in the borough, including the mayor, and several who had 
before filled that office. This conduct was not allowed to go un- 
punished. The greater number of those who voted against Sir 
John Southcote were, by order of the king in council, removed 
from office, their places being supplied by, among others, several 
Dissenters, and a new charter was granted, in which Sir John 
Southcote was nominated as recorder. A few months after, when 
James began, too late, to see his mistakes, this charter was with- 
drawn, and the old one given back again. 
Prince could not, I think, have been an uninterested observer of 
events, of such great moment to the realm, which were taking 
place around him, and he must have been troubled by all he saw 
happening. It was only a few miles from his vicarage that the 
Prince of Orange landed ; and tradition says that the Prince had a 
meeting with Mr. Edward Seymour in a house, now a cluster of 
