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scended to his posterity, and was for many Ages part of the Inheritance of our Family. His Wife was Edive, descended of Oslac who was Contemporary with King Edgar; and a person of great Note and Dignity in those Days.

From this noble Pair sprang He, who was the first Author and Original of the Name of WAKE: How he was first called, I am not informed: But the Character which his Fortune, and Authority fix'd upon him, and under which he is constantly mentioned by our Historians, is Herward, or Hereward, a Saxon Name, and which signifies a Keeper, or Commander of an Army.

Of this Hereward we have a short but very honourable Character given us, by one of our "best Historians, who was his Contemporary, and well acquainted both with his Person, and his Actions. He tells us that he was tall of Stature. a very comely Youth, but too much addicted to Warlike Exploits, and of a Spirit beyond measure fierce and vigorous: Insomuch that he could not endure that any one should pretend to any kind of Exercises to excel him.

8 Ingulf: Edit: Oxon p. 71.

9 Ingulf: ibid: Pag: 67.

But this mighty Spirit of his, was, it seems the Cause of no small Troubles to Him. For his Father being wearied out with the dayly Complaints that were made against Him, and having in vain endeavoured to bring him to a more gentle behaviour, joyn'd with several others in a Complaint to the King against Him, and help'd to procure that Sentence of Banishment, which was thereupon pronounced against Him.

Being thus forc'd to leave his own Country He travelled up and down in foreign Parts, and by the Bravery of his Actions, in a little time, grew so eminent in the World, that the Fame of his Exploits coming over into England, chang'd the Mind of his Father and Friends, and turn'd the Aversion they before had for him, into a most vehement Love, and Admiration of Him.

Among other places to which he travelled Flanders was one, where he married a Noble Virgin Turfride by Name: by whom he had one onely Daughter, whom he married to Hugh K.Edw. Evermur, 'Lord of Deping, which by that Means descended together with Brunne to our

Confes.

1 Dugdal Baronag: To: 2. pag: 541. 542.

Family and from thenceforth became part of the Inheritance of it.

But thô by the Descent of these Lordships and the Successive Marriages of which I shall presently give an Account, to the time of Hugh Lord Wac, in whom our Family first began to be known by that Name, it is manifest that I have set the Original of it upon a sure and unquestionable ffoundation: Yet, because I pretend that it was from this Hereward, of whom I am now speaking, that the Name of Wake was derived, and in whom I therefore fix the Original of it; it will be necessary for me briefly to shew, what it was that gave the first Rise to it.

Conqr.

When William the Conquerour came into K.Wm. England, and fought that fatal Battle, which by the Death of Harold, set the Crown upon his head, and gave the Title of Conquerour to Him, we are not to think that the whole Nation was there subdued, thô indeed the Generality of it thereupon submitted to Him, Many were the Insurections that broke out, and the Oppositions, that were made, in several parts of the Kingdom, to his Pretensions. But that which gave him the most Trouble, and might have prov'd of the most dangerous Consequence to

Conqr.

K.Wm. him, was the Party which settled in the Isle of Eli, and the Marshes thereabouts, as a place most commodious for such a purpose, and most easy to be defended by Them. To this party a great part of the English Nobility assembled themselves; and being thereupon Outlaw'd by the King, resolved to stand up in Defense of the Libertys of their Country and their own Priviledges and by their common Consent made 'Hereward their Captain, and committed the Management of the War to Him.

From this honourable Choice, as I suppose, the Title of Here-Ward either was taken up by him, or ascribed to Him; So from the Care and Vigilancy which he shew'd in the Discharge of it, I conceive the Character of Le Wake, or the Watchfull became added to it: and how well he deserved both, a short Account of his Actions, on this Ocasion will abundantly suffice to shew.

How these Confederate Lords proceeded, whilst they held together, is but very imperfectly deliver'd to us. *This we are told, it was

2 Ingulf: pag: 70. 71.

3 See his Life written by the Monk of Peterburgh M.S. at Peterburgh. 4 Ingulf: p. 71. Walsyngam Hyp. reustor P. 439.

Conqr.

but a very little while, before either out of ffear K.Wm. or Interest, all the rest submitted to the Fortune and power of the Conquerour. Only Hereward resolv'd to stand it out, and not submit upon any Terms whatsoever, to Him. So far are they mistaken, who make this great Man to have been One of those who came over with the Conquerour, and help'd to enslave his Country to Him.

It happen'd about that time, that Brando, a Relation of this Hereward, as one tells us, his Uncle, being Abbot of the Monastery of Peterburgh, dying, the Conquerour collated "Thorold one of his Foreigners, to that Dignity. Being enraged at this, "Hereward attacks the Monastery, drives away the new Abbot, and notwithstanding all the Help he procured from Ivo Talbois, a very powerfull Norman, and created by the Conquerour Lord of Hoyland, took him Prisoner, and exacted a great Sum of him for his Ransome.

Nor was it any little provocation to Hereward to do this, that the Conquerour, but a little before, had given a good part of his

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