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together would scarce amount to one good Proof, of our Ancestors being concerned in that Expedition.

And as the Credit is not great which I suppose ought to be given to these sort of Registers. So much less may we rely upon the arbitrary Conjectures of our yet more modern Writers: An eminent Instance of which I cannot but take Notice of in our Church Historian, who diverting himself in some Remarks, which he thought fit to make upon the Rolls of Battle Abby before mentioned, tells us that he was credibly informed, that some of the English being weary of Harolds Usurpation, went over into ffrance to fetch in the Conquerour, and by that Means are found in the Catalogues of those who came over with Him. And this, He says, was the Case of our Family, of which he there speaks in a very friendly and honourable Manner.

If this Gentleman had the Authority of any good Historian for this Remark, as far as our Name is concern'd in it, I heartily wish he would have been so kind, as by some Mark or other, to have referr❜d us to Him, But if he took it up upon the Conjecture of some of his

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Acquaintance, who being unwilling to lose the Authority of those Rolls, thought this the best Way to account for so many Saxon Names occurring in Them. I do not see how either our Historian could say He was credibly informed of this Matter, or what Reason there is for any One, without some better Proof, to give his Assent to it.

But to pass therefore from these imaginary Pretences to Antiquity, to such proofs as we may justly give some Credit to: And to search out not only the first Rise of our Sur name, but the Occasion that was given for the fixing of it, on that Person from whome it decended to us.

Among other Persons of Note in the time of King Edward the Confessor Leofricus le Brun, was none of the least considerable, "He was Cosin to Ralphe, Earl of Hereford, who marryed Goda King Edwards Sister; and is represented to us as a person of a noble Family, eminent in military Services, and 'Lord of Brun in the County of Lincoln, which from him de

6 Ingulf: Hist: Croyland Pag: 67.

7 Dugdal: Baronag: To: 1: p. 21. says that he was Son to Goda by Walter de Mant: But he cites no Authority for what he says, and Ingulf: is expressly against him.

His

scended to his posterity, and was for many Ages part of the Inheritance of our Family. 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.

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

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