and advowson of Bucklebury, and some 5,000 acres of land in that and the neighbouring parish.

Mrs. Dent's account is illustrated by a fine portrait copied from an original painting by Holbein, of which Mrs. Dent says "It is generally supposed to represent John Winchcombe, the founder of the family; but as he died in the year 1520, it doubtless represents his eldest son, 'John Winchcombe,' the date on the picture, 1550, being the year after the latter received his grant of arms, and was raised to the rank of gentell and nobell men.' The arms painted on the left hand corner of the portrait appear a further corroboration. On the top of the picture are the words:

and underneath :

In Respect of Things Eternall
This is Veari Vayne and Mortall.

Spend Well Thi mortal Life Therefore

That Thou Maist Leve for Evermore."

The family flourished through several generations, and made many noble alliances. The last heir, who was created a Baronet by Charles II., died in 1703; and with him the male line is said to have become extinct. Frances, his eldest daughter, was the wife of Viscount Bolingbroke. Elizabeth the second died young, and was lamented by the poet Phillips, as leaving "this toilsome world in beauty's prime." Maria, the youngest, married in 1699, Robert Packer, of Shillingford, and their daughter became wife of Dr. Hartley, a physician of Bath, whose great-grandson, the late Winchcomb Henry Howard Hartley, Esq., D.L.J.P., of Lye Grove, Old Sodbury, was the possessor of the picture to which reference has been made, and the proprietor of the family estates at Bucklebury and Donnington. This gentleman died in 1881, and the property is inherited by his nieces. The name of Winchcombe is, however, still borne by a Gloucestershire family claiming to be descendants of our worthy.

"Jack of Newbury," it has been well said, "deserves to be enshrined in local history as a Gloucestershire celebrity."

His life is not without its lessons.

In many points it affords

instruction and example; and on the tomb of John Winchcombe might have been honestly written

"A man of judgment, will, and heart,
Fulfilling well his every part:

A servant good, a master just:

A man whose word all men could trust:

One of whose sort could more be found

More smoothly would the world roll round."

NOTES.

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1.-Since the publication of these interesting Annals," " another name has been added to the list of departed worthies of the locality, by the death of John Coucher Dent, Esq., J.P., of Sudeley Castle. This gentleman, by his private and public virtues, had secured the highest esteem of those among whom he had lived for more than thirty years. He died March 25, 1885, aged 65 years.

2. The following are some of the Gloucestershire surnames derived from places in the county :-Awre, Berkeley, Cam, Dowdeswell, Dymock, Kingscote, Longney, Stinchcomb, Stroud, Tuffley, Twyning, Washbourne, Winstone, Witcomb.

3. Another instance of self-restraint may be mentioned. More than a hundred years ago a Gloucestershire youth was filling some situation in London, and was much exposed to the many evil influences which surround young men in the metropolis. Passing along the streets one day, he saw a device representing a pair of compasses, between the extended feet of which were the words "Keep within." He pondered the advice thus quaintly conveyed, and firmly adopting "Keep within compass as a rule of life, he successfully resisted temptations to all excess. In course

of time he obtained a most respectable public appointment in Gloucester, where he resided many years highly esteemed as an excellent and useful

man.

4. The first of these entries dates from the earliest year of the register.

BISHOP FOX.

[1492-1538.]

F all the Gloucestershire prelates whom Fuller enters on his roll of " Worthies," the one whom he most delighteth to honour is EDWARD Fox, who had evidently won his favour by the part he took in the great Reformation. Commenting on the old proverb "You are a man of Dursley," which he takes in an uncomplimentary sense, he says, "Sure I am, there was a man of Durseley, who was a man of men, Edward Fox by name, a right godly and gracious Prelate, of whom hereafter." His further account is as follows:

"Edward Fox was born at Duresley in this County; bred first in Eaton, then in King's Colledge in Cambridge, whereof he was chosen Provost, which place he kept until his death. He was afterwards Almoner to King Henry the Eighth. He first brought Doctor Cranmer to the knowledge of the King; which Doctor first brought the King to the knowledge of himself, how he stood in matter of marriage with the widow of his brother."

"This Doctor Fox was after Bishop of Hereford, and was (saith my Author) [Godwin] Reformationis Ecclesiastica illius tempore cœptæ clanculùm fauta.' Let me adde, he was the principal Pillar of the Reformation, as to the managery of the politick and prudential part thereof being of more activity and no less ability than Cranmer himself. Martin Bucer dedicated unto him his Comment on the Gospels'; yea, this Bishop wrote many Books, whereof that "De differentia utriusque Potestatis' was his master-piece. He

was employed by the King on several Embassies into France and Germany; and died, to the great loss of God's Church, May 8, 1538."

The

Of Fox's birth and parentage we can give no particulars. He was, no doubt, born in the last decade of the fifteenth century. The parish register of Dursley, dating only from 1566, can supply no information of himself or his ancestors. name is common in this county as in other parts of England, and has been borne by many notable characters. Nothing is known of his early life but that after being at Eton he was admitted scholar at King's College, Cambridge, 15th March, 1512. Of this College he became Provost in 1528. Three years later he was made Archdeacon of Leicester, and in 1533 Archdeacon of Dorset. It is as Chief Almoner to Henry VIII., which office, including that of Chaplain, he appears to have filled while holding his other appointments, that he first figures in history. He had been introduced to Court by his uncle; and both Henry and Wolsey seem to have soon discovered qualities in him fitting him for places of trust and the transaction of delicate and difficult affairs.

Towards the end of 1526, Wolsey, who had set himself to effect the divorce of Henry from Catherine, appeared before the King with Longland, Bishop of Lincoln. "Most mighty Prince," said Longland, who was the King's confessor, "You cannot, like Herod, have your brother's wife. I conjure you, as having the care of your soul, to submit the matter to competent judges." "Henry consented," says D'Aubigne, "and perhaps not unwillingly." Fox, Pace, Dean of St. Paul's and Wakefield, Professor of Hebrew at Oxford, were accordingly commissioned to study the passages in Leviticus and Deuteronomy which relate relate to marriage with a brother's wife. The disputed matter was not readily settled. Ecclesiastical conferences were held; foreign bishops were consulted; conflicting opinions were expressed. The King resolved to bring the discussion to an end by an application to Pope Clement for a divorce. The first embassy failed, and

Henry and Wolsey attributing the failure to the ambassadors' want of firmness and skill, fixed upon Fox and Stephen Gardiner for a further attempt. Gardiner was the Cardinal's secretary, and D'Aubigne describes him as "In small the living image of his master." "Edward Fox, the Chief Almoner," he adds, was a moderate influential man, a particular friend of Henry's and a zealous advocate of the divorce. Fox was named first in the commission; but it was agreed that Gardiner should be the real head of the embassy."

66

The Pope, who had but recently escaped from imprisonment under Charles V. of Spain, was at the miserable town of Orvieto, and there the English envoys found him on March 22, 1528. Their mission was but partially successful. Gardiner's boldness and freedom of tongue would have made matters worse but for the discretion of Fox, whose modes of proceeding did not belie his name.1

Having at length obtained a sort of conditional bull addressed to Wolsey, Fox returned to London with the document, while Gardiner remained to carry on further operations if necessary. Fox's return was an event of great moment. The King, Anne Boleyn, Wolsey, and the whole nation were waiting to hear his report. Henry was well pleased, but the Cardinal was not. The Pope's letter was not to his mind; but by a crafty device, to which Fox was a party, he obtained another copy with interpolations which Gardiner managed to foist in. Even this was not sufficient, and the controversy continued on the old lines.

Fox, whether righteously or unrighteously we do not now inquire, was zealous for the divorce, and did all he could to bring it to pass. At length, in a singular way, he was the means of rendering unexpected aid. Wolsey had been introduced to the King by Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester, and now Edward Fox was destined to introduce to the same monarch one whose influence was to be as great as that of the Cardinal, and whose name was to become as widely known.