about a mile from Bawtry in Nottinghamshire. But in the map of Thoroton, Vol. III. of his Antiquities of Nottinghamshire, 4to. Ed. by John Throsby, 1790, it is printed with a mistake of n. for u. Awkley is about five miles North of A. and Scrooby as far South, the latter being in Nottingham. Greater felicity attended some of my inquiries in Devonshire, where a kind friend and most assiduous antiquary, Revd. George Oliver of Exeter, favored me with his own researches and interested another gentleman in similar pursuits. He wrote in September: "On one point I am satisfied, that the parish of Thorncombe was the cradle of the Bowditch family. I have met with Robert Bowditche (who lived there) as one of the overseers of the will of Benedict Colmer of Thorncombe, Devon,, which was made 13th May 1598, and was proved at Honiton 5 Aug❜t. the same year. Sarah Bowditch's will of Thorncombe was proved here in 1686. —I am informed that a Robert Bowditch died Vicar of Broadhembury in 1712, and that the will was proved 18 July that year by his relict and Executrix Anne Bowditch. I have further been informed, that the will of Charlotte Bowditch of Heavitree was proved as late as 1826.

I regret to add, that on the other interesting queries you propose, I cannot at present obtain satisfactory information. But I am not at all discouraged; if I can ferret out any thing to serve your laudable purpose, you may depend on my forwarding it to you at Boston. Every ingenuous mind must be gratified with your investigations; and they are particularly interesting at the present moment when the relations of the two countries approximate so much. The Mother country is much indebted to the Daughter country, but especially for the example she has given her of freedom of discussion and liberty of conscience."

In conformity with his voluntary engagement, that gentleman on 14 Novr. forwards me original memoranda supplied by his correspondent, James Davidson, at Axminster 11 Novr. 1842, to "serve as hints for further investigation, if required: " "BOWDITCH. The name of Bowditch is very common in Axminster and the surrounding parishes, and there is reason to think that it has been in some instances altered to Bowdige, Bowridge and Burridge, all which may

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be met with. John Hody of Beer Hall in Axminster left an only daughter married to Bowditch soon after 1635. Hody was descended from a respectable family at Nithaway in Brixham, of which several individuals are recorded by Lyson p. cc. To trace this family, it would probably be necessary to search the registers of many parishes. Geo. Bowdige of Axminster married Mary daur. of Geo. Warry of Wick in the same parish, and had a daur. Mary married at Musbury on the 24 Septr. 1751 to Jonathan Bilke of Axminster, clothier, and died Jany. 1795. Davy Bowditch was a landholder in Kilmington in 1751.— The name Bowridge appears at Shillingford - Burridge at Tiverton, and at Ottery St. Mary in the beginning of the 17th century. It would be desirable to know, whether any coat of arms has been preserved by the family of Bowditch which might be compared with that on a stone to the memory of several persons of the name of Burridge in the church of Lyme Regis.

CLAP. I find the name Peter Clap, donor of parish lands in St. Sidwells, Exeter, in 1689 at later dates the name may be met with at St. Patricks, and in Goldsmith street, Exeter, at Teignmouth, Okehampton, Bickleigh and Shute, and down to the present time, or nearly so, at South Tawton.

DRAKE. Of the family of Drake, in consequence of their possessions and connexions in this parish and the neighborhood, I have so many notices, that it would fill a little volume to transcribe them. I have pedigrees of the Drakes, knights and baronets of Ash, extending to twelve generations, and comprising not less than one hundred and fifty individuals, among them appear John and Robert Drake, sons of John Drake, Esq. of Exmouth (who was living in 1546) by Margaret, daur. of John Cole of Rill in the parish of Wythycombe Ralegh. John Drake the son was also of Exmouth, and married Julian, daur. and coheir of William Hurst of Exeter, by whom he had issue. Of Robert D. his brother, no further particulars are mentioned, his name only being given in the Herald's Visitation. These were not of the family of the circumnavigator.

GIBBS. The name of Gibbs occurs in several instances prior to 1640, and in many subsequent to that date. John

Gibbs was witness to a deed at Modbury in 1464-John Gibbs witness to a deed of Edw. Courtenay in 1475 — Robert Gibbs Vicar of Axmouth in 1597- Gibbes of Fenton in the parish of Rattery sold his estates and removed about the time of Q. Eliz'h. - Canonteign in this county belonged to W. Gibbs about 1600. John Gibbs was donor of money to the poor of Dunchidcock in 1624. William Gibbs of Fenton sold Manworthy in Holsworthy to Hurst of Exeter. William Gibbs sold Boterford in North Huish to Prestwood of Exeter. In the pedigree of Drewe of Newton St. Cyres, Edmond D. married the daughter of Gibbs, and had an only daur. and heir, Mary, marrried 1st to Northcote, and 2dly to Sir E. Giles. In the church of Clist St. George are monuments to John Gibbs in 1652, aged 82, and Anstice his wife. George Gibbs 1683 aged 81, George Gibbs 1723, who was donor of lands to the poor of that parish in 1721. If a coat of arms has been preserved, it might assist in tracing the connections of the family for whom inquiry is made with one or other of the foregoing. The name appears at subsequent dates at Exeter, among the inscribed stones in the Cathedral churchBrixham Georgeham-Ottery St. Mary - Topsham Thorncombe-Axminster. In the church of St. Mary Arches at Exeter are gravestones to the ancestors of the late Chief Justice Sir Vicary Gibbs-John G. Esq. 1726 -J. Gibbs Esq. 1746 &c.

HARVARD. If this name were originally Harward, it may be connected with the family which still remains, as it has done for more than three centuries, at Hayne in the parish of Plymtree. Here again a coat of arms would be of service. I find no mention of Harvard.

LUDLOW. Of this name I find no trace.

MAVERICK. Radford Maverick was Vicar of Ilsington in 1603. Radford Maverick, Rector of Trusham between 1586 and 1616. The registers of these parishes may possibly contribute some information.

PARSONS. I meet with this name in the following instances. Polwhele mentions Parsons among the celebrated medical men of Devon. Lysons mentions among the natives of Plymouth Mrs. Parsons, author of above 60 volumes of novels. Elizabeth Parsons was a tenant under

the manor of East Membury in 1605.-Parsons under master of Tiverton school 1633. In Exeter cathedral church are stones inscribed to Grace, daur. of Thomas Irish, priest vicar in that church, and wife of Robert Parsons, died 1645, and Robert Parsons who died in 1676 — In Colyton church, Henry Parsons, died 1653 - Mary P. his wife, died 1666-Sarah, wife of Thomas Parsons, died 1690. Among the donors of money to the poor of the parish of Culmstock appears John Parsons of Sanford Arundel in the Co. of Somerset, merchant in Portugal before 1674. John & Mary Parsons were donors of lands to the poor of the parish of Clayhiddon in 1693. Azariah Parsons of Peter's Tavy in the Co. of Devon was among the Royalists who compounded for their estates during the Usurpation in the 17th century - Robert Parsons Rector of Rewe in 1668. In 1732 Thomas Parsons was a freeholder in Kilmington. A stone in Tiverton church records John Parsons merchant who died in 1735. John Parsons merchant appears a donor to the charity lands of Tiverton in 1771he had a daur. Mrs. Lewis, whose daughter was the lady of Sir John Duntze, bart. There are several families of this name in humble life in the neighbourhood of Axminster.

ROSSITER. The only instance I find of this name is in the Herald's Visitations for 1561, 1565 and 1620 — thus, William Perye of Westwater in the parish of Mambury Esq. by his wife the daughter of John Fry of the family at Garty had a daughter who was married to *** Rossiter. There is, I think, a family of this name now residing at Tiverton and another at Torquay.

SOUTHCOTT. This family branched out into many parts of Devon, into Essex, and Lincolnshire. In the pedigrees there are many individuals of the name of Thomas, about the middle of the 17th century. Thomas S. Esq. by Thomasine daur. of Kirkham of Blagdon in this county had 3 sons, George, Thomas & Peter. George had a son Thomas, who in 1643 was one of the Commissioners appointed by the Parliament for the sequestration of the estates of the Royalists in Devon. The only two whom I find, of the name of Richard, are the second son of John Southcott of Bovy Tracey living in 1562, and Richard, born 1616, the second son of John Southcott who was the third

son of John S. the eldest son of John S. of Winkleigh in the co. of Devon.

WARHAM. The only place in which I find this name mentioned is in the Revd. G. Oliver's Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Devon, Vol. II. p. 157, William Warham Prebendary in the cathedral church of Exeter in 1536."

Mr. Oliver subjoins: "The above is the handwriting of Mr. Davidson, a diligent Antiquary. I am perfectly satisfied, however, that the Bowditchs were settled at Holdiche in Thorncombe Parish at an early period. In their house was a chapel licensed in honor of St. Melor by Bp. Stafford A. D. 1417.

A few days since I was looking at the will of Bernard Prince of Kilmington, near Axminster, Gent. made 23 June 1605 and proved 22 July the same year. He concludes thus: I doe appointe Overseers of this my Testament my good Brothers in Lawe, John Bowdiche and George Bowdiche, Gents. and Thomas Prince the elder, my Brother.

I must repeat my promise not to lose sight of yr inquiries. I cannot sufficiently admire your love of antiquity, and the patriotism of your heraldic researches. To afford any assistance would be to me a pride and pleasure."

Mr. Oliver had, in June, favored me with some information not altogether superseded by the later memoranda of his correspondent, as will appear by these extracts: "Gibbe or Gibbs came originally from Venton or Fenton in Dartington Parish. To Thos. Gybbe & Margaret his wife Dr. Edmund Lacy, Bp. of Exeter on 22 June 1437 licensed a chapel, infra mansionem suam in Dartyngton situatam. In the early part of Q. Elizabeth's reign, the family sold this property, and settled in the Parish of St. George's Clist near Exeter. There I believe the late Surgeon of this City, Geo. Abraham Gibbs was born. He died here 9 Novr. 1794, & was buried in the family vault at George's Clist. You are aware, that he was father to Sir Vicary Gibbs, who was born near Palace Gates, Exeter, and was baptized 12 Novr. 1751 by Revd. Wm. West, the Arian Minister of this City. This eminent lawyer became Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, & dying in Russell Square, London, on 8 Feb. 1820 was buried at Hayes, Kent. Arms of Gibbs, Ar. 3 Battle axes, sable.