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■".' "OLD BRECKNOCK CHIPS.' A Column of Antiquarian Chit-Chat relating to the Uounty of Brecknock, NOTES, QUEKIES, AND REPLIES, on Subjects inter¬ esting to Breconshire, mast be addressed to EDITOK, Brecon County Times, Brecon, lieal names and addresses must be given in confidence, and MSS. must be written legibly, on one side of the paper only. FEIDAY, JUNE 10th, 1887. NOTES. THE WALBEOFFES OF LLANHAM- LACH. Continued from 13th May, 1887. When private interest did all hearts bend, And wild dissents the public peace did rend, Thou neither won, nor worn, wer't still thyself, Nor aw'd by force, nor basely brib'd with pelf. H.V. on C.W., 1653. John Walbieffe, son of the last named Bobert, married Gwladys, daughter of Evan ap John of Scethrog ; he served as High Sheriff in 1591 and died in 1598, leaving a daughter, Jennet, who married Edward Games, of Tregaer (grandson of Edward Games, of Newton), and one son, William Walbieffe, who married Catherine, daughter of John Games, of Aberbran (whose sister Margaret married Sir David Williams, of Gwernyfed : their recumbent figures are on an altar tomb in the Havard Chapel at the Priory.) Two generations later John Wal¬ bieffe, of Llanhamlach, married Margaret, daughter of William Vaughan, of Tretwr, and by this alliance connected the family with the noble house of Somerset, her mother being a grand-daughter of Henry Somerset, Earl of Worcester, and we henceforth find the Somerset names of Henry and Charles in the families of Vaughan and Walbeoffe. John Walbieffe was High Sheriff for Brecknockshire in 1627. His son, Charles Walbeoff, married Mary, daughter of Sir Thomas Awbrey, of Llantriddyd (the second son of Dr. Awbrey, who " being well pro¬ vided, and having married a great fortune," as we have seen in the "Notes," "was not included in the entail,") and was Sheriff in 1648. In these later days we find much interest surrounding this Charles Walbeoff, his memory being preserved in the beautiful poem dedicated to him by his young Cousin and neighbour, Henry Vaughan, the Silurist; —it was published in his " Thalia Bediviva," a volume which is now so rare, that only three copies are known to exist. When Dr. Grosart published his admirable edition of Henry Vaughan's works sixteen years ago, he was under the impression that there was only one copy of the " Thalia " extant, i.e., that in the British Museum, but last year I found another in the rare collection of first editions of 16th and 17th century authors formed at Bowfant by Mr Frederick Locker, and Mr Joseph has another in his unique library of Welsh authors. Charles Walbeoff lived during the times of distress arising from the Civil Wars, and though it does not appear which side he espoused, I am inclined to think he was a Parliamentarian in his sympathies, though, using the power he possessed as a magistrate with wisdom and justice, he did not oppress the weaker party. As poisons by Correction are made antidotes, so thy Just soul did turn ev'n hurtful things to good ; Us'd bad laws so they drew not fears, nor blood. Heaven was thy aime, and thy great, rare design Was not to lord it here, but there to shine. Earth nothing had could tempt thee, all that e're Thou prayd'st for here, was peace and glory there. For though thy course in Time's long progress fell On a sad age, when Warr and open'd Hell Licens'd all artes and sects, and made it free To thrive by fraud and blood and blasphemy : Yet thou thy just inheritance dids't by No sacrilege, nor pillage multiply ; No rapine swell'd thy state : no bribes, nor fees: Our new oppressors' best annuities ; Such clean, pure hands hads't thou t Charles Walbeoff died 13th September, 1653, and was buried in the Chancel at Llanham¬ lach, where aflat stone with raised inscription carved upon it shewed the spot; this, with others, has been removed with great care to the west end of the Church for better preservation. Here we can well imagine his young kinsman coming in the first days of his grief, as he has told us : Now that the publick sorrow doth subside, And those slight tears which Custom springs, are dried; While all the rich and out-side mourners pass Home from thy dust to empty their own glass ; I—who the throng affect not, nor their state:— Steal to thy grave undress'd, to meditate On our sad loss, accompanied by none, An obscure mourner that would weep alone. Henry Vaughan (of whose life so little is known), was then 82 years of age; the shadow of a great sorrow was resting upon him, harrassed by imprisonment and fines, broken down in health, he had left Brecon, where he practised as a doctor, and retired to Newton, in Llansaintfraed, his paternal estate, where he remained until his death in 1695. But crushed as he was in spirit, his admiration of and affection for his Cousin called forth this elegy, from which I have