Aspeden
by Sir Henry Chauncy Vol I pages 240 to 252 first published in 1700
Street to see the Masque pass by, and when all were gone, they, with all their noble Train, came to the Hall, where the Masque began, and was incomparably performed in the Dancing, Speeches, Musick, and Scenes; the Dances, Figures, Properties, the Voices, Instruments, Songs, Aires, Composures; the Words and Actions were all of them exact, and none of them failed in their Parts; and the Scenes were most curious and costly.
The Queen did the Honour to some of the Masquers to dance with them, and did judge them as good Dancers as ever she saw, and the great Ladies were very free and civil in Dancing with all the Masquers, as they were taken out by them.
Thus they continued in their Sports till it was almost Morning; then the Lord Mayor entertained the King and Queen, the Lords and Ladies, and the Masquers, and Inns of Court Gentlemen with a noble and stately Banquet; and after that was dispersed, every one departed to their Homes.
This gave great Satisfaction to their Majesties, and no less to the Citizens,; especially those of the younger Sort, and the female Sex; it redounded much to the great Honour of Sir Ralph Freman, the then Lord Mayor of London; but shortly after he died, leaving Issue only one Daughter, Jane, who married Sir George Sands, of Lees Court in Kent, Bar. since created Earl of Feversham.
Upon the Death of William, the elder Brother, this Mannor descended, according to the Settlement, to Ralph his only Son, who married Mary; Daughter to Sir William Hewyt, Kt. by whom he had Issue seven Sons, Ralph, William, Thomas, Henry, John, Charles, Robert; and five Daughters, Elizabeth, married to the Honourable William Montague, Esq. younger Son of Edward Lord Montague of Boughton, and sometime Lord Chief Baron of his Majesty's Court of Exchequer: Mary, married to William Barbour of Aldebury, in the County of Oxford, Esq.; Anne, married to George Pyke of Meldred, in the County of Cambridge, Esq.; Margaret died single; Susan, married to Sir Peter Soame of Heydon, in the County of Essex Bart, whereof Thomas, Henry, John, Charles, and Margaret died in his Life-time. Anno 1636, 12 Car. I. he was constituted High Sheriff, was sometime Justice of the Peace for this County, and died on the 28th of July, 1665. He was of a middle Stature, somewhat corpulent, stern in Aspect, but pleasant in Discourse; temperate in his Diet, but hospitable in his House; grave in his Deportment, yet merry in Company: He had a general Knowledge in the Affairs of the Country; and in his younger Days manag'd them with great Moderation and Discretion; but in the time of Rebellion did quit all public Imployments, affected a retired Life, and pleased himself with the Conversation of his Children. He made his House neat, his Gardens pleasant, his Groves delicious, his Children chearful, his Servants easie, and kept excellent Order in his Family: He had a general insight in Architecture and Husbandry; was very kind to his Relations, charitable to the Poor and compassionate to the afflicted. He was very devout in all his Acts of Religion, till the Pains of the Stone and Gout shortened his Days; and the Contemplations of Heaven made Death more easie, and his Passage to Glory more tollerable to him. He bare Azure, three Lozenges Argent; Crest on a Wreath a Demi Lyon rampant Gules, charged on the Shoulder with a Lozenge Argent.
Ralph Freman, his eldest Son, succeeded him, is a Justice of the Peace, a Deputy Lieutenant, and has served for this County in two Parliaments, one held in the Year of 1 Jac. II. the other Anno 2 Will. & Maria: He married Elizabeth the youngest Daughter of Sir John Aubery, of Llanthrithred in the County of Glamorgan, Bar. by whom he has Issue Ralph, William, and Aubery; Elizabeth, mar¬ried to Robert Elwis of Throcking, Esq. Margaret, and Mary. He has cased and adorned this Mannor House with Brick, beautified the Gardens with delicious Greens, the Grove with pleasant Walks, and made all things neat and curious to the Spectator.
This Rectory, Anno 26 Hen. VIII. was valued in the King's Books at 15l. 5s. 2d. per Annum, whereof Ralph Freman, Esq. is the Patron thereof.
RECTORS.
James Taylor, D.D. one of the Prebendaries of the Church of Ely.
Richard Taylor, M.A.
Henry Taylor, M.A.
John Taylor, M.A.
Daniel Price, Dean of St. Asaph Cathedral Church, the present Rector.
This Church is erected upon the side of a Hill, near the Mannor-house, in the Deanery of Baldock, in the Diocess of Lincoln; whereof the Chancel and Tower are covered with Tyle; and at the West End of the Church a square Tower is erected, where hangs a small Ring of five Bells, with a short Shaft or Spire built upon it.
In the little Chappel several Grace-stones and Monuments have these Inscriptions.
…. for Robert Clifford, late Knight for the Body to the most excellent Prince King Henry the Seventh. and Master of his Ordinance; also …….Of Dame Elizabeth, late Wife of Sir Ralph Joceline, Kt. which Sir Robert Clifford was the third Son of Thomas Lord Clifford, and the said Robert deceased the 15th. day of March, in the 23d. Year of the Reign of King Henry the Seventh; and the said Dame Elizabeth deceased the
--- day of --- in the Year of our Lord, 15--
Another Monument in the Wall.
Sacred To the Memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Freman, Widow, eldest Daughter of John Crowch of Corneybury; her first Husband was Matthew Flyer of
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