-.-J . { -J I Devom NaUs and Qumes. 93 as Sheriff, as the King knighted him at Ford Abbey, at the then extreme limit of Devon. Presumably when the Sheriff knelt to pay his adieus he arose the first Sir Simon Leach. Aoiong the Sherifi*s many men that for thirteen days ^'roud" with him was probably his son Walter. Walter must have pleased the King in some way, for he was in turn knighted at Whitehall the following year, where doubtless he had gone at His Majesty's invitation. Altogether it was a lucky visit for the Leach family, and while it helped them upwards in the world, it gave the King
- ^ strenuus assert ors ** in the dark days that were coming.
Thomas Roberts knew the family well, and mentions else- where in his Diary, reports he had heard in their house. The Rev. Roger Granville draws my attention to the fol- lowing extract from a letter of Dennis Grenvile in the Granville History. Dennis was a younger brother of Bridget, who married Simon Leach the **assertor strenuus" of the tomb, the son of the foregoing Walter. Like his elder brother John, Dennis Grenvile sometimes **datted his lettars" from the good house at Cadeleigh. At the date of the letter following, Dennis was not in orders, but ultimately he became the non-juring Dean of Durham. He is writing to Mr. George Trosse a college friend, afterwards a Minister of the Gospel in Exeter, probably a relation of Henry Trosse the friend and Executor of Simon's grandfather. Simon had died on the 25th of the previous month. Cadeleis^h, July 28, 1660. Dear Friend, I had according to my promise written to you before this time had I gotten into Devonshire as soon as I imagin'd I should. I met with an obstacle in my journey down, which oblig'd me to go towai'ds London, thence upon the sad occasion which I believe you have heard of long ere this. I mean the loss of my brother Leache, who is so much lamented in these parts as any man hath been these many years. And truly, I think, very justly, having great ground to conclude that God hath sanctified his dispensations towards him unto his soul by several passages before and since his death, and that he would have prov'd a great instrument of God's glory and of good unto his country, had it been the Will of God to have granted him a long life. But, blessed be God, howsoever he dis- poseth of us, for His dealings with us are for the best, tho' they appear to us otherwise. . ." Arthur Fisher. 67. Sir Simon Leach of Cadeleigh. — I have been much interested in the notes in the recent issues of DivoH Notes and Queries on the monument to Sir Simon
