I send you a Note and a Query respecting the same person. Many years since,
I passed a few days in one of the wildest spots in the south of
England--Hawkley, in the neighbourhood of Selbourne. On a visit to the
church of Emshott or Empshot, I heard that the screen had been presented by
a Captain Farre, whose memory was in some way connected with the days of
the republic; and on farther inquiry tradition, it appeared, had come to
the conclusion that Farre had been one of the regicides who had retired
into the neighbourhood, and lived and died there in a sort of concealment.
I found out, also, the house in which he had lived: a pretty modest
cottage, in which a small farmer resided. I was struck, on approaching it,
by the beauty of the brick-work of the little porch, which appeared to have
been an addition to the original building. On entering the cottage, I found
that the kitchen and bed-room only were occupied by the family; the _one
room_, which _had been_ the sitting-room, being used as a granary. The
ceiling of this room was ponderous, with a deep rich sunken panelling. The
little porch-entrance and the ceiling of this room were so out of character
with the cottage, and indeed with all around, that I caused search to be
made in the Registers of the parish to see if I could find some trace of
this Captain Farre; and I now send you the result. There was no regicide of
that name; but Col. Phaer was one of those to whom the warrant for the
execution of Charles was addressed: and he certainly was not one of the
twenty-nine subsequently tried for the high treason as it was called. What
became of him I know not. Whether he reappeared here as Capt. Farre, or who
Capt. Farre was, I shall leave to the speculation of the better informed.
There were many Farrs and Phaers _out_ in the great Revolution, and the
name is sometimes spelt one way, sometimes the other. Empshot, under Nore
Hill or Noah Hill, was certainly an excellent place for concealment. The
neighbourhood was, and is, as White said, "famous for its oaks, and
infamous for its roads."
_Extracts from the Parish Registers._
"_Captaine Farre of Nore_, when our church was repaired, gave the new
silke cushion and pullpit cloath, which was first used on Christmas
Day, Anno Domini 1664."
"1683, Feb. 5. Anne Baker, kinswoman of _Capt. Farre_, was buried, and
that very day the moone was new, and the snow thawed; and the frost
broke, which had lasted from Nov. 26, 1683, to that day, which is 10
weeks. The ponds were frozen 2 feet, and that little water which was,
was not sweet; the very grave wherein she was buried in the church was
froze almost 2 feet over, and our cattel were in a bad case, and we
fared worse: and, just in our extremity, God had pitty on us, and sent
a gracious raine and thaw. She was buried in linnen; and paid 50s. to
the poore, and 6s. 8d. for being buried in the church."
"1685, April 1. Mrs. Farre was buried in linnen, and p^d 50s. to the
poore."
"1694. John, son of Mr. John Palmer and Elizabeth his wife, was born
Tuesday, May the 1st, and baptized at home May the 11th; y^e _Captaine_
died Thursday last, y^e day before."
"An Account of the Briefe for the Relief of the French Protestants,
read May 16th, at Newton, 1686.
_At Noare in Newton._
_Capt. Mr. Robert Farre_ gave 1 lib. for himself, and his kinswoman
Mrs. Elizabeth Farre.
His man Roger 1s.
His maid Anna 6d."
"Gathered towards the relief of the French Protestants, May 11, 1688;
_Captain Far_ and Mrs. Elizabeth Far, 5s."