Page:History of Norfolk 5.djvu/184

 Robert Frosdit or Frosdike'' was presented by Robert Eusing, Gent. and John Simond, chaplain, by grant from Sir ''Tho. Clere'', Knt. About
 * 1556, Sir Robert Poynter had it; at his death in 1562, Edw. Clere, Esq. gave it to
 * Thomas Bunting; at his death in 1574, Tho. Paris, Gent. presented
 * Will. Mellinge, on whose resignation in 1577, Sir Edward Clere gave it to
 * George Gurnay, who in 1603 returned answer, that here were 120 communicants. In
 * 1618, John Taylor; he held it united to Thugurton, and was presented by Thomas Palgrave of Pulham, who had it of the gift of Sir Thomas Knevet of Ashwell-thorp, Knt. and he in 1589, had the turn of Eliz. Trevor, who had it of Sir Edw. Clere. In 1643, John Taylor, senior, clerk, gave it to
 * Daniel Colby, who resigned the same year, and Taylor, senior, gave it to
 * John Taylor, junior. In 1660, Bobert Baldock, Esq. presented
 * Will. Smithies, who resigned in 1671, and then the said Robert, by the name of Sir Robert Baldock, Knt. gave it to
 * John Baldock, who resigned and took Redgrave in 1681, and Richard Kerrington had it of the gift of Robert Baldock, Knt. serjeant at law, who was deprived for not taking the oath to Will. III. and in 1690, Sir Robert gave it to
 * Charles Ward, afterwards rector of Mileham, who held it united to Hockering; he resigned in 1705, and
 * Horace Towneshend had it, of the gift of George and Mary Towneshend; at whose death in
 * 1706, the Rev. Mr. Thomas Townshend, the present rector, who holds it with Shipdham, was collated by lapse.

The advowson was sold from the manor by Sir Henry Clere, and was after purchased by Sir Robert Baldock, who descended from an ancient family of that name in this county, for Richard Baldock of Neketon owned a good estate there in 1263; in 1683, the said Robert was appointed King's serjeant by patent, and being an active man in King James the Second's time, he was one of the King's council at the trial of the seven Bishops in 1688, in which cause, showing much zeal, he was the same year made one of the justices of the King's Bench, in the room of Sir John Powell, Knt. who was turned out for maintaining, that the Bishops petition to the King could not be a libel; because it was founded upon the King's incapacity to dispense laws; which was very true: he had two wives, first Mary Bacon; 2d, the relict of Sir William Hewet of Breccles; by the first he had two children, Henry his only son, who died without issue, soon after his father, and left his only sister Mary, then wife of George Towneshend of Little-Wrotham, Esq. his sole heiress, whose only surviving son is the present rector. Sir Rob. Baldock aforesaid built a house opposite to the south part of the churchyard, which