pport was
extremely valuable to William of Orange when he arrived in England.
Unfortunately, few of Sir Edward's papers, or papers referring to him,
are now to be found. A long and carefully balanced epitaph in Maiden
Bradley Church describes him as

A MAN OF SUCH ENDOWMENTS
AS ADDED LUSTRE TO HIS WHOLE ANCESTRY,
COMMANDED REVERENCE FROM HIS CONTEMPORARIES,
AND STANDS THE FINEST PATTERN TO POSTERITY.

* * * * *

THE SENATE, THE BULWARK OF THE ENGLISH LIBERTY,
IN WHICH HE PRESIDED FOR SEVERAL YEARS,
FOUND HIS ELOQUENCE AN ADVOCATE,
HIS INTEGRITY A GUARDIAN,
HIS VIGOUR A CHAMPION FOR ITS PRIVILEGES.

About five miles north-east of Berry Pomeroy stands Compton Castle, and
there is a tradition that they were once connected by a subterranean
passage. Compton is a very interesting example of a fortified
manor-house, built in the early part of the fifteenth century. It stands
low on the slope of a narrow, winding green valley, and on the west the
hill has been cut back to make room for the walls.

The castle faces east, a garden-plot lies in front, and the foundations
of an ancient wall divide it from the lawn beyond. Close to the central
door stands the base and broken shaft of a stone cross. The picturesque
western front of the castle is gabled and embattled, and a very high
archway is built in the centre of the wall. The colour is difficult to
describe, for the castle is very much overgrown with ivy and a faint
green lichen has crept over the stones in many parts, but the shades
pass from a rich cream colour to a soft grey. A very marked feature is
'the great number of projections carried on machicoulis, through the
openings of which stones and other missiles could be thrown on the heads
of assailants.' Both the chief doorway and a postern gate to the south
were defended by portcullises.

On the north side an Early Perpendicular window marks the chapel. The
central doorway opened into the large and almost square guard-room, and
on the north side of this room a pointed doorway leads into the chapel,
which keeps some of its special characteristics. At the east end a
square space is sunk in the wall above the spot where the altar stood,
and in this space the faint traces of a fresco can still just be seen.
In the wall that shuts off the guard-room is a cinquefoiled piscina and
a four-light window, the stonework of which is like that in the east
window, and this window allowed anyone in