of Adlestrop in Gloucestershire, of which family the
Leighs[7] of Stoneleigh were a younger branch. Her father was the Rev.
Thomas Leigh, elected Fellow of All Souls at so early an age that he was
ever after called 'Chick Leigh,' and afterwards Rector of Harpsden, near
Henley.

Both these branches of the Leigh family descended from Sir Thomas Leigh,
Lord Mayor of London, behind whom Queen Elizabeth rode to be proclaimed
at Paul's Cross. He was rich enough and great enough to endow more than
one son with estates; but while the elder line at Adlestrop remained
simple squires, the younger at Stoneleigh rose to a peerage. The latter
branch, however, were now rapidly approaching extinction, while the
former had many vigorous scions. The family records have much to say of
one of the squires--Theophilus (who died in 1724), the husband of Mary
Brydges and the father of twelve children, a strong character, and one
who lived up to fixed, if rather narrow, ideas of duty. We hear of his
old-fashioned dress and elaborate bows and postures, of his affability
to his neighbours, and his just, though somewhat strict, government of
his sons. It is difficult to picture to oneself a set of modern Oxford
men standing patiently after dinner, in the dining-parlour, as
Theophilus's sons did, 'till desired to sit down and drink Church and
King.' Meanwhile, his brother-in-law, the Duke of Chandos (the patron of
Handel), used to send for the daughters to be educated in the splendour
of Canons (his place in Middlesex), and to make such matches as he chose
for them with dowries of L3000 a-piece.

Cassandra's father, Thomas, was the fourth son of Theophilus Leigh. An
older and better known brother was another Theophilus, Master of Balliol
for more than half a century.

The story of his election, in 1727, is remarkable. The Fellows of
Balliol could not agree in the choice of any one of their own body; and
one set, thinking it would be no disadvantage to have a duke's brother
as master, invited their visitor, Dr. Brydges[8], to stand. On his
declining, they brought forward his nephew, Theophilus Leigh, then a
young Fellow of Corpus. The election resulted in a tie, and the visitor
had no qualms of conscience in giving his casting vote to his nephew.
Theophilus proved to be a man 'more[9] famous for his sayings than his
doings, overflowing with puns and witticisms and sharp retorts; but his
most serious joke was his practical one of living much longer