Transcript

of

Edward Drew’s Sword.

Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries vol. IX, (January 1916 to January 1917), p. 37.

by

W. U. Reynell-Upham

Prepared by Michael Steer

Edward Drew (c.1542–1598)[2] of Killerton, Broadclyst and The Grange, Broadhembury, Devon, was a Serjeant-at-Law to Queen Elizabeth I. He served as a Member of Parliament for Lyme Regis in 1584, twice for Exeter in 1586 and 1588 and in 1592 for the City of London. He occupied the honourable position of Recorder of the City of London. He was the eldest son of Thomas Drew (b. 1519), by his wife Eleanora Huckmore, a daughter and co-heiress of William Huckmore of Devon, and appears to have been born at the family seat of Sharpham, in the parish of Ashprington, near Totnes. His death on 22 April 1598 appears to have been sudden, and is ascribed by John Chamberlain, in a letter dated 4 May 1598, to gaol fever caught while riding the northern circuit with Mr. Justice Beaumont, who also died on the same day. He was buried in the parish church of St John, Broadclyst in which a sumptuous monument remains in the south aisle, erected to his and his wife's memory in 1622, with a Latin inscription in prose and verse. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. This extract, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive.  These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Note 36. Edward Drew's Sword (VII., p. 86, par. 61; p, 115, par. 91). -  Whatever the mystery respecting the fate of Edward Drew, the disposal of his sword is recorded as follows, in the Act Book of the Chamber of Exeter for the period 3 Oct., 1611 to 1 Ap., 1634, No. H. H. 1. 7, under "ffynes & escheates, folio 14 and date ix. June Ao Jac X : -

And they agree whereas a swoorde of Edward Drewe gen. did belonge unto the citty by meanes that the saide Edwarde did slai & kill Willm. Peter gent, this howse doth geeve & bestowe the said sword unto Mr. Recorder also the same belongeth unto them as felons goodes." 
(Mayor's Court Act Book). 

W. U. Reynell-Upham.