• General Notes

  Bray D'Oyly, of Adderbury, co. Oxford, the eldest son, was born before 1634, and in 1656 succeeded his father in the manors of Browne's and St. Amond's in Adderbury and Milton ; thence residing in the family mansion at Adderbury. But Bray D'Oyly was ill qualified to represent a proud and ancient family; for, like his relative Nathaniel Weston, he became a convert to Quakerism; and further, as soon as ever his father was laid in the grave, severed, not only himself, but his estates of St. Amond's and Browne's from the rest of his family; and suffering a common recovery thereof, by indenture of bargain and sale enrolled, dated April 1657, conveyed a considerable portion to Barnabas Horseman of Banbury, to such uses as suited his wishes. [607] — Bray D'Oyly was not merely a staunch Quaker, but one of the most persecuted amongst the early members of that sect. He engaged, too, in the lengthy doctrinal controversy, in defence of his new faith, with his neighbour, William Fiennes, Lord Saye and Sele; who, though himself an extreme Puritan, and a notorious enemy to the Established Church, spared no endeavour to persecute the Quakers.[608] Some of the pamphlets which passed between them are enumerated in Beesley's History of Banbury. Bray D'Oyly's property too being considerable, increased the persecution against him. In 1661 he was prosecuted in the Hundred Court for non-payment of tithes, and was certainly most arbitrarily and unjustly treated.[609] In 1662 he was heavily fined for attending meetings: as also in 1670 and 1674.[610] Meanwhile his estates being unfettered, Bray D'Oyly gave the Quakers their meeting-house at Adderbury, with land attached,[611] being the building in which they still assemble. He died s.p. in the summer of 1696, and was buried 2d July 1696, at Adderbury.[612] He left a will, bequeathing his brother Edmond an annuity, (on condition that he would not be troublesome to Anne, the testator's relict,) and also a widow the said Anne (of what family is unknown), who possessed the said will in 1701, and having a pretty jointure settled on her by Bray D'Oyly, married, secondly, Jan. 1698-9, at South Newton (marriage registered in the Quakers' Registry at Adderbury), John Toovey of Henley-on-Thames, co. Oxon., doubtlessly a Quaker, but of a respectable family in Bucks and Oxfordshire, which was entitled to bear for arms, "Per fesse or and gules, a wivern with wings elevated counterchanged." On Bray D'Oyly's decease his Quakeress nieces succeeded to Browne's and St. Amond's; but the male representation of the family devolved on his brother,

Details of Bray's family with Anne