It should be mentioned that in the old registers his Christian name is spelt "Anthony," the omission of the "h" being peculiar to Hawker.
In the records of the Blanchminster Charity in the parish of Stratton (compiled by R. W. Goulding, 1898) the names of several Paynes appear. The following are some of the entries:--
(1603) "Paid to Nicholas Paine for writtinge of the Quindecem booke 8 [_d._]."
By a "Feoffment," dated "12 Jan., 1618-9," Walter Yeo and another make over to William Arundell and others, including Anthony Payne and Nicholas Payne, certain property at Mellhoc and elsewhere.
(Either of these, Anthony or Nicholas, might be the father of the giant.)
In a "Feoffment" dated "20 March, 14 Charles II. (1662)," the names of Nicholas and William Payne appear.
"18 March 1688. Item pd Hugh Payne p Riding to Launceston upon the Report yt (that) the ffrench were landed 00 02 06."
"After the Stockwardens' account for 1719 there is a statement by Anthony Payne," etc.
(This Anthony Payne might be a son of the giant.)
The flagon which contained the giant's allowance of liquor is mentioned by Hawker in a private letter. He says--
"It is now safe in its usual place under my Escritoire.... The Bottle itself is Antony Payne's Allowance which used to be filled for him every morning at Stowe, and as I measured it last week and found it Six Quarts it ought to have sufficed him."
From "Collectanea Cornubiensia," by G. C. Boase (1890), we get the following details as to the portrait of Anthony Payne. In August, 1888, the collection of antiquities at Trematon Castle, near Saltash, was sold by auction on behalf of the executors of Admiral Tucker. One of the lots was the portrait of Payne, and it was sold to a Plymouth dealer for about £4. Through the good offices of Major Parkyn of Truro, Mr. Harvey, on February 12th, 1889, purchased the picture from Skardon & Sons of Plymouth, and presented it to the Royal Institution of Cornwall at Truro.
[The Editor will be very glad to hear from any reader who may be able to supply further information about Anthony Payne, his birth, life, will, etc., that could be added to a future edition of this book.]
Hals states that Sir Thomas Grenvile (_temp._ Henry VI.) was the first of the family who resided at Stowe, but Bishop Brantyngham licensed a chapel there for Sir John de Grenvile on August 30th, 1386, and Henry de Grenvile was buried at Kilkhampton about 1327, and the inquisition after his death was taken there, and I believe that Henry de Grenvile was the first to reside regularly at Stowe. His father, Bartholomew, constantly signed deeds at Bideford, and Bishop Stapledon granted him a license for the celebration of divine service "in capellâ suâ de Bydeford." So that I think it is safe to say that the Grenviles resided at Stowe from at least the reign of Edward III.