Hewels had ever been heard of in Devon, as all the village knew
very well; wherefore they regarded the Hewels with a mixture of
good-natured contempt and kindly tolerance. The contempt was because
Hewelscourt had been built within the memory of living man, and only
two generations of Hewels born therein; the tolerance because the
present owner, though not a wealthy man, was as liberal in his
dealings as their squire was the reverse.

* * * * *

In the reign of Charles I., one Peter Crewys, an adventurous younger
son of this obscure but ancient Devonshire family, had gained local
notoriety by raising a troop of enthusiastic yeomen for his Majesty's
service; subsequently his own reckless personal gallantry won wider
recognition in many an affray with the parliamentary troops; and on
the death of his royal master, Peter Crewys was forced to fly the
country. He joined King Charles II. in his exile, whilst his prudent
elder brother severed all connection with him, denounced him as a
swashbuckler, and made his own peace with the Commonwealth.

The Restoration, however, caused Farmer Timothy to welcome his
relative home in the warmest manner, and the brothers were not only
reconciled in their old age, but the elder made haste to transfer
the ownership of Barracombe to the younger, in terror lest his own
disloyalty should be rewarded by confiscation of the family acres.

A careless but not ungrateful monarch, rejoicing doubtless to see his
faithful soldier and servant so well provided for, bestowed on him a
baronetcy, a portrait by Vandyck of the late king, his father, and the
promise of a handsome sum of money, for the payment of which the