[Footnote 55: The flute of Purcell's day was blown at the extreme end like a flageolet, the modern _flauto traverso_ was unknown.] [Footnote 56: Stafford Smith's _Collection of English Songs_, 1779.] PURCELL'S FAMILY. In the foregoing pages I have spoken of Purcell's father and uncle, but made no mention of his ancestry. Nothing absolutely certain is known of them. Various surmises have been made from time to time, and as the name of Purcel had been common in Ireland for some centuries,[57] people have endeavoured to trace the composer's family in that country, but no reason or evidence has as yet been found for supposing that Purcell inherited Celtic blood. The national archives preserved at Somerset House furnish material for speculation in this matter; the following wills may very probably have been made by some of the great composer's ancestors:-- "Will proved 1547-8 (fo: 3 Populwell). DAVJD FYSSHER of Salopp Sherman-- to my Kynsman Nicholas pursell to John pursell of Marten, Vᴸᴵ. to George pursell, Vᴸᴵ. to Thomas purshell, Nicholas sonne, Vᴸᴵ. to Roger Calcott of Buttington, Viijˢ." JOHN FYSSHER, gentᴺ of Hen. VII., Hen. VIII., and Edw. VI. chapels-- 'to my Cosyn,[58] John Pursell, XXˢ sterling, all my londes in Clevedon and Clopton: ... Countie of Somers nye to Bristowe;' to brother David Fyssher of Shrewsbury for life and after to Cosyn Nicholas pursell and heirs for ever." The parish registers of St. Margaret's, Westminster, contain occasional mention of the name of Pursell or Purcell, the earliest being 1575; but whether the records before 1658 refer to members of the composer's family it has not been possible to determine. Purcell's mother died in August, 1699, having survived her son nearly four years; her burial is recorded in the books of St. Margaret's, Westminster, thus:--"Mrs. Elizᵗʰ Pursell, Ch.[59] August 26, 1699;" her estate was "administered to" on the 7th of the following September by her daughter Katherine, who had been baptized in Westminster Abbey on the 13th of March, 1662. This younger sister of Purcell was married on the 20th June, 1691, to the Rev. William Sale, of Sheldwich, Kent. Purcell had two brothers, Edward and Daniel: the former was born in 1653. The story of his life is briefly told in the inscription placed on his gravestone in the chancel of Wytham Church, near Oxford: