In 1852 a curious manuscript volume, bound in vellum, and entitled “Liber Talboti Pepys de instrumentis ad Feoda pertinentibus exemplificatis,” was discovered in an old chest in the parish church of Bolney, Sussex, by the vicar, the Rev. John Dale, who delivered it to Henry Pepys, Bishop of Worcester, and the book is still in the possession of the family.  This volume contains various genealogical entries, and among them are references to the Thomas Pepys of 1434 mentioned above, and to the later William Pepys.  The reference to the latter runs thus:—­

     “A Noate written out of an ould Booke of my uncle William Pepys.”

“William Pepys, who died at Cottenham, 10 H. 8, was brought up by the Abbat of Crowland, in Huntingdonshire, and he was borne in Dunbar, in Scotland, a gentleman, whom the said Abbat did make his Bayliffe of all his lands in Cambridgeshire, and placed him in Cottenham, which William aforesaid had three sonnes, Thomas, John, and William, to whom Margaret was mother naturallie, all of whom left issue.”

In illustration of this entry we may refer to the Diary of June 12th, 1667, where it is written that Roger Pepys told Samuel that “we did certainly come out of Scotland with the Abbot of Crowland.”  The references to various members of the family settled in Cottenham and elsewhere, at an early date already alluded to, seem to show that there is little foundation for this very positive statement.

With regard to the standing of the family, Mr. Walter Pepys writes:—­

“The first of the name in 1273 were evidently but small copyholders.  Within 150 years (1420) three or four of the name had entered the priesthood, and others had become connected with the monastery of Croyland as bailiffs, &c.  In 250 years (1520) there were certainly two families:  one at Cottenham, co.  Cambridge, and another at Braintree, co.  Essex, in comfortable circumstances as yeomen farmers.  Within fifty years more (1563), one of the family, Thomas, of Southcreeke, co.  Norfolk, had entered the ranks of the gentry sufficiently to have his coat-of-arms recognized by the Herald Cooke, who conducted the Visitation of Norfolk in that year.  From that date the majority of the family have been in good circumstances, with perhaps more than the average of its members taking up public positions.”

There is a very general notion that Samuel Pepys was of plebeian birth because his father followed the trade of a tailor, and his own remark, “But I believe indeed our family were never considerable,”—­[February 10th, 1661-62.] has been brought forward in corroboration of this view, but nothing can possibly be more erroneous, and there can be no doubt that the Diarist was really proud of his descent.  This may be seen from the inscription on one of his book-plates, where he is stated to be:—­

     “Samuel Pepys of Brampton in Huntingdonshire, Esq., Secretary of the
     Admiralty to his Matr.  King Charles the Second:  Descended from ye
     antient family of Pepys of Cottenham in Cambridgeshire.”