The following are two items, as they appear, from the REGISTER OF EXETER COLLEGE, one of the various residential colleges of Oxford University. “John Batt, Dev. 1567, vac. By absense 1579; B.A. 24 Nov. 1570, M.A. 27 June 1573. Robert Carpenter, Sar. 1568, removed 30 June 1579 for absense in Ireland; B.A. 22 Nov. 1571, M.A. 18 June 1575; 10 Nov.1575 allowed leave of absence for 4 years to teach in a school or the like, because of his poverty.” The expression “because of his poverty” has to be seen in historical context, of a widespread economic downturn in Wilts, resulting in the financial ruin and deprivation of many of the best area families. John Batt and Robert Carpenter appear side by side in other Exeter documents suggestion friendship association in a social setting of a limited number of scholars. During a bad year of the plague Robert Carpenter ran Exeter College. The identity of a John Batt from Devizes is well established in Wiltshire history. He was a member of a very prominent cloth making family whose members were mayor of the city. Their tax rates were at the same rate as local gentry (A History of Wiltshire, Oxford, vol.10, pp. 253-255). There must be some connection between the Devises Batts and the Salisbury Batts. Someone might help with this. The interesting thing here is Robert Carpenter from Sarum, whose dates exactly match the traditional Robert Carpenter, grandfather of Rehoboth William Carpenter. An Oxford M.A. and sheep farming are by no means incompatible in late 1500s Wilts. Remember that Rehoboth William goes to America with a good quantity of books. Odd for a house carpenter. Along with Robert at Exeter was another Carpenter, but no given name. He seems to have been an undergraduate. Providence Williams father was also an Exeter man, at a later date. His identity is without question because Susan Traveleyan is mentioned. He had four different degrees, including a doctorate! This Richard Carpenter was a minister among other things. See my “For Prov. Carpenters” letter. If this Robert Carpenter were the one from our Rehoboth line, it would be interesting if we knew more about his father. Where was he thought to live? Sincerely, Bruce Carpenter