I found the below entry on the Internet when searching for "Rye and Hugenots" as I have a hunch, as do others that the Paine's may well have come over from France. I have got back to 1690, so thanks to those of you who have helped me and I shall be depositing a copy of the family tree booklet with The Woodchurch Museum in Kent as the family hailed from that area and the museum offers a safe storage place for the work. Rye and Winchelsea became part of the expanded Cinq Ports & Two Ancient Towns in 1336 but this did not stop a major French raid in 1377, as a result of which the townsfolk hanged and quartered their officials for negligence. The town also became a refuge for Hugenots who brought weaving skills. -- Internal Virus Database is out-of-date. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.8/718 - Release Date: 11/03/2007 09:27