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THE VALE ROYAL OF ENGLAND.

Thi s Count y Pal at i ne of Chest er , whi ch i n our com-

mon speech i s cal l ed Chest er shi r e, and by cor r upt i on,

mor e shor t , Cheshi r e, l yet h on t he Nor t h West cor ner

of t he Count r ey, whi ch was somet i me under t he Gover n-

ment of t he Ki ngs of Mar ci a : Whose peopl e wer e cal l ed

by t he Romans Devani , t hat i s, bor der i ng on t he Ri ver

Dee. The pr opor t i on t her eof i s al most t hr ee- cor ner ed,

or r at her l i ke t o t he Wi ng of an Eagl e, bei ng st r et ched

f or t h at l engt h. The l ongest l engt h t her eof , i s f r om t he

Wood- Head i n t he East , wher e t he Ri ver of Mar sey

( Mer sey) spr i nget h, unt o t he f ur t hest par t of Wer al l

( Wi r r al l ) i n t he West , ( wher e t he sai d Ri ver f al l et h i nt o

t he Sea) whi ch I f i nd t o be about 44 mi l es, f ol l owi ng t he

cour se of t he Ri ver .

By Nat ur al Sci t uat i on, i t l yet h l ow, never t hel ess ver y

pl easant , and aboundi ng i n pl ent eousness of al l t hi ngs

needf ul and necessar y f or man' s use ; i nsomuch t hat i t

mer i t ed and had t he Name of The Val e- Royal of Eng-

l and : Whi ch Name, Edwar d I . gave unt o t he Abbey of

Val e Royal , whi ch he f ounded upon t he Ri ver of Weever

10

( Weaver ) i n t he mi dst of t he same Shi r e. The ayr i s

ver y whol esome, i nsomuch t hat t he peopl e of t he coun-

t r ey ar e sel dom i nf ect ed wi t h Di seases or Si cknesse,

nei t her do t hey use t he hel p of t he Physi ci ans, not hi ng

so much, as i n ot her count r i es : For when any of t hem

ar e si ck, t hey make hi m a posset , and t ye a ker chi ef f on

hi s head ; and i f t hat wi l l not amend hi m, t hen God be

mer ci f ul t o hi m ! The peopl e t her e l i ve t i l l t hey he ver y

ol d ; some ar e Gr andf at her s, t hei r Fat her s yet l i vi ng ;

and some ar e Gr andf at her s bef or e t hey be mar r i ed.

The count y, al bei t i n most pl aces pl at and even, yet

hat h cer t ai n Hi l l s of Name, as Fr odsham and Peckf or t on

Hi l l s, Congl et on Edge, &c. I t aboundet h al so i n Past ur e,

Meadow, and Wood- l and, and Wat er s i n gr eat st or e, of

whi ch mor e her eaf t er .

The Heat hs or Mosses ar e common, out of whi ch t hey

di g t ur ves i n Summer , ever y man as shal l ser ve hi s t ur n,

t o bur n al l t he year . Mor eover , i n t hese Mosses ar e Fi r -

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t r ees f ound under t he gr ound ( a t hi ng mar vel l ous, ) i i t

some pl aces Si x f oot deep, or mor e ; whi ch t r ees ar e of a

mar vel l ous l engt h, and st r ai ght , havi ng br anches, and

r oot s at t he end, l i ke as t hey had been bl own down wi t h

Weat her ; and yet no man can t el l t hat ever any such

t r ees di d gr ow t her e, nor yet how t hey shoul d come

t hi t her . Some hol d opi ni on t hat t hey have l ai n t her e

ever si nce Noah' s Fl ood.

11

The Past ur e Gr ound i s r eser ved, especi al l y, f or t hei r

Ki ne, f r om whose mi l k t hey make gr eat st or e bot h of

But t er and Cheese : I n pr ai se wher eof , I need not t o say

much, i t bei ng wel l known t hat no Count r ey i n t he Eeal m

may compar e t her ewi t h, nor yet beyond t he Seas; no, not

even Hol l and. Thei r Oxen ar e ver y l ar ge, and bi g of

bone, wi t h f ai r and l ong hor ns ; so t hat a man shal l f i nd

di ver s, whose hor ns at t he t ops ar e mor e t han t hr ee f oot

asunder , one f r om anot her . Of Sheep, Hor ses, &c, t hey

keep but so many as t o ser ve t hei r t ur n : Ther e i s al so

gr eat pl ent y of Har es and Foxes, i n hunt i ng wher eof ,

t he Gent l emen do pass much of t hei r t i me, especi al l y i n

Wi nt er . Wi l d Foul aboundet h t her e i n such st or e, as i n

no ot her Count r ey have I seen t he l i ke ; namel y Wi l d

Geese and Wi l d Ducks ; of whi ch a man shal l see some-

t i mes f l yi ng, near 200 i n one f l ock.

The Soyl of t he Count r ey i s, i n most pl aces, Cl ay,

wi t h her e and t her e vei ns of Sand : Li kewi se Rocks and

Quar r i es of St one. And t o make an end, I must not

f or get t he chi ef est t hi ng of al l , and t hat i s, t he Sal t -

wel l s, or Br i ne- pi t s, out of t he whi ch t hey make year l y

a gr eat quant i t y of f i ne whi t e Sal t ; a si ngul ar commod-

i t y, no doubt , wher ei n t hi s Shi r e excel l et h al l ot her

Count r i es at home, as wel l as beyond t he Seas ; one bei ng

at Nant wi ch, anot her at Nor t hwi ch, and t wo at Mi ddl e-

i vi ch ; of t he whi ch Towns, mor e her eaf t er .

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The peopl e of t he Count r ey ar e of nat ur e ver y gent l e

and cour t eous, r eady t o hel p and f ur t her one anot her :

I n Rel i gi on ver y zeal ous, howbei t somewhat addi ct ed t o

Super st i t i on : Ot her wi se, t hey ar e of t he st omach, st out ,

bol d, and har dy ; wi t hal i mpat i ent of wr ong, and r eady

t o r esi st t he Enemy or St r anger t hat shal l i nvade t hei r

Count r ey : So have t hey been al ways t r ue, f ai t hf ul and

obedi ent t o t hei r Super i or s ; i nsomuch t hat i t cannot be

sai d t hat t hey have at any t i me st i r r ed one spar k of Re-

bel l i on, ei t her agai nst t he Ki ng' s Maj est y, or agai nst

t hei r own pecul i ar Lor d or Gover nour . Li kewi se be t he

women ver y f r i endl y and l ovi ng, i n al l ki nd of Hous-

wi f er y exper t , f r ui t f ul i n bear i ng of Chi l dr en, af t er t hey

be mar r i ed, and somet i mes bef or e. To concl ude : —

Touchi ng t hei r Housekeepi ng, i t i s bount i f ul as any

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Shi r e i n t he Real m ; and I know di ver s men, whi ch ar e

but Far mer s, t hat may compar e t her ei n wi t h a Lor d or

Bar on i n some count r eys beyond t he Seas.

HERE FOLLOWETH THE PARTI CULAR DESCRI PTI ON.

A Descr i pt i on of t he Ci t y and Count y Pal at i ne of

Chest er ; Compi l ed by Mr . Webb, M. A. , and somet i mes

( 1615) Under - Sher i f f t o Si r Ri char d Lee, * of Lee and

Dar nhal l , i n Cheshi r e.

The Count y Pal at i ne of Chest er i s one of t hose Shi r es

once i nhabi t ed by t he peopl e cal l ed Cor navi i . — al bei t t he

' Kui ght ed at Whi t ehal l . Jan. 10t h, 1010.

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Name was ant i ent l y, by t he Saxons, cal l ed Cest r escyr e,

vul gar l y Cheshi r e. I t i s bounded on t he Nor t h, par t l y,

wi t h a Cr eek, shoot i ng i n bet ween Lancashi r e, and Wi r -

r al l Hundr ed, a par t of Cheshi r e ; whi ch Cr eek i s cal l ed

Mer sey ; and par t l y wi t h t he Ri ver of t hat name ; and

upon t he East i s bounded by a Ri ver , whose name I f i nd

t o be Er i oi n ( I r wel l ) Br ook ; t he same bounds t hen de-

cl i ni ng t o t he Sout h- East , bet ween t hi s and St af f or dshi r e,

t i l l i t comes t o t he Sout h, on whi ch si de l i e a par t of

Shr opshi r e, and of Fl i nt shi r e ; f r om whi ch, t ur ni ng

Sout h- West , l i es a pi ece of Denby shi r e, par t ed f r om t hi s

by t he Ri ver of Dee ; and di r ect l y West i s bounded

agai n by Fl i nt shi r e, and by t he Sea i t sel f .

The whol e Shi r e i s di vi ded i nt o Hundr eds, of t he

whi ch t her e ar e seven, vi z : Br oxt on, Nampt wi ch,

Nor t hwi ch, Maxf i el d ( Maccl esf i el d, ) Buckl ow, Eddi s-

bur y, and Wi r r al l . I pl ace t he Hundr ed of Br oxt on

t o be f i r st , because i t bor der s upon t he Ci t y of Chest er ;

To whi ch I hast en wi t h al l speed I can, whi ch as i t i s

t he chi ef pl ace, head, or nament , beaut y, and di gni t y of

t he whol e Count y Pal at i ne i s f i t t o have pr eemi nence i n

our Descr i pt i on.

Br oxt on Hundr ed, l yi ng i n a wedge- l i ke f or m, i s i n

l engt h about 20 mi l es, and i n i t s gr eat est br eadt h 8 or 9

mi l es. At one end t her eof i s Coughal l , an ant i ent De-

mean of t he M assi es of Puddi ngt on, i n Wi r r al l Hun-

1 !

- . ' l i ed, and now Si r Wi l l i am Massi e' s, and sci t uat e upon a

l l i ver or Br ook, whi ch, di vi di ng t hese Hundr eds, f al l et h

i nt o Mer sey : upon whi ch Br ook, f r om Coughal l t owar ds

Chest er , l i es t he Lop of Wer vi n, as al so Pi ct on, t he

Lands of John Hur l est one, Esq. - * next comet h Most on, \

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wi t h t he Townshi p of Upt on al so ; t o whi ch adj oi net h,

upon t he Conf i nes of t he Li ber t i es of t he Ci t y of Chest er ,

a sweet and pl easant demean, cal l ed t he Bai t s, but mor e

vul gar l y t he Bache, J whi ch was once t he Seat of t he

Chaunt r el l s. And t hus am I qui ckl y ar r i ved at t he Ci t y

of Chest er i t sel f .

A DESCRI PTI ON OF CHESTER, THE NAMES AND

FOUNDATI ON THEREOF.

Al t hough f or my par t , I see not any but ver y weak

gr ounds f or t hei r conj ect ur es, who woul d br i ng our Ci t y

of Chest er ' s f oundat i on f r om beyond al l possi bi l i t y of

Recor ds ; yet I wi l l not pr ej udi cat e any i n t hei r sur mi zes,

* Hi s descendant ; J. H. Leche, Esq. of Car den, i s t he pr e-

sent owner .

f Thi s manor now bel ongs t o W. Massey, Esq. whose f at her

pur chased i t i n 1/ 90 f r om t he r epr esent at i ves of I I . Bennet t , Esq.

% Thi s est at e has l at el y passed i nt o t he hands of 13. Hi l l , Esq.

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nor def r aud t hem of t he pr ai ses t hat any shal l t hi nk good

t o best ow upon t hose who have l abour ed i n Col l ect i ons of

t hat ki nd : and so, as f ol l ows : —

The f i r st Name, t hat I f i nd t hi s Ci t y i s supposed t o

have bor n, was Neomagus ; and t hi s t hey der i ve f r om

Magus, t he son of Samot hes, t he son of Japhet , whi ch

Magus was t he f i r st pl ant er of I nhabi t ant s i n t hi s I sl e-

af t er Noah' s Fl oud, and f i r st bui l ded a Ci t y even i n t hi s

pl ace, or neer unt o i t , as i t i s supposed. Thi s conj ect ur e

I f i nd obser ved out of t he l ear ned Kni ght , Si r Thomas

El l i ot t , who sai t h di r ect l y, i n t he Fi r st Vol . of hi s

" Chr oni cl es, " t hat Neomagus st ood wher e Chest er now

st andet h.

Ranul phus, a Monk of Chest er , hat h anot her f ounda-

t i on ( i n a r ude f ashi on) f r om a Gyant , f or soot h, cal l ed'

Leon Gaur e, t he vanqui sher of t he Pi ct s ; and sai t h t hat

af t er war d Lei r , Ki ng of Br i t t ai n, br ought t he Ci t y t o a

mor e pl easant f ashi on of bui l di ng, and t hen named i t

Guer Lei r . * Touchi ng whi ch f oundat i on, I do by so-

much l ess, gi ve appr obat i on, by how much me t hi nks

t hat opi ni on of Mr . Camden most pr obabl e, dr awn f r om-

t he ant i ent Br i t t i sh Language, of whom i t hat h been

cal l ed Caer l egi on, Caer l eon- vaur , &c. ; Whi ch names

ar e der i ved f r om t hat Legi on of t he Romans, cal l ed Vi -

cessi ma Vi ct r i x, f i r st pl aced her e i n t he second Consul -

* or Gaur e Leon.

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shi p of Gal ba. Thus by whom, or howsoever t he same

Ci t y had her f i r st Foundat i on, i t i s mani f est enough, t hat

i t i s exceedi ngl y ant i ent ; and even t he doubt f ul ness

t her eof makes i t of undoubt ed ant i qui t y.

The names t her eof , i ndeed, have been var i abl e, and

di ver se ; but I hol d most aut hent i cal t hat , whi ch t he

Saxons t ook f r om Cast r a, whi ch i n Lat i n si gni f i et h Cas -

t l es or Camps ; f r om whi ch many ot her ci t i es and t owns

al so der i ve a par t of t hei r name. But t hi s our Ci t y, bei ng

t he f i r st Ci t y, made f amous by t hat r enowned Legi on

af or ement i oned, was mor e pr oper l y or especi al l y cal l ed

Cest er , or Chest er , bei ng i ndeed an abbr evi at i on of Lecj e-

cest r i a, t he Ci t y of t he Legi on.

The sci t uat i on of t he Ci t y i s so commendabl e, as t o

make Luci an, a Monk, t hat l i ved neer t he t i me of t he

Nor mans' Conquest , t o wr i t e t hus : " Chest er i s bui l t as

a ci t y, t he si ght wher eof i nvi t et h and al l ur et h t he eye ;

and was, i n t i mes past , a pl ace of r ecei t t o t he Legi ons,

and ser ved suf f i ci ent l y t o keep t he keys, as I may say, of

I r el and, f or t he Romans t o pr eser ve t he l i mi t s of t hei r

Empi r e. "

We f i nd t hat t he same Ci t y hat h had many var i abl e

changes, somet i mes i n f l our i shi ng, and ot her whi l es i n

depr essed condi t i on ; t he t r ut h wher eof wi l l be mani f est -

ed i n t he hi st or y of i t s Wal l s. These af or esai d Wal l s

wer e f i r st bui l t by Mar i us, Ki ng of Br i t t ai n, who r ei gned

17

about A. D. 73. But Edel f i eda, t hat Nobl e Mer ci an

Lady, about t he year 908, gr eat l y r epai r ed and enl ar ged

t hi s Ci t y, maki ng t he Wal l s t her eof anew, and compass -

i ng i n t he Cast l e, whi ch bef or e t hat t i me st ood wi t hout t he

Wal l s : Al l whi ch t hat r el i gi ous Monk, Henr y Br ad-

shai v, t hus expr esset h :

" Ki ng Mar i us, a Br i t t ai n, r ai gni ng i n pr osper i t y

" I n t he West par t of t hi s nobl e Regi on,

" Ampl i f i ed and wal l ed st r ongl y Chest er Ci t y,

" And mi ght i l y f or t i f i ed t he sai d f oundat i on. — * * *

" The Year of Our Lor d, Ni ne hundr ed and ei ght ,

" Thi s Edel f i eda, Dut chess, wi t h mi ckl e r oyal t y

" Reedi f i ed Chest er , and f or t i f i ed i t f ul l r i ght ;

" Al so, she i nl ar ged t hi s ol d Ci t y

" Wi t h new mi ght y Wal l s st r ong al l about ;

" Al most by pr opor t i on doubl e i n quant i t y,

" To t he f ur t her bui l di ng br ought wi t hout doubt ,

" She compassed i n Cast l e — enemy t o hol d out ,

" Wi t hi n t he sai d Wal l s, t o def end t he Town

" Agai nst Dane and Wel shmen, t o dr i ve t hem al l

down. "

To t hi s, l et me now add, f r om t he Doomesday Book of

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Wi l l i am t he Conquer our , t hat " The Ear l es of t he Nor -

man' s Li ne f or t i f i ed t he Ci t y bot h wi t h Wal l s and Cast l e. "

And af t er war ds, when t he Ki ng hi msel f , i n per son, came

t hi t her , " f or t he r e- edi f i cat i on of t he Wal l and t he

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Br i dge, " an edi ct was i ssued, " That out of ever y Hi de

i n t he Count y, one man shoul d come ; and l ook, whose

man came not , hi s Lor d and Mast er was f i ned 40s. , t o

t he Ki ng, and t he Ear l . "

I n Hol l i nshead' s Chr oni cl e, i t i s r ecor ded, t hat " t he

I r i shmen di d make t hei r appear ances, and di d homage

unt o Ki ng Ar t hur at Caer l egi on, now cal l ed Chest er ; "

ahout whi ch t i me, sai t h Fox, t hi s Ci t y was a pl ace of

gr eat account ; and bot h Gr ammar and Phi l osophi c, wi t h

t he Tongues, wer e t her e t aught .

What we f i nd i n Mr . Har di ng' s ol d Chr oni cl e, i s not

t o be omi t t ed, concer ni ng a Par l i ament , wi t h Cor onat i on

of some ki ngs, whi ch set f or t h t he di gni t y of t hi s pl ace ;

t he whi ch t ake i n hi s own wor ds :

" I n t he same year 603* of Chr i st ' s I ncar nat i on

" The Br i t t ai ns al l di d set t hei r Par l i ament

" At Caer l eon, by good i nf or mat i on,

" Caer l egi o Chest er hi ght , as some men meant

" That West chest er i s come of i nt ent ,

" Wher e t hey di d chuse Cadwan t o be t hei r Ki ng

" To def end t hem f r om t he f oes war r i ng.

And af t er war ds, t her e i s l i kewi se ment i oned t he cr owni ng,

A. D. 626, of t he f amous Cadwal , ( son of t he sai d Ki ng

Cadwan, ) at t hi s ci t y, who r ai gned over t he Br i t t ai ns 61

Or , whi c h i s mor e l i k el y , A. D 613. , Cadwan hav i ng r ei gned 13

year s .

19

year s af t er t he deat h of Cadwan. And t hi s Chr oni c l e

sai t h al s o, t hat Ki ng Et hel wal f was c r owned at Wes t -

ches t er , i n t he y ear 839, i n mos t r oy al manner , and

r ai gned 19 y ear s .

I n Pol y c hr oni c on, as wel l as i n al mos t al l t he Wr i t er s

conc er ni ng t he Di gni t y of Ches t er , t he memor y of Ki ng

Edgar ' s pompous s how he made at Ches t er , i n t he 12t h

year of hi s Rai gn, * i s s pec i al l y r ec or ded, when, c omi ng

t hi t her af t er hi s Conques t of Nor t h Wal es , c aus ed hi s

Bar ge t o be r owed by ei ght Ki ngs upon t he Ri v er Dee,

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hi ms el f s i t t i ng at t he hel m.

Ger al dus Cambr ens i s wr i t et h, t hat Ches t er , about t he

t i me of t he Conques t , was es t eemed a pl ac e of gr eat

st r engt h and r ef uge ; i ns omuc h as , Har ol d t he Ki ng,

hav i ng r ec ei v ed many wounds , and l os t hi s l ef t ey e by

st r ok e of an ar r ow, i n t he Bat t ai l wi t h Wi l l i am t he

Conquer our , he f l ed f r om t he f i el d, and went t o Ches t er ,

wher e s ome s ay he l i v ed many y ear s , af t er an hol y l i f e,

as an Anc hor i t e i n t he Cel of St . J ames , neer t o St .

John' s Chur c h, and t her e ended hi s day es : And Pol y -

chr oni c on adds t her et o, t hat when t he deat h of Ki ng

Har ol d was k nown t o Edwi n and Mer c ar i us , - f - Ear l s of

+ A. D. 9/ 1. Ral ph Hi gden adds , t hat Edgar was t hus r owed by

hi s s ubor di nat e pr i nc es , i n pr oof of t hei r f eal t y , f r om hi s pal ac e on

t he Dee t o St . J ohn' s Chur c h.

| Ot her wi s e Mor c ar , who wi t h Edwi n, wer e br ot her s of Queeu

Agat ha, ( or Al gi t ha. )

Mer c i a and Nor t humber l and, t hey t ook Agat ha, Har ol d' s ,

wi f e, and s ent her t o Ches t er f or her gr eat er s af et y and

sec ur i t y ; y et t hi s Hi s t or y be i ndeed doubt ed by s ome

ot her wr i t er s .

Cax t on i n hi s Chr oni c l e of t he Rai gn of Henr y I . ,

r el at et h t hat Henr y t he I V. , Emper our of Al mai ne, mar -

r i ed Maud, t he Ki ng' s Daught er of Engl and ; and t hat

af t er a wi l f ul ex i l e, He and hi s Wi f e bot h di ed, and wer e

bur i ed at Ches t er : whi l e Ger al d i n hi s I t i ner ar i o Wal l c e,

sai t h, t hat hav i ng pr i s oned hi s c ar nal Fat her , and hi s

spi r i t ual Fat her , t he Pope, wi t h hi s Car di nal s , he af t er -

war ds was r ec onc i l ed, and wi l f ul l y ex i l ed, l eav i ng Maud

hi s Wi f e, and l i v ed a Her mi t ' s l i f e at Ches t er t en y ear s ;

and t hat af t er war ds at hi s deat h he c onf es s ed hi ms el f t o

be t hat s ame Henr y , t he Four t h Emper our of Al mai ne ;

whi c h Fame r an abr oad, f i l l i ng not onl y Ches t er , but t he

Count r i es al s o bey ond t he Seas .

Many t he l i k e Not es t o t hes e do of f er t hems el v es , but

t hes e I wi l l r ef er t o be s pok en of i n t hei r pr oper pl ac es ,

wher e oppor t uni t y may of f er . And now I wi l l des c r i be

t he Ci t y i t s el f , as i t i s at t hi s day i n our v i ew :

The Ci t y of Ches t er i s i nc l os ed wi t h a f ai r s t one wal l ,

hi gh and s t r ong bui l t , wi t h f ai r Bat t l ement s on al l t he

f our s i des , and wi t h t he f our Gat es , openi ng t o t he f our

Wi nds ; bes i des s ome pos t er ns , and many s eeml y Tower s

i n and upon t he s ai d Wal l s . The f our Gat es ar e, t he

l ?w EASTGATE, CK STE&, Tak r n, down i / v ] 706.

21

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Eas t - gat e, t he Nor t h- gat e, t he Wat er - gat e, and t he

Br i dge- gat e. Wi t hout t he f i r s t t wo of t hes e Gat es , t he

Ci t y ex t endet h her s el f i n her Subur bs , wi t h v er y f i ne

St r eet s , and t he s ame ador ned wi t h goodl y Bui l di ngs ,

bot h of Gent l emen' s Hous es , and f ai r I nns f or ent er t ai n-

ment of al l r es or t s . And t he Br i dge- gat e openi ng, on

t he Sout h, i nt o an ant i ent par t of t he Ci t y , bey ond t he

wat er , ov er t he Br i dge — a par t whi c h s ome s uppos e was

onc e t he Ci t y i t s el f , now c al l ed Hand- br i dge. And t he

Wat er - gat e onl y l eadi ng f or t h t o t he s i de of t he Ri v er

Dee ; whi c h Ri v er , ev en t her e, f al l s i nt o t he mout h of t he

Sea, hav i ng f i r s t as i t wer e t ur ned i t s el f as i de, t o l eav e

a f i ne s pac i ous pi ec e of gr ound of gr eat pl eas ur e and

del i ght , c al l ed t he Rood- Ey e, a v er y del i ght f ul l Meadow

us ed f or a c ow pas t ur e i n t he s ummer , and al l t he y ear

f or a whol es ome and pl eas ant wal k by t he s i de of t he

Dee; and f or Rec r eat i ons of Shoot i ng, Bowl i ng, and

suc h ot her Ex er c i s es , as ar e per f or med at c er t ai n t i mes

by men ; and by r unni ng Hor s es , i n pr es enc e and v i ew of

t he Mai or of t he Ci t y , and hi s Br et hr en, wi t h s uc h ot her

Lor ds , Kni ght s , Ladi es and Gent l emen, as pl eas e at t hos e

t i mes t o ac c ompany t hem f or t hat v i ew.

That whi c h we may c al l t he c hi ef es t pas s age i nt o t hat

Ci t y , i s t he Eas t - gat e, * a goodl y gr eat Gat e, of an

* Tbi s Gat e, whi c h i s bel i ev ed t o hav e s uppl ant ed t he or i gi nal

Koman ar c hway dur i ng t he r ei gn of Edwar d I I I . , was t ak en down

22

ant i ent f ai r bui l di ng, wi t h a Tower upon i t , c ont ai ni ng

many f ai r r ooms wi t hi n i t : At whi c h, we begi n t he

ci r c ui t of t he Wal l , whi c h f r om t hat Gat e, Nor t hwar d,

ex t endet h t o a Tower * upon t he angl e of t he s ai d Wal l .

The Nor t h- gat e + i s of a r emar k abl e s t r ong f ai r

bui l di ng, and us ed f or t he Pr i s on of t he Ci t y , i n

t he c har ge and k eepi ng of t he Sher i f f s s uc c es s i v el y

f r om y ear t o y ear , whi c h Pr i s on hat h al way s one s uf f i -

ci ent wel l - r eput ed Gaol er , t o t ak e c har ge of al l s uc h

pr i s oner s as s hal l be t hi t her br ought . Fr om t he Nor t h-

gat e, s t i l l Wes t war d, t he Wal l ex t endet h t o anot her

Tower ; J and f r om t henc e t o t he t ur ni ng of t he Wal l ,

Sout hwar ds , wher e s t andet h anot her f i ne Tur r et , c al l ed

i n 1767, when por t i ons of t he ol d Roman s t r uc t ur e, c ons i s t i ng of

t wo doubl e c i r c ul ar ar c hes , t oget her wi t h s ome r ude r emnant s of

sc ul pt ur e wer e t her e di s c ov er ed. The pr es ent Gat e was er ec t ed i n

1768, at t he s ol e c har ge of Ri c har d, f i r s t Mar qui s of Wes t mi ns t er .

* The Phoeni x , or as i t was s omet i me c al l ed, Newt on Tower ;

f r om t he r oof of whi c h, i n 1645, j us t 30 y ear s af t er t he wr i t i ng of

t hi s Hi s t or y , t hat t r ul y unf or t unat e Monar c h, Char l es t he Fi r s t ,

was a s ad s pec t at or of t he def eat of hi s f or c es on Rowt on Heat h.

f The s t r uc t ur e her e s pok en of was r emov ed i n 1808, and t he

pr i s oner s r emov ed t o a new Gaol , er ec t ed near t he Wat er - gat e.

Upon i t s s i t e, t he pr es ent Gat e was er ec t ed, by t he af or es ai d

Mar qui s of Wes t mi ns t er .

Page 9 of 85

J The Gobl i n' s Tower , now k nown as Pember t on' s Par l our ,

par t i al l y t ak en down i n 1702.

23

t he New Tower , * and was pi t c ht wi t hi n t he c hannel of

Dee Wat er , wher e was at one t i me t he Key , wher eunt o

Ves s el s of gr eat bur dens as wel l of mer c handi s e as

ot her s , c ame c l os e up.

Fr om t he New Tower , t he Wal l goet h Sout h t o t he

Wat er - gat ej - j - whi c h Gat e i s l es s t han any of t he ot her

t hr ee, s er v i ng onl y f or t he pas s age t o t he Roodey e,

f or mer l y ment i oned ; and s t i l l Sout h r eac het h t he Wal l

i n a s t r ai ght l i ne, bef or e i t hat h got t en bey ond t he

Cas t l e, and t hen t ur ns i t s el f t owar ds t he Eas t .

Fr om t hat t ur ni ng, i s t he Br i dge- gat e, J s c i t uat e at

t he Nor t h End of a v er y f i ne and s t r ong s t one br i dge.

Thi s Br i dge- gat e bei ng a f ai r s t r ong bui l di ng of i t s el f ,

hat h of l at e been mor e beaut i f i ed by a s eeml y Wat er wor k

of St one, bui l t s t eepl ewi s e, by t he i ngenuous i ndus t r y

and c har ge of a l at e wor t hy member of t he Ci t y , J ohn

Ty r er , Gent . , and hat h s er v ed ev er s i nc e t o gr eat us e,

f or t he c onv ey i ng of t he Ri v er wat er f r om t he c es t er n i n

* Now s t y l ed t he Wat er Tower , an anc i ent mar i t i me f or t r es s , bui l t

i n 1322, and s t i l l ex i s t i ng i n muc h of i t s f or mer gl or y ; i t has been

l at el y c onv er t ed i nt o t he Mus eum of t he Mec hani c s ' I ns t i t ut i on, and

bec ome a pl ac e of gr eat r es or t t o s t r anger s .

f The Gat e her e ment i oned, whi c h was a nar r ow, i nc onv eni ent

st r uc t ur e, gav e way i n 1788- 9, t o t he pr es ent hands ome ar c hway ,

t he mur enger s of t he c i t y pr ov i di ng t he f unds f or i t s er ec t i on.

J Tak en down i n 1781, and t he pr es ent Gat eway s ubs t i t ut ed t he

f ol l owi ng y ear , at t he Ci t y ' s c os t .

24

t he t op of t hat wor k , t o t he Ci t i z ens ' hous es , i n al mos t

al l par t s of t he Ci t y , i n pi pes of l ead and wood, t o t hei r

no s mal l c ont ent ment and c ommodi t y ,

The Wal l t her e c ont i nuet h al ong t he Ri v er s i de Eas t -

war d t o anot her r emai nder of a Tur r et , and t hen t ur net h

i t s el f Nor t hwar d ; and c er t ai n pac es f r om t henc e, i s a

Pos t er n, of ol d c al l ed Wool f i el d- gat e, * but of l at t er

t i mes named Newgat e, whi c h i n A. D. 1600, was aug-

ment ed and ador ned wi t h a f ai r bui l di ng ; and f r om t hi s

gat e, our Wal l , hav i ng anot her Tur r et now unt o i t , c al l ed

Wal l Tower , - \ - s t r et c het h s t i l l al ong, t i l l i t meet et h wi t h

t he Eas t - gat e, at whi c h i t began.

Thi s Wal l i s s o f ai r l y bui l t , wi t h Bat t l ement s on t he

out war d par t , and wi t h a f oot pac e, or f l oor , a y ar d or mor e

Page 10 of 85

under t he Not c h of t he Bat t l ement , t hat wi t h t he hel p of

some s t ai r s , y ou may go r ound about t he Wal l s , bei ng a

ver y del ec t abl e Wal k , f eedi ng t he ey e, on t he one s i de,

wi t h t he s weet Gar dens , and f i ne Bui l di ngs of t he Ci t y ;

and on t he ot her s i de, wi t h a Pr os pec t of many mi l es

i nt o t he Count y of Ches t er , i nt o Wal es , and i nt o t he

Sea. § And t hi s Wal l , al t hough i t s er v et h not s o muc h

I n s ome r ec or ds , c al l ed al s o Pepper - gnt e, wi t h whi c h name

sev er al t r adi t i ons ar e as s oc i at ed.

f Now al mos t obl i t er at ed.

§The r apac i t y of moder n adv ent ur er s h; i t h now al mos t bani s hed

t he s ea f r om t he nei ghbour hood of t he ol d Ci t y .

25

i n t hes e day es , f or def enc e and s af et y , agai ns t t he I nv a-

si ons of Enemi es , and danger s of Si ege, as i n ant i ent

t i mes i t di d ; y et hav e t he Ci t i z ens her e, by c ont i nual

car e, and no s mal l c har ge, mai nt ai ned t he s ame i n s ound

and good Repar at i ons f or t he or nament , c r edi t , and

es t i mat i on of t he Ci t y . *

Upon t he Sout h- s i de of t he Ci t y , neer unt o t he s ai d

wat er of Dee, and upon a hi gh r oc k , i s mount ed a s t r ong

and s t at el y Cas t l e, r ound i n f or m ; t he Bas e Cour t l i k e-

wi s e enc l os ed wi t h a c i r c ul ar wal l , whi c h t o t hi s day ,

r et ai net h one t es t i mony of t he Romans 1 magni f i c enc e,

hav i ng t her ei n a f ai r and ant i ent s quar e Tower , whi c h,

by t he t es t i mony of al l t he wr i t er s I hav e hi t her t o met

wi t hal l , bear et h t he name of J ul i us Ces ar ' s Tower ; +

bes i des whi c h t her e i s a goodl y Hal l , J wher e t he Cour t

of Common Pl eas , and al s o t he Sher i f f s of t he Count y ' s

Cour t , wi t h ot her bus i nes s es f or t he Count y of Ches t er

ar e c ons t ant l y k ept and hol den, and i s a pl ac e, f or t hat

pur pos e, of s uc h s t at e and c omel i nes s , as i s har dl y

The v al ue of t hi s pi ous pr ec aut i on was wel l dev el oped, a f ew

year s af t er war ds , i n t he l ong and ar duous Si ege endur ed by t he

Ci t i z ens on behal f of t hei r Ki ng, i n 1545- 6.

f St i l l per f ec t ; t he l ower por t i on i s now oc c upi ed as a Magaz i ne,

The upper c hamber has a v aul t ed and gr oi ned s t one r oof , and was

at one t i me a Chapel , as appear s by t he Tax Book of Henr y VI I I .

X Us ual l y s t y l ed Hugh Lupus ' s Hal l . Tak en down i n 1790,

t oget her wi t h t he Ex c hequer Cour t ( wher e t he Ear l s hel d t hei r

26

equal l ed by any Shi r e Hal l , i n any of t he Shi r es i n Eng-

l and. And nex t t o t he s ai d Hal l i s anot her c onv eni ent

Hal l , wher e i s hol den t he Pr i nc es Hi ghnes s ' mos t honor -

abl e Cour t of Ex c hequer . Wi t hi n t he pr ec i nc t s of t he

Page 11 of 85

Cast l e, i s al so t he Ki ng' s Pr i son f or t he Count y, wi t h a

deep Dr aw- wel l of wat er , i n t he mi ddest of t he Cour t ;

besi des much of t he ant i ent Bui l di ng, f or want of use,

f al l en t o r ui ne and decay. And I f i nd t hat t he Cast l e,

wi t h t he pr eci nct s t her eof , wer e r eser ved out of t he

Char t er of Ki ng Henr y VI I . , by t he whi ch t he Ci t y was

made a Count y of i t sel f ; and accor di ngl y, hat h ever si nce

been used f or t he Ki ng' s Maj est i es' ser vi ce of t he Count y

of Chest er , and est eemed a par t t her eof , and not of t he

Count y of t he Ci t y. And now t o st ep f r om t hence i nt o

t he Ci t y i t sel f .

The St r eet s, f or t he most par t , ar e ver y f ai r and beau-

t i f ul , and t he bui l di ngs on ei t her si de of seeml y pr opor -

t i on ; and f or a si ngul ar pr oper t y or pr ai se t o t hi s Ci t y,

( wher eof I know not t he l i ke of any ot her , ) t hough t her e

be t owar ds t he st r eet f ai r r ooms, f or shops and dwel l i ng

houses, yet t he pr i nci pal dwel l i ng houses and shops ar e

mount ed a st or y hi gher , and bef or e t he Door s a cont i nued

Kowe on ei t her si de t he st r eet , f or peopl e t o pass t o and

f r o al l al ong t he sai d houses, out of al l annoyance of

Par l i ament s) t o make r oom f or t he pr esent magni f i cent Count y

Hal l , Gaol , and Bar r acks.

f or l i ut r t s Val e ( Royal hy l l uj f hcs.

' i bu- &D( / nycr l l i / d / . / / / nyn/ p/ u r , > I . cndon/ .

: \ \ ; \ { ~ i ; : , , , : ; : | : : , , ; . , ! , n , n ;

" r r ^ i ^ Tnr l i ' i ' : 1 ! ; , , , '

REFERENCES TO THE PLAN OF CHESTER

DURI NG THE SI EGE.

1. Pember t on' s Par l our .

27. The Just i ng Cr of t .

2. Abbey Gat e,

28. Kal eyar d Gat e.

3. Bar s Gat e.

29. Mor gan' s Mount .

Page 12 of 85

4. Br i dge Gat e.

30. Mount l eadi ng t o St one

5. Br i dge St r eet .

Br i dge.

6. Br i dget ' s Chur ch.

31. St . Mar y' s Chur ch.

7. Cat hedr al .

32. St . Mi chael ' s Chur ch.

8. Cast l e.

33. St . Mar t i n' s Chur ch.

9. Cow Lane.

34. Nor t hgat e.

10. Cow Lane Tur npi ke.

35. Newgat e.

11. East gal e.

36. New Tower .

12. East gat e St r eet .

37. Nor t hgat e St r eet .

13. For egat e St r eet .

38. St . Ol ave' s Chur ch.

14. Fl anker s on t he Ri ver .

Page 13 of 85

39. Out wor ks on Li t t l e Rood-

15. Fl anker s at Fl ooker sbr ook

eye.

1 6. Fl anker s at Upper Nor t h-

40. Phceni x Tower .

gat e St r eet .

41. Phoeni x Mount .

17. Fl anker s at St one Br i dge.

42. Eeed' s Mount .

18. Upper Nor t hgat e St r eet .

43. St . Pet er ' s Chur ch.

19. „ „ Tur npi ke.

44. Rai sed Pl at f or m on Wal l s.

20. Upper Abbey Gat e.

45. Sadl er ' s Tower .

21. Gunmount .

46. Tr i ni t y Chur ch.

22. Hor n Lane.

47. Dr . Wal l ey' s Mount .

23. Hor n Lane Mount .

48. Wat er Tower .

Page 14 of 85

24. „ Fl anker .

49. Wat er gat e.

25. St . John' s Chur ch.

50. Wat er gat e St r eet .

26. „ Chur ch Yar d

o. The Wal l s.

Bat t er y.

REFERENCES TO THE PLAN OF CHESTER

DURI NG THE SI EGE.

1. Pember t on' s Par l our .

27. The Just i ng Cr of t .

2. Abbey Gat e,

28. Kal eyar d Gat e.

3. Bar s Gat e.

29. Mor gan' s Mount .

4. Br i dge Gat e.

30. Mount l eadi ng t o St one

5. Br i dge St r eet .

Br i dge.

6. Br i dget ' s Chur ch.

31. St . Mar y' s Chur ch.

Page 15 of 85

7. Cat hedr al .

32. St . Mi chael ' s Chur ch.

8. Cast l e.

33. St . Mar t i n' s Chur ch.

9. Cow Lane.

34. Nor t hgat e.

10. Cow Lane Tur npi ke.

35. Newgat e.

11. East gal e.

36. New Tower .

12. East gat e St r eet .

37. Nor t hgat e St r eet .

13. For egat e St r eet .

38. St . Ol ave' s Chur ch.

14. Fl anker s on t he Ri ver .

39. Out wor ks on Li t t l e Rood-

15. Fl anker s at Fl ooker sbr ook

eye.

1 6. Fl anker s at Upper Nor t h-

40. Phoeni x Tower .

gat e St r eet .

Page 16 of 85

41. Phoeni x Mount .

17. Fl anker s at St one Br i dge.

42. Reed' s Mount .

18. Upper Nor t hgat e St r eet .

43. St . Pet er ' s Chur ch.

19. „ „ Tur npi ke.

44. Rai sed Pl at f or m on Wal l s.

20. Upper Abbey Gat e.

45. Sadl er ' s Tower .

21. Gunmount .

46- Tr i ni t y Chur ch.

22. Hor n Lane.

47. Dr . Wal l ey' s Mount .

23. Hor n Lane Mount .

48. Wat er Tower .

24. „ Fl anker .

49. Wat er gat e.

25. St . John' s Chur ch.

50. Wat er gat e St r eet .

26. „ Chur ch Yar d

o. The Wal l s.

Page 17 of 85

Bat t er y.

21

Rai n, or ot her f oul weat her ; wi t h st ai r s f ai r l y bui l t , t o

st ep down out of t hose Rowes i nt o t he open st r eet s ; and

t he sai d Rowes bui l t over t he head, wi t h such of t he

chamber s and r ooms, f or t he most par t , as ar e t he best

r ooms i n ever y of t hese sai d houses.

The Ci t y i s al so ador ned wi t h many f i ne and decent

Chur ches ; t her e bei ng wi t hi n t he Wal l s ei ght Par i shes,

and Par i sh Chur ches : St . Oswal d' s ( ox Wer bur g, ) St .

Pet er ' s, Tr i ni t y, St . Mar t i n' s, St . Mar i e' s, St . Ol ave' s,

St . Mi chael ' s, and St . Br i dget ' s ; and i n t he Subur bs

wi t hout t he Wal l s St . John t he Bapt i st , and Li t t l e St .

John' s. Al l whi ch Chur ches, as t hey ar e of a ver y

ant i ent , so ar e t hey of a ver y comel y bui l di ng, and ar e

so wel l mai nt ai ned, t hat t hey ar e so many beaut i f ul

or nament s t o t he Ci t y. But her e I t hus pass by t hem,

and come agai n t o descr i be t he pr i nci pal st r eet s by name.

The East - gat e St r eet i s t he f ai r st r eet , wher e t he Ci t y

opens i t sel f t o your eye, as soon as you ent er wi t hi n t he

East - gat e, and r eachet h i n a st r ai ght l i ne, beaut i f i ed wi t h

Rowes, and ver y f i ne bui l di ngs on bot h si des, t o t he Hi gh

Cr osse* at St . Pet er ' s Chur ch.

The Nor t h- gat e St r eet begi nnet h neer t he upper end of

East - gat e St r eet , t ur ni ng wher e t he Mi l ke mar ket i s kept

Nor t hwar d ; whi ch af t er i t hat h l ed you t o t he Common

* Level l ed and def aced by t he f anat i c zeal of t he Par l i ament -

ar i ans, on t hei r obt ai ni ng possessi on of t he Ci t y i n 1546.

28

Hal l of Pl eas, i t t hen spaci ousl y opens i t sel f t o a goodl y

Cor n mar ket pl ace, sci t uat e bef or e t he f ai r Gat es of t he

ant i ent and f amous Abbey, and now used f or t he Pal ace

of t he Lor d Bi shop, and f i ne dwel l i ngs of t he r ever end

Dean and Pr ebend of t hat Foundat i on ; f r om t hence nar -

r ows i t sel f t o t he Nor t h- gat e, on t he one si de, wi t h f ai r

houses, and on t he ot her wi t h t he wal l * of t he Abbey.

The Br i dge- gat e St r eet begi ns at t he Br i dge- gat e, and

ascendet h l ei sur el y f r om Sout h t o Nor t h, even up t o t he

Hi gh Cr osse af or ement i oned, bei ng i n t he upper end

t her eof , f or t he beaut y and sci t uat i on, a speci al par t of

t he comel y spl endour of t he Ci t y, and boast et h i t sel f wi t h

t he shew of f our or f i ve of t he Chur ches, Cr oss - condui t ,

and gr eat est Tr aded Shops, ver y seeml y t o al l behol der s.

The Wat er - gat e St r eet begi nnet h at t he " Wat er - gat e,

Page 18 of 85

and so i n t he l i ke st r ai ght l i ne, wel l f ur ni shed wi t h bui l d-

i ngs, bot h ant i ent and new, up t o t he sai d Hi gh Cr osse.

The For e- gat e St r eet r eachet h, f r om t he East - gat e,

di r ect l y East , i n a f ai r cont i nued st r eet , t o anot her Gat e

of st one, cal l ed t he Bar s, - \ wi t hout whi ch t he l i ber t i es

Thi s wal l has of l at e y ear s heen r epl ac ed by a r ow of hous es

and s hops , t he Abbey Gat e and anot her , about 80 y ar ds f ur t her

Nor t hwar d, al one r emai ni ng t o denot e i t s f or mer pos i t i on.

f Condemned as uns af e, and t ot al l y r emov ed i n 1/ 70. Thi s

Gat e, wi t h t he out wor k s , bec ame a pr ey t o t he Par l i ament ar i ans ,

i n a ni ght s ur pr i s e, on t he 19t h Sept ember , 1645, and was s o hel d

unt i l t he Ci t y c api t ul at ed t he f ol l owi ng y ear .

29

of t he Ci t y di s per s e t hems el v es i nt o t he s ev er al wav es ,

t hat gi v e pas s ages i nt o many c ount r i es .

The St r eet wi t hout Nor t h- gat e, i s l i k ewi s e a f ai r

st r eet , gi v i ng pas s age Nor t hwar d t owar ds t he Sea c oas t .

Pepur ( Pepper ) St r eet goet h out of t he Br i dge s t r eet

by t he s i de of St . Mi c hael ' s Chur c h, and but t et h on t he

Fi s hmonger ' s Lane, t o Newgat e ; whi c h s omet i me had

a hol l ow gr at e, wi t h a Br i dge f or hor s e and man ; and i t

but t et h upon Sowt er ' s Load, and St . J ohn' s St r eet . And

t hi s Gat e was , i n t i mes pas t , c l os ed up, and s hut , bec aus e

a y oung man s t ol e away a Mai or of Ches t er ' s daught er ,

t hr ough t he s ame Gat e, as s he was pl ay i ng at Bal l wi t h

ot her Mai ds , i n t he Summer t i me, i n Pepur St r eet . *

St . Ni c hol as St r eet , an ant i ent nei ghbour t o t he Seat s

of t hos e Fr i ar s , bl ac k , whi t e, and gr ay Nuns , i s a s eeml y

pas s age f r om t he Wat er - gat e St r eet t o St . Mar t i n' s

Chur c h, and s o on, by t he Nunne' s wal l t o t he Cas t l e Lane.

Fl es hmonger ' s Lane ( Newgat e St r eet ) meet s wi t h t he

Eas t end of Pepur St r eet , and t henc e goet h s t r ai ght up

t o t he Eas t - gat e St r eet ; and meet ov er agai ns t i t , l y et h

anot her Lane, c al l ed St . Wer bur g Lane, t he pas s age out

of t he s ame s t r eet t o t he Mi ns t er .

Our ant i ent s ur v ey es des c r i be t wo ot her Lanes on t he

same s i de of Eas t - gat e St r eet , t owar ds t he Mi ns t er , one

Wi t h t hi s l egend or i gi nat ed t he ol d Ches t er pr ov er b " When

t he daught er i s f l own, s hut t he Pepur gat e J "

30

cal l ed Peen Lane, and t he ot her Gods t al l ' s Lane ; * hut

t he pl ac es wher e t hey wer e, ar . e now t he s oy l of ot her

t enement s .

Page 19 of 85

A l i t t l e wi t hout t he Eas t - gat e, on t he Sout h s i de,

t ur net h down a f ai r s t r eet , c al l ed St . J ohn' s St r eet ; of

t he whi c h I f i nd, i n an ol d wr i t t en par c hment book ,

cal l ed Sanc t a Pr i s c a, bei ng an Ev i denc e bel ongi ng t o

t he Dean and Chapt er of Ches t er , t her e i s ment i on made

of a s t r eet c al l ed I r emonger St r eet , i n t hes e wor ds :

" I nt er t er r am, quc e f ui t A ' doe % de Par i s , et t er r am

Hos pi t i i Hos pi t al i s Sanc t i J ohanni s , " t y c . ; and t hat

f r om t hat , at t he c or ner of t he Mans i on- pl ac e of t he Pet t y

Canons ( of St . J ohn' s ) t her e i s a Lane af t er t he Wal l o- f

t he Chur c hy ar d, named t he Vi c J c ar ' s Lane, and i t but t et h

upon Bar k er ' s and Lov e Lane ; and at t he end of t hi s

st r eet , t her e goet h a Way down t o wat er of Dee, whi c h

way i s c al l ed t he Soi v t er ' s Load. " By t hi s we may s ee

what al t er at i ons t he t i mes hav e made bot h i n St r eet s and

Lanes .

The Wat er - gat e St r eet hat h on t he Nor t h- s i de, near

unt o St . Pet er ' s Chur c h, a Lane c al l ed Gos l ane ; and a

l i t t l e f ur t her Wes t Ger r ar d' s Lane ( Cr ook St r eet ; ) and

beneat h, j us t at t he end of Tr i ni t y Chur c h, l y et h Tr i ni t y

Lane. An ol d Lane, s omet i me c al l ed Ber war d' s St r eet

* Sai d t o hav e been t he r et r eat of Henr y Emper our of Al mai ne.

$ J Edes i s pos s i bl y her e i nt ended.

31

( Li nen Hal l St r eet ) , l y et h at t he l ower end of Par s on' s

Lane, and out of i t i n ant i ent t i me went a Lane t o St .

Chadd' s Chur c h, now r ui ned and gone, and t henc e t o t he

Wal l s .

As y ou des c end f r om t he Hi gh Cr os s e down t he Br i dge

St r eet , upon t he Wes t s i de l y es a Lane, ant i ent l y c al l ed

Nor man' s Lane, and many y et c al l i t Common Hal l Lane,

bec aus e i t had a gr eat Hal l , wher e t he Pl eas of t he Ci t y ,

and meet i ngs of t he Mai or and hi s br et hr en wer e t her e

hol den. Ov er agai ns t St . Ol av e' s , l y et h t he Cas t l e Lane,

t hat goet h t o St . Mar i e' s Chur c h. And l ower down,

al s o t owar ds t hi s Chur c h, l y es anot her way , whi c h an-

t i ent l y was t he way t o Shi ppegat e, * whi c h was t hen a

f ai r Gat e i n t he Wal l , bel ongi ng t o t he Fer r y , at whi c h,

bef or e t he bui l di ng of t he br i dge ov er Dee, bot h hor s e

and man had pas s age i nt o t he Ci t y .

Hav i ng t hus gone t hr ough mos t of t he St r eet s and

Lanes , I s uppos e i t wi l l be obj ec t ed, I s houl d s et down

somewhat of t he Chur c hes , how ant i ent l y t hei r f ounda-

t i ons ar e, and how t hey hav e c ont i nued i n t hes e day s .

I t appear et h f r om our bes t Ant i quar y , Br ads haw,

Monk of t hi s Ci t y , t hat t he Chr i s t i an Fai t h and Bap-

t i s me c ame i nt o Ches t er i n Ki ng Luc i us ' t i me, a Ki ng

* Of Roman c ons t r uc t i on, s t andi ng or i gi nal l y 20 f eet hi gh. I t

was s ome y ear s s i nc e r emov ed f r om i t s anc i ent pos i t i on, and i s now

t he pr oper t y of J . Fi nc het t Maddoc k , Es q. , l at e M. P. f or Ches t er ,

Page 20 of 85

32

of t he Br i t t ai ns , whi c h i s wi t hi n l es s e t hen 140 y ear s

of t he s uf f er i ngs of our Sav i our Chr i s t ; and t hat t hen a

Chur c h was her e bui l ded, and at t hat t i me ent i t ul ed by

t he name of St . Pet er and St . Paul . But t hen af t er ,

as appear et h i n t he s ame Aut hour , El f l eda, t hat nobl e

Lady , wi f e t o Et hel r ed, Ki ng of t he Mer c i ans , al t er ed

i t s name t o Tr i ni t y and St . Os i v al d ; and t hat no

l os s e s houl d be t o t he memor y of t hos e Pat r ons , anot her

Chur c h was s oon bui l ded i n t he r oi ddes t of t he Ci t y ,

cal l ed by t he s ame name of Pet er and Paul , whi c h now

i s c al l ed St . Pet er ' s onl y .

A DI SCOURSE OF THE FOUNDATI ON AND

ENDOWMENT OF THE ABBI E OF St .

WERBURG' S I N CHESTER.

Touc hi ng t he Or i gi nal Foundat i on of a Monas t er y i n

t hi s pl ac e, I do by c i r c ums t anc e c onc l ude t hat Wul -

pher us , Ki ng of t he Mer c i ans , who f l our i s hed about

A. D. GGO, per c ei v i ng hi s Daught er Wer bur ge muc h di s -

pos ed t o a r el i gi ous l i f e, c aus ed her t o be v ei l ed, and f i r s t

bui l t i t f or her , and s uc h ot her pi ous l adi es , who r es ol v ed

t o dedi c at e t hei r l i v es t o t he s er v i c e of God t her ei n ; f or

Wi l l i am of Mal mc s bur y s ay s " That s he was bur i ed at

Ches t er , i n t he Monas t er y t her e. " Nei t her dot h t he

33

Char t er of Ki ng Edgar i mpor t l es s , t hen t hat t he Abbey

her e was of gr eat ant i qui t y ; f or i t appear s t hat he, f or

t he heal t h of hi s s oul , as al s o f or t he s oul s of Ki ng

Edmund hi s Fat her , Ki ng At hel s t an hi s Unc l e, and ot her

hi s Anc es t or s , gav e t o t he Ahbey of St . Wer bur g 17

hous es s c i t uat e i n t he Town of Hodes ni d ( Hodnet ) ,

' Ceos aul e ( Kel s hal l ) , Hunt i ngdon, Hux t on, Es t on ( As -

t on) , and Bor ne ( Bar ns k aw) , whos e Char t er bear s dat e

i n t he y ear 868. Af t er whi c h, v i z . : i n t he t i me of

Edwar d t he Conf es s or , t he f amous Leof r i c , Ear l of

Mer c i a, not onel y enr i c ht i t wi t h t he Gr aunt t her et o of

f ai r Pos s es s i ons , but r epai r ed t he bui l di ngs t her eof whi c h

i nc l i ned t o dec ay .

How l ong i t c ont i nued a Monas t er y of Nuns , I c annot

say ; but do c onc l ude t hat i t was s o t i l l t owar ds t he

Nor man Conques t ; and t hen i t s eems t hat Canons

Sec ul ar wer e pl ac ed i n t hei r s t ead, t i l l t hat Hugh, Ear l

of Ches t er ( who, bei ng a near Ki ns man t o Ki ng Wi l l i am

t he Fi r s t , and adv anc ed t o t hi s Ear l dom about t he f our t h

year of hi s Rei gn, when he gr ew i n y ear s , di s pos ed hi m-

sel f t o s ev er al wor k s of Pi et y , as hi s muni f i c enc e t o t he

Monas t er i es of Bee, and St . Sev er us ( bot h i n Nor mandy )

do wel l wi t nes s ) began t he Foundat i on of a new one f or

Monk s of St . Benet ' s Or der i n t hi s pl ac e, hav i ng pr o-

cur ed Ans el m, Abbot of Bee, t o c ome ov er i nt o t hi s

Page 21 of 85

Real m, chi ef l y f or t he or der i ng of t hat gr eat wor k ;

34

whi ch bei ng accor di ngl y per f or med, one Ri char d, a

Monk of Bee, and Chapl ai n t o t he sai d Ansel m, was by

hi m f i r st i nst i t ut ed Abbot her e. How l ar ge and pl ent i f ul

an Endowment i t had by t he muni f i cence of t hi s Ear l ,

and Er ment r ude hi s Count ess, I shal l her e br i ef l y obser ve

f r om hi s Or i gi nal Char t er , vi z. : t he Mannour s of Ynes

( I nce) , Sal t hone ( Sai ght on) , Sut t on, Chevel ey, Hunt -

i ngdon, Boct hon ( Bought on) , Wever sham, Cr oxt on, Tr oc -

f or d ( Tr af f or d) , Cl i f t on, Est on, Wi sdl et h ( Wi l l ast on)

Hodsl ei ( Huxl ey) , Weapr e, and hal f of Rabbi ( Raby) ,

and t he t hi r d par t s of West on, Sol chal e ( Saughal l ) ,

St anni c, Bur war desl i e, and Sot ei vi c ( Shot wi ck) ; t he

hal f of Leche ( Lache) , and one Car ucat e of t he Land i n

Pnl f or d. I n t he Ci t y of Chest er , of hi s own Demesne,

he gave t her eunt o al l t he st r eet f r om t he Nor t h- gat e t o

t he Chur ch, and a Mi l l at t he Br i dge. I n Anyl esi e

l i kewi se t wo Mannour s ; one i n Ros, and one i n Wi r r al l ,

cal l ed Er ber i e ( I r eby) . I n Li ndsey, t en oxgangs, and

West on i n Der byshi r e ; t he Chur ch of Ast on, and t he

Ti t hes of El t hon, Fr odesham, Wever sham, Lech, Roces-

t er , JI aur di ne ( Hawar den) , Col eshul , Bi ssopest r ed, Up-

pet une ( Upt on) , Campden, East ham, and of hi s Mi l l s i n

Denef or d. And t o t hi s Char t er was t he sai d Ansel m,

( now Ar chbi shop of Cant er bur y) a Wi t nesse, t oget her

wi t h Her vey ( Bi shop of Bangor ) and di ver s emi nent

per sons.

35

Wi l l i am Mal banc ( one of hi s Bar ons) gave t he l or d-

shi p of Wi t t eby ( Whi t by) , t he t hi r d of Wepr c, t he

Chur ch and Tyt hes of Tat enhal l e, a Sal t house i n Wi ch

( Nant wi ch) , and t wo Oxgangs of Land. Li kewi se gave

hi s ot her Bar ons por t i ons of t hei r est at es, f or t he Endow-

ment of t he Monast er y.

And l ast l y, t he sai d Ear l gave unt o t hem t he Tol l and

al l t he pr of i t s of t he Fai r at t he Feast of St . Wer bur ge,

f or t hr ee dayes, appoi nt i ng t hat f or al l f or f ei t ur es i n t he

Fai r , Tr i al l shoul d be i n t he Cour t of St . Wer bur ge, f or

t he benef i t of t he Monks. To t he honor of whi ch Sai nt ,

he l i kewi se gr ant ed, t hat what soever Thi ef or Mal ef act or

came t o t he Sol emni t y, shoul d not be at t ached, whi l e he

cont i nued i n t he sai d Fai r , except he commi t t ed any new

of f ence t her e. Whi ch speci al Pr i vi l edge, as i n t r act of

t i me i t dr ew an ext r aor di nar y conf l uence of l oose peo-

pl e t hi t her at t hat Season, so happened i t t o be of si ngu-

l ar advant age t o one of t he succeedi ng Ear l es. For

bei ng at Rodel ent ( Rhuddl an) Cast l e i n Wal es, and t her e

besi eged by a power of t he Wel sh ; at such a t i me, he

was r el i eved r at her by t hei r number s t han st r engt h,

under t he conduct of Rober t de Lacy, Const abl e of Ches -

Page 22 of 85

t er , who wi t h Pi per s, and ot her sor t s of Mi nst r el s, dr ew

t hem f or t h, and mar chi ng t owar ds t he Cast l e, put t he

Wel sh t o such t er r our , t hat t hey pr esent l y f l ed ; i n

memor y of whi ch not abl e expl oi t , t hat f amous meet i ng

: ; <;

of such Mi nst r el s hat h been Jul y cont i nued at ever y

Mi dsummer Fai r .

But I r et ur n t o Ear l Hugh, t he pi ous Founder of t i ns

gr eat Monast er y, whose af f ect i on t her et o was such, and

devot i on so gr eat t owar ds hi s l at t er end, t hat t hr ee dayes

bef or e hi s deat h he caused hi msel f t o be shor n a Monk

t her ei n ; and so depar t i ng t he wor l d 6t h August , Anno,

1101, l ef t i ssue Ri char d' , who, succeedi ng hi m i n t he

Ear l dom, not onl y conf i r med hi s Fat her ' s Gr ant t o t hi s

Abbey, but added amongst ot her gi f t s, cer t ai n l ands wi t h-

out t he Nor t h- gat e, wher eof he gave possessi on t o t he

Monks ; f i r st , by an Ear of Wheat of f er ed upon t he

Al t ar ; and af t er war ds by a Kni f e ; f ur t her addi ng t he

Tent h Sal mon t aken at t he Br i dge, wi t h t he pl ace f or a

Mi l l bel ow t he br i dge, and ot her mat t er s ; whi ch Char t er

bear s dat e at Gr at r am, i n t he year 1119.

Ear l Ranul ph Meschi nes, when he t r ansl at ed t he body

of hi s Uncl e, Ear l Hugh, out of t he Chur ch Yar d i nt o

t he Chapt er House, gave t he Lor dshi p of Upt on, f or t he

heal t h of hi s own, and t he sai d Ear l ' s soul . Al so gave

succeedi ng Ear l s var i ous Mannour s and ot her pr oper t i es ;

wher ewi t h bei ng so pl ent i f ul l y enr i cht , about t he Rei gn

of Ki ng Edwar d I I I . , t hey r ebui l t t hei r Chur ch, as t he

f or m of i t s Ar chi t ect ur e pl ai nl y di scover et h.

And t hus i n gr eat gl or y, as t he gr eat est or nament of

t hat Ci t y, st ood t hi s opul ent Monast er y, t i l l t he 30t h of

37

Ki ng Henr y VI I I . , hi s Rei gn, t hat al l t he gr eat Houses

went t o wr ack, and t hat by a publ i c I nst r ument t he t hen'

Abbot , and hi s Convent sur r endr ed i t t o t he Ki ng ; who>

t her eupon, of t he si x new Bi shopr i cks t hen made, const i -

t ut ed one i n t hi s pl ace ; desi gni ng t he bui l di ngs of t he'

Abbey f or t he Bi shop' s Pal ace, and t he Convent ual l

Chur ch f or hi s Cat hedr al l , wher ei n wer e i nst i t ut ed a

Dean and secul ar Canons. *

The sai d St . Wer bur g, of whom t hi s Mi nst er had t he

name, was a vi r gi n and a gr eat Pr i ncesse, daught er of

Wul pher us, Ki ng of Mer ci a ; and was so ver t uousl y

di sposed, t hat she car ed f or no wor l dl y honour s, but gave

her sel f t o godl y and hol y cont empl at i ons, and had com-

mand i n her l i f et i me over f our Monast er i es, namel y

Weedon, Tr ent ham, Rept on, and Hambur y. I n her

t ender age she was pr of essed under Audr i a, - \ her aunt ,

Page 23 of 85

at El i e ; she l i ved much at Weedon, deceased at Tr en-

t ham i n 708, and was f i r st bur i ed at Hambur y ; t hence

t r ansl at ed, af t er r emai ni ng t her e above 100 year s, i n

875, t o Chest er , f or f ear of t he spoyl es and out r ages of

t he Danes, her Shr i ne bei ng pl aced i n t he mot her Chur ch

of St . Pet er and Paul , now t he Chur ch of St . Wer bur g

onel y.

+ The deposed Abbot , Thomas Cl ar ke, was appoi nt ed t he f i r s*

Dean.

f Ot her wi se Et hddr i da, Abbess of El y.

38

The whol e body of t he Mi nst er , as now we f i nd i t ,

makes t he f or m of a Cr osse, t he st eepl e bei ng i n t he

mi ddl e j unct ur e, as l i kewi se we see i n t he gr eat Chur ch

of St . Paul ' s i n London. I n t he f ur t hest end of t he

same East war d, i t i s enl ar ged i nt o a f i ne squar e Chappel l ,

cal l ed by t he name Our Ladl e' s Chappel l , ador ned wi t h

a f ai r Wi ndow of ver y cur i ous wor kmanshi p i n gl asse,

bei ng t he st or y of t he bl essed Vi r gi n her di scent f r om t he

Loi nes of Jesse, * t hough now, t hr ough i nj ur y of Ti me

and Weat her , t he same i s much bl emi shed. The Chap-

pel l i t sel f l ong si nce conver t ed i nt o t he Consi st or y Cour t

of t he Lor d Bi shop ; whi ch t hat i t was so i n t he dayes

of Queen Mar y, t he pr oof i s yet i n t he memor i es of

some, because i n t hat pl ace Doct or Geor ge Coat es, t hen

Bi shop of Chest er , gave sent ence of condemnat i on agai nst

Geor ge Mar sh, a bl essed Mar t yr and Suf f er er f or Chr i st ' s

t r ut h, and bur ned t o ashes - j - i n Chest er , A. D. 1555.

The Qui r e i t sel f i s most f i nel y beaut i f i ed, wi t h a ver y

deep and t uneabl e Or gan ; and on ei t her si de wi t h ver y

f i ne Seat s or St al l s, f or t he Rever end Dean, Pr ebends,

Quer i st er s, and ot her s, and ador ned wi t h f ai r and cur i ous

car ved wor k, and of as excel l ent pr opor t i on as al most i s

possi bl e t o be made by t he hands of wor kmen.

* An el egant st ai ned wi ndow, er ect ed i n 1844, now occupi es t he

pl ace of t he one her e ment i oned, of whi ch al l t r ace had l ong bef or e

di sappear ed.

f At a pl ace cal l ed t he Spi l al , i n Bought on.

39

Many have been t he Monument s of Bur i al s wi t hi n

t he sai d Qui er y, wher eof t i me hat h devour ed t he memor y.

Ther e now onl y r emai ns t he Shr i ne of St . Wer bur g, t he

whi ch now ser ves t o be a suppor t er t o a f ai r Pue f or t he

Lor d Bi shop. Al so one f ai r st one i n t he mi ddest of t he

Chur ch, wher e was bur i ed one wor t hy Bi shop of t he same

Di ocesse, cal l ed Bi shop Downham, and dat ed Dec. 3r d

1577. Near unt o t hat l yes anot her St one, bei ng t he

Page 24 of 85

bur i al pl ace of t he Lor d Bi shop Ll oyd, of l at e year s.

I n t he Sout h He of t he sai d Qui r e, i n t he wal l t her eof ,

di ver s ant i ent bur i al l s have t hei r Tombs ar t i f i ci al l y made

wi t hi n t he Wal l , ar ched over i n t he same, but wi t hout

i nscr i pt i ons ; and upon t he ot her si de of t hat He i s a f ai r

squar e Tomb of Al abast er wi t hout i nscr i pt i ons al so, but

bel i eved t o be t hat Emper our ' s Tomb, Henr y t he Four t h,

of whom we made ment i on bef or e.

The Body of t he Chur ch, t owar d t he West end, i s a

ver y spaci ous and st at el y Edi f i ce, di st i ngui shed i nt o a

br oad mi ddl e He, and t wo l esser l i es on ei t her si de;

t he Pi l l ar s of t he He r ecor di ng t he memor y of a f amous

Abbot of t hat Abby, Si mon Ri pl ey, who di ed about 1492.

a gr eat Benef act or of t hat House, and a bount i f ul Re-

pai r er of t hat Chur ch, as by t he l et t er s of hi s name on

t hose Pi l l ar s i s yet mani f est .

At t he upper end of t he Body of t he Mi nst er , i s t he

ent r ance i nt o t he pl ace now used, and so named, by t he

40

name of t he Chapt er House, and speci al l y ser ves f or

t he meet i ngs and busi nesses of t he Dean and Chapt er .

And t hi s pi ece of bui l di ng, of al l ot her s, shewet h t he

most vener abl e f ace of ant i qui t y, bot h f or t he most

ant i ent f ashi on of vaul t i ng over head, and of open

wal l s wi t h par t i t i ons wi t hi n si de. I t i s most cer -

t ai n, i t i s as ol d a f ashi on f or bui l di ng wi t h st one,

as I t hi nk can be showed i n any pl ace t hat hat h

st ood i n i t s own nat i ve f or m, wi t hout al t er at i on or r e-

par at i on. I t i s supposed, and i ndeed most l i kel y, t hat

many of t hose f amous and r enowned Ear l es of Chest er

have been bur i ed i n t hi s pl ace, t hough t her e appear no

pr oof t her eof by Monument s : onel y t her e ar e some

Gr avest ones i n t he f l oor t her eof , and one of t hem of a

ver y ant i ent manner of maki ng, wi t h an I nscr i pt i on about

t he bor der of i t , def aced.

On t he same si de of t he Chur ch l i kewi se, ar e sever al

Ent r ances i nt o t he Cl oyst er s, t hat l ead i nt o t he sever al

par t s of t he Abbey, now di spar t ed t o sever al uses and

empl oyment s ; such as, a Pal i ace f or t he Lor d Bi shop,

anot her f or t he Deane ; and i n l i ke manner f or al l t he

Pr ebends, Canons, t he Fr ee School , t he ser vant s of t he

House, and ot her uses.

The Sout h end of t he Mi nst er hat h been ei t her t he

Fabr i c i t sel f , or el se t he pl ace of t he Chur ch, f i r st dedi -

cat ed t o t he memor y of t he Apost l es Pet er and Paul ; and

41

af t er war ds al t er ed t o t he bl essed Tr i ni t y and St . Oswal d,

Ki ng and Mar t yr ; and af t er t hat agai n, t o St . Oswal d

Page 25 of 85

and St . Wer bur g ; and af t er al l t hat , t he r est of t he

Mi nst er j oi ned t o t he Nor t h end of t hat , t hi s Chur ch st i l l

r et ai ni ng her dedi cat i on t o St . Osi val d, f r om t he whi ch,

t he whol e Par i sh had i t s name. But t he Abbot and t he

Convent , wi shi ng t o r et ai n t hei r whol e Mi nst er t o t hem-

sel ves, af t er war d er ect ed f or t he Par i shi oner s a f ai r Chap-

pel l at t he Sout h West end of t he Mi nst er , i nt i t ul ed

St . Ni chol as Chappel l ; wher eunt o t he sai d Par i shi oner s

r epai r ed, as t hei r Par i sh Chur ch ; whi ch so cont i nued

unt o t he t i me, t hat t he Par i shi oner s, wi t h t he Mai or of

t he Ci t y, obt ai ned agai n f or t hei r Ser vi ce t he Chur ch of

St . Oswal d' s, compoundi ng wi t h Si mon Ri pl ey, Abbot of

Chest er , about t he year 1488, as by an I nst r ument yet

r emai ni ng upon r ecor d, dot h appear .

The Cbappel of St . Ni chol as t hen ser vi ng t o l i t t l e use,

t he Ci t i zens pur chased i t t o t hemsel ves, and di vi di ng t he

same by a f l oor i n t he mi ddl e t her eof , t he l ower Room

was appoi nt ed f or t he st owage of Wool and ot her com-

modi t i es, t o be vent ed and sol d at al l owabl e t i mes. And

t he upper r oom f or a st at el y Senat e house, * f or t he

Assembl i es, El ect i ons, Cour t s of Mai or , and Al der men, t he

Pent i ce Cour t , and ot her s, as t he l aw appoi nt s.

* Now conver t ed i ut o a Theat r e, t o t he gr eat honor and cr edi

of t he Ci t y.

i J

The Chur ch of St . Mar i e' s, usual l y cal l ed super

mont em, st andet h upon t he br ow of a bank t hat r i set h

not f ar f r om t he Br i dge- gat e. I t car r yet h t he same shew

of Ant i qui t y wi t h t he r est of t he Chur ches, bei ng i n al l

l i kel i hood er ect ed i n t hat pl ace f or speci al l use of t he

Ear l es, when t hey hel d t hei r r esi dence i n t he Cast l e.

Upon t he Sout h si de of t he Chancel st andet h a f ai r

Chappel , * r epor t ed t o be t her e er ect ed by t he ancest or s

of a gr eat and wor shi pf ul r ace of t he Tr out becl cs, of

gr eat r eput at i on i n t hi s Count y of Chest er , and of whose

l ands many of t he gent l emen of t he Shi r e have now no

smal l por t i on ; i n whi ch Chappel t he bodi es of some of

t hem, and by al l l i kel i hood t he Founder s of t he Chappel ,

l ye i n a f ai r vaul t i n t he mi ddest t her eof ; and ot her s of

t hat pr ogeni e i n ot her par t s of t he Chur ch.

Al most i n t he mi ddl e of t he Wat er - gat e St r eet , on

i t s Nor t h si de, st andet h t he Chur ch dedi cat ed t o t he

bl essed Tr i ni t y, whi ch bot h f or t he hi gh Spi r e st eepl e, - J-

and f or t he wor kmanshi p, seemet h t o be of l i t t l e l ess an-

t i qui t y t han t he ot her s.

The Chur ch of St . John' s, wi t hout t he Wal l s of t he

Ci t y, an aut hor af f i r ms t o have been f ounded i n A. D. G89,

i n t hese pl ai n wor ds :

• The Roof of t hi s Chapel f el l i n i n ] C60, and t he pr esent Sout h

ai sl e was er ect ed on i t s si t e i n 1690.

f Thi s st eepl e has been f or many year s wi t hout a spi r e.

Page 26 of 85

* : ;

" The Year of Gr ace si x hundr ed f our scor e ni ne

" As sai t h my aut hor , a Br i t t ai n, Ger al dus,

" Ki ng Et hel r - ed mi ndi ng most t he bl i sse of heaven,

" Edi l i ed a Col l edge Chur ch not abl e and f amous

" I n t he subur bs of Chest er pl easant and beaut i ous,

" I n t he honor of God and t he Bapt i st St . John

" Wi t h t he hel p of Bi shop Wul f r i ce and good

exhor t at i on. "

I wi l l not suppr esse t hat whi ch t hey f ur t her wr i t e of t hi s

f oundat i on, whi ch bei ng ei t her t r ue, or a t hi ng supposed,

shal l , f or me, speak of i t sel f .

" Ki ng Et hel r ed mi ndi ng t o bui l d a Chur ch was t ol d,

That wher e he shoul d see a Whi t e Hi nde, t her e he

shoul d bui l d a Chur ch ; whi ch Hi nde he saw i n t he pl ace

wher e St . John' s Chur ch now st andet h ; and i n r emem-

br ance wher eof , hi s Pi ct ur e was pl aced i n t he Wal l of

t he sai d Chur ch, whi ch yet st andet h on t he si de of t he

St eepl e t owar ds t he West , havi ng a Whi t e Hi nde i n hi s

hand. "

I t r emai net h t hat we speak somewhat of t he Ri ver

Dee, t o whi ch wat er no man can now expr ess how much

t hi s ant i ent Ci t y hat h been behol den. Even t her e, wher e

t he Sea hat h det er mi ned t hat Cr eek, whi ch shoot s i n

bet ween Fl i nt shi r e, and t he West par t of Wer al l Hun-

dr ed, was f ounded t hi s beaut i f ul Ci t y, and made t he

Recept acl e of mer chandi ze f r om al l Ki ngdoms and Na-

t i ons, who t r aded i nt o t he Br i t t ai n, or I r i sh Ocean.

4 +

The mout h or openi ng of t hi s Ri ver i nt o t he Sea l i es

ver y bl eak upon t he Nor t h East er n and West er n wi nds,

and t he gr ound or bot t ome of t he Cr eek i s al t oget her of

a l oose, l i ght , ski t t er i ng Sand, whi ch upon any power f ul

dr i f t of Wi nd or Wat er , wi l l gi ve pl ace l i ke dr i f t s of

Snow. And t hese mi ght y heaps of sand, havi ng been

br ought by f i er ce and st r ong wi nds up i nt o t he nar r ow-

nesse of t he Cr eek, t he Haven, whi ch i n t i me past

r ecei ved Shi ps of gr eat bur t hen up t o t he Ci t y ski r t s,

scar ce now hat h sea r oom f or smal l Bar ques, whi ch onel y

at hi gher wat er s do br i ng i n t hei r unl adi ngs of Gr eat

Vessel s f r om t he Keyes whi ch can r ecei ve t hem, 9 or 10

mi l es of f . And hence i t i s, t hat even wi t hi n t hi s f ew

year s t her e hat h been such l osses and gai ni ngs bet ween

t he shor es of Cheshi r e and Fl i nt shi r e as wi l l scar cel y

be bel i eved of such as do not behol d t hat wi t h t hei r eyes.

Pr oceedi ng now wi t h t he r est of Br oxt on Hundr ed,

whi ch we made but an ent r ance i nt o, we wi l l t ake occa-

si on t o l eave Handbr i dge, t hat ant i ent par t of t he Ci t y,

l yi ng cl ose t o t he Br i dge, and t ake vi ew of t hat par t of

t he Hundr ed, whi ch l yes on t hat si de of t he sai d Ri ver

of Bee, and bet ween i t and Fl i nt shi r e. The f i r st i s t he

Page 27 of 85

l or dshi p of Lache, i n t i mes past par t l y t he l ands of t he

Ear l es of Oxenf or d ; and t he chi ef house * i n t he Town-

* Lache Hal l , gar r i soned f or t he Par l i ament , dur i ng t he Si ege

of Chest er , by Si r Wi l l i am Br er et on.

45

shi p i s now t he hol di ng of Geor ge Manl y, Gent . , and

no smal l por t i on was t he Lands t hat bel onged t o t he

Nunner y of St . Mar y i n Chest er , and now bel ongi ng t o

t he Br er et ons of Handf or d. Mor e t hen a mi l e East war d

st andet h Eccl est on Chur ch, by t he Town so cal l ed,

wher eof t he chi ef l or dshi p i s t he l ands of t he Venabl es,

Bar on of Ki nder t on, whi l e down l ower t owar ds t he Sout h,

l yes Dodl est on, a goodl y l or dshi p of t he Ear l e of Br i dge-

wat er , and t he Chur ch t her e i s t he bur yi ng pl ace of t hat

most wi se and wor t hy Lor d El l esmer e, Vi scount Br ack-

l ey, Lor d Chancel l or of Engl and, whose body, by hi s own

appoi nt ment , hi s cour se bei ng f i ni shed, was br ought

down t o r est i n t he Chur ch of Dodl est on. Thi s sai d

l or dshi p adj oi net h t o Ki nar t on, and next t o t hat l yes

Bur t on.

Tur ni ng now t o t he Sout h East , you come t o Pul f or d,

a gr eat l or dshi p * of t he War bur t ons of Ar l ey, st andi ng

upon t he Ei ver Al en, whi ch comi ng f r om t he mi ddest of

Cheshi r e l eads you on f ul l East unt o Poul t on, somet i mes

t he ant i ent seat of t he Manl eys, now bel ongi ng t o t he

house of Eat on, at Eat on boat , \ t he Mansi on of t he

wor t hy f ami l y of t he Gr osvenor s ; t he hei r of whi ch

house, Si r Ri char d Gr osvenor , Kni ght and Bar onet ,

* Bel ongs now t o t he nobl e House of West mi nst er ,

f Eat on Hal l , now a pr i ncel y edi f i ce, er ect ed i n 1807, by t he

Fat her of t he pr esent Mar qui s of West mi nst er .

4G

enj oys t he Seat , and shewes hi s own wor t hi ness, bet t er

t han I wer e abl e, i f I woul d at t empt , t o do i t .

Ret ur ni ng t hen t o Chest er , our way i s t o pass over

t he Br i dge, and al ong t he Wal l East war d, t o For e- gat e

St r eet ; whi ch bei ng done, you pr esent l y go t o Spi t t l e

Bought on, * so cal l ed of an ant i ent Hospi t al l t her e sci -

t uat e. Neer unt o whi ch l yes Bought on i t sel f , by t he

Ri ver of Dee, wher e i s now t hat f ai r new Wat er wor k,

even now i n f i ni shi ng, t o br i ng t he Wat er of a f i ne spr i ng

neer i t , unt o t he mi ddest of t he Ci t y, t o a Cest er n, sci -

t uat e by t he Hi gh Cr oss, at St . Pet er ' s Chur ch, a t hi ng

pl easant and commodi ous. By t he Ri ver si de, a mi l e

f ur t her Sout hwar d, l i es Hunt i ngt on l or dshi p ; f r om whence

we soon come t o Chur chen Heat h, wher e st ands a Chap-

pel bel ongi ng t o t he Par i sh of St . Wer bur g of Chest er ,

and next t o i t l i es a r i ch demeane, and a f ai r ant i ent

Page 28 of 85

Ti mber mansi on house - j - of t he gr eat f ami l y of t he Cal -

vel i es, whi ch house had, i n t i mes past , one addi t i on of

honour , when t he owner t her eof Si r Hugh Cal vel y was

Capt ai n of Cal l eys% ( Cal ai s) and mar r i ed t he l at e Queen

" Her e was, unt i l t he pr esent cent ur y, t he common pl ace of

Execut i on, wher e al so Geor ge Mar sh suf f er ed mar t yr dom f or hi s

Rel i gi on, i n 1554.

f Lea Hal l , now a f ar m house. The Cal vel y f ami l y, ext i nct i n

t he mal e l i ne, i s now r epr esent ed i n t he f emal e l i ne, by Vi scount

Comber mer e, of Comber mer e Abbey.

J Under Edwar d I I I . , i n 1374. Hi s mar r i age wi t h Queen Mar -

gar et i s, doubt l ess, a myt h.

47

of Ar agon, and anot her of t he l at e pr esence of our gr a-

ci ous Sover ai gn Ki ng James, Anno 1G 17, who came

t hi t her f r om Chest er , and advanced t her e t he sai d Si r

Geor ge Cal vel y t o t he degr ee of Kni ght hood.

Beneat h t hi s demean we must st ep over a st one br i dge

t o Al df or d, * and on past an ant i ent i nher i t ance of t he

Fl t t ons of Gawswor t h, t o Chur t on, wher e i s sci t uat e t wo

gent l emen' s habi t at i ons of t he Bar nst ons and t he I ' os -

t ocks ; and so l eavi ng Al der sey on our l ef t hand, a pl ace

t hat gave begi nni ng t o Gent l emen of t hat name t her e,

some f amous Ci t i zens of London, and Al der men of Ches-

t er , and whose post er i t y do t her e st i l l f l our i sh.

We come now t o Far ndon, wher e i s a f ai r new

Chur ch, + wi t h t he t own i t sel f r eachi ng down t o an ex -

ceedi ng f ai r st one br i dge, bui l t , no doubt , t oget her wi t h

t hat ol d subst ant i al Cast l e i n t he Hol t , t he br i dge bei ng

t he onel y par t i t i on bet ween t he t wo Towns.

Pur sui ng t he cour se of our Ri ver , nor t hwar d of t he

t own of Bar t on upon t he Hi l l , we come st i l l East er l y t o

Cr ewe, \ and Car den^ wher eof bot h have gi ven names

* Si nce 1729, Al df or d has bel onged, by pur chase, t o t he Gr osve-

nor f ami l y.

f Thi s Chur ch was gar r i soned dur i ng t he Ci vi l War , and was

bur nt at t he si ege of Hol t Cast l e i n 1645.

\ Now t he seat of Roger Har r y Bar nst on, Esq. , a descendant of

t he Bar nst ons of Chur t on.

§ J. Hur l est on Leche, Esq. , t he pr esent pr opr i et or der i ves i n.

48

t o geut l emen' s f ami l i es, t he l at t er bei ng now t he mansi on

Page 29 of 85

of John Leche, Gent l eman, a man of good descent ; and

ext ended: t o Cal cot ( Cal decot e) a f i ne seat ; near whi ch

i s al so anot her ant i ent seat , once of t he Yer dl cys, but

si nce pur chased by Lady Chol ml ey.

Next we come unt o Ti l st on, whi ch st andet h by a f ai r

demean, her et of or e t he i nher i t ance of t he Massi es, of

Gr af t on, * but l at el y pur chased and new bui l ded by Si r

Pet er War bur t on, one of hi s Maj est i e' s Just i ces of Com-

mon Pl eas, who l ef t hi s onel y daught er and hei r , t he now

Lady Gr osvenor , who by her f or mer husband was Lady

St anl ey of Al der l ey.

Upon our l ef t hand, l yet h adj oi ni ng Hor t on, ant i ent l y

a seat of t he Gol bor ns ; and Over t on, anot her Lor dshi p :

and passi ng t hence by t he Haml et of Chor l et on, we come

pr esent l y t o t he t wo Lor dshi ps of Shocl ach ; one i s cal l ed

Chur ch Shocl ach, havi ng a l i t t l e Chur ch i n i t , but as f or

t he Cast l e f whi ch Mr . Camden sai t h hat h been her e,

I can say but l i t t l e. The goodl y seat her e, of l at e year s

t he Mansi on of Si r Randl e Br er et on, i s now br ought unt o

t he possessi on of a most wor t hy Kni ght , Si r Ri char d

t he f emal e l i ne f r om Wi l l i am de Car den, wi t h whom t he or i gi nal

name became ext i nct .

* Gr af t on has passed, by descent , t o t he pr esent Lor d St anl ey,

of A' der l ey.

f Of t hi s Cast l e no r emai ns exi st , beyond t he moat whi ch sur -

r ounded i t .

4/ „

i . ; . \ ' . ' . 7. >; v/ - , i : <'

( i l

ant i ent seat of t he Gr i f f i ns, of l ong cont i nuance, r ecei ved*

i nt o t he bosom t her eof one st out Wat er t hat t hey cal l

Bet l ey wat er . Let us st ep a l i t t l e East er l y t owar ds t he

head of t hi s wat er , and t ake vi ew of Wybunbur y, a

Chur ch t own, and a Par i sh Chur ch * t o a gr eat pr eci nct ,

and on ever y si de so gar ni shed and ador ned wi t h t he

seat s of Bar onet s, Kni ght s and Gent l emen, as i s scar ce

t o he f ound t he l i ke i n any count r y Par i sh ; t he Vi car age

i s i n t he gi f t of t he Bi shop of Li chf i el d and Covent r y.

Neer unt o t he same Chur ch i s sci t uat e a f i ne l or dshi p

and Town, wi t h a decayed house and demean of Si r

Thomas Smi t h, cal l ed t he Hough ; and next adj oi ni ng

unt o i t , t he Lee, bei ng an ant i ent seat of Kni ght s and

Esqui r es of t hat name, and now Si r Ri char d Lee, a

Kni ght of wor t hy account , t o whom I st and par t i cul ar l y

bounden.

Page 30 of 85

But l et us l ook a l i t t l e mor e t o t he West , wher e st ands

t he l or dshi p of Bl ai kenf al l ( Bl akenhal l ) ; and next t o

t hat Hunst er t on, - \ bot h t he l ands of Si r Thomas Del ves,

and so come t o Bar t oml ey, \ a Par i sh and a Chur ch ; i n

whi ch Townshi p we see an ant i ent handsome house and

* We ar e i ndebt ed t o John Tweml ow, Esq. , of Hat her t on, f or

t he accompanyi ng engr avi ng of Wybunbur y Ol d Chur ch, t aken

down i n 1790.

f Thi s and t he t hr ee pr evi ousl y named l or dshi ps now bel ong t o

t he Br ought on f ami l y.

% Dur i ng t he Ci vi l War , Bar t homl ey Chur ch was at t acked by

62

demean, t he l ands of t he Lawt ons of Lawt on ; and f r om

a l ake her eabout r unnet h Wol wer n br ook, by West on, a

l or dshi p wi t h an ant i ent seat and demean, bel ongi ng t o

Si r Thomas Del ves, of Doddi ngt on, r unni ng al ong by

Basf or d, a si ght l y habi t at i on, * somet i me t he l ands of

t he Br oml ees, but now of Si r Rober t Chol mondel ei gh ;

and so cr ossi ng t he Lee br ook agai n, we may f i r st t ake

not i ce of Shavi ngt on, an ant i ent seat of t he Woodnot hs,

t he pr esent ' owner t her eof , John Woodnot h, Esq. , - j ~ a gr eat

ant i quar y, and l ear ned i n t he l aws ; and on t he ot her

hand Ro, and bel ongs, wi t h War -

but t on, Gr eat Budwor t h, Sf C, t o Rowl and E. E. War bur t on, Esq.

f Now possessed by James H. Smi t h Bar r y, Esq. , who r esi des

Ht Mai bun/ Hal l .

105

Passi ng hence by Powsey Chappel , and Nei vbor ough,

t he seat of Geor ge Hol f or d, Esq. , and so t hr ough a cer -

t ai n Par k bel ongi ng al so t o But t on, we come t o Ast on

Gr ange, a Townshi p of Si r Ri char d Br ooke' s, and so, by

Weever si de, t o Ast on, t he seat of a wor shi pf ul r ace of

Ast ons, t he Hei r now, Thomas Ast on, Esq. , * who hat h

t o hi s sai d house, a f ai r Par k, and a Chappel neer t he

house, of gr eat use ; and next adj oi ni ng t o i t i s Sut t on

Lor dshi p, and i n i t an ant i ent Mannour house and demean

of Mr . War bur t on of Ar l ey. And t hus we go al ong t he

Weever si de, t i l l i t br i ngs us t o a ver y st at el y st one

Br i dge, cal l ed Fr odsham Br i dge, bui l t upon f our f ai r

ar ches, wher e we f i ni sh our vi ew of Buckl ow Hundr ed,

and passe over t hi s Br i dge i nt o

EDDI SBURY HUNDRED.

Our vi ew of t hi s Hundr ed shal l begi n f r om Fr odsham

Br i dge, whence we go t o Fr odsham Town, a f ai r cont i -

nued st r eet wi t h handsome bui l di ngs, and at t he West end

of i t a f ai r House or Cast l e, Fr odsham Cast l e, a r el yi ng

seat of pl easur e t o t he honour abl e owner t her eof , Si r Tho-

Page 31 of 85

mas Savage. f The Chur ch i s f ai r and pl easant l y sci t u-

* Af t er war ds Si r Thomas Ast on, cr eat ed a Bar onet by Char l es

I . , i n 1628, f r om whom t he est at e has descended t o t he pr esent

owner , Si r Ar t hur I ngr am Ast on, Bar t . , of Ast on Hal l .

f Fr odsham passed f r om t he Savagesj o t he nobl e house of I l i -

10G

at ed on t he Hi l l over t he Town ; and over t hem al l , a

hi gh t owr i ng Hi l l , wi t h a Beacon upon i t ; and bet ween

t hese and Mer zey, a f ai r and f r ui t f ul Mar sh of l ar ge

ext ent , al l bel ongi ng t o Si r Thomas Savage, and next

unt o i t anot her Lor dshi p cal l ed Hel sby, on t he hi gh r oad

t o Chest er .

Let us her e, i f you pl ease, t ake wi t h us a si ght of t he

Par i sh of I nce, * a goodl y l or dshi p of t he Chol ml eys ;

and of Thor nt on, anot her of Si r Geor ge Boot h' s, ext end-

i ng her l i mi t s t o t he Towns on t hi s Si de Hapsf or d, wher e

Edwar d Gr eg, Gent . , of t he Exchequer Cour t at Chest er ,

hat h a f ai r seat ; and Dunham on t he Hi l l , wher e Rober t

Whi t by, Al der man of Chest er , hat h a pl easant house,

seen f ar of f . And unt o t hi s, adde t hat t hi r d of El t on,

wher e hat h been a l ong descent of t he Fr odshams.

But l et us go on, and bei ng come t o t he Beest on wat er ,

we see on our l ef t Manl ey, wher e i s an ant i ent seat of t he

Bi r kenheads, now Adam Bi r kenhead, Esq. ; and of

Li t t l e and Gr eat Moul dswor t h, wher e i s t he goodl y an-

t i ent seat of Peel e, \ t he habi t at i on of t he Har dwar es,

ver s, f r om t hem t o t he Ear l of Bar r ymor e, and i s now vest ed i u t he

Mar qui s of Chol mondel ey.

* I ncc f or mer l y bel onged, as r eci t ed i n a pr evi ous por t i ou of

t hi s wor k, t o t he Abbot ar i d Canons of St . Wer bur gh, but ar e

now hel d by t he t r ust ees of t he l at e E. Yat es, Esq.

f Ki ng Wi l l i am Ti l . , on hi s passage i nt o I r el and, was ent er -

107

but bel ongi ng t o Si r Rober t Chohnl ey ; and so we l eave

Asht on Townshi p behi nd us ; and t ur ni ng t o l ook upon

Br i dge Tr af f or d, i n whi ch a l ong cont i nued r ace of t hat

name have a seeml y seat , t he owner now Mr . Tr af f or d, *

we see Bar r ow, a l or dshi p and mansi on of John Savage,

Esq. Al der man and Magi st r at e of t he Ci t y of Chest er .

" We passe on t o Kel shal l , ver y hi gh i n t he ski r t of t he

For est , a l or dshi p of Si r John Bone' s, Kt . ; beneat h

whi ch t aki ng wi t h us an ant i ent house of t he Tr evi ces,

cal l ed Hor t on, we come t o t he Town and Par i sh of Tar -

vi n, i n whi ch, besi des t he f ai r Chur ch and Vi car i dge, we

Page 32 of 85

see an ant i ent r ui ned seat of t he Br ui nes, of l ong con-

t i nuance, but t hi s house and demean i s come t o t he hei r

of a l at e f amous l awyer , Wi l l i am Br ock, a younger house

of t he Br ocks of Upt on ; and a l i t t l e way f r om t he Town,

a l ar ge sweet Far m, cal l ed Hol mst r eet . The Lor dshi p of

Tar vi n bel ongs t o Si r Thomas Savage.

Not hal f a mi l e di st ant we see Hockenhul l , a comel y

house, gi vi ng name t o gent l emen of l ong cont i nuance, t he

now owner John Hockenhul l , Esq. ; on one si de of whi ch

l yes Hockenhul l Pl ot , on our gr eat London r oadway t o

t ai ned at Peek Hal l , by Col . Roger Whi t l ey, who was a zeal ous

r oyal i st , and had f ol l owed t he f or t uues of Ki ng Char l es I I . , i nt o

«xi l e.

* Capt . Tr af f or d was ki l l ed at t he Bat t l e of Naseby, and t he

est at e shor t l y af t er war ds passed l o t he Bar nsi ons of Chur t on.

108

Chest er . Our Ri ver l eads us by anot her f ai r and f r ui t -

f ul demean and l or dshi p, cal l ed St apl ef or d, f or an ant i ent

cont i nuance t he seat of t he Br ui nes, t he owner now John

Br ui ne, Esq.

And now we t ur n East war d t o Bur t on, wher ei n i s a

house bel ongi ng t o John Wer den, Gent . ; next whi ch

l yes Duddon, wher e Mr . Done has a seat ; and mor e

t owar ds t he For est a house cal l ed Pr i cehal l ; and a l i t t l e

f ur t her t he Townshi p of Cl ot t on, and I denshai v, t he man-

si on of John Hur l est one, Esq. , and neer unt o i t How-

f i el d.

Towar ds t he Ri ver si de we come t o Ti ver t on Lor dshi p,

wher e i s a house and demean of t he Br assi es, whi ch have

been a gr eat r ace of gent l emen. And so we cannot but

st ay t o l ook up at t he st at el y house and demean of Bees -

t on, t he name al so of t hat f amous and f ar seen Cast l e, *

bui l t t her e by t he l ast Ranul ph, Ear l of Chest er , mount ed

on t he t op of a st eep Hi l l of st one, t he chi ef t ower wher eof ,

i n t he summi t y of i t , had a dr aw wel l of wat er of i ncr edi -

bl e dept h. To t he whi ch pl ace I wi sh al l good, and t o

t he name of Beest on, t he demean bei ng now i n t he pos -

* Thi s anci ent f or t r ess, of t he r ui ns of whi ch we her e pr esent

our r eader s wi t h an i l l ust r at i on, was sever al t i mes t akeu and r e-

t aken dur i ng t he Ci vi l War ; on t he concl usi on of whi ch i t was

di smant l ed by t he Pur i t ans, and has si nce sunk i nt o t he i mposi ng

r ui n i t now exhi bi t s.

109

sessi on of an ant i ent Kni ght , Si r Hugh Beest on, wi t hout

i ssue mal e.

Page 33 of 85

We come next t o Spur st ow, a f ai r house and demai n of

Geor ge Spur st ow, Esq. , one of an ant i ent cont i nued r ace;

John Al der sey, Gent . , t er med al so of Spur st ow, hat h a

f i ne ant i ent demean, t he bi r t hpl ace of t hat most wor t hy

Al der sey, Al der man of London. East war d l i es Haught on,

of t he Haught ons, and anot her seat of t he Buckl eys ; and

on t he West , Ri dl ey, t he possessi on of t hat honour abl e

di scent of t he Eger t ons ; and upon t he Nor t h- west l i es t he

l or dshi p of Peckf or t on, somet i mes bel ongi ng t o t he gr eat

name of t he Cor bet t s, but now t o Si r Hugh Beest on. *

And her ei n i s a f i ne ant i ent seat of t he Cal vel eys.

Now we see t he Mot her Chur ch of al l t hese Townshi ps,

Bunbur y, a f ai r Chur ch, wi t h, on t he Sout h si de of t he

Chancel , Chappel and a bur i al pl ace of t he Eger t ons of Ri d-

l ey. Not f ar f r om t he Chur ch, we see t he r ui nes of t he

Col l edge, f ounded t her e f or si x pr i est s by t hat f amous

Hugh Cal vel ey. But now, f ar t her East , i s t he Lor dshi p

of War di e, wher e hat h been a Seat and demean of t he

ant i ent f ami l y of t he Pr est l ands, - \ of l ong cont i nuance,

and t he Hei r s mal e now f ai l ed.

* On Peckf or t on Hi l l has l at el y been er ect ed ( 1842- 51) a mag-

ni f i cent Nor man bar oni al Cast l e, of gr eat beaut y, now t he r esi -

dence of t he wor t hy owner , John Tol l emache, Esq. , M. P. , who i s

al so t he possessor of Beest on Cast l e, and ot her Cheshi r e manor s.

f The Pr esl andu oSWal l f or dj Sal op, ar e descendant s of t hi s f ami l y.

110

Neer t he West end of t hi s i s t he Cl eys, a f ai r house

of t he Davenpor t s ; and upon t he Nor t h si de st ands t he

Townshi p of Cal vel ey* whence t hat gr eat name had f i r st

t hei r denomi nat i on. The pr i nci pal seat t her ei n r emai ns

yet , and hat h heen l ong t he hahi t at i on of one r ace of t he

Davenpor t s, t he owner t her eof now Ar t hur Davenpor t ,

Esq. ; and neer unt o i t anot her f ai r house of t he Mai n-

war i ngs. Mor e Nor t hwar d l i es Wet t enhal l , wi t h an an-

t i ent seat of t he Br er et ons of Wet t enhal l .

Hence, West war d, i s Al pr aham, wher e was ant i ent l y a

Seat of t he Pages, now whol l y ext i nct . And her e t he

l of t y pi l e, t he Hal l of Ti l st one Feamal , shews i t sel f .

Neer unt o t hi s, we see t he mi nes of t he House of Fl ax -

yar d, t he ant i ent seat of t he Dones of Fl axyar d, af t er -

war ds uni t ed by mar r i age wi t h t he Dones of Ut hi nt on,

neer her eunt o, t he owner now Si r John Done, Kt . , who by

hi s wel l pl easi ng ser vi ce t o Hi s Maj est y, who t ook Hi s

pl easur e and r epast i n Hi s For est of Del amer e, A. D.

1617, of whi ch he was chi ef f or est er , or der ed so wi sel y

Hi s Hi ghnesse' s spor t s, t hat He f r eel y honor ed hi m wi t h

Kni ght hood, and gr aced hi s house of Ut hi nt on wi t h Hi s

r oyal pr esence.

But l et us t ake wi t h us t he vi ew of Tar por l ey Chur ch

and Town, on t he gr eat Roadway t o Chest er , a Lor dshi p

* At Cal vel ey, t hat cel ebr at ed war r i or , Si r Hugh Cal vel ey, Go-

ver nor of Cal ai s i n t he r ei gn of Ki ng Edwar d I I I . , wai bor n.

Page 34 of 85

I l l

, of t he sai d Si r John Done ; f r om whence we go by Eat on

and Rusht on, t o Bar l ey, a f ai r seat and demean of t he

St ar t l es, now Henr y St ar key, Esq. ; near whi ch i s t he

gr eat seat and house of anot her wor t hy r ace, cal l ed t he

Eger t ons of Oul t on* wher eof have succeeded f or some

descent s Kni ght s of not e, and t he owner now Si r Rowl and

Eger t on, Bar t . I n t he edge of t he For est l i es t he l i t t l e

Chur ch and Town of Li t t l e Budwor t h, i n whi ch Par i sh i s

a Mer e ; a Br ook f r om whi ch l eads us t o Dar nal l Gr ange,

once a f amous pl ace, t he r esi dence of some of t he Ear l s

of Chest er , of whom t he sevent h and l ast , John Scot ,

dyed t her e. I t i s now a f i ne seat , wi t h a sweet house of

br i ck l at el y er ect ed, and now t he possessi on of Henr y

Lee, Esq. , hei r t o Si r Ri char d Lee, bef or e- ment i oned.

Al ong t he Par k si de of Dar nal l , l yes Swanl ow, and

t her ei n many good Far ms.

By t he wat er of Weever , we soon come t o t hat f amous

seat of t he St anl eys of Weever , f now t he mansi on house

of Thomas St anl ey of Al der l ey, Esq. And so we come

t o Over Chur ch, sci t uat e hal f a mi l e f r om t he Town

i t sel f , whi ch, bei ng t he mai n possessi on of t he Abbot and

* The Eger t ons of Oul t on, ever hel d t o be one of t he f i r st f a-

mi l i es i n Cheshi r e, ar e now r epr esent ed by Si r Phi l i p de Mal pas

Gr ey Eger t on, Bar t , M. P. , of Oul t on.

f Ear l y i n t he l ?t h cent ur y Weever became, by pur chase, t he

pr oper t y of t he Wi l br ahams of Del amer e.

1 1:

Convent of Val e Boy al l , obt ai ned by t hei r means t o be

made a Mai or Town, whi ch gover nment t hey hol d t o t hi s

day. Neer unt o whi ch i s a f i ne seat , cal l ed Kni ght ' s

Gr ange, and not f ar f r om t hi s, a ver y pl easant house of

Thomas Mai nwar i ng of Mar t on, Gent . A l i t t l e f ur t her ,

we passe by Whi t egat e, and so come t o t hat f amous Val e

Boyal l .

Met hi nks i t pr obabl e t hat Ki ng Edwar d t he Fi r st , who

f ounded her e t he Abbey, t o whi ch pl ace t he Abbey of

Dar nhal l was t r ansl at ed, gave t hi s name t o t he goodl y

t r act of gr ounds, bet wi xt t he For est and t he Ri ver Wee-

ver , by hi s hunt i ng, or ot her pr i ncel y spor t s ; as, on t he l at e

occasi on of our gr aci ous Sover ai gn, hi s maki ng t he house

her e f our days hi s Royal Cour t , whi l e on hi s r et ur n out of

Scot l and, he sol aced hi msel f by hi s di spor t s i n t he For est ,

he conf i r med i t i ndeed t o be a Royal Val e. Thi s Val e

Boyal l was t he seat of t he Hol cr of t s f or t wo di scent s,

but of l at e i s come by pur chase t o t he Lady Mar y

Chol ml ey* a Lady of gr eat possessi ons, and who f or her

Page 35 of 85

* Her son Thomas was t he i mmedi at e ancest or of t he Ri ght

Hon. Thomas Chol mondel ey, t he pr esent nobl e owner of Val e

Royal , who was r ai sed t o t he peer age i n 182) , by t he t i t l e of B i -

r on Del amer e. The or i gi nal MSS. , pur por t i ng t o be t he Pr ophe-

ci es of Rober t Ni xon, t he Cheshi r e Pr ophet , ar e her e deposi t ed-

Ni xon i s al l eged t o have been bor n at Br i dge- end House, i n t he

Pai i >h of Over , i n t he r ei gn o' Edwar d I V, , or James J.

113

wi sdom, vi r t ue and gr eat hospi t al i t y, deser vet h wor t hy

r emembr ance.

We see beyond t hi s Sandy way, and Har t f or d, and so

we l ook as f ar as t hi s Hundr ed r eachet h t o Wi nni ngt on,

wher e i s a br i dge over t he Weever ; whi ch goi ng f i r st by

Wal l er scot e, an ant i ent seat of t he Li t t l er s, i t hast ens t o

Weaver sham, a pr et t y Chur ch Town, wi t h a Cour t and

Pr i son, t he Lor dshi p now of Thomas Mar bur y, Esq. ; i n

whi ch I must not omi t one ant i ent seat of t he War bur t ons

cal l ed Hel per st one Gr ange. Fr om hence Weever shal l

par t wi t h us at Act on br i dge ; West war d of whi ch i s Ac -

t on Townshi p, wher e i s an ant i ent seat of t he Far r ar s,

and so we t ake wi t h us Cr owt on, wher e Si r Gi l ber t I r e-

l and, Kni ght , hat h a house and demean. Next l yes

Ki ngsl ey Lor dshi p, and t her ei n an ant i ent seat of t he

Rut t er s, of l ong cont i nuance ; and not f ar of f , a f ai r br i ck

house of t he Ger ar ds of Cr ownwood ( Cr ewood) .

Passi ng t hence t o Newt on, and Al vanl ey, a pr et t y

Townshi p, we passe by Nor l ey, and Cuddi ngt on, and f al l

i nt o t he spat i ous For r est of Del amer e i t sel f ; whi ch For -

r est mai nt ai net h a conveni ent bei ng and pr eser vat i on f or

Hi s Maj est y' s Deer , bot h Red and Fal l ow, wher eof t her e

i s no smal l st or e. Upon t he hi ghest hi l l of al l , and

about t he mi ddest of t he For r est , i s seen t he ver y del i cat e

house of t he chi ef f or est er , cal l ed t he Chamber i n t he

For r est .

114

1 mi ght wade mt o a l ong di scour se of t hose t wo Ci t i es,

Eadsbur y and Fi nbor ow, whi ch wr i t er s, ant i ent and r ao-

der r i , do make r epor t of ; whi ch I wi l l l eave unt ouched,

because I suppose my l ong j our ney i n t hi s l i t t l e Hundr ed

l i at h wel l ni gh t i r ed my Reader al r eady.

WERALL HUNDRED.

That t hi s was i n ol d t i me a For r est , I t hi nk cannot be

doubt ed ; but when i t was di saf f or est ed I wi l l not cont end,

onl y t hat i t i s now one of t he most f er t i l e par t s i n t he whol e

Count y. We wi l l set i n at t he St one Br i dge, al most at

Chest er , and f ol l ow t he wat er di vi di ng t hi s f r om Br oxt on

Page 36 of 85

Hundr ed ; whi ch wi l l br i ng us, a l i t t l e behi nd Upt on, t o

Chor l t on, and t hen t o t he Lea, a f ai r house and demean,

f or some di scent s of t he Gl aseour s, Esqr s. , of speci al

not e ; and next unt o i t l yes Backf or d Town and Chur ch,

and har d by i t t he Seat of our wor t hy Pr ot honot ar y Henr y

Bi r kenhead, * Esq. ; f r om whence, as we see on t he West

* The Bi r kenheads of Backf or d became ext i nct i n t he mal e l i ne

i n 1724, and ar e now r epr esent ed by E. H. Gl egg, Esq. , who has

been f or some t i me engaged i n r ebui l di ng Backf or d Hal l f or hi s

f ut ur e r esi dence. The manor of Chor l t on, as wel l as Backf or d,

ar f e now t he pr oper l y of Mr . Gl egg.

115

of us Capenhur st Lor dshi p, bel ongi ng t o t he houses of

Chol ml ey and Pool e, * and i n t he same, a gent l eman' s

Seat .

By our Br ook l yes Cr ouyht on, - \ a member of t he

Lor dshi p of John Hur l est one, Esq. ; and f r om t hence we

come t o St oke, a l i t t l e Par i sh adj oi ni ng t hat f ai r demean

and ant i ent seat of t he Bunbur y' 1 s, cal l ed St anney Hal l ,

t he wor t hy pr esent owner Si r Henr y Bunbur y, Kt . , J of

speci al good est i mat i on. We t ur n us now t owar ds our

j our ney mor e West war d, passi ng by Whi t by, f r om whence

i t may seem t he Whi t by' s of Chest er der i ved t hei r name.

Then hol di ng on our cour se, we go by Gr eat Sut t on, a

goodl y Lor dshi p, and wher e hat h been a f amous Seat ,

cal l ed Sut t on Cour t , t he i nher i t ance now of Si r Rober t

Chol mondl ey ; and upon our ot her hand, Pool , a f ai r an-

t i ent Seat , wi t h a Par k, of whi ch t he l ong cont i nued r ace

of t he Pool s have bor ne t hat name, and i t i s ver y pr obabl e

have been t he ancest or s of some ver y gr eat f ami l i es of

t hat name i n ot her Count i es, t he pr esent owner t her e, John

* Capenhur st i s now t he pr oper t y of t he Rev. Ri char d Ri char d-

son, whose ancest or pur chased i t f r om t he Cl wl mondel eys i n 1770.

f Cr ought on has been pur chased t hi s year ( 1852) f r om / .

Hur l est one Leche, Esq. , of Car den, by Rober t Asht on, Esq. , of

Hyde.

\ Hi s descendant , Si r E. Bunbur y, Bar t , , i s t he pr esent pos=

sessor of t hi s est at e.

116

Pool e, Esq, * Neer unt o whi ch, we see al so St anl ow,

now a Far m of t he sai d Mr . Pool ' s ; her e was al so a Mo-

nast er y f ounded hy t he f amous Lacy, Const abl e of Ches -

t er , about A. D. 1173; but f r om t he unr ul ynesse of

Mer zey wat er , t hey mi sl i ked t hei r seat t her e, and t r ans -

l at ed t hemsel ves t o Whol l y i n Lancashi r e.

Page 37 of 85

Next come we t o Hoot on f a goodl y ant i ent Mannour

and f ai r Par k, whi ch ever si nce t he r ei gn of Ki ng Ri char d

t he Second, hat h been t he seat of t he St anl eys of Hoot on,

gent l emen of gr eat di gni t y and wor t h ; wher e have con-

t i nued t he same St anl eys i n a di r ect successi on, and was

l at e possessed by Si r Rowl and St anl ey, Kt . , who l i ved

t her e t o t he age of wel l neer a hundr ed year s, wher e hi s

f our t h gener at i on, hi s Son' s Son' s Son was, at t he t i me of

hi s decease. Neer unt o t hi s l yes East hani , t he Par i sh

Chur ch and Lor dshi p.

Next beyond i t , we l eave on our l ef t hand Br i mst axj e ;

and so come t o Poul t on ; and t he next t o t hat i s Br om-

bor ovyh, a pr et t y Town, wi t h a Chappel ; and t her ei n

* The Pool es af t er war ds r emoved i nt o Sussex, and oecame ex -

t i nct i n t he di r ect mal e l i ne a f ew year s si nce, by t he deat h of t he

Rev. Si r Henr y Pool e. The manor now bel ongs t o t he Mar qui s of

West mi nst er .

f The " goodl y ant i ent mannour of Hoot on, " whi ch f or f i ve

cent ur i es had b^ en uni nt er r upt edl y t he scat and possessi on of t he

St anl ey f ami l y, passed by pur chase i n 184' J, wi t h East ham, t o R.

C. Nayhr , Esq.

117

Dani el Bavand, Esq. , l i at h a f ai r house and demean ;

next whi ch l yes Net her and Over Bebbi ngt on ; t he one,

a Chur ch Town, wi t h a f i ne Chur ch and Par sonage ; t he

ot her , wher e John Mi nshul l , Esq. , of Mi nshul l , hat h

gr eat st or e of f ai r possessi ons.

Upon our l ef t , we l eave St our t on Lor dshi p, and so go

by Pr ent on, wher e one r ace of t he Hockenhul l s have a

f i ne house and demean ; beyond whi ch l yet h Landi can

Townshi p, t he l ands of Si r Ri char d Wi l br aham. Bar t . ,

and f r om t hence we go t o Woodchur ch, a Par i sh Chur ch,

wi t h a neat Par sonage ; beneat h whi ch, l ooki ng t owar ds

Mer zey, l yes a goodl y Val e, i n whi ch we see Upt on

Lor dshi p, wher ei n st ands t he house and demean of t he

Boul ds of Bonl d, i n Lancashi r e, now Pet er Boul d, Esq. ;

and next unt o t hi s, Oxt on. And t hen mor e neer t o Mer -

zey, i s t he Townshi p of Tr anmer e ; and neer i t , a f i ne

seat of t hat wor t hy gent l eman, John Mi nshul l , Esq. , of

Mi nshul l , cal l ed Der by House.

Thence on our l ef t hand, we see Cl aught on, wher e Mr .

Thomas Powel l hat h f ai r l ands ; and t hen, l eavi ng t he

Fer r y l eadi ng over unt o Li ver pool , we st ep i nt o Bi r het

Wood ( Bi r kenhead) , * wher e hat h been a f amous Pr i or y,

* Bi r kenhead, i n t he days of ol d Ki ng, and f or 15) year s af t er -

war ds, mer el y a l i t t l e haml et , has now r i sen, as i f by magi c, t o be

t he second t own i n t he Count y, cont ai ni ng upwar ds of 20, 000 i n-

habi t ant s. Wi l l i am Jackson, Esq. , M. P. , i s one of t he pr i nci pal

l and owner s.

Page 38 of 85

l i f t

but now a ver y goodl y demean, and whi ch l i as come, by

di scent f r om t he Wor sl eys, t o a gent l eman of much wor t h.

Thomas Powel l , Esq. , * t he hei r of t hat ant i ent seat of

Hor sl ey, i n t he Count y of Fl i nt .

Beyond whi ch we have onel y Poul t on cum Seacombe,

t i l l we come t o t he Nor t h- west er n shor e, wher e i s sci t uat e

t he Townshi p of Ker by i n Wal l asey, wher e l ye t hose f ai r

Lands, whi ch f or t he f i t nesse f or such a pur pose, al l ur e

t he gent l emen and ot her s of t t o appoi nt gr eat Mat ches,

and vent ur e no smal l sums, i n t r yi ng t he Swi f t nesse of

t hei r hor ses.

And so we come t o Bi dst on, a goodl y house, demean

and par k of t he Ear l of Der by, whi ch f or t he pl easant

sci t uat i on and t he var i et y of nobl e del i ght s appendant t o

i t , hi s l or dshi p seems much t o af f ect t he same, and en-

l ar get h t he conveni ence t her ei n f or hi s pl easur e and abode

many ways.

Fol l owi ng t he ci r cui t of t he Shi r e, we come next t o

Gr eat Meol se, whi ch gi ves name and seat t o an ant i ent

f ami l y of Meol se ; whence we go by Mor et on, and Saug-

hal l Massi e ; and l eavi ng Over chur ch on our l ef t hand,

we passe by Newt on and Gr easby ; wher e we hol d on

near er t he shor e, and t ake wi t h us West Ki r by. Her e,

di vi ded f r om t he l and, l yes t hat l i t t l e bar r en I sl and,

* Thi s gent l eman was cr eat ed a Bi r onet i n 1629, but t he t i t l e

became ext i nct i n t he ear l y par t of t he 18t h cent ur y.

119

cal l ed Hi l br ee, i n whi ch i t i s sai d t her e was somet i me a

Cel l of Monks.

Fr om whence, we come next t o t he Gr ange, whi ch I

woul d r at her t hi nk t o he t he seat wher e t hose Monks eat

t hei r Beef and t hei r Br ewi s, and whi ch i s now possessed

by Wi l l i am Gl egge, Esq. ; * upon t he East si de of t hi s

l yes Fr ankl y, and so we come t o t he Townshi ps of Gr eat

and Li t t l e Cal dey. Neer unt o whi ch l yes t he St at i on or

Landi ng pl ace, cal l ed t he Red Bank ; and neer unt o t hi s

l yes I r by, wher ei n t he Bal l s have a good seat . And we

come t hence t o Thur st ast on, t he ant i ent seat of t he Whi t -

mor es, of whi ch r ace have been many Mai or s of t he Ci t y

of Chest er . On t he East si de l yes Bar nst on ; and upon

t he shor e si de, we come next t o Ol df i el d, wher e i s t he

nar r owest pl ace of t he Hundr ed.

Our next r emove i s t o Heswal l , a Town wi t h a Par i sh

Chur ch and Par sonage, ext endi ng t o Thor nt on Mayo,

and Raby. But neer t he sea si de, we come t o Gayt on,

t he seat of t hat ant i ent r ace of t he Gl eggs of Gayt on ; \

* The Gl eggs cont i nued i u possessi on unt i l t he deat h ot Wi l -

Page 39 of 85

l i am Gl egg, Esq. , i n 1785 : shor t l y af t er whi ch i t was pur chased

by John Lei gh, Esq. , of Li ver pool , whose son, John Shaw Lei gh,

Esq. , i s t he pr esent pr opr i et or .

f J. B. Gl egg, Esq. , of Thur st ast on, i s t he pr esent l or d of

Gayt on, Ki ng Wi l l i am I I I . , on hi s passage t o I r el and, l odged

at Gayt on Hal l , t hen t he r esi dence of Wi l l i am Gl egg, Esq. , who

was t her eupon honour ed wi t h Kni ght hood.

120

aud next l yes Lei ght on, wher ei n i s a ver y ant i ent house

and demean of t he Whi t mor es, of a ver y gr eat descent ,

and next nei ghbour i s t he wel l known Town and Par i sh

Chur ch of Gr eat Nest on, wher e our passenger s i nt o I r e-

l and so of t en l ye wai t i ng t he l ei sur e of t he wi nds ; and

her e i s t he st at i on of t he shi ps, cal l ed, t he New Key,

wher e t hey i mbar k and di si mbar k, on t he back of t hi s

Nest on. To t he East l yes a Townshi p, i n a l ar ge Tr act

of heat h and common, cal l ed Chi l der Thor nt on.

Keepi ng st i l l our shor e, we have Nesse, and next t o t hat ,

mor e l andwar ds, Wi l l ast on. And t hen we have Bur t on, * a

pr et t y Town, and a l andi ng pl ace, cal l ed Bur t on Head; and

next t o t hi s, we come t o t hat l of t y seat of Puddi ngt on, over -

l ooki ng t he sea, and t he mout h of t he Dee, wher ei n have con-

t i nued t he r ace of t he Massl es, der i ved, wi t h many br anches,

f r om t hat Hamon Massey, one of t he Ear l s' Bar ons, t he

owner now, Si r Wi l l i am Massey, Kt . A gr eat spat i ous

Common, vul gar l y cal l ed Mot her l esse Heat h, l yes a gr eat

way f ur t her East war d ; at one si de wher eof we see Led-

sham ; and so come t o Shot wi ck, and neer unt o i t an an-

t i ent house of t he Hocl cenhi i t t s ; and so we come t o Shot -

i vi ck Par k, wher e yet r emai n t he mi nes of a f ai r Cast l e,

on t he br i nk of t he Dee, i n t he hol di ng, under t he Ki ng,

* I n t hi s Townshi p, Dr . Wi l son, Bhhop of Sodar aud Man, i n

1742, was bor n. Ri chai d Congr eve, Esq. , i s t he pr esent owner ,

hi s f at her hawng pur chased t he manor f r om t he Massi es i n 1715-

121

of Si r Ri char d Wi br aham, of t en bef or e ment i oned ; f r om

whence we come t o Gr eat and Li t t l e Saughal l Townshi p ;

and al ong by t hese l yes a pl ace cal l ed ant i ent l y Ki ngswood.

And next t o t hi s, l yes a goodl y ant i ent seat upon t he

br owe of Dee Banks, cal l ed Bl acon Hal l , and Lor dshi p, *

t he l ands of Si r Wi l l i am Nor r i s, K. C. B. , whose chi ef

r esi dence i s i n Lancashi r e ; and t hen adj oi net h Cr abhal l ,

t he demean and most del i cat e f i ne house of Wi l l i am Ga-

mv. l l , a pr i me Al der man of t he Ci t y of Chest er . Round

about i t we have not hi ng l ef t , but on our r i ght hand t he

t wo Mol l i ngt ons, a f ai r Lor dshi p, wher eof much of t he l ands

have bel onged t o t he Mor daunt s, of Ocl ey i n Bedf or d-

shi r e, but now t o sever al pur chaser s i n t hose par t s. And

t hus we ar r i ve at t he t i p of t he t oe i n our descr i pt i on,

Page 40 of 85

bei ng come home pr esent l y t o our f amous Ci t y agai n.

* The manor i al r i ght * of Bl acon ar e enj oyed by Lor d Cr ewe.

Cr abwal l and Bl acon Hal l s ar e now bot h occupi ed as f ar m

houses.

THE ExVRLS OF CHESTER.

Many Aut hor s have wr i t t en of some nobl e per sons, t o

whom t hey have gi ven t he Ti t l e of t he Ear l s of Chest er ,

bef or e t he comi ng of Wi l l i am t he Nor man, cal l ed t he

Conquer or ; but our l at e and mor e j udi ci ous wr i t er s gi ve

l i t t l e cr edi t t o such r epor t s. We t her ef or e her e f i t l y f al l

upon t he r ehear sal of t hose nobl e Ear l s of Chest er , of

whom no man need doubt ei t her t hei r per sons or t hei r

successi ons, whi ch began wi t h t he gi f t of Wi l l i am t he

Conquer or t o hi s Si st er ' s Son. Thi s was Hugh, named

Lupus, or as t he Nor mans sound i t , Loup ; whet her so

cal l ed, because he bar e t he Wol f ' s head i n hi s coat ar -

mour , or because hi s name was so, we cannot det er mi ne.

123

The f i r st Ear l t hen, af t er t he Conquest , was Hugh

Lupus, Si st er ' s Son, and so Nephew t o Ki ng Wi l -

l i am t he Conquer or . Thi s young Nobl eman came i nt o

Engl and wi t h hi s Uncl e Wi l l i am, and was so hi gh

i n gr ace and f avour wi t h t he sai d Conquer or , t hat i t

pl eased hi m t o cr eat e t hi s hi s ki nsman, Ear l Pal at i ne of

Chest er ; and Swor d bear er of Engl and ; gr ant i ng unt o

hi m and t hat Pr ovi nce, most ampl e pr i vi l eges, even as

l ar ge and gr eat as coul d r easonabl y be r equi r ed.

Thi s Ear l was of most excel l ent par t s f or Kul e and Go-

ver nment , bot h i n war and peace ; he er ect ed many Ba-

r ons, whom he pl aced i n sever al par t s of hi s j ur i sdi ct i on,

gi vi ng unt o t hem gr eat possessi ons, and speci al pr i vi l eges ;

whi ch Bar ons wer e of near empl oyment about hi m i n

mat t er s of Counci l s, and at t endance f or al l ser vi ces.

Thi s Hugh Lupus l i ved i n gr eat honour and r enown al l

t he days of Wi l l i am t he Conquer our , hi s uncl e, and of

Wi l l i am Ruf us, hi s second Son, and some year s of Henr y

I . , t he t hi r d son; f or he dyed not t i l l t he year 1102.

He per f or med gr eat ser vi ces f or t he Conquer or al l t he

t i me of hi s r ai gn, bei ng i mpl oyed bot h at home and

abr oad ; and i n Ruf us' t i me, he was sent t o subdue An-

gl esea, and t o suppr esse t he hi gh and haught y st omachs

of t he Wel shmen, whi ch he di d wi t h gr eat val our . He

al t er ed par t of t he f oundat i on of St . Wer bur g' s Chur ch

Page 41 of 85

i n Chest er , about 1093, and t ur ned t he same i nt o anAb-

hoy. He gover ned t he Ear l dome of Chest er 40 year s,

and dyed about Anno 1107, t he 8t h year of Ki ng Henr y I ,

on t he 27t h Jul y, t he 9t h year af t er t he f oundat i on of t he

Abbey of Chest er .

The Second Ear l was Ri char d, Son and Hei r of t he

sai d Hugh, at hi s Fat her ' s deat h, an i nf ant seven year s

of age, and mar r i ed t o Mat i l da, Daught er t o St ephen,

Ear l of Bl oi s, and Ni ece t o Ki ng Henr y I . ; by r eason

wher eof , t he Ki ng t ook i nt o hi s t ui t i on and cust ody t he

young Ear l ; f r om whence, t hey say, t hi s of a Cust ome

gr ew t o be a Law, t hat young hei r s i n t hei r nonage, be-

came pupi l s, or war ds unt o t he Ki ng. The Ki ng sent

hi m, wi t h hi s own chi l dr en i nt o Nor maudy, t o be edu-

cat ed ; but , gr owi ng t owar ds man' s est at e, i t f el l out so,

t hat Ki ng Henr y havi ng had successe i n hi s War s i n

Fr ance, came home t o Engl and t o sol ace hi msel f ; and

125

f or t he f ur t her ance of hi s j oy, sent i nt o Nor mandy f or

hi s chi l dr en Wi l l i am and Rober t , and Mar y t hei r Si st er ,

t oget her wi t h t hi s nobl e young Ear l Ri char d, and Ma-

t i l da hi s Wi f e, and Ot t ewel hi s Br ot her , who wi t h t he

Ar chdeacon of Her ef or d, and at t endant s, t ook shi p at

Har f l ew ; wher e i t pl eased God, l i t t l e heed bei ng t aken i n

t he car r i ages of t he Mar r i ner s and Sayl or s, t hey f el l i nt o

such di sor der , t hat put t i ng out t o sea, t hey spl i t t he shi p

upon a r ock, and so cast away al l t hi s pr i ncel y company ;

not one of t hem escapi ng, except i ng one but cher , t hat

cat chi ng hol d upon a br oken mast , swam unt o t he l and.

Thus, Anno 1120, per i shed t hi s hopef ul young Ear l Ri -

char d, and hi s Br ot her Ot t ewel , l eavi ng hi s Br ot her Ro-

ber t , made Abbot of Edmonbur y, and so i ncapabl e of t hi s

pr i ncel y Ear l dom ; t he same was t her ef or e t r ansf er r ed t o t he

sonne of Mar gar et hi s Aunt , t he si st er of Wi l l i am Lupus,

havi ng mar r i ed John Bohune ; and t hus t he Ear l dom f el l

t o t he Cousi n Ger man of t hi s Ri char d, who al so, i n hi s

ver y i nf anci e, escaped a gr eat per i l l ; f or , bef or e goi ng

i nt o Nor mandy, t hey l ed hi m a pi l gr i mage t o Wi ni f r ed ' s

Wel l i n Wal es, wher e he was beset by a r ebel l i ous r out of

Wel shmen- , but by a val i ant r escue of Wi l l i am, t hen

Const abl e of Chest er , he was r ecover ed out of t hei r hol ds,

and br ought back saf e agai n t o Chest er , and l i ved Ear l

of Chest er , f r om t he 8t h of Henr y I . , t o A. D. 1120, about

14 year s, and was i n t hat year dr owned, as af or esai d.

126

Page 42 of 85

The Thi r d Ear l was t hen Ranul ph, sor me of John

Bohune, a nobl eman of Nor mandy, t o whom t he Con-

quer or had gi ven t he Town of Car l i sl e, and made hi m

Ear l of Cumber l and. Thi s Ranul ph, si r named Mes- •

chi nes, i ncl i ned r at her t o peace and ci vi l l gover nment , t han

t o war l i ke af f ai r s, and gr eat ent er pr i ses; and I r ead of

f ew gr eat occur r ences wi t hi n t he t i me of hi s gover nment ,

whi ch al so was not of any l ong cont i nuance. He mar r i ed

Mat i l da, or Maud, daught er t o Aubr ey Ver e, Ear l of

Oxf or d, and gr eat Chamber l ai n of Engl and, by whom he

had i ssue Ranul ph, si r named Ger moyse ( Ger nons) f r om

t he pl ace of hi s bi r t h, who succeeded hi m i n t he Ear l dom.

And f or hi s second Wi f e, he mar r i ed Luci a, si st er t o Ed-

wi n, Ear l of Mar ch, and had by her Wi l l i am Ear l of Li n-

col n, who dyed wi t hout i ssue. He began t o gover n A. D.

1120, cont i nued Ear l about 10 year s, and dyed, A. D.

1130.

127

The Four t h Ear l , Ranul ph, son of t he f or mer Ranul ph,

was t he gr eat Commander i u t hat War , wher ei n he wi t h

Rober t Ear l of Gl oucest er , di d wi t h nohl e pr owesse de-

f end t he cause of Mat i l da t he Empr ess agai nst Ki ng

St ephen t he Usur per , f i ght i ng wi t h hi s ar my agai nst t he

Ki ng at t he Si ege of Li ncol n, A. D. 1146, when he gave

t he Ki ng, and t he Ear l of Fl ander s, and ot her s, a not ahl e

over t hr ow, and br ought t he Ki ng a Pr i soner , and t he

Cast l e of Li ncol n, t o t he Empr ess. But af t er t he Ki ng

was del i ver ed i n exchange f or Rober t , Ear l of Gl oucest er

( t aken by t he Ki ng' s par t y) t hi s Ear l Ranul ph comi ng

peaceabl y t o t he Ki ng, under pr et ence of a Par l i ament t o

be hel d at Nor t hampt on, was put i n pr i son, and con-

st r ai ned t o del i ver up t he Cast l e of Li ncol n, and ot her

st r ong hol ds, whi ch he had kept f or t he use of t he Em-

pr esse, and Henr y her son. And about t hi s t i me t he

Wel shmen, i n hi s absence, made hor r i bl e dest r uct i on i n

128

t he Ear l dom of Chest er , yet at l engt h wer e vanqui shed i n

a bat t el near Wi ch Mal banc ( Nant wi ch) . The Ear l st i l l

def ended t he cause of t he Empr esse and her son, r esol v -

i ng upon t hat pur pose of hi s hear t , never t o ser ve ot her

Ki ng t han Duke Henr y, sayi ng of t en, " The Ear l of Ches -

t er t hi nks scor n t o ser ve t he Ear l of Bl oi s, " f r om whi ch

r esol ut i on he coul d never be moved. He mar r i ed Al i ci a,

daught er of Rober t , Ear l of Gl oucest er , by whom he had

i ssue Hugh Kevel i oc, t hat succeeded hi m, and Beat r i x,

mar r i ed t o Ral ph, Bar on of Mal pas, and dyed, or ac -

cor di ng t o Hol l i nshed, was, t hr ough P ever el l , Ear l of

Not t i ngham, poysoned, i n t he 17t h year of Ki ng St ephen,

Page 43 of 85

A. D. 1152, when he had been Ear l

year s.

The Fi f t h Ear l was Hugh, si r named Bohun, son of t he

l ast named Rani dph. When Henr y, t he young Pr i nce,

t ook up ar ms agai nst hi s Fat her , Henr y I I , and i n Nor -

129

mandy and Br i t t ai n, ani mat ed by t he young Loui s Ki ng

of Fr ance, and Wi l l i am, Ki ng of Scot s, he al l ur ed unt o

hi m t hi s Ear l Hugh, and ot her Engl i sh nobl es, who wer e

i n t he end over come by Ki ng Henr y, l ed capt i ves i nt o

Nor mandy, and kept pr i soner s i n Fal oi s : but af t er a

year ' s i mpr i sonment , t he Fat her and Son wer e r econci l ed,

and t he Ki ng of Scot s and t hi s Ear l of Chest er wer e put

t o t hei r r ansome, whi ch t he sai d Hugh pai d, and got hi m

home, A. D. 1174, bei ng t aught by hi s f ol l y t o be mor e

wi se af t er war ds, and l i ved peaceabl y t he r est of hi s dayes.

He mar r i ed Beat r i ce, daught er of Ri char d Lancy, Chi ef

Just i ce of Engl and, and by her had one son Randul ph,

and f our daught er s. He cont i nued Ear l unt i l A. D. 1180,

about 28 year s, und t hen deceased, hi s bur i al pl ace be-

i ng t he Town of Leek, i n St af f or dshi r e.

The Si xt h Ear l , and most f amous of al l bef or e hi m,

130

was Ranul ph t he good, si r named Bl ondevi t t e, or Al bum

Monast er um, of t hat pl ace i n Powi s, wher e he was hor n

( whi ch some say i s Oswest r y. ) I n hi s yout h he waged

many hat t l es wi t h Ll ewel l yn Pr i nce of Wal es, agai nst

whose f or ces he once hazar ded hi msel f so vent ur ousl y,

t hat he was i n danger , and gl ad t o r et i r e i nt o t he Cast l e of

Rut hl and ( Ehuddhm) , wher e Ll ewel l yn hesei ged hi m.

Then i t was t hat Roger Lacey, Const abl e of Chest er ,

hear i ng of hi s per i l l , cal l ed hi s f r i ends hast i l y t oget her ,

and amongst t hem Ranul ph Dut t on, hi s son i n l aw, a

br ave yout hf ul gent l eman ; who gat her ed t oget her a gr eat

company of Musi ci ans and ot her s i n, and about Chest er ,

and gave onset upon t he Ear l ' s enemi es, r ai si ng t he sei ge,

and del i ver i ng t he Ear l out of t hat gr eat di st r esse ; t he

r ewar d of whi ch was, t o have t he command of such peopl e

and t hei r pr of essi on ; whi ch r i ght hat h cont i nued i n t he

hei r s of Dut t on unt o t hi s day. When Ki ng Ri char d I . ,

Page 44 of 85

was war r i ng i n Asi a agai nst t he I nf i del s, hi s Br ot her

Jchn was at home, seeki ng means t o depr i ve hi s Br ot her

Ri char d of hi s Cr own and Ki ngdom ; but t hi s val i ant Ear l

l oyal l y wi t hst ood Ear l John, and wi t h ot her s mai nt ai ned

war agai nst hi m, wi nni ng f r om hi m t he Cast l e of Not t i ng-

ham, and ot her st r ong hol ds. Ki ng Ri char d deceasi ng

af t er war ds wi t hout i ssue, John became now t he l awf ul

Sover ai gn, and t he Ear l t hen, wi t h magnani mous val our ,

t ook par t wi t h t he Ki ng agai nst hi s sedi t i ous subj ect s,

131

and t hei r al l y, Loui s t he Fr ench Ki ng. And when t he

sai d Ki ng John depar t ed t hi s l i f e, l eavi ng hi s son Henr y,

a chi l d t en year s ol d, t o be Ki ng ; yet di d not t hi s nobl e

Ear l Ranul ph shew l ess l oyal t y t o hi s Sover ai gn ; and

bei ng assi st ed by t he br ave Ear l of Pembr oke, and ot her s,

encount er ed t he sai d Loui s i n t he memor abl e Bat t l e of

Li ncol n, wher e he sl ew and put t o f l i ght t he Fr ench and

Engl i sh Rebel s, and sent Loui s packi ng out of t hi s l and.

Thi s wor t hy Ear l , t hen cr eat ed Ear l of Li ncol n, was down

by hi s her oi cal l di sposi t i on t o t he " War s i n Egypt and

Syr i a, agai nst t he Sar acens and I nf i del s, whi ch he al so

managed wi t h t he l i ke successe ; and af t er hi s many vi c -

t or i es r et ur ned home t o hi s Ear l dom of Chest er ; and

when t he af f ai r s of war gave hi m l ei sur e, he f ounded t he

Gr ay Fr i ar s i n Covent r y ; t he Abbey of Del acr oss neer

Leek, i n St af f or dshi r e ; t he Cast l e of Beest on, i n Che-

shi r e ; and of Char t l ey, St af f or dshi r e. He l ef t no mean

gl or y behi nd hi m, i n t he excel l ent par t s of wi sdom t hat

was i n hi m, havi ng compi l ed a Book of t he Laws of t he

Real m, wi t h good j udgement . He hel d f i ve Ear l doms

t oget her , vi z. : Chest er , Li ncol n, Hunt i ngdon, Br i t t ai n

and Ri chmond; he was Ear l of Chest er about 51 year s,

and dyed wi t hout i ssue, i n A. D. 1532, at Wal l i ngf or d i n

Ber kshi r e, but l yes bur i ed i n t he Chapt er House of

Chest er .

132

The Sevent h Ear l was John, ( si r named Scot , bei ng a

Scot bor n) who i nher i t ed i n r i ght of hi s Mot her , el dest

daught er of Ear l Hugh. Thi s sai d Ear l John had a gr eat

r evenue, t he possessi on of hi s sai d Gr andf at her ; and f or

a t i me di d wor t hi l y mai nt ai n war agai nst Ll ewel l yn, t he

Pr i nce of Wal es ; yet , at l engt h gr ew i nt o peace wi t h

hi m, whi ch f el l out hi s ut t er over t hr ow ; f or , havi ng mar -

r i ed Jane, Ll wel l yn' s daught er , she i nst ead of cher i shi ng

and comf or t i ng hi m, di d devi l i shl y pl ot hi s dest r uct i on,

and by poyson br ought hi s l i f e t o an end, at Dar nhal l

f r om whence hi s body was br ought t o Chest er , and i n-

t er r ed i n t he Chapt er House, by t he gr ave of hi s Uncl e

Ranul ph, l eavi ng, af t er hi m, no i ssue t o i nher i t . John

Scot , t he l ast of t he Ear l s of Chest er , gover ned, as Ear l ,

about f i ve year s, and dyed at Dar nhal l , A. D. 1237. The

Page 45 of 85

Ear l dom t hen r ever t ed t o t he Cr own.

L[ ST OF HUGH LUPUS' BARONS.

1 . Ni gel , Bar on of Hal t on.

2. Rober t , Bar on of Mont al t .

3. Wi l l i am, Bar on of Wi cl i Mal banc ( Nant wi ch) .

4. Ri char d Ver non, Bar on of Shi pbr ook.

5. Rober t Fi t zhugh, Bar on of Mal pas.

6. Hamon de Massey, Bar on of Dunham Massey.

7. Gi l ber t Venabl es, Bar on of Ki nder t on.

8. Ni chol as, Bar on of St ockpor t .

ROYAL EARLS OF CHESTER.

1. Ki ng Henr y HI , on t he decease of John Scot ,

wi t hout mal e i ssue, best owed t he Pr i ncedom of Wal es,

and Ear l dom of Chest er , ( i n 1254) , upon Pr i nce Edwar d

hi s Son, af t er war ds Edwar d I ; af t er whi ch i t f el l out t hat

t he Ki ng' s El dest Son was st i l l cr eat ed Ear l of Chest er ,

134

and Pr i nce of Wal es ; t he sai d Ki ng, t o mai nt ai n st i l l t he

honour of t he Count y Pal at i ne, cont i nued t hei r ant i ent

r i ght s, and Pal at i ne Jur i sdi ct i ons and Pr i vi l eges.

2. Pr i nce Edwar d hei ng af t er war ds Ki ng, hi s son

Edwar d, ( si r named Car nar von, f r om t he pl ace of hi s

bi r t h) was by hi s sai d Fat her cr eat ed Pr i nce of Wal es

and Ear l of Chest er , i n 1303, and became af t er war ds

Ki ng Edi var d I I .

3. Ki ng Edwar d I I . , gave t he Ear l dom of Chest er t o

Edwar d of Wi ndsor , hi s Son, t hen scar ce 10 year s ol d ;

whom he summoned unt o t he Par l i ament , i n 1322, by t he

t i t l es of Ear l of Chest er and of Fl i nt .

4. Ki ng Edwar d I I I cr eat ed hi s Son, Edi var d of

Woodst ock ( cal l ed t he Bl ack Pr i nce) Ear l of Chest er i n

1333, whi ch wor t hy Pr i nce dyed dur i ng hi s Fat her ' s l i f e

t i me, l eavi ng a Son.

5. Ri char d, bor n at Bor deaux, cr eat ed by hi s Gr and-

Page 46 of 85

f at her Pr i nce of Wal es and Ear l of Chest er , Nov. 20,

1376, he bei ng t hen about 11 year s ol d. On t he sai d

Ri char d becomi ng Ki ng, he al so st yl ed hi msel f Pr i nce of

Chest er , but t hi s t i t l e di d not l ong endur e.

6. Ki ng Hennj I V. , cr eat ed hi s el dest Son, Henr y of

Monmout h, Ear l of Chest er , &c, Oct . 15t h, 1399. Ki ng

Henr y V. , l ef t hi s Son, an I nf ant about hal f a year ol d,

Ki ng, so t hat t her e was no cr eat i on t o hi m of t hi s Ear l -

dom. I n t he 13t h year of hi s Rei gn, he cr eat ed

135

7. Edwar d, hi s Son Ear l of Chest er , on Mar ch 15t h,

1452 ; whi ch Pr i nce, i n t he ci vi l war bet ween t he houses

of Yor k and Lancast er , t oget her wi t h hi s Fat her , l ef t

t hei r honour s and l i ves t o Edwar d I V. , who obt ai ned t he

vi ct or y.

8. Ki ng Edwar d I V. , cr eat ed Edwar d of West mi nst er ,

hi s Son, Ear l of Chest er , i n 1471, who by t he t r eacher ous

Usur pat i on of Ri char d, Duke of Gl oucest er , was depr i ved

of Cr own, Real m, Li f e and al l .

9. The Usur per Ri char d bei ng now Ki ng, he made hi s

Son Edwar d Pr i nce of Wal es and Ear l of Chest er ; but by

t he r evengi ng hand of God, Henr y VI I , by a happy War *

br ought a bl essed Peace t o t hi s t hen mi ser abl e and di s -

t r act ed ki ngdom.

10. He cr eat ed Ar t hur hi s el dest Son, Ear l of Chest er ,

Nov. 30t h, 1489.

11. Thi s Pr i nce deceasi ng i n hi s Fat her ' s l i f et i me,

Ki ng Henr y' s onel y r emai ni ng Son, Henr y, became Ear l

of Chest er , Feb. 18t h, 1502, and was af t er war ds Ki ng,

by t he name of Ki ng Henr y VI I I .

12. Ther e was af t er t hi s no speci al cr eat i on of Ear l of

Chest er unt i l Hi s pr esent Maj est y { James 1st ) i n 1610,

cr eat ed Henr y, hi s el dest Son, Pr i nce of Wal es and Ear l

of Chest er , whi ch most hopef ul young Pr i nce, upon t he

9t h of Nov. 1612, i t pl eased God t o t ake t o an i mmor t al

cr own of gl or y i n Heaven,

136

13. The next i n successi on at hi s decease was t hat i l -

l ust r i ous Char l es, Hi s Maj est i e' s second Son, cr eat ed, i n

1612, Pr i nce of Wal es and Ear l of Chest er ; f or whose

heal t h, happi ness, and l ong cont i nuance i n t he possessi on

of al l hi s j ust Ti t l es and pr i vi l eges, never had a peopl e

mor e cause t o pr ay unt o God t han we have. [ Our Aut hor

cl oses hi s l i st of t he Royal Ear l s of Chest er wi t h Pr i nce

Char l es, af t er war ds t he unf or t unat e monar ch Ki ng Char l es

I . I n gr at ef ul r emembr ance however of t he Royal f avour

Page 47 of 85

and pat r onage best owed upon t he pr esent edi t i on, t he Li st

has been cont i nued down t o our own t i me. ]

14. Char l es I I , bor n May 29, 1630, t hough decl ar ed,

was never act ual l y cr eat ed Pr i nce of Wal es and Ear l of

Chest er . He di ed Feb. 6t h, 1685.

15. Geor ge I I , bor n Oct ober 30, 1683, cr eat ed Ear l

of Chest er on hi s f at her ' s accessi on t o t he Thr one i n Sep.

1714, and di ed Oct . 25t h, 1752.

16. Fr eder i ck Lewi s, son of Geor ge I I , bor n Jan.

20t h, 1707, cr eat ed Ear l of Chest er i n December , 1728,

and di ed, i n t he l i f et i me of hi s Fat her , on Mar ch 20t h,

1751.

17. Geor ge HI , El dest Son of Pr i nce Fr eder i ck and

Gr andson of Geor ge I I , bor n May 24t h, 1738, cr eat ed

Pr i nce of Wal es, and Ear l of Chest er , Apr i l 20t h, 1751,

and di ed Jan. 29, 1820.

18. Geor ge I V, Son of t he l ast named, and Uncl e of

137

Her Most Gr aci ous Maj est y, Queen Vi ct or i a, bor n August

12t h, 1762, and cr eat ed Pr i nce of Wal es and Ear l of

Chest er , August 17, i n t he same year . He di ed June

26t h, 1830.

19. Al ber t Edwar d, El dest Son of Her pr esent Ma-

j est y, bor n November 9t h, 1841, and cr eat ed Pr i nce of

Wal es, Duke of Cor nwal l , Ear l of Chest er , f yc. , De-

cember 9t h, 1851, whom may Al mi ght y God l ong pr e-

ser ve t o t hi s Ki ngdom and Nat i on.

* T>A* v

LI ST OF THE MAI ORS OE CHESTER.

The f i r st cer t ai nt y of a Mai or ' s gover nment i n t he Ci t y,

by t he name of Mai or , i s t he 25t h Henr y 3r d, A. D. 1242.

Anno. } Mai or s.

1242" }

t o ^ Si r Wal t er Lynuet .

1248>

1249 1

Page 48 of 85

t o \ Ri char d Cl ar ke.

1256 S

1259 The same.

1265 The same.

1268 " I

t o j - Si r John Ar uway.

1278 }

Anno

Mai obs.

1279

Randl e de Dar esbur y

1280

The same.

1281

Rober t l e Mer cer .

1282

The same.

1283

Al exander Hur el l .

1284

Rober t l e Mer cer .

1285

The same.

1286

Page 49 of 85

Rober t de Tar vi n.

SEAL OF THE MAYOR AND CORPORATI ON OF THE CI TY OF CHESTER.

140

Ann

o. Mai or s.

Anno. Mai or s.

1287

1 The same.

Wi l l i am Doncast er

1288

succeeded hi m.

1289

1290

1291

1292

Hugh de Meol es.

Rober t de Tar vi n.

Rober t Mer cer .

The same.

1318

1319

1320

Wi l l i am Doncast er .

Wi l l i am, son of Pet er

Page 50 of 85

Br i ckhi l l .

John Br i ckhi l l .

1293

1294

1296

1297

1298

t o

Hugh de Br i ckhi l l .

Rober t Mer cenai ( or

Mer cer )

Hugh de Br i ckhi l l .

The same.

[ Al exander Hur el l .

1321

1322

1323

1324

1325

1326

1327

The same.

Wi l l i am Cl ar k.

Wi l l i am Br i ckhi l l .

Ri char d Russel l .

Ri char d l e Br ui n.

The same.

Ri char d Ger ves.

1300

1328

The same.

1301

Hugh de Br i ckhi l l .

1329

Wi l l i am Br i ckhi l l .

Page 51 of 85

1302

Al exander Hur el l .

1330

The same.

1303

Hugh de Br i ckhi l l .

1331

Roger l e Bl ond.

1304

The same.

1332

The same.

1305

Ri char d Le Genour .

1333

Ri char d de Wheat l ey.

1306

t o

1309

• Hugh de Br i ckhi l l .

1334

1335

Roger l e Bl ond.

Hugh, sou of John l e

Page 52 of 85

1310

1311

1312

1313

Benedi ct St ant on.

Hugh de Br i ckhi l l .

The same.

Benedi ct St ant on.

1336

1337 ,

t o

1339 !

Bl ond.

Soger l e Bl ond.

John Bl ond.

1314

John Bl ond.

1340

Roger de Ledsham.

1315

The same.

1341

Ri char d Capenhur . st .

1316

Wi l l i am Doncast er .

1342

The same.

1317

Page 53 of 85

John Bl ond, who dyi ng

1343

John Bl ond.

141

Anno. Mai or s.

1344 Ri char d Capenhur st .

1345 The same.

1346 Henr y Ter r and.

1347 John Bl ond.

1348 The same.

1349 Bur t r am Nor t her n. who

bei ng sl ai n by Ri ch-

ar d Dat t on,

Ri char d Br ui n suc-

ceeded.

1350 .

t o J John Bl ond.

1352 '

1353 Ri char d Le Br ui n.

1355 .

t o > John Bl ond.

1S58 >

1359 .

t o [ Al an de Wheat l ey.

1362 '

1363 Roger Ledsham.

1364 The same.

1365 John Dal by.

1366 The. same.

1367 Ri char d Le Br ui n.

1368 The same.

Page 54 of 85

1369 ,

t o f John Whi t mor e, Jun.

1372 '

1373 Al exander Bel l et er .

1374 Ri char d Br ui n, Jun.

1375 Ri char d Dounf oul d.

Anno. Mai or s.

1376 The same.

1377 Thomas Br adf or d.

1378 The same.

1379 John l e Chamber l ai n.

1380 .

t o [ Davi d de Ewl owe.

1383 S

1384 John l e Chamber l ai n.

1385 The same.

1386.

t o [

John Ar mer er .

1388 '

1389 Rober t de Mar shul l .

1390 John Ar mer er .

1391 Gi l ber t Tr ussel l .

1392 The same.

1393 John Ar mer er .

1394 The same.

1395

t o ( John Capenhur st .

1399 *

1400 John Bebbi ngt on.

1401 The same, who dyi ng,

John Mar shal l suc-

ceeded.

1402 Roger Pot t er .

Page 55 of 85

1403 Ral ph Hat t on.

1404 John Pr est on.

1405 ,

t o i John Ewl owe.

1403 S

1410 Roger Pot t er .

142

Anno. Mai or s.

1411 John Wal sh.

1412 »

John Whi t mor e.

t o

1414'

1415 John Wal sh.

1416 Wi l l i am de Hawar den

1417 John Over t on.

1418 Wi l l i am Hawar den.

1419 }

t o [ John Hope.

1421 >

1422 John Wal sh.

1423 John Hat t on.

1424

. " t o > John Hope.

1427 >

1428 John de Br adel ey.

1429 John Wal sh.

1430 Rober t Hope.

1431 Ri char d Massi e.

Page 56 of 85

1432 The same.

1433 Thomas Wot t on.

1434 Adam Wot t on.

1435 John Wal sh.

1436 Wi l l i am St amner .

1437 Ri char d Massi e.

1438 Ri char d West on.

1439 Ni chol as Dani el .

1440 John Pi l ki nt on.

1441 Hugh Maddock.

1442 John Fl i nt .

Anno. Mai or s.

1443 .

t o J Ni chol as Dani el .

1445 >

1446 Edwar d Ski nner

1447 The same, who dyi ng,

Wi l l i am Roger son suc-

ceeded.

1448 Wi l l i am Roger son.

1449 Wi l l i am Massy.

1450 W l l i am Whi t mor e.

1451 John Dut t on.

1452 Wi l l i am Ski nner .

1453 Ni chol as Dani el .

1454 The same.

1455 Jenki n Cot t i ngham.

1456 The same.

1457 Ni chol as Dani el .

1458 The same.

1459 John Sout hwor t h.

1460 The same.

1461 Davi d Fer r er .

Page 57 of 85

1462 Rober t Br i ne.

1463 Rober t Roger son.

1464 Roger Ledsham.

1465 Ri char d Rai nf or d.

1466 Wi l l i am Li l l y.

1467 John Sout hwor t h.

1468 John Dedwood.

1469 Thomas Kent .

1470 Thomas Cot t i ngham.

143

Anno

Mai or s.

Anno

Mai or s.

1471

Rober t Roger son.

1501

Ral ph Davenpor t .

1472

John Spencer .

1502

Ri char d Wr i ght .

1473

Page 58 of 85

John Whi t mor e.

1503

Ri char d Goodman.

1474

John Sout hwor t h.

1504

Thomas Smi t h.

1475

Hugh Massey.

1505

Thomas Thor nt on.

1476

John Sout hwor t h.

1506

Thomas Bar r ow.

1477

The same.

1507

Ri char d Wi r r al l .

1478

Rober t Not t er vi l l e.

1508

Page 59 of 85

Ri char d Wr i ght .

1479

Wi l l i am Sneyd.

1509

Thomas Hawar den.

1480

John Sout hwor t h.

1510

Wi l l i am Roger son.

1481

Roger Hur l est on e.

1511

Thomas Smi t h.

1482

The same.

1512

Pi er ce Dut t on.

1483

John Dedvvood.

1513

Si r Pi er ce Dut t on.

Page 60 of 85

1484

Si r John Savage.

1514

The same, deposed

1485

The same.

John Rat hbone suc-

1486

Henr y Por t .

ceeded.

1487

Hugh Hur l est on.

1515

Si r Thomas Smi t h.

1488

Geor ge Bul kel y.

1516

Wi l l i am Sneyd.

1489

Ral ph Davenpor t .

Page 61 of 85

1517

Wi l l i am Davi son.

1490

John Bar r ow.

1518

Thomas Bar r ow.

1491

Randal Spar r ow.

1519

John Rat hboae.

1492

Roger Hur l est on.

1520

Thomas Smi t h.

1493

Ral ph Davenpor t .

1521

The same.

1494

Geor ge Bul kel y.

1522

Page 62 of 85

Wi l l i am Davi son.

1495

Ri char d Wi r r al L

1523

Davi d Mt ddl et on.

1496

Thomas Bar r ow.

1524

Rober t Goul bour n.

1497

Thomas Far r ar .

1525

Rober t Al der sey.

1498

Ri char d^ Goodman.

1526

Rober t Bar r ow.

499

John Cl i f f e.

1527

Thomas Smi t h.

1500

Page 63 of 85

Thomas Far r ar .

1528

Hugh Al der sey. '

144

Annc

Mai or s.

Anno

Mai or s.

1529

Henr y Br adf or d.

1554

Foul k Dut t on.

1530

Thomas Smi t h.

1555

John Smi t h.

1531

Wi l l i am Sneyd.

1556

John Webst er .

Page 64 of 85

1532

Wi l l i am Goodman.

1557

Wi l l i am Bi r d.

1533

Henr y Gee.

1558

Laur ence Smi t h.

1534

Ral ph Roger son.

1559

Henr y Har dwar e.

1535

Si r Thomas Smi t h.

1560

Wi l l i am Al der sey.

1536

Wi l l i am Goodman.

1561

John Cowper .

1537

Foul k Dut t on.

Page 65 of 85

1562

Randl e Bamvi l e. ™

1538

Davi d Mi ddl et on.

1563

Si r Lawr ence Smi t h.

1539

Henr y Gee.

1564

Ri char d Pool .

1540

Lawr ence Smi t h.

1565

Thomas Gr een.

1541

Hngh Al der sey.

1566

Wi l l i am Sneyd.

1542'

Wi l l i am Beswi ck.

1567

Page 66 of 85

Ri char d Dut t on.

1543

Wi l l i am Sneyd.

1568

Wi l l i am Bal l .

1544,

Rober t Bar t on.

1569

Si r John Savage.

1545

Wi l l i am Hol er of t .

1570

Si r Lawr ence Smi t h.

1546

Hugh Al der sey, who

1571

John Hankey.

dyi ng,

1572

Roger Lea.

Page 67 of 85

John Smi t h succeeded.

1573

Ri char d Dut t on.

1547

Ral ph Goodman.

1574

Si r John Savage.

1548

Foul k Dut t on.

1575

Henr y Har dwar e.

1549

Thomas Al der sey.

1576

John Har vey.

1550

Edmund Gee, who

1577

Thomas Bel l i n.

dyi ng,

1578

Page 68 of 85

Wi l l i am Jewet t .

Wi l l i am Goodman

1579

Wi l l i am Goodman,

succeeded.

who dyi ng, g

1551

Wi l l i am Gl aseour .

Hugh Roger son suc-

1552

Thomas Smi t h.

ceede ' .

1553

John Of f l ey.

1580,

Wi l l i am Bi r d.

145

Page 69 of 85

Anno

Mai or s.

Anno

Mai or s. f

1581

Ri char d Bavand.

1602

Hugh Gl aseour .

1582

Wi l l i am St i l es.

1603

John Al der sey.

1583

Rober t Br er ewood.

1604

Edwar d^ Dut t on.

1584

Val ent i ne Br ought on.

1605

John Li t t l er .

1585

Page 70 of 85

Edmund Gamul L

1606

Phi l i p Phi l l i ps.

1586

Wi l l i am Wal l

1607

Si r John Savage.

1587

Rober t Br er ewood.

1608

Wi l l i am Gamul l .

1588

Rober t Br ock, who

1609

Wi l l i am Leycest er .

dyi ng,

1610

Thomas Har vey.

Wi l l i am Hamnet suc-

1611

Page 71 of 85

John Rat cl i f f e.

ceeded.

1612

Rober t Whi t by.

1589

Wi l l i am Cot gr eve.

1613

Wi l l i am Al der sey, Jun.

1590

Wi l l i am Massy.

1614

Wi l l i am Al der sey, Sen

1591

Thomas Li neal l .

1615

Thomas Thr op.

1592

John Fi t t on.

1616

Edwar d But t on.

1593

Page 72 of 85

Davi d Ll oyd.

1617

Char l es Fi t t on.

1594

Foul k Al der sey.

1618

Si r Randal Mai nwar -

1595

Wi l l i am Al der sey.

i ng.

1596

Thomas Smi t h.

1619

Hugh Wi l l i amson.

1597.

J Si r John Savage, ' who

1620

Wi l l i am Gamul l .

dyi ng,

1621

Page 73 of 85

Rober t Whi t ehead.

Thomas Fl et cher suc-

1622

Si r Thomas Smi t h.

ceeded.

1623

John Br er et on.

1598

Ri char d Rat hbone. ' j

1624

Pet er Dr i nkwat er .

1599

Henr y Har dwar e.

1625

Si r Randal Mai nwar -

1600

Rober t Br er ewood,

i ng.

who dyi ng,

Page 74 of 85

1626

Ni chol as I nce.

Ri char d Bavand suc-

1627

Ri char d Dut t on. (

- ; -

ceeded.

1628

John Rat cl i f f e.

1601

John Rat cl i f f e.

1629

Chr i st opher B l ease.

146

Anno

Mai or s.

Anno

Mai or s.

1630

Char l es. Wal l ey.

Page 75 of 85

1643

Randl e Hol me. ]

1631

Wi l l i am Al l en, who

1644

Char l es Wal l ey.

f l yi ng,

1645

The same.

Thomas Bi r d suc-

1646

Wi l l i am Edwar ds.

ceeded.

1647

Rober t Wr i ght .

1632

Wi l l i am Spar k.

1648

Ri char d Br adshaw.

Page 76 of 85

1633

Randl e Hol me.

1649

Wi l l i am Cr ompt on.

1634

Fr anci s Gamul .

16. 50

Ri char d Lei cest er .

1635

Thomas Knowl es.

1651

Owen Hughes, who

1636

Wi l l i am Edwar ds.

dyi ng,

1637

Thomas Thr op.

John Johnson suc-

1638

Rober t Spr ost on.

Page 77 of 85

ceeded.

1639

Rober t Har vey.

1652

Wi l l i am Bennet t .

1640

Thomas Ooper .

1653

Edwar d Br adshaw.

1641

Thomas Cooper .

1654

Ri char d Bi r d.

1642

Wi l l i am I nce.

1655

Wi l l i am Wr i ght .

SHERI FFS OF CHESHI RE.

Temp. Sher i f f s of Cheshi r e.

Gi l ber t Pi par d.

Ri char d de Pi er pont .

Li dul phus ( dc Tweml ow) .

Page 78 of 85

Ri char d de Bur ham.

Ri char d de Sonbach.

Ri char d de Wr enbur y ( or Wybunbur y) .

Jor dan de Peul esdon.

Hugh de Hat t on.

Pat r i ck de Hesel wal l .

Wi l l i am de Spur st ow.

Ri char d de Wi l br aham.

Wi l l i am de Pr aer s.

Rober t de Br essey.

Phi l i p de Eger t on.

Davi d de Eger t on.

Wi l l i am de Mobber l ey.

Ri char d Foul shur st .

John de Wr enbur y.

Adam de Par ker .

Ri char d de Oul st on.

Si r James Audl ey.

Thomas Danyer s ( Dai nel l ) .

Thomas l e Young.

30t h,

H. I I .

35t h,

do.

John

do.

15t h,

H. I I I .

23r d,

do.

52nd,

do.

56t h,

Page 79 of 85

do.

4t h, :

E. I .

9t h,

do.

15t h,

do.

26t h,

do.

33r d,

do.

2nd,

E. I I .

5t h,

do.

13t h,

do.

16 t h,

do.

1st , E. I I I .

10t h,

Page 80 of 85

do.

19t h,

do.

22nd,

do.

24t h,

do.

33r d,

do.

Temp.

41st ,

? E. I I I .

44t h,

do.

i st , :

EL I I .

8t h,

do.

9t h,

do.

11t h,

Page 81 of 85

do.

12t h,

do.

17t h,

do.

i st , :

H. I V.

3r d,

do.

10t h,

do.

3r d,

H. V.

10t h,

do.

5t h,

H. VI .

8t h,

do.

16t h,

do.

Page 82 of 85

17t h,

do.

22nd

, do.

2nd,

E. I V.

10t h,

H. VI I .

21st ,

do.

16t h,

H. VI I I .

17t h,

do.

18t h,

do.

21st ,

do.

23r d,

do.

33r d ;

, do.

Page 83 of 85

i st , :

Mar y.

2nd,

do.

3r d,

do.

148

Sher i f f s of Cheshi r e.

John Scol ehal l .

Si r Lawr ence Dut t on.

Hugh Venabl es ( of Ki nder t on) .

Thomas del Wood.

Hugh, Ear l of St af f or d.

Si r John Massey ( of Tat t on) .

Si r Rober t Gr osvenor ( of Hul me) .

Si r Rober t Lei gh ( t . f Adl i ngt on) .

John Massey ( of Puddi ngt on) .

Henr y de Raveuscr of t .

Si r Wi l l i am Br er et on, of Br er et on.

Thos. ( or John) Legh ( of Boot hs) .

Hugh Dut t on ( of Hat t on) .

Ri char d War bur t on.

Si r Ranul ph Br et on.

John Tr out beck.

Si r Rober t Boot h ( of Dunham Massy) .

Si r Rober t Boot h ( hi s son) .

Wi l l i am St anl ey ( Sen. , of Hoot on) .

John War bur t on ( of Ar l ey) .

Ral ph Bi r kenhead ( under - Sher i f f ) .

Si r Geor ge Hol f or d ( of Hol f or d) .

Si r Wi l l i am St anl ey ( of Hoot on) .

Wi l l i am Venabl es ( of Ki nder t on) .

John Dor e ( of Ut ki nt on) .

Edwar d Fi t t on ( of Gawswor t h) .

John Hol f or d ( of Hol f or d) .

Si r Wi l l i am Br er et on ( of Br er et on) .

Si r Pet er Legh ( of Lyme) .

Si r Hugh Chol ml ey ( of Chol ml ey) .

149

Temp. Sher i f f s of Cheshi r e.

Page 84 of 85

4t h, Mar y. Ri char d Wi l br aham ( of Woodhey) . 1

5t h, do. Si r Thomas Venabl es ( of Ki nder t on) .

6t h, do. Si r Phi l i p Eger t on ( of Eger t on) -

1st , El i z. Wi l l i am Chol ml ey ( of Chol i nl ey) .

2nd, do. Si r John Savage ( of Rock Savage) .

3r d, do. Si r Ral ph Eger t on ( of Wr i nehi l l ) .

4t h, do. Si r John War bur t on ( of Ar l ey) .

5t h, do. Ri char d Br ooke ( of Nor t on) .

6t h, do. Wi l l i am Massey.

7t h, do. Si r John Savage ( of Rock Savage) .

8t b, do. Si r Hugh Chol ml ey ( of Chol ml ey) .

9t h, do. Lawr ence Smi t h ( of Hat her t on) .

10t h, do. Ral ph Done ( of Fl axyar ds) .

11t h, do. Geor ge Cal vel ey ( of Lea) .

12t h, do. Si r John Savage ( of Rock Savage) .

13t h, do. Si r Wi l l i am Boot h ( of Dunham Massy. )

14t h, do. Thomas St anl ey ( of Al der l ey) .

15t h, do. Si r John Savage ( of Rock Savage) .

16t h, do. The same.

17t h, do. Henr y Mai nwar i ng ( of Car i neham) .

18t h, do. Si r Rowl and St anl ey ( of Hoot on) .

19t h, do. John War r en ( of Poynt on) .

20t h, do. Thomas Br ooke ( of Nor t on) .

21st , do. Si r John Savage ( of Rock Savage; .

22nd, do. Si r Ral ph Eger t on ( of Wr i nehi l l ) .

23r d, do. Si r Geor ge Cal vel ey ( of Lea) .

24t h, do. Si r Wi l l i am Br er et on ( of Br er et on) .

25t h, do. Pet er War bur t on ( of Ar l ey) .

26t h, do. Wi l l i am Li ver sage ( of Wheel ock) .

27t h, do. Thomas Wi l br aham ( of Woodhey) .

Temp.

Page 85 of 85

28t h

, El i z.

29t h

, do.

SOt h

, do.

31st ,

do.

32nd, do.

33r d, do.

34t h

, do.

35t h, do.

3