[From Seacombe, History of House of Stanley]

HISTORY
of the
HOUSE OF STANLEY
from the
CONQUEST

THE Illustrious house I have undertaken. to describe and treat of in the course of this history is allowed by the histories and records I have met with to have been a family of great antiquity and renown ; having, in their several ages, been distinguished and promoted by royal favour; to the highest posts of honour and trust under sovereign princes, and always advancing in the front rank of our British heroes.

But with regard to the origin and lineal descent of this ancient house authors are not fully agreed. ¹Mr. Cambden makes them to spring from the same stock with the barons of Audley ; who tells us that the barons of Audley built Healey-castle, in the county of Stafford, upon lands given to them by Hervey de Stafford, as also Alde-Leigh, by Thoebald de Verdon ; and from these (says he) sprung the family of the Stanleys, EARLS of DERBY, but gives no pedigree or lineal descent thereof.

And though this account from so public an author might be esteemed by some very honourable, as being related to, or descended from a family which made one of the greatest figures in the nation for some ages; yet methinks as the noble House of Stanley hath produced so many brave and gallant persons both in peace and war, the ORIGINAL thereof demands a more particular enquiry and description than Mr. Cambden hath thought fit to bestow upon them, who appears to me to have taken the relation given us of this most worthy family more upon trust, and the credit of others, than any labour or acquired knowledge of his own.

Wherefore, for the honour due to so many brave and worthy persons, the satisfaction of the reader, and (that all the heroic and celebrated actions performed by them, be not be buried in oblivion) I have procured and inspected all the histories records and manuscripts, of value or esteem I could possibly obtain either the sight or private use with respect to the subject before us.

And have as I think, met with some public prints, as well as manuscripts, of equal antiquity and authority with Mr. Cambden, from whence it will manifestly appear to the reader, that the honourable house we are here treating of, is. of greater antiquity and an earlier original (at least in England) than the barons of Audley can boast of; and that Mr. Cambden might upon such enquiry and much more reason have said, that the barons of Audley sprung from the same stock with the EARLS of DERBY, for they were engrafted into it, and sprung from it, as hereafter is shewn.

Mr. Cambden indeed tells us in his survey of Staffordshire, that the Family of Stanley were seated at Audley, situate in the northern part of that county, called the Moorlands, near the head of the river Trent, and about a mile west of it; that the land was craggy and stony, and thinks that the family might take their name from thence, but does not acquaint us how long the family might have been seated there, nor even who resided there in his time.

But my learned and right reverend author, Bishop Rutter, in his manuscript, now by me, agrees with Mr. Cambden in the situation as before, and observes further, that the original of the Stanleys was of Saxon extraction, as indeed I find by the best and most approved antiquaries, were all the families in England, whose sirnames end in ley, ton, and comb; as Bolton, Dalton, Walton, Sefton, and Singleton, &c. Also Stanley, Tyldesley, Townley, Mawdsley, Walmsley, &c. and also Duncomb, Tidcomb, Jacomb, and Edgecomb, &c. and that the family now before us, was seated at Stoneley as aforefaid, and is of opinion that the Stanleys might assume their sirnarne from that lordship, which is very probable with respect to the name, the soil being as above, of a rough and stony nature; that nothing was more common and usual in those early times, than for families to, give their sirnames to their seats, or to take them from that of their seat, of which we have many instances in our own memory, as well as history.

But how long this honourable house might have been seated here before the conquest, is not discoverable from history or record ; but the ² reverend and learned author before assures us, that they were here long before the coming in of William Duke of Normandy, and that he was attended in his expedition to England by one Adam de Audley, or Audithley, as the French have it.

And that he was accompanied from Audithley in Normandy, by his two sons, Lidulph and Adam; and that on the Duke's obtaining the crown of England, he gave Adam, the father, large possessions, as indeed he did all his followers, insomuch that ³ Mr. Cambden observes in his notes on this family, that it is strange to read what lands King Henry III. confirmed to Henry de Audley, the son of Mrs. Stanley (as hereafter) and his family, which were bestowed upon them by the king, the bounty of the peers, and even of private persons.

And to heighten and increase the grandeur of this favourite family, who had attended and greatly served her husband King William; Queen-Maud, his wife, and daughter of Baldwin, Earl of Flanders, commonly called Maud the Stranger, gave to Adam de Audithley, the father, the seat of Red-castle, in the county of Salop, with all the lands and tenements thereto .belonging, and where at is probable that family resided, to their building of Heatly-castle, in the county of Stafford, upon lands given them by Hervey , de Stafford as before ; which brought them into that county, and from whence they were first filed Barons of Healey, but which of them built that cattle, and who first possessed it, history does not inform us.

Wherefore having, by this small digression (which. I could not well avoid in this place) given the reader an idea of the Barons of Audley's first appearance in England, and settlement there ; I shall, for a while, suspend any further mention of them and their posterity, and return back to the House of Stanley, whose antiquity and situation are in part before described.

The first Lord of Stoneley I met with in history or record, is stiled Henry Stanley de Stoneley, who lived as near as I can compute, about forty or fifty years before the conquest, and some time after; and having issue an only daughter and child named Mabilla or Mabel, he gave her in marriage to Adam, the son of Lidulph de Audley, the elder son of the aforesaid Adam,- by whom the had issue a son, named Henry, after her father, on whole decease, Adam her husband, was in her right, Lord of Stoneley and Balterley, as hereafter. (And the said Henry the son was the person mentioned by Mr. Cambden to have had such large possessions confirmed to some time after exchanged the manor Stoneley and part of Balterley with his cousin William, the son of his uncle Adam, of Thalk on the Hill, as by the following deed of record, viz..

I Adam, the son of Lidulph de Audithley, give and grant unto William de Audithley, the son of Adam my uncle, the town or manor of Stoneley, and half the town or manor of Balterley, in exchange for the town or manor of Thalk on the Hill, &c. Testibus, Henrico Preers, Roberto de Audithley, Adam de Capell, and William de Wolve, &c.

Upon which deed in the hands of Sir Rowland Stanley, of Hooton, Baronet, living in the year 1610, is reserved the yearly rent of twelve-pence, payable for ever, from the town or manor of Thalk, to the aforefaid William and his heirs.

And here ⁴ Mr. Speed, in his history of Staffordshire, very aptly confirms the above account given by Bishop Rutter, of the Family of Stoneley, by his discovery of another branch of the said House being seated at Stafford, which he calls Thomas Stanley, Esq; and remarks, that he was younger brother, or uncle to the aforesaid Henry of Stoneley,and that his ancestors founded the abbey of Sandewell, in the county of Bucks, and endowed it with 381. 8s. 4d. per annum, which was esteemed a large income in those times; before the reduction of the Roman standard; when every penny was of equal value with seven-pence now.

Which further shews the antiquity, as well as figure, this ancient and worthy family made in the world at that time.

We must observe, that the said Thomas Stanley, of Stafford, Esq. had one only daughter named Joan or Joanna, and that he gave her in marriage to the aforesaid William de Audithley, the son of Adam, as aforesaid, and with her as a marriage portion, gave him the manor of Thalk, which being exchanged as by the above deed ; he, in honour of 'his lady, and the antiquity of her family, made choice of Stoneley for his seat; and called himself Stanley ; and from him are descended all the Stanleys we shall here-after treat of in their order; but respite them a while, and proceed by a short digression, to give the reader an account of the issue and posterity of Mrs. Mabilla Stanley, by Adam de Audithley aforesaid.

The first of which was a son, named Henry, who was the founder of Hilton-abbey, on which he settled large revenues. ⁵ He married to his wife, Bertred, the daughter of Ralph Manwaring, of Peover, in the county of Chester, and by her had issue two sons, viz. James and Adam; also two daughters. Adam the second son died young, and James the elder son was the first I have met with in history, stiled Lord Audley, of Healey-castle.

This Lord Audley, is recorded to have been a very brave and gallant man, and an eminent and experienced soldier, being one of the chief commanders at the famous battle of' Poictiers in France, under Edward the Black Prince, son to King Edward III. where he gained immortal honour, as well by his bounty as his valour ; for the Prince, being a witness of his undaunted courage, superior conduct; and high merit in the glorious and ever memorable victory obtained that day, September 19th, 1357, gave him, in reward of his eminent and distinguished service, 5001. per annum, in England, which he immediately bestowed upon his four Esquires or Captains who served under him, (whereof Sir John Stanley hereafter to be spoken of, is said to be one) of which the prince being informed, was greatly surprized, and asked him is he did not accept his favour; to whom he replied " he did; but that those he had " given it to, deserved it as well as he, and " wanted it more ;" with which answer the prince was so well pleased, that he gave him 5001. per annum more. ⁶A noble example of munificence in the prince, merit and generosity in the subject and worthy the imitation of all brave and generous spirits.

Shortly after this remarkable battle, (in which more of the enemy were slain and taken prisoners, than the prince's army were in number) a truce ensued betwixt England and France, and soon after a peace was concluded, upon which this brave Lord (now Lord Audley, being the second of his name and fifth of his family) was appointed Lord Justice of Ireland ; and, I believe, commander in chief of all his majesty's forces in that kingdom, as his grandfather had been ; but on his survey and visitation of the country, he was unhappily killed by a fall from his horse at Thomond, in the year 1372; which put an end not only to the life of this brave and valuable person, but to the male issue of his family; with whom I shall, with an observation or two, forbear all further history of them, and proceed as above, with the issue and posterity of William of Thalk, now Lord of Stoneley, which we shall from hence forward call Stanley,.

First,Upon the death of this honourable peer, his honourand estate descended to his two sisters above mentioned; some say his two daughters. Secondly, That his eldest sister or daughter,. named Margaret, married to Thomas Touchet of Nether-Whitley, in the county of Chester ; and in her right become Lord Audley of Healey-castle ; who, by 'the favour of the crown, was dignified with the honour and title of Earl of Castle-haven in the kingdom of Ireland, whose posterity afterwards married the eldest female issue of the first daughter of Ferdinand EARL OF DERBY, and thereby became entitled to, and possessed of the barony and estate of ⁷ Lord Strange of Knocking.

What arms or bearing were used by the House of Stanley to this time I cannot set forth, but suppose, from their inter-marriages with the house of Audley, they might give the same arms.

I could bring down the issue and descendants of this noble family to our own time, but as it is foreign to my purpose, it would only swell the work, and be of little use to the reader. I have chosen to omit all further notice of them, judging what has been said sufficient to shew the farther alliance of the two noble families, and proceed, as promised above, to the new Family of Stanley, seated at Stoneley.

William de Audley, now Stanley, seated at Stoneley by the exchange above mentioned, both of name and estate, had, no doubt, other feats and lands to which his posterity might remove, as they increased in number, by marriage or on other occasions, which I find to be the case, and has rendered their lineal and collateral succession more obscure and difficult to pursue in a regular and steady course, from the goings out of so many several branches from this growing family, as I have met with in the long space of time from the conquest to the present time.

However, I have, I presume, reduced and connected together as well the collateral as the direct dine of this spreading house, from the aforefaid William Lord of Stanley, to Sir Rowland Stanley of Hooton in Wirral, in the county of Chester ; wherein I have used my best endeavours to be as correct as possible, and flatter myself the reader wild be so candid as to excuse and amend any errors, mistakes, or omissions he may observe in the perusal of this work.

William de Stanley, the first Lord of Stoneley, in the county of Stafford, in virtue of the aforesaid exchange, is ⁸ recorded (for history is silent therein) to have had a son named William, by Joanna Stanley of Stafford, who succeeded his father William in the feat and manor of Stanley, and part of Balterley, with their appurtenances.

William Stanley the second, and son of the above William, is also recorded to have been Lord of Stanley, and to have had issue a son named William; but by whom, history and record are both silent, being very obscure and defective in those early times.

William the third, and son of the above William, is stiled ⁹ Milite or Knight, and is recorded to have had issue two sons, viz. John and Adam, but by whom history as, well as :record are still silent ; neither do I find that John the elder son ever possessed the estate of Stanley, but died without issue, and that Adam the younger son succeeded his father Sir William, in the honour and estate, as is fully manifested hereafter.

¹⁰ Adam, the son of Sir William, and fourth .Lord of Stanley, is stiled Sir Adam de Stanley, Filius William de Stanley Milite, et Pater William de Stanley, and is recorded to have had a son named William, but by whom history and record are still silent on that head.

¹¹ Willian, the son of Adam, and fifth Lord of Stanley, is stiled William de Stanley, in the county of Stafford, Dom. de Stanley, et Dom. de Stourton, in the county of Chester, et Foresturæ Foresta, or chief ranger of the forest of Wirral, by the grant of the tenth of King Edward II. .1316, who also gave him three bucks' heads for his arms or bearing.

He married Joanna or Jane, the eldest daughter and one of the coheirs of Sir Thomas Bamvill, by Agnes his wife, one of the daughters and coheirs of Sir Alexander Sylvester, Lord of Stourton (from whom Mr. Cambden says, the Stanleys derive themselves, viz. page 560, that Hooton is a manor which in King Richard the Second's time fell to the Stanleys, who derive them from Allen Sylvester) but this is a gross mistake, as well from the account above given, as his own former writing, wherein he fixes the original of the Stanleys, at Stoneley, in the county of Stafford.

Sir Alexander Sylvester was the son of ¹² Ranulph Sylvester, and Ranulph was the son of

Allen Sylvester, steward to Ranulph the third, Earl of Chester, who gave him for his seat the manor of Stourton, with the bailiwick of Wirral, and the government of the forest: there, and invested him therein by the delivery of a hunting horn, with certain fees and perquisites thereto annexed, to wit, among others, that he should blow, or cause to be blown that horn, at Gloverstone, near Chester, on every Chester-fair-day, in token that the tolls or duties payable for all goods bought or sold in that place during the time of the fair, belonged to him, as a place of privilege to him and all his tenants there, exempt from the jurisdiction of the city ; which horn is now preserved at Hooton, by the Family of Stanley, the descendants of the said Jane Bamvill and Sir William Stanley, who by the said Jane had issue two sons, viz. John and Adam, and one daughter, named Sarah de Stanley, who married Roger the son of Roger de Hausket ; and Adam the younger brother appears to have died young and without issue ; for I meet with no farther notice of him ; but John the elder succeeded his father Sir William.

John; the son of the aforesaid Sir William, was the sixth Lord of Stanley, and the second of Stourton, and is stiled Lord of Stanley and of Stourton, and married to his wife, Mabill, daughter of Sir James Hausket, of Stourton-Parva, and by her had issue one son, named William.

Sir William the son of John, and seventh heir male of this spreading house, is stiled William de Stanley, senior, Lord of Stanley and Stourton, and the twenty-sixth of King Edward III. 1375, he married Mary the daughter of Hugh Massy, of Timperley, in the county of Chester, and sister to Sir Hamon Massey, of Dunham-Massey, by whom he had issue two sons, viz. William and John.

Of John the second son, afterwards Sir John Stanley, we have herein much to observe, but shall respite for the present, and proceed with the direct line, and then return to every collateral branch.

Sir William, the elder brother of John, by Mary Massey was the eighth heir of this house, and succeeded his father Sir William, in honour and estate ; and the tenth of Richard II. he married Margery the only daughter of William de Hooton, of Hooton, in the hundred of Wirral, and county of Chester ; and by her had issue a son, named William; who is stiled Lord of Stanley, Stourton and Hooton, and grand ranger of Wirral, in the county of Chester.

Sir William the son of the aforefaid Sir William, was the ninth heir male of this honourable house, and succeeded his father in honour and estate ; and the fourth of Henry VI. he married Margery the daughter of Sir John Ardern of Hardin, by whom he had issue two sons, William and John.

John the younger son married to the heiress. of Greswithen, in the county of Cumberland, from whom are descended the Stanleys of Delegarth and Arnaby in that county, whom we shall herein further describe in due place.

Sir William, father of the said William and John, by Mrs. Ardern, was the first that removed from the old seat o£ Stanley in the county of Stafford, to Hooton, in the hundred of Wirral and county of Chester, who, for the enlargement and conveniency of his House, and better accommodation of his family, obtained licence from King Henry VI. to build a turret or tower at his seat of Hooton, with embattled walls.

Viz. Huic Gulielmo de Stanley, milite, Rex Henricus sextus, dedit Licentiam covrstruendi et edificandi Turrum, apud Manerium suum de Hooton in Wirral, per Literas suas Patenus Datus anno regni suo secundo.

Which House and tower are now standing, to which Sir William, the elder brother of John succeeded, and was the tenth heir male of his family ; and the seventeenth of Henry VI. he married to Alice the daughter of Richard Houghton (as I conceive of Lancashire) and by her had issue a son named William.

Sir William, the son of the above William by Mrs. Houghton, succeeded his father Sir William, and was the eleventh male heir in a direct line ; he married to one of the daughters of John Savage of Clifton, Esq. and by her had issue two sons, John and William. I cannot discover that John the elder was ever married, but rather that he died young and without issue : But,

Sir William, the second son of the above Sir William by Mrs. Savage, succeeded his father as twelfth heir male of his family. He was stiled senior, and married to his first; wife, Margaret the daughter of John Bromley, Esq. by whom he had a daughter, who married to Gerrard of Brinn, in the county of Lancaster ; and Margaret his wife dying, he married to his second wife Agnes, the daughter of Robert Grosvenor of Hulme, Esq. by whom he had a son named William.

Sir William his son by Mrs. Grosvenor, succeeded his father as thirteenth heir male of his family. He married Ann, the daughter of Sir James Harrington, of the county of Lancaster, Knight; and by her had issue Catherine, William, Peter, John and Agnes.

Peter the second son married Elizabeth, the daughter and heir of James Scaresbrick, of Moor-hall, in Bickerstaff, by Margaret his wife, the only daughter and heir of Thomas Atherton of Bickerstaff, which shall be further spoken of hereafter.

How Catharine, John and Agnes were disposed of, history does not inform us, farther than that Sir William, the son of the above Sir William, by Ann Harrington, succeeded his father, and was the fourteenth heir male of his family, and is stiled Sir William Stanley de Hooton. He married Grace, the fourth daughter of Sir William Griffith, Chamberlain of North Wales, and by her had issue two sons, William and Rowland. William died in his father's life-time without, issue, and in his government of the Isle of Man, 1545; and Sir Rowland, his brother, succeeded his father Sir William, in honour and estate, being the fifteenth heir male of this noble House, by the stile of Sir Rowland Stanley, of Hooton. He married to his wife, Margaret, the daughter and heir of Hugh Aldersey, of Chester, Esq. and by her had issue a son, named William; but she dying in 1607, he married to his second wife, Ursula, the second daughter and one of the coheirs of Thomas Smith, of the city of Chester,

Chesler, Esq. but by her had no issue ; this Sir Rowland was created a baronet in the Year 1661. And

Sir William, the Son of Sir Rowland, by Mrs. Aldersey, was the sixteenth heir male in succession, and married to his wise, one of the daughters of John Egerton, of Egerton, Esq. and by her had issue a son named William.

Sir William, the son of the above Sir William, by Mrs. Egerton, was the seventeenth heir male that succeeded his father. in honour and estate, and married to his wife, Alice, the daughter of Richard Hugh (or Hughes) Esq. and sister and heir to Henry Hughes, and by her had issue a son, named. Rowland, with several other children; but how they were disposed of I cannot discover, further than that Sir Rowland, the son of the aforesaid Sir William, by Mrs. Hughes, was the eighteenth heir male that succeeded his father, by the title of Sir .Rowland. Stanley, of Hooton. He married to his wife, Anne, the daughter of Clement Paston, of Barningham, in the county of Norfolk, Esq. by whom he had issue Mary, who married to Charles Harrington, of Huyton-Hey, in the county of Lancaster, Esq. also Anne, Charlote, William, Rowland, Dorothy, Elizabeth, Winefrid, Catharine and Agnes. Catharine married to Robert Blundell, of Ince-Blundell, in the county of Lancaster, Esq. how the rest where disposed of, I am not further informed ; but that William, his first son, succeeded him by the title of SirWilliam Stanley of Hooton, son of Sir Rowland Stanley, and the nineteenth heir male of his family: he married Catharine, the daughter of Rowland Ayres, of Hassop, or Arsop, in the county of Derby, Esq. by whom he had issue Rowland, William and Elizabeth who died young, John, Henry, Ann, Thomas, (who takes the name of Massey) Charles and James.

Sir Rowland, the eldest son of Sir William, by Mrs. Ayres, and twentieth heir male of this ancient and honourable house, being possessed of the honour and estate of his family, which he enjoyed with much becoming magnificence and liberality (the characteristic of that antient house ; whose hospitality was well known amongst the poor and necessitous) as his ancestors had done before him. At his death the distressed lost a benevolent friend, and the world a pattern of every Christian virtue.

Thus having, for the present, brought down the genealogical descent and succession of this antient and most worthy house, in a direct line (with some mention of the colateral branches) from Henry Stanley of Stoneley, who lived at the coming in of William Duke of Normandy to this kingdom, in the year 1066, being above seven hundred years; and having, we persume, been correct therein ; we doubt not but this honourable House may fully challenge the first rank for antiquity and lineal descent, from father to son, with most houses in England.

Give us leave now to return to John Stanley, Esqr. afterwards Sir John Stanley, who married Isabel, the only daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas Latham, of Latham, in the county of Lancaster; and from him bring down the issue and descendants of that colateral branch, as promised, to the death of James late Lord Strange, which happened on the first day of June, 1771 ; wherein I flatter myself, the reader will meet with as great variety of history, and as many eminent, valiant, and heroic actions and performances as most, if not any family in England can boast of; so that we may justly observe, that, for antiquity, loyalty and bravery, few or none may compare therewith.

John Stanley Esq.. now to be treated of, was the second son of Sir William Stanley, and Mary Massey of Timperley, as in the pedigree before noted. He was born about the twenty-seventh year of Edward III. and had, for his patrimony, the old seat of Newton, in the hundred of Macclesfield, in the county of Chester.

This brave and valiant gentleman, was one of the Captains under the command of his relation James Lord Audley, at the famous battle of Poictiers in France, which was fought on the 19th day of September, 1357, by Edward the Black Prince, son to King Edward III. wherein John, King of France, was taken prisoner, and brought captive to England.

Soon after this memorable victory, a truce betwixt England and France was agreed upon for two years, during which interval of public action, Mr. Stanley, being of a martial genius, and intent to improve himself in the art of war, visited most of the courts in Europe, even as far as Constantinople ; wherein he made such advances in the school of Mars, that his superior skill in arms was generally applauded in every country he passed through; insomuch that the fame thereof gave him the character of the most noted champion in single combat of that age; and on his return back through France; the reputation of his, bravery so raised the pride and envy of a haughty French combatant, that he followed Mr. Stanley to England, and there challenged the whole nation to produce a person to engage him, in arms.

Which being made known. to Mr. Stanley; he accepted the challenge; and the time and place of action (by the King's direction) was to be at Winchester, under the walls of which city he sought and killed him, in the presence of his Majesty, and a numerous crowd of spectators.

This public and gallant action caused King Edward to take great notice of him, and as a reward for his bravery, honoured him with knighthood; which raised his reputation all over Europe, and no doubt gained him the secret good wishies of all the fair-sex present ; amongst whom was the heiress of Latham ; beautiful, young, and rich, which caused her to be envied of her own sex; but admired by the lovers of real beauty, virtue and merit.

Sir John (for we must now honour him with that title) declared himself her champion and humble servant ; and after some time of address, gained an entire conquest of her and all, her favours, by an honourable marriage, though with the unwilling consent of her father, whose reasons will be particularized hereafter. In the interim, let us leave Sir John in pursuit of his honours and amours, in which the reader shall be fully informed,

With regard to his honour, some time after his encounter with, and victory over he aspiring French combatant, King Edward the Third died, and King Richard the second was advanced to the throne; who, in the first year of his reign, honoured Sir John Stanley with a commission to Ireland, to assist in the total reduction of that kingdom.

Wherein, by his prudence and good management, he had such success, that on King Richard's coming there in person, in he year 1379, he brought the great O'Neal, King of Ulster ; Rotheric O'Connor, Kings Connaught ; O'Carrol, King of Uriel ; O'Rorick, King of Meath; Arthur Mc'Mur, King of Leinster ; and O'Brian, King of Thomond, before him, to make submission and do homage to him, as their sovereign King. And thus ¹³ Ireland was entirely subdued to the crown of England, though many rebellions have been severely felt there since that time.

Who, in confederation and reward of the great and eminent services performed by Sir John for his Majesty's honour and interest, granted to him by patent for life, the manor and lands of Black-castle, in that kingdom; and, for the peace, good government, and better security thereof, continued him there to the thirteenth year of his Reign, 1389; at which time his majesty returned to Ireland., and staid there all the winter, which gave his cousin Henry Duke of Lancaster and Hereford, (who had been banished by him for six years) an opportunity of returning to England without his licence, or the full time of his exile being expired.

This return of the Duke of Lancaster, who was an enterprizing Prince, of high spirit, as well as blood, and of great power, insomuch that it is said, when he ascended the throne of England, he was the richest subject in Europe ; and that the crown was more beholding to him, than he to the crown. All which, of course, must give great anxiety and uneasiness to the reigning king, and the peace of the kingdom ; even foreboding no less than a total subversion, from so powerful a rival, as it after fell- out. The great wealth of the Duke here spoken of, appears visibly in our days, by the extensive dutchy of Lancaster, which he took care to separate, and for ever distinguish from the crown lands, by erecting Lancashire into a County Palatine, by the name of the Dutchy and County Palatine of Lancafter, (sicut Cestria) annexing to it a court, with a chancellor, attorney-general, council, &c. for the care and preservation of all its rights and privileges, with proper subordinate officers for that purpose.

Wherefore the king being informed of this disagreeable news, and the danger of his majesty's person, resolved to hasten to England and made preparation for that purpose, by appointing his trusty and faithful subject and servant, Sir John Stanley, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland for six years ; with a grant to him by patent for life (for supporting his honour and dignity) of one hundred marks a year, payable out of his majesty's exchequer there.

And in the nineteenth yea of this king's reign, 1395, he made Sir John Stanley constable of the castle of Roxborrow, in Scotland, a post of great hazard as well as trust, being being surrounded with enemies on every side, which Sir John bravely repelled, with honour to his prince, and reputation to himself.

But the king his master's affairs being in a declining and doubtful state, and Henry of Lancaster having railed great forces against him, and being joined by many of' the nobility, made great progress every where, without resistance ; which at last prevailed upon King Richard to return to England, and landed at Barklowly in Wales; where being informed that all the castles, from the borders of Scotland, to Bristol, were delivered to the Duke of Lancaster, and that the army provided for his assistance, (whom he had sent before him for that purpose) had, by his long delay in coming over to them, mostly disbanded themselves; which so discouraged him, that he fell into a deep despair, and the next night secretly, with a few friends, left what army remained, and retired to Conway-castle, in Wales ; where, with his friends, considering the desperate state he was reduced to, and how, in force measure to support himself, and retrieve his misfortunes, among other expedients he recalled Sir John Stanley from Scotland, to return to his government of Ireland, to secure that kingdom in his majesty's interest ; who being in-formed that the king was then in Conway-castle, took that in his way, to receive his majesty's commands, whom he sound in a miserable and despairing condition ; forsaken by his friends and soldiery, and the Duke of Lancaster near him with a powerful army; all predicting no less than a sudden revolution ; which Sir John Stanley wisely fore-seeing, paid a private visit to the Duke of Lancaster, and reconciled himself to him; and then, agreeable to his duty to the present king, proceeded to Ireland, to preserve the peace of that kingdom for his majesty's service.

The next step made by the king, was calling a ¹⁴ Parliament to meet at Westminster, on the seventeenth day of September, from whom he hoped for assistance and relief in his present distressed circumstances. Representing to, them by Sir John Bushie, that the occasion of their meeting was, to lay before them the many grievances and severe usage he had met with from the Lords ; and also their harsh and unkind treatment of the Queen Consort ; and that he had called them together for redress thereof, and the reformation of many transgressions against the peace of the land, that the offenders therein might be punished according to their deserts.

But this declaration was so far from answering the king's expectation, that the Duke of Lancaster and his friends found means to seize his person, convey him to ¹⁵ Westminster, and the next day to the Tower of London.

Soon after this a Parliament was called by the Duke of Lancaster, but in King Richard's name ; in which many articles of misgovernment were laid to his charge, and thirty-three articles drawn .up and exhibited against him ; upon reading which, he was by the Parliament deposed ; but was advised by those about him, rather to resign the government in a voluntary manner, than be forced to it by compulsion ; wherewith he complied on the twentieth day of September, 1399; where it may be truly observed, that this king lost his crown more by his own neglect or indolence, than by the treason of any of his subjects

After this resignation, and sentence of deposition, being openly read in parliament, Henry Duke of Lancaster was elected king and on the thirteenth day of October following, was crowned king at Westminster, the Archbishop of Canterbury, by the name, stile and title of King Henry IV.

Upon this king's accession to the throne, Sir John Stanley being still Lord Justice of Ireland, and holding the government thereof in favour of the deposed King Richard, King Henry well knowing his very great power and interest in that kingdom, and his superior skill and experience, as well in the senate, as in the field; thought, for his interest and safety, to receive him into his favour, and a signal token thereof, granted to him and his heirs for ever, by his letters patent, dated at Westminster the first of January following, the manor of Bydstra in Wirral, and county of Chester, together with Sangham, Sangham-massey, Moreton, Fourd, and Nesson ; also several messuages, lands, rents, and services in Nesson, Raby, Leadsholm, Mollington, Torret, Chester, Claverton, Neither-Babington and Lea, near Bartington , with the advowson of the parish church of the Holy Trinity, in the city of Chester , which advowson is still with his successor the present noble EARL of DERBY: but all the lands were sequestered and sold (save Upton) in the time of the unhappy usurpation.

And in the year 1400, the king for his most eminent services in the preservation of the peace of the kingdom, continued him there, and by commission appointed him Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for six years.

But the king's enemies began now to shew themselves openly, and formed several plots, not only to disturb his peaceable possession of the throne, but even to cut him off: particularly one contrived by the Abbot of Westminster, who was a kind of book-statesman (better read in the politics of Aristotle, than those of Solomon) and remembering some words spoken by King Henry, when he was but EARL of DERBY ;that is, "That Princes had too little, and the religious too much;" and fearing now he was king he might reduce his words into actions, thought it better to use preventing-physic, than stand the hazard of an after-cure.

Wherefore, the better to perpetrate and effect his studied treason and rebelion, he invited to his house the most factious and powerful of his party, viz. ¹⁶ John Holland, Duke of Exeter; Thomas Holland, Duke of Surrey; John Montague, Earl of Salisbury ; Hugh Spencer, Earl of Glocester; John Bishop of Carlisle ; Sir Thomas Blunt, and Maudlin, chaplain to King Richard; who after some conference, resolved to take away the King's life. But this impious plot was happily discovered in, the nick of time, and the conspirators, or most of them executed, when taken. And here it may not be improper to remark with a learned author, "That he never knew a plot in his life, but either either a priest or a women, or both, had a hand in it."

And now the hot English blood was no sooner cooled by the above executions, but the Welsh boiled up to a high ferment, by the instigation of one Owen Glendour, an Esquire of Wales, brought up at the inns of court in London (a man of a fiery and aspiring temper) who endeavoured to draw his countrymen the old Britons into a general rebellion against King Henry; and to encourage them therein, insinuated, that this was the critical time to effect his and their liberty, from the English yoke: for that a new conspiracy was formed against King Henry by the Piercys, Earls of Northumberland and Worcester, with Henry Hotspur, and other persons of great power, by whose assistance they could hardly fail of becoming a free people once more, under their own Princes; by which they were so effected, that a triple leauge offensive and defensive, was entered into by Glandour, the Piercys, and the Earl of March, under their hands and seals ; whereby it was agreed, that all England and Wales should be divided into three parts; the first from Severn and Trent. south and eastward, to be the portion allotted to the Earl of March: secondly, all Wales and the lands beyond Severn, westward, to be the lot of Owen Glendour: and thirdly, all the remainder of the land from Trent, northward, to belong to, or be the Lord Piercys.

Upon this conclusion, the Piercys being joined by a large body of Scotch and drawing to their party the Earls of Stafford and Scroop, the Archbishop of York, with many others of great power, purposed to join the Welsh captain, Owen Glandour, and his Welsh forces.

This formidable conspiracy and powerful separation, might well give the King great uneasiness, and engage him to procure all possible assistance from his friends and allies; amongst whom he called Sir John Stanley, from the government of Ireland ; who, on leaving that kingdom, appointed his brother, Sir William Stanley, then Lord Stanley, Stourton and Hooton, his deputy; and on his arrival at court. was immediately appointed steward of the king's' household, and by his advice and assistance, the ¹⁷ king raised a formidable army, which he headed himself, with his son and Sir John under him, and with them marched against the rebels ; but took special care they might not be joined by the Welsh ; and near Shrewsbury met and engaged the enemy. The fight was very furious on both sides; and though the Scots and the Earl of Northumberland behaved with the greatest bravery, yet victory rested on the king's side; wherein Sir John Stanley, by his known courage (which was eminently distinguished on this critical occasion) and prudent conduct, contributed not a little.

The Earl of ¹⁸ Northumberland was slain in the field ; the Earl of Worcester taken prisoner and beheaded; and of the other Officers and Soldiers 6000 were slain in the field of battle. Upon this signal victory, the King caused public thanks to be given to Almighty GOD.

And for the suppression of Owen Glendour and his party, the King sent his son Henry, Prince of Wales, into that country with his whole army ; but before their arrival there, upon notice of the king's victory over Northumberland, Owen Glendour was abandoned by all his followers; and lurking in the woods and mountains, was there starved, and famished to death.

Thus the king was, by the wisdom and good conduct of himself and officers, and the valour and bravery of his troops, happily delivered from the power and malice of all his rebellious subjects in this quarter.

But being informed that the city, castle, and precincts of York, still held out for the late King Richard, then a prisoner in Pomfret-castle, he gave commission to Sir John Stanley and Roger de Leke, to march with the army thither, and reduce that place to his obedience, and seize it for his rule; which they accordingly effected.

And the Isle of Man being by Northumberland's late rebellion, forfeited to the king, he called Sir William Stanley from the government of Ireland, and gave him commission, with a proper force of men and ships, to seize that island to his majesty's use, which he completed; and Sir John Stanley's presence with the King being of the utmost consequence, his majesty appointed his younger son, Thomas Earl of Lancaster, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, who landed at Carlingford, in that kingdom, the second of August, 1405 ; and for his better assistance, appointed Sir John Stanley, Attorney-general to that prince.

The year following, 1406, Sir John obtained a licence from his majesty, to fortify a spacious house he was then building at Liverpool, with embattled walls; which, when finished, he called the Tower; being, ever since, well known by that name, and is now standing in good order.

The Isle of Man being now seized into the King's hands by Sir William Stanley, Sir John, in the same year, obtained a grant thereof by patent for life ; but in the month of October following such grant, the King and Sir John came to a new agreement; whereby Sir John was to surrender to his majesty, the said grant of the Isle of Man for life; likewise his two patents for life, of the manor of Black-castle in Ireland, and the annual annuity of one hundred marks, payable to him out of his majesty's exchequer in Ireland.

On the sixth of April, 1407, Sir John delivered up the said patents, to be cancelled in the chancery of England ; in consideration whereof, the king re-granted the Isle of Man to Sir John Stanley and his heirs for ever, with all the royalties and franchises thereto belonging, together with the patronage of the bishopric there, under the stile and title of KING of MAN, in as full and ample manner as it had been granted to any former lords thereof.

The grant to be held of the crown of England (per homagium legium) and paying to the king, his heirs and successors, a cast of Falcons at their coronation. After such homage made, and carrying the Lancaster sword on the left-side of the king at every coronation, in full of all duties, demands and services whatsoever.

In the tenth year of this king's reign, he appointed Sir John Stanley, Constable of Windsor-castle, and Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter, and continued him in his royal esteem: and favour during the re-remainder of his life, which happened in the year of our Lord, 1413, and the thirteenth year of his reign.

He was succeeded in the throne, by his most martial and heroic son, Henry, Prince of Wales, by the stile and title of king Henry V. with whom Sir John Stanley was in such high esteem, that in the first year of his reign, he appointed him Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for six years, as his father had done ; and on the seventh of October, that year, he landed near Dublin; but on the sixth of January following, he died at Ardee, to the great grief of the family, and the loss of the nation, in so eminent and useful a subject.

By this gentleman's death, the king and country were deprived of one of the most valuable members of society and public spirit : who, through four kings' reign, had made as great a figure, and acquired as much honour, as any of his contemporaries in the British nation.

Agreeable to the character given him by the learned author of the book of Dunmow, that is, That his youth and martial spirit, gave him those fine qualities which compose a complete gentleman, a brave and generous hero, an accomplished courtier, and a lover of his king and country-He was a profound statesman, a wise and just patriot, and an honest politician. In short he was

Vir illustris in concilio,
Strenuus in omni prelioo;
Princeps Militiae in Anglia,,
Et in omni reguo Ornatissiimus

His arms or bearings were those of his family : three stags' heads, together with those of the Latham family, into which he married, viz.

He married Isabel the only daughter of Sir Thomas Latham, of Latham, in the county of Lancaster ; and, (as near as I can collect) about the time of his being appointed Lord Justice of Ireland, by Richard II. By her he had issue two sons, John and Thomas, and one daughter named Alice. She married to her first husband Sir Thomas Dutton, of Dutton, who died in the year 1431 ; and to her second husband, Sir John Wotton. Thomas the younger son married to the daughter and heiress of Sir John Arden, of Elford, in the county of Stafford : and John the elder son succeeded his father, by the title of John Stanley, Esq. the son of Sir John, who may be justly esteemed the common father of the EARLS of DERBY; for from him they all sprung, as at large hereafter.

In the interim, before we enter into farther history of them, give me leave, by a short digression, to give the reader the antiquity and genealogy of the house of Latham ; as it will not only afford us a clearer history of the several worthy families, the House of Stanley intermarried with, but will clear up, and illustrate, many occurrences yet unknown to the world, and be of use and pleasure to the reader.

The first of the ancient house of Latham I meet with in record (for history is silent in that point) is stiled Sir Henry de Latham, of Latham, in the county of Lancaster.

This gentleman lived at, or rather some time before the conquest ; but who he married I cannot discover; but record is clear that at his death he left a son and heir, stiled Sir Robert Latham, knight, son of Henry.

This Sir Robert Latham, was a very eminent person, and recorded to be the founder of Burscough-abbey near Latham ; and also to have held of the Lord of Widness, in the county of Lancaster, under the see of ¹⁹ Halton, in the county of Chester, the manors of Knowsley, Huyton, Roby, and Torbuck, on payment of a certain rent, and knight's service, of which more fully hereafter. At his death he was succeeded by his son and heir, stiled also Sir Robert Latham.

Of this second Sir Robert, I have little to remark, but that he succeeded his father in honour and estate, and that he died in the year 1266, and left a son and heir stiled Sir Robert Latham, son of Sir Robert.

Sir Robert Latham, the son, and the third of that name, succeeded his father Sir Robert; but of him little is recorded more than that he died in the year 1324, and left a son and heir named Thomas, but by whom is not said. This Sir Thomas Latham, I find by record, married the fifteenth of Edward III. the youngest daughter of Sir Hamon Massey, of Dunham-massey, in the county of Chester, and by her had issue one only daughter, whom he named Isabel ; of whom, and her posterity, we have much to observe ; but having described and brought down the male line of her family of Latham, we shall next proceed to her and her issue by Sir John Stanley.

Isabel, now Lady Stanley, widow, did, on the death of Sir John her husband, return with her children from Ireland to Liverpool, and lived in the house erected there by Sir John, called the tower, the seite whereof was given to him by her father, and contains about 650 square yards, or 3200 feet; together with several other bargage houses and lands in that town, sometime after her marriage ; which was not agreeable to her father; who was, in all respects qualified to recommend her, by a fortune equal to any adresses made her, of which she had many superior in worldly fortune, to Sir John.

But fortune herself largely shared her favours to him, with a liberal hand, in the gifts of riches, honour, and dignities, which at this time had their proper influence with her father Sir Thomas ; who, by all the accounts I have seen of this affair, intended a plentiful provision for her, but not the gross of his large possessions ; as will more fully appear in the following narrative.

Sir Thomas Latham lived in the reign of King Edward III. and he and his lady being highly advanced in years, without any other issue than the above Lady Stanley ; and he being desirous of rnale issue (even when he was a child) but despairing thereof, by his own lady, had a love intrigue with a young gentlewoman of his acquaintance, whom he kept concealed in a house of retirement near him, until the bore him a son, which accordingly happened ; but on due confederation; there still remained some matters of consequence to be adjusted, for the future peace and quiet of Sir Thomas's mind, and the full completion of all his joys and wishes on this grand occasion.

The first of which was, how and in what manner to publish the birth of his young son, and he not so much as suspected to be the real father of him.

And, in the next place, how to amuse and secure his lady from the pangs of a jealous mind and secure her motherly care of the young infant in such a manner, that he ,night be nursed and brought up in his own house, free from all suspicion or uneasiness betwixt them.

And, lastly, that he might, with the greater freedom and pleasure, oversee and extend his paternal beneficence to him by acts of charity, and thereby screen himself from the ill-natured reflections of an inquisitive and censorious world.

Wherefore, the better to effect these nice and tender points, he had recourse to a pious cheat, by imparting the whole secret to an old and trusty servant, in whom he could confide; and consulted with him on the most likely and proper means to compass his intended projects.

After several schemes and proposals on both sides, they at last hit upon the following expedient, which they judged the most probable to answer all Sir Thomas's expectations.

Wherein they had considered, that, as an Eagle frequently formed her nest in a large thick wood, in the most desolate part of his park, where seldom any thing were seen but guests qualified for such a dismal habitation ; therefore if the child was taken and laid there, as if brought by the Eagle, it might, on. a pretended accidental discovery, complete the whole project.

Sir Thomas approving hereof, made use of the event, and gave directions to the mother to have the infant well fed, and richly drest, early the next morning, at an hour the servant was to call for it; which being done, and given to him, with instructions to lay it at the foot of the tree the Eagle usually frequented, and to cover him secretly from all observation, that he might see and guard him from all outward injury, either from bird or beast of prey; which he performed with all imaginable privacy.

And here permit me, before I proceed further on this head, to leave the child at rest, for a while, in his new apartment and give the reader, by a short digression, the old story of a child said to be found in an Eagle's nest at Latham, as transmitted to us from generation to generation; which runs in the following terms. viz.

That Sir Thomas Latham and his Lady taking their usual walk in his park, drew near to the desert, and wild situation, where it was commonly reported an Eagle usually built her nest; and upon their near approach thereof, heard the cries of a young child, which they ordered the servants attending to look for, who, on search, reported it was in the Eagle's nest, which they directed to be taken down, and to their great surprize and wonder, was, on examination, found to be a male infant, dressed in rich swadling clothes: and they, having on male issue, looked upon this child as a present sent from heaven, and that it could be no less than the will of GOD, that they should take him immediately under their care and protection, which they accordingly did, and had him carefully nursed and baptized, by the name of Latham ; and (according to tradition) he became possessed of that large estate, and at his death left an only daughter named Isabel, whom Sir John Stanley married; and in memory of this event, took the Eagle and Child for his crest, as since used by his noble successors, the EARLS of DERBY.

Thus far goes the old tradition, which on due examination and just information, will appear to be meer fable and fiction, and highly improbable, when compared with the relation I shall give of this uncommon transaction, from real fact.

Whoever knows any thing of the nature of Hawks in general; (of which the Eagle is principal) must of consequence know with what fury and violence they strike their prey, killing all they stoop to at one strieke, or before they leave it; and knowing this, must allow it morally impossible, that a bird of prey of that strength and rapacious nature that an Eagle is known to be, should carry a live child to an airy unhurt, which the never attends but when hatching or rearing her young, and then tears all to pieces the intends for herself, or them, as food; which they, while young, are unable to do for themselves.

Besides, would it not be stretching our imagination to a great length, to suppose, that a young child, dressed as this (as in the tradition) is described to be, should be left exposed in the open fields as a prey to all voracious creatures, destitute of guard or care; which is not reasonable to think, unless in time of plauge, famine, or war, when some thing like this might possibly occur, but none of these articles being alledged in the case before us, nor any infant known to be missing, we may justly conclude the oldstory to be meer tradition, without any just foundation.

Wherefore, let us return to the babe we left sleeping under the tree, where we may suppose his father Sir Thomas took care he should not lie long, by paying him an early visit ; and, on his arrival, found him awake,and in need of assistance, which he hastened to give him, by a speedy return home, and acquainted his lady and family with the strange event, who hastened to view such a miraculous discovery ; which, to their no small surprife, filled them with the utmost consternation ; and unanimously agreed, that the infant's preservation, in so dismal and dangerous a situation, could be no less than miracle; and upon finding it to be a male child (which was wanting in the family) the good old lady was enamoured with him, and included it to be the will of heaven, that they they should adopt him for their sort and heir; which was readily agreed to by his father.

And this being a time of the day. when superstition and bigotry prevailed more than truth and reason, Sir Thomas had little more to do, than to gild over this pious fraud in the most plausible manner, and to raise and encourage his ladie's imagination and credulity to the highest degree, as an effectual means to accomplish his design.

Which he further promoted, by addressing himself to the good old lady in the following terms: That they having no male issue, and he possessed of an extensive patrimony, was unwilling it should pass into the hands of strangers to his name and blood, (tho' by the marriage of his daughter if the should so long live) that he looked upon this child so wonderfully preserved, as the gift of GOD to him, and that it could be no lets than the will of heaven that he should take this desolate infant into his care and protection. The good natured lady, in pity and compassion, as well as charity, agreed to her husband's proposal; and had the infant carried home, nursed and brought up with the same care and tenderness, as is she had been his natural mother.

And Sir Thomas seconding and improving the occasion, had him baptized by the name of Oskatel de Latham; a secret then unknown to any but himself and the mother, whose name was Mary Oskatel : and thus far Sir Thomas had, to his great pleasure and satisfaction, completed his project.

But, to give the greater sanction to this supposed miracle, and to remove all suspicion of fraud, Sir Thomas assumed for his crest an Eagle upon wing, turning her head back, and looking in a sprightly manner as for something the had lost, or was taken from her.

This history, of the said Oskatel, and his posterity, was sent me by the same kind hand, Captain Samuel Finney of Fulshaw, in the county of Chester, Esq ; but of these: articles, more at large hereafter.

In the interim, give me leave to make some remarks of crests in general, and of this here spoken os, and that used by the EARLS of DERBY, in particular; and there-by shew how apt the allusion is to the origin of the family I am to speak of, and how agreeably consistent with the history of the crest used by the noble Family above mentioned, concerning the origin and occasion whereof so many speculations, disputes, and various opinions have been advanced by the curious in their histories of arms and crests.

Crests to our gentry's arms, (as I have observed from all antiquity) have been assumed by them at pleasure, and agreeable allusions appropriated thereto ; and ancient medals, signals, statues, inscriptions and painting.; are the surest guides to a right knowledge of antiquity, as there serve to close up the many charms that are frequently met with, both in the literal and traditional accounts of the ancients.

So truly without these helps, our ideas , and conceptions must be lame, confused, and imperfect; this, in my opinion, has occasioned the many conjetural accounts that the world has received as facts, for want of proper keys to unlock and expose to light the dark cells of antiquity.

The Eagle, as represented in the Stanley's Crest, has actually made a prey of the child; whereas Sir Thomas Latham's Crest implies a miraculous preservation of it , as the child is supposed to be brought there by that bird of prey, so consequently its safety would be attributed to an extraordinary providential dispensation.

Besides, I cannot find with any shew of probability, that any of the Family of Stanley (of which I have given a particular genealogy) ever assumed the Eagle and Child for their crest before the union of the families of Latham and Stanley ; so that consequently, there must be some special and, peculiar view or occasion for the assumption of that crest by the Stanley's, rather than that taken by their common ancestor, Sir Thomas Latham, which I shall endeavour to manifest herein, although there remains no room with me to doubt the veracity of what I have delivered on that head; but shall respite that for a while, and proceed to enquire how it fared with the Foundling Oskatel, {whom we lest under the care of his kind nursing-mother, the Lady of Latham.

As he grew in years, he was, as my ²⁰ author tells us, liberally educated by his father;. and when grown a man, made a complete gentleman, being respected and esteemed by all that knew him, as heir to the extensive inheritance of Latham, and was with his sister Isabel, at the famous tournament by Sir John Stanley, and the French Champion, at Winchester aforefaid ; where his majesty was pleased to take such notice of him as to honour him with knighthood, by the name and title of Sir Oskatel de Latham, by which title we shall henceforth speak of him.

But in the mean time acquaint the reader, that this gentleman's sunshine of fortune, like a March day, soon changed its aspect ; for, Sir Thomas Latham, being now in the waning of life, and intending to set his house in order, considered that his daughter the Lady Stanley, and his most hopeful issue (being now near him) were his legitimate offspring, and by the Laws of God and Nature justly entitled to his large possessions ; he therefore settled the gross of them upon that lady and her heirs for ever and declared Sir Oskatel to be only his natural son.

Sir Oskatel, being thus degraded and supplanted in the hopes and prospect of an immense fortune, was slighted and despised by his unthought of rivals, who, either to distinguish or aggrandize themselves, or in contempt and derision of their spurious brother, took upon them the Eagle and Child for their Crest, in token of their conquest over him, which to me plainly manifests, the variation of the two crests above-mentioned, and the reason of it.

However, Sir Thomas not quite forgetting his affection for, and kind intentions his Son Oskatel, reserved and settled ,upon him and his heirs for ever the manors Irlam and Urmston, near Manchester, in the the county of Lancaster; with several other large tracts of land and demesnes in that county; also the manor of Hawthorn, and many other lands and tenements in the county of Chester; and gave him the signet of his arms, with the crest assumed by him for his sake.

By the above reserve and settlement, Sir Thomas raised a new family of his own name, and though not in the old seat as he had once intended, yet. gave them a large patrimony which enabled them to make a leading figure in the world, to the time of the Usurpation ; when taking part with, and sharing in the fate and sufferings of his noble relation the EARL OF DERBY they, as well as he, were greatly reduced, as will appear hereafter.

Thus far we have attended Sir Thomas Latham, through the course of his life, and near the exit of it; wherein many curious and remarkable events have been related of him. Let us therefore now leave him to die in peace, at a good old age like a shock of corn ripe for gathering in to the store-house of perfection; and proceed to the issue and descendants of his daughter the Lady Stanley.

Isabel de Latham, now Lady Stanley, had issue by Sir John Stanley the first, two sons, Thomas and John, and one daughter named Alice, who married Sir Thomas Dutton, of Dutton, in the county of Chester; and Thomas the second son married to Maud, the only daughter and heir of Sir John Ardern, of Elford, in the county of Stafford, of whom we shall treat more fully in due place.

And as for our disconsolate friend Sir Oskatel, we shall only observe at present, that tho' degraded and supplanted in a fair inheritance, yet we have brought him to his age, and placed him at the head of a large patrimony and new family, of the same name of his father, which his rivals could not boast of.

Wherefore we shall for the present forbear all further history of him, or them, which might throw us into some confusion. and render our history less intelligible; say that having gone through the main or direct line, we shall fully treat of every separate or colateral branch, as they occur in point of time, as near as we can collect or be informed of .

Footnotes

1 Mr. Camb. Brit, on Staffordshire

2 Bp Rutter's M. S. 1066.

3 Camb. Brit.

4 Speed's Hist.

5 Camb Brit.

6 Hist. of the Wars in France.

7 Journal of the House of Lords in England,

8 Herald's Office Chester.

9 Herald's Office, Chester

10 Same Office

11Herald's Office, Chester.

12 same office

13 History of the Wars in Ireland.

14 Camb. Brit. page 1488, 1499 and 1500

15 The Hist. of King Richard's reign,.

16 History of Henry IV.

17 History of Henry IV.

18 By the Rebellion of this Earl, the Isle of Man was forfeited to king Henry

19 Records of Halton in Cheshire.

20 Bp Rutter