this date, made between Thomas Duncalf and William, his second son and then heir, and Thomas Legh, of Adlington, in which it was agreed to lease Foxwist Hall, orchards, gardens, and other lands, by the former to the latter contracting party, thus indicating that further pecuniary embarrassments were accumulating, which culminated in 1609, 7th James I., when William, the brother and heir of Thomas Duncalf, deceased, then residing at Mellor, in Derbyshire, sold the inheritance to Sir Urian Leigh and Margaret, his wife, in its entirety, the deed of conveyance being re-affirmed by both contracting parties, and judicially confirmed by a "finalis concordia" made in the King's Court at Chester. Clipped and carved as this estate had been at various periods, it still comprised at the date of its devolution, inclusive of hall, twelve messuages and gardens, a dovecot, one hundred acres of arable land, forty acres of meadow, two hundred acres of pasture, four acres of wood, twenty acres of waste land and heather, and twenty acres of moor, situate in Foxwist, Butley, and Mottram Andrew. Collateral descendants of the family continued to reside on and around the former patrimony until a comparatively recent date, into the ramifications of which it would be irrelevant to enter, as the foregoing narrative is exclusively confined to a record of direct territorial descent. CHURCH DISCIPLINE IN THE SIX TEENTH CENTURY, AS SHOWN BY CHESTER. THE BY WM. FERGUSSON IRVINE. HE following abstract of the Visitation of the Bishop of Chester in Manchester Deanery, for 1592, is given as an example of a class of documents. which is frequently neglected by parish historians. These Visitations were undertaken triennially by the Bishop, and the results entered in large quarto volumes of about three hundred and sixty pages, though in some cases two consecutive Visitations occur in the same volume. Unfortunately, there is not now remaining at the Diocesan Registry, in Chester, a complete set of these books, but from the year 1554 they are fairly regular. In the following abstract all the entries will be found as in the original, except that I have given a translation of the Latin phrases, the document being a curious medley of Latin and English. The translated passages are distinguished by being printed in italics. The figures in square brackets refer to the folio in the original manuscript. [162] amcester Decanat'. ACTS HAD & DONE BEFORE THE VENERABLE MAN Ashton under Line. The office against Mr. John Booth:-for takinge up a Pew in the Church bie reporte. He appeared, and because it was shown that it was done under the approval of the Dean [Rural], the Judge discharged Mr. Booth and warned him as to the future. Against the Churchwardens there:-no levy of xijd, no collector. The Judge enjoined Edward Barsley one of the Wardens to provide Collectors for the poore, under penalty, according to the Statute, and to levy xijd etc. under pain etc. Ashworth Chapel. The office against the Churchwardens :-Wante a Surples. Excommunicated. Blackrod Chapel. The office against the Churchwardens there:-Have not exhibited the presentments. Excommunicated [erased later]. Burie Parish. Against the Churchwardens there:-they wante Mr Juells Replie and Apologie against Mr Hardinge/ The daies of perambulation not kepte./ Thomas Key, Thomas Key, one of the Wardens, appeared, and the Judge enjoined him to provyde there bookes before the Feast of the Nat. of Our Lord next, and to certify the next Court day after, and that for the perambulations they observe the Injunctions etc. under pain, etc. Against the Rector and Curate there: the Order of Cathechisinge not observed/noe perambulations gone./ They were enjoined in the person of John Morgell, notary public, that they shall use to Cathecise etc. and further to observe her Majesties Injunctions in all things, etc., under pain, etc. Against James Eckersall of Burie yoman:-hath not come to church this half yeare nor receaved the Communion. Against George Nuttall:-negligent in Cominge to Church and keepeth bad order in his howse at service time beinge An Alehowse./ The said Nuttall was enjoined that he shall not hereafter suffer any drunkards in his howse in time of divine service, and that he frequent the Church dutifully etc., under pain. Memorandum, that Mr Martindale a preacher hath certified of his good behaviour. Against William Warburton and Mary Singlehurst:-Married without banns being publicly read. Because it appears truthfully that the said William was ill, the case was postponed until the Court day after the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord, and that then the man should appear. Whereupon the man appeared and confessed hee was maried att Heapie Chappell by one John Shorrocke Curat there, the Judge dismissed the said Warburton, and decreed that the Curate be cited. Against Elizabeth Liuesaie and Thomas Burie:-Married without banns being publicly announced. Excommunicated. Blackley Chapel. Against the Wardens there:-they wante. a cuppe to minister the Communion withall. Richard Hill, one of the Wardens, appeared, and was enjoined that they provide a decent Communion Cuppe, before the Feast of All Saints, under penalty, and to certify, Against the Vicar there:-did not publish for collectors, according to the Statute, etc. Admonished through Mr. Richardson in future to publish under penalty, etc. Against the Wardens:-they have no surples/ Andrew Kneller, one of the wardens, was admonished to buy a surples before the Feast of All Saints, and to offer hit to thee Vicar at the time of ministering the sacraments, and to certify of his wearing or refusing of hit before the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord next. Whereupon [later] the same Andrew appeared and brought a certificate that the Surples is bowghte and worne bie the Vicar. Cockey Chapel. Against the Wardens:-have not exhibited their presentments. Excommunicated. Against the Wardens of Blackrod and Rivington:-have not lavied xijd Admonished through Andrew Kneller in future to levy xijd. from all who are absent from time of divine service and to observe the Injunctions, under penalty, etc. Chorlton Chapel. Against the Wardens :—the Chappell yard wanteth reparation/ noe perambulation/ the Wardens are enjoined by the Dean to repair the chapelyard before the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord and to certify. Against Wm. Baguley:-burned some of the pales which weare for fence for the Chappell yard. On which day he appeared by the Dean, who alleged hee is able to purge hymself uppon his othe []. Ordred to make [good] those he burnte & to sett them uppe by Easter nexte. Against Roger Worthington, the Reader there:—Instructs children, not being licenced, and doth not at communion time procure one to minister the Communion there. On which day the |