the effigies from the armour or costume in which they appear would be unwise. Some of these habiliments were apparently worn during a very long period, some for a comparatively short one. Moreover, people were not always represented in the armour or costume of their own day. As to which -speaking of the effigy of one of the Nevill family who died in 1484, in Brancepeth Church, Durham-Mr. Hewitt, editor of the latest edition of Stothard's Monumental Effigies, remarks: "In "his body armour the knight of Durham is a good "hundred years behind the fashion of his day. "His suit is almost identical with that of the "Black Prince. It is not easy to assign the cause "for this resemblance. It may be attributed to "the remoteness of his province from the metro'polis; to the custom of wearing inherited armour; "to the artist's having copied some older monu"ment; or to his having affixed a new head to a "more ancient body. All these are probable "causes, and all may be very far distant from the "truth" (p. 183). As we know, there is a notable instance of this at Sefton, where Sir William Molyneux, who fought at Flodden, is depicted on his monumental brass wearing a coif and shirt of mail as worn in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

Perhaps, failing any more satisfactory identification, we must fall back on the old local tradition that these effigies represent Sir Henry Halsall, Knight, who founded a chantry at the Altar of Our Lady the Virgin in Halsall Church, and died in 1523, and his wife, Margaret, daughter of James Stanley, Bishop of Ely. His surcoat proclaims him to be a Halsall: and Canon Blundell, when the tomb was moved eastward in 1873, himself

15 It was by no means an uncommon thing for the founder of a church or chantry to have his monument set up during his lifetime.

saw the arms of Man painted on one of the shields of the tomb, not now visible, however, by reason of the damp, which has effaced the painting.

BRASSES, TABLETS, AND MEMORIAL WINDOWS.

On the north wall of the chancel is a fragment of a brass, the inscription on which Mr. John Paul Rylands, F.S.A., conjectures may have been as follows:-16

"Here lyeth the body of Henrye Halsall of Halsall Esquier who mar'ied Anne daughter of Sir Will'm Molyneux of Sefton Knight by his latter wyfe Elizabeth daughter and | heir of Cuthbert Clyfton of Clyfton Esquier they had yssew one son Richard Halsall | and daughters. Henry Halsall departed this life leaving the said Anne | his wyfe him surviving in widowhood to the great grief of his family on the ... day of . . . . i anno domini 1589. Anne died the day of

.

The arms engraved on the brass are Quarterly1st and 4th, Argent, three serpents' heads erased Azure, Halsall; 2nd, Argent, two bars Azure within a bordure engrailed Sable, Halsall ancient;" 3rd, Argent, a griffin segreant Sable, Bold. Crest: A serpent's head as in the arms.

The brass was evidently once enamelled in heraldic tinctures, the parts which were intended to shew gold being left, as they now are, in high relief; all traces of the enamel have disappeared, but the roughened surface of the brass shews where it was attached.

On the same wall is a marble tablet to the memory of the Reverend Nathaniel Brownell, A.M., 55 years rector of Halsall, who died in 1718, and his wife Eleanor, daughter of Nicholas Rigbye, of Harrock, Esq., who died in 1719; 18 also one, displaying the arms of Moore, impaling Antrobus,

16 The conjectural portions are given in italics.

17 Instances of this earlier coat are to be seen on seals attached to ancient charters at Scarisbrick Hall. (See illustrations to Calendar of these deeds in the present volume.)

18 This tablet preserves the name of an early Liverpool marble mason, I. Longfield.

and the Moore crest, in memory of the Reverend Glover Moore, M.A., for one year minister of Melling, for six years of Standish, for eleven years of Liverpool, and for 31 years rector of Halsall, who died in 1809, in the 74th year of his age.

On the same wall is a small inscription brass, let into a handsome slab of malachite, in memory of Richard Benson Blundell Hollinshead Blundell, of Deysbrook, Esquire, who died 19th March, 1853, aged 59 years.

On the south wall of the chancel is a tablet to the memory of Edward Stanley, Esq., who died 17th June, 1785, aged 70, and of Anne Thomas Stanley, wife of Edwin Thomas Stanley, son of the above Edward, who died, aged 25, 4th June, 1789.

Between two of the windows in this wall there is a well-carved figure of Grief, and below it an inscription in memory of the Reverend Thomas Blundell, M.A., formerly of Brazen-Nose College, Oxford, patron and rector of Halsall, who died after a short illness, 31st July, 1816, aged 57 years, in the 8th year of his incumbency. The monument was erected by his surviving sisters, Bridget and Alice Blundell, of Bath, to whom he had bequeathed the advowson of Halsall, and by whom their brother's friend, Mr. Loxham, was presented to the living.

On the same wall is another tablet, in memory of the same Reverend Richard Loxham, B.A., who was for 27 years rector of Halsall, and died, aged 81 years, 10th May, 1843.

A small tablet here records that the east window of the church was filled with stained glass and dedicated by their children to the glory of God and in memory of their parents, Richard Benson Blundell Hollinshead Blundell, Esq., of Deysbrook, patron of this church, who died 19th March, 1853, aged 59, and of Jane, his wife, daughter of John Leigh,