10. Will of Thomas Bennett the elder of Willaston, proved on the 31st May, 1623, by Richard Bennett, one of the Executors.

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11. Administration of the goods of John Bennett the elder of Willaston, granted 24th February, 1624 (? 3-4), to John Bennett -the inventory being made by John Bennett, William Fforshawe, William Willson, and John Hamnitt of the same towne.

12. Peter Bennett of Chester, Draper, (buried at St. Peter's Church, Chester, on the 22nd January, 1625-6) left by his will the £14 which his "brother Thomas oweth" to be put out for the use of his godson Peter Bennett; to Henry Newboote, son of William Newboote, of Larton, 40/; to "the child I christened of brother-in-law William Keele," 40/; to every godson, 2/; to his mother-in-law, Mrs. Maynwaringe and to his mother, 13/4 each for rings; to William Allen, Alderman*, to his (testator's) fatherin-law Mr. Maynewaring, and to Mr. Robt. Harvye, 13/4 each for rings; to "cozen" John Moore 10/, and to James Morgell 5/, for rings; to his brother Thomas Bennett 13/4, to his uncle Peter, a "marke ", to Robert Crosbye 10/, and to Edward Kingston 5, for rings; "as regards" his "servant William Wynne," testator desired his "wife to place him well in the Company to serve out his apprenticeship, or to restore to his mother, "I paid with him and the balance £9, of the £20 which 'should have been paid with him", testator directed his executrix to "forgive." To his servant Mary, he left a pettycoate," of "clothe of a yarde brode, bristowe redd". To his wife Elizabeth‡— whom he appointed executrix-he left the residue of his property, she paying £100 at 21 years of age to the child, "if she prove to be with child". Mr. William Allen and his brother Thomas Bennett, he appointed overseers of the will. The witnesses were Robert Harvie, William Allen, and Robert Owen (?).

In the list of debts owing by the deceased endorsed upon the will were:-To uncle Peter's "wife Cyclye❞—; to George Smith-, "for which brother Thomas bound"; to John Archer— "to be paid to Mr. Christopher Bleazet"; and to Henry CrosbieThe sum which "Thomas Williams, the Shoemaker, oweth me "for the horse he should have paid me on my marriage", testator left by a codicil to Edward Ffairehurst. The Inventory was made by Robert Ince, John Stiles, Raphe Hulton, and Gabriell Weaver.

* William Allen was Mayor of Chester in 1631, and died during his term of office (Lanc. and Chesh. Fun. Cert., p. 6).

+ Christopher Bleaze, Alderman, of Chester, was cousen to Robert Bleaze (also Alderman of Chester), who died on the 5th May, 1631 (Lanc. and Chesh. Fun. Cert., p. 21). The latter" was son of Robert, son of Rafe, and brother of [Rose] ux. [John] Benett, of Duddon" (Harl. MS. 2153, p. 60).

Probably daughter of Randle Mainwaring of Wichmalbank, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Harvey, sister of "Mr. Robert Harvye".

13. Administration of the goods of Peter Bennett of Chester, was granted on the 6th February, 1628, to Thomas, his son.

14. Administration of the goods of Peter Bennett of Chester, Shoemaker (see ante, p. 135), was granted on the 22nd April, 1635, to Anne, his widow.

15. Administration of the goods of Anne Bennett of Nesse, was granted on the 29th April, 1635, to John Milner of Nesse.

16. Administration of the goods of Hugh Bennett of Heswall, was granted in 1642 to Thomas Yonge of West Kirby, the widow having renounced.

17. Richard Bennett of Claughton, yeoman, by his will-proved in London in June, 1655-bequeathed to his son John, £220, payable by certain prescribed instalments. The little messuage in Claughton, which formerly belonged to Richard Shurlock he devised to his son Peter, with remainder to John, with final remainder to his grandson Thomas, natural son of William Wilson of Claughton. The residue of his property, real and personal, he left to Peter, with remainder to John. In a codicil he left a legacy of 2/6 each to Thomas and Katherine children of the aforesaid Thomas Wilson, and also small legacies to Richard, Thomas, Henry, William, and Anne Wilson, natural children of William Wilson. His son, Peter, he appointed sole executor. The witnesses were Thomas and William Wilson and Thomas Ensdale.

18. Peter Bennett of Claughton, yeoman, by his will-dated the 1st August, 1660, and proved at Chester early in 1662-after directing that his body should be buried at the Parish Church of Bidston, left certain legacies to his brother John and his sisters Ann and Mary, to the children of his said brother and sisters, and appointed his wife, Margaret, executrix. The inventory was made on the 24th March, 1661-2, by Robert Chantrell, William and Thomas Wilson, Henry Williamson, and Richard Charnock.

19. Administration of the goods of Christopher Bennett of Barnston, "Taylor ", was granted at Chester in November, 1662, to his son Thomas, to the use of the said Thomas, and of William, Elleanor, and Cecillia, other children of the deceased. The inventory was made on 15th November in that year by Robert Smith and John Goldson*.

This was probably the Christopher Bennett who subscribed the Solemn League and Covenant at Woodchurch in 1646.

* Christopher Bennett was buried at Woodchurch on the 18th November, 1662, His chil dren were christened at the same place, as follows:-Thomas on the 23rd December, 1632 ; Eleanor on the 18th September, 1642; and “Sisly" on the 19th December, 1647. William is not mentioned in the registers. In all three of the baptismal entries Christopher Bennett is described as of " Arrowside".

20. Administration (with will annexed) of the goods of Alice Bennett of Chester, widow, was granted at Chester on the 31st January, 1665, to Anne Fletcher, daughter of the deceased.

21. William Bennett of West Kirby, mariner, by his willdated the 1st May, 1685, and proved at Chester on the following 20th April-after bequeathing to his brother Robert 20/, and to the latter's two sons 10/ each, devised all his real and personal estate to the use of his (second) wife Elizabeth for life, with remainder to his son Thomas, the latter paying 10 to Margery Winstanley, testator's wife's daughter, "as agreed in" testator's marriage settlement, and to John Pick his (Thomas') "brother". The Executors were Elizabeth and Thomas, together with Robert Yonge of Ffrankby, and the witnesses Thomas Coventry, John Pick and Thomas Rathborne. The Inventory was made by Peter Daye of Frankby, yeoman, Thomas Guile of Newton-cumLarton, yeoman, and John Picke of Greasby, house-carpenter.

THE FAMILY OF MOORE OF LIVERPOOL.

ROUGH LIST OF THEIR PAPER RECORDS.

APTAIN J. STEWART, of Alltyrodyn in South Wales,

CAPT

having most kindly lent to the Society a portion of the Muniments of the Moore family, consisting of nearly a thousand Deeds, Charters, and Papers relating to property in Liverpool, Kirkdale, and the neighbouring townships, as well as in Chester and Wirral, we print the following informal list of the more modern documents, which are nearly all on paper. Those here enumerated relate chiefly to the Civil War, Taxation, the Restoration, the Siege of Liverpool, &c.

The Parchment Charters, which are now in the process of transcription by our Hon. Assistant Secretary (by permission of the Corporation), may be roughly described as about 482 of Liverpool (Edw. I. to Queen Anne), 123 Kirkdale (Edw. I. to Charles II.), 16 Bootle (Edw. III. to Eliz.), 8 Fazakerley, 3 West Derby, 5 Woolton, 18 Walton, 17 Linacre, 28 Litherland, 17 Down Litherland, various townships 64, and of the city and county of Chester 61. They include some of the earliest and finest specimens of caligraphy.

We hope to give some account of these documents in a future volume.

The name of Moore (anciently More and Mor) occurs very frequently in the early history of Liverpool. Probably that of Crosse comes next. The Moore family had considerable property in the city of Chester, as well as in Liverpool and the other Lancashire townships mentioned above.

The pedigrees of the Moore family are very imperfect, but these records will materially assist the student in that direction.

The Historical MSS. Commissioners (in their 10th Report) have already calendared such part of the Moore Records as they considered of national interest, but declined those now lent to the Society, as being purely of a local character.

*M*

1. Rental of William Moore, Esq. (son and heir of Robert Moore), late of Liverpool, with situation and boundaries, 7ft. 6in. long by 6in. broad. Other Rentals from 1521 to 1664, sixteen in number, all on paper.

5th Oct. 24 Hen. VII. (1508).

2. Subsidy Nich. ffazakerley, a collector for West Derby: the names and surnames of the Constables of each township, the value and the amount charged on each. N. F., Assessor for Sefton, Walton, Childwall, and Huyton. Total, £20 14s. 2d. On parchment, 18in. × 9in., frayed. 6 Hen. VIII., 3rd Feb. (1515).

3. John More grants to Tho. Bastwell of Upholland a Burgage in Water street between John Barker and Charles Manwarynge. Unfinished copy.

37 Hen. VIII. 24th Aug. (1545).

4. John More's Return of his Collectorship of West Derby, £103 18s. 7d. Subsidy of a 15th and a 10th. Thomas Hyde. (1541.)

5. Petition of Sir Rich. Molyneux of Sefton Kt. concerning Her Majesty's Five Wind Mills, viz.: Eastham, Townsend, Derby, Ackers, and Wavertree. 3 sheets.

Answers of John Birde and Giles Brooke to the Complaint of Sir Ric. Molyneux, who employed WiH More. Only two mills in Liverpool, insufficient for Her Majesty's troops going to Ireland. Mentions a wind mill of John Crosse, Mr. Norres' water mill, Birket, and other water mills. 12 sheets. [Elizabeth.]

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6. Indenture Chas. Maynwaryng of East Croxton co. Chester for £46 Is. 8d. grants to John More of Bank house all his Messuages &c. in Liverpool and in the Town Fields as p Sedule, viz. :—1 in herre hevylands 1 other land betwixt lands of Liverpool Church on both sides. Rents of Town Fields 12s. 8d., Burgages 24s. 8d., and Total 37s. 4d. 3 sheets sewn together and Sedule.

8th May, 2 Elizabeth (1560).

7. Subsidy Particular account of the 15th and 10th collected for the Hundred of Salford, annexed to the account for the Wapentake of Derbyshire: Wigan, Liverpool and 78 other townships, &c. On parchment, 26in. × 91⁄2in. and 18in. × 62in. (1570).

8. Wit More plt v. John More deft. Bill and Answer. John to his wife Ann, then to John until ousted by William. With married Ellynor d. of Sr Ric. Molyneux "grandfather "of the present Sr Ric." Ellynor dead. 2 sheets. (c. 1599.)