Freemasonry In The Seventeenth Century.

so far as I am able to jndgo , there is not a scrap of evidence that there was a single operatic . Mason present on the afternoon of tho 16 th of October 1646 ; in fact , the whole of the evidence seems to point quite in the opposite direction . "

We pass over tho details of Ashmole ' s life which arc g iven by Bro . Rylands , as not directly / helping to elucidate the principal point , except so far as to note that Ashmole

was on terms of intimate acquaintance with the astrologer William Lilly , and also that ho notes in his Diary the following facts in connection with tho Antiquaries and Astrologers , to wit :

1647 , Feb . 14 . —The Mathematical Foast was at tho WnrrE HAITI in tho OLD BAILY , where I dined . 1619 , Aug . 1 . —Tho Astrologers Feast at PAINTERS-H ALL , where I Dined . 1649 , Octob . 31 st . —Tho Astrologers Feast .

1650 , Aug . 8 . —I being at the Astrologers Feast , two HOT . Post Merid ., I was Chosen Steward for the following Year . 1654 , Aug . 22 . —Astrologers Feast . 1656 , Aug . 29 . —This Day the Astrologers Feast was held . 1659 , July 2 . —Was the Antiquaries Feast .

1659 , Nov . 2 . —Was the Astrologers Feast . 1682 , July 13 . —The Astrologers Feast was restored by Mr . Moxox . 1683 , Jan . 29 . —The Astrologers Feast was held at the THREE CRANES , in CUANCERY-LANE . Sir EDWARD DEERING and the TOWN - CLKRK of LONDON were Stewards .

Nor need we dwell on the particulars he gives , interesting as they undoubtedly are , of Colonel Henry Mainwaring ' s family and career . We pass , therefore , to the personages mentioned as having been present at Ashmole and Mainwaring ' s reception into the Warrington Lodge . It

appears that " from the Heralds' visitation of Lancashire , made by St . George in 1613 , " a " Richard Penketh , of Penketh , who died circa 1570 , married Margaret , daughter of Thomas Sonkey , of Sonkey ( gent . ) , and had a son , Thomas Penketh of Penketh , county Lancashire , who

married Cecilye , daughter of Roger Charnock , of Wellenborough , county Northampton , Esq ., whose son Richard ( dead in 1652 ) , married Jane , daughter of Thomas Patrick , of Bispham , in the county of Lancaster . " This , no doubt , was the R . Penketh who was a Freemason at Warrington

in 1646 . There is much else respecting the family of tho Penkeths , but we need only note that Mr . Beamout writes to Bro . Rylands that " when the list of seats in Warrington Church was made in 1628 , Richard Penketh ' s name does not appear among tho Parishioners ; but , in January

1642 , when the protestation was signed to maintain tho Protestant religion , & c , & c , Richard Penketh was one of them who subscribed to it , and we hear of him again in

the entry in Ashmole ' s Diary , " etc . This confirms Bro . Rylands in his opinion already referred to , that the Richard Penketh who was dead in 1652 , was the Warden of the Warrington Lodge in 1646 .

Of Mr James Collier who is next mentioned , Brother Rylands has been able to discover little . He conjectures he was the James Collyer of Newton-le-Willows , county Lancaster , who married Ellen , the eighth daughter of William Bretherton , of Hey , the then ( he died about 1640 )

representative of that well-known ancient Lancashire family , by Margaret , daughter of Richard Winston , of Lostock , co . Lane . " Moreover , in " the register of the old church of Winwick , situated only a mile and a half from Newton-le-Willows , " it is recorded

thus—1673-4 , Jan . 17 . —Mr . James Colliar buried . 1678-9 , Jan . 4 . —Mrs . Ellen Collier , aft " , [ idavit that sha was not buried in Linen , according to the Act of Parliament . ] He also in the appendix to the article gives the will of

a " James Colliar , " endorsed " Captin James Colliers , " dated April the 18 th 1868 , " and proved 21 March 1673 [ 4 ] , " which is as follows : i

IN THE NAME OF GOD , AMEN , This is ray last will and testament , My body to tho earth to bo decently bnried there , To MY WIFE ELLEN COLLIAR my honso Ac . and lnnd in tho township of Newton . All that is remaining at her death , to MY BROTHER WILLIAM POWELL , and his issue male , in default , then to tho ' '

next kinsman I havo of tho Colhars , [ H 3 appoints his wife solo executrix . ] "I charge you not . to trnst YOUR BROTHER BRETHERTON nor any of his , for you and I have fonnd them bad , God forgive them , so with my dear love to yon I rest yours . Signed JAMES COLLIAR [ good signature ] . 1 ,

[ Small red seal . A cross croslct fi tehee , a martlet in dexter chief Crest : A cross croslet litoboo between two wing .- < . J WITNESSES Peter Leigh , John Wilson ,

Freemasonry In The Seventeenth Century.

Bro . Rylands says : — " Of course it is impossil . ' o to state positively that these entries , or tho will givt n in the Appendix , refer to the Mr . James Collier , Freemason , mentioned by Ashmolo ; but there seems to be every probability that such is the case . Mr . James Collier , or Captain James Collier , as he is called in tho endorsement of his

will , must bo the same as the ono entered in tho podigreo . He holds lands in Newton-le-Willows ; his wife is named Ellen , and 'her brother Brotherton' is mentioned , " and further , " although the will is endorsed as being made 18 th April 1668 , it was not proved until 21 st March 1673-4 , which agrees with tho entry of his death from the

parish registers of Winwick . Respecting Mr . Richard Sankey , he appears to havo belonged to an old family of landowners near Warrington , that held Little Sankey and Great Sankey , tho former in the parish of Warrington , and tho latter in that of Prescot . The following , from tho parish register of Warrington , relate to the Sankey family : —

1621-2 , Feb . 3 . —Edward , sou to Richard Satikey , Gent . 1628 , Ang . 10 . —Margaret , dau . to Richard Sankey , Gent . 1631 , Sep . 4 . —Eleanor , dau . to Richard Sankey , Gent . 1636 , April 19 . —Alice , dan . to Richard Sonkey , Gont . 1639 , May 27 . —Sen John [ St . John ] , son to Richard Sankey , Gent .

And also 1635 , June 11 . —Ellen , dau . to Richard Sankey , Gent ., Buried . At a later period of the same registers there appears : — 1634 , Mar . 25 . —Chas ., son to Richard Sankey , baptised . 1635 , Ap . 30 . —Chas . 1 son to Richard Sankey , buried .

And finally : — 1667 , Sep . 28 . —Buried , Mr . Richard Saukie . Of the four others named in Ashmole ' s Diary—Henry Littler , John Ellam , Richard Ellam , and Hugh Brewer—we i havo some particulars of the Ellams , a good yeoman family

bearing that name having been long resident in the parish of Winwick and tho neighbourhood , and Bro . Rylands says they " were doubtless members of this family , a probable j branch of which had apparently settled at Lymm , a village 'in Cheshire , about four miles from Warrington . The

I wills of " Richard Ellam , Freemason , " and "John Ellam , ! husbandman , " are given iu the aforesaid Appendix , but ' j Bro . Rylands very properly guards himself against asserting that the latter refers to the person mentioned by ! Ashmole . They are as follow : —

Tho 7 th day of September . Ano . Dom 16 G 7 . IN THE NAME of God Amen , I RICHARD ELLOM of LYME [ LYMME ] co CHESTER FREEMASON , being sick and weak of body . My body to the earth to be buried in Christian Burial at my i Parish Church of Lyme , or otherwise it shall please God to appoint

, the same . Whereas I have an estate of the messnage and tenement . wherein I now dwell by force of one Indenture of Lease heretofore 1 | mado by Richard and Maria Domvill late of Lyme aforesaid Esq . ' deceased , bearing date 16 Fob . 16 . Charles II . [ 1664 ] for the term of 1 99 vears , if the said RICHARD ELLOM and WILLIAM ELLOM HIS

I SON or either of them , so long live . I assign all my said messuage & c , immediately after my decease , unto MY BROTHERS JOHN ELLOM ! and PETER ELLOM for the uso , education & o of ALL MY CHILDREN : until the youngest is 18 years of age . My will is that MY ELDEST SON ! WILLIAM shall have all my said messuages & c for his life , paying

: unto MY SAID BROTHERS JOHN ELLOM and PETER ELLOM or their Executors £ 10 within 2 years after he shall enter the said messnage & c , and the said £ 10 to be employed to the nso of the yonugest child or children of the said Richard Ellom then living , All my goods , cattle , & c , I giro unto MY SAID IJROTHEKS JOHN ELLOM aud PETER

ELLOM , for the bringing up of my said children And I ordain MY , WELL BELOVED BROTHERS JOHN ELLOM and PETER ELLOM Executors , and desire my well beloved frioud William Leigh of Rush . green and MY LOVING BROTHER IN LAW RICHARD HATLIFK to assist my said Executors . Dated 7 Sep . 19 . Charles II . 1667 .

( Signed ) RICHARD ELLOM [ iu a shaky hand ] . Before tho sealing of the within writton deed THE SAID RICHARD ELLOM DID GIVE TO HIS SON WILLIAM the dishboard in the house to staud as an heirloom , and thon signed and sealed in tho presence of

Margaret Mooso her A 1 William Leigh . PROVED 17 Jan . 1669- [ 70 ] The Inventory was taken on 10 Out . 16 f > 7 by John Leigh and Peter ' Martin . Totnl 771 i 16- " 00-1 .

IN' THE NAME of Ond . Amen . 7 th . Line t . William [ 1689 ] I JOHN ELLAMS OF BURTON CO . Chester husbandman , being i , l" per . i ' ccfc memory . First . My body to bo buried in Christian burial , at the disercu 11