Freemasonry In The Seventeenth Century: Warrington, 1646.

the best of my power the position and identity of the various persons whose names have been handed down to us . rlo doubt if a life of Colonel Mainwaring were required , other information could be collected , and also isolated references to the other Freemasons . This paper has run to far greater length than was anticipated , but I must plead as my excuse the interest of the subject , and the fact that this is the first effort that has been made to throw light on a record so valuable in the history of Freemasonry in the seventeenth century .

Appendix.

APPENDIX .

I give here abstracts of the Avills which have , up to the present time , come to . hand . It is much to be regretted that the will of Richard , and more particularly that of Edward Sankey , have not been found ; but every source of information is not yet exhausted . The same difficulty appears with the wills of Henry Littler ancl Hugh Brewer , but it is hardly surprising , as the period during ivhich the men lived—1660 to 1690—is the most unsatisfactory to work u } ion , so many records having perished . It may be well to add that the following are from careful transcripts taken for me from the originals at Chester , and they are now printed , I believe , for the first time .

IN THE NAME OF GOD , Amen . 15 Dec . 1680 . I , HENRY MAINWARING , or BLACKDEN , co . CHESTER , ESQUIRE , being aged and weake in body , My body to be buried at the discretion of my Executors . Whereas by a deed of settlement dated 30 April 24 Charles II [ 1672 ] , made between me the said HENRY MAINWARING , BY THE NAME or HENRY Miixnaiss ov KERMINCHAM , co CHESTER , ESQUIRE , and in' GRJNDSON ROGER MAINWARING my Executor hereafter named , by the name of ROSER MAINWARING GRANDSON AND HEIR APPARENT OI- THE SAID HENRY MAINWARING upon the ono partand Sir Hulk Lucylate of Henbm-yco . ChesterKntdeceased

, , , , , , , Thomas Kinnersley of Loxley , co . Stafford , Esquire , Richard Bradshaw of Pinnington , co . Lane . Esquire , and S ' James Bradshaw , now knight , by the name of James Bradshaw of the City of Chester , Esquire , upon the other part , this particular clause , amongst divers others , is specified that from and after the decease of the said HENRY MAINWARING AND Frances his wife , the sum of £ 1000 part of £ 1500 should be paid for the use ancl benefit of THE SISTERS of the SAID ROGER MAINWARING , and that the £ 500 residue should remain in the hands of trustees for securing the jointure of MARY [ WIVE or THE SAID ROGER MAINWARING ] from

all manner of incumbrances made by THE SAID HENRY MAINWARING , but if the said jointure be clear at the death of the said Henry Mainwaring then the said £ 500 to be disposed of as the said Henry Mainwaring shall by his will appoint . Now I do bequeath the said £ 500 to MY SAID GRANDSON ROGER MAINWARING towards the clearing and securing the premises limited in the jointure of bis said wife , from the incumbrances in the said deed of settlement mentioned , and for the payment of any debts which I owe to MY SAID GRANDSON ROGER MAINWARING , and I make MY SAID GRANDSON ROGER MAINWARING or KERMINCHAM , CO CHESTER , ESQUIRE , my sole Executor . ( Signed ) HENRY MANWARING [ very shaky ] .

Armorial seal nearly illegible . Sealed , signed & c . in the presence of : Edm . Jodrell . Samuell Leadbeater John Dudley (?) Thomas Whittingham , Proved 28 Jan . 1684 [ -5 ] . Endorsed , COL . MANWARINGS WILL .

IN THE NAME of God , Amen , I RICHARD PENKETH op GREAT SANKEY , co . LANC . YEOMAN , being weak and " creazy " in body , but of a sound mind , I will that all my just debts and funeral expenses be paid , And whereas I stand siesed of that messuage aud tenement in Great Sankey aforesaid , for remainder of a term of 99 years , if the lives in the original Indenture of Lease so long live NOW I do hereby devise unto ELLEN MY WIFE the annual sum of £ 5 for her life ( if the term so long continue ) to be paid out of the said