2 6 HISTORY OF NORTON. 



bered that Sir Lewis called himself of Savoy parish), with 

 remainder to her children, was this daughter Mary, though he 

 does not call her so, and that Judith Langston, to whose children 

 he leaves the other moiety, was another daughter. 



The names of the two sons, Thomas and James, are precisely 

 those which John Kirke would have been likely to give his 

 children, after his two brothers. 



There appears to be no further trace of the son Thomas. 



The son James made a will, 4 Oct., 1688, in these words, and 

 no more (they are of the shortest on record) : " I make my dearly 

 beloved Maria Child, alias Kirke, my whole heyre and executrix 

 of all my real and personal estate." It was proved 2 Jan., 

 1695-6 (in P.C.C.), by Mary Hall, alias Child, alias Kirke, now 

 wife of James Hall, the executor named." The Probate Act 

 states that he died in Ireland. 



On the 14th Dec. 1696, administration was granted (P.C.C.) 

 to Anthony Moyses, principal creditor of Mary Hall, als Kirke, 

 als Child," late of St. Martin in the Fields, deceased, he r 

 husband, James Hall, renouncing. 



The identity of this James Kirke is established by the fact that 

 the above Anthony Moyses on 29 Feb. ^ administered de bonis 

 non the estate of Sir John Kirke, as " creditor or administrator of 

 Mary Hall, als Kirke, als Child, deceased, while she lived 

 executor and universal legatee of James Kirke, deceased, while he 

 lived son and residuary legatee of Dame Anne Kirke, relict, &c, 

 of Sir John Kirke." 



The facts seem clear enough. James Kirke never married ; 

 Maria (or Mary) Child was his mistress, calling herself by his 

 name, and probably passing as his wife. But it will be noticed 

 that he does not call her so, nor is she so described in any of the 

 Probate proceedings. After his death she married James Hall. 



It is not unlikely that the quaint old house, now known as 

 Greenhill Hall (a drawing of which accompanies this essay), may 

 have once been the home of Thurstan Kirke, and the country 

 seat of his son Gervase. Mary West, daughter of Gervase, is 

 described on her monument in St. Aldate's, Oxford, as the 



