96 SIR WILLIAM CAVENDISH 1557- 



sister, Jane Hardwick, who married Godfrey Bosville, of 

 Gunthwaite, co. York, and who af':er his decease married into 

 the family of Kniveton, of Murcaston. 



" Frances my daughter " was now nine years of age. She 

 became the wife of Sir Henry Pierpoint, and it was her daughter 

 " Bessie " who became so great a favourite and companion of 

 Mary Queen of Scots, and who is referred to in her letters. 



Mr. John Revell lived at Ogston ; monuments of his family 

 are in Shirland Church. 



In these interesting notes, recorded in a pocket book which 

 belonged to Sir William Cavendish, now at Welbeck, it will be 

 noticed that the days of the week and the hours of the day, 

 and the dominical or Sunday letters of the year in which the 

 children were born are carefully recorded. This is probably 

 owing to the wide belief there was at that time in the science of 

 astrology. According to that science much depended on what 

 planet was visible at the time of birth ; and therefore not only 

 the day of the month but the hour of the day was recorded. 

 Also some days of the week were counted favourable, others 

 unlucky and unfavourable. It would seem that Si^ William 

 believed in astrology, and very probably had a horoscope drawn 

 for each child — that is the position of the planets at the time 

 of birth, so as to foretell the chief events of their life. 



Other members of the family also believed in astrology. In 

 the reign of Elizabeth there was a Rev. Dr. John Dee, who 

 lived at Mortlake, and whose wisdom in the occult science the 

 Queen so much believed in that she preferred him to the 

 Wardenship of the Collegiate Church at Manchester. The 

 following notices appear in his Diary, published by the Camden 

 Society : — 



A.D. 1590. May i8th the two Gentlemen, the Uncle Mr. Richard 

 Candish, and his Nephew, the most famous Mr. Thomas Candish,i who 

 had sailed round about the World, did visit me at Mortlake. 



May agtli bona nova de industria Domini Richardi Candishie cum 

 Regina et Archiepiscopo et Domino Georgio Carey de propositione 

 Etonensis Coilegii obtinendi legem. He sent me a hogshead of Claret 

 Wine as a gift. 



1 Vol. XXV., p. 109, of this Journal. 



