The Life of a Great Sportsman 



hand written on vellum, at the cost of £$ 3.?. — little enough 

 truly, for the trouble it must have given the author — which 

 bears the following title : M A Pedigree of the Family of 

 Richardson, and collateral branches of Greyingham, Roxby, 

 and Limber in the County of Lincoln. Together with the 

 evidences in support of the same. And genealogical notices of 

 the Maunsell and other kindred families, by A. W. Gibbons, 

 1886." 



The first entry in this book is to the fact that one Seliora 

 Richardson, late wife of Thomas Richardson, of Helpingham, 

 in the county of Lincoln, made a will in 141 3, leaving lands 

 and hereditaments in that county to her two sons, John and 

 Robert, and her daughter, Agnes, and residue to executors, 

 Nicholas and Johan, his wife. 



Before that date, according to Mr. Gibbons, who told my 

 brother William of the fact, but did not see fit to write down 

 any more ancient history on the subject, the name of Richard- 

 son had been Malger. To one Malger a son had been born — 

 Fitz Malger, or the son of Malger. Then came a Richard Fitz 

 Malger, and so the name was corrupted into Richardson, or the 

 son of Richard, and the original name dropped out. 



To a relative who has read all through the terrible dullness 

 of this genealogical tree, with its collateral branches, I am 

 indebted for the remark " That it is the chronicle of an un- 

 ambitious family." 



Certainly, reading between the lines, one can tell that John 

 Maunsell Richardson's ancestors were content to live quietly 

 on their lands,* seeking no special personal aggrandisement, or 

 to possess themselves of this world's good by any means which 

 would unduly dispossess others. 



Thus, without over-praising my own family, I may fairly 



* As country gentlemen no doubt enjoying all kind of sport then in vogue. 



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