Chap. 1.] GENERAL HISTORY. 21 



Anne Sothworth, his daughter. 

 Dorothie Sothworth, his sister. 

 John Talbott. 



Early in the seventeenth, century the religious state of the county is 

 shown hj the following extract from a letter : — 



Truly the Papistes in these parts are lately grown so stubborn and contemptuous 

 that in myne opinion it were requisite their Lordships did wryte a verye earnest 

 letter to my very good lord the Earl of Derby, myselfe, and the rest of her Majesty's 

 Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical, to keepe some sessions about Preston, 

 Wigan, and Prescott, where the people are most obstinate and contemptuous, and 

 to deal severely an'l roundly with them, other way there can be no reformaeon (for 

 the temporal mgstrats will do nothing), nether can the oountrye long continue in 

 quiet and safety. 



In the course of my researches at the British Museum I found the 

 extract given below. There can be little doubt that the STippositiou 

 (as stated in the catalogue) of the late learned librarian, Dr. Bond, 

 that this extract referred to Longridge is erroneous. Dr Boardman 

 hazards the conjecture that it refers to the owners of the manor at 

 Lutterworth. No date is attached to the original MS. 

 " Entry-book of the Wigley familj-. 



" Lancaster. 



" Frecipe Georyio Himte et Anne uxor ejus quod inde, etc. Teneant 

 Johanni Hewet concordiam inter eos factam de manerio de Longbridge 

 duohiis messuagiis uno columbario gardino uno orto viginti acris terrue Becem 

 acris prati quinqtiagmta acris pasturae tribus acris bosci et quadraginta 

 solidatis redditus ctim pertinentiis in Lutworth, et itiste, etc."'^ 



The following is the return for this district of the " Muster of 



Soldiers" in 1553: — 



Elston and Huddersall 5 



Goosenarghe 7 



Whittingtou 5 



Gryiusawre and Unkefall 5 



The Parish of Ribchester — 



Eibchester 14 



Button 6 20 



Chipping 13 



'Brit. Mus. Addit. MS. 6704, f. 41. 



