176 A HISTORY OF LONGRIDGE. [Chap. 7. 



at the annual meeting, at Easter, 1639, to be the churchwarden for 

 Hothersall. He accordingly sent the following petition to Bishop 

 Gastrell : — 



" The petit'on of John Warde, of the townshipp of Eibchester in 

 Eibchester P'ish. 



"Humbly she wet h 



" That whereas your petit'on'r y^ and haith been a Resident 

 Dweller within the towne of Eibchester ever since hee was borne, as 

 also his forefathers : and being within the hundred of blackbui-ne 

 yo'' petit'on'r dothe continewall suite and service the Church and the 

 Kings M'tie (still for Eibchester). And yo'r petit'r having a little 

 howse and a little p'ceU of land lying and being in Hothersall in the 

 said p'rishe : some of the xxiiij" of other townshipps of y'^ said p'ish 

 have made Choice of yo'r petit'r to serve as Church warden for that 

 little p'cell of land lying within hothersall : contrary to all custom or 

 any such service being donn by y'or petit's or his fforefathers in two 

 sev'aU places : nor any servic' having been donn for the said little 

 p'cell of land these fforty years and aboue as yo'r petit'r y^ very well 

 able to prove. 



"The truthe of yoiu- petition's cause for his servic' p'formed for 

 Eibchester en' heartofore and not els whear being considered. And 

 the wrongfidl Intent'on of p'te of the said xxiiij to Eaise an Un- 

 accustomed service against j'O^ petit'r being thus offered 



that yo'r petiton'r may not be wronged by raiseiug a wrongful! custom 

 never soe Intended before this tyme and as duty byndeth yo'r petit'r 

 shall duly pray to go(P for your Lordshipps : great p'sperety." 



[Written in the margin are the following orders.] 



"Chester Palace. Ulto Apr. 1639. J wish the p'ishon's would 

 no'i'ate some other man : the rather because j am informed the 

 Petic'oner is a verie aged and infirme man. And if they breake their 

 own customo, their Companie also of 24. will bo soone dissolved. 



"Jo. Cestbien." 



•6'orf. Lordship (Bishop Gastrell) ! 



