WEST DERBY HUNDRED 



The marriage took place about 1385,' for their 

 son and heir was twenty-eight and more in 1414; 

 but it was not till 1398 that a dispensation was 

 asked and obtained from Pope Boniface IX, it having 

 been shown by Sir John Massy of Tatton that they 

 were related in the third and fourth degrees. 1 



At the beginning of 1386 Sir John de Stanley was 

 appointed deputy of Robert Vere, earl of Oxford, in 

 the government of Ireland, 3 and subsequently held 

 other offices under the Crown. 4 In June, 1397, he 

 purchased from John le Strange the manor of Bidston 

 in Wirral, with the adjacent Moreton and Saughall 

 Massie. Soon afterwards he secured an annuity of 

 40 marks. 5 He received in 1405 a grant of the lord- 

 ship of Man, forfeited by the Percys for rebellion. 6 

 In February, 1407-8, the king granted to Sir John 

 Stanley, steward of his household, and Isabel his wife 

 free warren within their manors of Lathom and 

 Knowsley, and their lands in Childwall, Roby, and 

 Anglezark, although the same were within the metes 

 of the forest. 7 Stanley was again sent to Ireland as 

 lieutenant, 8 dying there at the beginning of 1414.' 

 His widow Isabel did not long survive him, dying in 

 October, 1414, her son John being her heir. 10 



The heir, who was soon afterwards made a knight, 

 had several public appointments. Just after his father's 

 death he was made steward of Macclesfield 11 and master 

 forester of Macclesfield and Delamere ; in November, 

 1414, he was elected a knight of the shire. 18 He 



HUYTON 



is frequently mentioned as justice, &c., in Cheshire." 

 He was at the capture of Rouen in August, 141 8. 14 

 Sir John Stanley died at the beginning of December, 

 I437. 14 He granted the prior of Burscough a buck in 

 the park of Lathom and another in the park of 

 Knowsley in greasetime, and a doe in winter. 16 



His son Sir Thomas Stanley was thirty-one years 

 of age on succeeding. It was in July, 1424, that 

 he had been attacked in his father's tower at Liver- 

 pool by Sir Richard Molyneux, a dangerous tumult 

 being created. He had taken part in the govern- 

 ment of Ireland from 1429 to 1436," and succeeded 

 his father in his Cheshire offices. In 1446 he re- 

 ceived a grant of the manor of Bosley, near Maccles- 

 field, from Humphrey, duke of Buckingham. 18 He 

 was knight of the shire for Lancashire from 1 447 to 

 145 5, 19 and summoned to the House of Lords as Baron 

 Stanley, January, 1455-6. He died in February, 

 1458-9, Thomas his son and heir being twenty-six 

 years of age.* 



Sir Thomas Stanley, the second Lord Stanley, 

 married Eleanor Nevill, sister of the King-maker, and 

 succeeded to his father's dignities in Cheshire, some 

 additional offices and lordships being added." His 

 first wife, who brought him into connexion with the 

 leading Yorkist family, died in 1472, and soon after- 

 wards he married, as her third husband, Lady Mar- 

 garet Beaufort, mother of Henry, earl of Richmond, 

 the hope of the Lancastrian party." In 1475 Lord 



