WEST DERBY HUNDRED 



WARRINGTON 



lands of Hollinfare chantry. 1 Dying 15 July, 1579, 

 he was succeeded by his eldest son William, then 

 twenty-seven years of age,' who had married Dorothy, 

 daughter and heir of Peter Daniell of Over Tabley. 3 



William Mascy was described in 1590 as 'in 

 some degree of conformity, yet in general note of evil 

 affection in religion, and a non-communicant.' 4 Two 

 years later it was reported that he had formerly had 

 one Peel, a recusant and an ' old priest ' as school- 

 master for his children ; then he took James Gar- 

 diner, a seminary priest, and afterwards Gale alias 

 Simpson, also a priest, for the same duty, in defiance 

 of the statutes ; the informer adding that he had ' a 

 good living, and therefore to be placed among the 

 best.' 6 At the same time he insisted on his rights in 

 the family chapel in Warrington church. 6 He died 

 in 1595,' and was succeeded by his son Richard 

 Mascy, who married Anne daughter of Edward 

 Middleton of Middleton in Westmorland. 8 He 

 purchased the enfranchisement of the manors of 

 Rixton and Glazebrook in 1598 from Thomas Ire- 



land, who had recently become lord of Warrington.' 

 In 1615, on the marriage of his son Hamlet to 

 Dorothy daughter of Richard Bradshagh of Haigh, a 

 settlement of the manors was made, with remainder 

 to uncles and cousins. 10 On the accession of Charles I 

 he procured a general pardon, 11 probably on account 

 of his adherence to the old religion, and four years 

 later, as a convicted recusant, made a composition with 

 the crown for himself, his son, and their wives. 1 * His 

 wife and his son Hamlet died about the end of 1 636," 

 but he lived on until 1645," his estates having been 

 sequestered shortly before that time by the Parlia- 

 ment." His grandson and heir Richard was then 

 serving the king in Lord Herbert's regiment. 16 Being 

 both a recusant and a delinquent Richard Mascy's 

 estate or his life interest in it was of course sold 

 by those in power. 17 The purchaser was Gilbert 

 Ireland of Hale and Bewsey ; after renewing the 

 leases of most of the tenants and securing the fines, he 

 disposed of his interest to trustees for Richard Mascy, 

 who thus regained possession of his hereditary estates. 13 



