1621.] THE LANCASHIRE TURFITES. 355 



well-known delineation of Nicholas Assheton's character is 

 in every respect more reliable and honest (see " The Lanca- 

 shire Witches," bk. ii. ch. iii.). 



John Bruen, of Bruen Stapelford, in Cheshire, a con- 

 temporary writer and a rigid Puritan, remarks anent this 

 subject : " Mee thinkes these gentlemen's horses being so 

 grosly abused should likewise rebuke the fiercnes and foolish- 

 ness of their masters, if not by man's voice yet by the voices 

 of their grievous grones which they may heare from them, 

 when being over-rid, past their strength and breath, their 

 hearts are ready to breake and to burst under them (!). . . . 

 A good rul for our horse-racers, rank riders, and hot-spurre 

 hunters (if they have grace to follow it) in all their recreations 

 and pursuits of their pleasures, to measure their actions and 

 moderate their passions by ; that as they may and ought to 

 have a care to charge no burden upon their children but such 

 as they may well beare, so they may not over-draw, nor over- 

 drive their beasts for one day, nor put them to any toyle or 

 travell, but that which they are well able to indure." 



^^^ Sir Richard Molineux, created Viscount Mary- 

 borough, December 22, 1628, in which year he had been 

 returned knight of the shire for the county palatine of 

 Lancaster, and died in 1632. His descendant in the fifth 

 generation was Charles William, the 9th viscount, created 

 Earl of Sefton, November 30, 1771, and great-grandfather of 

 William Philip Molyneux, the present Earl of Sefton. 



128 Whalley Abbey : the seat of the Asshetons at Down- 

 ham. 



^^^ Mr. Town ley of Carr was Richard, eldest son of 

 Lawrence Townley. He died in 1630, without issue by his 

 wife, Alice, daughter of John Braddyll, of Portfield, Esq. 

 This lady afterwards married Christopher Townley, Esq., 

 who, in conjunction with Dr. Kuerden, projected, but never 

 finished, a history of the county palatine of Lancaster. He 

 was the son of Richard Townley, Esq., of Townley, born 



