HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 251 



to his Lordship's encouragement. He was also very eminent for 

 his skill in his profession ; but rather great than amiable in his ge- 

 neral character. He was austere, and not deemed sufficiently at- 

 tentive to the gentlemen of his Court, to whom his manners are re- 

 presented to have been harsh and ungracious, unlike the mild and 

 complacent behaviour of his predecessor, Lord Cowper. His Lord- 

 ship passed the remainder of his life in a learned retirement, much 

 devoted to the studies of religion, of which he had always been a 

 strict and uniform observer/' 



His Lordship married Janet, daughter of Charles Carrier, Esq. 

 of Wirksworth, in Derbyshire, by whom he had issue, George, the 

 second Earl of Macclesfield, and Lady Elizabeth. He died at his 

 son's house, in Soho-square, April 28th, 1732, in the 66th year of 

 his age. 



On Tuesday, the 3d of December, o. s. 1745, the Scotch rebel 

 army, commanded by Charles Edward Stuart, and the Dukes of 

 Perth, Athol, &c. marched through Leek on their way to Derby, 

 and returned on the Saturday following. 



Ball Haye, the elegant residence of Dr. Hulme, may be seen to 

 great advantage from the northern side of Leek church-yard. 



RUSHTON-SPENCER is a township and parish about five miles to 

 the north-west of Leek. 



The village of Rushton-Spencer is situated on a hill to the west 

 of the turnpike-road between Leek and Macclesfield, and near the 

 river Dane, which is the boundary between the counties of Stafford 

 and Chester. The whole township contains 59 houses, '59 families ; 

 193 males, 169 females : total of inhabitants, 362. There is a 

 small manufactory in this parish, where some cotton twist is spun 

 for the Manchester manufacturers. 



The Church, which is a chapel of ease to Leek, stands on a hill, 

 at a distance from the village. The church-yard is surrounded by fir- 

 trees ; and the church has the appearance of a barn when viewed from 

 the road, to which there is a communication by a path-way across 

 the fields. It is a small fabric of stone, in a very neglected and even 

 ruinous state : the small wooden belfry contains one bell. There 

 is a sun-dial, two remarkably fine full-grown yew trees, and a young 

 flourishing tree of the same kind in the church-yard. The family- 

 vault and chapel of the Michall* family, of Swithamley-hall, is at 

 the east end of the church, near the communion-table. 



The following are the most remarkable instances of longevity, 

 recorded in the church-yard : " James Stoddarf, aged 90 ; Daniel 



