HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 381 



and when he removed from thence, a house was built on purpose 

 for him in the village of Whitmore, wherein his seventh and last 

 child was born. Moreover, when he boarded with Mr. M. his visi- 

 tors and acquaintance were kindly received, and hospitably enter- 

 tained at Mr. M/s expense. And when he became a housekeeper, 

 a cow was kept for him summer and winter, gratis, by Mr. M, 



Other friends likewise contributed to Mr. Ball's comforts, among 

 whom was Mr. William Cleyton, Gent, of Radwood, in the parish 

 of Maer,* who left him twenty shillings a-year during his life ; 

 which was one of the temporary purposes to which his charity 

 was, at first, directed to apply, and alluded to in the account of 

 Maer. 



When these helps are considered, and the profits of a respecta-r 

 bie school are added ; for he kept a considerable school at Whit- 

 more, as " some of his pupils were tabled in his own house, and 

 the rest placed in the neighbourhood;" it is no great matter of 

 surprise that with his income " he lived very comfortably, was 

 given to hospitality, and also unto liberality to the poor, (consi- 

 dering his estate) and left a good competency unto his wife and 

 children." 



Wordly affairs beyond the bounds of his calling engaged but 

 little of his attention ; and it was fortunate for him that there was 

 no necessity ; for at Whitmore " he married a godly wife, whom 

 God had provided as an helpmeet for him, he himself being always 

 a meer scholler." 



One trait in his character appears highly culpable, which is his 

 mode of entering upon the ministry by the ordination of an Irish 

 Bishop, and contrary to the consent of his own diocesan. However 



* In a will, bearing date Nov. 8th, 1625, he bequeathed twenty shillings 

 yearly to Mr. Hodskin, of Meare; and the like sums to Mr. Ball, of Whit- 

 more, and to Mr. Hulme, of Betley, to be paid to each respectively and yearly 

 during their lives, or till they had sufficient maintenance elsewhere : and in 

 case these three ministers mentioned should die, or have competent mainte- 

 nance elsewhere, his will was that the said sum of three pounds should be dis- 

 tributed yearly to three preaching ministers, at the discretion of his executors. 

 He also left to the poor of Madeley and Whitmore parish ten shillings a-pieoe 

 yearly. This annuity of ten shillings, we presume, is a part of the last-named 

 charity noticed in the benefactions, p. 376. The other part might have been 

 added by his son John Cleyton, who increased his father's bequests to the 

 poor in Maer. These Cleytons were probably descendants of Mr. Wm. Cley- 

 ton, formerly curate of Whitmore, whose death is thus recorded in the Pa- 

 rish register : " Gulielmus Clayton concionator verbi Dei sepultus fuit XVI 

 Die Junii Anno Domini 1609 fuit iste Gulielmus pastor Ecclesiae d 

 Whitmore." 





