FEUDAL BARONAGE 



John Butler, was peaceably living with her children at Bewsey, when in the 

 early morning of 22 July her house was broken into by William Poole, of 

 Wirrall, gent., younger brother of John Poole, of Poole Hall, kt., who 

 violated her and carried her away naked — save for her kirtle and smock — to 

 Birkenhead, whence on the following day he took her to Bidston church and 

 by menaces compelled her to marry him. Subsequently he led her into the 

 wild and desolate parts of Wales, and at length brought her back to Birken- 

 head, where she was found by Sir Thomas Stanley, of Hooton. She subse- 

 quently petitioned Parliament for redress, but her ravisher does not appear to 

 have ever surrendered himself to justice.^ She died in 1441, when an inquest 

 was taken after her death.' Elizabeth Ferrers, relict of William Ferrers, of 

 Groby, died the same year, when the lands which she had held in dower in 

 Warrington and Great Sankey were delivered to William Mascy, of Rixton, 

 esq., during her grandson's minority.* John Butler received knighthood 

 before 20 July, 1 447, when he obtained a grant of view of frankpledge in 

 Warrington, Burtonwood, and Great Sankey.* On 16 January following he 

 had livery of all his lands within the palatinate. ° In 1 449 he was summoned 

 to Parliament as one of the knights of the shire," and in 1452 had a grant of an 

 annuity of ^^20 for life.'' In 1444 he married Margaret, daughter of Peter 

 Gerard, of Kingsley and Bryn, esq.,* by whom he had issue two sons and four 

 daughters. His wife died in or before 1452,' in which year Sir John Butler 

 married his eldest son, John, to Anne, daughter of John Savile, of Howley, kt., 

 but his son died before the consummation of the marriage.^" About the year 

 1454 Sir John married Isabel, daughter of Thomas, lord Dacre of Gillesland, 

 but in 1458 the union was dissolved on the grounds of a former marriage 

 contracted in 1453 with Thomas, late lord Clifford." Subsequently, in 1460, 

 he married Margaret, daughter of Thomas, first lord Stanley, and relict of 

 William Troutbeck of Dunham-on-the-Hill, kt." He died on 26 February, 

 1463,^' leaving issue William, his eldest surviving son, then aged 13 years and 

 married to Joan, daughter of William Troutbeck, kt." This William Butler 

 was knighted on the field of Grafton in 1471 by Edward IV.," but died the 

 same year without issue, having but recently succeeded to his inheritance. 

 By the inquest taken after his death it was found that Thomas, his brother 



1 Rolls of Pari. (Rec. Com.), iv. 497-8. 



s Chetham Soc. xcix. 48-50. She held at her death the manor of Exhall, co. Warwick, of the king, as 

 of his manor of Cheylsmore, the reversion being to John, son of John Boteler of Bewsey, and his heirs. Inq. 

 p. m. 20 Hen. VI. No. 29. Her father, William Harrington, kt., died on 22 February, 1440, holding as 

 trustee two-thirds of the Butler estates in Bewsey, Warrington, Penketh and Great Sankey, as appears by the 

 inquest taken after his death. Towneley MSS. vol. D.D. 1 5 10, fevet W. Farrer. 



S Palat. of Lane. Chanc. Misc. bdle. l, file i. No. 12. The lands which she held in dower are let 

 forth in the inquest after her death. Towneley MSS. vol. D.D. 14.76, feneiW. Farrer. 



* Def. Keeper's ipth Rep. App. 4, 539. ' Ibid. « Pari. Ret. i. 342. 



7 Palat. of Lane. Chanc. Misc. bdle. I, file I, Nos. 13-4. 



8 Beamont, Annals of Warrington, ii. 263. » Ibid. 270. i" Ibid. 270-5. 

 11 Lichfield Epis. Reg. Bothe. 



13 Beamont, ^BSflZf of Warrington, 284, 288. In January, 1463, the custody of William, son and heir 

 of William Troutbeck, kt. was committed to John Butler, kt. and Margaret his wife. Cal. Pat. R. 

 1461-7, 209. 



" The late Mr. Beamont, in Annals of Warrington, 303-23, disproves the ancient tradition of the murder 

 of Sir John Butler in his bed at Bewsey by ' Lord Stanley, Sir Piers Leigh and Mr. William Savage.' The different 

 accounts of the tragedy are interesting and curious, but no satisfactory theory as to the origin of the story has 

 yet been put forth. 



^* Chetham Soc. xcix. 73-4. Writ of D.C.E. dated 28 April, 1463. Dep. Keeper's ■^jth Rep. App. 

 ii. 177. 1' Metcalfe, Book ofKts. 3. 



347 



