712 ArrENDIX A. 



carls of Mercia. In the year 1330. John de Bolton was rector of the church at 

 Bolton, in Yorkshire; and John de Bolton, patron of the same. Henry Bolton is 

 the next ancestor of whom we have any account. He appears to have been living 

 at Bolton in Lancashire, about 1332. He left Robert the father of William, who 

 had a son Robert. 



Robert Bolton, the more immediate ancestor of the family, was residing at 

 Blackburn, Lancashire, in 15(59. His sons were John and Robert. Of the 

 youngest. Fuller in his Worthies of England, thus speaks : " Robert Bolton was 

 born at Blackburne, in Lancashire, on Whitsunday, 1572, a year as infamous for 

 the massacre of many Protestants in France, as for the birth of some eminent iu 

 England. His parents having a narrow estate, struggled with their necessities to 

 give him a liberal education ; he was bred first, in Lincoln, then in Brazen-nose 

 college, in Oxford. He had Isocrates' six marks or properties of a good scholar. 

 His want of means proved an advancement unto him; for, not having whence 

 to buy books, he borrowed the best authors of his tutor, read over, abridged into 

 note books, and returned them. He was as able to express himself in Latin or 

 Greek, as English; and that, stylo impendorio. He was chosen one of the 

 disputants before King James, at his first coming to the university, and performed 

 it with great applause. 



Thus far I have followed my author mentioned in the margin ; but we must 

 depart from him a little in one particular. Though Mr. Bolton's pareuts were not 

 overflowing with wealth, they had a competent estate, (as 1 am informed by cred- 

 ible intelligence) wherein their family had comfortably continued long time in 

 good repute. 



Sir Augustine Nicolls presented him to the rectory of Broughton, in North- 

 amptonshire: sending him his presentation unexpectedly, from his chamber iu 

 Sergeant's Inn, where Dr. King, Bishop of London, being accidentally present, 

 thanked the judge for his good choice; but told him withal, that he had deprived 

 the university of a singular ornament. Besides his constant preaching, he hath 

 left behind him, many useful books, the witnesses of his piety and learning; 

 and died, in the 59th year of his age, December 17, 1631. 



The following epitaph is engraven on his monument in Broughton church 

 Northamptonshire : 



EOBERTUS JACET IIIO BOI.TONTS, 



CETERA NOVIT, 



OCCTJBITU8 DEFLEXS AXGLIA TOTA 



DIEM, 



PRIMUS ET 0PTI.MTS IIUJCS, EO 



CLESKE PR/ECO 



DOCTISSIME PICS QUI 17, DIE 



DECEMR., 



ANNO DXI, 1631, PLAC1DE OBDOR 



MIVIT IN OOMIXO." 



Rev. Robert Bolton mar. Anne Boyce of Kent, and left one son, Samuel and 

 four daughters. John Bolton, eldest brother of the above Robert, inherited his 



