black haired visitors are most welcome on the morning of that day; charms for the protection of families and cattle are yet to be found; and herbs for the use of man and beast are still collected when their "proper planets are “ruling” in the heavens. More copies of Culpepper's Herbal and Sibly's Astrology are sold in Lancashire than all other works on the same subjects put together, and this principally on account of the planetary influence with which each disease and its antidote are connected. Old Moore's Almanac, however, is now sadly at a discount, because it lacks the table of the "Moon's signs"; the farmers are consequently at a loss to know which will be healthy cattle, and hence they prefer a spurious edition which supplies the grave omission.

Within the last few months I have procured several lucky stones for the protection of cattle, from the "shippons" of those who, in other respects, are not counted behind the age; and I might have supplied myself with an ample stock of horse-shoes and rusty sickles from the same sources. However, during the last forty years the inhabitants of Lancashire have made rapid progress both in numbers and intelligence. They have had the "school"master abroad" amongst them, and have consequently divested themselves of many of the grosser superstitions which formed a portion of the popular faith of their immediate predecessors; but there is yet a dense sub-stratum of popular opinions existing in those localities which have escaped the renovating influences of the spindle or the rail. As time progresses many of these will become further modified, or perhaps totally disappear; and hence it may be desirable to secure a permanent record of the customs and superstitions of the county. In attempting this I have put down little more than my own personal experience. Throughout life I have had ample opportunities for studying the "weak side" of our "Lancashire Witches," and while I hope to be pardoned for thus disclosing their secrets, I shall be happy to find that my labors are acceptable to this Society.

A SKETCH OF THE ORIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY OF THE LIVERPOOL BLUE COAT HOSPITAL.

By Mr. John R. Hughes.

(READ 5TH MAY, 1859.)

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There may, perhaps, be required some apology for my introducing at the present time such a subject to the consideration of the Historic Society; but when I mention the fact that one hundred and fifty years are passed away since this most excellent and truly valuable institution was established-the anniversary of that event having recently been celebrated-I venture to hope that the simple sketch I have attempted, while evidencing its own incompleteness, may prove, to some extent, suggestive, and evoke some more worthy and complete history than any I can offer. I may also urge that to Liverpool, a comparatively modern town, the history of one hundred and fifty years ago, observed from whatever point of view, approves itself as one pregnant with wonder. Compared with the neighbouring city of Chester, but eighteen miles distant, boasting so remote an origin, this epoch of time counts but small, and slight are the changes which Chester has undergone during this period. How strongly and strangely does Liverpool contrast with it! If we bridge over the time when the Blue Coat Hospital was established-the year 1709-to the present 1859, a span of one hundred and fifty years, and compare the population of Liverpool, then and now, we at once understand the mighty change which has taken place. In the former period Liverpool had a population of 8,500 inhabitants; in the present year, according to a recent writer, there are gathered within a radius of four miles from the Liverpool Exchange a population of 600,000 souls!

Fully to comprehend the motives urging to the establishment of the Blue Coat Hospital, it may be useful to trace briefly a few incidents of Liverpool history for some forty or fifty years antecedent to the

date of the founding of the Hospital. It cannot fail to strike every one that the great step onward in this town's prosperity dates from the period of the Restoration. The year itself which marked that event, 1660, bears witness of the dull state of Liverpool, inasmuch as it is on record, or to speak more truly, there is no record at all of either a single marriage or death occurring during the whole of that year; but immediately following upon this state of things, to use the words of the historian of Liverpool, during the (next) period

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"of fifty years the town increased in population, commerce, and 'wealth, with a rapidity which had never been previously known, so that "by the close of the half century it had become the third port in the "kingdom." Corroboratory in some degree of this rapidity of rise, it may be worth mentioning that in an edition of "Old Speed," printed in 1676, which may be found in the Historic Society's library, entitled Epitome of Mr. John Speed's Theatre of the Empire of Great “Britain, and of his prospect of the most famous parts of the world," no mention is made of Liverpool in the two general maps of the country which accompany his work. Can it be a stretch of the imagination to suppose that Liverpool grew in importance while "Old Speed" prepared and elaborated his work for the press?

It was not till four years later than the issuing of the work referred to, namely, 1680, that Liverpool had so far extended itself as to get to the east side of the pool; the site of which is now occupied by Paradise Street and its continuations. The first house built is still standing (in very excellent condition) in School Lane, a little below the Hospital, at the corner of Manesty's Lane, and is the property of the Blue Coat Hospital, forming part of the munificent gift granted to it by the late John Huddleston, Esq. It was built by Mr. Dansie, a Liverpool merchant of the seventeenth century, who had his country seat on the site of the present Dansie Street, out of Russell Street.

We have in the above statement an interesting evidence of the extension of Liverpool within twenty years of the restoration. Twenty years more lead us to 1700, when a more rapid and much greater extension had taken place. At this time, and dating from the 24th June, 1699, the town, by an Act 11 William III, was erected into a separate and

*Baines's "History of Liverpool," p. 323.

distinct parish from Walton, to which hitherto it had been subordinate, and the same act provided for building, by assessment, a new church beyond the pool, to be called St. Peter's. The memorial of the inhabitants, applying for this act, set forth that the town was much increased, both in trade and population, that it had but one chapel, insufficient to the growing wants of its thriving community, and confirmed these assertions by a statement that it paid £50,000 per annum to the king. We have thus, in 1700, the town presented to our view as thriving, greatly on the increase, with one church, in possession of an act for building another, and having a population of 5,714 inhabitants.

The foundation stone of the new church, said to be the first built in Lancashire since the Reformation, was laid in the year following; and the rectory being a mediety, the chapel of St. Nicholas and this new church of St. Peter were made one parish church, the rectors officiating on either side the pool. The first rectors were the Rev. Robert Styth and the Rev. Wm. Atherton, the former of whom became the first treasurer, as he had been among the most active originators of the Blue Coat Hospital, which took its rise in the period immediately ensuing.

It was consequent upon the prosperity of which I have given but an imperfect sketch that the Blue Coat Hospital was founded, in the year 1708, and its first trustees chosen 13th January, 1709.

Between the years 1700 and 1709 the population of the town had increased fifty per cent., standing relatively, as before stated, 5,714 in the former, to 8,500 in the latter. Of tonnage in 1709, the entry inwards records 374 ships, 14,574 tons, and outwards 334 ships, 12,636 tons. The whole tonnage of England this year was 243,693 tons. This year, also, the first vessel sailed for Africa, initiating a trade destined to have so large an influence on the wealth and prosperity of the town. And following these altered and hopeful circumstances of the port, which was possessed as yet of but an unformed haven, we witness the commencement of a first dock, first of that series for which Liverpool is now so far famed. These evidences of prosperity well prepare us for the testimony of the records of the Hospital, as to the causes of its foundation.

We there read: :- That the inhabitants of the borough and port

"town of Liverpool, considering the many blessings God has been pleased "to bestow upon the said port town, and that he hath in so signal a 66 manner preserved and protected their ships, trade and endeavours, to and "beyond the seas, that the same, for many years, hath been enlarged and "carried on very successfully, and the adventurers and inhabitants of and "in the said port town very much increased, and that such and so many "great blessings do in the most especial manner require the most humble "and sincere acknowledgments, and that the same cannot be more fully "made appear than by promoting so good a work;" determined to found a charity school," for educating poor children in the principles of the Established Church.

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It would seem that the land upon which the School was built was granted by the Corporation for that purpose, for we find by the first Corporation deed, made the 24th August, 1722, recital made of the circumstances attending it in the following terms:- "That the "worshipful the Mayor, Baylives, and Burgesses of the Burrough, Corporation, and Port Town of Liverpool, in the County Pallatin of "Lancaster, on the one part, and the Reverend the Rectors of the new "Church and Parochial Chappel of Liverpool aforesaid, for the time being, "Sir Thomas Johnson, Knt., Richard Norris, and Thomas Willis, Esqrs., "all of Liverpool aforesaid, upon the other, that whereas, upon the repre"sentation of the late Rev. Robert Styth, one of the Rectors of the said new Church and Parochial Chappel, of Liverpool aforesaid, in the month of December, one thousand seven hundred and eight, to the worshipful "the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of Liverpool aforesaid, 'intreating them to set out and give a convenient piece of ground for "building a School, for teaching poor children to read, write, &c., in which "he recommended as the most useful kind of charity, and much wanted "in the said town, and therefore hoped would meet with due encourage"ment and hearty approbation, and would, in a short time, be erected, and a competent salary provided for a master; on a certain piece of waste ground, part of the waste of and belonging to the said Mayor, Baylives, "and Burgesses, lying and being at or near the south-east corner of St. Peter's Church yard, in Liverpool aforesaid, on the south side of a new street, passage, or lane, which runs along the south side of the said "church yard, now called School Lane, which said certain parcel of

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