given with a view to the preparation of the preceding certificate, in which he mentions that "the first "Viscount Molyneux was son of Sir Richard "Molyneux, and that besides his two sons Richard "and Caryll, he had a daughter Frances, who died s.p., and that he left two daughters surviving, "Charlotte and Mary, both unmarried; Sir "Richard, the father of the first Viscount, had "had three daughters; Elizabeth, married to "[Richard] Sherborne, of Stonyhurst, co. Lanc.; Juliana, married to Sir Thomas Walmsley, of "that co.; and Margaret, married to Sir George "Simonds, of co. Oxford."

On his father's death in 1636, the young Lord Molyneux became a ward of the king, who appointed as his guardian his neighbour, James, Lord Strange, whose services in this capacity were soon called into requisition. In the first place, the late lord, though the owner of large estates, had encumbered them, and died considerably in debt. Next, his heir and his heir's guardian were speedily involved in litigation with the widow of the late lord and her second husband; and, lastly, there was trouble brewing with the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of the town of Liverpool, as the following extracts from the Calendar of Domestic State Papers for the reign of King Charles I. clearly show:

1637-8. February 2nd. [Calendar for the year, p. 224.] Petition of Marie Viscountess Molineux, on behalf of herself and younger children, to the King.

Richard Lord Molineux, her late husband, charged divers of his lands with an annuity of 100l. per annum from his decease for the life of Cecil (sic) [it should, of course, be Caryll] Molineux, his younger son, and also 100l. apiece for his two daughters, to be paid within a year after his death. Petitioner had for her jointure, amongst other lands, the tithes of Knowsley Barn, co. Lancaster, of the value of 100l. per annum, yet Lord Strange

6 Knowsley Barn and Tythes were subsequently settled on Frances, wife of this same Richard, second Viscount Molyneux.-Croxteth Muniments.

has, since her husband's decease, which is now almost two years, withheld the same from her, and the annuity for her son and portions for her daughters are also withheld from them. Out of respect for Lord Strange, into whose family her son is matched, and to prevent suits, petitioner addressed herself to his Majesty for relief. He referred the business to Archbishop Laud, the Lord Keeper, and the Lord Treasurer, before whom petitioner produced her deed of jointure. It was pretended that Lord Strange's writings were in the country7, whereupon the Lords gave him till before Michaelmas term to produce them, and directed speed to be used in raising the children's portions; none of which had been done, and Lord Strange had got the time for producing the deeds enlarged until Easter term. Prays the King to direct a shorter day within a month after this term. [Underwritten]-Minute of the King's pleasure that Lord Strange is to have his writings ready to be produced on the 14th of March next, when the referees shall meet for determining this cause. Whitehall, 2nd February, 1637-8.

1638. May 31st. [Calendar for the year, p. 481.] Roger Downes and Edward Wrightinton to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Keeper, and the Lord Treasurer.

According to an Order of the 6th of April last, we, the Counsel for Lord Strange and Lord Molyneux, attended Sergeant Whitfield and other of the Counsel for Mons. Tartaro and Lady Molyneux his wife, concerning 100l. per annum annuity claimed by her for her younger son and 1000l. apiece claimed by her for her two daughters' portions. It was showed by Edward Holt, agent for Lord Molyneux, that the lands chargeable with these payments were of the value of 600l. per annum, and that they were subject to precedent charges, which are here enumerated, and which far more than exceeded the value of the lands.

7 Order of Council, Jan. 24, 1637-8. Robert Coytmore, servant to Lord Strange, by petition showed that Mr. Tartaro, husband to the Viscountess Molineux, delivered him a note intimating the Lords' pleasure to hear this day the business in difference between his Lordship and Lady Molineux, but neither having the papers nor time to acquaint his Lord, he prayed for further time. The Lords appointed the 2nd May next. [Calendar for the year, p. 183.]

8 In the Calendar of Domestic State Papers for year 1635 (p. 122), under date June 13, the first Lord Molyneux's debt to the Crown is given as 13,1847. 195. 23d. and two parts of a farthing," as security for the payment of which the Crown held the Manors of Sefton and Tarbuck, and annually received the rents and profits thereof. In the second Lord Molyneux's Royalist Composition Papers, we find that in the year 1647 this debt had been reduced to 34334. 16s. old., and that his sisters' portions were still unpaid. In the same Collection is an Affidavit of Nehemiah Brettargh, of Aighburgh,

Nevertheless, Lord Molyneux offered that if Lady Molyneux will not out of her great estate maintain her said children till Lord Molyneux be of full age, being but two years, he would provide that for one of the daughters, Lady Strange being her godmother, would keep her as she does her own daughters, and for the younger son that he shall be provided for according to his rank, without any great charge, for the present, to the estate. For the younger daughter, being about five or six years old, her charge in her mother's hands for the present is not considerable.

Meanwhile, before any decision on these points had been given, Lady Molyneux herself died, in or about the month of June, 1639, as appears by the following incomplete copy of the

Funeral Certificate by [William Ryley, Bluemantle] of Mary Viscountess Molyneux, of Maryborough, Ireland (relict of Sir Richard Molyneux, of Sefton, co. Lancaster, Knight, created the second Baronet of England the 22nd May, 1611, and afterwards made Viscount Molyneux of Maryborough by King Charles), daughter and one of the co-heirs of Sir Thomas Carrell, of Sussex, departed this life at her house in St. Martin's Lane in the Fields, [? June,] 1639. She had issue by the said Viscount-1st, Richard, her eldest son, Viscount Molyneux after his father, who married Mary, daughter of James, Lord Strange, heir apparent to William, Earl of Derby, Lord Stanley, [Baron] Strange of Knockin, and of the Isle of Man, and Knight of the Garter; 2nd, Carrell, second son; 3rd, Frances, eldest daughter, who died young; 4th, Charlotte, second daughter, unmarried; 5th, Mary, third daughter, unmarried. The said Viscountess was

afterwards married to

.9

The next document connected with the matter that we meet with occurs at p. 385 of the Calendar of State Papers for 1639, being a Report, dated 11th July in that year, from Francis, Lord Cottington, and Edward, Lord Newburgh, to the Council:

According to your order of the 21st of last month, touching a difference between Viscount Molyneux and Mr. Tarteran, who

to the effect that he had heard and believed that the late Lord Molyneux had charged the Manor of Sefton and other lands with the payment of 2000!. as portions for his two daughters, Charlotte and Mary.

9 Of this Certificate, printed on p. 359 of the Calendar of Domestic State Papers for year 1639, there is neither original nor copy at the College of Arms; so, unfortunately, the deficiencies cannot be supplied.

married the said Lord's mother, we have heard their counsel on both sides, and find that it is by them agreed that the late Viscount Molyneux died indebted to his Majesty, as Receiver General of the duchy, about 7000l., of which 2000/. is paid, besides above 9000l. due to other creditors; that the personal estate is legally liable to the satisfaction of these debts, and that the said Viscount by his Will ordered that out of his personal estate his funeral and debts should be satisfied, and that he has particularly disposed of the rest by his Will; that there were covenants between Mr. Tarterean and the Viscountess before marriage, by which it was ordered that he should pretend to no more, in case of her death, than the fourth part of her estate, and the residue to remain for the benefit of her children. On Viscount Molyneux's behalf it is alleged that the lady possessed herself of jewels to the value of 4000l. and of divers sums of money not duly belonging to her until the debts should be first paid; and on the other side Mr. Tarterean pretends not to desire any more than what is allotted him by agreement. Touching the debts to the King and others, it is apparent, if they shall be preferred and paid out of the personal estate, it will carry all away both from the Viscountess Molyneux and her children. It is alleged by Mr. Tarterean's counsel that in equity they ought rather to be laid upon the real estate, and it is by them all agreed that a court of equity must at length settle these questions; and to the end it may be so, they likewise agree that there must be an administrator for the goods of the deceased lady. Who this administrator shall be is indeed the only question for the present. Mr. Tarterean desires that he may be chosen, giving good security to perform any decree that shall be made in a court of equity. On the other side it is alleged that Tarterean is a stranger, and that by virtue of such an administration he may gain a legal interest in that part of the estate which by the covenants he is debarred from. This last allegation is chiefly insisted upon by Mr. Bosden, of the Inner Temple, who is entrusted for the children, and therefore both he and the counsel for Viscount Molyneux desire that there may be choice made of an indifferent third person, who may be entrusted with the administration for all parties, and answer to such bill or bills as shall be brought in equity, and to dispose of the estate as shall be ordered and decreed; and because they earnestly insisted upon this difference, they all consented to refer it to your Lordships' determination, viz., whether Mr. Tarterean upon good security, or a third person, shall be administrator.

But the young Lord Molyneux had more formidable antagonists to contend with than Mons. Tartaro, as we see from the following (printed

on p. 200 of the Calendar of Domestic State Papers for 1640):

Petition of James Lord Strange, committee of the body and lands of Richard Lord Viscount Molineux, the King's Ward, to the King. By letters patent for valuable considerations, you granted to Edward Dichfield, John Highlord, Humphrey Clarke and Francis Mosse, and their heirs the town and manor of Liverpool, co. Lancaster, with the courts leet and all other courts, and the passage over the Mersey, with other tolls, and the profits of the same, of all which your ward's ancestors have for above 100 years been farmers. Now Edward Dichfield and the rest in consideration of 450l. paid by Richard Viscount Molineux deceased, father of your ward, conveyed the town and manor to Sir Thos. Walmsley, William Fazakerley, and John Nutter, and their heirs in trust for the said Viscount and his heirs.10 After the Viscount's death, the new Viscount Molineux, his son and heir, was found to be your ward, the custody of whose body and lands was by the Court of Wards committed to petitioner, who therefore endeavoured to collect the rents and profits of the manor and tolls for the use of your ward, but was interrupted by the mayor and burgesses of Liverpool, wherefore Sir Rowland Wandsford, Attorney of the Court of Wards, about three years since, exhibited an information against them in the said Court, and they thereupon about two years since preferred their petition to you, which you referred to the now Lord Treasurer and Lord Cottington."

to The following is printed at page 129 of Gisborne Molineux's Memoirs of the Molineux Family, 1882:—

"At a Court of Comittee holden at the Guildhall London
"on Thursday the 28th of May 1635.

"The Lordshippe or Manner of Litherpoole in the County of Lancaster "of the yearly rent of Fourteen pounds six shillings and eight pence is this "day by the Comittee contracted for and sold unto Edward Holt gent. for and on the behalf and to the use of the Right Honourable Lo. Viscount "Mollineux for the sume of Fower hundred and Fifty pounds wch the said "Mr. Holt hath agreed to pay in ready money at the sealing of the assurances. "And Mr. Moss Mr. Nichol and Mr. Shilde are appointed to make and passe "the said assurances or conveyances sufficiently in Lawe of the said Lord'shippe or Mannor above-mentioned with all royalties rights members and ' appurtenances thereto belonging to the said Rt Honoble the Lord Mollneux 'or to whom else he shall nominate and appoint.

"Endorsed for Mr. John Blunt at his

"Chamber in Cleamont in" [Clement's Inn].

"EDW. HOLT.

[Almack MSS.]

At the house of Richard Almack, Esq., Melford, in Suffolk, are preserved many documents and letters of early date relating to the Molyneux family.-Hist. MSS. Čomm., 1st Report, 55.

II Among the Croxteth Muniments are portions of a copy of this petition, so frayed as to be in great measure illegible, from the Mayor, Bailiffs, and Burgesses of the Town of Liverpool to the King's Majesty, setting forth that "the Londoners" had sold the Town and Lordship of Liverpool with