Historical antiquities, in two books the first treating in general of Great-Brettain and Ireland : the second containing particular remarks concerning Cheshire / faithfully collected out of authentick histories, old deeds, records, and evidences, by Sir Peter Leycester, Baronet ; whereunto is annexed a transcript of Doomsday-book, so far as it concerneth Cheshire, taken out of the original record.

A Catalogue of the Bishops of Chester since 33 Hen. 8. 1541. which Bishoprick was erected upon the dissolution of the Abbeys.

[ 1541] I. JOhn Bird, Doctor of Divinity of the University of Oxford, having been formerly a Fryer of the Order of the Carmelites, was the first Bishop of this new Founda∣tion. He was born in Coventrey, and made Bishop of Bangor, Anno 1539. thence trans∣lated to Chester 1541. 33 Hen. 8. He was preferred for some Sermons Preached before the King against the Pope's Supremacy, Anno Christi 1537. He was deprived of his Bishoprick of Chester by Queen Mary, Anno 1554. because he was Married, and died at Chester, Anno 1556.

[ 1554] II. George Cotes, one of the Prebends of Chester, sometime of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford, and afterwards Master of Baliol Colledge, made Bishop of Chester 1 Mariae 1554. He survived his Consecration not two Years. Some mistake this Bishop's Name, calling him John for George: It plainly appears by the Register Book of the Consi∣story Court at Chester, that his Name was George Cotes.

[ 1556] III. Cutbert Scot, Doctor of Divinity, and Master of Christchurch Colledge in Cam∣bridge, made Bishop of Chester by Queen Mary, 1556. He was after put out by Queen Elizabeth; a froward Person, who being put into the Prison of the Fleet in London, made an escape, and fled to Lovain, where he died.

[ 1561] IV. VVilliam Downeham, Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth before she came to the

Crown, Doctor of Divinity, and sometime of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford, was consecrated Bishop of Chester May 4. 1561. 3 Elizabethae. He died in November 1577. and was buried in the Quire of the Cathedral Church at Chester, having sat Bishop there sixteen years and a half. He had two famous Sons, George, Bishop of London-Derry in Ireland, and John, Batchelour of Divinity, a Learned and painful Writer.

V. William Chaderton, Doctor of Divinity, Fellow of Christs Colledge in Cam∣bridge, and after President of Queens Colledge in Cambridge, [ 1579] and sometime the King's Professor of Divinity in that University, was consecrated Bishop of Chester 9 Novem∣bris, 1579. thence translated to Lincoln 1595. He was Bishop of Chester sixteen years; and had onely one Daughter and Heir, called Jone, the first Wife of Sir Richard Brooke of Norton in Cheshire; but these after parted and lived asunder. This Bishop was a Learned and witty Man, and died in April 1608.

VI. Hugh Bellot, Doctor of Divinity and Bishop of Bangor, brought up in St. John's Colledge in Cambridge, was translated to Chester 1557. 37 Elizabethae. [ 1595] He lived scarce one year after his Translation, and died about Whitsuntide 1596. buried at Wrixham in Denbighshire. His Funeral was solemnized at Chester 22 Junii.

VII. Richard Vaughan, Doctor of Divinity, the Queens Chaplain and Bishop of Bangor, brought up in St. John's Colledge in Cambridge, [ 1597] succeeded Bellot both in the Bishoprick of Bangor and Chester. He was translated to Chester in June 1597. Lee saith he was translated May 16. 1596. and Enstalled November 10. 1597. and continued there six years and more; and was translated hence to London about the end of Decem∣ber 1604. and died March 30. 1607. He was a Man of a prompt and ready Utterance; the beginning of whose Advancement was under the Lord-Keeper Puckering, who de∣signed him to Examine such as sued to him for Benefices in his Gift. So Lee, pag. 45. of the Vale-Royal of England.

VIII. George Lloyd, Doctor of Divinity, Bishop of the Isle of Mann, [ 1604] sometime Fel∣low of Magdalen Colledge in Cambridge, was consecrated Bishop of Chester 14 die Ja∣nuarii 1604. He died the first of August 1615. in the 55. year of his Age, at his Parso∣nage of Thornton, and was buried in the Quire of the Cathedral Church at Chester near to Bishop Downeham; and was Bishop of Chester ten years.

IX. Thomas Moreton, Son of Richard Moreton of York City, Mercer, [ 1616] Doctor of Di∣vinity, brought up in St. John's Colledge in Cambridge, and sometime Dean of Win∣chester, was consecrated Bishop of Chester 7 die Julii 1616. translated hence to Lich∣field and Coventrey 6 Martii 1618. and thence to Durham 1632. He died 22 die Septem∣bris 1659. anno aetatis 95. after he had written many Learned Tractates, and was never Maried. See this Bishop's Life and Death in Daniel Lloyd's Memoires, Printed 1668.

X. John Bridgeman, Son of Thomas Bridgeman of Greenway in Devonshire, [ 1619] Doctor of Divinity, brought up in Cambridge, the King's Chaplain, and Parson of Wiggan in Lancashire, was consecrated Bishop of Chester 1619. He lived till the Parliament pulled down all Bishops in a Puritannical Frenzy of Rebellion, and had Beheaded King Charles the First, and after died at Morton, not far from Oswaldestrey in Shropshire, He Married Elizabeth, Daughter of Doctor Helyar, Canon of Excester, and Arcdeacon of Barstable, and had Issue Sir Orlando Bridgeman, made Lord-Keeper 1667. Dove, Henry, now Dean of Chester, Sir James Bridgeman, and Richard.

XI. Brian Walton, born at Cleaveland in Yorkshire, Doctor of Divinity, [ 1660] brought up in Peterhouse in Cambridge, was consecrated Bishop of Chester 2 die Decembris 1660. upon the Restoration of King Charles the Second. He died November 29. in Vigiliis Sancti

Andreae 1661. anno aetatis 62. buried in the Cathedral of St. Paul at London. He had a principal Hand in setting out the Great Bible of many Languages; and Married Jane, Daughter of Doctor William Fuller, Dean of Durham.

[ 1661] XII. Henry Ferne, Doctor of Divinity, Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge, was consecrated Bishop of Chester 9 die Februarii 1661. He died very soon after, and never lived to come to Chester, and was buried at Westminster. He writ clear Resolu∣tions of certain Cases of Conscience, relating to the Differences between the late King and his rebellious Parliament.

[ 1662] XIII. George Hall, one of the Sons of Doctor Joseph Hall Bishop of Excester, was sometime of Excester Colledge in Oxford, and Doctor of Divinity, and consecrated Bishop of Chester, Anno Christi 1662. He was also Parson of Wiggan in Lancashire by the Gift of Sir Orlando Bridgeman, then Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas. This Bishop Married Gartred, Sister to Sir Amos Meredith, now of Ashley in Cheshire. He died at Wig∣gan August 23. 1668. without any Issue of his Body; and Gartrede his Lady also died at Wiggan in March following.

[ 1668] XIV. John Wilkins, Doctor of Divinity, Son of Walter Wilkins, a Goldsmith in the City of Oxford, was first Student of Christchurch in Oxford, and after made Warden of Wadham Colledge in the same University, about the Year of our Lord 1651. He Married Robina, Sister to Oliver Cromwel the late Lord Protector, but hath no Issue as yet. He was made Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge about the Year 1659. and after the Restoration of King Charles the Second he was made Dean of Rippon in York∣shire; and was consecrated Bishop of Chester, Anno Domini 1668. He was also Parson of Wiggan by the Gift of Sir Orlando Bridgeman Baronet, now Lord-Keeper of England.