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.

The Descent of the Massies of Tatton.

I. William Massy, younger Brother to Hamon Massy Baron of Dunham-Massy.

II. William Massy, Son of William, to whom Alan

[illustration] blazon or coat of arms

Son of Alan of Tatton gave the Lands in Tatton cal∣led Bruchel, bounding the same in his Deed; Ren∣dring a Pair of White Gloves yearly on the Feast-day of the Nativity of St. John Baptist, (Sub Hen. 3.) Lib. C. fol. 105. num. 36.

He married Margery Domina de Rosthorn: I guess she may be Daughter to Robert de Manwaring, and Sister and Heir to Hugh Manwaring Lord of Rosthorn, or Lord of one Moiety at least; and Lord of the Moiety of Norshagh in Tatton: Lib. C. fol. 105. num. 40, 41.

He was stiled Sir William Massy, 1270. and had Issue Richard, Son and Heir; Robert Massy of Rosthorn, second Son, afterwards Heir to his Brother; Thomas, another Son, living 1270. Lib. C. fol. 104. num. 25.b. And Hawise, a Daughter, married Richard de Ferneley: Lib. A. fol. 140.o.

This William Massy died about the beginning of Edw. 1.

III. Sir Richard Massy of Tatton Knight, Son and Heir of Sir William, married Isa∣bel Daughter of—

He Purchased out most of the Lands remaining in Tatton, 1286. He was Sheriff of Cheshire, 6 Edw. 1. 1278. and Judge of Chester, 28 Edw. 1. 1300. He was Knighted about 14 Edw. 1. for then I first find him so stiled; unto whom was granted liberty of Free-Warren in all his Demain-Lands of Rosthorn, Tatton, Owlarton, Legh, Timper∣ley, and Hale, in Cheshire; Dated at Westminster, 4 die Decembris, 22 Edw. 1. 1294.

Sir Richard died without Issue on Tuesday in the Easter-week, Anno Domini 1305. 33 Edw. 1. leaving Robert Massy his Brother to succeed in his Inheritance.

Isabel his Widow survived him.

IV. Robert Massy of Tatton, Brother and Heir to Sir Richard, married _____ _____ and had Issue William Massy, eldest Son; Hamon Massy, another Son, Escheator of Cheshire. 6 Edw. 3. 1332. O. num. 1. and he married Katharine Daughter and Heir of Alan Rixton of Rixton in Lancashire, 6 Edw. 3. Lib. C. fol. 292. num. 1, 3, 11. stiled afterwards Sir Hamon Massy, 1347. 21 Edw. 3. from whom the Massies of Rixton in Lancashire: Adam Massy, another Son, to whom his Father gave the Custody of the Lands of Norshagh in Tatton, belonging to Raufe (Son of William de Mobberley) till Raufe came to Age: Dated 1 Edw. 3. 1327. Lib. C. fol. 103. num. 9. Robert Massy, another Son, 15 Edw. 3.

Robert Massy of Tatton died about 1328. 2 Edw. 3.

V. Sir William Massy of Tatton Knight, 1335. Son and Heir of Robert, married Margery Daughter of Thomas Legh of High-Legh de West-Hall: Lib. C. fol. 267. num. 12. This was about 1307. And had Issue Hugh Massy, Son and Heir; Oliver Massy of Den∣field in Rosthorn, another Son, from whom the Massies of Denfield; Richard Massy of Dich-house in Rosthorn, another Son; Ellen, a Daughter, married Gilbert Hassall of Hassall in Lancashire; afterwards to Sir William Brereton of Brereton in Cheshire.

Sir William Massy died the second of May, 1338. 12 Edw. 3.

VI. Hugh Massy of Tatton, Son and Heir of Sir William, had to Wife Alice Daugh∣ter of _____ _____ and had Issue Richard Massy, Son and Heir, who married Alice Daughter of Gibert de Haydok in Lancashire, 16 Edw. 3. 1342. but died without Issue 3 die Septembris, 1370. 44 Edw. 3. And John Massy, another Son, who succeeded Heir to his Father.

This Hugh Massy died before 49 Edw. 3. about 45 Edw. 3. 1371.

VII. Sir John Massy of Tatton Knight, Son and Heir of Hugh, married Alice Sister and Heir to Sir Geffrey Worseley of Worseley in Lancashire, about 46 Edw. 3. and had Issue Thomas, eldest Son, who married Margaret Daughter of _____ _____ but died without Issue, on St. Bartholomew's day, 1420. 8 Hen. 5. afterwards Marga∣ret married Sir John Gresley: Geffrey Massy, second Son, succeeded Heir to his Brother Thomas; Richard Massy, third Son: These are warranted by Deeds. But I find men∣tion, in an old Pedegree, of three other Sons, Hugh, John, and Lawrence; also Joan, married first to Sir William Venables of Bollin-Fee in Maxfield-Hundred, and after to Sir Oliver Stanley; Margery married Sir John Bromley of Badington in Cheshire.

Sir Geffrey Worseley before-mentioned married Mary Daughter of Sir Thomas Felton; which Mary being divorced, entred into a Nunnery: Then he took to Wife Isabel Stanley, by whom he had Issue Elizabeth. After the death of Sir Geffrey VVorseley, Mary came out, and proved she entred for fear, and that she was divorced upon a fained ground, and proved Elizabeth to be Illegitimate: And the Pope confirms her Return into Secularity.

Sir John Massy of Tatton was Sheriff of Cheshire 11 Rich. 2. 1387. and also 13 Rich. 2. 1390. He and Thomas his eldest Son were attainted 1 Hen. 4.

Sir John died 1403. 22 July, 4 Hen. 4. Probably he was slain at the Battel of Shrewsbury, taking Part with Henry Percy against Henry the Fourth; for that Battel was sought the Eve before Mary Magdalen's day.

Alice the Widow of Sir John Massy died 6 Hen. 6. in the beginning of October, 1427.

VIII. Sir Geffrey Massy of Tatton Knight, Son to Sir John, and Heir to his Bro∣ther Thomas, married Margery Daughter of John Hilton of Farnworth in Lancashire.

This Sir Geffrey died 4 die Octobris, 1457. 36 Hen. 6. aged 70 Years, without any lawful Issue surviving.

I find he had a Bastard-son, called John Massy, living 31 Hen. 6.

IX. William Massy of Tatton Esquire, Son and Heir of Richard Massy, Brother to Sir G••offrey, married _____ _____ and had Issue Geffrey Massy, Son and Heir; Thomas, second Son; and Richard, third Son.

This William Massy died in Festo Epiphaniae, 1467. 7 Edw. 4. and had a Brother called Geffrey Massy, as well as a Son of that Name.

X. Sir Geffrey Massy of Tatton Knight, Son and Heir of William, married Isabel Daughter of Sir John Butler of Bewsy nigh Warrington in Lancashire, 31 Hen. 6. 1453. and had Issue onely one Daughter and Heir, called Joan.

Sir Geffrey was living 15 Edw. 4. 1475. Q. num. 7.

XI. William Stanley of Tatton Esquire, in Right of Joan his Wife, Daughter and Heir of Sir Geffrey Massy, was Son and Heir of Sir William Stanley of Holt-Castle in Denbigh-shire; and had Issue onely one Daughter and Heir, called also Joan; in La∣tin she is stiled Johanna. Joan and Jane in 32 Eliz. were agreed to be all one Name by the Court of the King's Bench: Cambden in his Remains, on the Name Jane, pag. 98.

This Sir William Stanley of Holt was Lord Chamberlain to Hen. 7. and Brother to Thomas Stanley the first Earl of Darby of that Family; which Sir William was Be∣headed 1495. as supposed to encline to the Part of Perkin Warbeck: See Crokes Re∣ports, 4 Car. 1. pag. 123, 124. whose Lands and Goods were all Confiscated to the King. He had in ready Money and Plate, in his Castle of Holt, forty thousand Marks, besides Jewels, Houshold-stuff, and Stock of Cattel in his Grounds. He had in Lands 3000l. per Annum of an old Rent, as my Lord Bacon saith in his History of Henry the Seventh. He aspired to Petition the King for the Earldom of Chester, which ended both in a denial, and a distaste. He had by Joyce his Wife, Daughter of Edward Lord Powys, and Widow of John Tiptoft, William Stanley before-mentioned; and Jane, married to Sir John Warburton of Arley in Cheshire, one of the Knights of the Body to Henry the Seventh.

William Stanley of Tatton died about 14 Hen. 7. 1498. Joan his Widow after∣wards married Sir Edward Pickering, 16 Hen. 7. 1500. And lastly, she married Sir John Brereton to her third Husband, living 24 Hen. 7. And Joan died 3 Hen. 8. 1511.

XII. Joan, sole Daughter and Heir of William Stanley by Joan Massy his Wife, had two Husbands.

First she married John Ashton, Son and Heir of Sir Thomas Ashton of Ashton super Mer∣sey in Cheshire, 16 Hen. 7. She was then but eight Years old. This John Ashton died young, without any Issue by her, 5 Hen. 8. 1513.

Afterwards she married Sir Richard Brereton, younger Son of Sir Randle Brereton of Malpas in Cheshire; by whom she had Issue Richard Brereton, eldest Son, who married Dorothy Daughter of Thurstan de Tildesley in Lancashire Esquire, 35 Hen. 8. 1543. But he died without Issue about 4 Edw. 6. Geffrey Brereton, second Son, succeeded Heir: Anne Brereton, a Daughter, married John Booth of Barton in Lancashire Esq 32 Hen. 8. 1540. X. num. 26.

This Lady Jane Brereton died the sixth of April, 12 Eliz. 1570. aged 77 Years.

Sir Richard Brereton her Husband died at Islington in Middlesex, 3 & 4 Phil. & Mar. 1557. Geffrey his Son and Heir being then of full Age.

XIII. Geffrey Brereton of Tatton Esquire, Son and Heir of Sir Richard Brereton and Jane Stanley, married Alice, Daughter of Piers Leycester of Nether-Tabley Esq 5. Edw. 6. 1551. A. num. 35. and had Issue Richard Brereton Son and Heir, and Anne a Daughter, living 8 Eliz. who died without Issue.

This Geffrey died in June 1565. 7 Eliz. about the age of thirty Years. Alice his Wi∣dow afterwards married Robert Charnocke Gentleman; and she died the second of April 1572. 14 Eliz.

XIV. Richard Brereton of Tatton Esquire, Son and Heir of Geffrey and Alice, mar∣ried Dorothy, Daughter of Sir Richard Egerton of Ridley in Cheshire, 14 Eliz. 1572. but died without Issue December 18. 41 Eliz. 1598. Dorothy his Widow afterwards mar∣ried Sir Peter Legh of Lime in Cheshire, but had no Issue by him: She was second Wife to Sir Peter, and survived both her Husbands; and she died the fourth of April 1639.

This Richard Setled all his Estate on Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Chancellor of Eng∣land; from whom the Earls of Bridgewater are descended, who are now Owners of these Lands, 1667.