CHAPTER XI.

ND here I think it but due to the county into which, by my most happy

marriage, I have been grafted, and to my dear lord, who (as is the manner of all who appertain to it) thinks much of his native Cheshire, to mention that Cheshire has not only been styled the Vale Royal of England, but also 'the most surpassing nursery of ancient gentry above any other county in England,' noted for their numerousness, their antiquity, their loyalty, and their hospitality; concerning which last it hath been pleasantly said the Cheshire gentry were good housekeepers, because they gave so many wheat-sheaves in their coats of arms; the reason being, not a few of them were dependants to the fifth Earl Palatine of Chester, and therefore did assume

in their shields something in allusion to his coat, which was azure, six garbs, or. It hath been remarked in these troublesome times that nineteen in every score of the gentlemen of England were cavaliers (the rebels consisting chiefly and for the most part, as the blessed evangelist and physician saith, of the lewd and baser sort), the truth of which hath been abundant in Cheshire; for, with some little pride do I say it, at the first breaking out of the disturbances but two names were given in the order by the Parliament for arming the county and securing the equipments and magazines of the royalists; though other some, it must be confessed, did join the rebels after the raising of the royal standard, and took part with them that rushed down through the wide gates. into the broad way that leadeth to destruction. And of these how many, at the first, would have answered as the man in holy writ did unto the prophet, 'Am I a dog that I should do such a thing?' Yet went they on headlong, until that their hands was dyed with the blood of their King, leaving a stain thereon which I

trow will cleave to them and to their children

for generations to come!

These two, though gladly would I suppress the names for very shame (yet, as the holy apostle saith, 'There must be heresies among you, so that the true faith may be made plain;' and it is but due that no mistake should ever arise as to which and who they were which made shipwreck of their loyalty), these two were Sir George Booth and Sir William Brereton.

And first, must I pray you not to confound him with his namesake, the good Lord Brereton, also named William. Though doubtless sprung from the same forefathers, they were but ninth or tenth cousins to each other, Sir William being of Honford, which was also Malpas and Shocklach, and the Lord Brereton being of Brereton, the original stem, from which tree evil branches burst forth, bearing most corrupt fruit.

Brereton is a fair and stately mansion, the first stone of which it pleased our maiden queen to lay, and afterwards when the house was completed, she honoured the first Lord Brereton (which was grandfather to this lord), with a

visit. In the hall at Brereton is wrote these

lines, by order of the first lord:

'Though thou be for thy pedigre
Accompted as auncient as Saturn,
In wisdom as wise as Solomon,
In power mighty as Alexander,
Yet if thou be careles of religion
And neglect the true sarvice
Of the ever-living God,
Thou art a caytife

Most vile and miserable.'

Before the death of any of the noble house of Brereton it is well known and believed by discreet persons, that trees do float on Blackmere or Bagmere, for certain days together. As saith the poet :

'That black ominous mere Accounted one of those that England's wonders make; Of neighbours, Blackmere named; of strangers, Brereton's

lake:

Whose property seems farre from reason's way to stand;
For neere before his death, that's owner of the land,
She sends up stocks of trees, that on the top doe float,
By which the world her first did for a wonder note.'

But let not all men look for so solemn a summons to pay their debts to nature. God grant us, that grey hairs, dimness of sight,

dulness of other senses, decay of strength, death of our dearest relations (in especial when far younger than ourselves), may serve us (instead of swimming logs), for sufficient and effectual monitors of our mortality.

Lord Brereton was a most devoted adherent to his Majesty, being long a prisoner for his sake; and at his death, among his last wishes, was this that the banner he had carried so often in the field for his King might wave above his bones (which he desired to be laid in Brereton Church), until the judgment.

Brereton standeth on the London highway, some two miles north from Sandbatch. In this Sandbatch in the market-place, stand hard together two ancient crosses of stone, which hath some writing engraven on them, the which cannot be read without the reader be holden with his head downwards; and I have heard the words runneth :

'In Sandbatch, in the Sandy Ford,
Lieth the ninth part of Dublin's hord.

Nine to, or nine fro,

Take me down, or else I go.'