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church hospital, and other benefactions:-in forgiving at his death all his tenants in his manors of Aldersy and Sponely a year's rent; also enjoining his heirs to make them new leases of one and twenty years, for two years' rent.*

As for the causeways he caused to be made, and bridges built (two of stone containing eighteen arches in them both†), seeing hitherto it hath not been my hap to go over them, I leave his piety to be praised by such passengers, who have received safety, ease, and cleanness, by such conveniences. He died anno Domini 1561.

A Note to the Reader.

I have heard the natives of this county confess and complain of a comparative dearth (in proportion to other shires) of benefactors to the public. But sure, Shropshire is like to the mulberry, which putteth forth his leaves last of all trees, but then maketh such speed (as sensible of his slowness with an ingenuous shame) that it overtaketh those trees in fruit, which in leaves started long before it. As this shire of late hath done affording two of the same surname still surviving, who have dipped their hands so deep in charitable mortar.

Sir THOMAS ADAMS, Knight,‡ was born at Wem in this county; bred a draper in London, where God so blessed his honest industry, that he became lord mayor thereof 1646. A man, who hath drunk of the bitter waters of Meribah without making a bad face thereat, cheerfully submitting himself to God's pleasure in all conditions.

He gave the house of his nativity to be a free school (that others might have their breeding where he had his birth); and hath liberally endowed it. He liveth in due honour and esteem; and, I hope, will live to see many years, seeing there is no better collirium, or eye-salve, to quicken and continue one's sight, than in his life-time to behold a building erected for the public profit.

WILLIAM ADAMS, Esq. was born at Newport in this county; bred by trade a haberdasher in London, where God so blessed his endeavours, that he fined for alderman in that city. God had given him a heart and hand proportionable to his estate, having founded in the town of his nativity a school-house in the form following.

1. The building is of brick, with windows of freestone, wherein the school is threescore and ten in length, and two and twenty feet in breadth and height, 2. Over it a fair library, furnished with plenty and choice books. At the south end, the

• Dr. Willet, in his Catalogue of Protestant Charities. Stow's Survey of London, p. 90.

Dubbed by king Charles II. at the Hague, when sent thither a Commissioner for the City of London.-F.

lodgings of the schoolmaster, whose salary is sixty; on the north the usher's, whose stipend is thirty pounds per annum. 3. Before the front of the school a stately crypto-porticus, or fair walk all the length of the school, with pillars erected; and on the top thereof a leaden terrace, with rails and balusters. 4. Two alms-houses for poor people, at convenient distance from the school, with competent maintenance. 5. Two gardens a-piece, for schoolmaster and usher, with well nigh two acres of ground for a place for the scholars to play in. 6. The rent for the maintenance thereof deposed in the hands of trustees a year before, that, in case of casualty, there may be no complaint. 7. More intended for the settlement of exhibitions to scholars chosen hence to the university, as God hereafter shall direct the founder. But who for the present can hold from praising so pious a performance?

"Come, Momus, who delight dost take,

Where none are found, there faults to make:

And count'st that cost, and care, and
pain,

Not spent on thee, all spent in vain.
See this bright structure, till that smart
Blind thy blear eyes, and grieve thy
heart.

Some cottage schools are built so low,
The Muses there must grovelling go.

Here, whilst Apollo's harp doth sound,
The sisters nine may dance around;
And architects may take from hence
The pattern of magnificence.
Then grieve not, Adams, in thy mind,
'Cause you have left no child behind:
Unbred! unborn, is better rather,
If so, you are a second father
To all bred in this school so fair,
And each of them thy son and heir."

Long may this worthy person live to see his intentions finished and completed, to his own contentment!

MEMORABLE PERSONS.

THOMAS PARRE, son of John Parre, born at Alderbury, in the parish of Winnington, in this county, lived to be above one hundred and fifty years of age; verifying his anagram: "THOMAS PARRE "" (most rare hap). He was born in the reign of king Edward the Fourth, one thousand four hundred eighty three; and, two months before his death, was brought up by Thomas earl of Arundel (a great lover of antiquities in all kinds) to Westminster. He slept away most of his time; and is thus charactered by an eye-witness of him :

"From head to heel his body had all over

A quick-set, thick-set, natʼral hairy cover."

Change of air and diet (better in itself but worse for him), with the trouble of many visitants, or spectators rather, are conceived to have accelerated his death; which happened at Westminster, November the 15th, 1634; and he was buried in the abbey: church; all present at his burial doing homage to this our aged Thomas de Temporibus.

LORD MAYORS.

1. Roger Acheley, son of Thomas Acheley, of Stanwardine, Draper, 1511.

2. Rowland Hill, son of Thomas Hill, of Hodnet, Mercer, 1549. 3. Thomas Lee, son of Roger Lee, of Wellington, Mercer, 1558. 4. Thomas Lodge, son of William Lodge, of Cresset, Grocer,

1562.

5. Rowland Heyward, son of George Heyward, of Bridgenorth, Clothworker, 1570.

6. Robert Lee, son of Humphry Lee, of Bridge-north, Merchant Tailor, 1602.

7. John Swinnerton, son of Tho. Swinnerton, of Oswestry, Merchant Tailor, 1612.

8. Francis Jones, son of John Jones, of Glaverly, Haberdasher, 1620.

9. Peter Probey, not recorded of White-church, Grocer, 1622. 10. Allen Cotton, son of Ralph Cotton, of White-church, Draper, 1625.

11. George Whitmore, son of Will. Whitmore, of Charley, Haberdasher, 1631.

12. Thomas Adams, son of Thomas Adams, of Wem, Draper, 1646.

See we here a jury of lord mayors born in this (which I believe will hardly be paralleled in a greater) county. All [no doubt] honest men, and true.

NAMES OF THE GENTRY OF THIS COUNTY,

RETURNED BY THE COMMISSIONERS IN THE TWELFTH YEAR OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH.

(*) William bishop of Coven. and Lichf. and (b) John de Talbot, knight; (c) Richard Laken, and William Boerley, (knights for the shire) ;-Commissioners to take the oaths.

Willielmi Malory, Militis.

Johannis Fitz-Piers.

Willielmi Poynour.
Richardi Neuport.

Willielmi Lodelowe.

Richardi Horde.

Thomæ Hopton, de Hopton.

Richardi Archer.

Johannis Wynnesbury.
Thomæ Corbet, de Ley.
Thomæ Corbet, de Morton.
Johannis Bruyn, senioris.
Thomæ Charleton.

Richardi Peshale.

Thomæ Newport.
Georgii Hankeston.
Johannis Brugge.
Thomæ Banastre.
Hugonis Harnage.
Leonardi Stepulton.
Hugonis Cresset.

Johannis Skryven.

Nicholai Sandford.
Griffin Kynaston.

Johannis Bruyn, junioris.

Hugonis Stepulton.

Simonis Iladington.
Alani Wetenhull.
Richardi Sonford.

Johannis Otley.

Edwardi Leighton de Mershe,

Edmundi Plowden.

Thomæ Mardford.

Rogeri Bromley.
Richardi Lee.
Humfridi Cotes.
Willielmi Leighton.

Richardi Horton,

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(a) This William was William Hieworth, bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, of whom hereafter.*

(b) Sir John Talbot, (though here only additioned Knight) was the Lord Talbot, and eight years after created earl of Shrewsbury, of whom before.†

(c) Richard Laken, the same family with Lacon, whose seat was at Willily in this county, augmented both in blood and estate by the matches with the heirs of, 1. Harley; 2. Peshal; 3. Passilew; 4. Blunt of Kinlet.

My hopes are according to my desires, that this ancient family is still extant in this county, though I suspect shrewdly shattered in estate.

The commissioners of this shire were neither altogether idle, nor very industrious; having made but a short and slender return, only of 45 principal persons therein.

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