A few questions about the Shute/ Offley descent

[Matthew Connolly]

Great work, John - I have a link to these Shutes and have done a bit of work on them, but hadn't seen several of your references. This is how I have the same generations at the moment:

Francis Shute, Citizen and goldsmith d.1608=Mary d.1606
Francis Shute, Middle Temple School, b.1592=Elizabeth
Benjamin Shute, Dyer of London d.1681=Mary (Caryl?)
Samuel, Benjamin, John et al.

The top is from Percival Boyd's "Inhabitants of London" collection; I agree that Frances Meautys was not wife of Francis, for as well as the references to her husband being called Edward, he is also described as son of a Thomas Shute (presumably the brother of Robert MP and Francis).

The rest is from the PCC will of Benjamin (d.1681), PROB 11/367/364 - in it he names, inter alia, his wife Mary; mother Elizabeth and father Francis, deceased; sons Samuel, Benjamin and John; daughters Mary and Martha; brothers Samuel Shute, Thomas Abney, Joseph Caryl and Joseph Grey; mother Caryl; sisters Chetwood and (Monson/Moxon?); and cousins Francis Shute, Barnabas Shute, Knightley Chetwood, Thomas Banister, (Edmund?) Temple, etc.

Rev. Joseph Caryl also left a PCC will (PROB 11/341/403), in which he names wife Anne, only son Joseph, daughter Elizabeth (a minor) and son in law Samuel Shute. (The latter married Anne Caryl in 1658.) Boyd also gives Caryl a daughter Sarah, wife of Sir Thomas Abney, which explains the references to him as a brother in the will of Benjamin Shute; it looks like the latter's wife Mary could have been another daughter of Caryl he didn't mention in his will, but more proof would be useful.

Dr. Knightley Chetwood, called cousin by Benjamin Shute, was apparently married to Anne, daughter of Samuel and Anne (Caryl) Shute; don't know if these are the same Chetwoods he also calls brother and sister.

-Matthew

[Matt A]

On Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at 4:34:52 PM UTC-5, ravinma...@yahoo.com wrote:
> No, it wasn't Elizabeth Temple, widow of Edmund, but probably her daughter Hannah (Temple) (Banaster) Egerton who mentioned "my son Shute":
>
> Footnote: "At least the will of Elizabeth Temple, relict of Edmund, dated April 24, proved Dec. 15, 1657, after bequests to her three sons, Peter, Joseph, and Benjamin, gives a similar one to daughter Hannah Egerton; and, without mention of any other, proceeds to notice a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It therefore seems to be this Hannah, and no one else, who in a memorandum relative to accounts of her mother's, and made apparently on the occasion of the latter's decease, speaks of 'my mother's debts, to my son Shute' (whence an appearance of yet a prior husband of that name, Shute) ..."
>
> http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000001252729;view=1up;seq=155
>
> Or it could be she had a daughter by Banaster or Egerton who married a Shute.
>
> Anyway, that page might be important, mentioning as it does the place-name of Upton, and persons called Shute, Temple, Banaster, and Craddock.

I usually find that the University of Leicester's Special Collections digital copy of Nichols' Leicester to be more clearly scanned than sites such as Google Books or Hathitrust, it doesn't suffer from the non-U.S. IP address/proxy problem.

Here is the page with the Banaster pedigree:

http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15407coll6/id/6226/rec/31

-Matt Ahlgren

[Matthew Connolly]

Excellent spot about the Temple/Banaster connection - it seems highly likely the link is there somewhere; Upton is indeed mentioned in Benjamin's 1681 will. So maybe the name Benjamin came into the Shute family through this marriage, after Benjamin Temple? I don't have the actual will to hand, just some notes I scribbled from it, but reviewing them I see a "Mr Thomas Andrews of London" is also named - possibly as a cousin, although my notes seem ambiguous on that point.

This has prompted me to look again at the Boyd reference - I think it's more speculative, as he put a question mark by the first Francis being son of Robert Shute and Thomasine Burgoyne, so it may be someone else of the same name; probably safest to stick with Francis Shute of Upton, with wife unknown (probably not Frances Meautys) unless some more evidence turns up (the Middle Temple reference seems to be a mistake too, not sure where that came from).

[sangreel]

Just some notes from my Offley GEDCOM:

Research Notes:
*****************
Virginia heraldica: being a registry of Virginia gentry entitled to coats of arms: edited by William Armstrong Crozier, Page 13:
OFFLEY. Princess Anne county.
Arms: Argent on a cross pattee flory azure, a lion passant guardant or, between four Cornish choughs ppr.
Sara Oflley, daughter of Robert Offley and Anne Osborne, was baptized at St. Benet's, London, 16 April, 1609; married 18 July, 1627, at St. Anne's, Blackfrlars, to Adam Thorowgood, and died in Virginia in 1627. Her tomb at Church Point, Princess Anne county, has the above arms.
The English pedigree of Oflley is as follows:
(1) John Offley, of Staffordshire, married Margery.
(2) William Offley, Mayor of Stafford in 1517, married twice.
(3) Robert Offley, eldest son of the 2nd marriage, born at Chester, removed to London and was buried at St . Benet's, 29 April, 1596.
(4) Robert Offley, married 3 Feb., 1588, to Anne Osborne; he died 16 May, 1625. Anne Osborne was the daughter of Sir Edward Osborne, Knt., Lord Mayor of London in 1585. (5) Sara Offley. wife of Adam Tborowgood, member of the Virginia Council in 1637.

http://books.google.com/books?id=nk4SAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA13&dq=%22William+Offley%22&hl=en&ei=yM3kTOKPCIbCsAO7ubSxCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CDgQ6AEwBTgo#v=onepage&q=%22William%20Offley%22&f=false

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The heraldic visitations of Staffordshire By Sir Richard Saint-George, Sir William Dugdale, Page 224

http://books.google.com/books?id=gfwcAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA224&dq=%22William+Offley%22&hl=en&ei=rsfkTKXdJoiasAOFiL2xCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22William%20Offley%22&f=false

Sir Thomas Offley, Knt., Lord Mayor of London in 1556, was a MerchantTaylor, and, according to Stowe, " sounc to William Offley of the city of Chester." William Offley, says Shaw (i., 124), was a mercer, twice bailiff of Stafford, and also Alderman of Chester. " He was a person uncommonly fortunate in his children, having seven sons all very prosperous, and five daughters all well married."

A pedigree in the Harl. MS. 6128 makes Sir Thomas son of Richard Offley of Chester, i Aj Henry Offley, Esq., s. and h.,=i=Mary, da. of Sir John White, Knt., died 3 Sept. 11 Jac. Keg. Lord Mayor of London. b _by_^ ■ .. da. to .... Cradock, and gives him two sisters, Margaret, wife of Stephen Kirton of London, and Isabel, married to Nicholas Leveson of London.

According to Shaw's pedigree of Leveson, Margaret, da. of a William Offley, was second wife of James Leveson, brother of Nicholas, and the wife of Nicholas was Dionysia, da. and fh. of Sir Thomas Badeley, Knt., which is confirmed by the (augmented) Visitation of London in 1568 (Hart. 8oc.,p. 18), wherein the wife of Nicholas Leveson is called " Dennis, da. of ... . Bodley." In the same volume, p. 64, is a pedigree of Offley, in which Sir Thomas is called son of ... . Offley, by the da. of ... . Cradoke, and is stated to have died "die Mercurij 29 Aug. 1582, inter horas 2 et 3 in matutino...

**" The will of " Sir Thomas Offley, Knt., Citizen and Alderman of London," is dated 5 Aug. 1580 and was proved 24 Oct. 1582.
** He desires to be ' buried in St. Andrew's ITndershaft, near the burial-place of David Woodruffe, Alderman, where Joane my late wife lies ; but if he should die in Staffordshire he wishes to be buried in the church of Madeley.
** He states that he was born in Stafford, and gives £100 to the poor of that town, " to follow in its dispositions the directions left by my sister Margaret for her legacy to the poor of Stafford."
** He mentions Margaret Kirton " my late sister,"
** John Offley " my brother, and my sister his wife,
** Robert Offley and his wife,
** Thomas Offley and his wife,
** Richard Offley and his wife,
** Hugh Offley and his wife,
** William Offley and his wife,
** Gyles Jacob and his wife,
** Robert Bowyer and his wife,
** his cousin Thomas Kirton and his wife, and
** his cousin Richard Whyte and his wife.
** One half of his goods to his son Henry Offley, and
** the other half to his executors for poor maids' marriages, for relieving and helping poor students at the Universities, and for other charitable purposes.
** He gives to John Offley, servant with David Rogers, grocer upon London Bridge, and to his heirs, certain houses in the city of Chester;
** to his brother John Offley and Alice his wife for their lives a farm called " Thomas Hill," now in the occupation of the said John Offley;
** and to Gabriel Harries, "now dwelling with me," and his heirs, a farm in Hatfield Peverel, co. Essex.
** " My very good friend the Right Hon. Sir Thomas Bromley, Knt., Lord High Chancellor of England,
** and my brothers Robert and Hugh Offley to be my three executors."
** His brothers John and Richard Offley and his servant John Weston to be overseers.
** Of Sir Thomas's brothers, William, a Merchant-Taylor, married Anne, da. of William Beswick, Alderman and Draper of London, and by her (who was married secondly to Sir Henry Bromley, Knt., of Holt, co. Worcester, son of the Lord Chancellor, and thirdly to Dr. John Thornborough, Bishop of Worcester) had issue fifteen children, of whom (says his M.I. at St. Laurence Jewry) only five survived their infancy, viz., William, Elizabeth, Margaret, Robert, and Mary. Richard, another brother, married Jane, da. of Sir William Chester, Knt.;
** and Robert, son and heir of Robert Offley, another brother, married Anne, da. of Sir Edward Osborne, Knt., Lord Mayor in 1583, and ancestor of the Dukes of Leeds. (See ' The Chesters of Chicheley,' by E. C. Waters ; Stowe's ' London,' etc.)

The will of Margaret Kirton, Sir Thomas's sister, "late wife of Stephen Kirton of London, Alderman," also gives some genealogical information about the Offleys.
** It is dated 28 Oct. 1571 and was proved 5 June 1573.
** She mentions her brother Sir Thomas Offley and " my lady his wife," and gives black gowns to " each of my brethren and their wives, to witt:
** Robert Offley and his wife,
** Thomas Offley and his wife,
** William Offley and his wife,
** Richard Offley and his wife, and
** Hugh Offley and his wife.
** Mentions Giles Jacobb and his wife,
** my cousin Henry Offley and his wife,
** my brother John, and
** Mary Offley da. to my brother John.
** Leaves money for charitable purposes to the town of Stafford at the discretion of her cousin Matthew Cradocke, or " for lack of him " to 'her cousin George Cradocke or her cousin William Uraaocke.
** Executors, her son Thomas Kirton and her brother Robert Offley.

***

MORE ON WILLIAM:
http://books.google.com/books?id=L58RAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA217&dq=%22William+Offley%22&hl=en&ei=rsfkTKXdJoiasAOFiL2xCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22William%20Offley%22&f=false

***
Sir William Chester was elected M.P. for the City of London in the second parliament of Queen Elizabeth, which met on 11th Jan. 1562-3, and commenced its labours by enacting that it should be high treason to refuse the oath of supremacy after it had been twice tendered. The only notice that I have found of Sir William's parliamentary career is, that he was one of the committee appointed on 30th October 1566 to hold a conference with the Lords touching the petition of both Houses to the Queen about her marriage. (15) Parliament was dissolved on 2d January 1566-7, and no other parliament was called until April 1571, when Sir William was on the point of retiring from public life. He had been in 1566 one of the Commissioners appointed by the City to purchase the land on which Gresham built the Royal Exchange, and had contributed 10/. towards the purchase money, (1 6)

In the next year he contracted a second marriage. His home had for some time been solitary, for his sons were all launched into life, and his daughters were all married. He married at St. Lawrence Pountney, 10th November 1567, Joan,* daughter of John Turner of London, and widow of William Beswicke, alderman and draper, who had died 5th May 1567, and whose daughter Anne had married in the preceding year William Offley, merchant taylor, the brother of Sir William Chester's son-in-law Richard Offley. (17)

Very little has been recorded about Sir William after the period of his second marriage. In 1568 he entered his pedigree at the Visitation of London, from which it appears that he had then living four sons and four married daughters. The pedigree of Chester stands first in this Visitation, and has been printed at page 32 of this volume. It is worth observing how imperfectly these heraldic pedigrees set forth the complete genealogy. The three married daughters of Nicholas Chester

NOTES: Parish Registers of St. Lawrence Ponntney, London.
1565-6, Feb. 11, Mr. William Offley and Aftnes Beswicke married.
1567, May 13, Mr. William Beswicke, Draper, buried.
1567, Nov. 10, Sir William Chester, Kt. and Alderman, and Mrs. Jonc Beswicke, widow, married. 1572, Dec. 23, Dame Joan Lady Chester, buried.

http://books.google.com/books?id=OaxCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA36&dq=%22William+Offley%22&hl=en&ei=rsfkTKXdJoiasAOFiL2xCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CE4Q6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%22William%20Offley%22&f=false

***

http://books.google.com/books?id=OaxCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA36&dq=%22William+Offley%22&hl=en&ei=rsfkTKXdJoiasAOFiL2xCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CE4Q6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=%22William%20Offley%22&f=false
***

Ancestral records and portraits: a compilation from the archives ..., Volume , By Colonial Dames of America. Chapter 1 (Baltimore, Md.), Grafton Press, Page 348
OFFLEY
Arms: Argent on a cross pattie ftory azure, a lion passant or, between four Cornish choughs ppr., beak* and legs, gules.
Crest: A demi-lion rampant, per pale or and sable collared gules, holding in his paw an olive branch stalked and leaved vert, fructed or.
In Stafford, Eng., lived John Offley and Margery, his wife, who were the parents of William Offley, twice Mayor of Stafford, who removed to Chester and was alderman of that city, 1517. He had issue by two marriages. His second wife was Elizabeth, the daughter of William Rogerson (who died 1519), an alderman of Chester. He had seven children.

http://books.google.com/books?id=-xEwAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA348&dq=%22William+Offley%22&hl=en&ei=IszkTIcxkaCxA93u-bAL&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepage&q=%22William%20Offley%22&f=false

***

The Genealogist, Volume 19, page 1
A MANUSCRIPT RELATING TO THE FAMILY OF OFFLEY.

A pedigree is to a family history as the skeleton to the living creature. The facts of birth, marriage and death are essential, but one longs to clothe them with the details of personal interest. This has been done for three generations of the Offleys by the author of the following pages, and after nearly three hundred years his chronicle seems worthy of publication. The style has the charm of the period in which the Authorised Version gave a standard to literary English: the matter illustrates a phase of social life at a time in which after faction fights had ended with the wars of the Roses, the benevolent despotism of the Tudors encouraged the growth of a wealthy middle class, the foundation of the landed gentry of England.

No one can study the Heralds' Visitations without noticing the close connexion between the City and the country gentry. For the younger son in those days the professions can hardly be said to have existed. He had either to accept the position of a dependent of his elder brother, and to see his children sink into the ranks of the yeomanry, or to seek fortune by trade in the towns. On the other hand, the elder brother not infrequently consolidated his position by a judicious alliance with the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and the merchant found in the purchase of land the only permanent investment for his accumulations. The action and reaction of these movements is shown very clearly in the text.

Sir Thomas Offley can hardly have come to London as a stranger. " His Mr. Nichells" had connexions in Staffordshire, if he was not himself of that county by birth. From the first the path was made smooth for the industrious apprentice. It is pleasant to note that when fortune smiled upon him, like Joseph of old, he was not unmindful of his kindred, but brought up his brothers and sisters to share in his prosperity. He lived and died a merchant of London, but he purchased Madeley Manor in Staffordshire, which remained for many years the principal seat of his descendants.

The manuscript is in the possession of Miss Martin-Edmunds, of Worsbrough, near Barnsley. It passed to the Edmunds family by the marriage (18 June 1767) of Francis Edmunds, of Worsbrough, with Hannah Maria, daughter of Joseph Offley, of Norton in Derbyshire, and coheiress, with her sister Urith, wife of Samuel Shore, of that Edmund Offley, the disposition of whose estates forms the subject of Mr. Hunter's work, " A True Account of the B

Alienation and Recovery of the Estates of the Offleys of Norton in 1754" (London, 1841, 12mo). It was known to Mr. Hunter who quotes it in his " Chorus Vatutn," and to Dr. Samuel Pegge, the antiquary, who in a manuscript history of the owners of Norton, also in the possession of Miss Martin-Edmunds, makes it the basis of his account of the Norton branch of the Offley family.

As to the authorship of the document nothing definite can be said. Internal evidence shows it to have been written in the reign of James I, and Dr. Pegge was disposed to attribute it to " this William Collins" whose kinship to the Offleys is traced at the beginning of the history. It is an equally plausible conjecture that it was the work of John Weston, the younger, son of the wise and discreet servant who secretly married Ellen Offley, Sir Thomas's favourite niece, to his " great choller." There is a personal note in the account of the reconciliation and of the expectation of favours to come, which Sir Thomas's untimely death frustrated. The Westons lived in the neighbourhood of Madeley, and it was at Madeley that the sight of Sir Thomas's picture pendent in the dining chamber rejoiced the heart of the author.

Whoever he may have been, it has been thought better to let him tell his tale without comment and to reserve for the conclusion a pedigree illustrating the somewhat intricate relationships which he describes, and the later generations of the Offleys.

G. C. Bower.

A Comemoracon of the Life of Willia Offley Bayliffe of Stafford, & after Alderma of the Citty of West chester & of the fortunate blessings of god in his children & posterity.

If rare & admirable qualities of or Auncestors deserve a Thankfull acknowledgem' of theire worthy life & deeds; And that noe Man is borne for himselfe, For parents, Kindred Freinds yea & antient servants may challendge some pte of their godly and vertuous Acts. Nemo sunm querat nee enim sibi nascitur ullus. Non nobis sol um nati sumus. Soe then may I rehearse 'fe acknowledge some pte of that I have credibly heard; & most that I have knowne & scene of that worthie Mr. William Offley, [who twice bare the cheifest office in the Burrow Towne of Stafford. Pia et venerabilis series & propago Cradocis et Dorringtoni And by his Trade was A mercer;]' who was married to one of the Dorringtons Daughters of Stafford, & Mr. Craddock married the other sister; his Father John Offley then livinge having to wife one Margery, who after was married to one Dillarne a Man of good estate & abilitye in Stafford. This Margerie was Mother to Wm Offley, & Grandmother to Sr Thomas Offley, & by this came the kindred betweene Offley & Collyns, Margery Offley, & after Margerie Dillarne Grandmother to Sr

1 The passage within square brackets has been scored through in the manuscript.

Thomas Offley & mother to ould ,Wm Collins wife, who was Grandmother to this Wm Collins. But now concerninge Wln Offley hee had by his first wife two sons, viz' Thomas & John, This Thomas was sent to London when hee was but xii Yeares of age, & was put apprentice to Mr. John Nechells merchant Taylor of London, & merchant of the Staple at Callice, This Mr. Nechells was of great acquaintance w'h Mr. William Lillie who made the Grafner now called Lyllies Grafner, & was newly elected sehoolemr of Jesus schoole in Pauls churchyard, of the foundation of that worthie Docf Collett; And this Thomas Offley became a good Gramarian under Mr. Lillie, & understood the Lattine tounge pfectly, & because hee had a sweet voyce, hee was put to learne pricksong amongst the choristers of Paules, for that learned Mr. Lilleye knew full well that the knowledge in Musick was a help & furtherance to all arts. Musica mentis medicina mestse, for it is a great helpe to jmuntiacon & Judgm'. Pythagoras would admitt of noe scholler unless hee had some perfect knowledge in Musick, soe had this Thomas in both these arts above his Fell owes of that tender age. And now leaving the schoole but not his Love of Learninge, hee applyed himselfe to his trade of Mrchandize of the staple whereunto he was bound xiii yeares wherein hee pfited soe much by his wisdome & dilligence that hee deserved great love & liking of his Mr. Nichells insomuch that in the tyme of his apprentiship, hee preferred & pmised him his Daughter & heire Joane Nichells to be his wife, & that they should enjoy his lands & goods & snbstance. Johannes Nechels Duxit in uxorem Katherina filia et heredem Stephani Genings. And this Mr. John Nechels married the Daughter & heire of Sr Stephen Genings that worthie Knight Merchant Taylr of the Staple & founder of the Free Schoole in Wolverhampton & Maior of London in the last yeare of the Raigne of K. .Henry the Seaventh of Famous memory. This Thomas Offley being in such Favour & Creditt & estimacon w'h the worshipfull Cittizens & Merchants, sent for his three sisters to London, Margrett, Joane & Izabel. This Margrett was placed in service w'1' Mr. John Nechells, w'h whom her Brother Thomas Offley was prentise. And shortly after the decease of Katherine Daughter & heire of Sr Stephen Genings, this John Nechells tooke to wife his maide servant Margrett Offley, but hee had no issue by her; And here I have occation somwhat to write of the godly life & Death of this Mr. John Nechells who mainteined dayly a plentifull table, & releivcd most of the poore sort of his parish, a very religious and godly man detesting vice and embracing virtue ; from his mouth ever to all men pceeded gentle & loving words, & some little tyme before his Death & Departure sitting in his chaire, hee called his Servant Thomas Offley. And sd to him sonn Thomas I pray thee take money & goe to the Mercers shopp, & buy mee a paire of Sattin sleeves; That shalbe done Sr sd Thomas will you have any thing else, nothing sd Mr. Nechells but the blessing of god goe & be with thee, but before hee returned with the Sattin, most quiettly & in his chaire hee departed this life. And soe noe doubt hee prophesied truly of this .Thomas Offley, for the blessing of god followed him all the dayes of his life; for Imediately after hee was chosen Mr. of his Company of the M'chant TayloTM, & shortly after was elected Alderman, & in Queene Maries was sherriffe of London. Queene Marie sent to her sherriffe Thomas Offley a guilt & graven armour, and xii guilt & graven partisons out of the tower of London in 1553: Guilford Dudley was Delivrd by the Leivetennant of the tower to Thomas Offley to be beheaded at the tower hill, 1553: In a troublesome tyme when Wyatt of Kent rose wlh an army against the Spaniards, & this worthie sheriffe saved many that should have dyed for this Conspiracy, & w'hin two yeare after was Maior of London, the yeare before Callice was lost; & in his tyme of Mairallitie was a great dearth of Corne, but it was not seene nor felt in the Lord Maiors howse, His expences were great when hee was sherriffe & in his Mairalitye, & in the yeare after his losse was greater when Callice was lost from the English. For hee lost lands & wools & great substance, yet hee greived not thereat but gave god thankes, as well for the adverse fortune as for his Asperity. Hee continued Alderman untill the 25 yeare of Queene Elizabeth of Famous memory, & was cheife Alderman & Father of the Citty many yeares, welbeloved in Court & Countrey; hee was Maior of the Staples both of England & Westminster above twenty yeares, & although the Order & Custome was every yeare to make theire election for theire Maior, of him still they made there choice as a man most worthie of the place, and Dignity thereof, for in the absence of the Lord cheife Justice the Recognizance of the Staple are acknowledged before the Maior of the Staple & the Recorder of London. Hee was alsoe chosen by her Maiesty to assotiate the Lord Mountague in his Embassage to the Citty of Bruges in Flaunders. He waa knowne to her Maiesty, for kneeling before her at the Knighting of the Lord Maior, shee comanded two of her gentlemen pensioners to take him from kneeling & to sett him upon his Feet. I know you well sd shee Mr. Alderman, & I knew you in my Father's tyme; this [thus] was hee beloved in Court & Countrey. A loving landlord to his tenents noe Raiser of Rents nor taker of Fines but being urged thereto by his tenants. Of the bodie of his Lady Dame Joane, hee begat three sons whereof two. dyed in theire minority, & the eldest Henry was brought up in his youth in learning & in a vertuous & godly life, could speake & understand the Lattine & french toungs, very expert in the art of ... l and in keeping of accompts, could indite well, did write a faire & legible hand, was factor for his Father in the Citty of Bruges in Flaunders, sold his wools, received Flemish money, returned into sterling tablet to London payable by bill of exchange; & as hee was vertuously brought up in his youth, soe continued hee all the dayes of his life, an upright & just man, of zealous & sound Religion, fervent in prayer, frequented churches, dilligent in attending & hearing Lectures & Sermons, given to hospitality pittying & releiving the poore. Hee was married by the consent of parents & Freinds in a worshipfull i Blank in the MS.

Family, to one of Sr John Whites Daughters who was sherifle of London when his Father Sr Thom : Offley was Maior, hee had by his wife Mary three sons & one Daughter the eldest sone Thomas Offley died before his Father Henrie he was full of Melancholy & fell into a Consumption, & died when hee was about Sixteene yeares of age. Henry the Second sone dyed in his swadling cloathes. Mary the Daughter next child to Thomas dyed when shee was eight yeares of age & was interrd in Sk Andrews Undershaft in the high chancell by her Grandmother Dame Joane Offley; John Offley the youngest sone (who is twenty yeare younger then his eldest Brother Thomas) liveth now a K' in Staffordshire in great authority & estimacon, marryed the Daughter of Mr. Fuller Esqr a man learned in the lawes beloved of the Aldermen & Comon Counsell in London, for that at every parliam' they elected him for one of the Burgesses; & hee spake his Conscience & was not affraid, & was not afraid of there Faces, in behalfe of the zealous preachers that were silenced; against the Lordliness of some y' were in authority; hee was as bould as Father Lattimer. This Sr John Offley K> was high sherriffe of the County of Stafford, & attended the Kings Maiesty, at his returne out of Scottland throughout the sd County in An" 1618.

But to returne to Wm Offley his Daughters, Margrett the eldest that was marryed to Mr. John Nechells, who as you have heard had no issue by her but left her very rich, & being a beautifull woman of a goodly complexion, tall & in her best tyme, after was married to Stephen Kirton Cousen & Godsofie to that worthy K' Sr Stephen Jenings who had by his wife Margrett two sons Thomas & John Kirton,
This John the younger was a very beautifull man, and at Bruges in Flaunders was tearmed a second Absolon, the Angell of English men, & hee dyed in his best tyme unmarried.
Thomas the elder Brother was married in a worshipfull stock & after the decease of his Father Stephen Kirton Alderman of London (who lyeth interrd in the upper end of the Chancell in the church of Sl Andrews Undershaft in London) became a great M'chant & shipped much wools & afterward studyed the lawes & became a learned & expert lawyer, &, purchased lands in Northamptonshire & dwelled in a goodly house called Thorpp where hee builded & planted Orchyards & gardens, w'h all maner of pleasant Flowers, hearbs, & Fruits, w'h pleasant allyes & Walkes. A iustice of peace in that Countie, There hee lived at Thorpp & kept good hospitallity, & after he grew in yeares hee marryed his son Stephen Kirton (in house with him) who had the name & srname of his Grandfather who dyed Alderman of London as aforesd. Now touching the Daughters of this Alderman by Margrett his wife, one of the Daughters of old Wm. Offley; the eldest of them was married to Sr Nicholas Woodroffe somtyme Maior of London, who after leaving the Citty and giving up his Cloake (as the tearme is) had a goodly house Si estate in Hampshire about thirty miles from London, where hee & his Lady the Daughter of Mrs. Kerton dyed & left behind them sons & Daughters.

His Eldest sone Sr David Woodroffe K' who married one of the Daughters of Sr John White K' sister to Mrs. Offley, who was wife to Henry Offley esqr & mother to Sr John Offley; this David Woodroffe K' dyed, whose widow was married to Sr George Wrotesley K'. Sr Nicholas Woodroffe had his youngest Daughter Mary Woodroffe who was married to one Mr. Harding a Marchant who dyed & left his wife a rich widow in lands & livins, who after was marryd to Sr Thomas White brother to my Lady Wrotesley;

Also another Daughter of Stephen Kirton & Margrett his wife was married to Sr Richard White Kt:
The third Daughter of this Margrett Kirton was marryed to one Mr. White a marchant Tailor & marchant of the staple, & late apprentise to her Father Stephen Kerton, this Richard Whetell was greivously tormented w'h the rufting gout in the ioynts of his hands and could not Feed himselfe but somtyme w'h a sylver Forke Contra nodosam non est medicina podagratu. This Richard Whetell had one only Daughter bv his wife Margrett Whetell who was a beautifull Damsell & Concubine to Sr Thomas Mildmay K' who after the decease of the ould Lady Mildmay, made her Lady Mildmay, & shortly after this K' died, & his lady was married to Sr Francis Lacon of Roulett [1 Kinlett] in Shropshire. The fourth Daughter of Margrett Kerton was married to Mr. Dutton of Shcrbourne in the County of Glocester marchant of the staple a man of great estate & worship A younger brother of the Family of Dutton of Dutton of the greatest worship of Cheshire & Lancashire, the most famous house (the nobillity excepted) in those Countyes. This Dutton married his children in worshipfull Familves one to Mr. Fettiplace learned in the lawcs a Famous Counsel lr; & other Daughters that be ladies of worship, His soiie & heire is lame & impotent, as the almighty by nature hath framed him ; else doe I marvell that hee doth not challendge the Lands honor & Dignity of Dutton, for that I have heard reported that it was entayled upon the heires male. I cafiott name all that are descended from this Stephen Kirton and Margrett his wife Daughter to W"i Offley, and eldest sister to Sr Thomas Offley. And now concerning Izabell Offlev the second Daughter shee was married to one Mr. Blower a Rich Cittizen of the Company of Drapers, A man of Faire livings and lands beside his trade who had howses [in] Merck [Mark] lane, In tower street, in little eastcheape & in New fish streete, & in Eastham in Essex. This Blower had issue two,sons Thomas & John, This John Dyed in his prentiship, & Thomas was unthrifty & would not be ruled, but Frequented evill Company & sold his lands, some to his uncle Sr Thomas Offley, & some his mother Izabell bought & gave it by will to her Brethren Sr Thomas & Richard Offley putting them in trust to be good unkells ,V to have a .pvident care of her son Thomas who then had marryed a Dutchwoman & shortly after Thomas dyed in good and perfect memory to his last breath very penitent & sorrowfull for his sinfull life past; hee called upon god for mercy with weeping & teares comendinge his soule to his Savior ife Redeemer w'h such godly words that the preacher reported hee never saw any man dye more godly; soe ended the posterity of Blower whose lands came in question & in suits of lawe by one Goddard who fetched his Pedigree from 8 or 9 Discents, & was overthrown in his suite & was after compounded w'h to make a generall release for all his lands, & after that Goddards decease another Goddard his Nephew made a claime & entred suite for the same Lands & Henry Offley defended the title, and after him Sr John his sone, for a sum of money agreed with Goddard so that the Land is now quiett: And now touching Joane the third Daughter of Wm Offley & sister to Sr Thomas shee was married to one Thomas Michell of London Ironmonger one of the Richest Comoners within the Citty of London & dyed w'hout issue leaving a great substance to his wife of goods money & lands during her life, & after her Decease hee ordeyned that his executrs should sell the lands wch were 3 howses at Bassings hall w'h Judge Owen bought & builded a faire Dwelling house in Merrk [Mark] lane wch was also sould, & all to be bestowed upon Deeds of charity, to the hospitalls, for mending high wayes, for poore maids Marriages and other charitable uses wch houses were sold for 4 hundred markes & bestowed by the executrs Sr Thomas Offley & Sr Alexander Avenon Knights & Aldermen of London; ,t Sr Thomas enquired for some of the Kinred of the sd Mr. Michell in Staffordshire being poore on whom hee liberally bestowed leases & money to theire great Content. And this widow Michell by the advice of her Brother Sr Thomas Offley tooke to husband James Leveson M'chant of the staple at Callice, a younger & the second sone of Nicholas Leveson Alderman, a widower, for his first wife was Sr Rowland Hill's Daughter ife had by her 3 sons Sr Richard I-eveson, of Lulshell [Lilleshall], Walter Leveson of London Mrchant of the staple, & Edward Leveson of Perton Esqr, men of wisdome gravity & great substance, & by his latter wife Michells widdow hee had 2 Daughters, the elder was marryed to Walter Aston son & heire to Sr Edward Aston of Tixall a famous K' & mighty in livings Rents & services; the marriage was solemnized at Wolverhampton where for a fortnights space great pvision was made for all kind of meate, Beere ale wine & meates most plentifull, In all the Inns and victualling howses, wlh Cookes in every Inn, & Tents sett up in the Feilds, not only for the towne & Countrey adiacent, but for all strangers & passengers, that Journeyed through the towne, being a great markett and throughfayre, to the towne of Shrewsbury, Wales and the Citty of West chester, & all such were liberally received with wholsome and delicate Fare, franke and Free with horse meate and mans meate w'hout paym' of any money & soe were all travellers enterteyned during that tyme, such a solemne Franke & Free marriage was never heard of. They had betweene them many children whereof some dyed in theire minority & many were marryed in worshipfull houses according to there degree & estate. The other Daughter Joyce Leveson was marryed to John Gifford Esqr son & heire to Sr Thomas Clifford K' son & heire to Sr John Gifford, K' a noble Courtyer one of the best Bowmen and horsemen of England, a man in great Favour w'h that mighty King of Famous memory Henry the 8th. This Sr John Gifford builded that goodly house of Chillington where Elizabeth or late queene of England of Famous memory kept her Court in her pgresse in Staffordshire, soe did or noble King James keepe his Court at Tixall where hee sett Forth his pclamacon w'h these words in the latter end, Given at Tixall the xiith day of August in the xviiith yeare of or Raigne of England France & Ireland &c. Soe this noble King and Queene graced these Famous houses in Staffordshire. As touching the sons & Daughters of Sr Walter Aston of the howse of Tixall, Sr Edward Aston son and heire to Sr Walter, a worthy Justice of peace in the County of Stafford and Leicester, a man in estimacon with the privy Counsell, a man of gravity & wisdome in his youth in so much that the Lord Burleigh Lord Treasurer upon Conference w'h him, gave him that Cofhendacon, that hee deserved a better place then to be a justice of peace in Staffordshire, Robert Aston Esqr the second Brother a man learned in the lawes & a justice of peace in Staffordshire, & Recorder of Stafford : The Daughters also of Sr Walter Aston & his lady Neeces to Sr Thomas Offley were bestowed in worshipfull Familyes, the God-daughter of Sr Thomas Offley married to Mr. Astley of Patshall Esqr of Antient worship another to Wm Crompton of Stone Esqr, another to Sr Stephen Slaneys son & heire, after whose death shee was marryed to Sr Wm Chetwyn of Ingestry K': & others likewise were worshipf ully bestowed: In like maner were the Children of John Giffard of Chillington Esqr, for his sons men of great wealth, pollitique, couragious, & resolute in all attempts, Men of great wisdome, temperance and gentleness, so that they did deserve and continue that name of gentle Gifford. The Daughters likewise were bestowed in worshipfull Familyes, as the Lady Dormer in Northamptonshire & others there sisters matched & lincked to men of like worship & Dignity. And although the bestowing of these Daughters soe worthily matched, might seeme to draw away a great pte of wealth and living into other Families such pvident care hath beene forseene by these 2 worshipfull howses, that noe pte of ancient inheritance hath beene diminished from the heires, wch seldome may be seene to be performed in many noble houses where god hath blest with many noble children. And as touching Sr Walter Aston K' is in such creditt and Favour w'h his maiesty, who hath appointed him for his wisdome & singular Dexterity in Spaine to be an Embassador, doth obscure his Auncestors, in honor and Dignitye, although none can more illustrate there Predecessors, then they that obscure them in such sorte, and although much more might be spoken of the Lady Aston of the Offleys blood who was grandmother to this Lord Embassador and Mrs. Joyce Gifford mother to Walter Giffard of Chillington Esquire both being Neeces to Sr Thomas Offley, who from his youth to his ould age was a welbeloved Cittizen, a worthy marchant & a fortunate, a wise & a grave senatr, by whose love & acquaintance his sisters were advanced in Marriage. Soe that from "Wm Offley his Father are issued by good Fortune & Education, from the first wife in Stafford in the blood of the Offleys in three discents above foure psons of honor worship and gentillity. But it may be obiected that you show the Felicity of the man, but let us heare of his good & godly life, for it hath beene noted that hee hath beene too much given to the concupiscense of the flesh, & had Children illegitimate, noe marvell thereat for his wife & lady Dame Joane the Daughter & heire of Mr. John Nechells ; shee was civill vertuous & learned, meeke, mercifull, iust, sound, and chaste, from her cradle utterly avoyding the concupiscence of the flesh, and after shee came to the yeares of forty shee grew weake & infirme in body ife mind, for in her youth shee would write & cast accompts, & receive & pay for all the pvission & accompts bestowed in the howse, & by this infirmity shee was supposed not to contynue many yeares, whereas notw'hstanding shee lived above fourescore. And this Sr Thomas Offley the husband being of a pure sanguine complexion, wch is naturally inclined to a voluptuous life, to fullfill the desires of the Flesh, yett god so wrought in his hart that his mouth should nott offend according to the Psalmist, for hee was wont to say if god had appointed him a Fellowship, to his & her Contents, hee would never have trodd his shoes awrye. And in the Judgm' of men that was supposed that this lady after her such suddaine defect should not long continue, wherefore this Sr Thomas made choice of a vertuous sober & discreet matron, the widow of one Mr. Pike, whom hee had thought lawfully to have enioyed, but true it is that man may purpose & suppose, but god is hee that Doth determine and Dispose. This gentlewoman for her knowledge and nurture, mafters, wisdome and behavioi" was sought unto by many worshipfull Cittizens for the Educacon of there Children, in Knowledge, Nurture and behavior, & not only Cittizens but also the worshipfull in Courte and Countrey. Ladyes of honor and Nobillity by birth were taught & brought up at Bedd & Board by this Gentlewoman who was after marryed to one Raymond, it was not knowne what became of that Raymond, but shee bare the name of Mrs. Raymond, And Sr Thomas begatt 2 sons of her body, whom he vertuously brought up in learning, & they became good students in the University & hee provided them lyvings, wherein one of them liveth reverenced, for his calling place & learning, & in great creditt & love of his parishioners, the other & the elder god hath taken to his mercy. This Mrs. Raymond dwelt in the next house to the mansion howse of Sr Thomas, & for a long tyme shee dyned and supped w'h some of her Gentlewomen, that shee schooled at his Table; but this Gentlewoman growing into yeares departed from Sr Thomas his howse & placed herselfe a Mile of [off] having pvided sufficient mainteynance for her selfe where shee also lived in great Creditt and love of her NeighbTM & dyed rich, & left that to her son wch shee had by Ramond who unthriftily spent it, & shortly after Dyed, unto this Gentlewoman resorted many tymes Mr. Henry Offley to vissitt her & to have her advice & Councell if any thing did trouble him in body or mind. But now to returne to this worshipfull K' although hee sometymes was addicted to the lusts of the flesh, to performe the pleasure thereof, yet as it hath beene aforesd, hee never used his toung to speake any lascivious word or idle speech, the one being the pvocation of nature wch hath beene in many of the saynts of god, the other the instigation of the Divell; wrh his sin in p'formance of the lust of the Flesh is cleared A: covered by Xte his Savior and hee received in this world a iust reward for that syn, for the extreame punishm' & agony of the goute pceeding out of the extraordinary lust of the flesh, wch he was sore tormented withall twice in the yeare. In his old declining age A: in his extremity, he wold repeate these words in Lattine, Ego vero vermis sum, I verely am a worme & noe man, the reproach of the people & an abiect of men, I came naked into the world & so shall depart hence againe, All the glory and pompe I have in this world is but a puffe & a blast of wind ; It fell out soe by the will of the allmighty that hee & his ladie were sore tormented at one tyme, the one w'h the Ordinarie sickness of the goute, the other w'h the Sickness unto Death; whereupon hee sent for his brother Robert Offley whose advice & Counsell hee used in all his extremities, saying the tyme is, that my lady & wifes tyme now is come; that shee is like to depart hence out of this world, I eanot vissitt her for god hath visitted mee, And I desire you & my brother Hugh Offley, to helpe mee for j,visio for her Funerall, w"i Black & yard kerchiffes, for fourscore poore weomen & five, blacks for or Freinds & Kinsfolke, that this Funerall may be performed to the uttermost according to her calling and Degree; spare not for cost although it cost a 1000'i & soe was she interred in a large Vault, & monum' prpared for her & for Sr Thomas & the kinred & posterity of them & soe was shee accompanyed to the grave w'h funerall pompe of Heraulds, Baners & Mourners, & Mrs I,ivery of Marchant Taylors: After that god had taken to his mercy this his fellowship, whom hee loved cherished & mainteyned according to her calling &. Degree, bearing w'hall her infirmityes, & knowing by gods word that the life of man was but seventy yeares, & the rest but sorrow ,t travell, he wold not marry againe though he was moved by many of his Freinds to match himselfe w'h a rich & vertuous widow lady of the Citty, but hee knowing that by such meanes he might hinder the estate of his posterity wold not hearken to that motion, but prpared himselfe to make a godly ,t liberall testam'. And as he lived to god, so hee dyed to god, hee raised no Rents, nor tooke no Fynes of his tennants but what hee was urged unto by them, & then hee tooke no more then they offered & willingly gave him, Hee was liberall to the poore & espetially to his poore parishionrs & Neighbrs whom hee dayly releived, hee never sued man for Debt but one Clothier w'h whom hee compounded for halfe the Debt & released him ; to all the prison's in & about London hee gave releife weekly, hee was one of the chiefe masters of Xtes Hospitall, hee never putt any money to usury, Hee trusted by the blood sheding of his Savior that the blotts & Filthiness of his life were washed & cleane purged, & that hee might enter into the holy hill & Dwell in the Tabernacle of god, hee observed the precept of the xvth psalme; of his iust gotten goods, hee refreshed the bowells of the poore, supposing that to be the best usury, that is bestowed upon the Members of X'*. And by his last will & testament hee left all his Lands to his only son, <t the one halfe of all his goods & substance to his sofi likewise, And the other halfe for his Funeral Charges <t expences A: Legacies, wherein hee did nott forgett his Servants, his Kinred, & Fourscore & two Persons of poore people, w'h Gownes of good bt Cloth : hee remembred all the prisons in and about London liberally. Hee gave to Xtes Hospitall one hundred pounds, Hee gave to the townc of Stafford one hund'd pounds for young beginers for 2 yeares to trade w'hall (as his sister Kerton did in like mafier to the same towne), Hee gave 4 hundred Markes to be bes[t]owed upon poore honest maids marriages, upon poore schollers in the University, In the mending of highwayes & other charitable uses, at the discretion of Sr Thomas Bromley Kl Lord Chancellor of England, Hugh Ofiley Alderman and Robert Offley his Brothr, and John Offley & Richard Offley & his beloved servant John Weston his Overseers. And after his goods were this devided, betweene his sons his Funerall & Legacyes, the remainder likewise to be devided the one halfe to his sofie, & the other halfe to Charitable Uses at the discretio of his Executrs, Hee gave also to the poore of the ward where hee was Alderma, Aldgate Warden, certaine wood &. Coales at every tyme of Xtmas for seaven yeares after his Death. I canott remember all the good deeds, all the good benefitts but in parte I reioyce in this worthy K' when his savior shalbe his Judge and say unto him come thou blessed of my Father Ac, Dwell in my Tabernacle enter into my holy hill thou shalt never be removed For when I was hungry thou gavest mee meate, when I was thirsty thou gavest mee drinke, when I was naked thou clothest mee, when I was in prison thou vissitest mee &c.

There was for a Yeares space after every moneth a sermon in remembrance of him: notw'hstanding hee shalbe in everlasting remembrance, hee shall not be afraid of any evill tydings. A goodly monum' was erected for him in the Chancell of S' Andrews Undershaft in London, His worshipfull Grandchild Sr John OflIley hath his picture pendent in his Dyuing Chamber, the sight whereof doth reioyce my hart so often as I behold it. ( To be continued.)

***

Compiled by G. C. Bower and H. W. F. Habwood.
[The information derived from the Offley Manuscript printed in this volume (pp. 1-11, 83-88, 149-152, is here placed in italics.]

JOHN OFFLEY,i of Stafford, mar. Margery, dau. of .... She mar. secondly .... Dillarne, of Stafford. They had issue.

WILLIAM OFFLEY, twice Mayor of Stafford, and was afterwards of Chester. Sheriff of Chester, 1517. He mar. first .... dau. of . . . . Dorrington,'* of Stafford. " Mr. Craddock mar. the other sister." They had issue—

1. Sir Thomas Offley [A].
2. John Offley [B].
1. Margaret [C].
2. Elizabeth, or Isabel [D].
3. Margery4 [E].

He mar. secondly, widote of . . . . Rogerson, Alderman of Chester* They had issue—
1 Called Richard in a grant by Ryley, Norroy, Feb. 1654, to his great grandson Francis Offley of Elbing.
2 Sir Thomas Offley mentions in his will Frances Dorringtonne, dan. of John Dorringtonne, late of London, haberdasher, deceased.

* Margaret Kirton in her will mentions " my cousins Matthew, George and William Cradocke."

4 Not Joane as in the Offley Manuscript. See p. 225, note 2.

* But the will of William Rogerson of the City of Chester, Alderman, dated 18 April, proved P.C.C. 31 May 1519 (17 Ayloffe), contains legacies to " my sonne Will'm Offeley "... and " to my doughter Elisabeth his wif." " Will'm Offeley my sonne in lawe" is made an executor.

In a pedigree, probably compiled in the eighteenth century, now in possession of Sir Offley Wakoman, Bart., the second wife of William Offley, is called daughter of R. Rogerson, and she is said to have married after his death J. Wilde.

According to Ormerod's Cheshire (2nd edition, vol. i, p. 363), the inscription on, or under, William Offley's portrait at Chester calls his first wife Elizabeth Dillon, and his second Elizabeth Wright. His son Hugh (Inq. p.m., Series ii, 37 Eliz., C., vol. 243, No. 92) was seized of a messuage at Chester, " now or late in tenure of Hugh Rogers alias Rogerson, Alderman of the City of Chester," and of a messuage in Norgate Street in the said City, "now or late in tenure of Richard Wrighte."

The will of David Rogers, Cit. and Grocer of London, pr. P.C.C. 1582, mentions his consin Robert Offley, his brother Edw. Wylde, and his consin Hughe Rogerson, Alderman ; and that of his uncle John Rogers, also Cit. and Grocer of London, pr. P.C.C. 30 Dec. 1589, mentions his "coozen germyn" Mr. Robert Offley, and also Mr. William and Mr. Hughe Offley.



3. Robert Offley [F].
4. Thomas Offley [G].
5. Richard *Offley [H].
6. William Offley [I].
7. Hugh Offley [J].
4. Katherine [K].
5. Anne [L].

Line A.

I. SIR THOMAS OFFLEY, Knt., Merchant Taylor and Mayor of the Staples of England and Westminster, and of Madeley Manor, co. ^taff'. (which he bought 1 Ed. VI. from Sir Edward Bray, Knt., and Dame Joane, his wife, dau. and heiress of Sir Matthew Brown, Knt,),i Lord Mayor of London, 1556, born at Stafford (?) 1500, d. 29 Aug., bur. in St. Andrew's, Undershaft, 17 Sep. 1582. M.I. there. Will dat. 5 Aug. 1580, pr. 24 Oct. 1582, P.C.C. (39 Tirwhite). He mar. Joane (act. 21 a" 22 H. 8), dau. and heir of John Nechells [Nicholls], merchant Taylor of London and merchant of the Staple at Callice (d. 22 H. 8), by Katherine, dau. and heir of Sir Stephen Geniny» [Jennings], Knt., merchant of the Staple, Founder of the Free Grammar School at Wolverhampton, Lord Mayor of London in the last year of H. VII. (1508).2 She was bur. 20 Jan. 1578-9 in St. Andrew's Undershaft. They had issue —

1. Henry Offley, of whom presently (II).
2. Robert Offley,3 died a minor.
3. A son, died a minor.

II. HENRY OFFLEY, Factor for hi» father in the City of limges, and of Madeley,4 mar. first, 7 July 1567, at St. Bartholomew Exchange, Mary, dau. of Sir John White, Knt., Lord Mayor of London 1563.5 She died'in London, 5 Feb. 1607-8. He died there

i Feet of Fines, 1 Ed. VI., co. Staff., Trin. Term. 1547.

1 Sir Stephen Jennings (will dat. 24 Jan. 1522, pr. 28 May 1523) mar. Margaret, dan. of ... Kirton, and widow of William Buck. He was son of William Jennings of Teuby, co. Pembroke, by Ellen, dau. and coh. of William Lane, of Wolverhampton. (Visit. Staff. William Salt Soc., vol. v, part ii).

* Stated in Wilson's Hist, of St. Laurence Pountney to have married Dorothy, dau. of John Smith, Baron of the Exchequer.

4 Aped 46 years and upwards at the date of his father's death. Inq. p.m. of Sir Thomas Offley, 25 Eliz. C. vol. 200, No. 23.
6 Sir John White died 9 Jnne 1573. Will dat. 29 May, pr. 20 Aug. 1573, P.C.C. (40 Peter). Ho mar. first Sibell, sister of Sir Thomas White, of South Warnborough, co. Hants, and had by her, with other issue, Mary Offley. 3 Sept. 1613; will dat. 13 Nov. 1612, pr. 6 Sep. 1613, P.C.C. (79 Capell).1 I.P.M. 11 James I. They had issue—

1. Thomas Offley, died young, aged 16.
'2. Henry Offley, died " in his Swadling Clothes."
3. Sir John Offley, of whom presently (III).

I. Mary, died young, bur. in St. Andrew's Undershaft in the
High Chancell by her grandmother Dame Joane Ojfley.

III. SIR JOHN OFFLEY, Knt. (20 years younger than his elder brother Thomas) of Madeley, co. Staff. Aged 27, 10 Feb. 1613-14; Knighted at Theobald's 25 April 1615.2 High Sheriff of Staff. 1616 ; Deputy Lieut, of co. Staff., under, the Earl of Monmouth; twice M.P. for Stafford, and Gentleman of the Bedchamber to King James I; will dat. 4 Oct., pr. P.C.C. 11 Dec. 1645 (156 Rivers).3 He mar. (settlement May, 3 James I) Anne, second dau. of Nicholas Fuller, of Chamber House, co. Berks, " learned in the lawes," who was M.P. for the City of London in the 1st and 2nd Parliaments of Jac. I. They had issue—

1. John Offley, of whom presently (IV).
1. Elizabeth, wife of Sir Robert Jenney, Kt., son of Sir Arthur Jenney, of Knoddishall, co. Suffolk, Kt.
2. Anne.
3. Katherine (marriage license 16 March 1643-4, then 21) wife of Thomas Willys of St. Andrew's, Holborn (aged 26, 16 March 1643-4), son and heir of Thomas Willys of Ash in Hants. She mar. secondly, William Willys, Colonel of Horse in the service of King Charles I, brother of Sir Thomas Willys of Fen Ditton, co. Cantabr., Bart.
4. Sarah, wife of Peter Browne, citizen of London.

IV. JOHN OFFLEY, of Madeley; matric. at Trin. Coll., Oxon., 16 Oct. 1635, aged 16 ; Sheriff of co. Staff. 1649 ; died 1658 ; admon. P.C.C., 27 Oct. 1658, to Mary Offley, his relict. Mar. first, Dorothy, dau. of Sir John Lydcott, of Moulsey, co. Surrey (marriage license 13 July 1641, then about 24). She died s.p. Mar. secondly March 1647-8, Mary, dau. of Thomas Broughton, of Broughton, co. Staff. She was born 13 Dec. 1622, died 18 May 1718, at Offerton, co. Cest., bur. at Aston, in same county. M.I. They had issue—

1 He mar. secondly Elizabeth Clemonds or Clemence, who afterwards mar. Robert Butterton : " a woman of verie meane qualitie and deforce, who had bin sometime servant unto the said Henrie," according to orator ; but " of honest parentage " and a careful wife, according to defendant.—Chancery Proceedings, Jao. I. 0,V

3 Metcalfe's Book of Knights.

3 This will contains the following eurious bequest:—" I give a jewel done all in gold and enamelled, wherein is a caule that covered my face and shoulders when I first came into the world, to my daughter the Lady Elizabeth Jenney for life, and after her decease to her son Offley Jenney for life, and after his decease to my right heirs male for ever, and so from heir to heir so long as it shall please God to continue any heir male of my name."

1. John Offley, of whom presently (V).
2. Thomas Offley, of Lee in the parish of Armitage, co. Staff. ; set, 12, 6 April 1663 ; matric. at Ch. Ch. Oxford, 5 May 1668, aged about 16; died 1685; will dat. 20 June 1683, admon. P.C.C. 1 June 1685 ; mar. Frances, dau. of Colonel John Lane,1 of Bentley, co. Staff, (she was living 1685). They had, with perhaps other issue—

John Offley, of Bloomsbury Square, London, and Smallbury Green, co. Middx.; matric. at Brase-nose Coll, Oxf., 19 May 1694, aged about 16;died s.p. 1725, bur. at Heston, co. Middx.;will dated 28 Sept. 1716, proved P.C.C. 25 June
1725; mar. Mary . . . , who died at SmallburyGreen 1753, aged 92, bur. at Heston; her will dat. 18 Sept. 1748, pr. P.C.C. 4 April 1753.
Thomas Offley.
Henry Offley.
Walter Offley, matric. at Oriel Coll., Oxf., 15 July 1699, aged about 17 ; rector of Barthomley, co. Cest., and Dean of Chester; died 22 July 1721, admon. at Chester 1721 ; mar. Anne, dau. of William Lloyd, Bishop of Worcester.2
Charles Offley, matric. at Oriel Coll., Oxf., 23 March 1701-2, aged about 16.

Edward Offley, of Heston, co. Middx.; matric. at Queen's Coll., Oxf., 18 Dec. 1704, aged about 18; died s.p.; will dated 11 Sept. 1733, pr. P.C.C. 4 Feb. 1733-4.3

Gervas Offley, died an infant; bur. at Armitage, co. Staff.
Frances, wife of Philip Egerton, D.D., rector of Astbury, co. Cest.
1. Mary, wife of Sir Willoughby Aston, of Aston, co. Cest., Bart.
V. JOHN OFFLEY, of Madeley and Crewe, co. Cest., jure uxoris, to whom Isaac Walton dedicated the "Complete Angler;" aged 13, 6 April 1663; matric. at Ch. Ch. Oxon, 28 March 1667, aged 16;

1 The celebrated Colonel Lane, who, together with his sister Jane Lane, was instrumental in saving the life of King Charles II, after the battle of Worcester.

* One of the "Seven Bishops."

* He left to his niece Anne Offloy all his family pictures and a locket of King James the Secord's hair.

Sheriff of co. Staff. 1679; died Sept. 1688; bur. at Barthomley; mar. Anne, dau. and eventual heiress of John Crewe, of Crewe; born in Queen Street, London, Sept. 1649; mar. 24 April 1679, at Utkinton, co. Cest.; died 15 May 1711, aged 62 ; bur. at Barthomley. M.I. They had issue—

1. John Offley, of whom presently (VI).
2. Crewe Offley, of Whichnor, co. Staff.; Gentleman of the
Privy Chamber; M.P. for Bewdley, 1727 and 1729; will dated 18 May 1739, proved P.C.C. 19 July following; mar. Margaret, dau. of Sir Thomas Lawrence, of Chelsea. They had issue two sons—

(1). John Offley,1 of St. James', Westm., co. Middx., and of Whichnor, died s.p. 3 April 1784, aged 66; will 8 Nov. 1783, proved P.C.C. 3 April 1784.
(2). Lawrence Offley, ob. coel. 1749, set. 30; admon. P.C.C. 2 Nov. 1749.
1. Mary, mar. 19 Aug. 1701, at Crewe Hall, Robert (Needham), Lord Kilmorey. He died 2 Oct. 1710. She died at Windsor May 1765, aged 80.

VI. JOHN OFFLEY, of Madeley and Crewe, took the name of Crewe in 1708, born 1681, died 26 Aug. 1749, aged 68, M.I.; mar. Sarah, dau. of Morgan Price, of Nantgwared, co. Brecon, at May Fair Chapel, 1707. She died 8 May 1751, aged 69, bur. at Barthomley, M.I. They had issue—

1. John Crewe, of whom presently (VII).
2. Charles Crewe, M.P. for co. Cest., aged 17, 23 Nov. 1727, of Hart Hall, Oxford, and of Warmingham, co. Cest., mar. Sarah, only dau. and heiress of John Burn, of Chell, co. Staff., and had issue—

(1). Sarah, mar. first John Conway Glynne, secondly William Swinnerton, of Butterton, co. Staff.
(2). Anne, mar. 1770, John Lawton, of Lawton, co. Cest. (bap. 13 Sept. 1746, died 25 March 1804), d. 29 Nov. 1810.
3. Joseph Crewe, of Hart Hall, Oxford, D.D., Clerk in Holy Orders, Rector of Barthomley and Astbury, co. Cest.,
aged 13, 27 Nov. 1728, d. 1782 ; mar. Dorothy C? Catherine), dau. of Francis Heywood, of Holywell,
Oxford. She died 26 June 1740, bur. 4 July at Barthomley. They had issue—

1 He was one of the three pupils of Samuel Johnson at Edial Hall, near Lichfield, in 1736, with David Garrick and a Corbet of Shropshire. (See Harwood's Staffordshire).

John Crewe, of Bolesworth, co. Cest., aged 17, 15 July 1757, whose sole dau. and heiress, Elizabeth Anne (born 2 Oct. 1764), mar. 29 June 1784, at St. George's, Hanover Square, George Evelyn, Viscount Falmouth. She died 10 Aug. 1793.

4. Randulph Crewe, of Hart Hall, Oxford, LL.D., Clerk in Holy Orders, Hector of Barthomley and Warnringham ; born 6 Feb. 1717, died 20 May 1777; mar. Anne, dau. of John Read, of Llandinan Hall, Montgomeryshtre, and of the city of Chester, born 2 Nov. 1722, died 29 Dec. 1793. (See Burke's Landed Gentry, under Crewe-Read.)

1. Elizabeth, mar. John Foulkes of Chester.
2. Sarah, died 19 Aug. 1770; mar. Robert Lawton, of Lawton, bap. 6 May 1723, d. 19 March 1777.
3. Mary, mar. first John Manley, of Oakhanger, co. Cest. ; secondly, John Ley, Clerk in Holy Orders, of Lawton; buried at Barthomley, 28 June 1795, aged 87.

VII. JOHN CREWE, of Madeley and Crewe, aged 1*9, 14 Jan. 1726-7, of Hart Hall, Oxford ; M.P., co. Cest., 8, 15 and 21 Geo. II. ; died 18 Sept. 1752; mar. 1737, Elizabeth, dau. of Richard Shuttleworth, of Gawthorpe, co. Lane., and Forcett, co. York. She died 16 Nov. 1788, bur. at Barthomley. They had, with other issue—

JOHN CREWE, created Lord Crewe 25 Feb. 1806. (See Peerages.)

LINE B.

I. JOHN OFFLEY, of Chester (Sheriff 1544, Mayor 1553) and of Madeley, co. titqff'., in Nov. 1561 ; living 5 Aug. 1580 ; mar. Alice (who died before her husband, but was living 5 Aug. 1580), dau. of . . . . Rogerson, Alderman of Chester, by the second wife of his father William Ojjley,l and had issue—

1. Walter OJjhy, born at Madeley, died younfj.
1. .l,i,n- mar. Richard Gall, a public notary in London.
2. Elizabeth mar. first John Austin of the Grange, co. Staff., " a rich farmer who died without issue," secondly Philip
Bdlot of Morelon, co. Cest. (Ison of John Bellot of Moreton, by Joan dau. of Ralph Moreton of Little Moreton), and had issue a son John Bellot.

i The Offley Manuscript is here very circumstantial (nntc p. 150), but if this statement be true, Elizabeth, the second wife of William Offley, must have been previously the wife of a kinsman of her own. See p. 217, note 5.

3. Anne wife of Thomas Unwyn of Clough, co. Staff., and

had issue a son.

4. Ellen wife of John Weston of Madeley, one of the

Overseers of the will of Sir Thomas Ojjley, and had issue—

(1). John Weston, of Madeley, gent., aged about 56, in 1631 (Chan. Dep. Eliz.-Chas: I, -]-).
(2). Ann Weston, mar. Richard Mintridge " some time a follower of my Lord Gerard."
5. Mary mar Twyne, "learned in the law."

LINE C.

MARGARET OFFLEY, eldest dau., mar. first, as his second wife, John Nicholls, father-in-law of Sir Thomas Offley. She mar. secondly Stephen Kirton, Alderman of London, and merchant of the Staple at Calais, cousin (nephew) of Sir Stephen Jenings, Alderman of London; he died 1(5 Aug. 1 and 2 P. and M. ; bur in St. Andrew's, Undershaft; will dated 1 Feb. 1551-2, proved P.C.C. 29 Aug. 1553 (17 Tashe). She was bur. in St. Andrew's, Undershaft ; will dat. 28 Oct. 1571, pr. 5 June 1573-4, P.C C. (22 Peter). They had issue—

[1]. Thomas Kirton of Thorpe Mandeville, co. Northants, Common Serjeant of London, aged 16, 1 and 2 P. and M. ; died 20 April 1601, bur. 21 April; mar. Mary, dau. of .... Sadler, Alderman of London. She died 22 Feb. 1597-8, act. 60. They had issue: 1] Stephen Kirton, of Thorpe, aet. 21, 1601, died 7, bur. 8 April 1607; mar. Dorothy, dau. of George, second son of Sir John Cope, of Canon's Ashby, co. Northants. She was-bur. 11 April 1646.1
[2.] John Kirton, " The Angell of Englishmen," died unmarried.
[3]. Grissell Kirton, mar., before 4 June 1553, Sir Nicholas Woodrqff'e,2 Lord Mayor of London, of Poyle, co. Surrey; he died 18 May 1598, she died 15 July 1607. They had issue— (1). Sir David Woodroffe, Knt., of Poyle, co. Surrey, mar. Catherine, dau.s of Sir John White, Knt.,(2). Robert Woodroffe of Alvington, co. Glouc., mar. Mary, dau. of ... Fox, of co. Glouc., ob. s.p.(3). Stephen Woodroffe, of Tongham, co. Surrey, 1623. (1). Jane Woodroffe mar., as his first wife, John Machell, of Surrey, and had issue. (2). Mary Woodroffe, mar. first .... Harding, a rich merchant ;s secondly, Sir Thomas White, Knt., of Farnham, co. Surrey, brother to Lady Wrotesley.
[4]. Ellen Kirton mar. Sir Richard White, Knt., of SouthWarnborough, co. Hants. <-----------------
[5]. Jane Kirton, mar. before 1 Feb. 1551-2, Richard WhelM [Whethill], citizen and Merchant Taylor and Merchant
of the Staple, of the par. of St. Andrew's, Undershaft.3 They had issue an only dau., Margaret Whetell, mar.
first, Sir Thomas Mildmay, Knt., secondly, Sir Francis Lacon, of Kinletl, in Shropshire. Jane Kirton mar. secondly, before 28 Oct. 1571, .... Button.
[6]. Anne Kirton mar.4 Thomas Dutton, of Sherborne, co. Glouc., Merchant of the Staple, and had issue. She died in his lifetime. He died 4 Oct. 1581 ; will pr. P.C.C. 6 Nov. of same year. of London, dcccd.," dated 8 July 1574, pr. P.C.C. 24 Deo. 1576 (41 Carew), mentions " my dau. Katherine White, my two sons Thomas and John, my three other children, viz., John and William Allen and Margery Lightfoote; my husband Jasper Allen, my brother Richard Sodye, my sister Gibonn, Margaret Huse, my sons-in-law Lawrence Huse and John Lightfoote."

___________
1 For later descents, see Baker's Hist, of Northants.
* Son of David Woodroffe of London, Sheriff 1554, by Elizabeth, dau. of John Hill of London.
3 By his second wife Katherine, dau. of John Sodaye, of London, apothecary to Qneen Mary. She mar. first, Alderman Ralph Tireenway ; secondly, Jasper Allen, and was bur. 9 Oct. 1576, at St. Dunstan's in the East. Her will, as " Katherine White, widow, lato wife of Sir John White, Knight, late alderman sister to Mrs. Henry Offley. She mar. thirdly, Sir George Wrotesley, Knt., and died 13 Feb. 1603-4.i
i She mar. first William Harding, of Worplesdon, 14 April 28 Eliz. (1586).
* In the pedigree of Woodruffe (Manning and Bray, vol. iii, p. 176) her first husband is stated to have been Robert Cotton.
1 Born at Sheepy Magna, co. Leic.; will dat. 30 May 1565, as " Richard Whetell, the elder," pr. 23 May 1566 P.C.C. (13 Crymes); (••) father, by a previous wife Jane, dau. and heir of .... Billing, of Donnington, co. Oxon., of Richard Whetell, who mar. Dorothy, dau. of John Wrottesley.
4 The Visit, of Glouo. 1623 states that she mar. first Sir Thomas Withers, Knt. The will of Thomas Dutton mentions his "laste wief" Anne Kirton, deed., and Margaret his then wife (who "deserved no eurtesye" from him). By Anne Kirton he had two sous, William his heir (aged 20 years, 6 weeks and 3 days, 5 Dec. 1581) nnd Thomas, and a dau. Eleanor, who mar. at Sherborne, 24 Nov. 15N6, Ralph Salvin, of Newbiggin. He had another dau., Anne, wife of John Waruford, of Sevenhampton, but some pedigrees make her the child of a previous wife. The writer of the Offley MS. (ante, p. 6) appears to have confused the children of Thomas Dutton with those of his son William.

LINE D.

ELIZABETH, or ISABEL OFFLEY,' 2nd dau., mar. Thomas Blower, " a rich citizen of the Company of Drapers," of the par. of St. Dunstan's in the East, and had issue—

1. Thomas Slower, mar. a Dutchwoman, and died without \issue.

2. John Blower, "died in his Prentiship."

She mar. secondly .... Amcotts; her will as " Elizabeth Amcottes of London, widowe," dat. 21 Sept., pr. Arch. London 29 Oct. 1576.

E.

MARGERY OFFLEY,2 3rd dau., mar. first Thomas Michell, of London, Ironmonger, " One of the richest Com'oners within the City of London," but by him had no issue. She mar. secondly, James Leveson, merchant of the Staple at Callice. They had issue—

1. Elizabeth Leveson, mar. at Wolverhampton (Sir) Walter Aston, son and heir of Sir Edward Aston of 1'ixall, Knt., bur. at Wolverhampton. They had with other issue—

(1). Sir Edward Aston, J.P. for Stafford and Leicetter,

died 1597.
(2). Robert Aston, Recorder of Stafford.

1 Her first husband Thomas Blower in his will, dated 7 Nov., pr. 18 Deo. 1551 (P.C.C., 36 Bucke) desires to be bur. in St. Dtfnstan's, near the tomb of Alice, his lirst wife. The will of Margaret Kirton mentions her sister Isabel Hampcottes, and that of Alderman Robert Harding, dated 20 Nov. 1568 (P.C.C., 26 Babington), mentions " Mrs. Harucottos, Sir Thomas Offeley's sister."

- In the Offley Manuscript she is wrongly called Jonne, but the wills of her two husbands Thomas Michell and James Leveson prove that her name was Margery. The will of Thomas Michell, dated 9 Feb. 1526-7, was proved P.C.C. 12 April 1527, by the executors John Nicholls (husband of his wife's sister Margaret Offley) and Humfrey Barne. It was probably as executor of the former that Sir Thomas Offley took the active part in the administration of Michell's estate, described in the Manuscript. Shortly after her first husband's death Margery became the wife of James Levoson, son not of Nicholas, as in the Manuscript, but of Richard Leveson, and brother of Nicholas. James Leveson, in his will, dated 8 April 1545, and proved P.C.C. 28 Oct. 1547, made Margery his wife one of his executors, and desired that memory should be made upon his grave, or near it, of himself and his two wives Alice and Margery. His first wife was not daughter of Sir Rowland Hill, as stated in the Manuscript, but was clearly Alice dau. of Richard Wrottesley of Wrottesley. Alice, who was living 1518 (the date of her father's will) was the mother of three sons—Sir Richard Levoson, Walter Leveson, and Edward Leveson. Sir Richard, the eldest of these sons, in his will, dated 14 Oct., proved 28 Nov. 1560, made his "uncles" Sir Rowland Hill (his wife's great uncle) and Walter Wrottesley (his mother's brother) overseers. Richard Wrottesley, the father of Alice, in his will (of which there is an abstract printed in General Wrottealey's History of the Family of Wrottesley, p. 255), mentions his " son James Lewson."

(1). Margery Aston, mar. Thomas Astley, of Patshall. (2). Jane Aston, mar. William Crompton, of Stone.
(3). Katherine Aston, mar. first Stephen, son and heir of Sir Stephen Slaney, Lord Mayor of London 1595, secondly, as his second wife, Sir William Chelwynd, of Ingestre, Knt.1 She mar. thirdly, Sir Edward Cope, of Canon's Ashby, Knt.; died 1646, aged 80; buried in St. Giles in the Fields.

2. Joycf Leveson, mar. 1561 John Giffard, son and heir of Sir Thomas Giffard, Knt., son and heir of Sir John Giffard, Knt., who built Chilling ton.2 They had issue—

(1). Walter Giffard, of Chillington, mar. Philippa dau. of Henry White of South Warnborough, co. Hants, and had issue.
(2). Richard Giffard of Saredon, co. Staff., mar. (?) Elizabeth dau. of Thomas Leveson of Wolverhampton.
(3). Thomas Giffard ob. s.p.
(4). Gilbert Giffard.
(5). Giles Giffard.
(6). -George Giffard.
(7). Gerard Giffard of Hilton, co. Staff.
(8). Edward Giffard.
(1). Mary wife of Robert Brooke of Lapley.
(2). Cassandra wife of Thomas Cassey of Whitfield, co. Glouc.
(3). Jane wife of Sir John Dormer of Dorton, co. Oxon. She died 9 Sept. 1605, bur. at Crendon.
(4). Ursula wife of John Wakeman of Beckford, co. Glouc.
(5. Frances wife of Edmund Powell of Sandford, co. Oxon.
(6). Dorothy.

R

I. ROBERT OFFLEY, of Gracechurch Street, Citizen and Haberdasher, Merchant of the Staple, born at Chester, exor. of his 1 Mar. covenant 18 Jan. 1604-5. He died s.p. 14 Jan. 1613-14, aged 63.

* For the descendants of this marriage sec " The Giffards," by Major Gen. the Hon. George Wrottesley (Salt Soc.) At pp. 155, 156 of this work, the author quotes from the State Papers letters of Gilbert Giffard (4th son of Joyce) to his [great] uncle Hugh Offley. brother Sir Thomas Offley, bur. at St. Benet's, Gracechurch Street, 29 April 1596; will dat. (with three earlier) 9 April 1596, pr. P.C.C. 11 May 1596 (30 Drake). He mar dau. of ....

(1 Brakin V widow of Nicholas Rose of London, Haberdasher.2 She was bur. at St. Benet's, 8 Oct. 1572. They had issue—

1. Robert Offley, of whom presently (II).
1. Ursula, mar. 5 May 1572, at St. Benet's, Robert Brooke,3

Aldeiman of London. They had issue—

(1). Sir Robert Brooke, Kut., of Blythburgh, co. Suff., who mar. Joane, dau. of Sir Humphrey Weld, Lord Mayor of London.
(2). John Brooke, living 9 April 1596.
(1). Anne, bap. at St. Benet's 1 Oct. 1581 ; living 9 April 1596.
2. Elizabeth, mar. William Gamage, of the par. of St.

Matthew's, Friday Street. Marriage license 22 April 1574.

II. ROBERT OFFLEY, a Turkey merchant, of Gracechurch Street, bur. 16 May 1625, at St. Benet's. Admon. 27 May 1625, to his son John Offley. Mar. at St. Dionis, Hackchurch, 3 Feb. 1588-9, Anne, dau. of Sir Edward Osborne, Knt., Lord Mayor of London 1583.4 She was bap. 25 March Io70, at St. Dionis, Backchurch, and was bur. 14 Jan. 1653-4 at St. Augustine's;6 will dat. 11 March 1650, pr. 13 Feb. 1653/4 (170 Alchin, P.C.C.). They had issue

1. Robert Offley, bap. 8 Feb. 1589-90, at St. Benet's, died

young.

2. Robert Offley, bap. 12 March 1591-2, at St. Benet's, died young.
3. John Offley, of St. Benet's, Gracechurch Street, Merchant; bap. there 5 March 1592/3; died 28 Aug. 1667, act. 74 ; bur. in St. Pancras Church, M.I. there.6 Admon.

1 Robert Offley leaves " to my brother-in-law Mr. Richard Brakin £20, and to his son Francis Brakin £10."

2 She had by her former husband a son Thomas Rose (will P.C.C. 1587-8, 7 Rutland), a dau. . . . wife of William Hewitt, and another dau. Susan Rose. The latter mar. (as "dau. of Mr. Robert Offlie's wife") 3 Feb. 1566/7, at St. Benet's, Gracechurch Street, William Rolfe, of St. Mary Magdalen, Milk Street, and Totteridge, near Barnet. (See Visit, of London, 1634-5).

3 Son of Edward Brooke, of Aspall, co. Suff., by Florence, dan. of Robert Ashfield, of Stowlangtoft, co. Suff.
4 By Anno, only dan. and heiress of Sir William Hewett, Knt., Lord Mayor of London. Anne Offley's brother, Sir Hewett Osborne, was grandfather of the first Duke of Leeds.
5 As " Anno Offley, widow, the mother of Mr. Stephen Offley."

* Lysons' Middlesex, p. 352, gives the arms on this M.I. as—" On a cross patee flory between four Cornish choughs, a lion passant, quartering a chevron between three jleurs de lis." This last coat should have been impaled not quartered, it being that of the family of Moore.
[graphic]

7 Oct. 1667, P.C.C., to relict Elizabeth. He mar. Elizabeth, dau. of Robert Moore, of London, citizen and Goldsmith; she died 17 Oct. 1678, aet. 65; bur. at St. Pancras ; will dat. 17 Oct., pr. 29 Oct. 1678, P.C.C. (115 Reeve). M.I. at St. Pancras. They had issue fourteen sons and three daus.—

(1). Robert Offley, Bencher of the Middle Temple, bap. at St. Benet's, 1 July 1634; will dat. 22 Aug., pr. P.C.C. 4 Oct. 1678 ; mar. at St. Botolph, Aldgate, 15 Oct. 1661, Elizabeth, widow of John Wynne, of London, dyer, and dau. of Richard Best. They had issue—

Robert, bap. at St. Benet's, Paul's Wharf, 14 Apr. 1664, bur. there 16 Aug. 1670.
(2). John Offley, bap. at St. Benet's 27 July 1636; bur. there 25 Feb. 1636-7.
(3). Thomas Offley, bap. at St. Benet's 21 July 1637; bur. there 23 April 1638.
(4). John Offley, bap. at St. Benet's 15 Aug. 1638.
(5). Edward Offley, bap at St. Benet's 4 Aug. 1639 ; bur. there next day.
(6). Henry Offley, bap. at St. Benet's 13 Nov. 1640.
(7). Thomas Offley, bap. at St. Benet's 23 Jan. 1641/2 ; d. 26 Jan. 1667-8, aet. 26.
(8). Edward Offley, bap. at St. Benet's 27 Nov. 1643 ; d. 12 July 1668, aet. 24.
(9). Stephen Offley, d. 27 Sept. 1673, aet. 25.
Henry Offley, living Aug. 1678.
Matthew Offley, living Aug. 1678.

Joseph Offlev, Bencher of the Middle Temple; M.P. for Rye, 1698-1702; died 3 July 1721, " at his lodgings in Kentish Town," s.p.; will dat. 30 Jan. 1719, pr. P.C.C. 8 March 1721, (60 Marlborough). He made his cousin
" Stephen Offley, of Norton, in the County of Derby, Eqr.," son of his " late cousin, Robert Offley, of the City of Norwich, merchant, de- ceased," his heir.

(1). Anne, bap. 8 Sept. 1635.
(2). Elizabeth, bap. 31 Jan. 1644/5.
(3). Anne, died 6 Jan. 1669.
4. Edward Offley, bap. 29 Aug. 1594 ; dead 11 March 1650; His grandson, Harmer Offley, of Hertford and Cheshunt, co. Herts., died s.p.; admon P.C.C. 21 March 1749.
5. Hewett Offley, bap, 2 Nov. I595, at St. Benet's, bur. there 23 Oct. 1610.
6. Robert Offley, bap. 23 May 1599, at St. Benet's, (?) bur. there 6 Jan. 1614-15.
Thomas Offley, bap. 14 Feb. 1601/2, at St. Benet's.
Stephen Offley, of whom presently (III).

1. Anne, bap. 3 Jan. 1590-1, at St. Benet's.
2. Susan, bap. 26 Oct. 1600, at St. Benet's; mar. 10 Dec.
1623, at St. Anne, Blackfriars, Henry Hastings, of Newington Butts.1
3. Abigail, bap. 4 Oct. 1604, at St. Benet's ; (?) bur. 7 March 1650/1, at St. Anne's, Blackfriars.
4. Elizabeth,2 bap. 12 Feb. 1606/7, at St. Benet's; mar. 9 Nov. 1631, at St. Antholin's, William Clark of St. Antholin's, merchant, marriage license 7 Nov. 1631.
5. Sara, bap. 16 April 1609, at St. Benet's; (?) mar. 18 July 1627, at St. Anne's, Blackfriars, Adam Thorowgood.
6. Katherine, mar. 3 Jan. 1614/5, John Baker of the Inner Temple."

III. STEPHEN OFFLEY, Woollen Draper in St. Paul's Churchyard, mar. at Chesterfield 19 May 1635, Ursula, dau. of Ralph Clarke, of Ashgate, co. Derby,4 and eldest sister of Cornelius Clarke, of Norton Hall, co. Derby. They had issue—

1. Robert Offley, of whom presently (IV).
2. Ralph Offley, mar. Margaret, dau. of . . . ; his will at Norwich, 1701.
3. John Offley, bur. at St. Augustine's 3 Jan. 1642-3.
4. Samuel Offley, bap. at St. Augustine's 21 Jan. 1643-4.

1 He was son of Henry Hastings of Woodlands, second son of George Earl of Huntingdon. (See " Visitation of Bucks," 1634, Coll. of Arms). They had issue an only dan. and heir, Anne, bap. at St. Benet 2 Jan. 1624-5; mar. 12 Oct. 1643, John Ayleway, of St. Martin in the Fields, Citizen and Merchant Taylor, second son of Richard Ayleway of Hownell in Taynton, co. Glonc. Anne Offley in her will mentions " my grandchild Anne Aylway."

2 She perhaps mar. secondly, as his second wife, Benoni, 6th son of Sir Thomas Honywood, of Evington, co. Kent, who mar. Anno Withers, as shown both by the Honywood and Withers pedigrees in the Visit, of London 1634-5. In the pedigree of Honywood in Hasted's Kent, Benoni is said to have mar. Elizabeth dau. of ... Offley, and to have had by her a son John. Anne Offley in her will mentions " my grandchild, John Honywood," and " my dan. Honywood."

* And of Benehurst and afterwards of Mayfield Place, co. Sussex (son of Michael Baker of Battle and Mayfield, by Jane, dau. and heir of John Morbred). They had issue—Anne, mar. Edward Warnet of Hempsted (mentioned in Anne Offley's will as " my grandchild Anne Warnet"), Elizabeth, mar. Richard Gibbs of London (mentioned in same will as " my grandchild Elizabeth Gibbs"), Robert and Charles (died young), and Jane.

4 By Frances, dau. of .... Blount, of Eckiugton, co. Derby.
5. Thomas Offley, bap. 30 April 1648; mar. ... and had a dau. Ursula.
6. Cornelius Offley, born 27 Dec. 1655.
1. Anne, bap. 15 April 1638 at St. Augustine's.
2. Elizabeth, bap. 16 Dec. 1653 at St. Augustine's.

IV. ROBERT OFFLEY.1 of Norwich, and of Norton Hall by will of his uncle Cornelius Clarke; bap. at St. Augustine's 19 July 1640; died 1 Feb. 1716-17, aet. 76 ; bur. in the Independent Meeting House at Norwich ; M.I. He mar. Mary, dau. of .... Burton ; she died 6 Feb. 1703-4, aet. 56 ; bur. in the Independent Meeting House at Norwich ; M.I. They had issue—

1. Robert Offley, killed by a fall from his horse at Hazleborough; bur. 17 Aug. 1699 in the Norton vault.
2. Ralph Offley, s.p.
3. Stephen Offley, of whom presently (V).

1. Mary, wife of Samuel Croome, of Norwich, merchant. He died 24 March 1754, aet. 88. She died 21 Jan. 1738, aet. 56 ; both bur. at Independent Meeting House at Norwich ; M.I.

V. STEPHEN OFFLEY, of Norton, High Sheriff of Derbyshire 1715; died 1 Oct. 1727 at Norton, aet. 56. Will dated 3 Aug. 1725, pr. P.CC. 10 April 1728. He mar. first, Urith, second dau. and coh. of Sir Samuel Smyth, of Colkirk, co. Norf. ;2 she was born at Colkirk, 30 May 1681; mar. 24 May 1700 at Lavenham ; died at Norton and there bur., 23 Oct. 1711. They had issue—

1. Robert Offley, born at Norton 8 March 1700-1, died young.
2. Joseph Offley, of whom presently (VI).
3. Samuel Offley, died young.
4. Stephen Offley, of Dronfield, co. Derby, M.D., born 28 May 1704; died 11 May 1739, at Dronfield, aged 35; bur. in the Norton vault. Will dated 20 Oct. 1737, pr. P.C.C., 30 July 1739. He mar. 1731, Katherine, dau. of Jonas Rolfe, of Norwich, Town Clerk of Lynn.3 She died in London, 10 June 1737, aet. 28, bur. in the Norton vault. They had issue—

1 Anus on his tombstone, Arg. a cross fleurie, between four Cornish choughs Sable, impaled with a cherron between three ou'ls crownfd.
2 Katherine Elizabeth, dau. of Sir James Harington, Kt. and Bart. He was son of Samuel Smyth, of Oxwick, co. Norf., by Urith, dau. of Sir John Palgrave, of Barningham, co. Norf., Bart.
3 Jonas Rolfe died 14 Jan. 1725. He mar. (mar. set. 10 and 11 Oct. 1706) Lucy (born at Colkirk 20 April 1684, mar. first 9 Mny 1700 John Pett of Colkirk, died 9 Sept. 1746), fourth dau. of Sir Samuel Smyth of Colkirk.
(1). Mary, born 5 July 1732, died 2 Sep. 1755, aged 23, bur. in the Norton vault.
(2). Lucy, died July 1737, aged 3.
(3). Theodosia, died young.
(4). Katherine.
1. Elizabeth, died 23 Sept. 1741, aet. 22, bur. in the Independent Meeting House at Norwich.

He mar. secondly 1711 Anne,i third dau. of Benjamin Shute, and sister to the 1st Lord Barrington. They had issue—with three other children, Robert, George and John, who died in infancy—

2. Amelia, born 27 July 1717 ; mar. Sir Francis Bernard, Bart., M.A., Ch. Ch., Oxon. sometime Governor of Massachusett's Bay. He died at Aylesbury, 16 June 1779; she died 26 May 1778, bur. at Aylesbury.
3. Mary, died unmar.; admon. P.C.C., 25 Feb. 1758.

VI. JOSEPH OFFLEY,2 of Norton, born 1 Dec. 1702, died 3 Sept. 1751, aged 49, bur. in the Norton vault. Will dated 8 March 1748-9, pr. P.C.C., 9 Dec. 1754. He mar., 11 May 1732, at St. Peter's Chapel in the Cathedral Church of Norwich, Mary, dau. and heir of Humphrey Bohun of Beccles, co. Suff. She was born 1 Feb. 1702-3, and died at Norton 15 June 1740. They had issue—

1. Edmund Offley, born 19 March 1732-3, died 21 Aug. 1754 in Edinburgh, bur. in the Norton vault. Will dated 21 June 1754, admon. P.C.C., 9 Dec. 1754.
1. Mary died young July 1734.
2. Urith, born 12 Feb. 1736-7, mar. 15 March 1759 Samuel Shore, of Meersbrook ; died 30 Nov. 1781 (bur. in the
Norton vault) leaving issue.
3. Hannah Maria, born 7 June 1740, mar. 18 June 1767
Francis Edmunds of Worsbrough, co. York; died 30 March 1805, leaving issue.

(To be continued)