Page:A History of Horncastle from the Earliest Period to the Present Time.djvu/71

52 similar signatures is this: "The sd Mr. Thomas Gibson, being outed of Horncastle by Cromwell's Commissioners, removed to Nether Toynton, lived there one yeare, after restored againe, taught some Gentlemen sonnes in his owne house, was afterward called to ye scole at Newark, where he continued one yeare, then was importuned to Sleeford, whether he went ye week after Easter 1650, continued there until May ye first 1661; then, the King being returned, he returned to his Vicaridge, and was by Doctor Robert Sanderson, Bishop of Linkcoln made Preban of Saint Mairie Crakepoule in the Church of Linkcoln."

It may be observed that the spelling in those times, the entries doubtless being often made by the parish clerk, was rather phonetic than orthographic. Many names occur which still survive, but here spelt variously, for instance Fawssett has been a name well known in Horncastle in modern times in a good position, in town and county, here we find it in generation after generation as Fawcet, Fawset, Faucitt, &c. The name Raithbeck is of continual occurrence, it is now probably represented by Raithby. Castledine occurs several times, being probably the phonetic form of the modern Cheseltine. The present name Chantry appears as Chauntry. Palfreyman, or Palfreman, occurs on several occasions, they were of a respectable family in the county, William Palfreyman being Mayor of Lincoln in 1534; Ralph Palfreyman, clerk, was presented to the Benefice of Edlington, by his brother Anthony, merchant of the Staple, Lincoln, in 1569.

In folio 69a (1628) is the entry "Tirwhitt Douglas, daughter unto Mr. George Tirwhitt, christened Jan. 8." Her father George Tyrwhitt was a scion of the old county family of the Tyrwhitts of Kettleby, Stainfield, &c., by Faith, daughter of Nicholas Cressy of Fulsby, who married Frances, daughter of Sir Henry Ayscough, of another very old county family. She was named Douglas, though a female, after her kinswoman, Douglas, daughter of William, first Lord Howard of Effingham. Her sister married Sir Edward Dymoke of Scrivelsby. She herself is mentioned among the benefactors to the poor of Horncastle, as leaving a charge of 10s. on a farm at Belchford, as an annual payment, on her death in 1703.

Another name of frequent occurrence, though now extinct, is that of Hamerton. John Hamerton (as already stated) is mentioned, with John Goake, on a tablet inserted in the wall on the south side of the chancel arch, as being churchwarden in the vicariate of Thomas Gibson, in 1675, and throughout the early registers successive generations of this family are recorded. They may have been humble scions of the Hamertons, of Hamerton, Yorkshire, a branch of whom were among the landed gentry near the Scottish border; but at Horncastle they were engaged in trade. John Hamerton, christened Dec. 10, 1575, whose probable father, another John Hamerton, was buried Sep. 3, 1584, married Feb. 2, 1613, Grace Broxholme, whose father John Broxholme is described as "Gent" in 1611. Thomas Hamerton in 1603 was a draper, another Thomas Hamerton in 1613 was a "yoman," John in 1615 was a tanner, Thomas in 1606 and 1617 was a tanner, Robert son of Thomas in 1619 was a tanner, William in 1620 was a glover. In 1630, Thomas, buried Jan. 24, is designated "Mr." On June 16, 1633, Katherine Hamerton is married "by Licence" to George Colimbell. A rise in status is indicated by the two latter entries, and accordingly, in the records of the neighbouring parish of Edlington we find "Geo. Hamerton, gent., and Sarah Hussey married July 21, 1699;" the Husseys being probably connected with