Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 7.djvu/567

 12 s. vn. DEC. 11, 1920.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

467

younger children. ('Palatine Note-book,' ii. 254).

In May, 1646, Richard Johnson of Ever- ion, gentleman, and Joan his wife, formerly wife and executrix of the will of William Horrocks, complained in the Chancery Court of the County Palatine that Sarah Horrocks of Toxteth Park, widow, "a woman of very lewd carriage and ill behaviour," had recently entered Joan's part of the tenement, breaking doors and injuring cattle. William had died soon after making his will and Joan had enjoyed lier fourth part, including parcels called the Barn hey, Long hey or meadow and ."School hey. She married Richard Johnson .about seventeen years before (Public Record Office, P.L. 6/17 (144)). Sarah replied in July, stating that the will had never been proved, and that Joan's estate was not for life but for the life of one Richard Gelli- brand who had died about six years ago. Sarah was acting as administratrix of the -estate of John Horrocks her late husband. -John, it appears, was the above-named son of William (P.L. 7/22 (39)). The plain- tiffs' replication alleged that Sarah's estate was derived from a grant by John, made on condition that she remained chaste and unmarried. (P.L. 8/3).

The depositions (P.L. 10/42) contain many points of interest. William Horrocks had held a close of land from one Brooks, two closes from John Bird, a great close from one Hodgson, and a- tenement in Hale. Part was held for the life of Mr. Gellibrand of Lathom (now dead) and twenty -five years after. Sarah, who had been wife of Henry Croft, had borne an illegitimate child and had therefore forfeited her interest in John Horrocks 's grant to her. There were younger brothers and sisters of John, but their names are not given. Sarah had Brought about 160Z. to her husband, John. One of the deponents was Jirehijah Aspinwall of Toxteth, gentleman, aged 52, son of Edward Aspinwall deceased, who had been concerned in the settlement of William Horrocks 's estate.

John Horrocks was living in 1626 when "he was defendant together with his wife "Sarah (P.L. 6/7). He was still living in 1634 as shown by the above depositions, but was dead in 1 638, when Sarah Horrockes of Toxteth Park, widow, aged 38, was summoned to give evidence (P.L. 10/35).

The Walton registers give the following dates : Henry Croft of Park, buried Aug. 30, "1623 ; John Horrocks married Sarah Croft

May 18, 1625 ; Dorothy, daughter of George Grifphie and Sarah Horrocks, baptized Apr. 2, 1640 ; Sarah Horrocks, buried May 16, 1656 ; Mr. Richard Johnson of Everton, buried Feb. 1, 1654/5; and Mrs. Jennet Johnson of Everton, buried May 28, 1663.

Richard Johnson's will is at Somerset House (153 Aylett). Among other bequests he left 20,9. each to Thomas Horrocke of Halewood and James Horrocke.

J. BROWNBILL.

TAVERN SIGN-BOARDS. Among the many public -house sign -boards I have never but once come across that of King John, and that was in an out of the way spot, north of Denver in the district of the Wash. Whether the house and its licence boast of any antiquity I do not know and Rye's 4 Norfolk ' does not mention it, so far as I know. If its antiquity could be proved, the claim of the alehouse on the road from Tunbridge Wells to Speldhurst, would have to be modified. L. G. R.

'EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION OF JOHN EVELYN.' I do not know whether Mr. H. Maynard Smith has included in the above book (reviewed at 12 S. vii. 420) the following, as I have not yet had an oppor- tunity of seeing it. If not it may prove of interest to him and your readers.

"An inhabitant of Dorking, some years ago bought some old quarry lights at Westgate which came originally from Wotton House, the seat of the Evelyns. They were sent to a glaziers to be repaired, and have discoloured panes removed, Two rejected quarries were inscribed by John Evelyn in 1641, when he was 21. The peculiar turn in the E, intended to combine in a mono- graph his initials, is exactly similar to the auto- graph in his Diary. One quarry inscribed

Tibi nos tibi nostra supellex Ruraque servierunt, then follows the word 'Evelyn.' succeeded by ' Meliora retinenti,' The second pane shows an eye dropping tears on a burning heart, and the motto : Thou that betrayest mee to this flame Thy penance be' to quench the same.

('Antiquarian Year- Book,' 1844, p. 274.) JOHN A. KNO\tfLES.

ALPHABETICAL INITIALS. A Miss Pepper born in Liverpool in December, 1882, had the following names ; Anna, Bertha, Cecilia, Diana, Emily, Fanny, Gertrude, Hypatia, Inez, Jane, Kate, Louise, Maud, Nora, Ophelia, Quince, Rebecca, Starkey, Teresa, Ulysis, Venus, Winifred, Xenophon, Yetty, Zeno. The surname, of course, supplied tha letter P. J. ARDAQH.