Page:The History of the Church & Manor of Wigan part 1.djvu/192

 instituted on the 12th October of that year; and he paid his first-fruits on 23rd February, 1605.

Gerrard Massie was the son of William Massie, alderman of Chester, by his wife Alice, daughter of Thomas Bavand of Chester, and grandson of Richard Massie of Grafton, in the county of Chester. He inherited the manor of Grafton, which he sold in 44 Elizabeth to Sir Peter Warburton, Justice of the Queen's Bench, together with Grafton Hall, 16 messuages, 16 gardens, and 940 acres of various kinds of lands in Grafton, Golborne-Belleau, Broxton, Milton, &c.

Gerard Massie was of Brazen-nose College, Oxford, where he was admitted Bachelor of Arts, 7th February, 1591-2. He was made proctor 22nd April, 1601, was styled LL.D. in 1606, and made Doctor of Divinity 11th March, 6 Jac. I., 1608-9. He married Eleanor, daughter of Henry Hardware of Peele.

At the time of the bishop's visitation in 1609, Mr. Doctor Massie was rector of Wigan, and Mr. Reynolds was his curate there, Mr. George Bordman was then master of the Grammar School at Wigan, Mr. Edward Tempest curate at Upholland, and Mr. Richard Bolton reader at Billinge.

On the death of bishop George Lloyd in 1615, Gerard Massie was nominated by the King to the bishoprick of Chester, but on going up to London to settle matters with respect to his consecration he died there on the 17th of January, 1615-16, and was buried in the church of St. Mary le Savoy without any memorial.