Notes.

THE TATTONS OF WYTHENSHAWE. The earliest reference to Wythenshawe is contained in two charters, dated the 10th Edw. II. (1316), at which time it appears to have been in the possession of THOMAS DE MASCY. In 1370, Alice, the only daughter and heiress of William de Mascy, the younger, granted her lands, &c., at Wythenshawe, to ROBERT DE TATTON of KENWORTHEY. She is supposed to have become the wife of this Robert de Tatton, though there is no direct evidence to support this supposition. The family of DE TATTON had been connected with the neighbourhood, at an earlier date than this, for a ROBERT DE TATTON, grandfather of the Robert above mentioned, had a grant of lands at Northenden, in the same parish, in 1297. From the year 1370 Wythenshawe passed in the direct male line of the Tatton family until the death of Robert Tatton, in February, 1689-90, s.p., when it descended to his cousin, WILLIAM TATTON. The son of William Tatton married Hester Egerton, who, on the death of her brother, Samuel Egerton, M.P., of Tatton Park, became heiress of his extensive estates. She assumed for herself and her issue, by Royal licence, the name and arms of Egerton. Her eldest surviving son, WILBRAHAM EGERTON, SUCceeded to the Tatton estates, and became the ancestor of the present Lord Egerton of Tatton. Her second son resumed the name of Tatton, by Royal licence, in 1806, and, as THOMAS WILLIAM TATTON, inherited the Wythenshawe estate. Such is shortly the history of the Tatton family of Wyther.shawe.

We may now proceed to consider a few particulars relating to individual members of the family.

NICHOLAS DE TATTON is described in 1541 as "Baron of the Exchequer of Chester," an office of some importance, which appears to have been hereditary in the family for several generations.

ROBERT TATION seems to have been the first to have fixed his abode permanently at Wythenshawe, and he was probably the builder of the more ancient part of the present hall about the year 1540. In 1545 he was appointed one of the Royal Commissioners to inquire into the history and endowments of the Chantries, in Lancashire (see the account published by the Chetham Society), and in 1548 he was commissioner to inquire into the "ornaments, plate, jewels, and bells belonging to every churche or chapell within the countie of Chester," and together with Sir Edward Warren, Knt., and Sir Edmund Savage, Knt., he signed the return for the

Macclesfield Hundred. He is described by Edward, Earl of Derby, in 1557, as being "very evil at ease," but ready, nevertheless, to furnish an able captain, and, with others, a hundred soldiers for the Queen's service. He would seem to have been a man of great firmness of character, and is named by a contemporary as one who" regardeth not the forfeyture of any lands, nor obeyeth any auctorytie or orders." He married in 1539 Dorothy, fourth daughter of George Booth, of Dunham Massey, and by her had a family of seven sons and four daughters. He died June 18th, 1579, and was buried in the north chapel of Northenden Church. A large brass to his memory formerly existed in the church, but has long since disappeared, probably during the civil war. It depicted Robert Tatton in a long furred gown, his wife Dorothy in a ruff, a kirtle with puffed sleeves, and wearing a large hat. Their seven sons and four daughters were represented kneeling below them, the sons on the left hand, the daughters on the right. Below this group is the figure of a human skeleton lying at length, with the words Respice finem (take heed to your end). Round the sides of the tomb was the following inscription, in Latin:-"Pray for the souls of Robert Tatton, Esq., and Dorothy, his wife, daughter of George Booth, son of Sir William Booth, Knt., the which Robert died the 18th day of June, in the year of our Lord 1579, on whose souls may God be merciful." Of this brass there is a rude sketch by one of the Randle Holmes, now preserved in the British Museum (Harl MSS.), which was drawn in 1580, the year after it was placed in the church. A copy of it will be His long

found in Mr Earwaker's "East Cheshire."

and elaborate will, dated December 10th, 1578, with inventory, is printed in the volume of Lancashire and Cheshire wills published by the Chetham Society. He entered his pedigree at the visitation of Cheshire, 1566. Of the great grandson of Robert TattonWilliam Tatton, of Wythenshawe-who was in the thirty-second year of his age when he came to his untimely end, the following is recorded in the parish register:-" Januarie, 1616. Upon the viij daye of this month did befall the most lamentable accident upon the Right Worshipfull William Tatton of Withinshawe, Esquiere, who was drowned in the river of Mercie, betweene the haven and the milne weare at Northenden, betwixt the houres of vij and viij a clocke at night, and his bodie was found upon the xiiij daye of the same month beneth the weare, about ij a clocke in the afternoone, and was buried upon the xv daye of the same month, about iiij a clocke in the afternoone."

Robert Tatton, who was a minor at the time of his father's death, became a ward of the King Charles I

Man

At the outbreak of the civil war he espoused the Royalist side, and at an early period incurred the active hostility of the Parliamentarian commanders. In 1643 Wythenshawe was besieged by the Parliamentarian forces, under Colonel Robert Duckenfield. Two ordnance pieces of were brought from chester for use against it. In Burghall's diary (MS. British Museum, but twice inaccurately printed) the siege is thus referred to: "On Sunday, February 25 [1643-4] Mr Tatton, of Whittenshaw's house, was taken by the Parliament forces, who had laid a long siege to it; there were only Mr Tatton, some few gentlemen, and but a few soldiers, who had quarter for life; the annunition was but little.” Further interesting details are to be found in the State papers at the Record Office, from which it appears that from November, 1642, to February, 1643-4, the house had bee kept more or less in a state of defence by Mr Tatton to "preserve the house and his goods from spoyle and plunder of all partyes whatsoever." In the final siege in the counties of 1643-4 were Thomas Mallory, clerke (the ejected rector of Northenden), Robert and Richard Twyford (the latter of Didsbury, and brother-in-law to Mr Tatton), Henry Pendleton, of Manchester, Edward Carter, clerke, and William Carter, the late organist at Manchester, Edward Legh, of Baguley, Mr Richard Vawdrey, Mr John Bretland and his man, fourteen men of Northenden, four of Baguley, three of Gatley, two of Etchells, three of Didsbury, and near a score others from various neighbouring villages. In the last century six skeletons were found lying close together in the garden, which were supposed to have been the remains of soldiers who were killed during the siege. There is a tradition that one of the Parliamentarian officers who had exposed himself by sitting on a wall was killed by one of the maidservants, who begged to be allowed to fire at him. The death of an officer during the siege is confirmed by the following entry in the Stockport registers" Captayne Adams, s'ayne at Withenshawe on Sonday the 25th, was buryed the 27th day of February, 1643-4."

After the loss of his ancestral home Mr Tatton continued to serve the King, being present during the whole of the memorable siege of Chester till the capitulation in February, 1645-6. From here he followed the King to Oxford, when the city surrendered to the Parliamentary forces on June 24th, 1646. His name appears amongst those who were entitled to the benefit of certain privileges allowed to the Royalists. His estates were of course sequestered by the Parlia ment, but he was allowed to compound on payment of a fine of a tenth, estimated at £804 10s, subsequently reduced to £707 13s 4d. He survived these troublous times, and died 19th August, 1669, and was buried at Northenden. His son and heir, William Tatton, also suffered in the Royal cause, being one of

the prisoners captured at the defeat of the celebrated Cheshire Rising in 1659.

Wythenshawe is described by Mr Henry Taylor, in his excellent work on the "Old Halls of Lancashire and Cheshire," as a long, rambling, picturesque house of many gables, following generally in its plan the type of Gothic manor houses prevailing in the time of Henry VIII. It was originally fortified with a moat, which is now filled up. The most ancient part of the building is the central portion, containing the great hall, measuring about 37 feet by 22 feet. The high table would be placed across the southern end of the room. At the opposite end stood the screens, now removed, but the position is marked by the mortices for the posts in the beam overhead. In the south-east corner is the usual bay, square in form on the plan. The withdrawing room, like that at Bramhall, is over the great hall, and follows in plan its general lines. The erection or remodelling of these apartments belongs to a period (Henry VIII. to Elizabeth) when the importance of the great hall was on the decline and that of the withdrawing room was increasing, and their relative dimensions and style of ornamentation in these two instances afford an interesting illustration of the change which took place in the habits of our forefathers during the sixteenth century. The walls of the withdrawing room are covered with richly moulded oak panelling of the Elizabethan period, which is remarkable for the great beauty and variety, of the inlay patterns with which its panels are decorated. In the west wall of the withdrawing room is a patch of more modern panelling, showing where a cannon ball had passed through the house during the siege. In a bird's-eye view of the house and premises given on a map made in 1641 by Richard Martinscroit, a copy of which we have, by the courtesy of Mr Tatton, been allowed to see to-day, a detached building is shown to the south of the mansion, which, judging from the pointed character of its north door. way, may possibly have been the chapel. From this view it also appears that there was formerly a detached two-storied gatehouse resembling in its position that at Kenyon Hall.

Wythenshawe is one of the few estates in the extensive Hundred of Macclesfield which from the middle of the fourteenth century has been handed down from one generation to another of the same family, and, as the record shows, its successive owners have been true English gentlemen, loyal to the Crown, living on their own estate, and ever mindful to promote the well-being of their dependents and neighbours. Fallowfield.

J. HOLME NICHOLSON.

CHESHIRE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FUND FOR
THE DEFENCE OF ENGLAND AT THE TIME
OF THE SPANISH INVASION IN 1588.
"Of the reigns of all the sovereigns of England that

Queen Elizabeth is undoubtedly the most momenus. The manners and customs, progresses and geantry of that half-century of English history; the markable men and women who lived in it; the connuous succession of eventful matters, not only of mestic, but political import, have caused the -vereignty of Elizabeth Tudor to be made the study

all classes of society, historians, and critics. And rtainly the most noteworthy incident, the most omentous event in the annals of a country, was e invasion of England by the Spanish fleet in the ar of our Lord 1588." So writes Mr T. C. Noble in introduction to the names of those persons who bscribed towards the defence of this country at the me of the Spanish Armada, 1588. The fate of the mada is recorded in history, but to quote the ords of Sir Henry Ellis, the chief librarian of the ritish Museum forty years ago, "There are many pers of high historical interest preserved in our anuscript repositories which have not yet seen the ght of a later day to explain all the circumstances tending the formation and defeat of the Spanish mada." The land forces for the defence of our shores ambered 132,689, 24,000 of these being stationed under e Earl of Leicester at Tilbury. Here the Queen as invited by the favourite Earl to spend two or ree days in "Yor pore Lyvetenants cabin," and so nake gladd many thousandes both here and not farr "Accordingly, on August 5, 1588, the Queen sited Tilbury, and it is a remarkable fact that at the ry time Her Majesty was addressing the troops, and eering them on to victory, the Invincible Armada d been defeated at least a week (July 28 o s.) not e hundred miles from where she was, and some of e English vessels had returned home! The followg is the list of Cheshire men who contributed to the fence fund as given in Mr Noble's book quoted

Dove:

HE NAMES OF THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEFENCE OF THIS COUNTRY AT THE TIME OF THE SPANISH INVASION IN 1588.

Queries.

Notes.

COST OF LIVING IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES. Before the construction of railways, (and still more conspicuously before John Loudon Macadam, early in the century had rendered it possible by his in vention of an improved method of making roads, or vehicles to travel the great highways withs safety and celerity,) the prices of commodities varied greatly in different parts of the country. In remote districts the prices of farm produce were greatly below those in the great centres of population, whilst the cost of such commodities as were usually obtained from the towns was greatly enhanced. In many places the difficulty experienced in the transport of coals was so great as to prohibit their use except by the more wealthy classes. The introduction of the inland navigation, or canal system, did something to equalise the prices, the improved roads effected still more, and the network of railways of recent construction has led to the prices becoming more uniform throughout England, than they formerly were within the compass of a single county. Indeed the intercommunication both on sea and land has become so universal that the difference in prices between one country and another has greatly lessened, and the movement in the direction of equalisation will probably continue in the future. Fiscal interference must however continue to exert a baneful influence as long as it is indulged in.

To compare the cost of living in one country with that in another would be an interesting inquiry, but a close examination would be difficult, if not impossible; and all that that can be done will be to institute a comparison between the prices of articles of general use in most countries. The price selected must be that paid by the consumer; whole. sale prices would greatly mislead; as the profits secured by the distributors vary considerably in different countries. Where competition is severe, expenses light, taxation not excessive, and the rate of wages low, the distributor accepts a moderate profit; whilst in newly-settled and underpopulated countries, where labour is more highly remunerated, the profit of the retailer is usually large. The incidence of indirect taxation affects the price of certain articles; in England no tax is laid upon sugar, but alcohol and tobacco bear heavy imposts. This condition is inverted in many

countries on the continent, so we find in England cheap sugar with dear wine and cigars, whilst elsewhere the reverse obtains. In France the prices of articles of food are slightly raised in the towns by the imposition of an octroi duty. The retail prices of commodities are affected by the duties mposed upon them to an extent greater than the amount of duty, for the grocer will not advance one part of the price of the coffee and sugar to the merchant and another part as a customs duty to the Government without exacting a profit on both portions. But when instituting a general comparison the effect of taxation, here imposed solely for the purpose of revenue, is less apparent than might have been expected. Taxes must be paid "either in meal or malt." Indirect taxation is general, and if certain commodities escape, others are burdened. The endeavour to ascertain the comparative rental of houses had to be abandoned, as it proved impossible to institute a fair basis of comparison. Indeed the comparison could not be made in England alone with any approach to accuracy. The prosperity, or otherwise, of any town affects the rentals greatly; and indeed two houses in the same town, similar in all respects, except in the situation they occupy, are frequently let for rentals which differ very widely.

It was thought best for the purposes of comparison to avoid small villages, and generally to prefer proviucial towns to the capital. It was also decided to avoid fashionable shops, and to select those most frequented by the mass of the people. The time selected was Feb. 15th, 1886; and for the standard for England, well-frequented shops in the town of Stockport were chosen at which to purchase the various commodities. A series of questions was drawn up, and samples of the sugars, rice, calico, flannel, &c., were sent with the questions, to correspondents in various countries, who it was thought would be willing, and were known to be competent, to make the investigations with sufficient care. To H. B. M. Consuls and to the heads of departments in some of the colonies application was made, and in nearly all cases the most generous and tance has been given. To who has been so good as to the information now collected and digested, the thanks not only of the writer are due, and are gratefully given, but also of many persons who take a scientific interest in economical questions of this

ready assis each person contribute to

The first column of figures shows the price of a yard of bleached calico 33 inches wide, and equal in quality to a pattern sent; and the next column gives the price of a yard of flannel 28 inches wide, of a quality similar to the pattern supplied for comparison. When the fabrics could not be matched they were valued, and frequently patterns of such qualities as are usually sold were returned with answers to the questions. The foreign measures and money have been converted into their English equivalents. The last column is intended to furnish a figure showing the relative price of textiles in the various countries, so far as they can

be judged by the prices of flannel and calico, and is arrived at in the following manner :-The proportion of cotton to woollen cloth generally used is taken to be as eight to one. The amount of money paid for eight yards of calico and one yard of flannel has been calculated for each of the countries from which the prices of both fabrics have been received. The figures obtained were then raised to their decimal equivalents, the English price being taken to represent 100. The tables may be read in this manner. A person in England who spends 100 shillings on such textiles would need to expend 109 shillings in