June, 1624, Anno Jacobi Angliæ, &c., vicesimo secundo, I, S' John Hanmer, of Hanmer, in the County of Flint, Baronet, being sickly and weak and feeble in my body, yet of good and perfect memory, I praise God for it, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, in manner and form following. First I recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, my Maker, and my body to be buried in the daytime, without any vain pomp or solemnity, in the Parish Church of Hanmer, towards the reparation whereof I bequeath five marks. Item, to the Poor of the same Parish I give ten pounds. Item, I give and bequeath to Thomas Hanmer, my Son and heir, these parcels of plate, videft one Silver Bason and Ewer Pcell gilt, two Silver Flagons, one double Gilt Bowl with a cover, one double gilt Salt, one dozen of Gilt Spoons, and a new little Silver Can; moreover, I give and bequeath unto him all Bedsteads, Tables, Forms, Livery Cupboards, Presses, Grates, and Chimney Plates which now remain in the Hall of Hanmer, the same and the Plate to continue as heirlooms to the house of Hanmer. Item, I give and bequeath unto him my Dunn Mare and my Grey Filly and my Velvet Saddle. Item, I give him a Trunk marked with his name, with all such things as are now lock'd up in it, which I desire his Mother to deliver him. Item, I give him all my Books now remaining in my Study, and all my Latin Books, Law Books, and Statute Books whatsoever. Item, I give him all the Armour now remaining or appertaining to my house. Item, I do bequeath, commit, and commend my said Son and heir during his minority and tender years to the tuition, care, and protection of my right worthy and trusty good Cousins, The Reverend Father in God

John Lord Bishop of St Asaph, S' Roger Mostyn, Sr John Trevor, and S Thomas Trevor, knights, and of Dame Dorothy my Wife during her Widowhood, only charging my Son hereby to be ruled by them, and to use their aid and best advice in matching of himself; and though I know of no cause or tenure to draw my Son in Ward, yet, lest his Minority might invite Men to attempt it in this prying and eagle-sighted age, I do hereby desire my said worthy Cousins to examine well that point, and, if they shall find instant cause of Wardship, then they to become Suitors to his Majesty for a Grant unto them of the same; I mean both body and Lands, which I desire may be wholly converted and employed to and for the only good of my Son and heir, and to procure the same at his charge. And I do hereby humbly implore his Royal Majesty (whom I pray God long to bless with all happiness) to be graciously pleased to this my humble desire, and if upon strict examination my said worthy Cousins do find or conceive not just cause of Wardship, and that, nevertheless, some attempt shall be made to the contrary, I do hereby desire them to resist all such attempts, and do authorize them hereby to retain any of the issues and profits of my lands, tenements, and hereditaments or otherwise, out of the price and value of my lands in Mountgomyshire (which I have appointed to be sold), to maintain and defend my said Son therein. I give and bequeath to Dame Dorothy my wife my Coach, with the furniture thereof, and my two Grey Mares, and the rest of my Silver Plate not hereby before bequeathed to my Son. Item, I give and bequeath to my wife and my Son Thomas all the beddings and furniture of my House herein not before bequeathed, to be equally divided

amongst them, and my wife to have the occupation as well of all the Plate bequeathed to my Son as of pte of the said Furniture during his Minority, that is, until he attain his full age of one and twenty years. Item, I bequeath to my wife all my Oxen and Cows except one of the old kyne, which I give to Thomas Roe, my Servant. Item, I give and bequeath to my Feoffees in trust, viz.: the Bishop of St Asaph, S' John Trevor, S' Roger Mostyn, and St Thomas Trevor, Knights, and Humphrey Dymocke, Esq., the Lease I have of Tythe of Halghton, under the rent of forty pounds, which they are to pay duly to my Brother Roger Hanmer,' according to the lease thereof made, under pain of forfeiture; and I do likewise bequeath unto them all other my Leases, if I have any such, which I desire them to dispose of as I have directed for the rest of my inheritance. Item, I give and bequeath to each one of my said Feoffees two and twenty shillings in gold, to make them rings, in remembrance of my love towards them. Item, I give and bequeath to John Jones my Servant five marks a year during his life, to be paid him yearly at May Day and the Feast of St Michael the Archangel, by even portions by my said Feoffees, in Trust, during their time, out of the residue of the profits of my Lands appointed to be paid to my heir, notwithstanding any former declaration of Trust and afterwards to be paid by my heir and my feoffees to see this secured unto him before they reconvey to my heir. Item, I do bequeath to Mr. Hynd of Bunbury five pounds. Item, I do appoint black only to be

1 This was Roger Hanmer of Gredington and Penley mentioned further on.

given to my Wife and Children and twelve of my Servants. The rest of my Goods, Chattels, Cattle, Implements of Household and Husbandry, and Emblements, before by me not hereby bequeathed, I give and bequeath to my Wife, paying and discharging my funeral expenses, legacies, servants' wages, and fifty pounds owing to Richard Trevor knight,' her Father, and such debts as remain unpaid at London since my last going hither, whereof I have delivered her a particular subscribed by me; and the hundreth pounds I owe John Humfreys of London, if he cannot recover the same upon my brother Baggnalls new bond; and these legacies to be in full recompence of her reasonable part of my personal Estate or Chattels real, if any be due unto her; and the rest and residue of my debts I appoint to be paid by my Feoffees by the sale of my lands in Mountgmyshire, and my Executors not to be charged therewith, or, if my Creditors do charge them, that my Feoffees shall nevertheless save them harmless. Item, I do nominate and appoint Dame Dorothy my Wife and my Son Thomas Hanmer to be Executors of this my last Will. In witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal, the day and year first above written.-JOHN HANMER.

Memorand that the eighteenth day of June, 1624, this Will was sealed, acknowledged, and published by the within named St John Hanmer to be his last Will and Testament, in the presence of the persons subscribed.— Humfrey Dymocke, Thomas Hanmer, Lewis Evans, Peter Ellis, Thomas Lewis.

1 Sir Richard Trevor of Trevallyn.

Sir Thomas Hanmer, the second baronet of that creation, who now (1624) succeeded at Hanmer, was at that time, according to the inquisition post mortem of his father, twelve years and fifty-six days old; but I do not find any mention of his baptism in the Hanmer register. He was soon afterwards taken as a page into the Court of King Charles I., where it was not unusual in those days to find the sons of gentlemen belonging to the Principality. He afterwards appears to have

held the nominal office of cupbearer (tastes differ frihe apicture of thin

in such matters), but one of his predecessors within a short time had been George Villiers, then Duke of Buckingham.

Before he was of age he married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Baker of Whittingham, in Suffolk, who was one of the maids of honour.

There is some mention of this lady, and of the rivalry of the courtiers for her good graces, since she was an heiress, in a letter of Howell to Lord Cottington, printed in the curious volume of his correspondence :

"There is little news at our Court, but that there fell an ill-favoured quarrel betwixt Sir Kenelm Digby and Mr. Goring, Mr. Jermyn, and others, at St. James's lately about Mrs. Baker, the maid of honour, and duels were