Читать книгу History of the Fylde of Lancashire онлайн

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“All Lancashire for the most parte

The lusty Standley stowte can lead,

A stock of striplings stronge of heart

Brought up from babes with beef and bread,

From Warton unto Warrington,

From Wiggen unto Wyresdale,

From Weddecon to Waddington,

From Ribchester to Rochdale,

From Poulton to Preston with pikes

They with ye Standley howte forthe went,

From Pemberton and Pilling Dikes

For Battell Billmen bould were bent

With fellowes fearce and fresh for feight

With Halton feilds did turne in foores,

With lusty ladds liver and light

From Blackborne and Bolton in ye moores.”

The office of High Sheriff is one of considerable antiquity, and in early times it was no uncommon thing for the elected person to retain the position for several years together. Annexed is a list of gentlemen connected with the Fylde who have been High Sheriffs of the county of Lancaster at different times, with their years of office:—

1194 to 1199. Theobald Walter, of Amounderness. 1278. Gilbert de Clifton, of Clifton and Westby. 1287. Gilbert de Clifton, of Clifton and Westby. 1289. Gilbert de Clifton, of Clifton and Westby. 1393. Sir Johannes Butler, Knt., of Rawcliffe. 1394. Sir Johannes Butler, Knt., of Rawcliffe. 1395. Sir Johannes Butler, Knt., of Rawcliffe. 1397. Sir Richard Molyneux, Knt., of Larbrick (for life). 1566. Sir Richard Molyneux, Knt., of Larbrick. 1606. Edmund Fleetwood, of Rossall. 1677. Alexander Rigby, of Layton. 1678. Alexander Rigby, of Layton. 1691. Sir Alexander Rigby, Knt., of Layton. 1740. Roger Hesketh, of Rossall. 1797. Bold Fleetwood Hesketh, of Rossall. 1820. Robert Hesketh, of Rossall. 1830. Peter Hesketh Fleetwood, of Rossall. 1835. Thomas Clifton, of Lytham. 1842. Thomas Robert Wilson ffrance, of Rawcliffe. 1853. John Talbot Clifton, of Lytham.

It may be here noticed that Edmund Dudley, so notorious in English history as the infamous agent of Henry VII. in the wholesale and scandalous extortions that monarch practised upon his subjects, held many and large territorial possessions in the county of Lancashire, the reward in all probability of his unscrupulous services to the king. After the death of his royal patron a loud outcry for the punishment of Dudley was raised by the nation, and in the first year of Henry VIII. a proclamation was issued inviting those subjects who had been injured by Dudley and his fellow commissioner, Sir Richard Empson, to come forward and state their complaints; the number of complainants who appeared was so great that it was found impossible to examine all their claims, so in order to pacify the universal indignation, the two obnoxious agents were thrown into prison on a charge of treason. From the Inquisition for the Escheat of the Duchy of Lancaster taken on the attainder of Edmund Dudley, in 1509, it is discovered that amongst his numerous estates, were lands in Elswick, Hambleton, Freckleton, Thornton, Little Singleton, Wood Plumpton, Whittingham, Goosnargh, and Claughton. Stow, writing about the circumstances alluded to, says:—“Thereupon was Sir Richard Empson, Knight, and Edmund Dudley, Esquire, by a politicke mean brought into the Tower, where they were accused of treason, and so remained there prisoners, thereby to quiet men’s minds, that made such suit to have their money restored. On the seventeenth of July Edmund Dudley was arraigned in the Guildhall of London, where he was condemned, and had judgement to be drawn, hanged, and quartered.... Henry VIII. sent commandment to the Constable of the Tower, charging him that Empson and Dudley should shortly after be put to execution. The Sheriffs of London were commanded by a special writ to see the said execution performed and done, whereupon they went to the Tower and received the prisoners on the 17th of August, 1510, and from thence brought them unto the scaffold on Tower Hill, where their heads were stricken off.”