nley of Hooton.[13] Then follows the
account, more particularly developed in our own story, of the adventures
and moving accidents which have been liberally used to adorn the
"Garland" of his descendant William, Earl of Derby. "For many
generations this was the recognised chronicle of the family, until, in
the time of James the First, a clergyman of Chester translated the
rhymes of the Bishop into English, carefully retaining the mistakes of
the original, and adding long and dull disquisitions of his own."

In the days of our valiant King Edward, while the fame of Cressy and
Poictiers was fresh and stirring in all true and loyal hearts, while the
monarchs of two powerful kingdoms were held captive in these realms,
lived a worthy knight, of whom we had a brief notice in the preceding
narrative. Sir Thomas Lathom of Lathom was a nobleman of great wealth
and possessions. According to the Calendarium Rotulorum from the Charter
Rolls in the Tower, he held lands, besides, in Knouselegh, Childewall,
Roby, and Aulusargh. In Liverpool, he was proprietor of the tower, a
structure of but little note until rebuilt and fortified by Sir John
Stanley during his government in Ireland, of which we shall have more to
say anon.

Sir Thomas married, in the year 1343, the youngest daughter of Sir Hamon
Massey of Dunham Massey, in the adjoining county of Chester. Twelve
years had since that period elapsed at the time when our story begins;
and though earnestly desiring male issue, that his name and race might
be perpetuated, yet was the sole fruit of their union hitherto a
daughter, named Isabel, then just entering on her tenth year. Her
winning and surpassing comeliness proved no solace to his
disappointment. He grew moodish and melancholy in the midst of his vast
wealth; apprehending the utter extinction of his name, and the intrusion
of a stranger on his birthright. Hopeless of other issue by his own
lady, he had recourse to unlawful means for this purpose, which procured
for him a sore chastisement in the end, as our narrative will show.

In that neighbourhood dwelt a comely maiden, the only daughter of a
substantial yeoman, of the name of Oskatell. This damsel, pleasing the
amorous fancy of Sir Thomas, fell an easy prey to his arts and
persuasions. Though concealed from her friends, their too frequent
intercourse at length became visible in the birth of a son, greatly to
the joy of the father, who meditated nothing less than to adopt