At the dissolution of monasteries Sir Thomas Holcroft obtained the entire manors of Weaverham and Over, with all the privileges that appertained thereto. One of these would no doubt be the legal power the Abbot held over the manor, which he would similarly exercise for his own honour. This he would transmit to his heirs and they to their assigns, Thomas and Edmund Pershall, the latter of whom transferred it by sale, about the middle of the 17th century, to Thomas Cholmondeley, a descendant of the Baron of Malpas (whose family took their name from their place of residence) in whose representative and heir, Lord Delamere, the present proprietor of Vale Royal and Lord of the Manor, the appointment of Mayor of Over is now vested and by whom it is annually exercised.

The mode of appointing the Mayor for a very long period, until recently, was thus performed. The Lord of the Manor held a Court Leet and Baron in October, when two juries were empannelled, one for the town of Over, called the "Grand Jury," and the other for the lesser townships, called the "Country Jury." Twelve of the most eligible and best qualified persons in the borough were nominated by the "Grand Jury" at this Court, and their names returned to the Lord of the Manor, who selected one of the number to serve the office of Mayor; and at another meeting of the Court, fourteen days afterwards, the person so chosen was finally appointed to the office, and was then sworn in by the Recorder of the Court; but, before entering upon the office, he had to take the oath of allegiance and supremacy at the Quarter Sessions of the County, like the county magistrates. At the same time the choice was made of the Bailiff, Constables, Burleymen and Aletasters, who were then also sworn in.

Now, however (and for a few years past), the Lord of the Maner indicates to his Law Agent, the Recorder of the

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Court, the person whom he will appoint, and this gentleman communicates his Lordship's wishes to the "Grand Jury," who invariably accept the nomination and elect him there and then, thus reversing the old established mode, and constituting the jury involuntary agents to endorse the appointment, whether agreeable to them or not. The more seemly character of the former mode of choosing the Mayor is apparent, and many think it ought still to be observed.

During his year of office the Mayor acts as a magistrate. In this duty he is aided and advised by the Recorder or Clerk of the Court, who is generally a member of the legal profession. Cases of assault, disorderly conduct, drunkenness and petty theft, as well as graver offences when they occur, are brought before him, and as there is no other magistrate near, and the population is constantly increasing, the office is both arduous and responsible. He is also entitled to a seat on the bench at the County Quarter Sessions, but unless he be a man of some public spirit and education he seldom exercises this right. At the conclusion of his year of office the Mayor assumes the title of "Alderman."

The Mayors of Over are mostly selected from the tenants of the Vale Royal estate, but not exclusively, as several gentlemen resident in the borough, not Lord Delamere's tenants, have occasionally held the office. They have generally been plain men of good position and character, not much learned in the law perhaps, but quite capable, with the aid of their legal adviser, of giving a fair and correct sentence; and, to their honour be it said, they have never used their power arbitrarily, but for the most part have wisely tempered Justice with Mercy. Some of those who held the office at an early period were evidently unable to write, as "the "Mayor of Over his mark" is not uncommon in very old legal documents relating to the vicinity of the borough. There have been Kings who could do no more, and warriors

of renown whose only signature was the pommel of their sword handle.

A few ancient customs connected with the borough are beginning to be forgotten. Walking the fair is one of these. On this occasion the Mayor, arrayed in proper costume, carried a large silver mace and was met at the market-cross by some of the Aldermen who had passed the chair. After the Bailiff had recited the terms of the charter for the fair the Mayor proceeded, attended by his javelin men and a band of music, from one end of the long street in which the fair is held to the other. He distributed ribbon favours to all the landladies and waiters at the several inns. The Aldermen, Bailiff and other officers also received ribbons, as did the bandsmen and any others who joined in the train. The Mayor's outlay for ribbon frequently exceeded £20; in fact there was quite a ribbon mania on these occasions. One old lady who kept a booth used to boast that her principal profits arose from the ribbons she sold to the rustics and lads of the village who gave streamers to their Lucindas and Phœbes as fairings. The tolls arising from the cattle fair are the perquisite of the Mayor. Those arising from booths and stands are let with the George and Dragon Inn by Lord Delamere.

There is still an annual court held by Lord Delamere, whereat all householders in the borough are summoned to answer to their names, as acknowledgment of suit and service to his lordship, or send the sum of twopence instead. On the last court day £4 9s. 10d. was received in pursuance of this custom. Widows and spinsters are exempt. Persons who omit attendance and paying the twopence are liable to be fined one shilling. There are 900 names now on the roll, 80 per cent. of which either answer the call" or pay the twopence, and all travellers passing through the borough while the court is sitting can be compelled to pay a like amount.

The "Mayor's feast" is held on the last day of his term of office. After dinner his successor is sworn in and honoured with the old custom of "chairing." I will briefly describe a Mayor's dinner, at which I was present last month. It was laid out in the largest room of the George and Dragon Inn. The Mayor, ten or twelve Aldermen, the Clerk of the Court and about thirty other inhabitants of the neighbourhood were assembled. The George and Dragon is about the oldest house in the borough. The height of the dining apartment is not much above seven feet, with an open ceiling crossed by five large oak beams, re-crossed with joists, and the walls cleanly whitewashed. Dinner being over, loyal and complimentary toasts, with the discussion of a good dessert and the usual generous drinks attendant upon such festivities, consumed at least a couple of hours. The juries were then summoned (who, by the way, had been dining at the cost of Lord Delamere) to elect the usual officers for the ensuing year. They presented first their Bailiff, who was duly sworn, then the Constables, Burley-men and Ale-tasters, and then the Clerk called out-" make way "for his worship the Mayor Elect of Over." This gentleman, whose election by Lord Delamere had been made known, was then duly sworn to serve our Lady the Queen and administer "equal justice to the poor as well as the rich," and so forth. Having taken the oath his worship was seated in a chair by some of the jury, who, to evince their joy at his elevation, sought to "lift" him as high as the ceiling would allow. This very silly proceeding ought to be omitted altogether.

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For an account of the Church of Over a reference to vol. vii of the Historic Society's Proceedings, page 33, will suffice; but I may say that since Mr. Stonehouse's paper appeared, a beautiful glass window has been put up in the chancel, as a memorial of the late Rev. John Jackson, M.A., who died January 28th, 1863, and was forty-two years Vicar

of the Church. His "loving pupils," as the inscription states, incurred the expense of this appropriate exhibition of good feeling and reverence for their former master.

There is but little record of public doings or of the scenes of gaiety or gravity that have been enacted in the ancient borough. In a rare pamphlet, entitled Cheshire's Success, dated March 25th, 1642, describing the movements of the Parliamentary army and that of the King, written evidently by a Parliament man, we read-" Sir Thomas Aston and "his party in Chester, recovering strength after their late overthrow, exercised the same in mischief and all wicked "outrages;" and instances "on the Sabbath, March 12, having a little before advanced to Middlewich, they plundered "all that day as a most proper season for it, and commanded "the carts in all the country about to carry away the goods

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to Tarporley, and kept a fair there to sell them. In Over, "when they had plundered, they left ratbane in the houses, "wrapt in paper for the children, which by God's providence was taken from them before they could eat it, after their parents durst return to them."

Vale Royal, the seat of Lord Delamere, deserves more than the mere passing description that can be here given. The old Abbey must have been an imposing structure, as it occupied fifty-three years in the course of erection; and no less a sum than £32,000 was expended out of the Royal Treasury as the cost of it. Its origin is said to have been as follows :— Prince Edward on returning from the Holy Land at the conclusion of the eighth crusade, was overtaken by a terrific storm, and the safety of himself and all on board his ship was imperilled. When the jeopardy in which the ship was placed seemed to be at the highest, the Prince prayed to the Virgin to save it and all on board, vowing to erect a Monastery in her honour if his prayer should be granted. The instant the vow was made the storm ceased, and the passen