Journey from Chester, and he quotes Lloyd, ii. 2fi7? " The original plate 

of Hollar is in the Bodleian Library ; and, by the favour of the Vice-Chancellor and the other 
Curators, I have been permitted to have some impressions taken off' for this work. * Ta- 
cit, in vita Jul. Agricolae Socrei sui, sec. 46. y Biographical Dictionary. * The 
original is in the possession of William Henry Ashhurst, Esq. of Waterstock. 



ch. vi. sec. i. SIR GEORGE CROKE. 601 

fine before levied, to the use of his son Thomas for life, then to the conu- 
sees for ninety-nine years, then to the heirs of the body of his son Thomas 
by any other wife that he might have other than Anne his now wife; with 
liberty to Thomas, with the assent of his mother, and of any two others of 
his executors, to limit all or any part of Studley to any his wife that he 
hath, or shall have, for term of her life for a jointure; then to his conu- 
sees during the ninety-nine years, and afterwards to the use of such chil- 
dren of Thomas, and the heirs of their bodies, as his son, by the assent of 
his mother, and two executors, shall appoint ; and for default of such ap- 
pointment, then after his decease, to such of the children of Thomas, and 
the heirs of their bodies, as the testator's wife and executors should think 
fit. And for default of such issue, to his brother, William Croke, for 
life, remainder to the use of his nephew Alexander, and his heirs male; 
giving security for the payment of £2000 for the testator's daughters. 

Easington he left to his wife for life, or widowhood, then to his son 
Thomas for life, with power to sell, with the consent of the executors: 
then to the conuseesfor ninety-nine years, as before limited as to Studlev: 
and, after that term ended, then to the heirs of the body of his son by 
any other wife than Anne ; and, for default of such issue, to his nephew- 
Alexander Croke, and the heirs male of his body; giving security for the 
payment of £ 1000 to his daughters. 

Wuterstock he bequeathed to his wife for life, or widowhood, then to 
his son for life, then to his executors for ninety-nine years, then to his son 
and the heirs of his body by any other wife than Anne, with liberty, with 
the consent of his mother and two executors, to appoint the same to any 
wife he now hath, or shall have, for life for a jointure, and, after such 
estates, then to the conusees, to dispose thereof to such of the children of 
Thomas, and the heirs of their bodies, as he, with the consent of his mother 
and two executors, should appoint; and, for default of such appointment, 
to such of his son's children as the executors should think fit. And for 
default of such issue, then to his nephew Henry Croke, son of his brother 
Henry, and then to his son George Croke, giving security for .£3000 to 
his daughters. 

We have before seen, that the estate at Waterstock went, according to 
this will, to his nephew Doctor Henry Croke, and afterwards to his son 
4 H 



602 SIR GEORGE CROKE. book iv. 

Sir George Croke: that at Studley went to his brother William, as will 
hereafter appear. 

The will of his personal property is dated, at the beginning, on the 20th 
of November, 1640, and, at the end, on the 3d of December, and was 
proved on the 3d of May, 1642. In this he bequeaths to the poor of Chilton, 
Waterstock, Studley, and Saint Dunstan's in the West, five pounds each, 
and three pounds to the parish where he shall die. To the minister of 
Chilton 40s.; of Waterstock £o ; but if his nephew Henry is parson there, 
£10. To his wife £300, and her jewels, &c. part of his plate, and the 
use of the remainder for life; afterwards to his son, or, if dead, to be sold 
and divided amongst his daughters. A part of the plate is excepted, and 
given to his son. To his wife, half his household stuff, and furniture, at 
Waterstock, and the use of the other half for life, or widowhood ; then to his 
son Thomas. His household stuff at Studley to his son, and two hundred 
pounds for the better furnishing the house at Studley. To his wife, her 
wearing apparel, coach, coach-horses, and harness, one nag for her own 
use, except the bay nag given him by his son-in-law, Thomas Lee, which 
was to be returned to him ; a double gelding, and two geldings for servants, 
and his carts and cart geldings, kyne, &c. &c. To his brother William 
Croke, a piece of plate of the value of £10, and the sum of ,±100, and his 
wearing apparel ; except his robes used by him as a Judge, which were to 
be disposed of by his wife by gift or otherwise. To his son-in-law, Har- 
bottle Grimston, Esquire, and his daughter Mary, £20 in plate, and to 
their children, George, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, and Thomas, ±100 each. 
To Harbottle Crimston all his books concerning the common law, lying 
or being usually in his study, or closet, at Serjeant's Inn, both printed 
books, and written ; except his books of Statutes, and the Abridgments of 
Statutes, and those which concern the office of a Justice of Peace, which 
books so excepted he devises to his son Thomas. And he desires his 
said son-in-law, that if he shall not proceed in the practice and profession 
of the law, as perhaps, after the death of his father, he may not think it 
convenient for him to do, that then he would dispose of them between his 
nephew Edward Bulstrode, Unton Croke, and George Walton. To his 
son-in-law, Thomas Lee, Esquire, and his daughter Elizabeth, his wife. 
£20 for plate ; and to their sons, Thomas, and George, and their daughter 



ch. vi. sec. i. SIR GEORGE CROKE. 603 

Mary, £ 100 each. To Richard Jervois, Esquire, and Frances his daughter, 
his wife, £20, and to their daughters, Lucy and Mary, ^100 each. All 
his books concerning the common law, except the book commonly called 
the Commentary upon Littleton, and the Book of Statutes, and Abridg- 
ment of Statutes, and Dalton's book concerning a Justice of Peace, lying 
and being in his study at Waterstock, to his nephew Unton Croke, Esq. 
Also all his books concerning the common law at Studley, to his nephew 
Edward Bulstrode, Esq. to whom he forgives a debt of £50. The books 
excepted in his study at Waterstock, to his son Thomas. All his divinity 
books in English, except the three new books of Martyrs of the last edi- 
tion, and the English Bible in folio at Waterstock, to his wife, the book of 
Martyrs and Bible to his son, his wife to have the use for life, or widow- 
hood. To his son, all his Latin books, and books written in Latin, French, 
or any other language not before given. Legacies to his servants. To 
his nephew and godson, George Croke, son of his nephew Doctor Henry 
Croke, ,£100, for an annuity towards his maintenance and bringing up in 
learning. To his wife, one complete armour for a horseman, and two 
armours for two footmen. The residue of his armour to his son. Debts 
owing from his brother William to be released. His wife, his nephew 
Bulstrode Whitelocke, Thomas Hampsted, Alexander Croke, Esquires, 
and his good neighbour, William Tipping, to be his executors. His wife 
to have the sold administration, and the others to be coadjutors, and to have 
i 3 20 each. And whereas Lord Bayning, Viscount Sudbury, had ap- 
pointed him one of his executors, and he had not intermeddled in his 
affairs, though he had joined in the probate, and the other acting executor 
was dead, and the executorship was now come to him by survivorship, he 
appoints Lady Anne, widow of Lord Bayning the son, his executrix of 
the said estate. Signed George Croke. Christus mihi vita, mors 
mihi lucrum. Witnesses, Har. Grimston, Tho. Hampson, L. Hurst, 
Fran. Croke, Robert Newburgh, John Cammocke, Robert Dur- 
ham. 

His lady, Dame Mary Croke, survived him fifteen years, and dying on 

the first of December, 1657, was buried at Waterstock, under a flat stone 

in the chancel near her husband. She appointed Colonel Ingoldsby, and 

Giles Hungerford, Esquire, her executors, and bequeathed five pounds to 

4 h 2 



604 SIR GEORGE CROKE. book iv. 

the alms-house, to which she had given many benefactions in money 
during her life, and settled upon it a small close in Easington a . 
The inscription upon her tomb-stone is as follows: 

HERE LYETH THAT HONOURABLE LADY, DAME MARY, RELICT 
OF SIR GEORGE CROKE, KNIGHT, LATE ONE OF THE JUDGES OF THE 
KING'S BENCH, WHO FOR HER PIETIE, CHARITIE, AND OTHER EMI- 
NENT VIRTUES, WAS THE HONOR OF HER SEX WHILST SHE LIVED, 
AND SCARCE LEFT HER EQUAL WHEN SHE DIED. SHE DEPARTED 
THIS LIFE, DECEMBER THE 1st, l6j7- 

They had only one son, named Thomas, and three daughters, Mary, 
Frances, baptized the 25th of September, 1618\ and Elizabeth. 

Of the children of Sir George Croke, little is known of his only son 
Thomas, nor indeed of the exact time when he died. He appears to have 
been bred to the law, for he was a member of the Inner Temple, and was 
admitted on the 26th of April, 1619, into the chambers of his uncle, Paul 
Ambrose Croke, who was a Bencher of that society'. Mr. Wood says, 
that he was " a sot, or a fool, or both d ." But he quotes no authority for 
this assertion, and the legacy of his father, in his will, in which he leaves 
him " all his Latin and French books, or books in any other language, 
" with his Statute books, Abridgments of Statutes, such as concern the 
" office of a Justice of the Peace, and any others undisposed of," are a be- 
quest not very well adapted to such a character. But as Sir George in 
his will left the bulk of his law library to Sir Harbottle Grimston, it 
should seem that at that time he had laid aside the study of the law, and 
had chosen the life of a country gentleman. This will was made Dec. 2d, 

1640, and it there appears to have been settled, that after his decease, his 
son was to live at Studley, and his lady to continue at Waterstock, as he 
devises to him part of his plate, the household goods at Studley, and =£200 
for better furnishing that house. Thomas was living on the 21st of June, 

1641, a few months only before his father's death. Whether he survived 
him or not is uncertain. At that time in the conversation with his nephew 

* The old alms-house accounts, sub anno 1647, &c. penes me. h Waterstock 

Register. c Ward's MS. Inner Temple Register, vol. ii. fol. 125. '' Life of A. Wood, 
p. 581. 



ch. vi. sec. i. SIR GEORGE CROKE. 60.5 

Alexander, he spoke