Peter Leycester

son of Pet. Leycest. Esq, was born at Nether Tabley in Cheshire, 3. March 1613, became a Gent. Com. of Brasn. Coll. 13. Oct. 1629, but leaving that house without a degree, he went, I presume, to the Inns of Court. Afterwards he retired to his patrimony, where, besides the pleasures of a Country life, he exercised himself much in the study of History and Antiquities. After the restauration of his Majesty an. 1660 (for whose cause he before had suffer’d) he was created a Baronet and probably had he sought, he might have had beneficial places confer’d on him, but such was the love he had to his native Country, that postponing all matters of profit, he studied and laboured to revive its antiquities, that had almost been buried in oblivion, which he afterwards published with this title,

Historical antiquities in two books. The first treating in general of Great Britaine and Ireland; the other containing particular remarks of Cheshire, and chiefly of Bucklow hundred. Lond. 1673 fol. But therein having made Amicia Daughter of Hugh Cyveliok Earl of Chester a Bastard, was as to that matter answer’d in a book intit. A defence of Amicia, &c. by Sir Tho. Manwaring of Peover in Cheshire Bt; who, with this our author Pet. Leyc. were descended from her. Whereupon Sir Peter came out with

An answer to Sir Tho. Manwarings book entit. A defence of Amicia, &c. Lond. 1673. oct.

Addenda: or some things to be added to the former answer to Sir Thomas Manwarings book, to be placed immediatly after pag. 90. Lond. 1673. oct. He also wrot,

A reply to Sir Tho. Manwarings answer to Sir Pet. Leycesters Addenda. Lond. 1674. oct. and

Sir Tho. Manwarings Law cases mistaken, and the antient Law misunderstood, and the new law misapplied, &c. Lond. 1674. oct. There was a waggish and merry Ballad that went from hand to hand in Ms, concerning these petite controversies between the two Baronets, and great sport there was made among idle and vain Gentlemen concerning the punctilio’s and minute things they insisted on; but at length at an Assize held at Chester 1675 their controversies were decided by the Justices Itinerant, who, as I have heard, adjudged the right of the matter to Manwaring. As for our author Sir Peter, he dyed at Nether-Tabley on the eleventh day of Octob. in sixteen hundred seventy and eight,1678. and was buried by his Ancestors in our Ladies Chappel on the north side of the Church at Great Budworth in Cheshire. Over his grave was soon after set up a comly monument for him and his Lady, (who died 26. of Jan. following aged 59 years) the inscription whereof being large, I shall now for brevity sake omit.