Both of the volumes published for the Chetham Society for
the year 1898-99 are continuations. The Chartulary of Cockersand Abbey, transcribed and edited by William Ferrer, Vol. II, Part 1, carries on the succession of documents from about 1190 to the early part of the fourteenth century. There seems to have been a fairly continuous stream of "grants, in frankalmoign " (tenure by divine service) for the benefit of "the soul's health" of the donors. Other interesting documents are those which record disputes and complaints between the Abbey and the monks of Evesham about tithes.—Minutes of th,e Bury Presbyterian Classis, edited by William A. Shaw, M.A., Part II., completes the work, carrying it down to the year 1657. Appendix I. gives "Minutes of the Nottingham Class*" which had its latest meeting in St. Mary's Church on May 4th, 1660, when four ministers were ordained. Appendices II. and III, give similar minutes from Bodmin and Cambridge, and Appendix IV. furnishes biographical details of the ministers mentioned in the Bury minutes. In this last there is much that is particularly interesting. We see, for instance, that there were parishes where Puritan discipline never ruled. William Ashton, rector of Middleton, calmly disregarded all the injunc- tions of the classis, especially in administering the Sacrament promiscuously. But then he belonged to a "county family." It is still a great Lancashire name.
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