BOSTOCK HISTORY:

THE ANCIENT FAMILY AND TOWNSHIP

ADAM III BOSTOCK (c.1363 - 1414)

The next lord of Bostock was also named Adam. There is some evidence as to his year of birth for according to his father�s inquisition he was eight years old in February 1372 implying that he was born in 1363. The major piece of evidence as to his age is the prob etat, taken at Middlewich on 17 September 1385, which states that he was then at least 21 years old � in actual fact he was 22. It was most important that an heir�s proper age be determined in order to be able to prove that he was legally able to inherit his late father�s estates and to be free of the constraints of wardship. To prove the age evidence was given before a jury of local men: Randle Legh, Richard Leftwich, William Warmingham, John Bulklegh, John Leighton, Thomas Brett, Richard Scott, John Littleover, Randle Wever, William Wever, Hugh Dandy and Thomas Clive. The evidence given stated that Adam, son and heir of Adam de Bostock, was born at Bostock on 14 August 1363 and that he was baptised in Davenham church. Randle Legh was the first and principle witness and from his evidence we know something of Adam�s childhood.

Adam's career is perhaps the most interesting of any of the family during the middle-ages. In 1386, he is mentioned as nephew and co-heir of Richard Wettenhall of Acton and Dorfold, who was lord of those places and others around Nantwich, and also of a parcel of lands known as Sparrowgrove in Elton and Warmingham. The other co-heirs at this time were Henry Ardern and Richard Manley who had also married sisters of Richard Wettenhall. In 1394, Adam Bostock and Richard Manley occur in a writ concerning damage done to the Forest of Mondrem by their enclosure of lands contrary to the forest laws: the township and manor of Wettenhall lay within the bounds of the forest.
 
In 1395 Adam pursued a feud with Stephen, abbot of Vale Royal, whose lands at Darnhall bordered Wettenhall. Both men were bound over in the sum of �200 to keep the peace on two separate occasions: Sir Ralph Vernon and David Bostock stood as sureties for Adam. The following year an inquiry was held into the damage, waste and impoverishment of the Abbey�s lands, for which abbot Stephen was held to account. The following persons gave evidence on oath: Adam Bostock, Thomas Shaw, Ralph Wever, Hamon Bostock, Richard Wrenbury, Thomas Halghton, Thomas Lostock and Ralph Pulle.
 
Adam was a faithful supporter of King Richard II and became one of the captains of his bodyguard. The guard consisted of hand-picked Cheshire men who were split into six watches, the captains of which were: Thomas Beeston, Richard Cholmondeley, Ralph Davenport (whose father's effigy lies in Astbury church), Thomas Holford, John Legh and Adam Bostock. The men of these watches were described by contemporaries as �arrogant, insolent ruffians, who were on far too intimate terms with the King' and as 'bestial men who were ready for any iniquity'. The archers who formed the guard wore a uniform of green and white tunics, divided vertically, with green to the wearer�s right � a traditional form of clothing for Cheshire archers.
 
In addition to the personal guard, Richard recruited an army of Cheshiremen during 1397 and 1398 in order to challenge those who opposed his rule.  A large detachment recruited by Richard�s favorite, Robert Vere, was routed on its way to London at Radcot Bridge in December 1397. It is possible that members of the Bostock family were in that army, though their names do not appear in the lists of one hundred and fourteen men who received compensation for injuries received in the skirmish. During the last few years of Richard�s reign the army and bodyguard were strengthened and amongst those recruited in December 1397 and January 1398, we have the following: Thomas, son of John de Bostock: William de Bostock;Thomas, son of  William de Bostock; John de Bostock;Thomas, son of Adam de Bostock;and John, son of David de Bostock. The following received annuities of 100 shillings for life:Adam de Bostock on 10 October 1397; David de Bostock of Churton on 1 February 1398; and Richard de Bostock, armiger on 29 May 1398. David son of David de Bostock had the king�s letters of protection on departing for Ireland, which were dated 8 June 1399.
 
On 17 September 1397 King Richard used his Cheshire archers to overawe the high court of Parliament in order that it would yield to his personal direction; some even drew back their bows within the precincts of Westminster Hall. Some of the family may have escorted one of Richard�s leading opponents, the earl of Arundel, to execution on Tower Hill. The royal bodyguard followed Richard and his court everywhere and remained with him until the end when, in 1399 Henry Bolingbroke captured him on returning from Ireland. The King constantly rewarded his captains and we find Adam receiving �20 a year in 1398 and then in October of that year a half share of �200 due from the assets seized from a man who had escaped custody.
 
In 1397 Adam occurs as a surety for John Davenham, canon of Vale Royal, who was in breach of the peace. The following year he, Hugh Bostock, William Roter and John Dyseworth, entered into a recognizance of �146 13s. 4d. to Margaret wife of John Grendon. 
 
Despite his allegiance to King Richard, Adam seems to have fared well enough under King Henry IV. In 1400 he and John Wheelock had command of sixteen archers, as part of a contingent of sixty raised in the Northwich Hundred, for an expedition to Scotland in July of that year. When Henry Percy raised the banner of revolt in 1405 Adam, like other ex members of the late king�s bodyguard, followed suit and at the battle of Shrewsbury, 20 July 1405, Adam had command of a unit. After the rebels were defeated Henry IV formerly pardoned the men of Cheshire on 27 September, but Adam and four others, former captains of the old guard, were especially excluded. Each of them had to make special arrangements to sue for their pardons and to encourage them to do so their properties were declared forfeit. Despite a writ ordering seizure of his lands dated 7 October 1405, Adam did not seem to suffer. Not so lucky were his neighbours, Sir Richard Vernon of Shipbrook and Sir Richard Venables of Kinderton, who were executed three days after the battle and had their bodies displayed on the gates of Chester as an example to any who treasured the memory of Richard II.
 
Adam began to prosper under the Lancastrian kings. He obtained confirmation of his annuity of �20 that had been granted by the late king and in 1404 and 1406 he was commissioned to lead men to the Welsh borders to help quell unrest in the Principality. In this latter year, Adam occurs in a lawsuit brought by William de Venables of Kinderton concerning the wardship of Richard son of John Wheelock. Adam and others were accused of taking custody of Richard Wheelock and sixteen messuages, a mill and four hundred and fifty-two acres that John de Wheelock had held of William de Venables by knight�s service. Presumably Adam was acting as the boy�s unofficial guardian - the jury found in favour of William Venables. In November 1408 Adam, with others, acted as an attorney for John Kingsley during his absence from the county. Then in 1412 Adam and his son, Ralph, were at Macclesfield church to witness the settlement of a feud between the families of Robert Legh of Adlington and Sir Thomas Grosvenor of Eaton.
 
A year or so before he died, Adam acquired lands in Occlestone, described as being two messuages and fifty-six acres, from the heirs of Sir John d�Arderne, as part of the settlement of his mother�s estate. Adam�s inquisition post mortem was heard on 28 March 1414. It recorded that he held the manor of Bostock from Walter Cokesay which was worth �30 a year, and also that he held the manor of Huxley, half the manor of Wettenhall, and properties in Tattenhall, Newton by Tattenhall, Christleton, Tetton, Eccleston and Monks Coppenhall, all valued at a further �65 5s 2d. Adam died on Monday, 12 March 1414 aged about 50, his son and heir, Ralph, then being aged at least twenty-three. A further inquisition set forth, in respect of the manor of Wettenhall recorded that he held half of the manor, with appurtenances in the forest of Mondrem, from the king, as earl of Chester, and. that its value was �20 per annum. His lands in Tattenhall were valued at 5 marks. (�3 6s. 8d.) and comprised of 24 acres of land and a watermill, with a further sixteen acres lying in Newton by Tattenhall which were valued at 13s 4d.
 
Adam IV left the following children: Ralph, born 1392; Hugh, who died without issue according to Ormerod; Henry, who married Alice, daughter of Thomas Brett of Davenham, and had issue who settled at Huxley and Tattenhall; William, who is said to have resided at Huntingdon and married Alice de Mylton; Margaret, who married firstly Hugh Davenport of Henbury and secondly Thomas de Staveley; Agnes, the wife of Thomas Brett of Davenham; and lastly, Elizabeth, who is said to have died unmarried.
 
Before moving on to the next generation of the family two other Bostock entries from contemporary documents may be mentioned. In 1407/8 a Thomas Bostock of Bostock and others, were sureties for a Gruffydd Wright who was contracted to repair the bridge in Northwich. This Thomas was probably a brother of Adam. In 1432/3 a Nicholas de Bostock, then aged 47 years, recited that in 1411/12 that he with others who were of a similar age, went to London in company with Sir Ranulph Mainwaring who had been commanded to attend the king�s council to answer certain offences that he had committed. The information was given as evidence at the inquiry into the proof of age of John Mascy of Dunham. Nicholas is probably the brother of Adam who settled at Mobberley. His son John, along with Randle Baskerville and his wife Agnes, levied a fine in respect of two messuages, one hundred acres of land, four acres of meadow and two of wood in Mobberley and Werford, in 1461/2. 
 
A Henry Bostock and a Hugh Bostock occur as contemporaries of Adam; they may be cousins. Henry occurs in 1433 aged sixty; he may be the Hugh Bostock named as an attorney, and, in 1403 one of a number commissioned to collect a subsidy from the Northwich Hundred, part of a total of 4,000 marks to be paid by the people of Cheshire.