_William_, 2nd abbot, is stated in the charlutary to be elected abbot in 1121, the government of the church having been perhaps intermediately confided to Robert the prior, who died in 1120. He died 11th non. Oct. 1140, and was buried at the head of his predecessor. _Ralph_, 3rd abbot, elected 11 cal. Feb. in the same year. He died Nov. 16, 1157, and was buried at the head of abbot Richard, and at the left side of abbot William. _Robert Fitz-Nigel_, 4th abbot, supposed to be of the family of the barons of Halton, elected 1157, received the bishop’s benediction at Lichfield on the day of St. Nicholas. He died in 1174, and was buried in the east cloister under a marble stone to the right hand of the entrance to the chapter-house. _Robert_, 5th abbot, elected on St. Werburgh’s day, 3 non. Feb. 1174, received the benediction in the church of St. John, at Chester, on the day of St. Agatha the Virgin. This abbot obtained a bull from Pope Clement, confirming the possessions of the abbey, and granting various privileges; and died 2 cal. Sep. 1184, on which the king took the abbey into his hands, and committed the custody of it to Thomas de Husseburne. _Robert de Hastings_, 6th abbot, in 1186, was placed in this abbey by Henry II. and Baldwin, archbishop of Canterbury. He received the benediction at Canterbury, from the hands of Baldwin, whom he had the honour of entertaining as legate, at Chester, in the next year, from St. John’s-day to the following Sunday. This appointment was opposed by earl Randal, and after much controversy before Hubert, archbishop of Canterbury, Hastings was deposed, on the condition of Geoffry, who was elected in his room, paying him an annual pension of xx. marks. This abbot was buried at the head of his predecessors, William and Ralph, in the south cloister. _Geoffrey_ 7th abbot, was confirmed on the deposition of Hastings in 1194. The situation (from a document contained in the red book of the abbey) appears not to have been particularly enviable at this period. The greater part of the church was in ruins, and the rebuilding had proceeded no further than the choir, from want of money. The inroads of the Welsh had deprived the monks of a valuable rectory and two manors, and the inundations of the sea had been equally fatal in Wirral and Ince. Abbot Geoffry died May 7, 1208, and was buried in the chapter-house, on the left hand of the entrance, near the door.