Thomas Littlebury, of Ashby, by will, proved June 10th, 1590, bequeathed to his wife Katherine £100, and “one goblett with gylte cover, two ‘tunnes’ (_i.e._, cups) parcel gilte, 6 silver spoons of the best, my gylte salte I bought of my uncle Kelke, with a cover.” (The Kelkes were related to the Kirtons of Kirkton). Then follow a number of bequests of property in various parts of the county. The husband makes his executors “my father-in-law, Charles Dymoke, my cousins Andrew Gedney and Thomas Copledike.” (N.B.—These are the Copledikes, of whom so many monuments exist in Harrington Church.) George Littlebury, of Somersby, by will, dated 10 Sept., 1612, requests to be buried “in the Queare of Somersby Church,” and leaves 2s. to it, and 1s. to Ashby Church, and 1s. to Lincoln Cathedral. He wishes a stone to be placed over his grave, and his arms set in the wall, as his father’s were at Ashby. (N.B.—Both these stones and brasses still exist.) When the Spanish Armada was expected, among the gentry who contributed to the defence of the country, at the Horncastle Sessions, 1586–7, was “John Littlebury of Hagworthingham Esq. ij. light horse.” At the same time “Thomas Littlebery of Staynsby Esq. [furnished] j. launce [and] j. light horse.” At the “Rising” in Lincolnshire (1536) against Henry VIII., on the Dissolution of the Monasteries, a previous John Littlebury was just deceased, but his son Humphrey took part in it, as also did Robert Littlebury, who was probably a son of Thomas Littlebury, of Stainsby. The Littleburys and the Langtons of Langton intermarried more than once. In the reign of Henry VIII., Rose, daughter of John Littlebury of Hagworthingham, married John Langton, and in the next century (about 1620) Troth. daughter of Thomas Littlebury of Ashby Puerorum, married a son of Sir John Langton, Knt., High Sheriff of Lincolnshire. (“Architect. Soc. Journal,” vol. xxii., pp. 166–7). Probably it was owing to this connection that we find that Sir John Langton, of Langton, by his will, dated 25 Sept., 1616, leaves 20s. to the poor of Ashby, Langton, and several other places. (N.B.—I am indebted for these particulars to “Lincolnshire Wills,” edited by Canon Maddison of Lincoln.) The second half of the name of this parish of Ashby Puerorum is derived from the fact that the rent of certain lands in the parish were assigned towards the support of the choristers of Lincoln Cathedral, which is now raised by a general rate of the parish, and, accordingly, the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln are patrons of the benefice, a vicarage {9} which is now held by the Rev. Robert Ward, who resides at Hagworthingham.