The Testa Villarum of the time of Henry the third, and Edward the first, contain the name of Robert de Bolrun, as holding six acres of land at Bolrun, in Yorkshire. John de Bolton, bow hearer of Bolton forest, in 1312, was the lineal representative according to Dugdale, of the Saxon earls of Mercia. From VVhilaker's History of Craven It appears that Edwin, Earl of Mercia, was seized of the Manor of Bodeltone"= before the conquest, and held it five years after. This nobleman was son of Leofwine, and brother of Leopie, earls of Mercia. In the year 1330, John de Bolton was rector of the church at Bolton, in Yorkshire, and John de Bolton, patron of the same. Henry Bolton is the next ancestor of whom we have any account. He appears to have been living at Bolton in Lancashire, about 133'3. He left Robert the father of William, who had a son Robert.

Robert Bolton, the more immediate ancestor of the family, was residing at Blackburn, Lancashire, in 1569. His sons were John and Robert. Of tlie youngest. Fuller in his Worthies of England, thus speaks ; " Robert Bolton was born at Biackburne, in Lancashire, on Whitsunday, 1572, a year as infamous for the massacre of many Protestants in France, as for the birth of some eminent in England. His parents having a narrow estate, struggled with their necessities to give him a liberal education ; he was bred first, in Lincoln, then in Brazen-nose college, in Oxford. He had Isocrates' six marks