In the church of St. Mary Luton, Beds, there is a brass slab bearing the
figures of a knight and his two wives, with the following inscription:
"Pray for the soules of John Acworth Squyer and Alys and Amy his wyfes,
which John deceased the xvij day of March the yer of our Lord
M'v^cxiij. On whose souls Jhu have mercy."
For arms, he bore quarterly, 1st and 4th, erm. on a chief indented gu. 3
coronets or. 2nd and 3rd, or, between 3 roses a chev. gu.
In the reign of Henry VIII. there was one Johan Acworth (a lady of the
bedchamber to Katherine Howard), who married Sir John Bulmer, and went to
reside at York.
John Acworth was, I believe, succeeded by his son, George Acworth, who
married Margaret, the {609} daughter of -- Wilborefoss, of Durham, Esquire,
and had issue a daughter, Johan Acworth. This Johan Acworth married Sir
Edward Waldegrave, the youngest son of George Waldegrave, of Smalbridge,
Essex, Esq. I do not know if George Acworth had any other issue.
In 1560 there was a George Acworth who was public orator of Cambridge. He
was formerly of Peterhouse, and took his D.C.L. at St. John's, Oxon. He was
in his early days the friend and companion of Archbishop Parker. In 1576,
he was appointed Master of the Faculties, Judge of the Prer. Court of
Ireland. He is said to have died in Ireland, but where or when I do not
know.
There was another of the name, Allin Acworth, formerly of Magdalen Hall,
Oxon, and Vicar of St. Nicholas, Rochester, Kent. He was a sufferer by the
Act of Uniformity, having been, in consequence of that Act, expelled his
vicarage in 1666. Of his subsequent history I find no trace.
If any of your correspondents can give me any information relative to any
of the above, their descent, or intermarriages, I shall be much obliged.
The name is, I believe, an uncommon one, and is only borne, as far as I can
learn, by one family now in existence. There was, however, another family
of the name formerly belonging to Suffolk, who bore for arms: Sa. a griffin
segreant armed and langued or. But I cannot find any trace of their
residence, &c., or when they flourished or became extinct.
I believe there was a Baron of the name in the reign of one of the early
Henries, but unfortunately can discover no certain information about him.
The above particulars are wanted for genealogical purposes.