he was a bachelor of laws, but of what university we are not informed. On 8 Feb. 1424–5 he was admitted prebendary of Tervin in the church of Lichfield (Le Neve, Fasti, ed. Hardy, i. 630); and on 31 Oct. 1428 he became archdeacon of Salop (ib. p. 674). The latter preferment he resigned before August 1431. Many years later, on 13 Jan. 1449–50, he was collated to the prebend of Moreton Magna in Hereford Cathedral (ib. p. 515). In an indenture of 1451, where he is called simply 'canon residentiary of Lichfield and prebend of Tervyn' (Bodl. Libr. Cod. Ashmol. 1521 b. i. 19), the sub-chanter and vicars of Lichfield Catnedral bind themselves to sing a mass and other anniversary exequies for Chesterfield on account of the great benefits he had done and procured for them and their successors, namely for giving them seventy pounds for the better building of the vicars' hall and repairing their other houses within the precinct of the seat of the vicarage within the close of Lichfield.' From this evidence it does not appear certainly whether Chesterfield was already dead or not; but he must have died some time before the spring or summer of 1452, when his preferments were filled up.
[Gery, in the Appendix to Cave's Historia Literaria, p. 48 b gives Chesterton as an alternative name to Chesterfield.]
CHESTERS, Lord. [See Henryson, Sir Thomas.]
CHESTRE, THOMAS (fl. 1430), was the author of an English poem on the Arthurian romance of 'The noble Knighte Syr Launfal,' freely adapted from the French. An early manuscript is in the British Museum (MS. Cott. Calig. A. ii.) Ritson printed the poem for the first time in his 'Ancient English Metrical Romances,' London, 1802, i. 170–215. In 1558 John Kynge obtained the Stationers' Company's license to print a book, containing 'Syr Lamwell,' and Laneham mentions a publication of the same name in his famous letter from Kenilworth. This work has been often identified with Cheetre's poem, but it is more probably a later ballad based on Chestre's poem, and printed in Messrs. Furnivall and Hales's edition of Bishop Percy's folio manuscript under the title of 'Syr Lambewell.' Chestre has been claimed as the author of other fifteenth-century romances, such as 'Emare' and the 'Earl of Tholouse,' but there is no evidence to support the conjecture.
[Tanner's Bibl. Brit.; Ritson's Ancient Romances, i. 170-216, iii. 242-3; Warton's Hist. of English Poetry. ed. Haslitt, iii. 95-8, iv. 108; Arbor's Transcript of the Stationers' Reg. i. 79; Nichols's Progresses of Elizabeth.]
CHETHAM, HUMPHREY (1580–1653), founder of the Chetham Hospital and Library, fifth son of Henry Chetham of Crumpsall Hall, near Mandiester, a prosperous merchant of that town, and his wife Jane, daughter of Robert Wroe of Heaton Cate, was baptised at the collegiate church of Manchester on 10 July 1580. He received his education at the Manchester grammar school under Dr. Thomas Cogan, author of the 'Haven of Health.' Being destined for commercial pursuits, he was apprenticed in 1597 to Samuel Tipping, a Manchester linendraper, and at the end of his term of apprenticeship entered into partnership with his brother George, who was a citizen and grocer of London. This partnership lasted until George Chetham's death, which occurred in 1626. Humphrey lived in Manchester and followed the occupation of a chapman or merchant, and a manufacturer of woollen cloth or fustian. He also was in the habit of advancing money at interest to needy gentlemen and traders, and of performing many of the functions of a money-changer or banker. He eventually amassed a considerable fortune, and along with his brother invested much of his capital in the purchase of land and houses in the neighbourhood of Manchester. In 1620 Clayton Hall, an ancient seat of the Byron family, was purchased by the brothers, and in 1628 Turton Tower and its manor were acquired by Humphrey in the same way from the Orrells. In 1622 he bought the lease of the tithe of grain and corn of Manchester from Warden Murray. This lease proved the subject of vexatious disputes, but it probably led Chetham to take the interest which he afterwards evinced in the collegiate church in helping to repair certain abuses in its management, and in furnishing the means of obtaining the grant from the privy council of a new charter and the refoundation of the college. By 1631 he had become so prominent as to elicit a call from court to receive the 'honour' of knighthood, but he disobeyed the summons, and in consequence had to pay a fine. Shortly afterwards, in 1635, he was appointed high sheriff of Lancashire. Although he took the office much against his will, he discharged its duties with great distinction. Among his earliest official tasks was that of levying 'ship-money.' He also assisted in the national subscription for the rebuilding of St. Paul's Cathedral. His zeal and integrity were rewarded by the special thanks of King Charles.
At this time he obtained from the heralds the right to arms, but not without opposition. He was appointed in April 1641 as high collector of subsidies granted by parliament to
