In this town, but in the parish of Lockington, was I born, the first day
of May 1602.
My father's name was William Lilly, son of Robert, the son of Robert,
the son of Rowland, &c. My mother was Alice, the daughter of Edward
Barham, of Fiskerton Mills, in Nottinghamshire, two miles from Newark
upon Trent: this Edward Barham was born in Norwich, and well remembered
the rebellion of Kett the Tanner, in the days of Edward VI.
Our family have continued many ages in this town as yeomen; besides the
farm my father and his ancestors lived in, both my father and
grandfather had much free land, and many houses in the town, not
belonging to the college, as the farm wherein they were all born doth,
and is now at this present of the value of forty pounds per annum, and
in possession of my brother's son; but the freehold land and houses,
formerly purchased by my ancestors, were all sold by my grandfather and
father; so that now our family depend wholly upon a college lease. Of my
infancy I can speak little, only I do remember that in the fourth year
of my age I had the measles.
I was, during my minority, put to learn at such schools, and of such
masters, as the rudeness of the place and country afforded; my mother
intending I should be a scholar from my infancy, seeing my father's
back-slidings in the world, and no hopes by plain husbandry to recruit a
decayed estate; therefore upon Trinity Tuesday, 1613, my father had me
to Ashby de la Zouch, to be instructed by one Mr.
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