"Sir William Bradshaigh, second son to Sir John, was a great
traveller and a soldier, and married to Mabel, daughter and sole heiress of Hugh Norres de
Haghe [Haigh] and Blackrode, and had issue, etc. Of this Mabel is a story
by tradition of undoubted verity, that in Sir William Bradshaigh's absence (being ten
years away in holy wars) she married a Welsh knight. Sir William, returning from the
wars, came in a palmer's habit amongst the poor to Haghe; Mabel, who when she saw and
congetringe [conjecturing] he favoured [resembled] her former husband,
wept - for which the knight [her second husband] chastised her; at which Sir
William went and made himself known to his tenants; in which space the knight fled, but
near to Newton Park, Sir William over took and slew him. The said Dame Mabel was
enjoined by her confessor to do penance by going once every week, bare footed and bare
legged, to a cross near Wigan from Haghe, whilst she lived, and [it is] called
Mabb's to this day."Drawn from the genealogical roll of the Bradshaighs by
"Mr. Roby"
Quoted in "Lancashire Legends" by J. Harland and T.T. Wilkinson, 1873
Republished by EP Publishing Ltd, 1973