1689 JOHN BENT, (Chandler).

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Son of John Bent of Leic., weaver, and descended from the Bents of Enderby, co. Leic.; was born in or about the year 1631, apprenticed at the age of fifteen to Richard Wells of Leic., chandler and slater, admitted a free burgess in 1654,5, a churchwarden of St. Martin's 1678 and appointed an alderman in the following year; married three times but left no son to succeed him. Soon after his election as mayor, he was duly sworn in at the castle, and shortly afterwards he gave a sumptuous ban, quet to the corporate body.

AId. John Bent was buried at St. Martin's 20 October 1700, aged sixty,nine. By his will, dated 1 July 1697 and proved at Leic. shortly after his death, he gave lands in the parish of Enderby to the mayor, bailiffs and burgesses of Leic., upon trust that they, after the decease of his wife Elizabeth and other persons therein named, shall, out of the. rents arising from same, build four houses or rooms in the hospital of St. John the Baptist in Leic., as dwellings for four poor widows. This bequest was an addition to the older foundation of St. John's, now known as St. John and Bent's hospital.

Elizabeth, relict of AId. Bent, only survived her husband a few days. Her funeral took place at St. Martin's 31 October 1700; aged about sixty.