expected, the religious disputes and ill-feeling existing between
the Established Church and the various sects that snarled and whined
and canted in the racy language of the time, are fully exhibited in
these records, of which I shall give some instances. In 1654, Edward
Sheldon and Nicholas Hill deposed "that upon the 20th day of August the
deponents were objecting against one Mr. Spilsbury, who desired to be
minister of Bromsgrove, that he had a low voyce; one Humphrey Potter
then answered that if he had a low voice he had a _true_ voice; unto
which Mr. Joseph Amige, now minister of Bromsgrove (as these deponents
conceiveth) answered and sayd, 'Soe have I;' unto whom the said Potter
replied, 'Noe, for you have tould lies in the pulpit,' or words to that
effect." Here is another curious specimen of the times: In 1656 the
jury presented that Thomas Goslinge, late of Bredon, yeoman, on the
11th November, 1656, at Bredon, of purpose to defame, disgrace, and
provoke one Richard Beeston, a pious and godly minister and preacher of
the word of God, and to disturb the peace, certain false, seditious,
scandalous, and provoking English words did put into meeter or verse,
and the same as a libell did openly, maliciously, and of purpose to
provoke and disgrace the said Richard Beeston, in the presence and
hearing of divers honeste people of the commonwealth of Englande, with
a loud voice did saye and singe--that is to saye:
"Here comes Mr. Beeston,
The man wee nere wiston,
As high as the pulpitt topp;
And to his disgrace,
With his impudent face,
To reape another man's cropp."
Roger of Wendover tells of a party, who profanely interrupted divine
service, being made to dance in the churchyard for twelve months,
without the power of stopping their limbs. But it seems that the
fear of supernatural punishment did not deter the brawlers of the
seventeenth century. When Dr. Thomas (afterwards Bishop of Worcester)
was vicar of Loughern, about the year 1644, a party of Parliament
horse went to that place, and inquired whether that popish priest,
Mr. Thomas, was still there, and whether he continued reading the
liturgy and praying for the Queen; one of them adding, that he would
go to church next Sunday, and if Mr. Thomas persevered in praying for
that drab of the w---- of Babylon he would certainly pistol him. That
good man, however, was not to be intimidated: he performed the usual
service, and while praying for the Queen, one of the soldiers, who sat
in the next pew to him, snatched the book out of his hand and threw it
at his head. The preacher bore it with composure, but the soldier, it
is said, was instantly seized with such compunction that his comrades
were forced to carry him away. At the Midsummer Sessions of 1660 a
deposition was made, that "on the 17th of June, being ye last Saboth
daye, Jeremiah Hewes, servant of Mr. Bishops of Lindridge, spoke of Mr.
Giles base lascivious words, for he said yt he preached in ye church
nothing but lyes, and furthermore he called him ould munkke (monk)
and he said ye ould monkke preached in ye forenoon, and his sunn, ye
yonge munkker, did endeavour to mend it in ye afternoone; and he said
he would never heere him preach again, for if he were in ye church
he would goe forthe. Mr. Gyles gave a tuch concerning maypoles--what
rudnes is ust (used) to be abought such games, and he wisht he had his
beard to make him a flaye (?) yt he might be one of ye fore leaders;
and furthermore, my brother Edward tould him yt these words did deserve
ye good behaviour (recognizance to keep the peace); and he said
again he did not care for never a justice's warrant in ye countie,
for he saith they are all turncootes." In 1665, Edward Mutchett, of
Norton-juxta-Bredon, informed against Richard Hunt, that he heard him
say in his prayers "Downe with this King of Babylon, this Poperye, and
this idolatrous wayes as is now sett upp, and that they may not touch
Thy anointed."
The Quakers of the seventeenth century, it is pretty well known, were
not the mild and gentle beings who compose the ranks of the Friends
in the nineteenth. They could rail and brawl in public, would persist
in following their trades on a Sunday, and their resistance to the
"powers that be" was of a much more active character than that which
induces a modern Friend to allow a rate-collector to seize on his
tables and chairs. The Quakers met with severer treatment during
the Commonwealth than any other sect of Christians. We trace them
obscurely under the denomination of "Seekers," their distinguishing
principle being the doctrine of an inward light. George Fox, their
founder, having bade some of the justices who committed him to jail to
_tremble_ at the word of the Lord, gave rise to the term "Quakers." In
this city and county they were apparently pursued with great severity
after the restoration of "Church and King," which undoubtedly had the
usual effect of considerably sharpening their asperity towards the
established faith. In the city, they were prevented entering their
meeting-house (in Friar Street), and accordingly preached in the open
air, while soldiers were paid for watching them. George Fox himself
was confined in Worcester jail. In an ancient library at Kingsnorton
School, there are treatises against the then recently propounded
notions of the Quakers. The subjoined extract will show that maypoles
and long hair were not the only troubles the poor vicar of that parish
had to contend against. It is taken from "Besse's Sufferings of the
Quakers," vol. ii, chap. iii, p. 60, under date 1657. "Jane Hicks,
of Chadwitch, was sent to prison at Worcester for some offence which
the priest of King's Norton took at her speaking to him." The same
writer also states that at another time she was sent to Worcester for
disturbing at Bromsgrove church, and that she was placed four times
in the stocks--once for a whole night and part of two days. The woman
would thus seem to have been a notorious disturber; and doubtless her
"speaking" to the "priest" was in the church at the time of worship--a
very common custom with the Friends of that day. Viewed in this
light the vicar's conduct was proper, and was a necessary precaution
against unseemly interruptions. The books of the above-named library,
thus viewed, become interesting to us. They are evidence in the great
Quaker battle, and no doubt poor Jane Hicks was stirred up with wrath
by hearing some of the arguments out of this storehouse hurled at her
then noisy sect. When John Bissell, also in 1657, refused to pay the
"priest" ten shillings tithe, and had "goods taken from him worth £1.
5s.," no doubt these identical volumes were at hand ready to pour
forth their artillery against the poor Quaker.[3] In the County Rolls
for 1662 is "A calendar of the prisoners called Quakers: Rd. Payton,
convicted _de premunire_; Edwd. Hall, convicted for words spoken in
open court, fined £5, and committed till payed; Henry Gibbs, Wm.
Collins, Wm. Webb, Robert Baylis, Rd. Walker _alias_ Weaver, Jos.
Walker, Rd. Bennet, Wm. Eades, Stephen Pitway, committed the 2nd
of January, 1662, for having lately assembled themselves under the
pretence of joyning in a religious worship, to the great endangering
of the publique peace and safetye, and to the terrour of the people in
severall places of this county." In 1666 the following Quakers were
"taken at a conventicle and committed by Thomas Wilde, Esq.:" Wm.
Pitt, Richard Fydo, Abra. Roberts, Rich. Lewis, Edward Lewis, Edward
Staunton, John Wright, Alexander Berdslye, Tho. Fitrale, and John
Hoskins. Next year (1667) the gaoler's list of prisoners then in gaol
included the following:
[3] This notice of Kingsnorton Library is taken from an article in
"Aris's Birmingham Gazette."
"Thomas Payton, late of Dudley, taylor, a p'fessed Quaker,
taken at a conventicle of Quakers in the said towne of Dudley,
a place much infested with Quakers and disorderlie p'sons,
and comitted to ye gaole 10th July, xiiii Caroli, and being
a stubborn and incorigible p'son, was at ye next Sessions
following tendred the oathe of allegiance, which he refused
to take, was indicted, and convicted of premunire. Thomas
Feckenham, another leader of the same sect, was likewise
apprehended about three years since, and tendred ye oathe
of allegiance, and beinge still obstinate and p'verse, hath
been continued a prisoner, but with some liberty now and then
extended towards him, which kindness hath not as yet wrought
any conformitie or submission in him. John Jenkins and William
Bardoe, Quakers, excommunicated in ye consistory of Hereford,
and taken by a writ De Excom. Capiend. about a year since. John
Roberts, of Droitwich, p'fessed Quaker, for using his trade and
calling on ye Sunday or Lord's Day, was likewise presented and
excommunicated a year ago. John Tombs, of Droitwich, for the
like offence, and for refusing to permit the sacred ordinance
of Baptism to be administered to his children, likewise
excommunicated, and taken up by the like writ. Job Allibone and
William Hodges, for the same offence and refusing to come to
church. All which persons soe committed are, by the overmuch
indulgence of the late sheriff, under-sheriff, and gaoler,
permitted to goe at liberty about their occasions, which we
consider doth encourage them to persist in their contemptuous
and incorrigible behaviour; and they are not to be found in
prison unless for about an houre or a night once in six or
eight weeks time."
This report of the state of Quakerism, it seems, was occasioned by a
request from the Government that the magistrates should inquire into
the subject, and furnish the names of the Quakers then in prison, and
whether they were ringleaders or had been seduced into the commission
of offence by others. In the chapter on the records of St. Helen's
church, Worcester, in the earlier part of this work, it will be
observed that the penalties paid by Quakers were converted into a
charitable fund for the poor.
The William Pardoe, mentioned above, was probably the individual
who was said to have been the pastor of a Baptist congregation at
Worcester, where he continued in jail nearly seven years, and died
in this city in 1692. A MS. account of his labours, travellings, and
writings, was said to have been at Leominster not many years ago. Is it
still in existence? Mr. Pardoe was excommunicated, and was buried in a
garden at Lowesmoor, near Worcester, where his body, with that of his
wife, was discovered some forty or fifty years ago while digging for
the purpose of building. The bodies were not disturbed, and a stone was
erected to their memory. I am not aware that this still remains.
We now arrive at something more stirring, and may have an interesting
peep at a conventicle of "Fifth Monarchy Men" at Oldbury. This sect
of religionists had for their distinguishing tenet a belief in the
establishment of a fifth universal monarchy, of which Christ was to be
the head; while the "saints," under his personal sovereignty, should
possess the earth. They appeared in England towards the close of the
Protectorate; and in 1660, a few months after the Restoration, they
broke out into a serious tumult in London under their leader Venner;
many of them lost their lives, some killed by the military, and others
executed. In the country the sect continued for some years later. At
the concluding Worcestershire Sessions of 1667, one William Cardale
deposed that on the 1st of September in that year he took his wife to
Oldbury to see her sister, Edward Nightingale's wife, who was lying-in;
and after dinner, he being inclined to fall asleep, his brother-in-law
asked him to go for a walk; they accordingly went to Oldbury chapel,
which they found full of people. After a psalm had been led, the
preacher, who was a stranger to him, "made a very strange prayer,
praying neither for king, queen, royal familie, nor clergie," and a
still stranger sermon followed, from the text "Thy kingdom come,"
"his doctrine beinge, that Christ hath a kingdome of rewarde for his
sufferinge and workinge servants, which in his good time he would
possess them, and we ought to pray for;" and he attempted to prove,
from the Revelations, Daniel, and other mystical writings, that the
aforesaid kingdom was to be on earth. "On the preacher proposing to
show _when_ this kingdom was to come, an alarm of soldiers was given,
a horse was soon got ready for him, and throwing off his gown and
perriwig, he appeared in a grey coat, and speedily worked his way
through the crowd and made off." A soldier, named William Perrott,
deposed that by command of his officer, Major Wilde, he with others was
sent to apprehend this preacher, whose name was Steele, _alias_ Fraser,
a Nonconformist; and on arriving at Oldbury chapel they found about
2000 persons there. When the preacher had disappeared, Perrott with
two others secured the doors of the chapel; shortly after which some
of the congregation "looked out of the windows to see whether any more
soldiers appeared, and observing none, they presently swore that three
or four were not able to keepe so manye prisoners. Forthwith thereupon
they broke open the doors upon us, and layd hold upon my haire, my
pistolls, and cloake, and gave me severall blowes upon my head and
bodye, and likewise of those soldiers that were present with me. They
alsoe forced one of my pistolls out of my hande, and alsoe broake Mr.
Hambden's man's pistoll about our heads. After the rest of our partye
of horse appeared, most of them runn from us. Some few were took.
Alsoe I observed a great many of benches as I supposed newly set upp
about ye chapel to receive ye company." What became of the unfortunate
prophesier of the coming kingdom doth not appear.
In the year 1669, Thomas Willmot, vicar of Bromsgrove, laid an
information at the Sessions to the effect that, "being ready to attend
his duty at the funeral of Jane, the wife of John Eckols, was by a
tumult of Anabaptists affronted and disturbed whilst I was reading the
service. They no sooner came to the grave but irreverently threw the
corps thereinto, and having their hats on their heads, immediately,
contrary to the orders of the Church, without the least respect to
the service of the same, and without either clerk or sexton, with
their feete caste in the mold and covered the corps. Amongst which
tumult there was one Henry Waldron, who entring into the belman's house
without his leave, took away his spade, wherewith John Price, contrary
to all civility and decency, notwithstanding he was checked by the
minister, with his head covered, persisted to throwe the mold in the
aforesaid grave."
The last instance of open disaffection to the church service which is
worth a place in this record occurs in 1692, when an information was
laid against Michael Bisset, of Feckenham. It appeared that Richard
Bond and one Foster having publicly praised a sermon delivered in
Feckenham church by a parson named Millard, Bissett swore by God's
wounds (a common oath in those days) "That there was never a true word
in the same sermon, and that it was all nought and false, and that it
would have been a good deede to have sett him downe out of the pulpit
with a bowe and bolte (meaning the said preacher), and that he could go
down in the meadows and hear as good a sermon under a hedge." Bolt is
a short arrow shot from a cross-bow. Hence the saying, "A fool's bolt
is soon shot." There are several specimens of these bows and bolts at
Goodrich Castle.
The Toleration Act of William III gave immunity to all Protestant
Dissenters, except those who denied the Trinity, from the penal laws to
which they had been subjected. In the Sessions' order book, date 1696,
is a "Mem. That the persons under-named in open Court of Sessions did
take the oaths mentioned and appointed to be taken in and by an Act
made _Anno primo Willi et Marie_, entitled 'An Act for abrogating of
the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, and appointing other oaths;'
and also made and subscribed the declaration appointed to be made and
subscribed in and by an Act made _Anno 25 Caroli Secundi_, entitled 'An
Act for preventing dangers which may happen from Popish recusants,'
according to an Act made _Annis 7 et Willi tertii Regis_, entitled 'An
Act requiring the practicers of the law to take the oaths and subscribe
the declarations therein mentioned.'" The following are the names of
the subscribers in this county:
John Soley, Esq.
Charles Cocks, Esq.
Richard Nanfan, }
Henry Toye, }
Thomas Parker, }
Joshua Bradley, }
Richard Cowcher, }
John Yarranton, }
Richard Teynton, }
John Ffownes, }
Edwyn Eyre, }
Robert Bird, }
Thomas Partington, } Gent.
Samuel Grove, }
Thomas Hayward, }
Thomas Hart, }
William Cardale, }
Epaphroditus Bagnall, }
William Hart, }
Richard Norbury, }
Henry Hodges, }
Richard Herbert, }
Thomas Oliver, }
Edmund Rose, }
22 Maii, 1696.
Samuel Hunt, }
Edward Walker, Advocate, }
John Price, }
William Bowkey, }
Henry Philpott, }
Edward Hallen, }
Thomas Millward, }
Edward Dyson, } Gent.
Godman Atwood, }
Anthony Ashfield, }
James Gilbert, }
John Morris, }
Robert Parr, }
Henry Prescott, }
Edward Walker, jun., }
James Nash, }
_Die eadem_--the same time the persons under-named subscribed the
association:
Richard Norbury, }
Anthony Ashfield, }
James Gilbert, }
John Morris, }
Robert Parr, }
Henry Prescott, }
Edward Walker, jun. }
Godman Atwood, } Gent.
Thomas Milward, }
Edward Hallen, }
Henry Philpott, }
John Price, }
Edward Walker, Advocate, }
William Bowkey, }
Samuel Hunt, }
An explanation is necessary with regard to "signing the association,"
as stated above. In Harris's Life of William III, p. 143, under the
date of 1688, it is stated that after the arrival of the gentlemen of
Somerset and Dorsetshire, at Exeter, "Sir Edward Seymour asked Dr.
Burnet 'Why they had not got an _association_, without which they were
only a rope of sand, and none would think themselves bound to stick to
them.' The Doctor told him 'It was for want of a man of his authority
and credit to support such an advice.'" He then proposed it to the
Prince, who, with the Earl of Shrewsbury and all present, approved the
motion. Accordingly the Doctor did urge an association, containing "a
solemn engagement firmly to adhere together in pursuance of the ends of
the Prince's declaration, and in defence thereof, and never to depart
from it till the religion, laws, and liberties of the people should
be secured by a free Parliament; and if any attempt should be made on
the person of the Prince, that it should be revenged on all by whom
any such attempt should be made." This association was speedily signed
there and in other places, particularly by many in the University
of Oxford. Lord Herbert of Cherbury, and the principal gentlemen of
Worcestershire and Herefordshire, met at Worcester, and declared
for the Prince of Orange, when Sir Walter Blount and the Sheriff of
Worcestershire were sent prisoners to Ludlow Castle. The declaration, I
presume, continued to be signed for several subsequent years.
In the Summer Sessions of the same year "the persons under-named did
take the oaths and made and subscribed the declaration of 30 Car. II:"
Thomas Cornewall
William Lygon
William Tillam
Richard Towaye
Francis Sedgwick
Henry Coupland
Samuel Wilcocks
Joseph Adams
S. Taylor
Joseph Jones
Josiah Rogers
Robert Durham
Thomas Lowe
William Sherborne
J. Harper
Henry Davis
Thomas Nash
William Grove
Thomas Dewell
William Search
Thomas Evans
Thomas Wells
Thomas Parker
J. Parker
Richard Mann
Edward Sylls
Arthur Lindsey
Richard James
Richard Smalbrooke
Edward Wheeler
Pa. Philpott
Timothy Parker
The persons next following did take the oaths and subscribe the
declaration of 25 Car. II:
Thomas Cornwall
William Tillam
William Lygon
Richard Towage
Francis Sedgwick
Henry Coupland
Thomas Pearsell
Thomas Lowe
Joseph Adams
Samuel Wilcocks
Sy. Taylor
Joseph Jones
Josiah Rogers
Robert Durham
William Sherborne
J. Harper
Henry Davis
Thomas Nash
William Grove
Thomas Dewell
William Search
Thomas Evans
Thomas Wells
Thomas Parker
J. Parker
Richard Mann
Edward Sylls
Arthur Lindsey
Richard James
Richard Smalbrooke
Edward Wheeler
Pa. Philpott
Timothy Parker
The persons under-named did sign the Association:
Thomas Coventrye
Edmund Lechmere
Samuel Pytts
William Walsh
Timothy Parker
Jo. Fleetwood
Wenman Winniatt
A. Ashfeild
Martyn Ballard
James Michell
Richard Feild
Thomas Rudge
J. Packington
James Rushout
R. Dowdeswell
Chambers Slaughter
William Harris
Charles Cocks
Thomas Chetle
William Tillam
Francis Sedgwick
Richard Towaye
Henry Coupland
Stephen Marche
Henry Toye
Jo. Jevon
Jo. Harris
Samuel Grove
William Grove
Thomas Hayward
Edw. Cookes
Richard Wooley
Joseph Jones
Thomas Parker
William Rudge
Richard Cowcher
Edmund Rose
Ja. Gilbert
S. Jewkes
Rowland Battell
Thomas Yarnald
Edward Reynolds
Adam Cave
John Rudge
John Terbervile
George Lench
Richard Smalbrooke
Edward Wheeler
Pa. Philpott
Samuel Freeman
Edward Bunce
Francis Ross
Francis Maleroy
John Jeffery
F. Jeffery
Ja. Ingoldsby
Abraham Stapleton
John Dowglass
John Archer
Francis Wythes
Sampson Farley
John Baron
Francis Russell
William Bromley
Robert Wylde
John Soley
Francis Sheldon, jun.
Thomas Cornewall
Robert Foley
Higons James
Salwey Winnington
Ed. Sandys
J. Apletree
Fra. Sheldon
John Sheldon
Thomas Parrott
Pest. Sheldon
Obadiah Alforde
Thomas Bradley
Robert Bushell
John Tilsley
William Lygon
Thomas Bushell
William Hancocke
Henry Hodges
Thomas Burlton
Thomas Harris
Thomas Mackey
The mark of Thomas Segar
Thomas Savage
William Cowells
Rowland Bradstock
Jarritt Smith
William Ffreet
William Waring
Richard James
Josiah Rogers
Joseph Adams
J. Harper
Samuel Wilcocks
Thomas Nash
William Sherborne
Henry Davis
Thomas Wells
George Harris
Richard Mann
Sy. Tayler
J. Barker
Thomas Pearsall
Thomas Dewell
William Search
Thomas Evans
Thomas Theasker
Thomas Gardiner
Thomas Lowe
Robert Durham
Edward Sylls
Arthur Lindsay
William Reynolds
And divers others put the roll.
The only remaining noticeable item affecting Nonconformity is an order
made in or about the year 1716, "that an indenture of apprenticeship
made between John Cookes and his master, Samuel Gill, be discharged
and set aside, it appearing to this court that the master gave his
said apprentice imoderate correccon and alsoe employing him in another
trade, viz., plateing of gunn barrells and _obligeing him to goe to the
Presbyterian_ meeting." It may be stated, in concluding this chapter,
that the law enforcing attendance at the parish church on Sunday was
not abolished till 1846. Other notes on Nonconformity will be found in
this volume.
Dissenting Chapels and Meeting Houses.