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The History of Tewkesbury
By James Bennett
Transcriptions by Rosemary Lockie, © Copyright 2015
CHAPTER XIV.
INCUMBENTS OF TEWKESBURY PRIOR to the dissolution of the monastery, Tewkesbury was
a rectory of considerable value; its emoluments were enjoyed
by the abbot and convent, who appointed, from their
own fraternity, a stipendiary curate. King Henry the eighth
alienated the whole of the possessions of this church, which
comprised most of the great and small tithes of Tewkesbury,
Southwick, Ashchurch,[258] and Aston-upon-Carron, and the
whole of those of Walton Cardiff, Fiddington and Tredington.
The king reserved to himself the right of presentation, but the
revenues being sequestered, the patronage was not worth
retaining. As the crown therefore could not find any one
who would accept this empty preferment, the parishioners,
who had before been compelled to purchase the church and
stipulate for its future repair, to prevent its demolition, at
length found that they must also provide a clergyman at
their own charge,[259] or suffer the public worship of God to be
wholly neglected. It appears that the bishop of the diocese
| 182 | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | |
sometimes appointed a curate, at a small salary, which the
towns-people were expected to provide, and at other times the
inhabitants were wholly dependant on the clergy in the vicinity
of the town, or on the casual attendance of clerical strangers,
for the performance of the services of the church.
King James the first, in 1608, granted the rectory of
Tewkesbury to Francis Morris and Francis Phelps, reserving
to the crown the advowson and right of patronage, and merely
charging the rectory with the payment of £.10 annually to the
minister. This property subsequently devolved to Edwin
Skrimshire, esq. whose conscience it appears would not suffer
him to enjoy the property which had been wrested from the
church; he therefore, in 1683, conveyed the tithes of Tredington
and Fiddington to trustees, directing that, after the payment
of £.12[260] to the minister of Tredington, £.12 to the minister of
Ashchurch, and the £.10 before mentioned as having been
granted by James the first to the minister of Tewkesbury, the
residue should be appropriated towards the better maintenance
of the officiating minister of the church of Tewkesbury. In
consequence of this important augmentation to the living, the
inhabitants petitioned the king, that the advowson might be
given to Mr. Skrimshire; but this request, as might have
been anticipated, proved unavailing. Under the powers of
the Tredington and Fiddington inclosure act, land in lieu
of those tithes has recently been allotted to the minister
of Tewkesbury.
The benefice is now styled a vicarage, though the incumbent
appears formerly to have been usually denominated
"minister". It is still in the gift of the crown,[261] is situate in
the diocese of Gloucester, and in the deanery of Winchcomb.
The bishop holds a visitation triennially at Tewkesbury, and
in the intermediate years there is an archidiaconal visitation.
| | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | 183 |
The living, with the readership[262] annexed, is now of considerable
value.[263]
Of the early incumbents of Tewkesbury we have little
information: their names are not even recorded in the registry
at Gloucester, nor in the archives of the parish.
The first minister, subsequent to the reformation, whose
name we have been able to discover, was John Davis; he, in
his will, dated 1543, is designated "priest".[264]
In 1546, William Parsons described himself as "secondary"
of Tewkesbury.[265]
Richard Drake, "curate" of Tewkesbury, in 1552, bequeathed
by will to the church, 3s. 4d. and to the poor of the
town, 3s. 4d. [266]
In several documents, in the registry at Gloucester, the
name of Sir Stephen Berde[267] occurs: in one of them, dated
1554, he is called "secondary"; in 1556 he is described as
| 184 | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | |
"curate"; and in another instance he is styled "vicar" of
Tewkesbury.
Sir Thomas Nott was "curate" in 1557: his name occurs
in his official capacity in two wills,[268] in the registry at Gloucester,
dated in that year.
In the register of baptisms, for 1597, and in two subsequent
years, the name of "Ri. Curteis, mynister", is frequently
found.[269]
| | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | 185 |
In 1628, the Rev. John Geree, A.M.[270] held the living; he
also enjoyed it in 1641, although Nathaniel Wight styles himself
minister in 1634, in which year his signature is attached
to some licenses which he granted to his parishioners, permitting
them to eat flesh during Lent. Mr. Geree appears to
have been considered too orthodox for one of the two great
religious parties which at that period divided the kingdom,
and too heterodox for the other. He called himself "a preacher
of God's word", and removed from Tewkesbury to St. Alban's,
about 1645.
After the secession of Mr. Geree, the names of Richard
Cooper and R. Wilkes sometimes occur in the parish registers;
it is thought however that they were only assistant ministers,
as it is stated, in a small work, printed at that period, that Mr.
Geree was succeeded at Tewkesbury by the Rev. John Wells,
"a godly preacher", formerly of Gloucester Hall.[271] Mr. Wells
| 186 | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | |
was a zealous defender of Cromwell's power, and an active
and useful instrument in the hands of the presbyterian party.
Calamy has erroneously ranked him among those who were
"ejected or silenced after the Restoration": the mistake originated
perhaps in the circumstance of the Rev. Francis Wells
being ejected from this church, at a subsequent period.
The Rev. Thomas Burroughs,[272] a staunch republican, was
minister in 1650,[273] and for several years afterwards.[274]
| | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | 187 |
About the year 1657, a Mr. Lewis[275] officiated here, but he
probably never held the benefice.
In 1661, Mr. Robert Eaton was minister of Tewkesbury.
In the registry of his death, which occurred in 1668, he is
called a "godly minister of this parish".
In 1669, the Rev. Cuthbert Browne was elected minister of
Tewkesbury.[276]
In 1674, the Rev. Francis Wells, ancestor of the late Dr.
Wells, of Prestbury, near Cheltenham, held the living; and
was deprived for non-conformity.[277]
| 188 | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | |
In 1687,[278] the Rev. Robert Eaton, son of a former incumbent,
died whilst he was in possession of the benefice; although
the names of John Matthews and Samuel Edwards occur as
preachers in the preceding year.
The Rev. John Matthews was inducted to the benefice in
1689, and held it for thirty-nine years. In the early part of
his ministry he sometimes denominated himself "pastor", at
other times "minister", and subsequently "vicar". A prosecution
was instituted against him during the time he held
the living: the specific offence with which he was charged is
unrecorded, and from his retaining his situation many years
afterwards, it may be inferred that the object of his accusers
was frustrated.[279] He resigned the living in 1728, and died in
the following year.
In 1728, on the cession of Mr. Matthews, the Rev. Henry
Jones, A.M. was instituted to the benefice, but he died shortly
afterwards.
| | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | 189 |
The Rev. Penry Jones, clerk, succeeded his brother, in
1729, and held the vicarage until his death, which happened
in 1754.
The Rev. Henry Jones, A.M. son of the before-named
Henry Jones, was instituted to the living on the death of his
uncle, in 1754. He was also perpetual curate of Tredington;
and died in 1769, in the forty-seventh year of his age, having
held the vicarage fourteen years.[280]
In 1769, the Rev. Edward Evanson, A.M.[281] was, through
the interest of Mr. Dodd, M.P. for Reading, presented to the
vicarage of Tewkesbury, by Lord Chancellor Camden. He
soon afterwards obtained the vicarage of Longdon, in the
county of Worcester, in exchange for the vicarage of South
| 190 | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | |
Mims, near Barnet, which had been given to him in 1768;
and about the same period he was presented to the perpetual
curacy of Tredington, by the bishop of Gloucester.[282] Shortly
after Mr. Evanson's appointment as vicar, he expressed his
dissent from some of the essential doctrines of the church of
England; a change of opinion which eventually brought him
into much notoriety. On Easter Sunday, 1771, he chose the
doctrine of the Resurrection, as taught in the first epistle to
the Corinthians, for the subject of his discourse, at Tewkesbury;
from the manner in which he treated it, he gave great
offence to many of the most respectable of his congregation;
and this displeasure was much heightened by some alterations
which he constantly made in the Apostles' Creed and other
parts of the service of the church. A prosecution was subsequently
commenced against him in the Consistory Court of
Gloucester, which was carried on for a long time, and at a
great expense both to Mr. E. and his prosecutors. The
criminal facts with which he was charged were, that, in two
private conversations, as well as in a sermon preached upon
Easter Sunday, and in a pamphlet entitled "The Doctrines
of the Trinity", and also in an answer to a letter sent to
him by his prosecutors, he had offended against the fourth,
fifth and sixth canons; and, both in the sermon and pamphlet,
against the 13th of Eliz. c.12, s.2; and that, in two
verbal alterations and two verbal omissions, in his performance
of the public service, he had several times transgressed the
fourteenth and thirty-eighth canons. The court having
granted a commission to examine evidence, it was opened
| | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | 191 |
with great formality in the abbey church, April 6, 1774; it
was continued by adjournment at a tavern until the 16th of
the same month, and six and twenty witnesses were examined
in support of the prosecution. The cause came to a hearing
before the Bishop and the Chancellor of Gloucester on the 16th
of January, 1775, but Mr. Evanson's proctors declined entering
into the merits of the case, and took exceptions as to the
regularity of part of the proceedings: the court over-ruled
these exceptions, and ordered the parties to go into the merits.
To this order the vicar's proctors appealed to the Arches-Court
of Canterbury, and the appeal was heard before Sir
George Hay, in Doctor's Commons, on the 26th of May, 1775.
The Dean of the Arches, after having heard the proctors
on both sides, not on the merits but on the exceptions, pronounced
for the appeal, and dismissed Mr. E. from all further
judicial proceedings in the cause, and condemned Mr. Havard,
the promoter, in costs. Mr. Havard afterwards appealed from
this decree to the Court of Delegates, and the cause was argued
at great length in Easter and Trinity terms following: the
judges reversed a part of the decree of the Court of Arches,
and assigned the cause for a further hearing. Through the
whole of this protracted suit, Mr. Evanson enjoyed the legal
assistance of Mr. Wedderburn, then solicitor-general, (afterwards
Lord Rosslyn), free of all expense; and was also, in
1775, appointed his domestic chaplain. Mr. Evanson, in
conjunction with a curate, performed the church service, alternately
at Tewkesbury and Longdon, until the year 1775; when
he left his curate at Tewkesbury, and went to reside wholly at
Longdon. In 1778, he published the sermon, which had given
so much offence, with an affidavit of its literal authenticity,
accompanied by "An Epistle Dedicatory to the worthy Inhabitants
of Tewkesbury who defrayed the Charges attending
his Defence". This it appears he did, in consequence of his
opponents having published "A Narrative of the Origin and
Progress of the Prosecution against the Rev. Edward Evanson",
which was drawn up by the late Neast Havard, esq. town-clerk
of the borough; who afterwards published "A Word at
| 192 | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | |
Parting; being a few Observations on a mutilated Sermon,
and an Epistle Dedicatory to the worthy Inhabitants of Tewkesbury,
lately published by Edward Evanson, M.A. to which
are added the Arguments of Counsel in the Court of Delegates,
touching Mr. Evanson's Prosecution". Previous to the appearance
of these publications, Mr. E. resigned his livings, upon
which the prosecution against him was immediately dropped,
and Mr. Havard was of course saddled with the costs. Mr.
Evanson retired to Mitcham, where he undertook the education
of a few pupils; the father of one of them, Colonel
Evelyn James Stuart, son of Lord Bute, settled an annuity
upon him, which was regularly paid until the time of his
death. His last days were spent in privacy at Colford, in the
Forest of Dean, where he died on Sept. 25th, 1805. Dr.
Chalmers, the compiler of the General Biographical Dictionary,
affirms, that Mr. Evanson was "one of the most determined
opponents of revealed religion in modern times"; and Mr.
Gilbert Wakefield, in his Letters, calls him "a notorious and
confirmed heretic". His biographer, in the Monthly Magazine,[283]
says, "however widely Mr. Evanson might differ from other
Christians in points of speculation, he was himself a decided
believer in divine revelation"; and in a letter, written by Mr.
Evanson, a short period before his death, dated from Clifton,
where it appears he had gone for the recovery of his health,
he observes, "the surgeon tells me that I may obtain relief,
but God knows how far he may be right, and I am not at all
anxious about the event: at the age of seventy-four, life begins
to be of little value, either to myself or others, but my future
prospects are full of comfort". Whatever may have been Mr.
Evanson's errors, in matters of religion, he is universally
allowed to have been a man of very considerable learning and
abilities: he appears also to have been honourable, humane,
and benevolent; and, in domestic life, highly exemplary.
The Rev. James Tattersall, A.M. had the vicarage presented
to him, on the resignation of Mr. Evanson, in the year
| | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | P193 |
1777, and he retained it until his premature and melancholy
death in 1791 [284]
The Rev. Robert Knight, A.M.[285] was instituted to the living
in 1792; he held the rectory of Baynton, Worcestershire, as
| 194 | HISTORY OF TEWKESBURY. | |
well as the vicarage of Tewkesbury, from that period until
1818, when, with the consent of Lord Chancellor Eldon, he
exchanged with the Rev. Charles White the latter preferment
for Mickleton[286] cum Ebrington, in the county of Gloucester.
Mr. White, the present incumbent, was instituted in June,
1818;[287] he was soon afterwards presented to the perpetual
curacy of Deerhurst, and, on the death of Dr. Welles, late
vicar of Prestbury, was appointed rural dean of the deanery
of Winchcomb, by Bishop Ryder.
Notes
| [258] |
William Reade and his assigns had a grant from the abbey of
Tewkesbury of "all their tithe wool and lamb" of the lordships and
manors of Ashchurch, Newton, Walton, Fiddington, Aston-upon-Carron,
Northway and others, from the 16th of Jan. 30 Hen. VIII. for eighty
years. - Records in the Registry of Gloucester. |
| [259] |
A petition to Cromwell's parliament, in 1650, from the corporation
of the borough, states "that they have, for above fifty years, at their own
charge, by way of benevolence, maintained pious and learned ministers,
who constantly did and still do preach twice every Lord's Day". |
| [260] |
This sum was, in 1828, by an amicable arrangement, augmented to
£.18 per annum. |
| [261] |
The benefice is valued in P. Nich. with the chapels, at £.5S. 13s. 4d.;
but is not in charge in the king's books. |
| [262] |
The corporation of the borough has the appointment of a reader or
assistant to the minister of Tewkesbury, and although the vicarage and
readership are not necessarily enjoyed by the same individual, it has been
the general custom for a long period to unite them. The small tithes and
easter offerings are attached to the readership; and at the time these were
devised by Mr. Geers, a Mr. John Pearce was reader, and also master of the
free grammar school, but was never minister of the parish. As the small
tithes of Tewkesbury would obviously be very inconsiderable, and the easter
offerings of all such as could reasonably be expected to pay them, would
amount to little, they have not been demanded within the remembrance of
any one now living; but, as a compensation to the vicar, a collection has
always been annually made for him by the church-wardens. |
| [263] |
See Appendix, No.22. |
| [264] |
His will is in the registry at Gloucester. |
| [265] |
Ibid. |
| [266] |
Ibid. |
| [267] |
The title of Sir was formerly given to priests in holy orders, who
had not taken their degrees; whilst that of Master was given to those who
had commenced in the arts. Hence Fuller, in his Church History,
quaintly says, "More Sirs than Knights". Shakspeare, in "The Merry
Wives of Windsor", calls a Welsh parson, Sir Hugh Evans; he has also a
Sir Topas in "Twelfth Night", and Sir Oliver in "As You Like It".
Spenser, in more than one instance, designates a priest Sir John. Bishop
Percy says, that the title of Sir was appropriated to such of the inferior
clergy as were only readers of the service, and not admitted to be
preachers. |
| [268] |
As these wills are interesting, and relate in some degree to our subject,
we shall here subjoin the substance of them: One is that of Sir John Assum,
priest, dated April 7, 1557, who bequeaths his body to Tewkesbury church;
and to the same church a vestment of blue silk, an awlbee named a stole,
and a fañell belonging to the same vestment; another vestment of yellow
silk, an awlbee and a fañell belonging to the same; a ehrysabull of tawny
velvet, two fañells of the same, with the stole and fañell; an awlbee, with
fañells of gold, with imagery work upon the same awlbee; an amys of the
same, and a stole and fañell belonging thereto, wrought with arms; a cloth
of red and green silk, with the fringe, to hang before the high altar; a pall
of black velvet, to serve for the use of the poor people as well as the rich;
an altar cloth, for the high altar, of diaper; and a cross, with a foot belonging
to the same cross, and a relic hanging upon the same. - The other will is
that of Thomas Coke, of Tewkesbury, clothman, dated April 21, 1557: he
bequeaths his tenement, with a garden, and its appurtenances, in the occupation
of Richard Matthew, at the rent of thirty shillings per annum, lying
in the High-street, Tewkesbury, to John Butler and Wm. Phelowe, bailiffs
of Tewkesbury, and to T. Witherstone, Wm. Cole, Wm. Aly, and Richard
Caryk, burgesses, their heirs and assigns for ever, to the intent that the
bailiff's of Tewkesbury, for the time being, and the major part of the discreet
burgesses of the said borough, shall apply the same to the reparations of
Tewkesbury church, or to such other uses concerning the church, or God's
service, as they think fit; holding the said lands of the lords of the fee at
the service usually due for the same. The residue of his lands, together
with the leases which he had for a term of years, he bequeaths to Joyce his
wife, for her natural life, or until the leases expired, if she should so long
live; after her decease, to William his son; and if he die without heirs,
his wife to dispose of the premises towards the foundation and erection
of a free grammar school, or the foundation of a chantry, or some other
charitable use, to continue for ever. |
| [269] |
In one of the parish registers, of the date of 1599, during the season
of Lent, the Allowing entry occurs: - "I graunted a license to William
Phelpes, being then extremelye sicke, to eate fleshe, which license to
endure no longer tyme then during his sicknes.
"Ri. Curteis, curate of Tewksburie". |
| [270] |
Mr. Geree, during the time he resided at Tewkesbury, published,
(by authority of the House of Commons), a pamphlet against Separate
and Independent Churches, called "Vindiciae Voti"; and also a sermon,
entitled "Judah's Joy at the Oath, laid out for England's Example in
embracing the Parliamentary Covenant with readiness and rejoicing".
The sermon he dedicated to Nathaniel Stephens, esq. M.P. for the county
of Gloucester; and it is stated, in the preface, that above four hundred
inhabitants of Tewkesbury entered into the famous protestation or covenant,
for the defence of the protestant religion, (which the House of Commons
agreed to and individually signed in May 1641), the day after the discourse
was delivered. Mr. Geree was also author of another tract, entitled "The
Character of an Old English Puritan or Non-Conformist", published in
1646. From the tenor of this work, we may infer, that Mr. Geree was one
of that class of religionists which Sir P. Warwick, in his Memoirs of the
Reign of Charles the First, terms Church Puritans: - "whilst the church
puritan opposed the more canonical churchman, the knave puritan overthrew
both". - In a singular publication, entitled "The Great Evil of
Health-Drinking", printed in 1684, it is said that the "worthy Mr. John
Geree hath written a tract on purpose against Healthing". |
| [271] |
In this work, which was printed in 1657, and entitled "The Winchcomb
Papers Reviewed, &c. for the use of Gloucestershire", Mr. Wells is
said to be an "independent", and a "most eager disputant". It contains
"A true Account of a Dispute at Winchcomb Parish Church, Nov. 9th,
1653", where the Rev. Clement Barksdale, of Sudeley, and the Rev. Mr.
Towers, minister of Todington, both orthodox divines, publicly argued
with the Rev. Mr, Helme, minister of Winchcomb, the Rev. Mr. Wells, of
Tewkesbury, the Rev. Mr. Tray, of Oddington, the Rev. Mr. Chaflfey, of
Naunton, and Colonel Aileworth, a justice of peace, who were all termed
puritans, the following question: "Whether it be lawful to minister and
receive the holy sacrament in congregations called mixt, (or, in our parish
churches?}" The proceedings and arguments on this occasion are interesting,
but the dispute ended, as might have been expected, without either
party being brought to a change of opinion. |
| [272] |
By an order of the "committee for plundered ministers", dated July
1, 1646, the yearly sum of £.20 out of the impropriate rectory of Queinton,
and £.30 more out of the impropriate rectory of Child's Wickham, in the
county of Gloucester, sequestered from the Lady Fermor and Henry
Fermor, esq. her son, recusants, were directed to be paid for the increase of
the maintenance of the minister of Tewkesbury, as his income had been
previously but £.10 per annum. And as the cure of the church was very
great, the parish containing 2500 communicants, it was further ordered,
that £.50 a year should be paid out of the profits of the impropriate tithes
of Whitefield, in the said county, sequestered from Henry and Thomas
Cassey, esquires, recusants, for the maintenance of an assistant to the said
minister. - There being however no assistant appointed to the minister,
it was, by an order of the same committee, dated Feb. 26, 1650, directed
that the £.50 a year from the impropriate rectory of Whitefield should be
paid, with all arrears thereof, unto Mr. Thomas Burroughs, minister of
the church of Tewkesbury, until an assistant should be appointed. Tewkesbury
Corporation Records. |
| [273] |
In a register of church livings, temp. Cromwell, 1654, it is said, that
Mr. Burweighes, a preaching minister, was incumbent of Tewkesbury;
that the value of the vicarage was £.10 stipend, and a donation of £.3; and
that the parish contained a thousand families. - Lansd. MS. 459. |
| [274] |
During Mr. Burroughs's ministry, banns of marriage were published
in the market-place, and weddings solemnized before a county or borough
magistrate: parties of the greatest respectability, from all the neighbouring
villages in the counties of Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford, where
markets were not held, flocked to Tewkesbury for the purpose of being thus
united. In the old parish registers are numerous entries similar to the
following: - "Memorandum, that a publication of a consent of marryage
betweene William Parsons, of Tewkesbury, and Mrs. Jane Lechmere, of
Hanley, in the county of Worcester, was made in the market-place at
Tewkesbury, on the 17th day of March, 1654, and on two market-dayes in
the two next weekes following. And afterwards, that is to say, on the 9th
day of Aprill, 1655, they were marryed and declared husband and wife by
Mr. Lechmere, a justice of the peace for the county of Worcester, in the
presence of Mr. Langston, Mr. Warwick, minister of Hanley, &c." |
| [275] |
The notorious Ralph Wallis, "the Cobler of Gloucester", in his book
entitled "More News from Rome", sarcastically laments that a clergyman
should be allowed to "preach, as sometimes Dr. Lewis did, at Tewkesbury,
and shew the reason why Melchizedeck was priest and king, - because the
priest's place was a beggarly place, like Tewkesbury, it would not maintain
a man, therefore he was king of Salem". |
| [276] |
The following entry appears in the corporation books: - "10th May,
1669. It is agreed, by the common council, together with several other
inhabitants of the town, that Mr. Cuthbert Browne, clerk, is elected minister
of this town, and to receive the moiety of the rents due to this borough out
of the rectory of St. Ishmael, in the county of Pembroke, and £.10 out of
the rectory of Tewkesbury aforesaid, together with £.1 per annum out of
Mr. Poulton's house". |
| [277] |
In 1678, the common council resolved, that, for preventing the present
inconveniences which the town is under for want of a preaching minister,
Mr. Wells be requested to resign. Mr. W. affirmed that he had committed
no fault that deserved suspension, and refused to resign; upon which, the
common council ordered, that such course should be forthwith taken against
him, as might cause his deprivation. The chamberlain was afterwards
ordered to pay Mr. Wells so much of the salary of £.10 from the rectory of
Tewkesbury, as was due to him at Michaelmas, and also £.11. 5s. which
was due to him at St. Paul's tide, from the tithes of St. Ishmael's, provided
he would resign his cure; and that, upon his resignation, "the common
council should give him a fair character according to his deserts". - In
1679, it was ordered, that the town-clerk should proceed upon the articles
he had exhibited against Mr. Wells, to cause his deprivation, at the public
charge; and that ten shillings a day should be paid by the chamberlain to
such minister as might be procured to preach at Tewkesbury during the
vacancy. - Corporation Records. |
| [278] |
In the register of baptisms, for 1678, it is said, that " Mr. Matthias
Maid, church-warden, gave a surplice to the parish, which had been without
one ever since 1641, in which year it was torn by Richard Morgan, glover". |
| [279] |
From the corporation books it would appear, that the dispute was principally
between the minister and the corporation, respecting the readership,
which is in the gift of the latter. Whilst the prosecution was pending, the
corporation retained in their hands the whole of the rents of the property at
St.Ishmael's, a moiety of which belongs to the minister; and in 1705, they
presented a petition to the Lord Chancellor in favour of Mr. Richard Cox,
whom they recommended to be minister in the room of Mr. Matthews, in
case of a vacancy. In the year following, the corporation resolved, "that
Mr. Richard Cox, M.A. who has been reader of divine service in the church
of Tewkesbury since the death of Mr. John Pearse, by the order of Mr.
Bailiffs and consent of the chamber, is now confirmed, elected, nominated
and appointed reader of divine service in the church of Tewkesbury, and
reader and assistant to the curate or minister there, and to have and enjoy all
stipends, wages, salary, and profits thereto belonging". The matter having
been at length left to the decision of the bishop of the diocese, his lordship,
in 1710, recommended that the moiety of the rents of St. Ishmael's should
be forthwith paid by the corporation to Mr. Matthews, according to the will
of Sir Baptist Hickes, in order "to put a final end to all differences, and
to establish a firm and lasting friendship between them and the said Mr.
Matthews". This recommendation was adopted, yet notwithstanding, in
1712, Mr. Samuel Savage, clerk, "who had officiated as reader since Mr.
Richard Cox's time", was elected to that office by the body corporate. |
| [280] |
During the ministry of the Rev. H. Jones, an "impudent footman",
of the name of George Williams, who was an Unitarian, in the service of
Mrs. Bromley, a highly respectable inhabitant of the borough, caused great
uneasiness to the pious vicar. He was a regular attendant at church, on
Sundays, and invariably left his seat while certain portions of divine service
were performed; by his manner of opening and shutting the doors, both
when he quitted and when he returned to his pew, he always contrived to
disturb the congregation; and his behaviour at the ministration of the
Lord's Supper was particularly offensive. In the year 1765, Williams published
a pamphlet against the doctrine of the Trinity and the liturgy of
the Church of England, entitled "An Attempt to restore the supreme
Worship of God, the Father Almighty". Although he was only the nominal
author of the work, yet as he was supposed to have some abettors and
advocates among the more respectable part of his parishioners, Mr. Jones
felt it his duty to communicate the circumstances to his diocesan, the
celebrated Bishop Warburton; and through the kindness of George Worrall
Counsel, esq. of Gloucester, who has the original in his possession, we have
been furnished with a copy of the reply of this distinguished prelate to Mr.
Jones, dated from Bath in 1764. (See Appendix, No.23). Shortly after
this period, Williams left Tewkesbury, and afterwards resided at Overbury,
but was subsequently one of the Rev. Edw. Evanson's staunchest supporters.
A few years before his death, which happened in 1789, he printed and
published what he termed "his creed", - a foolish rhapsody, which had not
even the merit of originality to recommend it. |
| [281] |
Mr. Evanson was born at Warrington, Lancashire, April 21, 1731, and
received his education under his father's eldest brother, who was vicar of
Mitcham, Surrey. At fourteen years of age he was entered at Emanuel
College, Cambridge, where, in 1749, he obtained the degree of B.A. and
that of A.M. in 1753. At this period he assisted his uncle in the education
of pupils, and became his curate. |
| [282] |
Bishop Warburton, in a letter to Bishop Hurd, says, "the Chancellor
has given the vacant vicarage of Tewkesbury to one Evanson, of your
college, whom I have instituted; and as he introduced himself to me in
your name, I have given him some expectations of a perpetual curacy
in the neighbourhood, in my gift, to help him to pay his curate of Tewkesbury".
In a subsequent letter, however, he calls him "a conceited
innovator". Bishop Hurd, in a note on the above passage, says, he wished
to serve Mr. Evanson, on account of his being of the same college with
him; and observes, "he afterwards addressed a printed letter to me, of
which I took no notice". - Warburton's Letters. |
| [283] |
Monthly Magazine, Dec. 1805. |
| [284] |
He was the third son of the Rev. James Tattersall, rector of St. Paul's,
Covent-Garden, and of Streatham, Surrey, by Dorothy, daughter of the
Rev. William De Chair, and sister of the Rev. Dr. John De Chair, rector of
Little Risington, Gloucestershire. While on a visit to his brother, the
Rev. William De Chair Tattersall, at Wotton-under-Edge, he was thrown
from his horse and dragged a considerable way with his foot hanging in the
stirrup, by which accident several of his ribs were broken, and he was otherwise
so much bruised, that he expired in about an hour afterwards. He
was buried at Wotton, where the following well-merited tribute of affection
has been placed to perpetuate his worth: - "Sacred to the memory of the
Rev. James Tattersall, A.M. vicar of Tewkesbury, who died by a fall from
his horse, May 9th, 1791, aged 38 years. Strength of judgment and sweetness
of disposition he received from nature; to these he added the support
of sound religious principles; and this union of good qualities, with the
best acquirements, produced an amiable character, and an exemplary life.
His brothers, the Rev. John Tattersall, and the Rev. William De Chair
Tattersall, (vicar of this parish), impressed with the deepest sorrow for his
loss, and impelled by the sincerest affection and gratitude, have caused this
monument to be erected". - Mr. Tattersall's eldest brother, John, was vicar
of Harewood, Yorkshire, and a king's chaplain; his brother William was
also a king's chaplain, rector of Westbourne, Sussex, and vicar of Wotton-under-Edge,
Gloucestershire, for upwards of fifty years, and died March 26,
1829. The latter gentleman published, in 1791, a Version or Paraphrase
of the Psalms, adapted to public and private devotion, originally written by
the Rev. J. Merrick; in 1795, he also published Improved Psalmody, in
three parts, the music of which was printed with types; and subsequently,
two volumes of Psalms, with new engraved music. |
| [285] |
The Rev. Robert Knight died on the 23d of July, 1819, aged 53, at
Trevenon, near Llandrindod Wells, Radnorshire, shortly after his arrival
there for change of air. He had previously resided for many years at
Newton, Glamorganshire, and was brother of the late Colonel Knight, of
Tythegston Hall, in that county. Mr. K. was a man of strict integrity,
and was possessed of considerable literary attainments: in addition to
several smaller works, he published, in 1818, "A cursory Disquisition on
the Conventual Church of Tewkesbury and its Antiquities", nearly the
whole impression of which was soon afterwards destroyed by a calamitous
fire in Messrs. Bensley's printing-office. He was, early in life, a cornet in
the seventeenth regiment of light dragoons, and received the half-pay of a
cornet until the time of his death. The fortunate manner of his obtaining
two crown livings at once is somewhat singular: Lord Chancellor Thurlow
had promised him, through the medium of a friend, the rectory of Baynton,
but before he had been inducted thereto, or had even been to view it, the
vicarage of Tewkesbury became vacant. Mr. Knight immediately waited
upon his lordship with the information, solicited the living of Tewkesbury
in preference to that of Baynton, and obtained a promise that he should
make his own election. After he had inspected both, he intimated to the
chancellor that the income of the two would be barely sufficient for a
proper maintenance, whereupon his lordship surprised the applicant by
informing him that he might take them both! The chancellor resigned the
seals a few hours afterwards; he had therefore probably thought that he
might as well hare the satisfaction of disposing of both preferments, as of
leaving the patronage of either of them to his successor. |
| [286] |
Mr. White was presented to the vicarage of Mickleton in the
year 1797, by the then Lord Chancellor; and on his lordship's death,
was appointed domestic chaplain to his widow, the Countess Dowager
of Rosslyn. |
| [287] |
When the Rev. Charles White obtained the benefice, there was no
vicarage house attached to it. The present residence was completed in the
year 1827, under the worthy vicar's immediate superintendence, and according
to his own designs. Towards the purchase of the land and the erection
of the house, £.852 was raised by voluntary subscription; the governors of
Queen Anne's Bounty gave £.600, and also lent £.340 on mortgage of the
living, with the usual condition, that three per cent, interest and five per
cent, redemption should be annually paid until the loan was discharged. In
the list of subscribers appear the following names: J.E. Dowdeswell,
esq. M.P. and John Martin, esq. M.P. each, £.150; the lion, and Right
Rev. Dr. Ryder, bishop of Gloucester, £.125; Wm. Dillon, esq. £.52. 10s.;
General Dowdeswell, J.M. Barnes, esq. and E.W. Jones, esq. each £.50;
the Hon. Mrs. Yorke, Mrs. Mines, Philip Godsall, esq. Samuel Barnes,
esq. and J.S. Olive, esq. each, £.20; John Hurd, esq. and Joseph Longmore,
esq. each, £.10. 10s. , Mrs Martin, Thos. Vernon, esq. John Terrett,
esq. and Mr. John Moore, each £.10. Various smaller subscriptions
amounted to £.63. 10s. |
OCR/transcript by Rosemary Lockie in October 2015.
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