SOME EAST KENT PARISH HISTORY.

BY PETER DE SANDWICH.

[Continued from p. 182.]

XXV.-NORTON (continued).

TE have not the chest or box for the poor.-(Fol. 54.)

WE

1583. Our minister as yet hath not worn a surplice. For the order of Common Prayer and administering of the sacraments, our vicar hath not done it according to the Book of Common Prayer.

The vicarage-house is not sufficiently repaired.-(Vol. 1577-84.)

1586. We have not our Bible in such sort as it ought to be, nor our Register Book so kept as it ought to be.-(Fol. 70.)

Our church and church-yard is not well repaired, the fault of Mr. Norden and Mr. Stansley.

Our parson hath procured some to read service in our church, not shewing any license from the Ordinary as yet.

The parson is not resident but liveth upon another benefice called the Vicarage of Lynsted; and as for his parsonage we think it well worth £60 by the year, and yet he hath not distributed the fortieth part of it to the poor of our parish.

Our minister hath not given any such warning for coming to church, notwithstanding there are some which come very slackly. —(Fol. 72.)

Our Register Book is not kept, and since the last Visitation, our Sarson hath had it offered him by us the churchwardens, but hath not done it, but putteth it off by delaying the matter, by one excuse or another. (Fol. 75.)

The forfeiture of 12d, hath been demanded of Mr. John Norden and his wife, and his men; but they answer they will pay none. Mr. John Norden and his wife, for that they have not received the holy communion with us, never since they came to dwell in our parish. The time is two years since and as much as from St. Michael tide last, and we have in neighbourly manner talked with him, to have him and his wife to be with us at the Lord's Table, but he denieth it, and saith he is licensed by your Authority to be absent from the same.-(Fol. 77.)

1590. We present our parson, Mr. Gowlsborowe, for that we have had no service by him by the space of six weeks and one Sunday we had neither service, nor evensong.-(Vol. 1584-91, fol. 154.)

1591. John Halfnothe of Whitstable, late churchwarden of Norton, for that he plucked down when he was warden our font made of stone and lead, very comely and handsome, and instead thereof hath placed a far worse, made of a piece of wood or timber of joiner's work, and also a bason in it, which also our minister misliketh.

On 7 July, 1591, when Halfnothe appeared before the Official in the Archdeacon's Court, he stated: That he being churchwarden of Norton did take down a font made of stone and lead standing in the church there, which he did for that the said font was broke in the bottom, both in the lead and stone work, and stood very unfitly and unseemly in the church there, not being used for the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism by the space of twenty years together, and instead thereof he set up a new one in the church with the consent of the parishioners, much better and more convenient than the other, being of wainscot and covered decently, but he saith that the water therein is held in a bason.-(Vol. 1584-95, fol. 91.)

1610. Alice Clarke, the wife of Radulph Clarke, gentleman, for neglecting of the church.-(Fol. 7.)

1611. Alice Clarke, wife of Ralph Clarke, gentleman, for that she hath been absent from divine service in our church a long time, and she hath been presented for a recusant, and she hath not received the Holy Communion at all in our parish church.— (Fol. 32.)

1613. He [Rev. John Williams] doth not read the Litany and other prayers appointed in the Book of Common Prayer to be read on Wednesdays and Fridays, not being holy-days, except in Lent only.

Our curate doth so instruct the youth and ignorant of our parish, some three or four Sundays before Easter, and no other times publicly in our church.-(Fol. 129.)

Our minister is not resident, nor doth he bestow the 40th part of his living yearly on the poor.-(Fol. 130.)

1615. We have not a chest for alms for the poor; nor a table

of degrees of marriages forbidden, but we will in short time provide them. (Fol. 199.)

That our minister doth not say prayers with us on Wednesdays and Fridays continually, neither on the Eves of Sundays and Holydays, but in the time of Lent he doth, and many times else.

That our curate doth preach with us on the other Sundays, standing with his hat off, but on such Sundays as he preacheth not, he doth not read an Homily or part of one, for we have not, neither have had of long time, a Book of Homilies, and further to this Article, we have nothing to present.-(Fol. 200.)

1616. Alice Clarke the wife of Mr. Ralph Clarke, gentleman, of our parish, for wilfully absenting herself from our parish church on Sundays and Holydays, at morning and evening prayers. Also we present them for not receiving the holy communion in our parish church. And further to this Article we have nothing to present to our knowledge, saving we say that we cannot say and affirm that all within the parish of age have received three times in the year, but we verily believe for the most part they have, except Mr. Clarke and his wife, who have not received at all, and some young folk and servants who peradventure have received but once, but hereafter they shall be observed, and if they be found faulty, presented.-(Vol. 1610-17, fol. 200.)

XXVI.-OARE.

1562. They lack the Homilies for the going days, and the little book of prayers.-(Vol. 1562-3.)

1566. The pavement is not made up where the altar stood, in default of George Hutchinson, farmer of the parsonage, being Mr. Eyre's man.-(Vol. 1566-7.)

1569. Abp. Parker's Visitation.-(See vol. vi, p. 32.)

1569. Rectory:-Impropriator, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Curate :-Dom. Laurance Hollynden, B.A., he is not married, has no benefice, not a preacher, not a graduate [sic].

1572. The church is out of reparation, in the default of the whole parish.-(Vol. 1571-2, fol. 132.)

1574. We present Mills the minstrel for playing with his tabor and pipe at our parish the 23 May, being the sabbath day, and drawing thither the youth of Luddenham, and Faversham, by great flock, as also of Ospringe and other places, there detaining them from the church at the time of divine service.-(Vol. 1574-6, fol. 23.)

1577. Clementia Holness, the wife of John Holness, for a scold and railer against her neighbours, for she before Christmas last past came into the dwelling house of Thomas Hodge, his wife being sick, began to pick a quarrel, and being there rebuked of her evil demeanour and naughty tongue, did first rail upon the sick woman, and then she made speakings on her dames part, and called her maid whore, arrant whore, and stinking whore, and did fain to strike her in the house.

And before that time the said Clementia railed upon the servant of Thomas Clinton, at the house of the said Thomas, in like manner calling her whore.

Also in other houses daily she doth disorder herself in scolding and railing, and the parish is much disquieted therewith.-(Fol. 1.)

1580. John Stephens for his obstinacy being a singleman whom our Curate hath wished many times to come unto him to be examined and to render occassion of his faith, but he will not come at him; but because our Curate doth not administer the communion himself, in his absence doth intrude himself to communion, contrary to the law unexamined.-(Fol. 35.)

Also see under Badlesmere in vol. vii, p. 212.

1581. Henry Allen for his contempt, in that he refuseth to pay when he is absent from his parish church having no lawful cause, and not only absent but gives scoffing words, when he is demanded lawfully of the churchwardens for it.

Allen confessed that he was absent from his parish church on St. Simon and St. Jude's day last, and was then at Chilham fair.(Fol. 42.)

Robert Gilpin for the like default, for that he is negligent in coming to the church, and refuseth to pay his money according to the Statute made and provided for the poor.-(Vol. 1577-84, fol. 43.)

1590. That our chancel is unrepaired, and hath so remained for a great time, having been heretofore presented.—(Fol. 154.)

1591. Our chancel is unrepaired by the default of Master Meade our parson.

John Francis and Widow Baldock refuse to pay their money according as they were cessed by the parish in a cess for the reparation of the church.-(Vol. 1584-91, fol. 155.)

[To be continued.]

NOTES ON OLD CHELSEA.

BY J. JEFFERY.

C

HELSEA FERRY was situated at the river end of Beaufort Street. It was formerly the property of Thomas, Earl of Lincoln, who, in 1618, sold it to William Blake. In 1710 it became the property of Bartholomew Nutt, and was rated in the parish books at 8 per annum. It then passed into the hands of Sir Walter St. John, and subsequently to Earl Spencer, under whom it was held at the time when the bridge was built.

THE WOODen Bridge.

In the year 1766 an Act of Parliament was obtained for building a bridge over the Thames from Chelsea to Battersea. It was begun in 1771; was opened for foot-passengers in the same year, and in the following year it was ready for carriages. It was built of wood, and was one furlong in length, and twenty-eight feet wide. The builders were Messrs. Holland and Phillips. The cost of the construction was rather more than £20,000. For several years the proprietors did not make common interest on their money; but, owing to economy, better management, and the increase of buildings on both sides of the river, a better state of affairs set in, and ultimately it remunerated the shareholders fairly well. But had it been built of stone, as it was first intended, it would have been many years before it would have produced a sufficient dividend to satisfy the Company. At Putney Bridge the toll, on Sundays, was doubled, but Battersea continued the same all the week. This fact prevented the proprietors from adopting those improvements which