Page:History of the Fylde of Lancashire (IA historyoffyldeof00portiala).pdf/80

 advantage of the permission were:—

Brown, Edward, of Plumpton,  compounded for    £127 8s. 0d. Breres, Alexander, of Marton, gent.,   "        £82 4s. 5d. Bate, John, of Warbreck,                "        £11 0s. 0d. Leckonby, Richard, of Elswick, esq.,   "        £58 6s. 0d. Nicholson, Francis, of Poulton, yeoman  "       £133 3s. 4d. Rigby, Alexander, of Layton, esq.,     "       £381 3s. 4d. Walker, William, of Kirkham, gent.,     "       £175 0s. 0d. Westby, John, of Mowbreck, esq.,       "     £1,000 0s. 0d.

Presbyterianism became the national, or at least, the state religion, and for the regulation of ecclesiastical matters the Assembly of Divines, at Westminster, suggested that the country should be divided into provinces, whose representatives should hold annual conferences at the larger towns. The county of Lancaster was divided into nine Classical Presbyteries, and the seventh Classis, embracing the parishes of Preston, Kirkham, Garstang, and Poulton, consisted of—

Mr. Isaac Ambrose, of Preston, minister. Mr. Robert Yates, of Preston, minister. Mr. Ed. Fleeetwood, of Kirkham, minister. Mr. Thos. Cranage, of Goosnargh, minister. Mr. Chr. Edmondson, of Garstang, minister. Mr. John Sumner, of Poulton, minister.

Alexander Rigby, of Preston, Esq. William Langton, Esq. Alderman Matt. Addison, of Preston, gent. Alderman Wm. Sudall, of Preston, gent. Alderman Wm. Cottam, of Preston, gent. Edward Downes, of Wesham, gent Edmund Turner, of Goosnargh, yeoman. Thomas Nickson, of Plumpton, gent. Robt. Crane, of Layton, gent. Wm. Latewise, of Catterall, gent. Wm. Whitehead, of Garstang, gent. Edward Veale, of Layton, Esq. Rd. Wilkins, of Kirkham, yeoman.

One of the duties of these Classes was to examine, ordain, and appoint ministers, or presbyters, as they were called, whenever vacancies occurred in the district over which, respectively, they had jurisdiction; subjoined is the certificate given in the case of Cuthbert Harrison, B.A., when selected and appointed presbyter of Singleton chapel:—

"Whereas Cuthbert Harrison, B.A., aged 30 years, hath addressed himself to us, authorised by ordinance of parliament of 22 Aug. 1646, for ordination of ministers, desiring to be ordained a presbyter, being chosen by the inhabitants within the chapelry of Singleton to officiate there; and having been examined by us the ministers of the Seventh Classis, and found sufficiently qualified for the ministerial functions, according to the rules preserved in the said ordinance,