Page:The History of the Church & Manor of Wigan part 2.djvu/175

354 for continued neglect of his calling, after many admonitions, at the pursuit of his parishioners, was legally deprived in the consistory, and his censure confirmed, on appeal, at York.

As for Lewes: 1. He hath been degraded from the ministry by the high commission. 2. He is a common haunter of ale houses; an excessive gamester; a fearful blasphemer; a usual night walker; a breaker of windows; a fighter and dueler, having been often in the field in his shirt with single rapier; he fought (by his own confession) with Hugh Massy, Christopher Waring, Jo. Ridgeway, James Meer, Francis B. . . . . . ., and Parson Slateburn. 3. He shot a pistol in Mr. Banks' face (a goldsmith of Cheapside) for refusing to fight 4. He broke into a minister's chamber at Mr. Macsin's, and having locked the door he put the key in his pocket; then he took him by the throat and swore desperately that he would have money; so that the neighbours were fain to break open the door. 5. He hath a bastard at Leyland, begot on Elizabeth Wereden. 6. He reports himself that he sold his preacher's place for £70, and accuseth the bishop for putting the buyer to his oath against simony. 7. In contempt of law he still exerciseth his ministry (at St. Giles', London), not being pardoned. 8. He sometimes walks about in a gray coat with a truncheon in his hand, and so he was seen in the Temple, where he broke a man's head. 9. About a year since he was preacher at St. Peter's by Paul's wharf, where the parishioners had provided a fair gown [surplice?] for ministry; this he took and pawned at an alehouse for 23s., and on Sunday when they were all at church bid them redeem it or look for no service. 10. He hath had four young wives, who died soon after their portions were spent. One he obtained by getting a fellow to take his master's horses and ride along with him, who swore that his master had £400 yearly living, and so cosened the poor woman. 11. He leaves four other children (besides his bastard), two in Wigan, one in Ormskirk and one at Lancaster, which beg up and down, and he unnaturally never sends anything to them. 12. Last Lent he was to preach on a Sunday at Chiswick, but arrived there drunk on the