Page:VCH Leicestershire 1.djvu/458

 A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE the whole archdeaconry, it was found that the rectorial tithes of Frisb.y on Wreak and Wymeswold were worth 100 in each case, while the vicars received only 13 and 16 respectively; at Melton Mowbray the rectory was worth 200, and the vicar had 40 only ; at Stonesby and Lockington the vicars had 10 and 8 each, while the rectory was worth ^8o. 22S The Committee tried to right these wrongs by the simple method of sequestering the rectories of ' delinquents ' as well as the estates of all cathedral chapters; but this arrangement could only continue until the Restoration. 22 * In the town of Leicester matters were especially difficult to settle. Throughout the Civil War the town had been in a state of spiritual and temporal unrest ; in 1 649 there was a ' very foul riot ' at the time when one Dr. Harding came to preach a probation sermon to qualify himself for the vicarage of Knighton, and ' great insolency ' was shown towards the preacher himself. 225 The Council of State reprimanded the local committee a little later for allowing too many public disputations, which led to breaches of the peace. 226 The popular town lecturer, John Angel, refused in 1651 to take the Engagement, and had to resign his post. 227 There were continual changes at St. Martin's and St. Mary's, until in 1656 the mayor and inhabi- tants complained that they were as sheep without a shepherd, all their churches being at the time vacant, and no minister of the word among them except William Simes the lecturer, who had succeeded Angel. Five churches they had, but the revenues of all put together did not amount to jTioo a. year. They pleaded the danger they were in, from ignorance and profaneness, if this famine of the word should long continue. 228 In answer to their petition augmentations were ordered for the support of ' three able and fitting ministers,' 2!9 and these were soon after appointed. 230 It is refreshing to turn away from these pictures of desolation and dis- comfort to the memory of one young life spent in unselfish devotion to what seemed a failing cause. The marriage of Sir Henry Shirley to the daughter of the earl of Essex broke the long connexion of one old and honoured as many as eighty churches or chapels in the county have not a competent maintenance ; either through impropriations, or through the ' covetousness of them that are pluralitan and non-resident ' ; these last being twenty-four in number. The date 1650 given above is quoted from Nichols, but it should be noticed here that the original MS. from which he takes the returns Carte MS. 77, fol. 1 1 2-8, Bodl. Lib. is undated. The document is, however, of a quite similar nature to the parliamentary surveys of livings in the Record Office and Lambeth Library, dated 1650, amongst which Leicestershire is not included. The epithets applied to the clergy ' weak,' ' scandalous/ ' corrupt in doctrine,' or ' sufficient ' show the same point of view as the parliamentary surveys. 224 Augmentations varying from 10 to 50 were granted to the incumbents of Ashby de la Zouch, Humberstone, Market Harborough, Prestwold, Belgrave, Breedon, Buckmmster, Houghton on the Hill, Theddingworth, Twycross, Hungerton, Foston, Castle Donington, Loddington, Orton on the Hill, Great Wigston, Great Bowden, Hinckley, and the Leicester churches between 1642 and 1658. Lambeth MSS. Aug. of Livings, vols. 994, 995 ; and also S.P. Dom. Interr. F I and F 2. "' Nichols, Leic. i, 501. m S.P. Dom. Interr. vol. cxxviii, 79. **> Ibid. OT At any rate to St. Martin's and St. Margaret's, each with 50 a year. Lambeth MS. Aug. of Livings, vol. 968, pp. 59, 67; 994, p. 83. There seems to have been no permanent incumbent of St. Mary's from 1653 to 1660 to judge from the frequent entries in the Churchwardens' Accounts : ' Paid to Mr. Batte for the administration of the sacrament,' ' Paid to the Scotch minister for preaching two several Sabbaths,' &c., but the accounts were kept and repairs apparently done with pathetic faithfulness. Trans. Leic. Arch. Sac. vi, 229-53. The five churches of which the mayor spoke were presumably St. Margaret's, St. Martin's, St. Mary's, St. Nicholas', and All Saints. St. Leonard's was in danger of ruin about 1630, and apparently nothing was done to save it. Nichols, Leic. i, 470. 384
 * " Nichols, Leic. i, pp. xcvi-xcviii. These cases are only given as specimens. The return states that
 * S.P. Dom. Interr.; 1 1 June, 1649. * Ibid. 5 Nov. 1649.