Friday 22 February 2013

Blackmore: Simon Lynch


Essex Review
Extract from No. 130. Volume XXXIII (April 1924)

Some Essex Royalist Clergy – and Others
By the Rev Harold Smith DD

There is a long letter from Simon Lynch, the third of the name. (MSS, J Walker. C.I.27.)  He speaks first of his grandfather, Simon Lynch, of North Weald, included in Fuller’s Worthies. ‘My grandfather Mr Simon Lynch, was presented to the vicarage of North Weale two miles beyond Epping in Essex by Bishop Elmer, then Bishop of London, his relation, giving him strict charge of feeding his lambs till he could make better provision for him; which afterwards he frequently would have proffered him, but he as often replied, His lambs were not yet become sheep; tho’ he lived to bury ye parish 3 times over, being near of a 100 years of age, which is noted and quoted with other observations and remarks at the beginning of the first part of Fuller’s Worthies.  Now I’ll give you an account of his son, Mr Simon Lynch, Rector of Runwell in the same county, within 5 miles of Ingatestone and Billericay, who was sequestered from his benefice worth £140 per Annum in his days, for not complying with the barbarity, unnaturalness and inhumanity of the wicked in wicked times; [he] accepted the curacy of Blackmore from the worshippfull Major Smith, who was patron and parson, it being an impropriation, never before allowed but £20 per annum; notwithstanding his persecutions, prosecutions for being in the King’s service at Colchester leaguer, and for which being often in prison and decimated, yet this worthy gentleman allowed to my father £30 per annum, being a sufferer with him; who then rode every Sunday from North Weale, his father’s house, where he sojourned to Blackmore to supply his cure and officiate, which was seven miles and as bad a read as a man could ride, and in all weathers for some years, resolving by the assistance of God Almighty to omit no part of his duty since he was cald to ye ministry, but would minister God’s Word not for profit but for conscience sake; for whilst he there officiated he was proffered a benefice in Norfolk of £400 per annum, and courted for acceptance, which he yett refused rather than comply with the profligated wretches in their dismall and fatall times of oppression; and all the time of his sequestration one Greene, a broken puritanical shop-keeper, enjoyed his living, my Father no ways seemingly to make godliness his gaine, for his expressions quotidie were.  If it pleased Almighty God to spare his life to see King Charles ye 2 restored to his kingdom, he should not care how soon after his dissolution was to make resignation of his soule to ye great God yt gave it; who lived to see yt happy day, and just as he was going to receive and take possession of his parsonage he made his exit.’

The letter goes on to speak of his will, which contains a copy of the inscription ‘he ordered to be put up on a marble tombstone, which was effected when he was interred at Blackmore, declaring his persecutions by Gog and Magog.’

Notes. (1) The precise date and grounds of Lynch’s sequestration from Runwell do not appear; probably 1644.  His appointment to Blackmore seems to date March 1646/47, as he was then referred to the Westminster Assemble for it. (MS. Bod. 324,f,190.)  He was even granted £50 yearly augmentation; he complained in October that he had not received that sum due last Lady Day.  The Committee ordered it to be paid. (MS. Bod. 325,f.84.)  But it is doubtful how much of this Lynch ever had; if his previous sequestration were brought up it would probably be stopped, especially as his patron was concerned in the Second Civil War.  At all events it appears in no subsequent notice or list.  The Inquisition of 1650 was not favourable to him. ‘Simon Lynce, Clerk, supplyeth the Cure by the appointment of the said Stephen Smith, Esq., who payes him for his paynes thirtye poundes per Ann.  The said Simon Lynce, Clerk, was putt out of Runwell for his scandalous life, and brought into this parish without the consent of the well affected inhabitants.’
(2)  The value of Runwell is given at the Inquisition as Glebe £10. Tithe £65. (The estimates at the Inquisition are generally ‘conservative’).  The ‘Intruders’ were (a) Nehemiah Long, who had much dispute with Mrs Lynch about her ‘fifth part’.  About 1647 he went to Matching, and was afterwards at Dengie and Steeple.  (b) ‘Mr Oakley’ was there in 1650; he paid £12 yearly to Lynch. (c) Nicholas Greene, appointed March 1655/56.  He was ejected 1660, but was apparently vicar of East Hanningfield, 1663-1669.

Friday 15 February 2013

Stondon Massey on the Map


BBC Radio 3 is building a music map of Britain.

Stondon Massey and William Byrd got a mention on air this morning (2 hours and 7 minutes into “Breakfast” on Radio 3) inclusing a mention of the Stondon Singers, but if people read the details on the map, they’ll find us there. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qkwbz

It was followed by the Gloria from the Mass for Four Voices.

Friday 8 February 2013

Bishops Stortford: Essex References in Parish Registers


Essex Review
Extract from No. 122. Volume XXXI (April 1922) & No. 123. (July 1922)

Essex References from the Parish Register of Bishop Stortford, Herts, 1561-1712.

J L Glasscock wrote: “The first volume of the Stortford Register is a parchment book of 204 leaves measuring 12¼ inches by 8 inches and contains 408 closely written pages”.

Items for the local area, much abridged from complete list, are:
“Marriages
Beauchamp Roding
1709.  June 14.  William Rost of Beauchamp Roding and Mary Wakelin of White Roding
Berners Roding
1628.  Augt 12.  William [blank] and Joan of Barinsh Rothing
1697.  Jany 31.  Robert Story of Barnish Roodin and Charity Rily of Marg. Rooden
Blackmore
1680.  Octr. 19.  John Read of King’s Hatfield [Hatfield Regis aka Hatfield Broad Oak]  and Hester Marige of Blakemore w.
1706.  Feb 6.  William Clark of Blackmore and Dorothy Lacy of Chipping Ongar
Bobbingworth
1674.  March 30.  Robert Paveley of Bovinger and Elizabeth Moore of Thackstead
1678.  Augt 21.  John Crab of Bovinger and Hannah Radley of Much Hallingbury
Brentwood
1626.  Sept 29.  Edmund Phillips of Burntwood and Peninnah Boltwood of Stortford
Chelmsford
1697.  Dec 28.  Francis Stevengton of Chelmsford and Elizabeth Cranvield of Bardin [Berden] b.s.
Chipping Ongar (see Blackmore)
1677.  Feby 12.  William Judd of Hatfeild Brodocke and Mary Redmell (?) of Chipping Onger
Epping
1621.  Octr 2.  Francis Mathew and Sara Chester of Epping
1673.  Sep 28.  Thomas Archer of Epping and Ann Boram
1701.  June 2.  William Colston of Epping and Elizabeth Westwood of Farnham
1701.  Sep 16.  William Gaywood of Epping and Elizabeth Hills of Netteswell
Fyfield
1631.  Jan 3.  Thomas Stanes of Fyfeild and Millicent Duke. Lic
1668.  June 29.  Richard Britten and Elizabeth Hamshire of Fyfeild
1682.  Oct 5.  Robert Adams wid.  and Joan Humfreys both of Fyfeild
1682.  Feby 12.  Simon Thoroughgood of Moreton and Elizabeth Guy of Fyfeild
1687.  Nov 18.  Issac Morril of Fiild and Mary Eve of ye same
1705.  Nov 22.  Robert Ramsey of Fifield and Anne Barnes
Greensted
1627.  Augt 8.  Thomas Welton wid.  and Sarah Foard both of Greensted
High Ongar
1682.  Dec 26.  Abraham Wright and Grace White both of High Ongar
1703.  May 20.  Zachary White and Hester Salmon both of High Ongar
Moreton (see Fyfield)
1627.  Jan 31.  Thomas Mott of Writtle and Elizabeth King of Morton
1683.  Dec 27.  John Perry and Katharin Ramsey of Moreton lic
1687.  Feb 15.  Thomas Dennis of Ugly wid. and Sarah Nailer of Morton.  s.
1690.  Jan 22. Thomas Jones and Mary Parker b.s.  and of Morton
North Weald
1683.  Oct 9.  William Stanes of North Weal Bassett and Mary Thorowgood of Geldesden [Gilston, Herts].
Ongar
1699.  May 30.  James Bawcock of Ongar in Essex and Elizabeth Skyll
Shelley
1680.  Sep 30.  Henry Durrington and Anne Little both of Shelley near Ongar
Stanford Rivers
1702.  Sep 30.  Edward Knight and Mary Pavett both of Stanford Rivers
Stondon
1637.  Jan 15. [blank] Locke and a widow of Stondon, by lic
Theydon Mount
1685.  Thomas Jennings of Harlow and Martha Monck of Thoydon Mount
Burials
Brentwood
1682.  May 23.  Simon Rutland son of Simon a Grocer Bachelaus of Physick and Practioner at Brentwood in Essex where he died and brought to his native Towne bur. in the church.
Chelmsford
1628.  Oct 4.  Elizabeth Julian of Chelmesford (?)
1702.  Nov 23.  Mrs Judith Rochill of Chelmesford in Essex w.
Moreton
1703.  Dec 3.  Sarah Smith wife of Joseph Smith of Moreton

Friday 1 February 2013

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