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.

Blackmore: Revd. Simon Lynch

Received 27 May 2011

Hello, I am Craig Lynch and I am conducting research that leads me to you and I hope you can assist with your data on Blackmore and Simon Lynch. As I understand things, based upon limited available public records: The Rev. Simon Lynch (Linch) had a son named Ithiell Linch and he was known as Ithiell of North Weld Bassett Co. Essex. That this Ithiell Linch was born crica 1610, married a Blanch Hanbury circa 1632 and they were awarded a Land Patent in 1650. I further understand that this Ithiell Linch traveled to America circa 1650 and died in what was then called Warick, Va in 1684. That he owned 600-acres in pre-colonial America south of Jamestown. What I am attempting to do, based upon existing records, is to determine who the children of Ithiell Linch - I am inclined to believe that one son was John Linch. If this is the case and factual - then I am a direct descendant of Rev. Simon Linch. Data available in America reference this family in the 1600 is very limited, notably because St Ann Parish Church was destroyed in the 1680 with most of its records and records are rare because in the 1650's in America, most were just struggling to survive. Available data tells me that Rev Simon Linch had 10 children, but only Ithiell Linch came to America. I think I am related to this Ithiell Linch. Can you assist me? Do you have records that prove such or provide insight into the children of Rev Simon Linch? I would be most indebted if you can assist me. I am not writing a book, nor doing any of this for profit. I am just attempting to trace back my Family tree to its origins in England and all my years of research keep taking me back to Simon Linch but that link is based upon a researched assumption that Ithiell Linch had a son named John and that said John was the grandson of Rev Simon Linch. Sincerely and Respectfully,

Replied 28 May 2011

Dear Craig

Simon Lynch is a person who I have not studied but come across in my research of the Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore. ‘Our’ Simon Lynch was buried at Blackmore aged 60 in 1660 so his birth year must have been 1599/1600. He had four surviving children: Elizabeth, Sarah, Simon, and Ithiel.

The dates you give are before this event but I think there is a strong connection. I believe the same family had clergy at North Weald, a village about six miles from Blackmore, but I have not kept a record. The Churchwardens Presentments for 1664, held at the Guildhall Library (ref: ms 9583/2 part 3) may give some clues. On my visit a few years ago I noted that the entry for North Weald runs to several pages.

I have summarised the family’s connection with Blackmore in my previous blog entry (http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2008/01/blackmore-revd-simon-lynch-puritan.html ) but might add another paragraph to the story:

“His son, Ithiel, was Rector of Runwell between 1669 to 1694, and in 1676 was also recorded as Rector of Downham.”

You might wish to consult the following books:

Newcourt, Ric. History of the Diocese of London – Volume II. (1710). This lists clergy in Essex and is indispensible for church history, and finding your Lynch clergymen.

‘The Ecclesiastical History of Essex Under The Long Parliament and Commonwealth’ written by Harold Smith (Benham and Co Ltd, 1934), from which much of my entry is drawn. Smith refers to our Simon Lynch as a “pluralist … Simon Lynch did not go to Blackmore till after he had lost Runwell” (p.120).There is mention too of “MS J Walker. C.I.27. A long account by Simon Lynch of his father, Simon Lynch of Runwell and Blackmore. See also Walker’s Sufferings of the Clergy – GB Tatham (1911)” (p171).

‘The Annals of Evangelical Nonconformity in the County of Essex from the time of Wycliffe to the Restoration, and memorials of the Essex Ministers who were ejected or silenced n 1660 – 1662’, to give it its full title, written by T W Davids and published in 1863. From the book (from which I noted in 2003) I gleaned that it was Simon Lynch senior of North Weald, who was offered South Weald and declined three times. Married for 61 years to Elizabeth, he had 10 children, one of whom was Simon Lynch of Runwell (and Blackmore).

‘Walker Revised (Being a revision of John Walker – Sufferings of the Clergy during the Grand Rebellion 1642 – 1660)’ written by A G Matthews (Clarendon Press, 1948). I noted the life of our Simon Lynch, to which I can add that his cousin was Dr J Nicholson of Stapleford Tawney.

I trust that this information is of use, at least in guiding you towards further research. I will post this entry onto the site. Do let me know how this all goes.

Kind regards

Andrew

Received 28 May 2011

Andrew,

Thank-you so much for the information. Good to know that Simon of Blackmore had kinfolks in North Weald. I will write back again in a few months and provide my final mapping of these people and the end-product of my research as well to you. I just need to pause at this point and enter all these Simon-Ithiell combinations in the computer and let the database sort them out according to timelines.

The name Simon (father) and son (Ithiell) are such uncommon names and then when they are combined together - I had thought finding the ancient records (ancient by American standards - smiles) would be relatively easy, notably since I was constantly looping back to the Essex area. Only to discover there are several Simon-Ithiell combinations and they are all associated with religion as a source of occupation and they all lived in and around Essex and they existed in the similiar timeframes (minus just a few years) and they all lived in and around each other of only a few kilometers/miles. And they all seem to have some relationship as well to the Lynches of Staples/Grove. At that point I started pulling my hair out, (smiles and laughs) maybe more for lack of patience, because after years of research (all sourced documents) this was the last link to make the English connection.

I can only laugh, at this stage - back to the needle in the haystack search and then again in the 1600's when records are limited. But the data you have provided is most helpful and I am indebted and will share my final research and results with you. Give me a few months ... I will read these books you have recommended.

I have discovered the multiple name father-son combinations of the same and I have also been able to determine that Ithiell (with two 'ls) is not the same Ithiel (with one l). But that they were related as Uncle and Nephew.

Your data and reference material will help. Thanks again for responding so quickly and with the Sourced Documents. I will read them.

I'm focusing right now on Ithiell Linch, who had brothers of Simon, Nathaniel, William, Theophilus, and sister Sara and their father was Simon. This Ithiell's father would have been the Rector of Weald, at least that is what I think today. I think too, here is a connection between Simon of Blackmore and Simon of Weld now I can eliminate the Simon of Blackmore and focus on the Simon of Weld. Then this Ithiell had a son named Simon as well. This Ithiell Linch married a Blanche Hanbury in 1632. And it appears they were awarded a Land Patent by the King in 1650 and traveled to America circa 1650. They also paid for the passage of 10-others to America and that was the reason for the Land Grant, as the King would give 50-acres per each paid passage for others. This Ithiell Linch then died in what used to be called Warwick, VA in 1684.

What is so funny is I have the complete genealogies of the 10-persons that Ithiell Linch paid passage to America, but I can't discover who Ithiell Linch was and from whom and he is the one that paid their passage. Too Funny. Have to love all this research!

I'm getting close - the process of elimination over the years has led me to this Clan of Linches and I just now need to conduct the process of elimination on all these what appear to be related in some form or fashion Simon-Ithiell combinations.

Again, I'll write back in a few months with the final product and will share the data. Thank-you for your help.

P.S. I love your WWW Site on Blackmore. Nicely done and great historical data about the same.

Sincerely and Respectfully,

Craig Lynch

Blackmore: Revd Simon Lynch, Puritan

In the Priory Church of St Laurence is a memorial to a most colourful Blackmore character, Simon Lynch.

During an era of religious intolerance and political upheaval, in Essex, between 1643 and 1660, more preachers were ejected from their livings and replaced by Puritans than in any other County of England. This is not surprising because the County was a Parliamentarian stronghold with supporters keen to improve the quality of preaching. If the preacher was known to be a Royalist, or, maintained neutrality, then they were ejected. One such individual was Simon Lynch who was buried in the church. His epitaph reads:

Here lyeth the body of Simon Lynch
Rector of Runwell
Who for fearing God and the King
Was sequestered, prosecuted and persecuted
To the day of his death
By Gog and Magog,
And left issue, Elizabeth, Sarah, Simon
And Ithiel
Unto whome the Lord be mercifull
Who died ye 19th June 1660
Aged 60 yr.

Simon Lynch was appointed Rector of Runwell in 1629, and later, from 1646 or 1647, Curate of Blackmore. He was replaced as Rector at Runwell in 1644, by “Mr Oakely … a godly, able preaching minister” [Smith, 1934, p256]. An earlier entry before the Essex Archdeaconry Court, in March 1635/6, at Ingatestone states:

Simon Linch. Rector of Runwell: speaking incesscent and vasumly speeches in the chancell near the Communion table. Admonished and dismissed. [ERO D/AZ/2/14 p15].

Stephen Smyth’s appointment of Lynch to Blackmore was unpopular with the parishioners. This is documented in the Record of Parochial Inquisition held at The Black Boy Inn, Chelmsford on 5th September 1650:

That Stephen Smith, Esq., receives the great and small Tythes of the said Parish. That Symon Lynch, Clerke, supplyeth the Cure by the appointment of the said Stephen Smith, Esq who payes him for his Paynes thirtye pounds per Ann. That the said Symon Lynch, Clerk, was putt out of Runwell for his scandalous life, and brought into this parish without the Consent of the well Affected Inhabitants. [Smith, 1934, p253].

In Simon Lynch’s Will, written in 1659, he specified the words to be inscribed on his tombstone. It bewails his plight – that of being taunted to death by Gog, the named enemy of God, the Antichrist in the Book of Revelations, whom Lynch considered to be the Parliamentarians of Cromwell’s day.

Lynch lived just long enough to know of the Restoration of the Monarchy and the Church. He died just as he was about to take re-possession of the parsonage at Runwell following the ejection of Nicholas Greene whom his son described disparagingly as “a broken puritanical shopkeeper”.


Bibliography
Smith, H. The Ecclesiastical History of Essex. (1934)

Blackmore: D W Coller. People's History of Essex (1861)

An extract from ‘The People’s History of Essex’ written in 1861 by D.W. Coller.

Proceeding two or three miles further to the west we reach Blackmore, which is bounded by Ongars, and forms the verge of the Hundred in that direction. It is now a small and pleasant village, considerably improved of late years, but in old times it must have been a place of some importance as the site of a monastery and an occasional home of royalty. Henry VIII., as we have seen, was often at Jericho House, which appears to have been substantially a portion of the priory. since, if it were not actually connected with the buildings it stood close to them, and formed the mansion of the manor of Blackmore, the whole of which belonged to the monks. The house is still standing within whose retired shade the stern religious reformer sheltered his vices from the observation of the followers of his court; but of course it has undergone many changes, improvements, and enlargements, to adapt it to modern requirements. Sir Jacob Ackworth, who purchased it, at the beginning of the last century, of the family of Smyth, to whom it was granted at the dissolution, made many additions to it ; and in the course of the works a small leaden coffin, about a yard in length, and filled with bones, was exhumed. Other memorials of the past have occasionally been turned up on this spot; but, save the church near, not a stone or other fragment of the Priory now remains. Even the foundations are gone. We recollect some forty years ago [c1821] observing a stone which appeared to have been taken from the ruins, and upon which an inscription was still half legible, used as a door-step for a house in the neighbourhood. The shrubberies and lawns of Blackmore House have long since extended, and flower-beds have been planted, and kitchen gardens flourish in luxuriance over the very spots where the friars feasted and the monks prayed. The monastery was never of very great importance. It was founded by the family of De Sandford, either in the reign of Henry II. or King John, for canons regular of the order of St. Augustine; but though it was endowed with several manors, and had lands and other rights in Margaretting, Willingale, Broomfield, Shellow Bowels, Norton [Mandeville], Writtle, South-weald, Kelvedon [Hatch] and Stondon [Massey], its whole income in 1527 at £85. 9s. 7d. Although the reformation had not commenced, it was dissolved in that year, and the property granted to Cardinal Wolsey, for part of the college he was endowing at Oxford. On the fall of the Cardinal, two years after, it reverted to the crown, and soon after passed in exchange to the abbey of Waltham, which, by the deed, had a grant of a fair of three days, on the 9th, 10th and 11th of August; and less than a century ago [c1780] this was a cattle mart of some importance. On the general crash of the monastic property, the manors were granted by the king to the Smyth family, descended from Sir Michael Carrington, standard-bearer to Richard I. in the holy war, who subsequently acquired other property in the neighbourhood, and was long located at Smyth’s Hall. The property of the parish is now [1861] divided. The manor of Blackmore, and that of Fingrith, once in the Mildmay family, belong to James Parker, Esq. The latter was originally held by the De Sandfords and De Veres of the king, in capite by grand sergeanty, viz. “the tenant having the honour of being chamberlain to the Queen of England, of keeping her chamber, and the door of the same, on the day of her coronation; and of having for his fee the furniture of the chamber, the beds, basins, &c;” but this has been laid aside, with other ridiculous usages and tenures of the former times. Though the claim was made at the coronation of Queen Anne, and again at that of Queen Caroline in 1727, it was disallowed.

The Church, there is no doubt, was a part of the old priory. The cloisters, in fact, appear to have abutted upon the wall of the south aisle; and it was here that the monks assembled for matin worship and mass. The western end appears to have been part of the original old fabric, low, and heavy; but upon this has been engrafted an elegant, light and lofty building; and at the point where the two join, the tasteful pilaster of a later day may be seen dove-tailed into a heavy Norman pillar. The tower is of wood, on the same principle and pattern as that of Margaretting, - probably by the same architect, as both belonged to the monastery; and Suckling supposes that the massive Norman walls and columns were left because the monks contemplated raising a goodly tower of stone, but having emptied their treasury by the other works, their taste yielded to necessity, and they wound up with a spire of timber. The sacred edifice is dedicated to St Lawrence, whose martyrdom is represented in stained glass over the door; and on the wainscoted roof of oak are the royal arms, among them those of Richard II., and of some ancient and noble families, who are probably thus commemorated for their gifts or endowments to the monastery. At the end of the chancel is the burial place of the Smyths, with its decayed tombs and half-obliterated inscriptions. It is a singular fact, however, that only one solitary remnant of the funeral monuments of the monastic inhabitants remains. An old grey stone, worn by time and tread of the worshippers, and robbed of its elegant-shaped cross of brass, lies in the chancel; some years ago might be traced on this, in the Saxon character – “To the memory of the just Prior, Thomas De Vere”. Here too, lies one of the expelled clergy and victims of the Commonwealth: on a grey marble stone, beneath the arms of the Lynch’s appears the following epitaph:

“Here lyeth the body of Simon Lynch, Rector of Runwell, who for fearing God and King, was sequestered, prosecuted, and persecuted, to the day of his death of Gog and Magog, and left issue Elizabeth, Sarah, Symon, and Ithnel, to whom the Ld. Be merciful, who died on the 19th of June, 1660, aged 60 years”.

Local benevolence in former days provided largely for the poor of this parish. A house, garden, and orchard, called Claydons, were left by George Callice in 1580; the rent of the Bull public-house and 10 acres of land, by Thomas Almond in 1728; a rent-charge of £3. 5s. secured by John Witham, on lands at Blackmore; 10s. left by H. Waller, in 1601, out of a farm at Ongar; £2 left by J. Simonds in 1606, out of Copyhold Farm; £4 from the house and garden left by William Peacock, and purchased by the parish in 1724, subject to certain charges; these to be distributed in bread. Sir S. Powell in 1618 left 40s. a year out of Smyth’s Hall, for eight poor women; and a rent-charge of £3. 5s., purchased by the parish with various donations, is distributed amongst 18 of the poorest. Bell Rope Piece – half an acre of land – is left to supply bell-ropes. These charities form together a handsome income. Pauperism, however, is as rife in this parish as elsewhere – so true is it that charity often destroys the self-reliant spirit which can alone form a class of independent poor.