YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Gift of
Rlsteen-lVhitney Shakeapearean
Collection

A HISTORY OF
THE CHURCH AND PARISH
OF
ST. MARTIN (CARFAX), OXFORD

0>;f*ra
HOKACE HART, PRINTER TO THE HNIVEESITY

w <
?J
0-.

KuDKuQ Ow K
H

A HISTORY OF THE "^
CHURCH AND PARISH
OF
ST. MARTIN
(CARFAX) OXFORD

REV. CARTERET J. H. FLETCHER, M.A.
y~ LASl* RECTOR, AND ONE OF THE CITY LECTURERS ^j-v I o a .

O;tfotrb
B. H. BLACKWELL, 50 and 51 BROAD STREET
£ott&on
SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT & CO.
1896

r^. h <i I^^C^ ^-'^-^ '^'^^'
¦A3-. Ofrf. I^.S-L, t.C^^vB,}vU^

PREFACE

The Street Improver's besom of destruction having
j'ust swept from the face of Oxford its oldest parish
church, in which the Mayor and Corporation for more
than three centuries regularly attended public worship,
it occurred to me that some account of a church and
parish so long and intimately connected with the city
might be acceptable to many of the citizens. It
seemed to be the psychological moment for telling
its history. And as the last Rector, I felt specially
called to undertake the task. I have, therefore, com
piled this little book in the hope that its publication
may be justified by local interest in the subject. I wish
the work had fallen to one more versed in antiquarian
research, and therefore more competent to do it
justice ; but I have done my best to make it as full,
accurate, and interesting as I could.
The Wright family was for two centuries so con
spicuous both in parish and city, that I have gathered
into Appendix VI all that the registers and monu
mental inscriptions tell about its members.
The description of the entertainment in Appendix
VIII may seem out of place in ahistory of St. Martin's ;

vi Sf. Martinis, Oxford
but unless the experience of former Rectors differed
much from mine, they must often have partaken of civic
festivity, tempering it, no doubt, by their presence to
a becoming mirth: added to which, if there is any
truth in the traditions about St. Martin, he was not
unfamiliar with civic and imperial banquets, and was
frequently chosen as the patron saint of festivfe
meetings. My acknowledgements are due to the Rev. W. D.
Macray for not a little help in the shape of informa
tion, suggestion, and encouragement ; to the Warden
of New College for particulars cSncerning John Under-
hill ; to Mr. Herbert Hurst for copying the church
inventories, parts of which only an expert could
decipher; to Mr. George Parker for references to
various sources of information ; to the city authorities
for access to the Council Books ; to the Rector and
Churchwardens of St. Martin and All Saints for
possession of the old registers and churchwardens^
accounts ; to Mr. W. H. White, the city engineer, for
measurements of the church, and copies of all inscrip
tions on stones and tablets ; and to Mr. Henry Hughes
for some facts relating to the new church and its
officials.

CONTENTS

SECTION PACE
1. Canute's Grant — Early History — St. Martin —
Carfax  i
2. Architectural Features  7
3. Immemorial Connexion with Oxford Corporation —
Penniless Bench  11
4. City Valhalla — Chantries — Obits ... 14
5. City Council — Civic Entertainments . ... 19
6. City Lectureship, Foundation and Maintenance of 22
7. Churchwardens' Accounts, from 1540 . , . 26
(a) Sources of Parish Income — Hocktide Money —
Whitsun Ales  26
(i) Parochial Responsibilities — Paving — Cleansing —
Lighting — Pumps — Town Soldiers — Poor Relief
. — Taxation by City and King .... 28
(c) Pre-Reformation Ritual  36
(li) Origin of Pews  42
(e) Civil War— Plague— Fire .... 45
8. Sermon on Unity and Agreement, Aug. 9, 1646 . 50
9. Eminent Men of St. Martin's —
(a) Robert Wisdom  53
(*) John Underbill ... • • • 65
(c) William Chillingworth ... • ¦ 67
(d) Sir William Davenant  60

viii St Martinis, Oxford

SECTIOK

PAGE

10. Shakespeare and the Davenant Family ... 62
11. Davenant Memorial Tablet  65
12. Rectors before the Eighteenth Century . . 66
13. Eighteenth-Century Rectors  70
14. Distinguished Lecturers : Richard Field — Henry
Tozer — Henry Wilkinson — Thomas Lamplugh —
Richard Allestry  74
15. Lecturers, sons of Oxford Citizens .... 79
16. Demolition and Rebuilding of the Church . . 80
17. Transfer from Crown to Bishop . ... .83
18. Oxford Corporation Act, 1890— Union of Benefices
and Parishes — Removal of Church. ... 84
NOTE . .  87
APPENDIXES
I. List of Rectors  93
11. List of Lecturers  102
III. Inventories of Church Goods and Ornaments for
THE Years 1547, 1552, 1553, 1560 . . . .123
IV. Extracts from Baptismal Register, 1567-1787 . 132
V. Extracts from Burial Register, 1563-1789 . . 136
VI. Monumental Inscriptions, Baptisms, and Burials
of the Wright Family  144
VII. Inscriptions on Coffins, Flat Stones, and Tablets 151
VIII. Official Record of Banquet to Lord High Steward,
1677  161
IX. Parish Property — Communion Plate . . . 165
X. Notes on the History of the Jews in Oxford in
THE Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries . . 167

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH AND PARISH

ST. MARTIN (CARFAX), OXFORD

1. Canute's Grant : Early History :
St. Martin: Carfax.
The authentic history of this church begins with
Canute's grant of it to the Abbey of Abingdon. The
Abbey Chronicle contains a transcript of the charter,
of which the following is a translation ^ : —
A.D. 1034. 'I Cnut, by God's free mercy and especial
goodness king of all Albion, have granted for ever the small
plot of ground which is called by the inhabitants of these
parts Linford, that is to say, sufficient quantity for two
tenants, and a certain little church (monasteriolum) dedicated
in honour of St. Martin, Bishop, together with its adjacent
land (jiraediolo) in the city called by the famous name of
' Abingdon Abbey Chronicle, Rolls Series, vol. i. p. 439.
B

2 Sf. Martin's, Oxford
Oxford, to our Lord Jesus Christ and his ever virgin mother
Mary for the use of the monks in the place called by the
celebrated name of Abingdon.'
The original charter is lost, but the substantial
accuracy of the transcriber's work, so far as the
charters are concerned, has been verified by com
paring it with several of the still extant originals ^-
Its genuineness has been doubted on the ground that
Oxford was not ' famous ' nor Abingdon ' celebrated '
in Canute's time^- But while Mercia and Wessex
were distinct kingdoms, Oxford was the frontier city
of Mercia, commanding the through route into the
south as well as the traffic along the river ; and
after the union of those kingdoms, it was ' the place
commonly chosen for holding important national
assemblies,' and may be said to have been a political
centre. It may well, therefore, have been tailed
' famous.' Nor was ' celebrated ' too grandiose a term
for an abbey like that of Abingdon, whose possessions
round Oxford on the south and west were so large,
that it overshadowed similar foundations in its neigh
bourhood ^. It has been thought strange that a church
in the centre of Oxford should have been granted to
an abbey six miles off and in another county, and
not to St. Frideswide's monastery, which was close to
the south gate of the city *- But the motive of the
grant to Abingdon was Canute's personal regard for
' Abingdon Abbey Chronicle, Pref. vii, viii.
2 Wood's City of Oxford (A. Clark), vol. ii. p. 80 note.
' Freeman's English Towns and Districts, p. 152 ; Historic Towns-
Oxford (Boase), 1S87, pp. 6-9.
* Early History of Oxford (?2.-:\xx), 1885, p. 166.

Canute's Grant 3
its abbot, Siward^, added to which there is some
reason to think that between 1004 and 1049 St. Frides
wide's monastery was acquired by the abbot of
Abingdon and became for a time a cell to the larger
abbey ^. The silence of the Abbey Chronicle, how
ever, as to any such acquisition makes it improb
able. The Editor of the Abingdon Chronicle, it should
be mentioned, pronounces the charter a genuine
document ^.
The charter is our earliest record of an Oxford
parish church. The use of the word monasteriolum,
indeed, seems at first sight to point to some kind of
monastic institution rather than to a parish church.
But in Anglo-Saxon times the word monasterium or
•monasteriolum was used for a church, even when the
church was not monastic. 'Monasterium,' says Du
Cange, ' is often used for a cathedral church because,
in most such churches, monks, and not as now canons,
performed the sacred offices. But (he goes on) all
churches were also generally called monasteria' ;
and of this he gives several instances; to which it
may be added that the churches of St. Aldate and
St. Peter-le-Bailey are both called monasteria in
ancient charters*.
The charter was not the foundation of a church, but
the grant of one already in existence. By whom this
was built is unknown ; probably by Canute himself,
in place of one destroyed by the Danes, when that
' Abing. Abbey Chron. vol. i. p. 444.
" Early Hist, of Oxford (Parker), pp. 166-169.
' Abing. Abbey Chron. vol. ii. p. 523.
* Wood's City of Oxford (A. Clark), vol. ii. pp. 34' i°3-
B 2

4 St, Martin s, Oxford
ruthless conqueror, under the influence of the clergy
and more especially of the monks, had become a wise
and temperate king, anxious to atone for the ravages
he and his father had wrought, and to cultivate the
friendship of the Church ^.
It is unlikely that Oxford was divided into parishes
at the date of the charter. So far as we know,
St. Martin's was then, with the exception of St. Frides
wide's, the only church in the city. But between
1034 and 1087, the date of the Domesday Survey, six
new churches were founded, and others were added
before the end of Henry the First's reign (1135)^-
There is nothing to show whether the division into
parishes was a gradual growth or a systematic division.
But as a reference to ' parish churches ' in Oxford is
found in the Abingdon Chronicle about 1080, it would
seem that before the end of the eleventh century the
division had been made, and made at one definite
time *: To St. Martin's were assigned small portions
of each of the four quarters into which the two main
thoroughfares divide the town, the portions in Corn-
market and Queen Streets being the largest. There
is no reason to think that the parish boundary was
altered after its first demarcation.
St. Martin's was included in the possessions con
firmed to the abbey by two Bulls of Pope Eugenius III,
dated respectively 1146 and 1152. The latter Bull
thus defines the rights and duties of the abbey with
respect to its parish churches : ' In the parish churches
' Hist, of the English People (J. R. Green), 1881, pp. 100, loi.
^ Early Hist, of Oxford (Parker), pp. 284-5.
' Abing. Chron, vol. ii. p. 12.

Early History 5
you hold, you may choose and present to the bishops
honest priests, to whom, if they be fit, the bishops
will commit the care of the souls of the parish, that
they may answer to them for the care of the people,
but render an account to you of temporal things^.'
From Pope Nicholas's taxation (1391), it appears that
the abbey received no tithe from the church, but only
a pension of thirty shillings ('1291. Item pend. Abbis
de Abbendon in ecclia Sti Martini indecimali ;^i loj.').
The estates of a monastery were usually assigned to
its various offices ; some, for instance, were set apart
for the cellar, others for the buttery, others for the
church. Following this custom, the Abbot Faritius,
between 11 00 and 1135, allocated the pension of
thirty shillings to the support of the church of the
abbey ^. The pre-Reformation rectors presumably
received the tithe, accounting to the abbey for the
pension only. And the tithe would be considerable ;
for at that time St. Martin's was the wealthiest of the
Oxford parishes, its contribution to the tenth paid by
the laity in 1394-5 being larger than that of any other
parish. It amounted to £"] ^s. 6d., while St. Michael's,
the parish next to it, only contributed £4. ^s. lod.^
It still held the first place in the Roll of taxations for
1512-13, its contribution being £12 i^s, 4d., while All
Saints came next with ;£'ii 135. 4^.*
St. Martin, to whom the church was dedicated, was
' Abing. Chron. vol. ii. p. 195. ' Ibid. vol. ii. p. 150.
^ Oxford City Documents, 1268-1665 (Thorold Rogers), pp. 45-6.
* Records of ihe City of Oxford (Turner), p. 9. In the taxation for
1524, All Saints headed the Roll with £17 \\s. 2d., St. Martin's next
with ;^I4 13J. ^d.; but the priority of All Saints was owing to one
rich parishioner, John Seman, who kept nine servants.

6 St. Martin's, Oxford
a saint to be proud of. As a Roman soldier, and
afterwards as bishop of Tours, he sacrificed his com
fort and his sacerdotal dignity to the claims of charity.
Moreover, he was Catholic-minded in an intolerant
age\ But the church was also called Carfax Church.
Why was this, and what is the meaning of Carfax?
Its traditional etymology ran thus — Quadrivium,
Quatrevoies, and then by some untraceable twist,
Carfax. The latest philological authority, however,
gives it thus — Quadrifurcus (four-forked), Carreforcs,
Car fouk, Carfoukes, Carfuks, Car fox. Carfax^. It
means a place where four roads meet. In Oxford,
as in Exeter, the open space in the centre of the
town where the two main thoroughfares intersected one
another, was called the Carfax. St. Martin's was built
at the north-west angle of the intersection. But why
was it surnamed Carfax ? In London, when two or
more churches were dedicated to the same saint, these
had to be distinguished by local designations. But
there was no such necessity in Oxford, where there
were never two churches of St. Martin. Hearne gives
a curious answer to our question in his preface to
Hemingford's History of the Reigfts of the First Three
Edwards, edited by him in 1731. 'Oxford citizens,'
he says, ' highly honoured St. Martin until the Lollards
taught them not thus to honour holy men, and to call
the parish Carfax, instead of after the saint.' (' Donee
a Lollardis monerentur viris Sanctis honores non esse
tribuendos, qui proinde Lollardi voluerint parochiam
de Cairfax potius esse appellandam quam parochiam
^ Persecution and Tolerance (M. Creighton), 1895, pp. 74-5.
" New English Dictionary (James A. H. Murray).

Carfax 7
D. Martini \') He cites no authority, and his conjec
ture is farfetched. It would be nearer the truth to
say that popular nomenclature aims at brevity, and
that Carfax is shorter than St; Martin's. Moreover,
the church being a city as well as a parochial church,
two titles, answering to its double character, were
perhaps deemed convenient.
2. Architectural Features.
Engravings exist of the old church, showing its
south-east, north-east, and north-west aspects : all,
however, made shortly before its demolition in 1820,
and none, therefore, representing Penniless Bench,
which was removed in 1747. Of these, two are in
the Gentleman's Magazine, one in September, 1819,
and the other in July, 1836. Among the Gough
(MSS. in the Bodleian, there is a drawing of the
?south-east view of the church, showing the Bench,
and therefore made before 1747. An engraving of
this drawing is given in Ingram's Memorials of Oxf ord.
Putting these together, we see a church consisting
of a tower, nave, and two side aisles, with spacious
and richly traced east and south windows, the work
of the fourteenth century, and with a clerestory of
four windows north and south. In the Magazine for
September, 181 9, there is a description of the church,
including its interior, of which no engravings exist.
' The architecture of the interior,' it says, ' is very
noble. The aisles are separated by three arches on
' Walteri Hemingford Historia de rebus gestis Edwardi I, II,
and III (Thomas Hearne), Praef. p. cvi.

8 St, Martin's, Oxford
each side, supported by octagonal columns, capitals
and bases, and are beautifully proportioned, very lofty,
Spacious, and uniform. The division of the body and
chancel was formerly made at the most eastern column
of each side by a very elegantly carved wooden
screen, portions of which still remain unobscured and
uninjured: over this stood the ancient roodloft, but,
together with the screen, this also was removed, except
the canopy, which is a richly carved oak cove,, quite
entire. The roof of the nave is ancient, subdivided
by arches and ribs, and the whole of it painted, and
the cornice ornamented with shields and arms.' The
church contained four chapels, viz. those of our Lady,
St. Thomas the Martyr, St. Catherine, and a 'Jesus
ChapeP.' Two were in the south and two in the
north aisle, St. Thomas's being in the north, in which,
says Wood, ' not long since I saw in a window next
the doore, the murder of the said Bishop by a knight
praying at the altar.' According to Peshall, the
church (excluding the tower) was 14 yards long,
and 1 2 yards, 23 inches in breadth ; the chancel was
7 yards, 14 inches in length, and 12 yards, 23 inches
in breadth. The floor was lower by several feet than
that of the modern church, and there was a descent
to it by steps.
Above the east end of the south aisle rose a small
square chamber containing a clock, on either side of
which, beneath a slight canopy supported on corbel-
shafts, were two figures of men, carved in wood and
painted, each with a club in his hand, wherewith they
^ Churchwardens' Accounts for 1540, 1544, 1552, 1553.

w <

auDKuQO
wffi H

Architectural Features g
alternately struck the quarters, and thence were known
as the 'quarter boys^.' The clock and chimes are
first mentioned in the churchwardens' account for
1601, wherein is a payment of ;^i 3J. 4d. for 'newe
buildinge the chymes being greatlie decayed.' In
1615, the Council taxed its members towards 'repair
ing the clock, dyall, and chimes at Carfax '^.' About
the same time, the churchwardens collected subscrip
tions for the same object, and their list of subscribers
is preserved. The tower, which is all that remains of (
the ancient building, contains six bells, dating from
1676, when ^^89 8s. was paid to Richard Keene of
Woodstock ' for new casting the bells, and for adding
mettle to make the five bells six, and for making the
' frame for them and hanging them up ^.' At the same
time new chimes were set up, and the city contributed
;£'4c towards the bells and chimes. When the old
'five bells' were first hung is unknown*. But the
' common bell,' which every town had to give the
alarm and call the citizens together in case of fire,
attack, or other emergency, was early hung in
St. Martin's tower. In 1577-8, the City Council
agreed that 'the towne or comon bell shalbe rung
all the wynter and sommer at eight of the clock in
the evenynge and foure in the morninge.' At the
same time they ordered that payments for the ringing
of it should be made quarterly by all office-bearers,
' These are preserved in the City Buildings.
' Council Book B, 255.
^ Churchwarden's Account for 1676.
' In the Inventory for 1&52, 'iii bells hangynge in steple' are
scheduled.

IO St. Martin's, Oxford
and by ' every one of the common counseil and other
able citizens ^' The same bell is referred to in the
churchwardens' account for 1 617-18 : 'Receved ofthe
cittey for the charge wee have bin att for the great
bell, ;£"3 2s. 5d.' On August 8, 1785, the Council
agreed that if the clerk of Carfax did not ring the
bell at 4 o'clock in the morning according to ancient
custom, £3 was to be deducted from his salary^.
' Not long ago,' Mr. Boase tells us, ' the Curfew bell
was still rung at the church at 8 o'clock p.m., and
this was followed by the bell being tolled a number
of times corresponding to the day of the month.^
The church was used by the citizens as a fortress
in their frequent battles with the scholars. On one
occasion certain citizens who had shot some scholars
in the street found shelter within its walls. So
valuable was its position for attack or defence that
measures were taken for strengthening it, and in 1321
complaint was made to the king that the citizens had
raised the walls of the aisles and crenellated them
like a fortress, in order to overawe the clerks ^ In
14 Edw. Ill (1341), the tower is said to have been
lowered because the citizens galled and annoyed the
students from it with arrows and stones. Its bell
summoned the citizens to many a fight with the
gownsmen, notably to the sanguinary affray on
St. Scholastica's Day, 1354-5) arising out of a quarrel
between some scholars and the vintner of the
Swyndlestock Tavern in St. Martin's parish, and
' Oxford City Records (Turner), p. 395.
" Council Bosk F, 684.
* Univ. Archives, Box M, No. 12 (Twyne MS. vol. i).

Oxford Corporation ii
again to a contest of no slight violence in 164 1, when
men were excited by the coming Civil War.
3. Immemorial Connexion with the Oxford
Corporation : Penniless Bench.
The connexion of the church with the city can be
traced back to an early period. An ancient charter
belonging to Oseney Abbey states that 'facta fuit
Portmannimot de Oxenford in caemeterio S. Martini'^.'
Down to the reign of Henry II, the Portmannimot or
town council was held in a building erected for the
purpose in the churchyard, which then extended west
ward some way along the north side of what is now
Queen Street. The burgesses would probably have
met in the church itself, had it been large enough for
their accommodation. For in mediaeval times they
often met in the principal church of the town, which
served as their common hall, and sometimes also as
their storehouse and fortress. It was not till Arch
bishop Laud's time that a church was thought to be
desecrated by the transaction in it of common business^.
St. Martin's (as will be seen) was largely appropriated
by the burgesses, who, besides hanging their common
bell in its tower, reserved part of its area for their
worship, filled its pulpit with their lecturers, paid and
controlled its officers, and of late years even influenced
the appointment of its rectors. It may seem strange
they should have been able to get so strong and
lasting a hold of this church : but in Oxford there
was no cathedral chapter or monastic body powerful
^ Wood's City of Oxford (C\3.Tk), i. 220.
2 Town Life in the Fifteenth Century (A. S. Green), i. 153-161.

12 St. Martin's, Oxford
enough to resist their claims. It was not with bishop
or abbot, but with the University, that the city had
to battle for their rights.
The space under the eastern wall of the church,
like the gateway of an Eastern city, was a public
place, for many generations a scene of civic life.
Here, sitting beneath a low shed, the Mayor and
Bailiffs administered jusrice^ Here proclamations
were made, and citizens pubhcly disfranchized. Here
books judged heretical were publicly burned, as for
instance, in 1409, those of John Wyclif, in which
267 errors had been found, and, in 1457. those of
Reginald Peacock, bishop of Chichester, in both cases
in the presence of the University authorities ^. Here,
doubtless, was one of the stopping-places of the
' cuckingstole,' which, on June 4, 1579, the Council
ordered ' to be made uppon wheels, that hit maye be
drawen from place to place, to punishe suche women
as shall undecentlie abuse any person of this cytie by
words ' : and here probably, or close by, was the
pillory, upon which offenders were set ' there to stond
from the begynning of markett tyll the ende, wyth
a paper upon their uppermost garments declaring
their offence^.' Here, too, on Sundays, Holy-days,
and days of thanksgiving and humiliation, the Mayor
and his brethren assembled before attending divine
worship*. Moreover, Carfax was the centre of the

• Historic Towns — Oxford (Boase), p. 8.
^ Gascoigne, Loci e Libra Veritatum, p. 116; Lyte's Hist. Univ.
Oxf. pp. 283, 339.
= Oxford City Records (Turner), pp. 163, 403.
* Ibid., p. 431.

wH<!

u

?J w

Penniless Bench 13
market, which, in early times, was held in the streets,
the various traders having their allotted stations. At
a Council meeting, March 13, 1565-6, ' Yt ys agreed
that the market place for byeing and sellyng of suche
thyngs as have been usually brought to be sold and
bought at Carfox, shall extend from Carfox unto the
lower end of the cawsey, now begynning to be made.'
At an earlier Council (Dec. i, 1536) the President of
Corpus Christi College (Dr. Claymund) was allowed
to ' bylde a howse for peopyll to stond to sell corne
and all other grayne in Northegatestrett from the
Crowne to the Kyngs hede.' This was a shed with
a leaden roof, supported by stone pillars, and in the
middle of the street ; erected (Wood says) ' that in
wet seasons sacks of corne might be preserved from
the violence of the weather ' (farmers at that time
bringing their corn to market in bulk, and not as now
in samples), and situate ' between the whipping post
opposite to the Cross Inn or Mauger Hall and the
Cage.' In 1644, the soldiery in Oxford pulled down
the leaden roof, and made bullets of the lead and
military engines of the timber ^.
In the churchwardens' account for 1545 there are
payments for ' making the Bench under the Church
Wall ' — the ' Penniless Bench ' of later times. Whether
it was made then for the first time or only repaired
or rebuilt is doubtful. In 1667 it was rebuilt with
stone pillars, which were afterwards taken down and
an alcove substituted, as shown in the plate in
Ingraxa's Memorials of Oxford, vol. iii. In 171 1 its
demolition was contemplated, but postponed by the
' Wood's City of Oxford (Clark), i. 4S6.

14 St. Martin's, Oxford
intervention of a citizen, one Charles Harris, who,
' having been informed that the City agreement was
to demolish the old pyazza under the east end of
Carfax Church called Pennylesse Bench or pay ;^20
in lieu thereof, came into the Council house and did
promise, rather than the said Bench should be demol
ished, to lend the City the said sum for one year gratis,
which the house accepted with thanks, and agreed
that the same bench should continue as it then was,
saving that the enclosure at the two ends thereof
should be pulled down and left open.' In 1747,
however, having then become a harbour for disorderly
people, it was removed altogether. While it existed,
the city and the parish shared the cost of keeping
it clean and in repair, but the parish received the
rents payable by the stall-holders. It was at this
bench that royal and distinguished visitors received
addresses. Here, for instance, in 1566, and again in
159^) Queen Elizabeth, after passing through streets
lined with scholars, halted, and heard orations in the
Greek tongue^. Here too, on occasions of public
rejoicing, Mr. Mayor and his brethren, after hearing
a sermon in Carfax Church, assembled in their scarlet
gowns and were entertained with cake and wine, and
a bonfire, the city musicians playing on the leads that
overhung the bench ^.
4. City Valhalla : Chantries : Obits.
Carfax Church— the church, not the churchyard —
was the city Valhalla, the place of interment for its
' Elizabethan Oxford, Reprints (Plummer), pp. 119, 251.
" Wood's Life and Times (Clark), iii. 148-9.

City 'Valhalla 15
leading citizens. The following Mayors and Alder
men are known to have been buried there, as were,
doubtless, others, of whose burial there is no record.
Date of Burial.
1349. Richard Carey. Mayor 1328-35-40-45. Buried
in Lady Chapel.
1497. Edward Woodward. Mayor 1480-81-83-87,
and 1494.
1540-1553. William Fleming. Mayor 1525-26-27.
I636- Richard Flexney. Alderman. Buried in St.
Thomas' Chapel.
1578. Richard Whittington. Mayor 1558-66.
W. Noble. Mayor 1581.
J. Dodwell. Mayor 1592.
1622. John Davenant. Mayor 1622.
1635. William Wright. Mayor 1614.
1639. John Dewe. Mayor 1626.
1640. Thomas Cooper. Mayor 1630.
1645. William Chillingworth. Mayor 1644.
1664. Martin Wright. Mayor 1635-55.
1679. William Cornish. Mayor 1672.
1679. William Morrill. Mayor 1677.
1 68 1. John Paynton. Town Clerk.
1683. William Bayly. Mayor 1666-81.
1690. Roger Griffen. Mayor 1662.
1693. William Wright. Mayor 1635-55.
1775. John Austin. Mayor 1742-61-71.
1780. John Treacher. Mayor 1741-54-63.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and
even later, the churchwardens' accounts contain
receipts for fees for graves within its walls. The
custom, apparently, was for the well-to-do to be
buried in the church and the poor in the churchyard ^.
Our forefathers did not trouble themselves about
' At the demolition of the church (1896) brick vaults were found in
the whole length of the central and side aisles. In the central aisle
they were five or six abreast, and many had held six coffins.

i6 St, Martin's, Oxford
sanitation. They drank water from wells close to
cess-pools, and Sunday after Sunday devoutly inhaled
the exhalations of their dead. But the Church per
formed duties for city magnates even after their
bodies had been laid beneath its floor. For, at the
approach of death, the alderman, like the baron, was
often apprehensive as to what might befall him
beyond the grave. And he made such provision for
mitigating the purgatorial fire as his religion sanc
tioned and his means could purchase. Thus, in 1488,
Richard Cary, several times Mayor, by his will
provided for a priest to say and sing daily service
for him. In 1497 Alderman Woodward, six times
Mayor, bequeathed 40J. per annum 'for an honest
priest to kepe the quire and sing masse over his
grave.' Alice, widow of Alderman Dobbis, who left
£20 to the church to buy ' a sute of vestments for the
priest,' also made provision for keeping the day of
her obit: and by his will, inroUed May 7, 1540,
Alderman William Fleming charged an obit for him
self, his wife Joan, and all Christian souls, on certain
lands and tenements, which he left to the church ^
St. Martin's was the religious centre of the tailors'
guild, just as All Saints was that of the guild of
glovers. The tailors, of whom there were forty-nine
in Oxford in 1380 '^, took the lead among the Oxford
guilds. They founded a chantry in St. Martin's, and
allowed to a priest, who should pray for them, a
yearly stipend of £'^ 16s,: 'a token of which foun
dation,' says Anthony Wood, 'is a pair of taylor's
' Wood's Ciiy of Oxford (A. Clark), ii. 83-86.
^ Oxford City Documents (Rogers), p. 6.

Chantries and Obits 17
sheers painted in an upper window of the south isle,
as in the same it still remaineth ^.'
Of the before-mentioned chantries and obits, all but
two seem to have become extinct before 1553, the
year of their suppression by Parliament. The Return
of the Commissioners for the parish of St. Martin (see
next page) only includes the Tailors' chantry and
Fleming's obit.
It will be observed that the 'howselyng people,'
that is, the communicants, or rather those of the
parishioners who were of an age to communicate, are
given as 700. The total population of the parish
must, therefore, have been at least 1250, in the year
1552. At the last census (1891), however, its popula
tion was 314 ; and as its area is the same now as in
1552, both houses and households must have been
more crowded then than now. There were no
suburban villas at that time. Men lived at their
places of business. Fleming's bequest to the church
consisted of a tenement in St. Martin's parish, ad
joining the west end of the church ; a piece of garden-
ground in the parish of St. Peter-le-Bailey ; and
a tenement and garden in St. Ebbe's parish. The
parish received the rents of these premises from 1553
to 1560 both inclusive, paying, however, to the Crown
25J. 4d. per annum, which, according to the Commis
sioners' Return, was their annual value ^- (Thus, in
1557, 'paid to M' Parratt for one yere's rent dug to
the Quene's Maj*® for ye land late of M' Fflemyng
due at the feast of Saynt Michell last past.') At the
' Wood's City of Oxford (Clark), vol. ii. p. 84.
' In 1 5 54, 1 2i. 6(^. was paid for ' dirige and masse for Master Flemyng. '
C

Return of the Commissioners for the enquiring into Chauntries, Obits, Lamps, ^c,
for the County of Oxford, Commission dated vi Feb. i Edw. VI.
Augmentation Office, Roll 38, Co, Oxford,

Names of pslies with
nombre of howselyng
people.

The pishe of Seynt
Martyn in the citie
of Oxford.

Howselyng people
vii"

Names of
Chauntries, &c.

A stypendiary in the
said pishe Churche
called the Taylors'
stipendiary.

An Obit in the said
pishe Churche call
ed Fflemyng's obitt.

The Foundations, &c.

Certain lands and
ten'^ gyven to the
mayntenance of a
priest to synge and
praye in the said
pishe Churche for
all crysten soules
ffounded by the
tailors in the said
citie of Oxford.

Founded by Willam
Flemyng late de
ceased which have
certeyn lands and
ten'' by his last will
to the mayntenance
of an Obitt to be
prayed for for ever
in the said pishe
Churche, and all
crysten soules.

Names of Incumbents.

Xtofer Rychardson
Incumbent of the
age of xxix yeres
a man of honest be-
havyor and a man
well learned which
had for his salary
Iiii' iiii* and had
no other pvisions
in other place.

Incumbents, none.

Verely value of
lands, &c.

The value of the
lands and ten*= to
the same belonging
ys yerely Ixxvi^
whereof in Reprises
yerely xiii^ vi^ and
so remain clere
Ixiis vi''.

The value of all the
lands and ten*" to
the same belongyng
ys yerely xxv' iiii*
whereof in Reprises
yerely with ii= to
the pore vii" iii*
and so remayn clere
xviii' i*.

Stocke, goods,
chattels
or ornaments.

None.

None.

Chantries and Obits 19
same time there was a lawsuit about them, for, in
their account for 1553, the churchwardens ' received
of the pysheners towarde the sute of the Church lande
li' vi'*,' and they ' paid to Thomas Chapman at severall
tymes for the sute of the Churche lande given by
Master Fflemyng £^ i^s, %d! After 1560 the Crown
presumably took possession of the property, as, from
that year, the churchwardens neither received the
rents nor paid the 25J. 4d. to the Crown. But in
1606 the parish made another effort to recover the
property. Litigation respecting it was going on from
that year to 16 13; and in the accounts for 1606,
1607, and 16 13, there are a number of payments for
commissioners', counsels', and jury fees, as well as
for journeys to London, and copies of documents in
connexion with the suit. And it would seem that the
parish was ultimately successful, for, in and after 1631,
we find it again in receipt of the rents, yet making no
annual payment to the Crown. In Wood's MSS.
there is the following note as to Fleming's will:
'Note that the rent of Fleming's houses and lands,
which he gave to the Church, occurs after the dis
solution of chantries, viz. in Queen Elizabeth her
time, but the parish paid rent for them ; — whether
they purchased the rent I know not as yet, yet it
seems they did, for they have had them in possession
beyond the memory of any one now living ^.'
5. The City Council.
The City Council books and the churchwardens'
accounts form two valuable sources of information
' See Appendix IX.
C a

20 St. Martin's, Oxford
with respect to St. Martin's Church and Parish. The
Council books, which begin in 1520, give the history
of the lectureship, and show how close was the
connexion between the City and the Church. In the
churchwardens' accounts, which begin in 1540, we
have an almost unbroken record of the parish economy
from that early date. It will be well before taking
up the lectureship to glance for a moment at the
constitution and conduct of the Council. Under a
charter of Richard I, Oxford had a Mayor and two
Aldermen. Henry III doubled the number of Alder
men, and associated eight leading burgesses with
them. This civic nucleus had expanded in the
sixteenth century into a Council of sixty members, of
whom thirty-six were or had been office-holders, as
Mayor, Aldermen, Bailiffs and Chamberlains, while
the remaining twenty- four were simple Common Coun-
cilmen. The Mayor was elected out of the Aldermen,
the Aldermen out of the Bailiffs, the Bailiffs out of the
Chamberlains, the Chamberlains out ofthe twenty-four
Common Councilmen, and these last out ofthe citizens.
The elections however were not by the citizens, but
were all co-optative, and took place on September 30
every year. By ancient custom, on election day, the
whole body of the Council attended Mr. Mayor in
their gowns to the Bench, and from thence to Carfax
Church to implore God's blessing on their proceedings.
Fines for non-attendance were inflicted. Those
elected to offices, besides paying fees, had to give
a treat. Sometimes the treat was an express condition,
as for instance when, in 1696, it was agreed 'that
Mr. Daniel Prince, one of the twenty-four, should have

The City Council

21

a bailiffs place for a treat of forty bottles of canary.'
The ' commons ' were apt to intrude into the Council
chamber during these entertainments, wherefore it
was ordered (April 7, 1702) 'that no member of the
house presume to give any wine to any common or
other^person, who has no right to partake of the same.'
All that now survives of these festive meetings is the
Mayor's banquet and the Sheriff's wine. But that
in the seventeenth century they were deemed so
essential to the honour and credit of the city as to
need to be enforced by heavy fines will appear from
the following order of the Council : ' 1676, September
18. Whereas in all tymes past the mayor, aldermen,
assistants, bailiffs, and common counsellmen did con
stantly at their being elected into those offices make
a public entertaynment for the Counseil Chamber with
wine and sweetmeats besides the entertaynment of
the commons : And whereas sOme few persons, being
chosen into such offices, mindeing their own private
proffit more than the honour and credit of the city,
have of late refused to make any such entertaynement
at the time of their election into their said offices to
the great diminution of the ancient honour of the
citty, for preventing the like evil for the time to come,
it is ordayned that whoever shall neglect or refuse to
give such usual entertaynement at their election to
the members of the Counseil Chamber and Commons
of the citty as anciently hath been and ought to be
given, they shall severally forfeit to the use of the
citty the sums of money following, i. e. Mr. Mayor
£1^, an Alderman £10, an Assistant ;^io, a Bailiffe
;^2o, a Chamberlayne £6 \y, 4^., a Common Counseil-

22 St. Martin's, Oxford
man £4, to be levied by distresse of the goods and
chattells of the offenders by the sergeants of the citty
to the use of the citty, and if trouble arise to them for
makiiig any such distresse, the same shall be borne
by the citty ^.' But although the Council was fond of
festivity, their conduct of business in the Council
Chamber was dignified and orderly— at least, it was
so if they carried out their own orders. For by an
Act of September 19, 1570 (which may be com
mended to our Council of to-day), they agreed ' that
every man spekeyng within the Counseil howse (the
Mayor, Aldermen, Justices, and such as have been
Mayors only excepted) shall stand upp bareheaded or
uncovered, in decent order tellying his tale; and he
that interuptith any one tellying his tale and spekeyng
shall forfeit iiij^ ; but if more then one stand upp at
one tyme to speke, yt shalbe judged by the howse
which of them shall fyrst tell his tale.' By a previous
act of October 5, 1560, it was agreed that ' every man
that whyspers or talkes to his fellowe whyle another
is talkying yn his course shall forfeit iiij"^.'
6. The City Lectureship.
What induced the Council . to found their City
Lectureship may be gathered from the following
extracts from the Council books. In November, 1579,
they ordered that 'all ffreemen of this cytie shall
everie Sondaye and holidaye come to the sermon at
Carfoxe with theire wiefes and families or forfayte
' See Appendix VIII for an account ofthe entertainment of the Lord
High Steward in i6jj.

The City Lectureship 23
xii* for not coming^.' The order was repeated in
March, 1581, when it was agreed that 'on everie
Sondaye and holydayethe fower Aldermen, the rest of
the thirteen, the bailiffs and chamberlins, the common
counseil and all other ffreemen of this cytie shall at
the tyme of the ringing of the bell for the sermon
come together to the pennylesse bench and staye
theare until the commyrige of the Mayor or his
deputie, and shall from thence, everie man in his
degree, orderlie apparreled, accompany the Mayor to
the sermon at St. Maries Churche, Christ Churche,
Carfoxe, or any other place within the cytie or
suburbes where the Mayor shall then go ' : and the
reason for the order was that ' the ordinari and usual
commynge to sermons of all estates and degrees
within this cytie shalbe a good meane and occasion
for everie christian to understande and learne theire
duties towards God and obeydience to all lawfull
magistrates and superiors^.' But in the sixteenth
century, although the Reformation had increased the
demand for sermons, there was a scarcity of preachers,
as is evidenced by the publication of the Book of
Homilies in 1547 and its republication in 1562.
According to Anthony Wood, in 1563 there were but
two preachers in Oxford who preached to the Univer
sity, and when these were absent, Richard Taverner
of Woodeaton, Sheriff of the county, who held a
lay preaching licence from Edward VI, sometimes
preached at St. Mary's, ' with his gold chaine about
his necke and his sword by his side, not in ostentation
but of pure charity.' He attributes the foundation
1 City Council Book A, 220*. ^ Ibid. 240.

24 St, Martin's, Oxford
of the City Lectureship to the fact that ' the citizens
had sermons but seldom delivered to them in their
public church of St. Martin i.' With a view to supply
this want, in February, 1583, the Council agreed
that 'Mr. Mayor and thaldermen shall talke with
some fytt preacher for the towne to preache at
Carfaxe and to have a stipend for his paynes^.'
In August, 1585, they agreed that ' £io yearely shall
be disbursed out of the treasurie of this cytie towards
the maintenance of a preacher or two at Carfoxe
Church*:' and in January, 1586, that 'this cytie
shall give 20 marks to two preachers yearlie to make
one sermon every Sundaye at Carfoxe to the citizens,
and that Mr. Potter and Mr. Prime be appointed the
said tv/o preachers *.'
The wish to have the citizens taught the duties of
Christian citizenship was not, however, the only reason
that determined the Council to found the lectureship.
They were also anxious to join the University in
resisting a reactionary movement of the Church of
Rome. Its foundation occurred during what has
been called ' the Jesuit invasion of England,' which
began with the landing of Parsons and Campian in
June 1580, and ended with the defeat of the Spanish
Armada in July 1588. During this period, Jesuit
missionaries were actively at work in Oxford. In
1582, the Earl of Leicester, who was then Chancellor,
urged the authorities of the University to take steps
to counteract their proselytizing zeal. In his letter
to the Vice-Chancellor, dated January 25 of that
' Wood's Annals of Oxford (Gutch), vol. ii. pp. 193, 194.
^ City Council Book A, 255". » Ibid. 277. * Ibid. 283.

The City Lectureship 25
year, after referring to the disorders requiring amend
ment, he says : ' But the chiefest points are the want
of instructing your youth in the principles of religion,
the little care the tutors, have that way, and most
especially the suffering of secret and lurking papists
amongst you, which seduce your , youth and carry
them over by flocks to the seminaries beyond seas ^.'
Among the measures adopted to check the spread of
Romanism was the making of several statutes between
1580 and 1586, that secured a succession of University
preachers at St. Mary's on Sundays and Holy-days.
With reference to these measures, Wood says : ' These
heads or articles for the expelling of popery, being
confirmed by the University, were imitated in another
way by the citizens in founding their lectureship and
selecting two zealous calvinists for that work ^.'
The lectureship founded in 1586 was a forenoon
one; but, in 1617, two more lecturers were appointed
to lecture alternately on Sunday afternoons *. This
lectureship for four lecturers was long maintained
by a tax, payable by all members of the Corporation,
under penalties of fine, disfranchisement, and disquali
fication for office. But in 1778 it was endowed with
£1,^00, ultimately invested in Oxford Canal shares,
of which ;^i,ooo was a debt due from the Earl of
Litchfield to the city and was appropriated to the
lectureship by the Corporation, and ;£^5oo was added
by Mr. William Wickham,, a citizen and member of
the Council.
The Council books show the various ways in which
' ^N ooXs Annals of Oxford (<3i\i\.<^, vol. ii. pp. 212, 213.
"^ Ibid. pp. 193, 194. ' City Council Book B, 219^

26 St, Martin's, Oxford
the Corporation subsidized and controlled the church.
The city treasury supplied funds for repairs and
ornamentation ; for the erection of pulpits, galleries,
and ' long pews with locks and keys for persons of
quality to sit in ' ; for pulpit cloths and cushions ;
for repairing the clock, setting up chimes, and
hanging bells ; for payment of church officers — for
these and much else. In September, 1817 (to take
a curious instance), the Council ordered ' that in future
a salary of £^ per annum be paid to the person who
blows the organ at Carfax in lieu of the toll on
pigs taken in Gloucester Green, which he has been
accustomed to receive, and that hereafter the pig
tolls shall be let with the other city tolls ^.' Indeed,
they seem to have always responded to the Church's
appeal for money, with the amusing exception that
when Mr. Blackburne, who was rector in 1689, and
who, it would appear, had taken the duty of one
or more of the lecturers, sent in his bill for such
vicarious preaching, they resolved ' that the bill shall
not be paid by the city, in regard that he is the
parish minister and the city hath already paid their
lecturers for that time^'
7. The Churchwardens' Accounts.
(a) Sources of Parish Income. Hocktide Money.
"Whitsun Ales.
The churchwardens' accounts (1540-1794) are well
preserved, though some years are missing, here and
there. In i860 they were chronologically arranged,
' City Council Book H, 116. 2 Ibid. D, 279''.

Sources of Parish Income 27
partially indexed, and strongly bound in two large
volumes by Mr. George Hester, the then town-clerk.
All that can be attempted here is to give some idea
of their interesting nature.
Among the regular sources of parish income in
the sixteenth and part of the seventeenth century
were the ' Hocktide money' and the 'Whitsun ales.'
Hocktide was a Saxon festival, which in time
became little ,^more than an occasion for collecting
money for the Church, the women from the men
and the men from the women. 'What the women
got at Hocktide' or 'In the boxe at Hocktide' are
the entries in the accounts. In the Whitsun Ales
the Church realized the wish of an Anglican bishop
to run a public-house. Partly out of parish funds
and partly with contributions from parishioners, the
churchwardens provided the materials of a feast
(strong ale being one) in the churchyard or church-
house, where the parishioners with their friends met
to eat, drink and be merry, paying liberally for all
they had or did. In 1621, the Brentford Vestry
declared that 'the inhabitants had for many years
been accustomed to have meetings at Whitsuntide
in their church-house and other places in friendly
manner to eat and drink together and liberally to
spend their monies to the end that neighbourly
society might be maintained, and also a common
stock raised for the repairs of the church and other
purposes ^.' From another source we learn that
' when the feast is ended, the wardens yield in their
account to the parishioners, and such money as
' Brand's Popular Antiquiiies (Ellis), vol. i. p. 230,

28 St, Martin's, Oxford
exceedeth the disbursement is laid up in store to
defray any extraordinary charges arising in the
parish or imposed on them for the good of the
country, or the Prince's service ; neither of which
commonly grips so much but that somewhat still
remaineth to cover the purse's bottom ^.' In St.
Martin's, the Whitsun Ales sometimes produced as
much as ;^2o. They profited the parish funds,
however, more than they did its morals, and after
1647 they were discontinued, as was also the Hock
tide money, and not resumed at the Restoration.
In their place, yearly 'taxes' were levied on the
parishioners, at first only once a year but afterwards
more frequently: in 1728, for instance, when the
church was under repair, there were five taxes,
yielding ;^75 7^.
(b) Parochial Responsibilities: Paving, Cleansing,
Lighting, Pumps, Town Soldiers, Poor Relief,
Taxation by City and King.
Parochial responsibilities were heavier in past
centuries than now. The duty of paving, cleansing
and lighting the streets, and also of supplying water,
which is now done by the municipality and paid
for out of the rates, fell then on the parish or on
the individual parishioners. By an Act of the City
Council, dated June 15, 1582, every citizen was
required to ' make and amende in places defectyve
the pavement before his howse,' and none were to
' Carew's Survey of Cornwall, p. 68.

Parochial Responsibilities 29
' make their pavemente higher than another but that
hit may have a reasonable currant,' nor to ' swepe
any donge, rubbyshe or other thing noyant downe
into the channell of the streete,' but ' everie person
shall swepe together and take uppe the said things
noyant out of the said channell so farre as their
grounde reachyth, and cause the same to be carryed
away twyce everie weeke uppon payne of forfeyture
for everie default xii"*.' There was ' a comon
skavinger within the towne ' to ' cary all swepping
of mens houses, and the dyrte that commythe of the
sweppyng of the strettes, and everie householder had
to paye for the caridge of the same i* a quarter ^.' In
the sixteenth-century churchwardens' accounts there
are payments for ' carrying dung from Carfax '; ' making
clean the Carfax ' ; ' cleaning the streets ' ; sweeping,
pitching, and paving before the Church ' ; and
once, for 'a fine for not paving before the Church.'
In the seventeenth century, 16s. was paid to the
sexton's wife for 'making clean the streete before
the church the whole year,' and 10s. to the scavenger
' for his yeares wages for carrying away the dirt
before the Church.' The colleges, as well as the
churches, had to take their share in paving and
cleaning the streets^.
There was no public lighting, each householderjl
being ordered to set out at his door every nightj
a lanthorn and candle ^ ; neither were there any publicj
waterworks, so that each parish had to supply itself
" Oxford City Records (Tumer), pp. 162, 398, 422, 423.
^ Historic Towns — Oxford (Boase), p. 109.
' City Council Book D, 259'', 320*.

30 St. Martin's, Oxford
with water. This was only obtainable by means
of pumps, of which the parish possessed three, one
before the Cross Inn, one by Penniless Bench, and
one in the churchyard. The two former were in
constant use, and it cost so much to keep them in
repair- that special yearly collections were made for
the purpose. After 1618 these collections cease, the
reason perhaps being that, in 161 6, Otho Nicholson
had completed his conduit (at ,Carfax, * where the
Bull ring was') for storing and distributing water
from the hill above North Hincksey. Although this
was intended to supply the colleges and halls, the
citizens may have participated in it after 161 8. The
pumps, however, continued to be used, the one under
the church wall not being removed till the old church
was pulled down ^.
The parish was also responsible for furnishing its
quota of arms for the town soldiers. The town had,
from time to time, to provide a certain number of
soldiers for the king's wars. On May 30, 1544, two
aldermen were appointed by the Council to ' treate
with Master Carter concernyng the settyng forward
of certen persons to the Kyng's majestyes warres
wythe the Duks Grace of Suffolk.' On April 2,6,
1548, four custodians were appointed of the town
armour ; also to ' have yn ther custodye all such
money as ys gathered to that use onlye, to be yn
a rediness at all tymes if nede requyer to set forward
the towne sowdyars.' At an earlier period (1523) we
have an account of the expenses of raising, equipping
and conducting twenty-one soldiers from Oxford to
' City Council Book H, 202.

Town Soldiers: Poor Relief 31
Dover. Among the city records is also an inventory
headed thus : ' Civitas. Oxon. Thes be the parcells
of harnes that were delyvered by the parishes of the
said citie and suburbes unto the Counsayle house
the viii"' day of Septembre A. D. 1558.' The St. Mar
tin's quota comprised 'two payer of almon ryvetts
complete, w* two pyks, three bowes, three sheve of
arrowes, three sculls, three swords, three daggers^,'
In the churchwardens' account for 1577 is a schedule
of the parish armour, consisting of ' a corslet, a pike,
two swords, two daggers, a morion, a caliver, with
girdle, hangers and flaske.' Payments are frequent
for ' scouring the parish harnes,' ' dressing the armour,'
' mending the caliver,' and so forth.
The accounts throw light on the relief of the poor
in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Before
1601, voluntary alms were collected in church, but,
in that year, a compulsory parochial rate was
authorized by 43 Elizabeth, cap 2. It was some
years, however, before the Act came into operation
in every parish in the country. The first rate credited
in the St. Martin's accounts was in 161 2. Before
this, ' the poore mans boxe' and its contents are
frequently mentioned, but there is no trace of
systematic rating. In and after 1613, parochial
taxes for the poor, producing from £2, to £6, were
from time to time levied. Testamentary annuities
and donations by the living were sometimes given
for the same object. These funds were expended
in boarding out and apprenticing orphan children ;
also in relieving, and when necessary, burying the sick
' Oxford City Records (Tumer), pp. 43, 174, 192, 271.

32 St, Martin's, Oxford
poor and the destitute. Many entries like the follow
ing occur in the accounts : —
1613. Pd to Goodman Waspe for keepinge
I two poore children y^ whole yere . £iii xiii^.
1 618. Pd to Goody Greene for kepinge of
a child 3d a weeke for one yere . xii^.
1 619. Pd to Goodwife Greene for keepinge
of a child this yere at 4^ the weeke xviis. iiiid.
1623. Pd to the widdowe Denton, a poore
woman which lyeth at the Crown,
great with child .... xiiia.
1624. P<i for the burriing of the said wid-
dow Denton and her child . . iii^. vii^.
1631. Pd to E. Cope to relieve him and his
familie, when they were sick . iii^. iiii^.
A tax was sometimes levied for a particular case,
as, for instance, in 1631, when a considerable sum was
raised ' for the placeing of the widow Wells' children.'
The Tailors' Guild contributed, her husband having
been a tailor. Premiums, amounting to ;^i8 10s,,
were paid for her three children. At this time the
country was overrun with destitute people, privileged
to beg for various needs. The following are specimen
entries : —
1613. Given to a poor Grecian at Mr. Par
son's appointment . . . xviiiiJ.
1624. Given to ten Suisse men that had the
king's broade seale to gather to
bring them home, and two English
men, who, having losse by fire, had
the Justices handes to their briefes
and Mr. Mayor's leave to gather of
all the Churchwardens in Oxon . v^. \'i^.
1 63 1. Given to one Brian of Herefordshire,
a poor man gathering for fyre . xii^.

Poor Relief 33
1 63 1. Given to another poor man upon
a briefe for fyre . . . viii*.
„ to a distressed scholar cominge
out of Scodand .... xiid.
1632. „ to a poore distressed minister vii^.
1635. „ to a poore minister's wife . vid.
„ to a poore man sent by Mr.
Mayor  vi<i.
Under the Act of Elizabeth, if any parish was
unable to relieve its own poor, other parishes within
the hundred might be rated in aid of the over
burdened parish. Probably, this is why, in 1620,
St. Martin's ' paid to the poore in St. Peters in the
Baylie 20j.,' and, in 1657, £% 6s. %d. to the town
clerk ' for the poore children in Hollywell by virtue
of a warrant from the Justices.' Under the same
Act, the churchwardens had to contribute to the
relief of maimed soldiers and poor prisoners for debt,
for which objects annual payments of 18s. are found
in the seventeenth-century accounts.
As bearing on the question of poor-relief, the
following entry in the account for 1624 is interesting :
' P* for Captain Whitburn's booke sent out by the
Bishopp of the dioces xii'^.' The book was published
in 1622, and entitled A discourse and discovery of
Newfoundland, with many reasons to prove how worthy
and beneficiall a plantation m.ay there be made after
a far better manner than now is. It was written
by Captain Richard Whitbourne with the King's
countenance, printed by order of the Privy Council,
and recommended to the bishops for distribution in
the parishes. The author says, ' It would be a great
ease to all the rest of your Majesty's subjects, if some
D

34 St, Martin's, Oxford
part of our superabounding multitudes were trans
planted into Newfoundland, for there are many
thousands of poor people of both sexes which might
be spared out of all your Majesty's dominiofis, who,
living penuriously and in great want, might not only
free themselves from their present miseries but also
by their industries in time enrich themselves and
deserve well of the State by their employments.'
At this time, there were (as we have seen) a large
number of destitute folk perambulating the country,
many of them authorized to gather alms. Captain
Whitbourne suggested emigration as a means of
utilizing this surplus population — an idea adopted
by the King and Privy Council, who took steps to
circulate and make the book known. In the -nine
teenth century, we smile at this complaint by the
seventeenth of its ' superabounding multitudes.'
The City Council sometimes taxed Oxford parishes
for the relief of distress in the county, and for other
objects. In 1593, ^'^^ instance, they ordered the
churchwardens in every parish in the city and
suburbs to collect money for the poor of Kidlington,
and with the money collected they were to ' deliver
up a bill in writing as well of everie person that shall
give any contribution as also of those that refuse to
give'; in 1593, a year of sickness, collections were
ordered for the relief of infected households, whose
houses were shut up ; and in 1595, for the relief of
a bastard child, born in Bocardo, of a woman who
was executed, the contribution of St. Martin's being
3'* a week ^.
• City Council Books, May 15, 1593 ; Aug. 31, 1593 ; Dec. 10, 1595.

Taxation by City and King

35

Sometimes the parishes had to meet a taxation
by the king. For instance, Elizabeth required ;^200
from Oxfordshire for ship-money, on which occasion
the Mayor conferred with the Lord Lieutenant, as
to the proportion to be paid by the city : early in
James' reign, too, the city had to give the king
a benevolence of ;£'ico ^ ; and, as is well known,
Charles made a general levy of ship-money. In these
and similar cases, the amount payable by the city
was apportioned among the parishes and collected
by the churchwardens, who, if they failed to collect
the allotted sum, made up the deficiency out of the
parish funds. In four churchwardens' accounts (1635-
38) there are payments to the Mayor ' to mike up the
Shipp money.' The sums are small (one, only 4s.)
and represented the difference between the parish's
apportioned liability and the amounts collected by
the churchwardens. The following note of a church
wardens' collection in 1572 has been preserved.

A Note of the Seasement of the XVt™e ^he
28 September, 1572.

Mr. Alderman

Whit-

Brought forward 2/12/2

ington

. . 10/-

Mr. Alderworth ... 6/8

Mr. Walklin .

¦ • 13/4

Mr. Tattilton . . .13/4

Mr. Cogan .

. . 8/-

Mr. Atwode .... 4/-

Mr. Flexnye .

. . 2/6

Mr. Kane .... 4/-

Mr. Bennet .

. . 6/8

Mr. Noble .... 5/-

Mr. Edgis

¦ ¦ 5/-

TJiomas Laine and

Mr. Wilde .

. . 6/8

Stevin Laine . . . 4/-

2/12/2

4/9/2

' Council Books, March 22, 45 Eliz., and Aug. 26, 12 James L
D 2

36

Sf, Martin's, Oxford

Brought forward
James Hewette .
Wm. Joyner . .
Thomas Keite .
Pearse Undrell (Under-
hill) . ~~ .
Humfrys Leicher
John Jenins . .
John Smithe . .
Thomas Cossam
George Mundaie
John Phillipe
Clement Janson
Robarte Benete .
TiUe Jacson, widow
Jefferye White .
Thomas Lambe .
Edward Kirkman
John Blithe . .
Phillipe Cooles .
Frauncis Jenins .
Nycoles Chapman
Rogere Joyner .
Rycharde Webe .
James Rude . .

4/9/2 3/42/-
4/-3/- 2/- i/-
4/-3/- 6d
2/-
2/-3/- 2/-2/- i/-i/-
2/62/- 2/6
2/- V-1/8
4/-
7/0/8

Brought forward 7/0/8
Humfrye Morris . . 5/4
Thomas Warrin . . 4/-
Henry Dodwell . . . 9/-
Robarte Egle . . . i/-
Mr. Jones .... 4/-
Christopher Stavesaker r/8
Elyzabeth Waite . . 4^
Robarte Price . . . 1/4
Mr. Robarts .... 1/4
Mr. Alderman Williams i/-
Mr. Alderman Flexnye i/-
Stevin Ewin . . . . 1/8
Richard Hewete . . i/-
Robarte Marshiall . . i/-
Robarte Hurste . . . i/-
Mr. Tovye . . . . i/-
Mr. Stevines .... 4^
Mr. Clifton .... 3/4
Rowland Jeinkes . . 2/6
Mr. Pyckeover for
Leonard's House . 4/-
Roger Ffiye .... 2/6
Thomas Rowe . . . 3/-

9/16/8

(c) Pre-Reformation Ritual.
The churchwardens' accounts have many other
points of interest. Those, for instance, for the last
three years of Henry VIII contain entries as to pre-
Reformation ritual. The following relate to the
ceremonies of the sepulchre, and the paschal taper : —
P<i for coles to the clarke for to make the hal
lowed fyre on Easter Eve .... '\\\^.
„ for makeyng of xiiii lb. of old waxe at Ester . vii*.
„ for vi pounds of new wax .... iii^. vi"!.

Pre-Reformation Ritual 37
x""! for makeyng a paschall wayeing viii pounds . ii«. ii^.
„ to Thomas Popyngaye for makeyng frame for
the paschall and for tymbere .... ii^. iiiid.
„ for makeyng the yern to set the sepulcre
lyght in ...... . xv\^.
„ for watchyng the sepulcre lyght at Ester . v^.
„ for sepulcre for sacrament . . . . v^.
We are told that ' on Good Friday a sepulchre was
prepared towards the left horn of the altar with
cushion and costly linen. Inside this was buried the
cross, the reserved sacrament, and the sacramental
plate ; an appropriate form of service was said ; the
sepulchre was censed and closed ; then all departed,
leaving only two persons to guard the sepulchre,
which remained till Easter.' The church inventory
for 1560 schedules 'the uper most parte of a sepulker
w* images w*yn hytt y* stands yn y roud lofte.' The
paschal taper was on Easter-eve solemnly blessed,
then lighted from the newly-made hallowed fire and
placed before the altar, where it burnt incessantly till
after mass or vespers on Easter-day. 'In A.D. 417
Pope Zosimus per parochias concessit ut cereos bene-
dicerent, i.e. the custom was extended from the great
basilicas to the parish churches.'
In the same three accounts, the following are note
worthy entries : —
1544. Rec^ more than was paid to the
organ player .... iii^. Vm^.
Pd to a mason to pyn the roodloft
and the east window of St. John's
ile  vB.
1545. Reel! for a great pulpett . . vs.
P<i for carteing the pulpett from
Osney to St. Martin's Church . iii'J.

38 St. Martin's, Oxford
1545- P"* to a laborer for workyng at the
Church howse .... iv^.
„ to Mr. Tiley for slattyng ii days
at the seid howse . . . xii^.
1546. Reel for the organ player at Mid-
som quarter .... iii^. viiid.
„ of the pyssh'ons for the organ
player at Mychelmas quarter . v».
,, for ii challysshes and oon
payer of canstykke of sylver and
gwylt as apperyth by by Us thereof £xx xiiiis. viiid.
„ for a crosse of sylver and gwylt £xvi xvi^ xd.
Pd for a crosse parcell gwylted way-
ing xlv oncys .... £xii xv^.
„ for ii challysshes parcell gwylted
waying xii oncys and half a
quarterne . . . . £v v. id.
„ for a payer of latten candylstykke iii^
„ for caryge of the same from
London ..... xiid.
„ for carying the sayd challysshes
to Tame to be hallowed . . iid.
Church organs were probably used first in monas
teries, next in city, and later in country churches. In
a St. Martin's inventory for 1577, 96 organ pipes
are scheduled ; and in 1582, 23 of these, weighing
35 lbs., were sold at 6d. the lb., and presumably re
placed by new ones. In 1545 the old pulpit was sold,
and a grant obtained of the Osney pulpit. In the
minutes of the leasing of Osney Abbey to William
Stump, clothier, of Malmesbury, it was stipulated that
' the church of Osney and all the stones of the same
be reserved to the Dean and Canons for the buyldyngs
at Frydeswyd, and that they may have ingresse and
egresse att all tymes for caryege of the same ^.' It
' Oxford Ciiy Records (Turner), 175.

Pre-Reformation Ritual 39
would seem that Christ Church, not wanting the
pulpit, gave it to St. Martin's. The ' Church house '
was probably in the parish, and was used for ' Whit
sun ales ' and other Church festivities. ' St. John's
ile ' was probably the south aisle, the east window in
which was the more elaborate. The sale of the old
and the purchase of new chalices, candlesticks, and
cross, by which transaction the parish gained
;^i8 14^. 2)d., looks at first as though designed to
evade the Parliamentary Commission for the sale of
Church plate. This, however, can hardly have been
the case, as the Commission did not issue till six
years later.
In the account for 1547-8 (i Edw. VI) there is
a payment for 'a new Communion Book.' In the
session of 1547 an Act was passed for communion in
both kinds, and a service issued. In the same session
injunctions were issued for the purification of the
churches from pictures and images. During the next_
four years (the accounts for which are missing) the
altars may have been removed or neglected, as the
account for 1552-1553, which includes the first five
months of Mary's reign, contains payments for a good
deal of work on ' the high aulter ' and ' the aulter in
oure lady chappell'
The following entries occur in the three accounts
that have been preserved in Mary's reign : —
1553-4. Reed of the paryshoners towards the
makyng of Seynt Thomas' aulter . iiii^. vd.
Pd for the aulter stone . . . vis. iiiid.
„ for bryngyng the aulter stone to
the church . . . . . xiid.

40 St. Martinfs, Oxford
1553-4. Pd for bred and ale to the company
that helpt opp wyth the stone . iiiid.
,, for makyng Seynt Thomas' aulter
and the paving of that chapell ; . ii^. ixd.
and for makyng the seate in the
same chapell .... xiiid.
„ for bred and ale to the ryngers
at the comyng yn of the kyng . iiid.
1554-5. !) 'or ryngynge of the bell at dirige
and masse for the Pope yn the Ester
weke  xxiiid.
,, for the charges at the dirige and
masse for Master Flemyng . . xii. vd.
1557-8. „ for ryngyng at the buryall ofthe
bishopp ..... iiiid.
It is doubtful if St. Thomas' altar was first made or
only restored at this time. Philip landed at South
ampton July 20, 1554, and went thence to Winchester,
where the Queen awaited him. ' The comyng yn of
the Kyng ' must refer to his landing, there being no
record of his visiting Oxford. Mass was restored
soon after Mary's accession. The pope referred to
was Julius III, who died March 23, 1555. He built
the Villa di Papa Guilio at the entrance of the Porta
del Popolo, and passed his later days there, in oblivion
of the world. ' His easy, pleasant life there (says
Ranke) best suited his character and tastes. He gave
entertainments, which he seasoned with conversation
full of racy and proverbial expressions, sometimes
of a sort to call up blushes on the cheeks of his
guests. In the great affairs of the Church and the
State, he took no more share than was absolutely
inevitable.' The bishop was Thomas Goldwell, who
was nominated for the bishopric but died before

Pre-Reformation Ritual 41
institution. Had he lived, he would have been
second bishop^ Robert King, admitted in 1542, being
the first.
In the accounts during Elizabeth's reign the follow
ing entries are noticeable : —
1 5 5 8-9 . Reed of the good wyffe Hagland for bred
and wyne for the pryste at her hus
band's masse  iid.
„ of Thomas Wylde for wyne at the
masse of his mother ... id.
„ of Elizabeth Fossett for wyne at
her husband's masse ... id.
Pd for blackynge out of Saynt Thomas'
aulter to William Joyner . . . vid.
„ for puUynge downe of the aulters and
for pavynge of them . . . vi^. iiiid.
„ for makynge of the Communyon
Tabell and for scaylynge ofthe aulter v^ iiiid.
1573-4. „ for iii dayes worke for carpenter for
pulling downe the Rood lofte and
making the beam ....
1574-5. „ for the ii tables of the commandments
„ for iii screws for makyng the ii frames
for the ii tables ....
1576-7. Reed for Mr. Archdale the lawyer for
his grave .....
„ for an aulter stone
pd for a table of degrees of marriage . iid.
„ for a chaine and staple for a para-
phrasis ...... vid.
Although masses for the dead were celebrated in
Elizabeth's first year, the work of the Reformation
went on, as is evidenced by the pulling down of the
roodloft and altars ^, the making of the communion-
• In the Church Inventory for 1560, one of the things scheduled is
' an awter of allabasten whyche M' Cogan hathe yn hys kypynge.'

iiiis.

viiid.

iis.

vid.

iiis.

ixd.

vis.

viiid.

vii'.

42 St. Martin's, Oxford
table, and the payments for a Bible and paraphrasis.
In 1536 it was ordered that a book ofthe whole Bible,
both in Latin and English, should be 'laid in the
quire of every parish church, for every man that will
to read an'd look therein,' and the Crown visitors in
1547 were directed to see that copies of the Bible
were accessible in the parish churches, and transla
tions of Erasmus' Paraphrase of the New Testament
provided as a commentary. 'Mr. Archdale the
lawyer,' who was a parishioner, may have been one
of the victims of the ' Black Assizes,' held July 4, 1577,
at which, after Rowland Jenks, a stationer, had been
sentenced to lose his ears for ' having in his house
bulls, libels, and such like things against the Queen
and religion, there arose such infectious damp or
breath among the people that many there present
were then smothered, and others so deeply infected
that they lived not many hours after.' Three hundred
died in Oxford from this gaol fever, among whom was
a judge, a serjeant-at-law, and some lawyers, justices,
and jurymen^. (d) Origin of Pews.
During Elizabeth's reign the pew system grew up,
and its growth is traceable in the accounts. It is said,
indeed, that before the Reformation fixed church
seats, called ' pues," were in use in England, described
as ' originally benches, usually facing east, with par
titions of wainscoting about three feet high, and ends
The old altar had been removed from the church and ' a communion
table,' also scheduled, substituted. See Inventory in Appendix III.
' Oxford City Records (Turner), 391.

Origin of Pews 43
of the width of the seat, pannelled and carved ; these
ends often rising above the wainscoting and ending in
fleurs-de-lis or poppy-heads ^' But, before the latter
half of the sixteenth century, these were exceptional.
Four church inventories of St. Martin's are extant,
dated 1547, 1552, 1553, ^"^ 1560. The sitting accom
modation in these is movable and extremely limited.
1547. It™ in the bodye of the Church; a forme, a doble
chayer.
„ ii chayres at our ladye alter.
1552. A dubble chayre for men to sytt in.
ii lyttyl chayrs.
1553- ^ dobbeU chayre.
1560. Two dowble cheers yn y^ vestry.
A dowble cheer yn y^ body of the church.
A great forme yn y® roodloft.
The inventory of 1560 was made January 4, about
which time fixed church seats began to be put up.
In the account for 1559 are the following entries : —
Itm pd for the makynge of the seate of the gyfte of
Robert Forest and aU thereto belonging . . xs.
„ for tlie other seate makynge and for all stoffe
to hytt ........ xvis.
From 1559 to 1614, and later, frequent payments
occur for making and mending seats, including oiie in
1613 for 'altering and mending the seats for Master
Parson and magistrates and for mending of the formes
in the church.' These seats had doors with locks,
keys, and bolts, as is shown by the following entries : —
1585. Pd for a payer of hinges for a seat door iiiid.
16 13. „ for one locke, hinge, and bolte and
key and buttons for the newe seate in
the churche  xxvs. iiii-'.
' Chambers' Encyclopaedia.

44 St. Martin's, Oxford
1613. pd for one locke, hinge and bolte for
amending other pewes broken . . iiiis. iiiid.
1623. „ to the smith for vi locks for the new
seates . . . . . . . xii^.
In 1579, however, there were not seats enough for
the Corporation, for by an order of Council in Novem
ber of that year, ' so many formes were to be delivered
out of the lower hall to sett in the chauncell of
St, Martyn 's Church for men to sytt on as shalbe
nedeful, the same to be brought in agayne at any
tyme when nede shall requier, and the same forriies to
be delivered by inventorie.' The want of seats was
still felt in and after 1614, as appears by the following
extracts from the Council books : —
October, 1614. Agreed that a long pew with locks and
keys shall be built at the upper end of the chancel in the
said church next under the great window for persons of
quality to sit at the City's charge, provided the parson's
consent may be had.
Same date. Agreed that for building a handsome gallery
in the parish church of St. Martin's at Carfax for people
to sit in at time of sermons the sum of £10 be taken
out of the City Chest.
1 6 1 5. Payment of £ 1 5 ordered to carpenters and workmen
that had built the. gallery and seats. Seats ordered to
be made and kept ' for the mayor's wife and for every
one of the wives of the thirteen.'
May, 1664. Agreed that if the parish clerk of St. Martin
neglect to provide seats at lecture-time for members of
that house and to give them and their relations such due
respect as hath been accustomed, or shall suffer any
giris or young women, not of rank and quality with
the aldermen's, thirteen's, or bailiffs' wives, to sit in any
of the said seats, the chamberlains may stop his quarter's
pay until he amend his fault '.
> Council Book C, 3231', D, S*.

Growth of Pew System 45
Payments for seats occur from 1578 till the end of
Elizabeth's reign, after which seats were probably
allotted without charge, as the payments cease. As
the following extracts show, the payments ranged
from IS. to 9J., and were mostly for seats for women : —
1578. Reed of Mr. Godstone for his wyffe's seate iis. vid.
„ ofMr.Chamberlyn for his wyffe's seate ixs.
1581. „ of Goodman Rudd for a seate
1584. „ of Goodwife Wilkes for a seate
„ of Goodwife Ellys for a seate .
,, of Goodwife Jenins for a seate
„ of Mr. Yates for a seate .
„ of Mr. Meake for a seate for his wife
1585. ;, of Mr. Boys for a seate for his wyfe .
„ of Mr. Piggott for a seate for his wyfe
,, of Mr. Wylle tt for a seate for his wyfe
1586. ,, of Henry Buckner for a seate for his
wife and mother-in-law
1589. „ of Richard Hewet for a seate .
„ of William Sergent for a seate
„ of William Dodwell for a seate
1590. „ of Chillingworth for his wife's seate .
,, of W. Samson for a seate in the
churche for his wife .... ii'.
1592. ,, of John Parsons for his wife's seate
in the church  iiis.
„ of Mr. Payer for his wife's seate . xiid.
1596. „ of Mr. Wright for a seate for his wyfe vs.
1602. „ of Mr. Fisher for a seate for his wyfe iis. vid.
(e) Civil War, Plagiie, and Fire.
The accounts for the years 1 642-1 646 have a special
interest, these being years of civil war, when Oxford
was garrisoned by the King, and 1643, 1645, and 1646
years of the plague. .
7^ S. CL.
1642. pd for ringing when the King came from
Brauhford  o 10 6

vis.

viiid.

iiis.

iiiid.

iiis.

iiiid.

xiid.

vs.

iiis.

iiiid.

vs.

iiis.

iiiid.

vis.

viiid.

vis.

viiid.

xiid.
xiid.
xiid.
xiid.
46 St. Martin's, Oxford £ s. d.
pd for faggotts for a bonfire ... 38
„ for carrying away a poore man . . 6
„ to Baker for carrying^ away a wooman
and child ...... 93
„ for carrying away the filth in the
church and before the door which the
soldiers made ..... 20
„ Newcombe for burying a man, which
died at the Crown .... 40
1643. Reed for graves in the church this yeare 12 4 2
„ for the goeing of the bell this
yeare . . . . .492
„ for the use of the paule this yeare .668
„ of Mrs. Howson for two stones to
lay uppon her two husbands graves .100
pd for ringing, when the Queene came to
Oxford  34
„ to the ringers for ringing for victories 6 o
„ for a shrudd for a souldier . . 30
„ for 8 graves making in the churchyard
for poore souldiers .... 40
„ for 2 shrudds for poore souldiers . 60
„ for making of 10 graves in the church
yard for souldiers .... 34
„ for ringing, when the King came from
Newberry ..... 20
„ for faggotts for a bonfire for Newberry
fight  30
„ for 20 fagotts to make a bonfire . 6 8
„ for a shrudd for a souldier that died at
the Crosse Inne . . . .30
„ for another shrudd for a souldier that
died under Penylesse Bench . . 30
„ for another shrudd for a souldier that
died at the Crosse Inne ... 30
„ to four souldiers for conveying a sick
souldier to St. Thomas pishe . . 10
„ for carrying a sick souldier to BrideweU 4
1644. „ for faggotts to make a bonfire for the
Queen's safe delivery ... 20

Civil War, Plague, and Fire 47
£ s. d.
pd for 9 faggotts to make a bonfire for
the victory over the Scots ... 30
„ for burying a souldier who died under
penyles bench ..... 30
„ to a souldier for killing doggs in the
streets in the time of infection by
warrant from Mr. Mayor ... 20
„ for pitch and frankinsense to burn in
the church . . . . . 10
„ to Anthony Slatter for carrying the
chest and other goods out of the church
at the fire and bringing them back
againe ...... 20
„ for ringing 5 several times, viz. for the
Queen's safe delivery, the victory against
Waller, the victory over the Scotts, the
victory in the west, and for the relieving
of Basing House . . . . 156
,, for frankinsense, pitch and rozen to
burne in the church .... 12
„ for paving the place that smelt in the
church, making clean noisome holes
'and corners in the church, and for
ridding and carrying away all the old
mats, which annoyed the church ' . 50
1645. ,, for frankincense and other fumes for
the church ..... 16
, for a Thanksgiving, the 3 June . 2 6
„ for a Thanksgiving, the 2 OcP^ . 2 6
„ for a Thanksgiving, the 19 Nov^ . 2 o
„ for a Thanksgiving, the 12 Dec"^ . 2 o
,, the 2 June for news out of the West . 2 6
„ for ringing by command for a victory
in Wales  3 4
„ for ringing when the King came to
Oxford, the 28 August ... 26
„ to Goodman Carpenter for burying of
poore souldiers at the Jewes Mount . 100

48 St. Martin's, Oxford
The account for 1643 shows how deadly were the
combined effects of war and plague. The receipts for
graves in the church, the going of the bell, and the
use of the pall amounted together to £2,^. This
implies a great mortality, as the receipts from the
same sources in ordinary years averaged under £^.
The burials, too, registered from March 26, 1643, to
March 17, 1644, were 90 in number, while the yearly
average of the four preceding years was only 15.
Among the deaths were four officers of the garrison
and several retainers of the court and the nobility ;
and so hurriedly, apparently, were the interments
made that in six cases the surnames of the dead were
unknown and omitted. The mortality was greatest
in July, August, October, and November, the deaths
then being respectively 17, 17, 13, 10. (See Appen
dix V, in which the burials registered between March
26, 1643, and March 17, 1644, are given in full.) The
garrison suffered considerably, eighteen soldiers being
buried in the churchyard, and some dying in the street.
Fumes were burnt in the church as a safeguard from
infection, and also perhaps to kill the bad smells
arising from superficial over-burying. Nevertheless,
bonfires were lighted, bells rung, and thanksgivings
offered for Royalist victories. Fire followed plague,
as it did in London. The payment in 1644 for
' carrying the chest out of the church at the fire ' refers
to the destructive fire of that year, originated by
a soldier while roasting a stolen pig. It began on the
south side of George Street (then Thames Street), and
a strong north wind blowing at the time, it soon burnt
all the houses between the Cornmarket and New Inn

Civil War, Plague, and Fire 49
Lane, and reached the old houses in the Butchers'
Row (now Queen Street) between St. Martin's and
St. Peter-le-Bailey ^. St. Martin's happily escaped,
though, as the entry shows, it was feared the flames
might reach it. Indeed, according to Nehemiah
Wallington, the church did not altogether escape.
He was a Puritan, and saw a judgement in the fire.
'At the last Lord's day in the morning (he says)
some of the soldiers had appointed a merry meeting
at a fiddler's profane taphouse near the Red Lion
by the fishmarket with music, drink and tobacco, one
drinking a health to the king, another to the next
meeting of Parliament : thus by drunkenness, music,
scurrilous songs, cursing and swearing, profaning God's
holy day. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the fire ^
began to appear, which, by the just hand of God,
hath burned about 330 houses. The only church j
that was fired and defaced, though not wholly burnt,
was Carfax, whereof Giles Widdowes (the same That
boasted that he had cuffed the devil in his study, and
wrought the schismatical puritan) was parson, and
had therein often preached against the observation
of the Lord's day ; saying that dancing and playing
was as necessary as preaching ; so that this part
of the town, being so well taught, were always the
most violent profaners of the sabbath day by keeping
Whitsun Ales and dancing ; amongst whom, lame
Giles himself would put off his gown and dance with
them on that day^.'
' Wood's Life and Times (Clark), vol. i. p. iii.
^ Historic Towns— Oxford (Boase) , p. 157.

50 St. Martin's, Oxford
8. Sermon on Unity and Agreement,
August 9, 1646.
Reference must here be made to A Sermon concern
ing Unity and Agreement, preached at Carfax Church
in Oxford, August 9, 1646 {printed the same year), by
one of the Stttdents of Christ Church, At this time
Oxford was in possession of the Parliament (sur-
[ rendered June 24, 1646) ; there was no Rector (Giles
.Widdowes died Feb. 7, 1645, and no successor was
appointed till 1660), and probably no Lecturers in
residence ; moreover, the use of the Book of Common
Prayer had been discontinued, as appears from the
sermon itself. Anthony Wood says, ' that whereas,
before the surrender, there was no place in England
more loyal and orthodox than the generality of the
people of Oxford were, so, after the entry of the
Parliamenteers, no place worse.' Probably after the
surrender (as Mr. Boase suggests) the towns-people
were able to show their real feelings 1. According
to the sermon, they were in a state of something
like religious anarchy. Ministers of Christ (so many
thought) could dispense with learning, provided they
were called" by the Spirit, and the call often came
to the uneducated. Congregations were splitting up
into sections, each section going after the leader of its
choice. University preachers were despised. ' All your
readings and studyings, and tryings of your selfe (they
were told) over a difficult piece of Scripture at mid
night, perhaps, when all others sleepe, by a lone,
' Oxford (Boase), p. i6i. -

Sermon of August g, 1646 51
solitary, dumb candle, are but so many labours in
vaine.' In concluding, the preacher said : ' I have
for some years not been so sleepy an observer but
that I have perceived some of you (who have thought
yourselves more religious than the rest) to be guilty
of the (I might say crime but I will rather say of the)
misguided zeal of these Corinthians here in the text ^.
There have been certain divisions, and I know not
what separations among you. I have farther observed
that certain false, causeless prejudices and aspersions
have been raised upon our University, which, to the
grief of this famous nursery of God's church at home,
and the reproach of it abroad, are still kept waking
against us by some of you, as if conscience and
religion, as well as learning and gifts, had so far
forsaken us, that all the schools of the prophets
cannot afford you a set of able, virtuous men, fit to
be the lecturers to this soul-famisht parish. How we
should deserve to be thus mistaken by you, or why
you should undervalue those able teachers, which you
have already, or refuse to take your supply from so
many colleges, which here stand present and ready
to afford you choice ; or why you should supplicate
to the great Council of this Kingdom, in pity to your
souls, to send you godly teachers, (which, perhaps
is but a well-meaning petition from you, but certainly
'tis a great scandal and libel against us) I know not.
But whatever the mysterious cause be, I am confident
that unless they will sleep over their infamy and
reproach, it Avill always be in the power of our
despised University divines to make it appear even
' His text was i Cor. i. lo.
E 2

52 St. Martin's, Oxford
to those, whom you intend to petition, that this is
but a zealous error in you ; and that they are as
able to edify you, certainly, as he, whose occupation
'twas to repair the old shoes of the prophets, I should
shame some of you too much, who were the disciples
of that apostle, if I should describe him to you by
a larger character.' It would seem that some cobbler,
employed by the colleges, had taken to preaching and
secured a following. If the petition for godly teachers
went up to Parliament, it was not without effect, for,
in September, 1646, Parliament sent down seven of
their most popular preachers with power to suspend
the series of preachers for the University, and to
preach in any church when and where they might
think made most for edification. They were all,
however, University men. One was Henry Wilkin
son, tutor and dean of Magdalen Hall, who had
been appointed a city lecturer, Oct. 10, 1642, but
had left the city on the breaking out of the civil
war. Another was Henry Cornish of New Inn Hall,
appointed a Lecturer Sept. 3, 1647. All belonged to
the Presbyterian party, who (says Wood) preached
damnation, while the Independents preached liberty.
These Parliamentary preachers (he tells us) reflected
much on divers members of the University, calling
them * dumb dogs, idle drones, blind seers.' ' Their
sermons (he adds) were much frequented by the
soldiery of Oxford and those of the Presbyterian
faction of the city, who, with great zeal, not trusting
their memories, would write notes and observations
(mostly in shorthand), to the end that they and their
respective families might receive comfort on the

Eminent Men of St, Martin's 53
repetition of them in the evening. Besides their
constant preaching (not only in St. Mary's but in
other churches also, of which they gave notice by
tickets stuck up in public places) they had every
Thursday a meeting in a house in St. Peter's parish
in the east, vulgarly called the Scruple Office, to which
all doubting brethren had liberty to repair for resolu
tion and easement of their hardened consciences.
Many members of the University absented them
selves from St. Mary's and attended the church of
St. Mary Magdalene, where some of the prelatical
party preached^.' From September 1647, until 1662,
Henry Cornish was the regular preacher at St. Martin's,
as he was elected ' to preach there twice every Sabbath
and to have ;^2o a year for his pains,' but Wilkinson,
who retained his office of lecturer until June, 1662,
when both he and Cornish were removed, no doubt
occasionally preached there also ^.
9. Eminent Men of St. Martin's.
(a) Robert Wisdom,
St. Martin's can claim to have given the nation four
distinguished men, viz. Robert Wisdom, preacher and
author of the early Reformation period ; John Under
bill, Bishop of Oxford ; William Chillingworth, theo
logian ; and Sir William Davenant, Poet-Laureate.
Some account of these must now be given.
Robert Wisdom graduated at Cambridge, but,
1 Wood's Hisi. of Univ. (Gutch), vol. ii. pp. 489, 490 ; Wood's Life
and Times (Clark), vol. i. pp. 147, 296-301.
'^ City Council Book C, 160, 299.

54 St, Martin's, Oxford
according to Peshall, he was one of the eminent
writers of St. Martin's, and was buried in the church.
In the reign of Henry VIII he was 'a professor of
the gospel in the south parts of the nation,' whence,
after painful labours and persecutions and after having
been forced to recant openly at St. Paul's Cross in
1544, he fled into the north. In Staffordshire, he and
Thomas Becon were entertained by John Old, a pious
professor and harbourer of good men, who (says
Becon) ' was to us as Jason was to Paul and Silas.'
Here he employed himself in writing, as before in
preaching, amongst other works translating the Psalms
into English metre, one of which (125th) was used in
the ordinary singing Psalms when Strype wrote his
Memorials of Cranm£r (1693). After a time he
quitted Staffordshire for the south, and we lose sight
of him till his nomination by Cranmer (Edward VI)
to the archbishopric of Armagh, which, however, he
declined. In Mary's reign he fled to Frankfort,
where, in a sermon, he vindicated the use of Edward
the Sixth's Prayer-book against the party who were
for introducing the Genevan discipline and form. He
called his opponents ' madheads,' not unwisely, said
one of them, but uncharitably. In Elizabeth's reign
he was Rector of Setrinton (Setterington), Yorkshire,
and at the visitation by the Queen's Commissioners
in Aug. 1559, he brought a complaint against one
JThornton for coming into his benefice. Besides
versifying the Psalms, he composed one for deliver
ance from the Turk and the Pope, ' which has often
"Been sung in churches without any warrant from
Scripture.' Bishop Corbet, a celebrated wit (Carfax

Robert Wisdom: John UnderMll 55
Lecturer in 1616), wrote the following lines To the
Ghost of Robert Wisdom : —
Thou once a body, now but air,
Archbotcher of a psalm or prayer.
From Carfax come,
And patch us up a zealous lay
With an old ever and for aye.
Or all or some.
Or such a spirit lend mee
As may a Hymn down send mee
To purge my brain,
So Robert look behind thee.
Lest Turk or Pope do find thee.
And go to bed again.
He died in 1568. Peshall's statement as to his
burial in St. Martin's seems to be confirmed by
Corbet's verse ^.
(b) John UnderMll.
John Underbill, says Anthony Wood, was boriyin
the Cross Inn in St. Martin's parish^. Presumably
he was son of the vintner, a tenant of New
College, the Cross Inn having originally been
Manger's or Malger's Hall, which, in 1387, Richard
II sold to William of Wykeham, Bishop of Win
chester, who gave it to the College. In 1^5^ ^^ was
admitted Scholar of Winchester College, age eleven ^ ;
and a Scholar of New College, Oct. 27, 1561. After
two years' probation he was admitted a Fellow,
' Strype's Memorials of Cranmer, 277; Wood's Fasti Oxon. i. loi ;
Peshall. ^ The Cross Inn was on the east side of Northgate (Commarket)
Street Hookham, Gadney and Co.'s premises occupy part of its site.
^ Two other Underbills, probably of the same family, were also
admitted Scholars — Edmund in 1578, who became a Fellow of Lincoln
College; and William (described as of St. Martin's, Oxford) in 15S5.

56 , St. Martin's, Oxford
Oct. 27, 1563. He held his fellowship till August,
1576, when he was removed and his place filled by
Thomas Wroughton, whose admission is stated to
have been ' in locum Johannis Underhyll amoti.' His
' amotion ' was owing to his opposition to a visitation
of the College by Bishop Home 'intra biennium,'
such second visitation within two years being un
statutable. Three other Fellows were ' amoti ' for the
same reason and on the same day. In 1577 he
became Rector of Lincoln College ; and in 1581
Chaplain to the Queen, one of the Vicars of Bampton,
and Rector of Witney, Oxon. In 1589 he was
nominated to the bishopric of Oxford, which, during
a vacancy of twenty-one years, had been much
despoiled. Anthony Wood says : ' At the term of
which (i. e. the vacancy of twenty-one years), a great
person. Sir Fran. Walsingham, out of pure devotion
to the leases that would yield good fines, recom
mended the said Underbill to it, persuading him to
take it, as in a way to a better, but, as it should
seem, it was out of his way very much, for ere the
first fruits were paid, he died in much discontent
and poverty. Yet his preferrer, to seem to do some
favour to the University for recompense of the spoil
done to the bishoprick of Oxon, erected a new lecture
at his own charge, which Dr. Reynolds of C. C. Coll.
did for some time read.' John Underbill died in
London, May 12, 1592. His body was conveyed
to Oxford, and buried in the cathedral towards the
upper end of the choir. 'Vir clarus eloquio et
acutus ingenio ^.' ' Wood's Athen. Oxon.

William Chillingworth 57

(c) William Chillingworth,
In the baptismal register for 1602 is the following
entry : ' 1602. The last of October was William
Chillingworth son of William Chillingworth baptized.'
The father, who was churchwarden in 1609 and 1610,
and also held the offices of Bailiff" and Mayor, was
a mercer, living in a small house near the north
west corner of High Street— a man, probably, with
literary or theological interests, since Laud, then
a Fellow of St. John's College, was his friend, and
godfather to his son.
At the age of sixteen the son was made a Scholar
of Trinity College, admitted M.A. in 1623, and elected
Fellow of his College in 1628. At that time the
University was much occupied with the controversy
between the Churches of England and Rome. Papal
emissaries were at work in the country, one of whom,
named John Fisher, was proselytizing at Oxford.
Chillingworth, who had great powers of reasoning and
delighted in discussion, doubted the logical basis of
Protestantism, and, attracted by the idea of an infal
lible Church, became Fisher's convert, and joined the
Church of Rome. In 1630 he went to the Jesuits'
College at Douay, where, however, a correspondence
with Laud, then Bishop of London, induced him to
reconsider the step he had taken. ' His inquisitive,
argumentative spirit dug deeper into the heart of the
subject beneath the fallacies which had puzzled and
captivated him.' ' Upon better consideration,' he says,
' I became a doubting papist.' 101631 he left Douay

58 St. Martin's, Oxford
and returned to Oxford, bent on undertaking a free
inquiry into religion. In 1634 he again declared
himself a Protestant, and in 1637 appeared his
famous work, The Religion of Protestants a safe Way
to Salvation. In this he maintained that no claims
of infallibility could over-ride the right of the con
science to bring everything to the test of learning
and rational investigation. He rested upon Scripture,
interpreted by enlightened reason, in which, as he
held, saving truth could be found by all honest
seekers ; and that intellectual errors on non-essential
points would not exclude from salvation. In the
Civil War, Chillingworth was a royalist but without
enthusiasm, seeing, as he did, how much there was
on both sides to offend sober-minded Christian men ^.
He was with the King's army in the west, and on
the taking of Arundel Castle by Waller was made
prisoner, and being then too ill to be conveyed to
London with the garrison, was removed to Chichester,
where he died, January 30, 1643-4, and was buried in
the cathedral. The Puritan party, as well as the
Romanists, were opposed to his religious principles.
A bigoted Presbyterian divine, one Francis Cheynell,
allowed him no peace in his last days, * dealing (as
he tells us) freely and plainly with his soul.' He
re-inforced his own polemical energy by 'a certain
religious officer of Chichester garrison who followed
my suit to Mr. Chillingworth and entreated him to
declare himself in point of religion ; but Mr. Chilling
worth appealed to his Book again, and said he was
settled and resolved, and therefore did not desire to
' See his sermon preached before the King at Oxford.

William Chillingworth 59
be further troubled. When the malignants (he con
tinues) brought his hearse to the burial, I met them
at the. grave with Master Chillingworth's Book in my
hand,' — which he flung into the grave, ' that it might
rot with its author and see corruption.' ' It seems
a hard fate,' says Dr. Tulloch, ' even for a disputant
like Chillingworth to have been killed by such
a merciless process. Day by day, his sickness grew,
and the vanity of all human talk must have seemed
more and more to him ; but the Puritan's voice gave
him no peace ; the Puritan's zeal flamed the more
hotly, as the great reasoner seemed passing beyond
the strife of tongues — to where, beyond those voices,
there is peace.' Clarendon, in his sketch of Chilling
worth, speaks of his ' great subtlety of understanding,'
his ' incomparable power of reason,' his ' admirable
eloquence of language,' and his 'rare temper in
debate.' ' It is impossible to doubt,' says Dr. Tulloch,
'that he was a man of generous impulses and true
warm-heartedness — an earnest, fearless, able man, ,
with the higher tenderness that is seldom dissociated
from true courage — incapable of a mean thought, and
ready to make any sacrifices for what he deemed the
truth ^' He is said to have left the Mayor and
Corporation ;£'40o to be lent in sums of £^0 to poor
young tradesmen, but owing to the confusion of the
times only ;^20 of this was ever received ^-
' Rational Theology and Christian Philosophy in England in the
Seventeenth Century, by John Tulloch, D.D., vol. i. Blackwood, 1872.
" Ingram's Memorials of Oxford, vol. iii.

6o St. Martin's, Oxford
(d) Sir William Davenant.
Sir William Davenant, baptized March 3, 1605, in
St. Martin's Church, was the second son of John
Davenant ^ vintner, landlord of the Crown Inn ^, who
was Mayor in 1621, but who, as well as his wife,
Jane Davenant, died before May, 1622. The father's
will (proved Oct. 21, 1622) directed the inn to be
kept open for the better relief of his children, that
his two youngest daughters should ' keep the bar by
turns,' and that his son William should be ' put to
prentice to some good merchant or other tradesman.'
William went to Edward Silvester's school in All
Saints' parish, and gave early proof of a talent for
poetry by writing an Ode in remembrance of Master
Shakespeare in his twelfth year. About 1620 he is
said to have gone to Lincoln College, which, however,
he soon left to become page to Frances, first Duchess
of Richmond, whose service he quitted for that of
Fulke GreviUe, Lord Brooke. Later he became 'a
hanger about Court,' took to writing plays and poetry,
and on the death of Ben Jonson was made poet-
laureate (Dec. 13, 1638). In May, 1641^ he was appre
hended and committed to the custody of the Sergeant-
at-Arms on a charge of conspiring to seduce the army
'against the Parliament ; but, being bailed, he fled to
France, whence, after a time, he returned, and was
''- The name was originally written ' Devnet.' The following is the
baptismal entry : ' 1605 March 3 was baptized William Devnet the
sonne of John Devnet, Vintner.'
" The^^was on the east side of Commarket Street, opposite the
church.

Sir William Davenant 6i
made Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance in the army
ofthe Marquis (afterwards Duke) of Newcastle. While
serving under him, he had two Aldermen of York his
prisoners, whom he ' used civilly and treated them in
his tent, and sate them at the upper end of his table
a la mode de France, and having done so a good while
to his chardge, told them (privately and friendly) that
he was not able to keepe so chargeable guests, and
bade them take an opportunity to escape, which they
did.' He was knighted in September, 1643, 'at which
time he was in great renown for his loyalty and poetry.'
When the King's cause declined he retired again to
France, and settling in Paris, where Charles, Prince of
Wales, then was, he began to write Gondibert, his
principal poem. It was here he joined the Church of
Rome. Here also he conceived the idea of carrying
a number of artificers, chiefly weavers, to Virginia.
He was encouraged in this design by Queen Henrietta
Maria, who got him permission to go into the prisons,
and pick and choose ; ' so that when the poor damned
wretches understood what the design was, they cried,
uno ore, We 3.re all weavers.' He shipped thirty-six,
but in their voyage to Virginia he and his weavers
were captured by the ships of the Parliament. He
was brought to England and imprisoned, first at
Carisbrooke Castle and afterwards in the Tower of
London. He expected no mercy from the Parliament,
but the two Aldermen of York, whom he had be
friended, interceded for him, and his life was saved.
Gondibert was published in 1651. Under the Pres
byterian regime, tragedies and comedies were deemed
scandalous and forbidden ; but Sir WiUiam started an

62 St. Martin's, Oxford
Italian Opera in Rutland House, Charterhouse Yard
(May 13, 1656), which later was removed to the Cock
pit in Drury Lane, and was much frequented for several
years. After the Restoration he introduced painted
scenery, and formed a new company of actors under
the. patronage of the Duke of York, who acted in
a tennis-court in Little Lincoln's Inn Fields. He died
April 7, 1668, and was buried in Westminster Abbey ^.
10. Shakespeare and the Davenant Family.
Our chief interest in the Davenant family is derived
from Shakespeare's friendship with them. In his
Letters of Eminent Persons, Aubrey (1626-1697) says,
' Shakespeare was wont to go into Warwickshire once
a year, and did commonly in his journey lye at the
Crown Inn in Oxon, where he was exceedingly
respected.' Anthony Wood, too (1632-1695), says,
'Shakespeare frequented John Davenant 's house in his
journeys between Warwickshire and London.' The
poet died April 23, 1 61 6; Davenant and his wife in
1622; so that both Aubrey and Wood may have
conversed with people who remembered the fact of
Shakespeare having frequented the Crown. There is
"nothing improbable in his doing so. He left Stratford
for London in 1586 or 1587, and did not return there
' Wood's Athen. Oxon. iii. 802. When Charles was in the
hands of the Scots, who insisted on the abolition of episcopacy, Sir
William, who had come over from France with a letter from the Queen,
offered some reasons why the demand should be conceded, in the course
of which he spoke slightingly of the English Church. The King, it is
said, transported with indignation, severely reprehended him, and for
bade him to come again into his presence.

Shakespeare and the Davenants 63
for good till 1 6 10. During his twenty- three years'
residence in the metropolis he would naturally pay
occasional visits to Stratford, where his wife continued
to reside. And even after his return to Stratford he
sometimes visited London to superintend the perform
ance of his plays. Oxford was on the main road
from London to Stratford, and one of the resting-
places for travellers between the two. Wood has left
us sketches of his host and hostess. John Davenant,
he says, was 'a very grave and discreet citizen (yet
an admirer of plays and play-makers, especially
Shakespeare), and of a melancholic disposition, and
seldom or never seen to laugh. Mrs. Davenant,' he
continues, 'was a very beautiful woman, of good wit
and conversation, in which she was imitated by none
of her children but by her son William.' The many-
sided poet, who, as his plays show, had been per
plexed and saddened by the problems of life, no doubt
had points of sympathy with the grave and melancholy
landlord, as well as with his witty and beautiful wife.
Neither Aubrey nor Wood say that Shakespeare
stood godfather to Sir William. This, however, is
assumed in the later tradition, which made Sir
William the offspring of a liaison between his mother
and Shakespeare. There is really no evidence for
this scandalous story worthy of the name. William
Oldys (1696-1761) says that Pope, on the authority
of Betterton the actor (1635-17 10), told him that one
day young Davenant having said, in answer to an old
townsman who asked him whither he was hurrying,
that he was going to see his godfather, Shakespeare,
was met by the retort, ' Have' a care you don't take

64 St Martin's, Oxford
God's name in vain.' In a satire, too (perhaps con
temporary), upon Davenant 's derivation of his name
from Avenant in Lombardy, it is said he need not go
so far for its origin, since
' Davenant from Avon comes.
Rivers are the Muses' rooms.'
Again, Aubrey says, ' Sir William Davenant would
sometimes, when he was pleasant over a glass of wine
with Samuel Butler (author of Hudibras) and other
intimate friends, say it seemed to him he writ with
the very spirit that Shakespeare did, and appeared
contented enough to be thought his son.' All that
the above can be said to prove is that, some time
in the seventeenth century, the idea took shape that'
Sir William Davenant was Shakespeare's son. One
can easily see how such a story might arise. That
John Davenant was melancholic, his wife genial and
witty, Shakespeare their frequent guest, and William
the only one of their children who had a genius for
poetry and the drama — this was foundation enough
in the prurient popular imagination for the scandal
in question. The most unpleasant feature in it is
Aubrey's statement that Sir William was vain and base
enough to countenance the imputation on his mother.
There is no improbability in Shakespeare having
been his godfather, only it lacks evidence. Still,
imagination may spread its wings. Any time between
1595 and 1 61c we may imagine the poet 'taking his
ease ' at the Crown, and cheering its melancholy land
lord with his witty sallies. Or we may think of him
later as telling stories to his little godson seated on his
knee. He may have worshipped with the Davenants

Davenant Memorial Tablet 65
at St. Martin's, which was just opposite the inn,"
and their parish church. As sponsor, he may have
stood beside the fourteenth-century font, which stiU,
exists. And if, as is not unlikely, he was a commu
nicant, he may have held in his hand the Elizabethan
chalice still in use, dated 1598.
11. Davenant Memorial Tablet.
After Sir William's death, his son Charles set up a
memorial tablet in St. Martin's Church to members
of the Davenant family, which Anthony Wood thus
describes : —
' In the north isle joyning to the body of the Church
is this on a marble tablet fixed to the wall at the
upper end : —
To the memory of
John Davenant, father
Jane Davenant, mother
John Davenant, brother
- Will. Davenant eldest son ^^ gj^ ^j^j^^^ Davenant.
-Tho. Hauum, brother
• Jane Hallum, sister
• Elizabeth Swift, granddaughter
- Elizabeth Bristow, sister
' Thisj^ing put up by a young poet, Charles Dave-
nantfTately Gent. Com. Balliol Coll., son to Sir
William Davenant, without any time added, I shall
therefore tell you that John the father was buried
here, 23 April T622 ; Jane the mother, 5th of said
month and in the same year ; William, the eldest son,
12 Dec. 1651; Thomas Hallum, the Vintner, the
brother in law, i Oct. 1636; Jane Hallum, the sister,
F

66 St. Martin's, Oxford
widow of Thomas Hallum, 27th Sept. 1667 ;
"Elizabeth Swift, granddaughter, (viz. daughter of
Thomas Swift, clerke, sometime Fellow of Balliol
Coll., by Mary, daughter of Sir William Davenant,)
.about 1670; and Elizabeth Bristow, sister, 11 May,
1672, which Elizabeth was first married to Gabriel
Bridges, sometime Fellow of C. C. College, and then
to Richard Bristow, B.D., Rector of Dudcote or
Didicote near Wallingford in the same county^.'
When the church was rebuilt (1820-1822) the Dave
nant memorial tablet was placed in the vestry in the
basement of the old tower, and when the new church
was demolished, it (with other monuments) was re
moved to All Saints'.
Among leading citizens belonging to St. Martin's
the Wrights were conspicuous, as will be seen from
the registers and inscriptions on their tombs in
Appendix VI. Members of this family were Mayors
of Oxford in 1614, 1635, 1655, and 1656 ; one (in the
seventeenth century) represented the city in three
successive Parliaments ; another was Recorder for
thirty-one years and a half ; another married Richard
Croke, Recorder of the city, who died in 167 1.
Starting in 1587 with Matthew Wright, the registers
and the inscriptions carry on the history of the family
for two hundred years.
13. Rectors before the Eighteenth Century.
In giving some account of the Rectors, it will be
convenient to classify them in three periods, (i) The
^ Historical Collections for Oxfordshire, vii — Chantry Roll and City
Parishes, p. 170.

Rectors before the Eighteenth Century 67
pre-Reformation Rectors; (2) those of the six
teenth and seventeenth centuries; (3) those of the
eighteenth century. Beyond their names, little is
known of the pre-Reformation Rectors, presentees
of the Abbey of Abingdon. Three, however, were
distinguished men, viz. Richard Estmond, Proctor in
1474, Vice-Chancellor in 1487 ; John Yong (a favourite
of Cardinal Wolsey), Dean of Chichester and Bishop
of Callipolis 1513, Archdeacon of London 1514-1526,
and Warden of New College from April 13, 152 1 till
his death April 16, 1526 ; and Peter Burnell, Preben
dary of Litchfield 1527. John Yong was buried in
New College chapel under a marble stone, laid there
by himself some time before his death, with the
following inscription : ' Orate pro anima Johannis
Yong Calipoleum Episc. et custodii hujus collegii qui
obiit anno DM millesimo ccccc . . . die vero mensis
. . . cujus anime propicietur Deus. Amen.' ' This
stone,' says Wood, 'was laid by the worthy Bishop
himself, while living, in hopes that his executor or
overseers of his will would fill up the vacant places
with the year and day of his death, but they failing
to do it, it continues so to this day ^.'
More is known of the Rectors of the second period.
David Humfrey, appointed in 1591, and who was
Rector till 1600, seems to have been a good parish
priest, and acceptable to the city ; for on July 27,
1596, the Council agreed 'that Mr. Humfrey, parson
of St. Martin's, shall have yearlie allowed him by
the citie four shillings over and above his ordinarie
1 Foster's Oxford Men and their Colleges; Wood's Hist. Oxon.
(Gutch), iv. 201.
F 2

68 St, Martin's, Oxford
allowances for his paynes, readiness and diligence in
performing his duties at all meetings of the citizens
in coming to prayers and receiving of the sacraments
in the said church.' Good words but a niggardly
reward! The two brothers, Daniel and Sampson
Price, who were successively Rectors from 1606 to
1618, made a reputation beyond Oxford, and were
among the leading ecclesiastics of their day. Both
were of Exeter College, both chaplains to James I
and Charles I, and both noted preachers. Sampson
was called ' the mawle of heretics ' (meaning papists),
' he being a most bitter enemy (as his brother Daniel
was) in his preachings and writings against them.
The English friars at Douay, having a hatred towards
them, did often brag that Sampson Price and his
brother Daniel should one day carry faggots upon
their shoulders and be burned in Smithfield, or else
recant and be glad to have the office to sweep the
church (wherein they had preached false doctrine) for
an everlasting penance, and their wives to carry out
the dust and filth.' Both, however, died in their
beds, Daniel as Dean, and Sampson as Canon, of
Hereford ^.
^ The most noteworthy Rector of the seventeenth
century was Giles Widdowes, Fellow of Oriel College
till 1 62 1, and afterwards Vice-Principal of Gloucester
Hall, and Chaplain to Catherine Duchess of Buck
ingham. We have already heard of ' lame Giles,' by
the unfriendly report of Nehemiah Wallington, as
teaching that dancing and playing were as necessary
as preaching, and as throwing off his gown and
'¦ Wood's Athen. Oxon. ii. 489, 511 ; Alumni Oxonienses (Foster).

Daniel and Sampson Price ; Giles Widdowes 69
dancing with his parishioners at Whitsun Ales. He
became Rector in 1619, and continued so for more_
than a quarter of a century. The last two and a-half
years of his incumbency were years of civil war, when
Oxford was garrisoned by the King. He was buried
in the chancel of St. Martin's, February 4, 1645,
'having been much valued and beloved, and his high
and loyal sermons frequented by the Royal party and
the soldiers of the garrison of Oxford, to the poorer
sort of whom he was always beneficial, as also ready
at all times to administer to them in their distressed
condition.' He attacked the Puritans in his sermons
and writings. A sermon by him on The Schismatical
Puritan, preached at Witney in 1630, 'being un
advisedly written and much displeasing to Dr. Abbot,
Archbishop of Canterbury, was as scurrilously
answered by William Prynne (a quondam pupil of
Widdowes) in his Appendix to his Anti-Arminianism.
Widdowes replied with The lawless, kneeless, Schis
matical Puritan; or a confutation of an Appendix
concerning bowing at the name of Jesus. To this
there was a rejoinder by Prynne in a pamphlet called
Lame Giles his haultings, in which he says that his
opponent had exchanged his books for cans of ale.
The controversy was heated and protracted, and the
Puritan youth in the University took a characteristic
part in it. ' On 10 February, 1640, some disorderly
juniors of the puritanical party came into St. Martin's
Church at 8 of the clock at night, and abused Mr. Giles
Widdowes as he was reading prayers. The church
wardens were so politick as to lock the doors upon
a sudden, and apprehended them ipso facto. One of

70 St. Martin's, Oxford
them was of New Inn (the nest at this time of Puritans),
who with the rest was punished. The like abuse
had been given by ten or more young students of
Lincoln College, 13 December, 1637, for which they
recanted in a congregation soon after.' Wood charac
terizes Widdowes as 'a harmless and honest man,
a noted disputant, well-read in the School-men, and
zealous in the discipline of the Church of England,
yet of so odd and strange parts that few or none could
be compared with him.' He was a favourite of Laud,
a fact that told against the Archbishop at his trial,
when ' Alderman Nixon (Oxford) deposed that in the
parish Church of Carfax there was a large crucifix
with the picture of Christ upon it, set up in the
window by Giles Widdowes, who was parson there,
and one whom the Archbishop countenanced ^.'
13. Eighteenth-Century Rectors.
In passing from the seventeenth to the eighteenth
century, we come upon a lower type of Rector. True,
our knowledge of the Rectors of the first half of the
eighteenth century is mainly derived from Hearne's
Diary, from whose free aspersions some deduction
should be made. But a similar deterioration charac
terized the clergy throughout the country. The
century began badly with James Fayrer (or Farrar)
of Magdalen College, who was instituted to the
rectory October 21, 1693, and held it till his death in
February, 1720. He was made Natural Philosophy
• Wood's .,4/^e». Oxon. iii. 178; Vioodi's Annals of Oxford, ii. 428.

Eighteenth-Century Rectors — James Fayrer 71
Professor or Reader, a corrupt appointment according
to Hearne, who, under date February 19, 1705,
writes : ' When it was debated among the fellows of
Magdalen that the women bedmakers (who had been
scandalously lewd and vicious) should be discarded and
for ever kept out of the College, Dr. Fayrer, who, to
the great prejudice and dishonour of the University,
by the interest of a few corrupt doctors, got to be
Natural Philosophy Reader, showed himself to be the
great patron of those loose women, which was severely
reflected on by some of the Fellows who knew he
laboured under a flagrant suspicion with regard to
some of them. This came from one of the same
college, a person of great integrity and unquestionable
veracity.' Again, under date November 17, 1705,
he writes : ' Besides this, he (Archbishop Tennison)
has done great prejudice to the University by being
a main instrument in bringing in Dr. Fayrer of
Magdalen College (a fellow all guts without brains)
to be natural philosophy professor.' The church
wardens' accounts show that, from 1697 to 171 8
inclusive, the Rector's duties were discharged by four
successive curates. He seems to have been a pluralist,
for under date September 22, 1717, Hearne writes:
' Dr. Fayrer left it (the Rectory of Apleton, Berks)
at the year's end, because he had rather live a collegiate
life, i. e. because he had rather live at his ease, and do
just nothing but eat the founder's bread.' From
Hearne's mention of his burial, it would seem that
speeches at the grave were customary at the time.
'This evening (February 25, 1720) at 10 o'clock,
Dr. Fayrer was buried in Magdalen College Chapel.

72 St. Martin's, Oxford
The speech was spoke by his great crony, Mr. Thomas
Collins.' The four curates who represented Dr.
Fayrer were Daniel Stacey, who ' had the character
of having been the best preacher in Oxford, but who
afterwards grew dull and heavy ' ; Umfreville Fayrer,
called by Hearne ' an honest man ' ; John Brabourne,
and Charles Dingley, all of Magdalen College. Of the
last, Hearne (December 6, 1728) says, ' He was a very
great sot, which killed him.' (See Hearne's Diary,
May 27, 1710; April 21, 1721 ; December 5, 1728.)
Dr. Fayrer's successor was Evan Lloyd, Fellow of
Jesus College, who held the rectory from June 25,
1720, till his resignation early in 1729. If Hearne
is to be believed, he was no improvement on his
predecessor. He was University Preacher January i,
1727, and February 9 and April 20, 1729, but his
death is thus referred to in Hearne's Diary, under date
of December 7, 1732: 'Yesterday, about noon, died
Mr. Evan Lloyd, M.A. and not long since Fellow of
Jesus College. Though he had a very good parsonage
in Northamptonshire, yet he never went near it, but
chose rather to live, two years ago, at a little ale-house
upon Shotover Hill, near Oxford, where he continued
as a Boarder night and day, which being understood
by the Diocesan, Dr. Clavering, he was at last outed
thence, and then, notwithstanding he was quit of his
fellowship, he returned to Jesus College, and hath
lived there in a strange manner, keeping no manner
of company, and doing no kind of business ever since.
He was a man of great memory, and was a good
scholar, and might have been serviceable to the
learned world, had he used but common industry.

Evan Lloyd; Bond Spindler 73
He was buried to-night in Jesus College Ante-
Chapel.' During the next seventeen years the rectory was
successively held by Joseph Gerrard of Oriel College
(1729-1735) and James Meredith of Wadham College
(i735~^737)) of whom there is nothing to record. In
1737, Bond Spindler of Wadham College succeeded
James Meredith, and was Rector till his death on
October 27, 1783, a period of forty-six years. He
was the son of Robert Spindler of St. Martin's,
mercer, and was born and baptized in the parish^.
From ill health or other cause he was long absent
during his rectorship. Between 1742 and 1752 he
frequently failed to appear at the Bishop's Visitations,
and, in and after 1752, he was always represented by
curates, at first by Mr. Hopkins and afterwards
by Mr. John Cox^- He seems to have held the
rectory of Eaton-Hastings, Berks, as well as St.
Martin's, at the time of his death ^. After the death
of Bond Spindler the rectory was vacant till the
appointment of George Cox on May 27, 1790. Why,
in this interval of more than six years, the Crown
failed to appoint to the living, and why the Bishop or
Archbishop did not thereupon fill up the vacancy,
does not appear. In the Visitation Books the living
is stated to have been under sequestration from 1785
to 1789. During these years, the income was, no
doubt, paid to George Cox, who was then the curate
in charge.
^ Alumni Oxonienses. " Visitation Books, Oxford Diocese.
^ Gentleman's Magazine, December, 1805.

74 St Martin's, Oxford

14. Distinguished Lecturers.
Richard Field, Henry Tozer, Henry Wilkinson,
Thomas Lamplugh, Richard Allestry.
What kind of men were the Lecturers, who, from
the year 1586, had the ear of the Mayor and Corpora
tion on Sundays and Holy-days in the city church ?
Was their preaching fruitful ? Did it hold up a high
ideal ? Was it morally inspiring to civic government ?
We have not the means of answering the questions.
All that can be said is that in the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries the Lecturers, for the most part,
>vere men of character and talent, who impressed
themselves on their generation. Between 1694 and
1746, there are four instances of the Council publicly
thanking particular Lecturers and requesting them to
print their sermons : there is only one case of alleged
misconduct, which occurred in 1738, when a certain
Mr. Wilson was removed for ' unmannerly usage and
ill-behaviour to the Mayor and for not preaching in
turn.' At the intercession of the Chancellor of the
diocese, it was agreed he should be re-admitted pro
vided he would ' acknowledge and beg pardon for
his fault before the next Council' This, however, he
refused to do, and his pay was therefore stopped.
In the long list of Lecturers a few stand out above
their fellows and deserve to be remembered. Such
was Richard Field of Queen's College, appointed in
159 X, and afterwards Canon of Windsor and Dean
of Gloucester, ' a most singular preacher ' (we are

Richard Field; Henry Tozer; Henry WilMnson 75
told), so singular that when the King first heard him
preach, he said, ' This is a field for God to dwell in ' ;
and on hearing of his death, cried, ' I should have
done more for that man ' ; a man described to us as
' labouring to heal the breaches of Christendom and
embracing truth wheresoever found.' Such also was
Henry Tozer of Exeter College, appointed in 1632,
'an able and painful preacher, with much of the
primitive religion in his sermons but a most precise
Puritan in his looks and life,' who, on Sunday, June 4,
1647, 'was fetched out of Carfax Church by a guard
of soldiers sent from Kelsey, the Governour, and
commanded to come there no more nor exercise his
ministry in that place. The reason why they did
so was (as they told him) that he seduced the peopled'
Such again was Henry Wilkinson, a famous tutor and
dean of Magdalen Hall, appointed Lecturer in 1642.
When the Civil War broke out, he left the city and
joined the Parliamentarians, among whom he became
an eminent preacher. On the surrender of Oxford
to the Parliament in 1646, he returned there as one
of the seven Parliamentary Commissioners empowered
to revive religion and preach in any church they liked.
Becoming head of his Hall, he resumed his lectureship,
preaching regularly at St. Martin's and other churches
till 1661, and serving no doubt as salt and light to
the demoralized city, ' a man (we are told) very
courteous in speech and carriage, communicative of
his knowledge, charitable to the poor, and so public-
spirited, he always minded the public good more than
' Mr. Tozer died at Rotterdam, where he was pastor to a Company
of English Merchants.

76 St, Martin's, Oxford
his own concerns.' He fell into disgrace at the
Restoration, and when Lord Chancellor Clarendon
visited Oxford in September, 1661, he came deeply
prejudiced against him. Dr. Wilkinson, however,
sought to win his favour: he presented him with
a cheesecake and * a precious gilt Bible,' and invited
him to a banquet in Magdalen Hall But the
Chancellor declined his invitation, telling him his
Hall entertained factious and debauched scholars and
did not conform to the Book of Common Prayer,
which the doctor ' taking in a fume went away.'
After the Act of Conformity (1662) he left Oxford
and preached in conventicles, imprisoned and fined
more than once till his death in 1690 1.
Thomas Lamplugh, Fellow of Queen's College, and
Lecturer from 1648 till about 1657, seems to have
been an accomplished trimmer and time-server.
A loyalist while Oxford was garrisoned by the
King, after its surrender to the Parliament he sub
mitted to the Commissioners, took the covenant, and
retained his fellowship. Nevertheless, 'becoming
one of the lecturers in St. Martin's, he was frequented
by the royal party, he alone of the Oxford parochial
ministers having the courage and loyalty to own the
doctrine of the Church in the worst of times.' At
the Restoration, ' he got himself named one of the
Commissioners to restore such members of the Uni
versity as had been ejected in 1648'; and in this
character, he took part in the forcible expulsion of
Mr. George Hitchcock, Fellow of Lincoln College. We
have a graphic picture of him standing at the bottom
' Athen. Oxon. iv. 283 ; Wood's Life and Times (Clark), i. 413-415.

Thomas Lamplugh; Richard Allestry 77
of the college staircase, crying ' treason ! ' while at
the top Mr. Hitchcock, sword in hand, parleyed
with the soldiers. In 1664 he became Principal
of St. Alban Hall, which 'he neglected, looking
after preferment.' Nor did he look in vain, for in
1672 he was made Dean of Rochester, and in 1676
Bishop of Exeter. In 1688, when ' the rebels ' came
to Exeter, after exhorting the clergy and gentry to
loyalty, he left for London, paid his respects to King
James, and was rewarded by being made Archbishop
of York. But one of his earliest acts, as Archbishop,
was to crown the Prince of Orange King of England,
and to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy.
Wood says he voted for the abdication of James ; to
this, however, he appends a query'.
But the Lecturer who attracts us most by his
picturesque career (in his double character of scholar
and soldier, reminding us of the Scotch Erasmus,
George Buchanan), is Richard Allestry, belonging
to an ancient family of Derbyshire ; born in 1619 ;
commoner (1636) and afterwards student and canon
of Christ Church ; and appointed Lecturer of St. Mar
tin's in 1662. Before the outbreak of the Civil War
' he had secured the foundations of the whole circle
of learning by his own indefatigable study, as also
the indulgent care of his tutor. Dr. Busby, and the
particular encouragement of Dr. Fell, the Dean, who
always lookt upon him as a part of his family, and
treated him with the same concern as his own
children V At the age of twenty-three he took
^ Athen. Oxon. iv. 878 ; Life and Times, i. 333-4.
'' Sermons of Richard Allestree, Oxon. 1684, pref.

78 St. Martin's, Oxford
arms for the King, joining a volunteer regiment of
scholars, who, besides doing garrison duty in Oxford,
were commanded upon service outside. ' They differed
in nothing from the poor mercenary soldier, except in
their civility and justice to the country people, while
they staid with them, and in paying them at their
departure ; things so unusual that when, at their
going off from quarters, they offered their landlords
money, they imagined it done in jest and abuse till,
by finding it left with them, they were convinced it
was done in earnest. And in this service he con
tinued till the unhappy end of the war, giving still
what time was left from his military duties to the
prosecution of his studies ; nay, joining both together,
frequently holding his musket in one hand and a book
in the other and making the watchings of a soldier
the lucubrations of a student.'' At this time, Oxford
was a place of education in a sense it never was before
or since. Young Allestry ' had the benefit of being,
not merely in one, but in several universities ; Oxford
was then an epitome of the whole nation and all the
business of it ; there was here the Court, the garrison,
the flower of the nobility and gentry, laVyers and
divines of all England. And times of action have
something peculiar in them to ferment and invigorate
the mind, which is enervated in soft peace.' He
entered into Holy Orders at a time (before 1647)
when ' being in the service of God threatened no less
danger than being in the service of his prince.'
Ejected from his studentship in 1647, he became
chaplain to Lord Newport till Worcester fight,
after which he accompanied Charles abroad, and in

Lecturers, sons of Citizens 79
carrying despatches to England was taken prisoner at
Dover in 1659, and imprisoned in Lambeth House
till the Restoration, when, being made a Canon of
Christ Church and Regius Professor of Divinity, ' he
undertook one of the lectures to the city, thinking
it might be of service to instil principles of loyalty
there after the contrary infusions of schismatical rebel
teachers ' ; and this lectureship ' he held for several
years, never, however, receiving any part of his salary,
but ordering that it should be distributed among the
poor.' He died in 1680, and, being Provost of Eton
at the time, was buried in Eton Chapel.
15. Lecturers, sons of Oxford Citizens.
During the three centuries that the Carfax lecture
ship existed, many sons of Oxford citizens were
appointed Lecturers. The following is a list of the
Lecturers who were natives of the city : —
1586. John Prime, son of Robert, a fletcher in Holywell.
1630. William Potter, son of Alderman Potter, draper.
1634. Henry Carpenter.
1 680. William Howell, son of a tailor in St. Michael's.
1699. Walter Fifield, son of Thomas, gent.
1702. James Mashborne, son of James, pleb.
1 7 14. Matthew Panting, son of Matthew, pleb.
1722. Matthew Eaton, son of Christopher, gent.
1727. Richard Vincent, son of George of All Saints', pleb.
1745. John Hopkins, son of John of St. Aldate's, pleb.
1774. Thomas Robinson, son of Thomas of All Saints',
gent.
1775. John Cox, son of John, pleb.
1805. William West Green, son of William, pleb.
„ William Brown, son of William of IflBey, pleb.
1 82 1. George Taunton, son of William Elias, gent.,
afterwards knight
1821. William Firth, son of Richard of St. Clement's, gent.

8o St. Martin's, Oxford
1832. Charles Henry Cox, son of Richard, arm.
1835. John Hyde, son of William, pleb.
1839. John Perkins, son of John of Holywell, gent.
1840. William Simcox Bricknell, son of Thos. Fox, gent.
1882. Vincent William Lucas, son of William of Oxford,
gent.
Peshall has preserved an amusing picture of a panic
that occurred in Carfax Church during the Sunday
lecture towards the end of the seventeenth century :
'A terrible wind happened in the afternoon while
all people were at divine service in Carfax Church ;
two or three stones and some rough cast stuff were
blown from off the tower, which falling on the leads
of the church, a great alarm and outcry was among
the people in the church. Some cried murder, and at
that time a trumpet or trumpets sounding near the
Cross Inn door to call the soldiers together, they in
the church cried out that the day of Judgement was
at hand. Some said that the Anabaptists and
Quakers were come to cut their throats ; while the
preacher, Mr. G. Philips, perceiving their error, was
ready to burst with laughter in the pulpit to see such
a mistaken confusion, and several of the people that
were in the galleries, hanging at the bottom of them,
falling on the heads of the people crowding on the
floor to get out of the doors.'
16. Demolition and Rebuilding of
the Church.
During the eighteenth and early in the present
century, the church underwent repairs at various
times : —
1727, April 24. 'There being a great flaw in the east end

Demolition and Rebuilding of the Church 8i
of Carfax Church, Oxon., this day they began to
pull part of the east end down, in order to repair
it.' (Hearne's Diary.)
1728, Sept. 13. 'The repairing the east end of Carfax
Church cost £70 or thereabouts. The defect
was occasioned by the removing some buttresses
in the chancel to make the butter bench, which
was done by the advice of some rash indifferent
persons, who perceived their error too late.'
(Hearne's Diary!)
1748, Aug. 12. £12 i2f. voted by city towards repairing
and new erecting clock and chimes. (Council
Book F, 57.)
1773, Nov. 8. Wall of Carfax Church to be repaired and
cased with freestone ; also windows on south side
to be repaired at joint expense of city and parish.
(Council Book F, 494-5.)
1783, June 18. £5 ^s. voted towards beautifying the
church. (Council Book F, 641-2.)
1805, Aug. 12. £25 voted towards repairs of church,
estimated at £60. (Council Book G, 194.)
1806, Jan. 24. Additional £15 15J. voted towards repairs.
(Council Book G, 198.)
1813, July 7. £30 voted in aid of repairs of church.
(Council Book G, 274^.)

Early in 1819 it was decided to pull down the
church and build a new one. In March of that year
the City Council voted £600 ' towards taking down
and rebuilding Carfax Church.' It is to be regretted
that the question, whether to repair or rebuild, should
have been considered at a time when architectural
taste was at so low an ebb. A church, historically
so venerable and with such beautiful twelfth- and
fourteenth-century work, should, if possible, have
been religiously preserved. And its preservation was,
it is believed, practicable. It appears from contem-
G

82 St. Martin's, Oxford
porary letters and leaflets that the chief objection
to its retention was the decay of the south wall (the
older east and north walls were sound and strong)
and ' the gloominess of the interiour, the useless bulk
of the galleries, and the ill-disposed cumbrous pews.'
But the south wall could probably have been sub
stantially repaired, and the gloom and cumbrousness
(themselves the result of modern deformation) might,
of course, have been remedied. Had the church been
spared, no ' Carfax Improvement ' would have required
its demolition. For it did not encroach on the street,
as the new church has done. According to Peshall,
who obtained his measurements of churches from the
incumbents, the old church (excluding the tower) was
forty-two feet long '. The new church was sixty-five
feet six inches in length, or twenty-three feet six
inches longer, and the extra length was gained by
taking in part of the street and carrying the east
wall further eastward^. Even allowing for some
inaccuracy in Peshall's figures, the new church ex
tended a good deal further eastward than the old
did. And there seems to have been a want of civic
foresight in permitting this narrowing of a main city
thoroughfare. In the advertisement for subscriptions for the new
church it is said, ' It is almost the only church in
Oxford open in the afternoon for divine service.' The
^ It was always a little church, as the term ' monasteriolum ' in
Canute's grant shows.
^ This measurement was taken by the City Engineer, who also
found tte breadth was 42 feet 6 inches, which is 4 feet 7 inches more
than the breadth of the old church (37 feet 11 inches) as given by
Peshall.

> w <
CU

ON
CO M I
(N N
CO

XuP u

w

Transfer from Crown to Bishop 83
afternoon service had always been at 4 o'clock, and
it was customary for the Lecturers to dine with the
Mayor and members of the Council between the
services. In 1833, however, when gas was laid
on, the time of the second service was changed to
6.30 p.m. Later, the Mayor and Corporation dis
continued attending the evening lecture, and soon
after 1872 the Lecturers were released from lecturing
in the evening.
The foundation stone of the new church was laid
Oct. 23, 1820, by the Mayor, Herbert Parsons, Esq.,
who was accompanied by the Rector, the Rev. John
Hyde, the members of the Corporation, and the city
magistrates. It was opened for divine service on
Sunday, June 16, 1822, when full cathedral service
was performed, the preachers being the Rev. Dr.
Copleston, Provost of Oriel, in the morning, and the
Rev. P. N. Shuttleworth, Fellow of New College, in
the afternoon. The collections at both services
amounted to £'i'i4 Q,s. lod.
17. Transfer from Crown to Bishop.
From Henry the Eighth's reign until the year 1885
St. Martin's was a Crown living. But in 1885 the
patronage passed from the Crown to the Bishop of
the diocese. Keble College wanted a church in
Oxford. The one they coveted was St. Barnabas,
which was in the Bishop's gift, who however would
only part with it in exchange for another city church.
The College, therefore, offered the Crown a valuable
living in Lincolnshire (income .^800 and a residence) in
G 2

84 St. Martin's, Oxford
exchange for St. Martin's (income ;£^ioi and no resi
dence). Unable to resist so tempting an offer, the
Crown made the exchange, whereupon the College
transferred St. Martin's to the Bishop, who gave them
St. Barnabas in return. The exchange between the
Crown and the College was gazetted in the London
Gazette of Jan. 22, 1886.
18. Oxford Corporation Act, 1890: Union
oE Benefices and Parishes: Removal
of Church.
The ' Oxford Corporation Act, 1890,' after reciting
that the four streets at Carfax were narrow and
insufficient for the increased traffic and that the re
moval of the church and the throwing of part of its
site and of the churchyard into those streets would
be a great public improvement, enacted that on the
next avoidance of the church of St. Martin or of that
of All Saints, the benefice and parish of St. Martin
should be united with those of All Saints, and the
united benefice and parish be called ' St. Martin's and
All Saints ' ; and that the Rector and Churchwardens
of St. Martin, with the consent of the Bishop and
Archdeacon, might sell the church and churchyard
to the Corporation.
By agreement of July 6, 1891, the Rector and
Churchwardens, with such consent, agreed to sell the
site of the church, the churchyard, and the materials
of the church to the Corporation for the sum of
;^2,ioo, which the Act directed to be applied in re
arranging All Saints' Church for the accommodation

Oxford Corporation Act, 1890

85

of the parishioners of St Martin's and the members
of the Council.
The Act provided {inter alia) that —

I. The endowment of the city
lectureships (subject to the in
terests of the present lecturers)
should be applied for such educa
tional or charitable purposes for
the benefit of the citizens of Ox
ford as should be chosen by the
Corporation and approved by the
Charity Commissioners.
2. "The Corporation should re
tain on the present site and main
tain in good repair the tower of
the church, with the bells therein.
3. The east window, in memory
of James Morrell, should be pre
sented to Geo. Herbert Morrell,
Esq., and Emily Alicia his wife,
the daughter of the said James
Morrell. 4. All monuments, tablets, and
tombstones should be removed
and re-erected in the church or
churchyard of St. Martin and All
Saints.

5. The font, communion table,
church plate, organ, deeds, books,
and muniments should be dis
posed of as the Bishop should
direct.

The endowment con
sists of fifteen shares of
the Oxford Canal Navi
gation of the nominal
value of £1,760.

This was done ; and
two inscribed pavement
stones of the Wright
family, also one of Wil-
liamBayly,were removed
from the east end of the
church and relaid in St.
Martin's and All Saints'
Church. The organ was sold
to Cowley Church for
£150, the Communion
table given to the Work
house, and the font,
church plate and muni
ments removed to St.
Martin's and All Saints'.

86 St. Martin's, Oxford
6. Any human remains under The remains were in-
the portion of the site of the church terred in the St. Martin's
and of the churchyard thrown into portion of the Holywell
the streets should be removed Cemetery.
and interred in consecrated burial-
ground. The avoidance that brought the Act into force
occurred April 15, 1895, when the Vicar of All Saints',
Rev. J. O. Johnston, was instituted Vicar of Cud-
desdon, whereupon, by virtue of the Act, the Rector
of St. Martin's, Rev. Carteret J. H. Fletcher, became
Rector of the united Church of St. Martin and All
Saints. He, however, immediately resigned the office,
and the Rev. Alexander James Carlyle was instituted
to the united benefice on the presentation of Lincoln
College, its sole patrons.
Public worship was celebrated for the last time in
St Martin's Church on Sunday, March 15, 1896, and on
the following Sunday the Church of St. Martin and
All Saints (which had been closed for repairs and
re-arrangement) was re-opened, and the sermon at the
morning service, when the Mayor and members of
the Council attended, was preached by the Bishop ofthe
diocese, who took as his text Eccles. iii. 3, ' A time to
break down and a time to build up.'
Before these pages have passed through the press
the church will have disappeared, and its time-
hallowed site been thrown open to sky and street.
But for the remaining tower, the fact that such a
church ever existed would soon be clean forgotten.
The isolated stonework, however, of the fourteenth
century will preserve it from oblivion. It will serve

Union of Benefices : Removal of Church 87
the purpose of one of those memorial cairns we read
of in early Jewish history. The children will ask the
fathers in time to come, ' What mean ye by these
stones ? ' (Josh. iv. 6). The fathers will have to satisfy
a curiosity so reasonable. And should this little book
at all help them to hand down the tradition of a church
for nearly nine centuries closely identified with the
city, the author will deem the time and pains he has
expended on it amply repaid.

NOTE.
While these pages were passing through the press, the fate
of the church tower was discussed and decided by the City
Council. The question was whether it should be modernized
into harmony with its new surroundings or retained substan
tially as it is and so as to preserve its historic character. It is
proposed in this note to give a brief account of what has
taken place.
It must be premised that the old church, the body of
which was demolished in 1820, was mainly the work of the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, and was built on the site
of Canute's church. The tower is believed to be of the
thirteenth century, though its base may possibly be of an
older date. It has, of course, been frequently repaired in past
times, but the reparation has not materially altered its appear
ance, and it is still clearly recognizable as the same tower that
we see depicted in the oldest extant drawings and engravings.
The Committee, to whom the method of treating the tower
was referred by the Council, recommended a plan, according

88 5^. Martin's, Oxford
to which it was to be cased throughout in rubble and so
altered and ornamented as altogether to change its character
and virtually make it a new tower. As soon as the plan
became known, it encountered strong opposition. It was
felt that it would be sheer vandalism to adapt historic towers
to modern taste, using them as lay-figures whereon to drape
our changing fancies. A public meeting of rate-payers all
but unanimously protested against the proposed plan; the
Oxford Architectural and Historical Society and the Society
for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings memorialized the
Council to the same effect ; and the writer joined with the
Rector and Churchwardens of St. Martin and All Saints in
protesting against such a transformation of the tower on the
ground ' that it would violate one of the conditions under
which the Corporation acquired the church.
The question came before the Council on October 19,
1896, when the report ofthe Committee recommending that
the plan be sanctioned and carried out was presented and its
adoption moved. To this, however, an amendment was
moved in the following terms : ' That the adoption of the
plan would, besides involving unnecessary expenditure, be
destructive of the historical interest of Carfax tower, and
that the report, therefore, be referred back to the Committee
with instructions to submit plans for the repair of the existing
fabric in accordance with the Corporation Act of 1890.' On
a division the amendment was carried, thirty-six voting for
and sixteen against it.
The following statement, made by the writer to the Vestry
of St. Martin and All Saints, was accepted by them as
representing their position and views with respect to the
tower: 'As it was while I was Rector of Carfax that the
church was sold to the Corporation under their Local Act of
1890, and as I officially took the leading part in negotiating
the sale, it may be well, under present circumstances, that

Note 89
I should make a statement on the subject. The Bill, as it
left the committee room ofthe House of Commons, sanctioned
the demolition of the whole church, body and tower alike;
but it allowed the Rector and Churchwardens to agree, if
they could, with the Corporation for the retention of the
tower upon terms to be approved by the Bishop and Arch
deacon. I at bnce saw that if the Bill became law in this
shape, there would be littie hope of saving the tower, since
from commercial and perhaps architectural considerations,
the Corporation would in all probability refuse to concur with
us in its preservation. The late Vicar of All Saints, with
whom I took counsel, agreed with me that an effort should
be made to safeguard an ancient monument of such un
equalled civic interest by means of a provision in the Act
expressly securing its retention. With this view we attended
before the Lords' Committee, explained to them the great
historic interest attaching to the tower and the sacred
associations that in the course of centuries had gathered
round it, and on these grounds we asked that the obligation
of retaining and maintaining it might be imposed on the
Corporation, as a condition of their acquiring the church.
That we were happily successful, the Act itself is proof.
After reciting that the tower marked a historic site of local
and general interest, and that it was expedient that the same
be retained and maintained, the Act provides that the
Corporation should retain upon the present site and maintain
in good repair the said tower with the bells therein. They
took this obligation on themselves by their agreement with
me and my churchwardens dated July 6, 1891, and also
by their covenant with the Rector and Churchwardens of
St. Martin and All Saints contained in the deed of conveyance
of the church. Now, speaking for myself and also, I believe,
for my late Churchwardens and Parishioners, we regarded
it as beyond question that under their Local Act and their

90 St. Martin's, Oxford
agreement with us, the Corporation were bound to retain the
tower as it had come down to us from the past, with its
historic character left intact, and with only such preservative
repair as might from time to time be necessary. We never
dreamt it would be handed over to an aspiring architect as
a corpus vile, whereon he might exercise his unbridled fancy :
still less, that he would propose by casing it in rubble,
removing its battlements, and loading it with ornament, to
transform it beyond recognition by those once familiar with
it. Had such a proposal been made in the course of the
negotiations, we would not have entertained it for a moment.
For my part, I hold that the precious value which time,
history and association have given to ancient city monuments
ought not to be at the mercy of any man, or any body of
men, or even any single generation. No doubt, it sometimes
happens that necessity compels the removal or the modern
adaptation of a time-hallowed building ; but no such necessity
could be alleged in the case of our old church tower. The
City Solicitor, I am told, has given his opinion that the
proposed treatment of the tower would be within the words
of the Local Act. But if I remember rightly, some one has
somewhere said that law is only codified common sense;
and if common sense were to interpret the Act I should have
no fear of the result. It is unnecessary, however, to go into
the legal question, as the Council last Monday gave the coup
de grace to the proposed plan, and instructed its Committee
to submit a plan in which the historic interest of the tower
should be preserved. We all, I think, feel grateful to the
Council for so decisively rejecting the threatened profanation of
the one ancient monument that embodied and was a symbol
of our early civic history. And it is to be for ever regretted
that in the second and third decades of this century, the
citizens of Ojfford did not show equal respect for the relics pf
the past. Had they done so, old Carfax church, the work

Note 91
of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, instead of being
demolished, would have been reverently restored ; and then,
its antiquity and beauty, together with the fact that it did not
encroach on the street as the late church did, would have
secured its transmission to future generations. I think
Oxford is much indebted to Mr. Hare for the fine new City
Buildings he has designed and raised. And from his own
purely architectural point of view, his plan for remodelling
the tower so as to bring it into harmony with its new
surroundings, may have considerable merit. But its very
excellence for his purpose makes it subversive of ours. For
to us, it is a venerable relic of the past, which it is our duty to
preserve and then transmit, unaltered and unembellished,
to our descendants. And so far from desiring the harmony
obtained by modernizing ancient buildings, we infinitely prefer
the contrast our streets present between the old and the new,
testifying as it does that Oxford is a historic city, the growth
of centuries, and visibly linking us with the past that has
made us what we are.'
It is to be hoped that the decision of the Council will
prove to be conclusive against any plan for remodelling the
tower and to have pledged them to undertake its preservative
repair. An ancient monument is a record of the past, to
destroy or obliterate which would in one respect be worse
than the destruction of a book of civic history. For while
antiquarian literature is read by comparatively a very few, it
is by monuments like Carfax tower that the past history
of their city speaks to all the citizens.
C. J. H. F.

APPENDIX I
rectors of ST. martin's

Dates.

Before 1240.
1240-1250. 1314- 1375- 1402.
1402-1433-
1433. N0V.24.
1435-
Before 1500.
1500. Aug. 15.

Names.

Ralph, ' Presbyter of St. Mar
tin's.' So described in a
grant to him from Hugh
de Plugenet, to which one
of the witnesses is Henry
D'Oyley, constable.
Nigel, ' Parson of St. Mar
tin's.' Had a son named
Thomas.
William De Wycombe, ' Rec
tor.' His will dated 1314
and proved 8 Edw. II.
Buried in St. Martin's.
William Bloxham, ' Parson.'
John Grover, ' Parson.'
Master Joseph Delaber.
Thomas Roulode, ' Pres
byter.'
William Bignell.
Richard Estmond, S.T.P.
Proctor 1474 ; Vice-Chan
cellor 1487.
John Yong, LL.D. Fellow of
New Coll. 1482. Dean of
Chichester and Bishop Ti
tular of Callipolis in Thrace
1 5 17. Warden of New Coll.
1521. Died March 28,
1526. Buried in College
Chapel. See ante, p. 67.

Authorities.

Twyne's MS. vol.
xxiii ; Excerpta
a variis Chartis
Frideswydae.

Magd.ColI.Mun., S. Martin, No.
21.
Wood's MS. D. 2,
p. 142.

Ibid. p. 108.
Wood's MS. D. 2.
Instit. Books,
Dio. Lincoln.
Ditto.
Tanner MS. ig6,
f. i^-.
Inst. Books, Dio.
•Line. ; Wood's
Hist, Appen.
62, 65.
Inst. Books, Dio.
Line; Wood's
Athen. Oxon.
ii.727 ; Wood's
Hist. Oxon.
(Gutch) ,iv.20l;
Foster's O^/o^"^
Men and their
Colleges.

94

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

1503. Julys.

1510. Sept.2o.

1537-
1537-1548.
1548. Dec. 12.
ISS3- Apr.22.
1557. Jan. 18.
1564. Mar. 29.
1567. July24.
1578.

1580. July 25.

1591.

Names.

Master Peter Burnell, Clerk,
LL.D., Prebendary of
Lichfield July 3, 1527.
' Sir William Woodward,
Chaplain, presented by
Abbot and Convent of
Abendon to the Church
of 8* Martin on the resig
nation of Master Peter
BurneU.' Last presentee
of Abbey.
George Bynks, Rector.
(Crown appointment.)
Roger Owen.
Henry Haye.
Thomas Tayler.
Robert Grave.
John Kyngton.
Michael Savell.
William Staninought (Stan-
nynough, Stanningaught),
M.A. 1579. Rector of
Bermondsey St. Mary,
Surrey, 1580; of Water-
stock, Oxon., 1581; of
Addington, Bucks., 1587.
Signs churchwardens' ac
count for 1579 as 'parson.'
Richard Whitwicke (Wyght-
wicke, Wightwicke), B.A.
from Ball. Coll. 1580;
M.A. 1583; B.D. 1593.
Rector of Albury, Oxon.,
1595 ; of East Ilsley, Berks.,
1607. Signs churchwar
dens' account for 1589 as
Rector.
David Humfrey. Signs as
Rector from 1591 to 1598
inclusive. Annuity of 4^.
voted him by City Council,

Authorities.

Inst. Books, Dio.
Line. ; Le
Neve's Fasti,
i. 587.
Inst. Books, Dio.
Line. ; Records
City Oxf. (T\a-
ner), p. 154.

Wood's MS. D. 3.
Inst. Books, Dio.
Oxon.
Ditto.Ditto.Ditto.
Ditto.Ditto.
Visitation Books,
Oxf. Dio.

Inst. Books, Oxf.
Dio.

Parish Accounts ;
City Council
Books.

Appendix I

95

Dates.

Names.

Authorities.

1601.

1604.

1606. June 5.

1609.

1617. Aug.l2.

July 37, 1596. See ante,
pp. 67, 68. B.A. from Bras.
Coll. 1576-7; M.A. 1585.
Rector of Llysfaen, Car
narvon, 1600.
William Lowefield. Signs as
Rector in 1601. B.A. from
New Coll. 1590; M.A. 1593.
Licensed to preach 1604-5.
Samson Newton, Somerset,
gentleman, Magd. Coll.
B.A. 1589; M.A. 1593.
Signs account for 1605 as
Rector.
Daniel Price,Salop, Cier. Fii.,
Exeter Coll. B.A. 1601 ;
M.A. 1604; D.D. 1613.
Chaplain to James I and
Charles I. Rector of Lan-
teglos, Cornwall, 1612 ; of
Wortheh, Salop, 1620 ;
Dean of Hereford, 1624.
Died Sept. 23, 1621. See
ante, p. 68.
Sampson Price (younger
brother of Daniel), Exeter
Coll. B.A. 160S-6; M.A.
1608; B.D. 161 5; D.D.
1617. Chaplain to James I
and Charles I. Vicar of
Christ Church, Newgate
Street, London, 1617 ; of
St. Chad's, Shrewsbury,
1620-8. Canon of Here
ford 1626. Died 1630.
Signs accounts as Rector
from 1609 to 16x5 inclusive.
See ante, p. 68.
Richard Amye, D e von , Exeter
College. B.A.I 602 ; Fellow
1604; M.A.1605 ; B.D.1616.
License to preach 1S16.
Signs account as Rector for

Parish Accounts.

Wood's Athen.
Oxon. ii. 511;
Alumni Oxon.
(Foster) ; Inst.
Books, Dio.
Oxon.

Inst. Books, Dio.
Oxon.; Parish
Accounts ;
Wood's Athen.
Oxon. ii. 489 :
Alumni Oxon.

Inst. Books, Dio.
Oxon.; Parish
Accounts.

96

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

Names.

Authorities.

1618. Appointed Lecturer
Oct. IS, 1618.
1619. Giles Widdowes, Mickleton,
Gloucestershire. M.A. 161 3.
Fellow of Oriel. Resigned
Fellowship in 1 621, and
became Vice-Principal of
Gloucester Hall. Chaplain
to Catherine, Duchess of
Buckingham. Buried in
chancel of St. Martin's Feb.
4, 1645. See ante, pp. 68-
70, for further particulars.
After death of Giles Wid
dowes, no Rector appointed
till Restoration. During
Commonwealth, two re
ferences to church in Coun
cil Books. (l) In 1646,
Churchwardens asked City
to make a doorway under
Pennyless Bench into
church and to make up
some few seats in chancel,
and Aldermen and assist
ants were directed to view
and report thereon (BookC,
154). (2) In 1653, ;^3 was
voted towards the ' setting
up again the chymes' (Book
C, 214).
1660. Richard Hawkins. Signs ac
counts as Rector from 1660
to 1663 inclusive. Church
repaired, parishioners con
tributing ^40 and the city
1665. Nicholas Lloyd, Wadham
Coll. In a letter to Dr.
Pottinger, of Winchester,
he gives the following ac
count of himself : ' I was
born May 28, 1630, at

Inst. Books, Dio.
Oxon. ; Athen.
Oxon. iii. 178.

Parish Accounts ;
Council Book
C, zoS^, 320.

Athen. Oxon. iii.
1258.

Appendix I

97

Dates.

Names.

Authorities.

1670.

1676.

Wonston, Southampton,
and born again by baptismal
regeneration the Sunday
following. I was matricu
lated into the University of
Oxon, and entered into
Hart Hall May 13, 1652.
I was chosen Scholar of
Wadham Coll. June 30,
1653, I was presented B.A.
January 16, 1655. Chosen
Fellow, June 30, 1656. M.A.
1658. Made Minister by
Dr. Skinner, Bishop Oxon,
June 25, 1660. Chosen Lec
turer at Carfax in Lent,
1660. I was Rector of Car
fax from 1665 to 1670. Left
the place at Lady Day,
1 67 1.' Presented to Rec
tory of Newington, Lam
beth, Surrey, in 1672, which
he held till his death in
1680. He was esteemed
an excellent philologist.
George Fletcher (Stroud-
water,co. Gloucester), Wad
ham Coll. B.A. 1661 ; M.A.
1664 ; Fellow 1666. Rec
tor 1670-Jan. 1676-7, when
he died.
Richard Duckworth. Signs
accounts as Rector from
1676 to 1682. A Leicester
shire man. Submitted to
Parliamentary Visitors as
an undergraduate of New
Inn Hall, and removed by
them to Brasenose Coll.
1648. B.A. 1650-1 ; M.A.
1653; B.D. 1661. Rector
of Hartest with Boxted,
Suffolk, 1660 ; of ToUand,

Alumni Oxon.
(Foster).

Parish Accounts;
Athen. Oxon.
iv. 794 ; Alum
ni Oxon. (Fos
ter).

98

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

1683.

1686. July I.

1693. Oct. 31.

1720. June 25.

Names.

Somerset, 1671 ; and of
Steeple Aston, Oxon., 1679.
Principal of St. Alban Hall
1692. Author of Tintinna-
logia, or the Art of Ringing.
Instructions for hanging of
Bells, with all things be
longing thereunto. London,
1671.
Gilbert Sherington, Bras.
Coll. B.A. 1674; Fellow
and M.A. 1677-8. Died
Nov. 9, 1683. Buried in
Coll. Chapel.

John Blackburne, Bras. Coll.
Signs accounts as Rector in
1687. B.A. 1671; M.A.
1674; B.D. 1684; D.D.
1704. Rector of St. Martin
(Carfax) in Oxford 1686-
1693 ; andof Stoke Bruerne,
North Hants, 1693, till his
death.
James Fayrer, Magd. Coll.
B.A. 1676; M.A. 1678;
B.D. 1690 ; D.D. 1704. For
Hearne's account of him
see ante, pp. 70-72.
Evan Lloyd, Jesus Coll. B.A.
1712; M.A. 1715; B.D.
1723. For Hearne's ac
count of him see ante,
p. 72.

Authorities.

In the Burial
Register for
i683,appended
to three entries
for Sept. and
Oct., is the fol
lowing note : —
' The certifi
cates for these
were delivered
in to Mr. Sher-
ington,thethen Rector, but lost
by occasion of
his death.'
Inst. Books, Dio.
0'!Xi^.;Alumni0.*w».(Foster).

Inst. Books, Dio.
Oxon. ;
Hearne's
Diary.
Inst. Books, Dio.
Oxon.

Appendix I

99

Dates.

Names.

Authorities.

1729. July 17.
1735. Oct. 16.
1737-

1790. May 27.
1800. June 5.

1839. Jan. 24.
1852. Mar. I.

Joseph Gerrard, Oriel Coll.
B.A. 1721 ; M.A. 1728.
James Meredith, Wadh. Coll.
B.A. 1728; M.A. 1731.
Bond Spindler, Wadh. Coll.
B.A. 1727 ; M.A. 1731.
Held rectory till death,
Oct. 27, 1783. Son of Ro
bert Spindler, of St. Mar
tin's, Oxford, draper. Bap
tized at St. Martin's Nov.
8, 1705-6.
From death of Bond Spindler
till appointment of George
Cox rectory vacant. Dur
ing interval, living stated in
Visitation Books to have
been under sequestration.
George Cox curate - in -
charge.
George Cox, son of Charles
Cox, of Holywell, Oxford,
pleb. New Coll. B.A. 1786;
M.A. 1789. Died 1799.
John Hyde, son of William of
Oxford (city), pleb. Ball.
Coll. B.A. 1795; M.A.
1803. Mostly non-resident.
Signs registers ini8i9,i83i,
1833,1836. Twenty-sixyears
resident curate of Witney.
Vicar of Hellidon, North
Hants. Perp. curate of
Harley, Oxon., 1810, till
death, Dec. 1838.
William Hayward Cox, Pemb.
Coll. B.A.1825; M.A.1827.
Signs registers down to
Jan. 13, 1852.
Richard Cox Hales. M.A.
(Camb.) 1840. Adm. ad
eundem 1847. Incorporated
at Magd. Hall, Oxon., 1850.
H 2

Inst. Books, Dio.
Oxon.
Ditto.
Visitation Books;
Alumni Oxon.

Inst. Books, Dio.
Qsxia..; Alumni
Oxon.
Ditto.

Ditto.

Inst. Books, Dio.
Oxon.

lOO

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

i860. Nov.37.

1863. Mar. 3.

1872. May 15.

Nam,es.

Rector of Woodmancote,
Sussex, i860.
Benjamin C. CafHn, Wore.
Coll. M.A. Select Preacher
1 86 1. Second Master of
Durham School. Rector of
Northallerton, Yorks., 1877.
Samuel Joseph Hulme,Wadh.
Coll. B.A. 1845; M.A.
1848. Fellow, 1847-51.
Select Preacher 1867. Rec
tor of Bourton - on - the -
Water, Gloucestershire,
1872.
Carteret John Halford
Fletcher, Wore. Coll. B.A.
1863; M.A. 1867. Select
Preacher 1886. Invited
Bishop of Natal (Colenso) to
preach(Nov. 29, 1874). In
hibited by Bishop of Oxford,
but sermon read by Rector.
Delated (1886) for heresy
by Rev. E. S. Ffoulkes, of
Jesus Coll., Rector of St.
Mary's, under Univ. Stat.
xvi. § II. I (p. 217 of edition
of 1886). Case referred by
Vice-Chanc. to six doctors
of theology, who were evenly
divided in opinion. V.-C.
declared 'that his own
judgement accorded with
that expressed by three of
the doctors, viz. that Mr.
Fletcher (although his ser
mon afforded reasonable
cause of suspicion on ac
count of the ambiguity of
its language) had not in
plain and express terms ad
vanced anything dissonant
or contraiy to the doctrine

Authorities.

Inst. Books, Dio.
Oxon.

Ditto.

Ditto.

Appendix I

Dates.

Names.

Authorities.

of the Church of Eng
land as publicly received.'
Sermon in question, The
Taking Away of the 'Veil
(2 Cor. iii. 15-17), preached
before the University at St.
Mary's, Sunday, Dec. 12,
1886. Published 1887,
Slatter and Rose, Oxford.
Last Rector. Benefice
and parish united with those
of All Saints, April 15, 1895,
under ' Oxford Corporation
Act, 1890.'
At the union of the benefice with that of All Saints, its endow
ment consisted of a sum of ;^38 i8j. 4d. paid by the Ecclesi
astical Commissioners, a sum oi £\f) 2j. 2i^.paid by the Governors
of Queen Anne's Bounty, and the rent of two small pieces of land
at Northmoor and near Witney, Oxon.

APPENDIX II
the CITY lecturers
From the Institution of the Lectureship in 1586

Dates.

1586. Jan. 26.

Same date.

1589. Feb. 20.

Names.

Richard Potter, FeUow of
Trin. CoU. B.D. 1587.
Vicar of Meyre, Wilts.,
1594. Afterwards Rector
of Kilmanton, Somerset,
and Prebendary of Worces
ter. ' An Oxfordshire man
born.' Father of Francis
Potter, Member of Royal
Society. Died 1637.
John Prime, son of Robert
Prime, a fletcher in Holy
well parish, Oxford. Ad
mitted perpetual FeUow of
New Coll. 1570. M.A.
1576; D.D. 1588. 'Became
anoted puritanical preacher
in the city of his nativity.'
Vicar of Adderbury 1589,
where 'much followed for
his edifying preaching.'
Wood calls both Potter and
Prime zealous Calvinists.
Died 1596.
William Swaddon, New Coll.
D.D. 1602. Archdeacon
of Worcester 1610. Chap
lain to Anne, consort of
James I. Author of Latin

Authorities.

Council Book A,
283 ; Fasti
Oxon. i. 240;
Athen. Oxon.
i. Ill, 1155.

Council Book A,
283 ; Fasti
' Oxon. i. 188,
201, 227, 244;
Athen. Oxon.
i. 652.

Council Book A ;
Fasti Oxon: ii.
397.

Appendix II

103

Dates.

Names.

Authorities.

1591. Dec. 3.

verses on her death. Died
1623, and buried in north
aisle of Worcester Cathe
dral.
Richard Field. Matric.Magd.
Coll. 1577. Removed to
Magd. Hall and afterwards
to Queen's Coll. M.A.
1584; B.D. 1592; D.D.
1596. 'Every Sunday, a
discusser of controversies
against Bellarmine and
other pontificians before
his fellow-aularians.' One
of the best disputants in
Oxford, well skilled in
school divinity, yet withal a
singular preacher. Reader
at Lincoln's Inn 1594.
Chaplain to Elizabeth and
James I. Canon of Windsor
1604. Dean of Gloucester
1609. Friend of Richard
Hooker. When James first
heard him preach, he said,
' This is z. field for God to
dwell in.' FuUer (Holy
War, lib. 4. cap. 5) quoting
from Field says, 'Whose
memory smelleth like a
fieldthe. Lord hath blessed.'
Offered bishopric of Ox
ford July, 1616, but died
Nov. 1 61 6 of apoplexy,
and buried in outer chapel
of St. George's, Windsor.
James said, ' I should have
done more for that man.'
' A principal maintainer of
Protestancy.' ' Laboured
to heal the breaches of
Christendom and embraced
truth wheresoever found.'

Council Book A,
333 ; F'^^f^
Oxon. I. 217 ;
Oxon.
181.

ro4

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

Names.

Authorities.

1593. April 19.

i593.April24.

1594. Nov. 13.

1603. Oct 25.

1609. Aug. 21.

Francis Mason, son of a
poor plebeian in County
Durham. Came to Oxford
1583, aged seventeen, and
'making a hard shift to
rub on tiU he was B.A.,
was in 1586 elected proba
tioner FeUow of Merton.'
M.A. July, 1590. In 1 591
deprived of liberties of Uni
versity for a year by Dr.
James, Vice-Chancellor and
Dean of Ch. Ch., for venting
unseemly words against
Thomas Aubrey, Ch. Ch.,
on his supplicating for his
B.D. B.D. 1597. Rector
of Orford, Suffolk, 1599.
Chaplain to James I, who
styled him ' a wise builder
in God's house.' Arch
deacon of Norfolk i6ig.
Died 1626. Author of
various works.
Humfrey Hargrove, All
Souls. B.A. 1581 ; M.A.
1585. Vicar of Bampton,
Oxon., 1595.
Robert Brysenden. FeUow
of Merton 1580. A dis
ciple of Dr. John Reynolds,
President of C. C. C, and
one of those to whom he
bequeathed his books.
Prebendary of Chichester
1595. Buried in ecclesii
collegii.
William Lowfield, New Coll.
M.A. 1593. Licensed to
preach from AU Souls 1604.
B.D. 1606.
Thomas Baugh, Ch. Ch.
a' Cheshire man. B.A.

Council Book B,
13; Fasti Oxon.
i. 236 ; Wood's
Hist. ii. 247.

Council Book B.

Ditto ; Wood's
Hisi. ii. 293 ;
ditto, Appen.
207.

Council Book B.

Ditto, 128; Fasti
Oxon.i.2y8,2gi.

Appendix II

105

Dates.

1615. July 21.

l6l6.April20.

1617. April 4.

1618. Oct. 15.
1619. Oct. 5.

Names.

1598; M.A. 1601. 'In
seeking after the Rectory
of St. Sepulchre in London,
he found a sepulchre there
in, being buried there.'
Thomas Westly, Magd. Coll.
Rector of St. Clement's,
Oxford, 1610. B.D. 1631.
Preacher at the Savoy,
Strand, London, where
dying April 1639, he was
buried in chancel of church
there.
Richard Corbet. Student of
Ch. Ch. 1599. M.A. 1605.
Proctor 161 2. B.D. and
D.D. 1617. ' One of the
most celebrated wits in the
University, as his poems,
jests, and romantic fancies
showed.' ' A most quaint
preacher and therefore
much followed by ingenious
men.' Chaplainof James I.
Dean of Ch. Ch. 1620.
Bishop of Oxford 1629;
Bishop of Norwich 1632.
Buried in choir of cathedral,
Norwich, 1635.
Paul Hood. Rector of Line.
CoU. 1620. D.D. 1623.
Vice - ChanceUor 1660.
Buried in chancel of All
Saints' Church 1668. ' Of
the puritan party in 1640,
but one who loved to serve
the times to save himself
and his.'
Richard Amye, S.T.B. See
list of Rectors.
Mathias NichoUs, New CoU.
B.C.L. 1614. Licensed to
preach i6ig. B.D. 1621.

Authorities.

Council Book B,
178 ; Fasti
Oxon. i. 461.

Council Book B ;
Fasti Oxon. i.
296 ; Athen,
Oxon. ii. 594.

Council Book B
202 ; Fasti
Oxon. I. 412;
Wood's Hist.
iii. 700.

CouncU Book B,
211.
Ditto, 22a

io6

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

1619. Oct. 5.
1620. Feb. 9.
l620.March9. 1620. July 15.
1620. Oct. II.
1620. Dec. 20.

Names.

1621. Aprili7.
1621. May 7.

Rector of MeUs, Somerset,
1 620- 1.
 Gwent. New Coll.
Giles Widdowes. Rector of
St. Martin's from 1619 to
1645. See ante, pp. 68-70,
and list of Rectors.
 Wood, New Coll., prob
ably John Wood, New
Coll. B.A. 1614; M.A.
1616-17; B.D. 1632.
 Salisbury. New Coll.
 Job. Exeter CoU.
Alexander Harry, Exeter
CoU. B.D. 1621. 'A
minister's son in Cornwall,
and sometime Fellow of
Exeter, a learned man, and
had in great reputation by
them that knew him.'
 Smyth. Queen's CoU.
' A man well Uked of.'
Edward Terry. Entered at
Ch.Ch. 1 6o7,elected Student
next year, and took the
degrees in Arts with in
credible industry. In 1615
went with certain merchants
to East Indies, and became
chaplain to Sir Thomas
Rose, English Ambassador
at the Court of the Great
Mogul. On his return, re
tired to his college. Rector
of Great Greenford, Middle
sex, 1629. An ingenious
and polite man, pious, a
good preacher, and much
respected. Died Oct. 1660,
and buried in chancel of
Great Greenford Church.

Authorities.

Council Book B,
220.
Ditto, 223.

Ditto, 224;
Alumni Oxon.
(Foster).
Council Book B,
226.
Ditto, 235.
Ditto, 237 ; Fasti
Oxon. i. 398 ;
Athen. Oxon.
iii. 490.

Council Book B,
238.
Ditto, 239;
Athen. Oxon.
iii. 505.

Appendix II

107

Dates.

1621. Oct. 9.

1623. March
21.

1626. Aug. 19.

1628. July 21.
Same date.
1630. March
19.

1630. May 23.
1632. Oct. 21.

Names.

 Baylie. ' Lately of
Magd. CoU.' Suspended
by his bishop.
Robert Lodington. Brasenose
Coll. M.A. Principal of
New Inn HaU 1621. Re
signed July 1626 on being
presented by University to
recfory of Wylby, North
amptonshire.
Robert Grebby. A Lincoln
shire man. Chaplain' of
New Coll. M.A. 1619. Be
came nearly blind from
over-much reading, espe
cially in divinity and philo
sophy, yet always cheerful
and contented. Died 1654,
aged sixty, and buried in
north cloister of New CoU.
The only chaplain of New
CoU. not expeUed by Par
liamentary Commissioners.
 Claxton.
Robert Rainsford, Wadh.
CoU. D.D. 1637.
WiUiam Potter, son of Alder
man Potter, a draper, who
was Mayor in 1619, and in
i6n had disputes with the
University and was dis
commoned.
 Chambers.
Henry Tozer. A Devonshire
man. Entered Exeter Coll.
1619. Probationer Fellow
1623. ' His preaching in
churches of St. Giles' and
St. Martin's much fre
quented by men and women
of the Puritanical party.'

Authorities.

CouncU Book B,
245, 257.
Ditto, 275 ;
Wood's Hist.
iv. 681.

Council Book B ;
Fasti Oxon. i.
365, 387.

Council Book B,
318.
Ditto.
Council Book C,
13 ; Wood's
Hist. ii. 308.

CouncU Book C,
14
Ditto, 30 ;.<4/^««.
Oxon. iii. 273.

io8

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates,

1634. July 10.
1639-40. April 9.

1640. Aug. 16.

1640.

1642. Oct. 10.

Names.

Went to HoUand and be
came minister to Company
of English merchants at
Rotterdam. Died Sept.
1650, and buried in English
church at Rotterdam. Pub
lished a sermon on Chris
tian Amendment, 1633.
Bodl. Svo, p. 4, Art. 155.
For further particulars, see
ante, p. 75.
Henry Carpenter, a citizen's
son. B.A. 1627.
WiUiam Hobbs, Trin. CoU.
D.D. 1639. Convented
before Vice-Chancellor and
certain Heads of Houses for
a sermon preached at St.
Mary's on Epiphany Day,
1632, in which he insisted
on the point of falling from
grace.
 Langlye. For one year
only. Probably Henry
Langley, Fellow of Pemb.
CoU., and made Master
thereof by Parliament, Aug.
26, 1647, he being then one
of the six preachers ap
pointed by Parliament to
preach at St. Mary's and
elsewhere in Oxford. Canon
of Ch. Ch. 1648. Ejected
at the Restoration, and died
at Abingdon, Sept. 1669.
Rowland NichoUs, Magd.
Coll. B.D. 1646.
HenryWilkinson. M.A. 1638.
Tutor and Dean, and after
wards Principal of Magd.
Hall. For particulars, see
ante, pp. 75, 76.

Authorities.

CouncU Book C,
Si-
Ditto, 93 ;
Oxon. i
Wood's ii. 264.

Fasti 510;
Hist.

Council Book C,
106 ; Fasti
Oxon. ii. 157.

Council Book C,
114 ; Fasti
Oxon. ii. 96.
Council Book C,
127, 168 ;
Athen. Oxon.
iv. 283.

Appendix II

109

Dates.

1647. Sept. 3.

Names.

1662. June 16.

Same date.

Authorities.

Henry Cornish, New Inn
Hall. B.D. 1648. Elected
to preach twice every sab
bath and to have ^20 a
year for his pains. Left
Oxford when garrisoned by
King, but returned on its
surrender to Parliament.
Oneof the six parliamentary
preachers. Canon of Ch.
Ch. After Restoration,
preached as Nonconformist
tiU Five Mile Act, when
retired to Stanton Harcourt,
where, under patronage of
Sir Wm. Harcourt, he lived
and preached many years.
Took advantage of James'
indulgence to preach in ' an
antiquated dancing school
outside north gate of Ox
ford.' Went to Bicester
1690, and preached in a
barn. Died and buried
there Dec. 1698, aged
eighty-nine.
Henry Wilkinson and Henry
Cornish removed from their
places as Lecturers.
Thomas Pierce, Magd. Coll.
M.A. 1644; D.D. 1660.
Pres. of Magd. 1661. Dean
of SaHsbury 1673. 'A
zealous son of the Church
of England, though origin
ally a zealous Calvinist, but
above all a most excellent
preacher.' Composed his
own epitaph, wherein he
says, ' He knew himself and
taught others, that all the
glorified saints in heaven
cannot amount to one

Council Book C,
160 ; Athen.
Oxon. iv. 157.

Council Book C,
299.
Ditto.

no

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

1662. June 16.

1662. June 16.

1663.
i664.Aprili8.
1664. Sept.27.
1664. Dec. 13.

Names.

Saviour, as all the stars of
the firmament cannot make
up one sun.' Died 1691.
Thomas TuUy, Fellow of
Queen's CoU. A noted tutor
and preacher. Principal of
St. Edmund HaU, which
he made to flourish, 1658.
After Restoration, Chaplain
to King, Rector of Gingle-
ton, Wilts., and Dean of
Ripon. ' A pious and
learned man, puritanically
inclined and a strict Calvin
ist, which was some stop
to him in the way of prefer
ment.' Died and buried
at Gingleton, 1675.
Richard AUestree (Allestry),
Student of Ch. Ch. 1636.
D.D. and Canon of Ch. Ch.
1660. Chaplain to King
' 1663. Regius Professor of
Divinity and Provost of
Eton 1665. Died 1680,
and buried in Eton chapel.
For further particulars, see
ante, pp. 77-7g.
Nicholas Lloyd. Fellow of
Wadham Coll. 1656. See
account of him in Ust of
Rectors.
Andrew Crisp, Fellow of
C. C. C. Whyte's Reader
in Moral Philosophy 1664.
John Smart, Trin. CoU. B.D.
1662. Died i666,and buried
in Trin. Coll. chapel. ' An
excellent preacher much fre
quented by precise people.'
John RosweU, C. C. C. B.D.
1667. ' In great esteem
for his Greek and Latin

Authorities.

Council Book C,
299 ; Athen.
Oxon. iii. 1055.

Council Book C,
299 ; Athen.
Oxon. iii. 270.

Council Book D,
6.

Ditto, 6''.

Ditto, 13*; Fasti
Oxon. ii. 262.

Council Book D,
i<); FastiOxon.
ii. 299.

Appendix II

III

Dates.

1666. March
27.
Same date.
1666. Oct.
1667. Jan. II.
1667. March
16.

Same date.
1668. Sept.30.
1668. Dec. 18.
Same date.

Names.

learning.' Master of Eton.
Canon of Windsor 1678,
and Fellow of Eton 1683.
Died at Eton 1684, and
buried in chapel.
Josiah PuUen. Tutor and Vice-
Principal Magd. Hall. Died
1 714, aged eighty-three.
John Wakefield, Queen's Coll.
M.A. 1660.
Christopher Flower. In place
of Mr. PuUen.
John Hammond, St. Edm.
HaU. M.A. 1660.
WiUiam Ashton, Bras. Coll.
Admitted 1658, and under
Presbyterian tutors. ' Fre
quented religious meetings
inhouse of Bessie Hampton,
an old decrepit laundress,
in Holywell, Oxford.' His
mind changing, made Fel
low of his CoUege 1663.
Entered Holy Orders, and
was sometime a preacher in
Oxford. Chaplain to Duke
of Ormond, Chancellor of
University, and in 1673
Rectorof Beckenham, Kent.
Joseph Guillim. A Hereford
shire man. Bras. Coll.
FeUow 1655. Author of
Poem on Fire of London.
Died 1670.
 Houseman, Exeter Coll.
Matthew Hole, Exeter Coll.
B.A. 1661 ; B.D. 1674.
Vicar of Strogurrey, Somer
setshire.
John Rogers, New Inn Hall.
M.A. 1667.

Authorities.

CouncU Book D,
36 ; Wood's
Hist. iv. 968,
984.
Council Book D,
36.
Ditto, 45*.
Ditto, 48.
Ditto, 64; Athen.
Oxon. iv. 606.

Council Book D,
64; Fasti Oxon.
ii. 309.

CouncU Book D,
68.
Ditto, 72; Fasti
Oxon. ii. 248,
344-
Council Book D,
72.

112

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

1669. Oct. 29.
1670. Oct. 16.
Same date.
1671. Jan. 16.
1671. Oct. 13.
Same date.
1672. March
29.
1672. Oct. II.
1673. Dec. 9.
1673. Sept.15.
1674. Oct.

Names.

 Slatter, Wadh. Coll.
Anthony Saunders, Ch. Ch.
B.D. 1672 ; D.D. 1677.
Chaplain to Archbishop of
Canterbury. Rector of
Acton, Middlesex.
William Jane, Student of Ch.
Ch. 1660 ; Canon of Ch. Ch.
1678. Dean of Gloucester
1685. Chaplain to William
III.
John Lethbridge, Exeter Coll.
B.A. 1670 ; M.A. 1673.
Paul Hartman, of Thome,
Prussia. Created M.A.
July 1659. Afterwards petty
Canon of Ch. Ch. and
Rector of Shillingford.
 Mayo, Pemb. CoU.
Nathaniel Wilson, Magd.
Hall. M.A. 1667; D.D.
1686. Chaplain to Duke
of Ormond. Bishop of
Limerick 1690. Died 1695.
WiUiam Stephens, St. Edm.
Hall. M.A. Preacher at
Lawrence Hinxey, near
Oxford, where he rebuilt
the church tower. Rector
of Sutton, Surrey.
Henry Denton, Queen's Coll.
M.A. 1659. Chaplain to
English Ambassador at
Constantinople. Rector of
Bletchingdon, Oxon., 1673.
Died 1681.
 Harris, Ch. Ch. (A
William Harris, Ch. Ch.,
took his B.A. June 4,
1673-)
John Evans, Wadh. CoU.

Authorities.

Council Book D,
84.
Ditto, 93 ; Fasti
Oxon. ii. 332,
363-

Council Book D,
93 ; ' Athen.
Oxon. iv. 613.

Council Book D,
96.
Ditto, 102 ; Fasti
Oxon. ii. 218.

Council Book D,
102.
V)'\\.X.o,\o^; Fasti
Oxon. ii. 298,
398 ; Athen.
Oxon. iv.
CouncU Book D,
112; Athen.
Oxon. iv. 790.

Council Book D,
114; Fasti
Oxon. ii. 219.

Council Book D,
121.

Ditto, 124.

Appendix II

"3

Dates.

1675. Jan.
1675. Feb.

1676. May 16.

i677.Aprili2.

Same date.
1679. Septis.
1680. March
15-

Names.

B.A. 1660; M.A. from Hart
HaU 1663 ; B.D. 1670.
George Fletcher, Wadh. CoU.
M.A. 1664. See Ust of
Rectors.
John Wickes. Fellow of
C. C. C, July 13, 1677.
John Bradshaw and Robert
Neulin, two Scholars, the
latter, nephew of President
of Coll., broke into Wickes'
chamber, robbed and tried
to murder him. Neulin, by
President's connivance,
escaped, but Bradshaw
tried and condemned to
death, though afterwards re
prieved. He subsequently
turned Quaker and then
Papist.
Richard Duckworth, Fellow
of Bras. Coll. Rector of St.
Martin's; also of Steeple
Aston, Oxon. Vice-Prin
cipal St. Alban HaU 1679.
Author of work on hanging
and ringing bells.
Peter Birch, Ch. Ch. M.A.
Educated in Presbyterian
principles. Successively
Curate of St. Thomas', Rec
tor of St. Ebbe's, Lecturer
at Carfax, Minister of St.
James', Piccadilly,Chaplain
to House of Commons, and
Prebendary of Westminster.
 Lethbridge.
Samuel Eyre, Line. CoU.
D.D. 1688. Prebendary of
Durham.
WiUiam Howell, son of a
tailor in St. Michael's,

Authorities.

Council Book D,
128.
Ditto, 135'';
Athen. Oxon.
iv. 620.

Council Book D,
1 54 ; Athen.
Oxon. iv. 794.

Council Book D,
154''; Athen.
Oxon. iv. 660.

Council Book D,
I54i>.
Ditto, 177; Fasti
Oxon. ii. 403.
Council Book D,
182 b.

"4,

5/. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

1680.

Oct. 1 1.

1681.

April 29.

1682.

March

24.

1682.

Dec. 5.

1683. Juneis.

1683.

Nov.13.

1685.

Nov. 1 6.

1686.

June 4.

1689.

Feb. I.

Same date.

Names.

Oxford. Servitor at Wadh.
CoU. 1670. Removed to
New Inn HaU. M.A. 1676.
Curate of Ewelme, Oxon.
WiUiam Wyatt, Ch. Ch. M.A.
1665. Public Orator 1679.
Principal of St. Mary HaU
1689. Died 1712.
James Bampton, New Coll.
B.A. 1676. Died I683, aged
thirty-seven, and buried in
west cloister of New CoU.
William Wake, a Dorset
shire man. Ch. Ch. M.A.
1679 ; D.D. 1689. Chaplain
to King William and Mary.
Preacher at Gray's Inn, and
Canon of Ch. Ch.
Francis White, Fellow of Ball.
. Coll. M.A.1674; B.D. 1684.
Samuel Barton (' in place
of Mr. Wake who is gone
totraveU'). Fellow CCC.
M.A. 1672 ; B.D. 1681.
Chaplain of St. Saviour's,
Southwark.
Zacchaeus Isham, Ch. Ch.
D.D. 1689. Canon of
Canterbury.
Anthony Addison, Queen's
Coll. M.A.1681; B.D. 1691.
Richard Houghton, Queen's
Coll. M.A. 1684.
WiUiam Lancaster, Queen's
Coll. M.A. 1678 ; B.D.
1690; D.D. 1692.
Charles Whiting, ('in place
of Mr. Richard Houghton
who is displaced by this
house '). Fellow of Wadh.
Coll. Chaplain to Bishop
of Bristol. 'A celebrated
preacher.'

Authorities.

Council Book D,
189 ; Fasti
Oxon. ii. 281.
Council Book D,
193 ; Fasti
Oxon. ii. 281.
Council Book D,
205 ; Athen.
Oxon. iv. 657.

Council Book D,
210^.
'Q'\\.X.o,'2.\4; Athen.
Oxon. iv. 619.

CouncU Book D,

220"

Fasti

Oxon. ii. 407.
Council Book D,
240.
Ditto, 242.
Ditto, 270.

Ditto.

Appendix II

"5

Dates.

1691. Oct. 16.

Names.

Same date.
1694. July 4.

1694. Sept. 6.

1699. AprU.

1700. Feb.

White Kennett, Vice-Prin
cipal St. Edm^Hall. Vicar
of Amersden, Oxon., 1685.
Rector of Shotsbrooke,
Berks., 1694. Dean of Peter
borough 1716. 'An ex
cellent philologist, a good
preacher, and well versed
in the histories and anti
quities of our nation.'
 Witting (in place of
Mr. Lancaster).
John Waugh, Queen's CoU.
M.A. 1687. Fellow 1688.
Proctor 1695. D.D. 1698-9.
Canon of Lincoln 1718.
Dean of Gloucester 1720.
Bishop of Carlisle 1723, tiU
death in 1734. 'A plain,
popular preacher and a
great tutor.'
WiUiam Baker, Wadh. CoU.
M.A. 1692. Fellow 1693.
Proctor 1696. B.D. and
D.D. 1707. Warden 1719-
24. Rector of St. Ebbe's,
Oxford, 1697. Archdeacon
of Oxford 171 5. Bishop of
Bangor 1723 ; Norwich
1727, tiU death in 1732.
Walter Fifield, son of Tho.
of Oxford (city), gent. Trin.
Coll. B.A. 1683. M.A.
and Fellow 1686. B.D.
1696. Died 1701.
 Barron, Ball. CoU. Prob
ably John Baron, Ball. Coll.
M.A. 1692; B.D. 1700;
D.D. 1704-5. Masteri7o5-
22. Vice-Chancellor 1 7 1 5-
1718. Preb. Brist. 1713.
Died in Coll. Jan. 20,
1 72 1-3. I 2

Authorities.

Council Book D,
293 ; Athen.
Oxon. iv. 792.

CouncU Book D,
293.
Ditto, 326,377*;
Hearne, i. 216.

Council Book D,
328 ; Alumni
C*-o«. (Foster).

CouncU Book D,
377"-

Ditto, 404.

ii6

SV. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

1701. Jan.
1702. March
19.

1703. May.

1705. Sept.

Same date.

Names.

Henry Dingley, Magd. CoU.
B.A. 1686. M.A. from Hart
HaU 1689.
James Mashborne, son of
James of Oxford (city),
pleb. AU Souls Coll. B.A.
1698; M.A. New CoU.
1 701 . Vicar of Leigh, Kent,
1 707 . Rector of S ettrington,
Yorks., 1710. Rector of
Barming, Kent, 1 71 7.
John Willett, Wadh. CoU.
M.A. 1697. FeUow 1699-
1 7 1 5 . Rector of Barlasing-
ton, 1705, and Vicar of
Wadhurst, Sussex, 1714, tiU
death Jan. 1742-3.
 Whaley, Wadh. CoU.
ProbablyNathanielWhaley,Wadh. Coll. B.A. 1698;
M.A. 1 70 1. Fellow 1700-
Sub- Warden 1709,

Authorities.

1715.1710.
Joseph M.A.

Trapp, Wadh. CoU.
1702. Fellow 1703.
Professor of Poetry 1708-18.
D.D. by diploma 1727-8.
Thanksvotedforhis sermon
before the Corporation on
the Queen's Inauguration,
preached Friday, March 8,
1706 ('The Mischiefs of
Changes of Govemment,
and the influence of re
ligious Princes to prevent
them '). ' A writer of good
parts, and has got some
reputation among the wits
for writing a play called
AbramMule. He has like
wise some verses in Musae
Anglicanae. He writt a
prologue spoken by Mr.

Council Book D,
419.
Council Book E,
31-

Ditto, 32''.

Ditto, 62.

Ditto, 69I' ;
Heame, i. 212,
265.

Appendix II

117

Dates.

1714. June 14.

Same date.
1722. Aprili3.
Same date.
1725. Aug. 13.
Same date.
1727. Dec. 15.
1730. Dec. 18.
1738. Sept. 1 9.

Names.

Betterton at the Oxon. Act
in 1703.'
Matthew Panting, son of
Matthew of Oxford (city),
pleb. Pemb. CoU. M.A.
1705; D.D. 1715. Master
of his CoU. 1714-39. Rec
tor of St. Ebbe's, Oxford,
1714-19. Vicar of Colne
Rogers, eo. Gloucester,
i7l8,tiU death, Feb. 1738-9.
John Middleton, Merton Coll.
M.A. 1702. Chaplain 1709.
D.D. 1725. Rector of St.
Peter's, ComhiU, 1734.
Thomas Warton, Magd. Coll.
M.A. 1712. Fellow 1717-
24. B.D. 1725. Professor of
Poetry 1718-28. Father of
Thomas, the Poet Laureate.
Matthew Eaton, son of
Christopher of Oxford (city),
gent. (Pleb. in Mat. Reg.)
Pemb. Coll. B.A. 17 12;
M.A. 1715.
John Hunter, Queen's Coll.
M.A. 1715. Fellow 1719-
28. B.D. 1728. Rector of
South Weston, 1727, and
Hampton Poyle, Oxon.,
1728.
John BUlstone. Matric. Hart
HaU 1716. B.A. 1720.
All Souls. M.A. 1723.
Richard Vincent, son of
GeorgeofAU Saints', Oxford
(city), pleb. Univ. Coll.
B.A. 1722 ; M.A. 1725.
 Stephens, ' Schoolmaster
of Magd. CoU.'
Richard Hutchins, C C C
B.A. 1725; M.A. 1728;
B.D. 1738.

Authorities.

Council Book E,
147*-

Ditto. Ditto, 229.
Ditto. Ditto, 258.
Ditto.Ditto, 281.
Ditto, 311''.
Ditto 383*.

1x8

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

1745. May 18.

Same date.

Same date.

1753- July 2.

1759. Nov. 2.
1774. June 27.

1775. Dec. 18.

Names.

— Whiting. Probably
Charles Whiting, Trin. Coll.
B.A. 1732 ; M.A. from Oriel
Coll. 1737; B.D. 1744.
George FothergiU, Queen's
CoU. B.A. 1726-7; M.A.
1730 ; B.D. 1744 ; D.D.
1749. Principal of St. Edm.
HaU 1751, tiU death, 1760.
Thanks voted him by
CouncU for his sermon on
Oct. 9, 1746, being thanks
giving day for defeat of
rebels, with a request to
print it.
John Hopkins, son of John of
St. Aldate's, Oxford, pleb.
Pemb. Coll. B.A. 1735;
M.A. 1738; B.D. 1758.
Thomas FothergiU, brother
of George. Queen's Coll.
M.A. 1742. FeUow 1751.
B.D. 1755 ; D.D. 1672.
Provost 1767-76. Vice-
chancellor 1772-5. Preb.
Durham 1775. Died 1776.
 Came. Probably John
Came, Trin. Coll. M.A.
1747; B.D. 1756; D.D.
1760.
Thomas Robinson, son of
Thomas of AU Saints, Ox
ford (city), gent. Queen's
CoU. B.A. 1766; M.A.
1769. Master Magd. Coll.
School 1776-95. Chaplain
Merton Coll. till death,
1795- Rector of LiUing-
stone, Oxon., 1784, tUl
death, 1795.
 Cox. Probably John Cox,
son of John of Oxford (city),
pleb. Wadh. CoU. B.A.

Authorities.

Council Book F,
17.
Ditto, 17 and 35.

Ditto, 17.

Ditto, 119.

Ditto, 197.

Ditto, 504.

Ditto, 531.

Appendix II

119

Dates.

Names.

1782. Oct. 18.

1805. May3i.

Same date.
1805. June 1 1.

1805. June2i.

1810. Nov. 6.

1745-6; New Coll. M.A.
1748 ; B.C.L. St. Mary
HaU 1773. Vice-Principal
1764.
Septimus CoUinson, Queen's
Coll. M.A. 1767 ; D.D.
1793. Marg. Prof. Div.
and Preb. Worcester 1798-
1827. Provost 1796, tiU
death, Jan. 1827.
WiUiam West Green, son
of WiUiam of Oxford (city),
pleb. Magd. Hall. B.A.
1779; M.A. 1782; B.D.
andD.D.1814. His brother
was clerk of the church and
was succeeded in that office
by his son Richard, who
was father of the historian,
John Richard Green.
Isaac Crouch, St. Edm. HaU.
B.A. 1777 ; M.A. 1780.
WiUiam Finch, St. John's
CoU. B.C.L. 1770; D.C.L.
1775. Bamp. Leet. 1797.
Rector of Avington, Berks.,
and Tackley, Oxon., 1797,
tiU death, 1 8 10.
William Brown, son of
William of Iffley, Oxon.,
pleb. Magd. Hall. B.A.
1783; M.A. 1786; B.C.L.
1799-
Benjamin Parsons Symons,
Wadh. CoU. M.A. 1810 ;
B.D. 1819. FeUow 1812-
31. D.D. 1831. Proctor
1 8 1 8. Select Preacher 1 8 1 3,
1 82 1, 1 83 1. WhitehaU
Preacher 1823. Warden
1831-1871. Vice-Chan
cellor 1844-8. Died 1878,
aged ninety-four.

Authorities.

Council Book F,
634-

Turner's Ex
tracts, Instit.
Books, Dio.
Oxford, 1542-
1864.

Ditto. Ditto.

Ditto.

Ditto.

I20

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

1 82 1, Feb. 24.

Same date.

1832. Oct. I.

1835. Sept. 36.

1839. Oct. 4.

1840. Oct. 15.

Names.

George Taunton, son of Wm.
EHasofSt. Aldate's, Oxfoi-d,
gent, (afterwards a knight).
C C C M.A. 1807 ; B.D.
1816. Fellow tiU 1826.
Greek Reader 1822. Rec
torof Stratford Tony ,Wilts.,
till death, 1832.
William Firth, son of Richard
of St. Clement's, Oxford,
gent. New Coll. 1805.
Scholar C C C 1807.
B.A. 1810; M.A. 1814;
B.D. 1822. Fellow 1819-
30. Rector of Leteomb
Bassett, Berks., 1830.
Charles Henry Cox, son of
Richard of Oxford (city),
arm. Student of Ch. Ch.
1816-1834. B.A. 1820 ;
M.A. 1822. Hypobiblio-
thecarius Bodleianae Biblio-
thecae j 826-28. P. C of
Bensington, Oxon., 1828,
and South Littleton, co.
Worcester, 1 834-45. Rector
of Oulton, Suffolk, 1845, tiU
death, 1850.
John Hyde, son of WiUiam
of Oxford (city), pleb. See
list of Rectors.
John Perkins, son of John
of HolyweU, Oxford (city),
gent. Ch. Ch. Servitor
1820-4. B.A. 1824; M.A.
1827. Vicar of Lower
SeweU, CO. Gloucester,
1833. Died 1850.
WiUiam Simcox Bricknell, son
of Thomas Fox of Oxford
(city)) gent. Wore. Coll.
B.A. 1827; M.A. 1829.
Vicar and patron of Eyns-

Authorities.

Turner's Ex
tracts, Instit.
Books, Dio.
Oxford, 1543-
1864.

Ditto.

Ditto.

Ditto.

Ditto.

Ditto.

Appendix II

121

Dates.

1849-59.

1851. Nov. I.
1851. N0V.15.

1856.

Names.

i860.

ham, 1845, and of Grove
Oxon., 1836.
Henry Octavius Coxe, Wore.
Coll. B.A. 1833; M.A.
1836. Bodley's Sub-Li
brarian 1838-60. Librarian
i860, tiU death, July 1 881.
Rector of Wytham, Oxon.,
1868-80.
Richard Cox Hales. See list
of Rectors.
John HiU. Probably John
HiU, St. Edm. HaU. B.A.
1809; M.A. 1812; B.D.
1844. Vice-Principal till
death, 1855.
Robert GandeU, St. John's
CoU. Matric. 1839. Michel
Schol. Queen's Coll. 1843-5.
B.A. 1843. Fellow 1845-
50. M.A. 1846. Tutor
Magd. HaU 1 848-72. Select
Preacher 1859. Grinfield
Lecturer 1859-61. Senior
Proctor i860. Fellow Hertf
Coll. 1874. Laudian Pro
fessor of Arabic 1861. Preb.
of WeUs 1874, tiU death,
1887.
Benjamin Charles CafHn, Ch.
Ch. Matric. 1845. Wore.
CoU. B.A. 1850; M.A.
(Fellow) 1852. Select
Preacher 1867. Second
Master of Durham School.
Vicar of Northallerton,
Yorks., 1877. Rural Dean
1878.
John Samuel Sidebotham,
Line. Coll. B.A. 1853.
Chaplain New CoU. 1853-
66. M.A. 1855. Rector AU
Saints', Canterbury, 1869-

Authorities.

Turner's Ex
tracts, Instit.
Books, Dio.
Oxford, 1542-
1864.

Ditto.

Ditto.

122

St. Martin's, Oxford

Dates.

1863.
1873.
1873.1882.
1882.

Names.

77. P. C Leenthall-Earles,
CO. Hereford, 1 877-8. Vicar
Aymestry, co. Hereford,
1877.
Samuel Joseph Hulme. See
list of Rectors.
George Francis Lovell, Ball.
Coll. B.A. 1867; M.A.
1870; B.D. 1876. Vice-
Principal of St. Edmund
HaU.
Carteret John Halford
Fletcher. See list of
Rectors.
Vincent William Lucas, son
of WiUiam of Oxford, gent.
Ch. Ch. Exhibitioner 1869-
72. B.A. 1874; M.A. 1878.
Graham Harvey Squire,
Brasenose Coll. B.A. 1859 ;
M.A. 1862. Rector of
Sunningwell, Berks., i866.

Authorities.

APPENDIX III
INVENTORIES OF ORNAMENTS, JEWELS
VESTMENTS, ETC.
An Inventorye of the ornaments and Juells of the
paryshe churche of Saynt martyn yn the yer of
o' lord god 1547, Thomas Cogan and Thomas
foster then beyng churche wardens.
Itm ii chalysys parsyll gylt Wayng 21 oz. 10 dwt. (?).
„ ii treyes of potte of sylver, Wayng 25^ oz.
In the roode lofte.
Itm a pauU of blake velvet imbroyderd wythe flowers wythe
a crosse of redde tyssew.
„ a Canapye of redde sattkyn.
„ iij Corperace of sadde tawnye velvet and two other redde . . .
[MS. tom].
„ ij Corperace of Redd velvet ymbroderyd wythe a preste
deacone and subdeacone of the same.
„ a Cope of blewe byrd Alexander [for Bourde d' Alisaundre,
an imitation of striped silk of Alexandria, N. E. D.]
preste deacone and subdeacone of the same.
„ awhytedamaskevestmentewithor. .[MS. torn, query orfreys]
wth flowers wth ij hangins of the same for our ladye
alter.
„ ii Copes of blake Woosted wythe a preste deacone and
subdeacone of the same.
„ ii Copes of olde whyte byrd Alexander wythe a preste
deacone and subdeacone of the same.

124 St. Martin's, Oxford
In the hygher vestre [over vestry later on].
Itm iij huslyng towells of drap [drapery ?].
„ vii playne alter clothes.
„ ii dyaper alter clothes.
„ viij hande towells.
„ a front for an Alter of olde redd velvet.
„ ij Alter fronts stayned wyth byrd and Images of lynen.
„ iiij laten candellstykes.
„ a dext [desk-] Clothe paynted wyth damaske woorke.
„ a vestment of redd satyne.
„ a vestment of blake woostyd.
„ an old redd vestment.
„ an old vestment of blew and gren sylke wythe byrde and
crosse of redd velvet.
In the lower vestre.
Itm vi surplysys for men.
„ ii for chyldren.
„ ii latyn basyns.
. „ a whyt vestment of fusehayn.
„ a stremer of grene saysenet stayned.
„ a stremer of lynen stayned redd.
„ ij banners of lynen stayned redd.
,, a pauU of redd baudkyn.
„ a dext clothe of sylke the on [one] syde yelowe and the
other grene.
„ an olde vestment of yelowe sylke.
„ a frontlat of sylke on the font.
„ ij old frontlats for the font.
„ ij bokes for the vysytacion of our ladyes srinee [?].
,, iiij bokes for the feaste of the Transfyguracion of our ladye.
„ a whyte clothe to cover the front of the hyghe alter in lent,
with a crucyfyx ofthe same of Marye and John of Nedyll
woorke of Venese gold of the gyfte of Mr. Flemen.
„ a senser copr.
„ a great antyphonere.
„ iij olde antyphoners.
„ a legent prynted [Legenda].
„ a legent wryten.
„ iij grayll [gradualia].
„ iij salters (sic).
„ ii hymnes.
„ iii Masse boke prynted.
„ iv Masse boke wryten.
„ viij Pressioners [procession-books].
„ v Emmenell [hymnals ?].

Appendix III 125
Itm a Psalter booke of the gift of Mrs. Alyce.
„ ij vestments of bawdkyn of blew for a prest.
„ a Vestment of bawdkyne yelow and blewe.
„ i Cope redd Satyne with a redd offrace [offrey].
,, a Vestment of blew woosted with a aube [alb].
„ a Vestment of bawdkyn wythe a crosse conterfayt tyseu and
a aube.
„ ii Corperaces of old sylke.
„ a aube with gren sylke and burdes of gold.
„ a carpet.
,, ii tyne candeUstykes for the hyghe alter.
„ vii tyne crewats.
„ the foote of a crosse of copr.
„ iiij lytell sylke cowshins for the hyghe alter.
„ i sacryng bell.
,, a crosse of copr.
,, a basen of copr Inameled.
,, a shype of coper and a spone.
[Added by a different hand are]
Itm a great bell and a Stokk, and all that sumtyme was the
merkett bell. In the roode lofte.
Itm ii great chestes to put yn vestmentes.
In the hygher vestre.
Itm a great chest to put yn lynnen gere.
In the lower vestrie.
Itm a boke ofthe New servyce yn Inglysshe.
„ ij playn song bokes yn Inglyshe.
„ ij Inglyshe salters.
,, a chestJo^utTOvestmente. '
,, trynges [?] oTCo^Srfox a Crosse stafife.
„ aTbanenrf grene fustayne [?] stayned.
„ a baner of lynen painted with the Image of Seynt Marten.
In the bodye of the Churche.
Itm a byble.
„ a parafreshe [Erasmus' Paraphrase].
„ a forme.
,, a doble chayer. At the hygh alter.
Itm a chest caUed the poore mens chest.
,, ij cheyres at our ladye alter.
,, u Cofers.

126 St. Martin's, Oxford
An Inventory . . . Martyn in Oxford . . .
God 1552, Richard Whyttyngton and John
Wawklyn being Churchwardens for that year.
Inprimis a chales p'reellgylt wey ing x oz.
Itm a parele off black velyett imbroderd with flowers off
golde.
,, a cope of red velvett w* flowers and preste deacon and
subedeacon.
,, a cope off blewe burd ellyxander w* a vestment off the
same.
,, a vestment off whyte burd ellyxander.
,, a paule off red badkyn w' burdes.
,, an owld red sarcnet for the comunyon table.
„ iii corporas cacys off tawny velvyt wyth clothys in them
[patched].
,, iii corporas cacys off sylke wyth clothys in them.
„ vi Surplacys.
„ viii lynnon clothys for the comunyon table.
,, iii „ towells for ,, ,,
„ ii quissyons to lay the comunyon book on.
,, a pare of orgayns.
,, ii lattyn basyns [defect].
„ a pewther basyn.
„ a brokyn lattyn crosse and a foot.
„ iiij lattyn candylstyks.
„ iii „ pryllets [prickets].
„ ii powther candylstykks.
„ a chresmetory off pewther.
„ viii li. wayght off owld lattyn.
„ iii bells hangynge in the steple.
„ a dubble chayre for men to sytt in.
„ ii lyttyl chayrs.
„ iiij coffers.
„ an owld eanyppy token the pyxt.
„ iii owld aubs.
„ a comunyon book )
„ a bybyll > in inglyshe.
„ a paraphrasys )
„ ij salters.
„ a new comunyon booke.
„ yerne barrs in the Rode lofte. (? complete.)

Appendix III 127
An Inventory of all the goods and ornaments be
longyng to the Chyrche of Saynt Martyns the
xxth day of November, 1553. Anno Maria (sic)
primo.
Imprimis a pawle off black velvett w* a crosse ofFtysshewe.
Itm a chaUesse wythowte a patteme (sic).
„ a pawle off Rede Sadkyn.
„ an awter front of Rede sarsnett.
„ a pyllow off sylk nedyll worke.
„ iii corporasses w* the cases off Red velvett w* Starrs of
goolde.
„ vii awter clothys.
„ ii diaper towells and ii smaU towells.
„ vii Aubes. v Surplaces.
„ a lattyn crosse and the ij pyces off a crosse staff w* there
pummells.
„ a lattyn pyxt.
„ a fote off a lattyn crosse and a pece off a foote w' a bowle
about it.
„ a pare off lattyn sencers.
„ ii carvyd lattyn bacyns.
„ iiij lattyn candyllstykes.
,, iiij lattyn pryekett.
„ ii new tyn candyllstykes.
„ a pewther bacyn.
„ a copper dysshe.
,, a chressmetory off pewther.
„ a payre off orgaynes.
„ a great cheste in the Rode lofte.
„ a cheste in the hyer vestrye.
,, ii chestes in the lower vestrye.
„ one cheste in the quere.
„ a cheste at M'^ Wawklyns.
„ a great byble. A paraphras. A communyon book, iii
sawter books.
„ browght in by M' Spencer and M'" Wylliams a crosse witho.
a foot. A holywater pott and ii lattyn pryckettes.
„ two antefoners, a great and a smalle.
„ a wyne pott.
„ a shyppe. A gralle [graSuale].
„ a pryntyd masse booke. A manwell [manual].
„ iii pressessioners [processionaUa].
„ browght in by M' WiUiams a bluw vestment w* byrds off
gowlde wh^ he gave the makyng off.
„ gevyn now by hym a crosse clothe of the raggyd staffe.

128 St. Martin's, Oxford
Itm a lattyn sawter booke off the chyrchys.
„ ii barrs off yerne in the hye vestrye.
„ a standyng deske in the quere.
„ an olde lentyn cloth.
„ a dobbell chayre.
Goods and ornaments gevyn to the churche ageyn by M' Alder
man Tryssher hys wyffe.
Itm a whyt sylk vestment with an awbbe.
„ a suoper altare and a corporas case of grene sylk.
„ a table w' the pytter off the Chryste and an awtor cloth
gyven by M'^ Alderwoman Gunton w' the hangings
abowt the awtor and w* our table of images (?).
Gevyn by WyUm Joynes a graylle [gradual] and antefoner.
Gevyn by Robert Kyrose a sakeryng [sacring] bell.
Gevyn by Rye* Loomer ii orewefte (?).
Gevynge by Rye* Whyttyngton a sakrying bell.
Gevyn by M''^ Alderwoman Mallinson an awter cloth.
Gevyn more by M'^ WyUiams an awter front w* a frynge, a sawter
book and a masse book wch book be at his pleaser.
Gevyn by M' Johanes a lattyn prickett.
Gevyn by Paratt's wyfif a cross clothe of blew tewk.
Gevyn by Nycholas Chapman a pece off a pantyd cloth and
a banner cloth and a cruett.
Gevyn by John Davys an olde crosse cloth of grene sylk.
Item a cruett browght in by M=^ Spencer but he can nott tell
whoo gave it.
„ by M'^ Alderman Trysser an awtor stone in our Ladye
Chappell.
„ by Rye. Whyttyngton awter stone to pave in the quere.

An° Dni a Elizab. 1560.
The inventorie of all the goods and ornaments that
belonges to the Church of Saient Marten.
Itm two challysses w* two pattens.
„ a pall of black velvat w* a crosse of tyffen over gylte.
„ a red seylcke paUe w* beyrd of Gold upon hyt w* a freyng
about ytt.
„ a canapy of red dammask w' spangels (?) of goold upon
hyt w* a seylk freyng.
„ an old red seylck befor an awter.
„ a hangynge before an awter of whyet w* blew gartters
upon hyt w* a freyng.

Appendix III 129
Itm an old red seylck hangyng before an awter w* a freynge
upon hytt.
„ an other cloth for an awter of darnell w* a freynge of red
and greyn seylcke.
„ one queyshynge [cushion] of red velvat.
,, a queyshynge of whyet seylck w* hart yn hyt wrought w'
nydell warke.
,, iii corporasses of red velvat wythe stars of gold upon
them.
„ one greyn corporas of satten.
„ iiij corporasses clothes belongynge to them.
„ iiij payer of vestments all thynges belongynge to them.
„ a whyet vestment w* two albes.
„ vii auter clothes, two good ones and feve course ones.
„ two small towels to wyp y° pry,ste hands.
„ two dyaper towells and two other toweUs of good clothe.
„ a greyn seylcke clothe w* worke of images w*yn hytt.
„ two latten pycses, the one w' an yvery box w*yn hytt.
„ a whyet clothe wrought w* nydell warke w* tassells of red
seylcke.
„ a canapy of greyn seylcke w* copper crowns upon hytt.
„ two coops one of red seylck and the other of whyet
seylck.
„ viii surplasses.
„ queyshynge of tapstery warke.
„ a banner clothe of whyet seylcke w* a cross of red seylke.
„ a banner clothe w* the image of our lady yn hytt.
„ a stremer of greyn seylcke w* Sayent George yn hytt.
„ two crose clothes of greyn seylcke.
„ a cross clothe of whyet damaske w* cross of blacke upon
hytt.
„ a cross clothe of blew seylcke.
„ a lenthen clothe called y^ vayell clothe.
„ a lenthen banner clothe.
„ a payented clothe to hange before an awter w* iii images
yn hytt.
„ iiij red stanes [supports] for the canapy.
„ iiij great candellstyk to stand in the quyer called standerds.
„ iiij latten candellstycks, two of them ys wrethed.
„ vii pryckets of brase.
„ two pryckets of tyne.
„ two crosses of latten wyth theer pummel to them.
„ two cross staves, the red stafe hathe two pyps of brase w'
two parells and y^ greyn has non.
„ two images of brase the[y] weer be longynge to a crosse.
„ a copper dysh.
„ a foote of a crosse to stand yn.
K

130 St. Martin's, Oxford
Itm a payer of senssers.
„ two old shypps of bras [for incense].
„ a holy water pot of bras.
„ two latten basens w* images and flowers.
„ a great poowter basen.
„ a cryssmatory of tyne [tin].
„ a wyne pot of tyne.
„ iij payer of crewets.
„ a sakeryng bell.
„ a paxe of yvary.
„ a crewsyfyx yn a table [panel] called the paxe.
„ a cross that M"-' Alderman Whyttyngton gave wyth a caste
[case] to hytt. je: i"" ~\
„ a fyer showle [? incense spoon]. [^ftviE Srto»& •- -y
„ front of downe velvate w* a freynge to hyt.
„ front of blacke velvat w* a . . . .
„ a table cloth that M'-" Alderman WyUyams gave.
„ a great chest yn the roode loft w* a lyteU coffer w'yn hyt
to laye clothes yn.
„ a payer organs.
„ in the over vestry a chest.
,j yn y» vestry two coffers.
„ yn y" lady chappeU a coffer w* two locks and two keys
to ytt.
„ two dowble cheers yn y° vestry.
„ a dowble cheer yn y^ body of the Church.
„ a standynge deske.
„ a lytell forme.
,, a great forme yn y^ roodlofl.
„ an awter of aUabasten whyche M"^ Cogan hathe yn hys
kypynge.
„ two curtens of syelcke whyche mystrys Chapman hathe.
„ a byble in inglysh.
„ an yerron that goyth over the fonte.
„ a cross of wood to put hoUi and yve yn.
„ two longe cords, y^ on for the vayell and the other for the
roude yn pallme Sonday.
„ iii banner poUs.
„ two heere clothes for awters.
„ two churche boxes w* keys to them.
„ the uper most parte of a sepulker w* images yn hytt y'
stands yn y^ roud lofte.
„ a great greyn [green] cross of wode yn the roodlofte.
„ a communion table.
„ a superaltary.
„ a tabernacle y* dyd stand oopon the awter w* loke and key
to yt for y^ sacrement.

Appendix III 131
Itm a casket to put hoUy bred yn.
„ a crewsyfyx that mystrys Alderwoman Jeryshe dyd geve :
ytt ys wroght upon a flat table.
„ a old lattren.
Thys ynventory was made the forth daye of January yn the
yere of our lord God a thousand feve hundred and thre score,
and that yeer was M"^ Alder and M"^ Gose Churche wardens.

K %

APPENDIX IV
EXTRACTS FROM BAPTISMAL REGISTER FROM
1567 TO 1787

1567. Dec. 14. Robert, son of WyUiam Nobell.
„ Feb. 14. Marion Flaxney, daughter of William Flaxney.
„ Feb. 21. Thomas, sonne of William Alden.
1568. Sept. 18. Richard, sonne of Bemard Archdaile.
1571. Sept. 9. Rebecca, daur. of Henry DodweU.
1572. April 23. WiUiam, sonne of Pearse UnderhiU.
1573. Dec. 20. Thomas, sonne of Pearse Underhyll.
1592. April 13. Richard Chillingworth, Sonne of Tliomas ChiUing-
worth.
1602. Oct. 31. William Chillingworth, sonne of WiUiam Chilling
worth.
1604. Dec. 30. Alice Devnet, daughterof John Devneti(Davenant),
Vintner.
1605. July 14. Joane Chillingworth, daughter of WiUiam Chilling
worth, Mercer.
„ Mar. 3. William Devnet, sonne of John Devnet, Vintner.
1621. Nov. 15. Ellen Grififen, daur. of Roger GrifFen and Ellen
his wife.
1638. Nov. 30. Marie Jenings : her mother in travayle of child
birth was brought from Water Eaton to Wolvercote,
from Wolvercote to S. Giles', from S. Giles' to S. Michael's
constable, and his wife with the help of hired women
carried her in a shawle to Carfoxe among the hucksters.
1643. Feb. 9. Marie Cotten, daur. of Mr. Thomas Cotten, servant
to the Lord Northampton.
„ Feb. 25. Mary Hadley, daur. of WiUiam Hadley, one of
Lord Southampton's groomes.
„ March 3. Thomas Simpson, son of Thomas Simpson, one
of the King's pulterers. ¦
„ April 22. James Nichols, son of M' Nichols, one of the
Queen's coachmen.

Appendix IV 133
1644. July 21. Joseph, son of Joseph Verney, a souldier as Mary
the mother saith.
„ Sept. 5. Katherine Chumley, daur. of Capt. Thomas
Chumley.
1645. March 30. George, a strange woman's son (bom) in the
Church Porch.
1674. March 8. Elizabeth, daur. of John Fox, a stranger whose
wife fell in travaill at the cundit, but by the care of
M=-' Wildgoose and M'^ Palmer, the wardens, she was
safly deliverd at the sign of the Sone (Sun) Inn.
1675. Oct. 8. Ann, daur. of Thomas Hathway. Baptized by her
Grandmother when she was ded ^.
1676. Oct. 13. Grace, daur. of Patrick Brees, the first peall of
S. Martin's Bells wringging at the same time when they
wor first (tried ?). '
1679. Dec. 15. Dorothy, daur. of M' Sebastian Smith, baptized
at home being like to die, and confirmed at Church.
1695. Dec. 27. Sarah, daur. of Edward Swift.
1698. Oct. 5. Mary, daur. of Robert Spindler, Draper.
„ Feb. 12. Edward, son of Edward Swift, Meal dresser.
1699. March 8. WiU", son of Rob* Spindler, Mercer.
1701. June 32. Hannah, daur. of Edward Swift, Mealman.
„ Nov. 15. Jane, daur. of Robert Spindler, Mercer.
1702. Nov. 30. Kate, daur. of Robert Spindler, Mercer.
1704. May 21. Anne, daur. of Robert Spindler, Mercer.
1705. Nov. 8. Bond Spindler, son of Rob. Spindler, Draper.
„ Aug. 13. John, son of Edward Swift, Mealman.
1707. April 24. Robert, son of Robert Spindler, Mercer.
1708. May 27. Richard, son of Robert Spindler, Mercer.
1709. Aug. 14. Elizabeth, daur. of Edward Swift, mealman.
1710. July 6. Samuel, son of Rob* Spindler, mercer.
1713. Dec. 20. John, son of Robert Spindler, mercer.
1724. Jan. 15. Mary Carfax, a foundling. —
1731. Nov. 30. Mary Ann, daur. of John Austen.
1732. Jan. 14. Anna, daur. of M"^ John Austen.
1733. Dec. 9. William, son of John Austen.
1734. Dec. 2. Eliz., daur. of John Austen.
1735. Debora, daur. of M' John Treacher.
1736. June 15. John WUliam, son of John and Ann Austen.
„ March 2. Mary, daur. of John and Mary Treacher.
1739. Aug. 4. Elizabeth, daur. of John and Mary Treacher.
1 A registry of birth. But, no doubt, the grandmother hoped
a lingering spark of life would make the baptism effectual to avert
the cruel fate, to which, as was then believed, the unbaptized were
doomed. Set Jeanne D'Arc, Her Life and Death, by Mrs. Oliphant,
1896, p. 291.

134 St. Martin's, Oxford
1741. Oct. 20. Elizabeth, daur. of John and Mary Stout.
I74f . Jan. 10. Joseph, son of Jabez and EUzabeth Jagger.
I74f. Jan. 9. Thomas, son of John and Mary Treacher.
1744. June 26. Elizabeth, daur. of John and Mary Austen.
„ Dec. 26. Charles, son of Charles and Elizabeth Moor.
I74f. Jan. 17. Elizabeth, daughter of Jabez and Eliz. Jagger.
1745. Nov. 5. Jarvas, son of John and Ann Austen.
1746. July 10. Thomas, son of Charles and Eliz. Moore.
1747. Sept. 18. William, sonof WiUiam and Eliz. Eaton.
1749. April 29. WiUiam, son of Thomas and Mary King.
„ Aug. 17. John, son of Thomas and Mary King.
„ „ Mary, daur. of William and Eliz. Eaton.
1752. March 36. Mary, daur. of Jabez and Eliz. Jagger.
„ July 29. Sarah, daur. of Thomas and Mary King.
„ Oct. 9. Mary, daur. of William and Eliz. Eaton.
1754. Feb. 5. WiUiam, son of Thomas and Mary King.
„ April 4. James, son of WiUiam and Eliz. Eaton.
1755. Jan. 23. Charles, son of Thomas and Mary King.
„ June 5. Ann, daur. of Jabez and EUz. Jagger.
1756. May 3. Samuel, son of Charles and EUz. Moor.
1759. Sept. 5. Richard, son of William and Eliz. Guy.
1763. July 26. Elizabeth, daur. of George (sic) and EUz. Moore.
1771. June 7. William, son of George and Eliz. Moore.
1774. July 20. Catherine, daur. of George and Eliz. Moore.
1779. Sept. 28. Thomas, son of Thomas and Eleanor Bush.
„ Nov. 6. Sarah, daur. of John and Sarah Swift.
1780. Nov. 20. Anne, daur. of Tho. and Eleanor Bush.
1781. May I. Samuel, son of Samuel and Skeate Moore.
„ Nov. 9. Thomas, son of John Joseph and Charlotte
Taunton.
,, Dec. I. John, son of John and Sarah Swift.
1782. Sept. 9. Charles, son of Samuel and Skeate Moore.
„ Oct. 21. Eliz., daur. of Tho. and Eleanor Bush.
,, March. Ann, daur. of John and Eliz. Tubb.
,, Aug. 30. Mary and Elizabeth, twin daurs. of John and
Sarah Swift.
1783. Dec. 14. John, son of John and EUz. Tubb.
1784. Jan. 10. Sarah, daur. of Thos. and Eleanor Bush.
„ Feb. 13. John Rusher, son of Thos. and Eliz. Eaton.
„ Feb. 18. Susannah, daur. of Samuel and Skeate Moore.
„ Aug. 13. Margaret, daur. of WiUiam and Marg. Hyde.
1785. Jan. 23. Skeate, daur. of Samuel and Skeate Moore.
„ Feb. 6. Elizabeth, daur. of John and Eliz. Tubb.
1786. March 24. Christopher, son of Thomas and EUz. Eaton.
„ April 8. Mary Ann and Edward, twins of John and Sarah
Swift.
,, AprU 24. EUz., daur. of Samuel and Skeate Moore.

Appendix IV 135
1786. Aug. 26. John Comwal, son of John and Eliz. Tubb.
,, Sept. 16. Robert, son of Thomas and EUz. Hardy.
1787. Aug. 12. Mary Ann, daur. of Thomas and Eliz. Eaton.
,, Sept. 14. Maria, daur. of Samuel and Skeate Moore.
,, Nov. 28. Sally, daur. of John and Eliz. Tubb.
N.B. — No Register kept between Sept. 30, 1653, and Jan. 23, 1660.
The foUowing memorandum is entered in the Register of
Baptisms : —
Oct. ye 14, 1705. Those that received the Sacrament belonging
to the Council Chamber on the Lord's Day, comenly caUed
Sunday. M"^ Paine, Mayor.
M' Robert Harison.
M=^ Phillcox ) .R,-,, „
M' Broadwatter \ ^^"y®"
M'' Lay Mayor's Child ^

ChamberUns.

M' Dubbar
M"^ Smith
M'' Curten.
M' Neale.
M"^ Cox.
M"^ Vincent.
M' Brock.
* The Mayor had or assumed the right of nominating a Councillor,
who was called his ' child.'

APPENDIX V
EXTRACTS FROM REGISTER OF BURIALS FROM
1563 TO 1789
1563. March 5. Maud Flaxne, wife of Richard Flaxne.
„ April J I, Richard Jannay, scoler, sonne of Thos. Jannay,
of Westhyd, Hereford.
1564. Sept. 14. A chrisom child, sonne of Thomas Wadlye.
1566. Nov. 20. Nobell, sonne of Will"" NobeU.
1568. Jan. II. Stevin, sonne of Rychard Flexny.
„ March 17. James DodweU.
1 57 1. June 7. Jane, daur. of Pearse UnderhiU.
1577. Sept. 12. M"' Bernard Archdaile ^
„ Nov. 28. John, commonly called Jack.
1578. May 15. M'RichardWhittington,lateAldermanofthiscity.
1591. Jan. 3. M™ Mary Glasier, wife of D"^ Glasier.
1592. April 2. M''= Noble, wife of Alderman Noble.
„ Dec. 22. Thomas Wiblin, of the Floure de luce \
1593. Sept. 14. John, ofthe F]oi,|rR dq luce.^
„ Sept. 19. WiUiam, ofthe saine house.
1614. June I. Thomas, sonne of Francis Harris, buried at
Woddom CoUedge.
1615. May 20. Andrew MiUs, a stranger, died in Church porche',
buried in Church yard.
1619. Dec. 23. M"^ Alderman Payne.
1622. April 5. Jane Davenett, wife to John Davenett, then Mayor
of this city.
„ April 23. John Davenett, then Mayor of this city.
„ Dec. 20. N. Snell, a poore man from the Crowne.
1625. Oct. 24. Robert Willmot, lately Bailiffe of this Citie,
a parishioner in S. Peter's in the Bailie.
1627. Oct. 14. John Stone, sonne of M'^ Tho. Stone, and servant
to D' Weston, Canon of Christ Church.
1629. Nov. 4. Matthew Jennings, the Parish Clerk.
'¦ A lawyer, died, year of Black Assize.
' In St. Aldate's, where Thompson's China Shop now is.
" Church Porch, a recognized sanctuary ; births aud deaths occurred
there.

Appendix V 137
1629. Nov. 26. WiUiam Samsone, Innkeeper of the Flowerde,
luce.
1631. Aug. 5. John Chaunter, Tapster at the sign of the
Castell.
1633. Feb. 10. Edmund Badger, ofthe signe ofthe Sunne.
1635. Aug. 13. George Barton, Inn-holder.
„ Feb. 8. M" Prudence Panyan, wife of WiUiam Panyan,
Inholder.
1636. Oct. I. M^ Thomas Hallam, Vintner'.
1638. July 14. M-^o Dina Chillingworth, wife of M' Ralph
Chillingworth of S. Thomas' parish.
1639. May 21. Tobias Carter, a poore man brought from
Tithingman to Tithingman and so to Widow Squire,
died in S. Martin's parish''.
,, Aug. 26. Thomas Ffalconer, Chamberlaine of y^ Crosse-Inn.
„ Dec. 16. M' WiUiam Applebey, once Chamberlaine of this
citie of Oxon.
„ Jan. 12. M' Thomas Dewe, Inkeeper.
„ Feb. 24. John Dewe, sometime Maior of this Citie.
1640. Aug. 13. M"^ Thomas Cooper, sometime Maior of this citie
and Burges of the ParUament icjx this citie, and then
Alderman.
„ Sept. 14. M^ Jacob Piers, Churchwarden.
„ March lo. Richard Cuble, bastard son of Elizabeth Cuble.
1641. Aug. 26. John, the osier at y^ Roe Buck.
1642. Oct. 30. John Hand, an old Almes-man.
„ Nov. 16. John Wells, Earle of Southampton's Coachman.
„ Feb. 27. Richard, Earle of Dorset's wagoner.
1643. March 26. John Davis, a souldier.
„ April 8. M' Th. Pen.
„ April 12. M' Th. Shrieve.
„ April 15. M"^ John Keller, his Maj*'®^ servant.
„ April 16. M'' Henrie Lettice, L* Arundel's servant.
„ April 27. M'^ Edward Poole, Prince Charles his servant.
„ April 19. George, the Osier at the signe ofthe Castle.
„ April 21. M' Joseph  the Headgroome of His M*'°^
Stables.
„ April 24. James, son of Robert Coxhead.
„ April 25. W. Clarke, son of M"^ Clarke, one of His M.^'^
servants.
,, May I. Jane, daur. of Roger Derbey, a souldier.
„ May 2. M=^ Th. Ffield, Lieutenant.
„ May 6. M' Geo. Terent, Lieutenant.
„ May 12. Tim., son of M'^ WiUiam Harris.
' Son-in-law and successor to John Davenant.
^ ' Who is whipped from tything to ty thing.' ICingLear,a.ctiii.sc. 4.

138 St. Martin's, Oxford
1643. June 3. Captaine Ffrancis Newton.
„ June 12. Brian  a poore Souldier.
„ June 20. WiUiam Curfield, a poore souldier.
„ July I. Laurence Target, one of his M*i»= Slaughter men.
„ July 4. Simon Seale.
„ July 6. Edward Summers, one of the Earl Southampton's
Groomes.
„ July 8. Richard Ffriers, a souldier.
„ „ Richard Knap, an appntise.
„ July 14. Thomas Andrews, an Housekeep.
„ July 16. John Crane, one of Earle Dorset's gentiemen.
„ July 18. Robert Conisby, Lieutenant Colonel.
„ „ Walter Norton, Knight.
„ July 21. Ffrancis, son of M"^ George Prince, (freehold).
„ July 23. Rodolph Mortize, Gent" nigh to Reading.
„ July 24. M''^ Jane Shrieve, wydow, and a poore souldier
from the Crosse.
„ July 25. Ursula Sanpol, wife of M"^ T. Sanpol.
„ July 26. M"^ Josias Brome, his M*'^^ Serjeant trumpetter.
,, July 27. WiUiam Sherman, one of Duke of Richmond's
groomes.
>i J'Jly 3°- Elizabeth Seale, wydow, and Tobias Payne's daur.
„ Aug. 3. John  a souldier : then William Walter, a city
chamberlaine : then Katherine, wife to Rich. Ely (free
hold) : then Katherine Wright, Alderwoman.
,, Aug. 6. William Preston.
„ Aug. 7. WiUiam Broadwater : then Richard Lacy, Capt".
„ Aug. 12. Henry Skipwith, Groome.
„ Aug. 16. Jane, wife of M"" George Coleman.
„ Aug. 19. Annie, daur. of M' Samuel Cockram, Mercer :
then M"'' Ann Pen, wydow : then M' John Herringman,
one of his M*'^^ yeomen.
„ Aug. 22. Robert Rankin, M"^ Murrey's friend.
• „ Aug. 24. William Turton, Ironmonger.
„ Aug. 25. Robert Ashbol, a Coachman of London.
„ „ Edward  M^ Philips' man.
„ Aug. 28. Ewin Saars, one of the Queenes Washmen.
„ Sept. 14. M"^ John Church.
„ Sept. 15. M'^ John Hendrid, of Ffleet Street, Hatter.
„ Sept. 16. John Lambe, Chamberlaine at y« Roe Buck.
„ Sept. 20. Lewes S* Paul : then M"^ Richard Andrews,
a London Vintner.
,, Sept. 23. Tobie Poyner.
„ Oct. 2. Petre de Termins.
,, Oct. 8. From Newcomb's house an Embroyderer.
,, Oct. 9. Ffrom M' James Short's, a souldier.
,, Oct. 19. Ffrom y« Crowne Ann Asbol, wydow, Robert

Appendix V 139
Asbol's relict : then M'^ Robert Hunt a Mintm'^ from
New Inn\
1643. Oct. 21. Ml' William Combes, one of his M*>«8 servants.
„ Oct. 23. Magdalen, daur. of M^^ John Hunt, mercer.
), „ M"^ Henrie Howson (freehold).
,, Oct. 22. PhiUp Newcomb.
» ., M"^ Nicholas Smith, S"^ Charles Grandison's
Coachman.
„ Oct. 24. Robert Ransford.
„ Oct. 27. M^^ Grace Bushey.
„ Oct. 29. W^ Jane Brent.
„ Nov. I. M^^ John Turbervil.
„ Nov. 2. Grace Shrieve, a Uttle child.
„ Nov. 6. M" Judith Grizol.
„ Nov. 12. Thomas Coleman, a Chamberlaine: then from
the Cross Inn, Edward  the Queene's postiUon.
„ Nov. 18. John Bayly, an appntise.
„ Nov. 16. Mary, daur. of M^' WUliam Harris.
„ „ Edmond, son of E. Turton.
„ Nov. 27. Yeoman Thanet Matthews, of his M'i^^ slaughter
house.
-,, Nov. 28. Edward, son of Edward Turton.
„ Dec. 24. Richard, a poore yong man.
„ Jan. 5. James, son of M"^ James Watson.
„ Jan. 7. Jane, daur. of M^' John Bird.
„ Jan. 24. Jane, wife of John Banks.
„ Jan. 30. Margaret, daur. of George Wells deceased, his
posthume.
„ Feb. 5. Ml' John Harper, servant to the L* Grandison.
„ March 8. Thomas Cogan.
„ March ii. M'^ Daniel Hough of Lincoln CoUedg, feUow
and Bachellor of divinitie.
„ March il. Henry Clearke, a Court Tayler.
„ March 17. M^-' George Chambers the elder, Stationer,
1644. April 8. M"^ Edward Stewart, one of Duke of Richmond's
servants.
„ May 30. M^^ Glover and M"^ Brian, two souldiers.
„ June 4. M^^ Francis Nichols, the Prince's PurvTor.
» J'ity 3- ^^ Richard Brigges, one of Lord Dorsets.
„ Aug. 6. Lewis Bushey, one of the Prince's Chirurgions.
„ Aug. 15. M' Francis Tabort, Major Hall's nephew, a
gentleman souldier.
„ Aug. 20. M'^ Thomas Davis, his M*i^^ Grane keeper.
1645. Jan. I. John Cannan, King Charles' yomen rider of his
horse : he died at the King's Head.
' The Mint was at New Inn. See Wood's Life and Times (Clark),
i- 94-5-

140 5/. Martin's, Oxford
1645. April 27. Mathew, son of M"" OUver at the Roe Bucke.
„ May 12. Two strainge soldiers from the Roebucke, tog''
in one grave.
„ July 9. Ann, wife of Nicolas Barton, a very old woman.
„ July 27. Nicolas Barton, a very old man.
„ Aug. 5. Trump's maid of the plaige.
„ Aug. 29; M'^ John Brise, a coronet to Maiger Twiss, he
died at M'' Wrenth his house, being wounded and shot.
„ Aug. 31. M'^ Coolie, the Toonsmith's sonne from the shope
at Wroe boocke of the plaige.
„ Sept. 13. Henry Brise, the Coronet's brother, a trooper
under Major Twiss.
„ Dec. 15. George Ingle, Major Twiss his trumpeter from
the Rowe boocke.
_„_ — Y^h. 4. M'' Giles Widdowes, Rector, in the chancel.
„ Feb. 1 5. Anne Gibbons, a souldiers child from the Roebuck.
„ March 6. Thomas Langton, a Trouper.
1648. May 24. WilUam, son of M'^ WiUiam Shenton the
apothecary.
„ Aug. 19. WUUam Williams, Osier of Rede Lion.
„ Sept. 8. A soldier from M^' S* Palles house.
„ Sept. 24. A soldier from M'^^ Seides.
1650. Feb. 15. A chreesom (chrisom) female child of M' John
Hunte's.
1651. May 29. A still borne child of Sargant Goole, a soldier
that married with Ann Cooper.
1652. Sept. 14. A male child still borne of Sargant Goole, who
married Ann Cooper.
„ , Sept. 22. Rogger, son of M'' Rogger Grififen.
1664. Feb. 24. Thomas, a Gentleman's man who died at ye
King's Head.
1666. Feb. 10. M'' Henry Thrupp, keeper ofthe Cytie prison.
1667. Feb. 28. James, son of Henry Ffigos, petty merchant.
1670. Jan. 6. Richard Goodson, from y® Fleur de Luce.
„ Jan. 8. Thomas Williams, an Attorney in the City Court.
_, „ March 14. EUzabeth, daur. of M'' Turton of the Crowne
Tavern.
1671. March 30. M"' SoUadine Lichfield, Esq''^ Beedle, in the
Church chancel.
1672. May II. M™ Bristow, an ancient woman, daur. of M'^ John
Davenant.
1674. Dec. 13. John GiUs, at the 3 Cups.
„ Jan. 8. The daughter of M'' Gudgion at the Sun.
1675. Aug. 12. M^'^ HaU at the Mearemaid.
„ May 23. John Goodey, Drawer at the Crown Tavern.
„ June 12. An Oringe man at the Rowbuck.
- „ March 27. M'' Thomas Brinkfield at the Crowne Inn.

Appendix V 141
1677. July 2. Roger Grififen, Alderman.
„ July 24. M™ Hall, mother to M'' HaU, late Mayor of this
city.
1678. Oct. 22. George Harris, a soldier to Capt" Townley.
„ Oct. 26. Joseph Gregory, a soldier to Capt" Townley.
„ Feb. 18. John Dorney, a soldier in S* John Talbot's Compy.
1679. Aug. 26. M'^ WiUiam MorriU of y^ Crown Tavern, some
time Mayor of this city.
„ Sept. 17. Ml' William Cornish, sometime Mayor of this city.
1680. Feb. 4. M" Painton, ys wife of the Town Clerk.
1681. July 27. M'' John Paynton, Town Clerk of this city.
,, Oct. 6. M™ Grace Wilson from the Crown Tavern. No
affidavit brought within eight days, and a certificate
thereof delivered to M'^ Platon one of y^ overseers.
They intended to bury the corpse in Unen, and did so ;
therefore, there was no affidavit delivered, having in
formed themselves to save y® moyety of y® forfeiture,
and the Rector let it pass without complaint '.
1683. July 26. Ml' WUlm Bayly, Alderman of -f city.
1685. Sept. 17. Ml' John Longford of AU S*^ parish, Baylifife of
y^ city.
,, Oct. 12. Robert Bell, churchwarden.
1701. Jan. 3. Ml' Grubb, Scoolmaster.
,, April 13. Mary, daur. of M'' Grubb, Scoolmaster.
1702. April 17. Robert Duke, Clarke of tliis parish.
,, Sept. 7. Nicholas de Young, Foreigner.
1703. Oct. I. My Lady Smith.
1705. April 3. Ann, daur. of Robert Spindler, mercer.
,, June 20. Anne, wife of Samuel Thurstan, Town Clarke of
y^ citty Oxon.
1706. Aug. I. The tax on Births, Burials and Marriages expired.
1724. Jan. 16. Mary Carfax^. <^-_-.. — —  -  
1733. Dec. II. WiUiam, son of Jo. Austen.
1734. Dec. 10, EUzabeth, infant daur. of M" Austin.
„ Dec. 17. M" Rich* Treacher.
1735. July 7. Eliz. Grififen.
,, Aug. 18. Eliza Grififen.
1737. May I. Mary Treacher.
,, Oct. 14. Deborah Treacher.
,, Jan. 5. Mary Spindler.
1 About 1678, to encourage the wool trade, an Act was passed
requiring the dead to be shrouded in woollen. An affidavit of this
having been done had to be produced to the clergyman that buried the
corpse, and a penalty, in case of default, was imposed. In this case, the
relatives informed of the breach of the Act, and saved half the penalty.
^ Baptized the day before, a foundling ; see Baptisms.

142 St. Martin's, Oxford
1738. Dec. 21. Ann Austen. [First wife of John Austen ; see
Inscription.]
1739. Mar. 10. Elizabeth Treacher.
1741. May 3. Robert, son of Robert Spindler.
1744. July 17. Elizabeth Austen.
„ Oct. 8. William Spindler.
1746. Aug. 8. Susannah Treacher.
1747. Oct. 14. Martha Jagger.
„ Nov. 10. Ann Austen. [John Austen's second wife.]
175 1. Dec. 22. Deborah Treacher.
1752. Nov. 7. Elizabeth Eaton.
1755. June 22. Edward Swift.
1757. Jan. 25. Mary Horn.
„ Jan. 26. Ann Jagger.
„ Feb. 16. Elizabeth Horn.
1762. May 9. Mary Swift.
1765. Oct. 14. John Swift.
1766. Oct. 29. John Stout.
1768. June 30. WiUiam Eaton.
„ Oct. 25. Samuel Spindler from London.
1770. Mar. 15. WUliam Guy.
1771. April 18. Jane Eaton.
„ July 2. Richard Guy.
„ Oct. 27. James Stout.
1773. Aug. 23. Anthony Horn.
1774. June 25. Jabez Jagger.
1775. Feb. 16. Christiana Moore.
„ May 18. John Austen.
1777. Dec. II. Ann Fowler.
1778. Oct. 7. Mary Treacher.
1780. March 21. Elizabeth Swift.
„ March 29. John Treacher, Esq.
1781. Dec. 6. Elizabeth Eaton.
1783. July 9. Elizabeth Swift.
„ July 25. Mary Swift.
1784. April 4. John Tubb.
1786. April 16. Skeate Moore.
,, April 29. Susannah Moore.
„ July 12. Edward Swift.
„ Aug. 18. Rev. Thomas Treacher.
1787. Feb. 4. John ComwaU Tubb.
1789. Feb. 7. Margaret Hyde.
,, Mar. 27. Mary and Lucy Treacher.
N.B. — No Register kept between Oct. 6, 1653, and Feb. 28, 1660.
The Register is copied verbatim for the year 1643.

Appendix V

143

LIST OF INNS IN THE PARISH MENTIONED IN
THE BURIAL REGISTER

Sign.

I. Fleur de
Luce (Lys).

2. Mermaid.
3. Castle.
4. Sun.
5. Roe Buck.
6. King's
Head.
7. Red Lion.

S.Three Cups.
9. Cross.

10. Crown.

Situation.

Anciently Battes or Baptist Hall. In
reign of Hen. II the Burgesses' Gild
HaU. In 131 1 caUed ' the Old Yield
(i.e. Old Gild) Hall.' Situate in
Fish(St. Aldate) Street, NW. corner,
whereThompson's china shop now is.
' Corner House at Quatervois.' Proba
bly same as Fleur de Luce. If so, sign
changed between 1670 and 1675.
Anciently Knap Hall, east side of
St. Aldate's.
Stoodon site of Draper'sHall, west side
of Northgate (Cornmarket) Street.
Anciently Merston Hall, east side of
Cornmarket Street.
Anciently Pery HaU, west side of
Cornmarket Street.
Anciently Clare HaU. Became Lion
Inn in reign of Hen. VI. ' Next to
Fleur de Luce and opposite the Gild
HaU door.'
In Queen Street.
Anciently Mauger or Malger's Hall,
on east side of Commarket Street.
In 1387 Richard II granted it to
WilUam of Wykeham, Bishop of
Winchester, who settled it on New
College, its present owner. Hook-
ham, Gadney & Co.'s premises
occupy part of its site.
Anciently Somnore's Inn (which ad
joined Mauger's Hall on its south
side), afterwards the Salutation
Tavern. ' The forraine poleterrers
shall stand between Mauger HaU
and the teneihent called Somnore's
Inn [i.e. from the Crosse Inne doore
to the doore of the Salutation (now
the Crowne) Tavern].' Opposite
the church.

Authority.

Wood's City
of Oxford
(Clark), i.
pp. 202,
303.
Ditto,!, p. 59.

Ditto, i. pp.
151, 478.
Ditto, i. pp.
221, 222.
Ditto, i. pp.
76, 477-
Ditto, i. pp.
224, 225.
Ditto, i. p.
202.

Ditto, i. pp.
n, 78.

Ditto, i. pp.
78, 477-

APPENDIX VI

MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS, WITH BAPTISMAL AND
BURIAL ENTRIES RELATING TO THE WRIGHT
FAMILY Monumental Inscriptions.

Name.

William Wright.
 Wright.

Martin Wright.
Mary Wright.
William Wright.
William Wright.

Inscription.

William Wright, goldsmith,
sometime Mayor and Al
derman of this citie, who
died 26 Feb. 1635.
Waiteth for a joyful resur
rection the body of 
Wright, daughter of  m
(WiUiam) Wright,  (who
died) the 16*11 day of Feb.
1654.
Here enterred resteth the
body of y« worthy citizen
Martin 'Wright, Alderman
and twice Mayor of this
citie of Oxford. He de
parted this life May 14 An°
Doihi 1664, being of the
age of 70 years. He was
buried in or by the grave of
Katherine Mydhap, his
sometime wife, who died
the I Aug* 1643.
Here also Ueth enterred the
body of Mary Wright,
daughter of the said WU
liam Wright. She departed
this life iiii day of October,
An. Dom. 16 — .

Remarks.

Wood's MSS.
F. 29. Mayor
1614.
On flat stone
within altar
rails.

Mayor 1635 and
1655. This flat
stone, with its
four inscrip
tions, was taken
up from within
the altar rails,
removed to All
Saints' church,
and relaid
there.

Appendix VI

145

Name.

William Wright.
Dorothy Wright.
Rev. W.
Wright.

Dorothy Wright.
Dorothy Lambome.

Dorothy Wright.

Inscription.

Here also lieth WiU. Wright,
Esq., son of the same Mar
tin Wright, who served the
city iii succeeding Parlia
ments. He died 26 Oct.
1693, aged 74 years and 4
months.
Here also Ueth WiU. Wright,
y® Grandson of the same
WiUiam Wright, and 2"'^
son of WiUiam Wright,
Esq., Recorder of y^ city,
& of Dorothy his wife. He
died 3 March, 1694, aged
5 years 4 months.
Here lyeth William Wright,
Esq., who was Recorder of
this city 31 years and an
half He dyed y« 8*ii of
March, 1720, aged 62 years
& 2 months. Here also
lyeth Dorothy his second
wife, who dyed Dec. y^ 3"*,
1744, aged 78 years & 4
months. The Rev. W.
Wright obit Dec' 31, 1785.
^tat. 60.
Here lieth the body of Doro
thy Wright ye wife of
WiUiam Wright of this
city, Esq., who died ye -o*^
day of May, A° D"' 168-,
& in ye 24*'! year of her age.
Here also lieth Dorothy
Lambome, widow of Ovey
Lamborne & one of the
daughters of the said Wil
liam Wright by Dorothy
his second wife. She died
March 16, 1 757, aged 59.
In memory of Dorothy
Wright, youngest daughter
of John Dunch of Pusey in

Remarks.

Mayor 1656.

On flat stone in
bodyof church.

stone altar

On flat
within rails.
See next inscrip
tion for oblit
erated dates.

Tablet refixed on
west wall of All
Saints' church.

146

St. Martin's, Oxford

Name.

Inscription.

Berkshire, Esq., & Ann his
wife, of y^ family of the
Majors in Hampshire. She
was y° wife of William
Wright of this city, Esq.,
with whom she lived two
yeares and nine months,
beareing him only a daugh
ter. She was a person so
vertuous in all her actions
& so universally obligeing
in her conversation that as
she lived highly honoured,
so much lamented she died,
May y° 20 in the yeare of
our Lord 1686, her age 24.
Ovey Lam- Hicjacet quicquid morti ces-
bom. sit Ovey Lamborn FiUi
Richardi Lamborn de
Greenfield in agro Oxoni-
ensi Armigeri. Uxorem
duxit Dorotheam Gulielmi
Wright Arrfi. Filiam hu-
jusce civitatis Recordatori.
Obiit 13 die Janu. Anno
Domini 17 — .
Sarah Wright. Here lyes the body of Sarah
Henry Wright, the eldest daughter
Wright. of William Wright, Esq.,
Recorder of the city of
Oxford, & Dorothy his wife.
She died in the year of our
Lord 1716 & in the 3i^*
year of her age. Here also
lieth Henry Wright, Esq.,
one of the sons of William
Wright, Esq., late Recorder
of this city. He died April
24, 1760, aged 66 years.
William Here lieth the body of M'
Wright. WiUiam Wright of this
M. Lydia parish, who departed this
Wright. life May 12, 1742, aged 42

Remarks.

above the gal
lery.

Flat stone within
altar rails, re-
laid in All
Saints' church.
Buried Jan. 18,
174^, and de
scribed in Re
gister as of
Mary Magda
lene parish.
Flat stone within
altar rails.

A rubbing found
in parish box ;
on back is writ
ten, ' Rubbing

Appendix VI

147

Name,

Inscription,

Remarks,

of grave stone
near the
Sheriffs seat.'

years. Here lieth also
the body of M. Lydia
Wright, wife of M" William
Wright, who departed this
life  , I77i,aged7i
years.
The following inscriptions existed in Peshall's time, but
have since perished.
Ann Wright. I Ann, Daughter of Martin I Flat stone
I Wright, dyed Feb. 16, 1654. | chancel.
W. son ) I Nov. I, 1721. Same.
Sara, Da. >of J. Wright < May 7, 1723.
Mary „ J (AprU 9, 1724.
Children of W™ Wright, Esq., Same.
Recorder.
Thomas, Aug. 30, 1695.
Thomas, June 3, 17 — .
Martin, July 10, 1691.
WiUiam, Feb. 7, 1728-9.
Elizabeth, Dec. 3, 1 701.
Katherine Katherine, late wife of J. Wise
Wise. of Hampton Powel in this
CO. gent., daugh. & heir of
R. Seaman, late of Pains-
wick, CO. Glouc, and Ka
therine his wife, & Grand
daughter of Martin Wright,
Alderman of this city, dyed
Jan. I, 1667.
J. Wright. J. Wright, Arm. Consultus, Same.
muneris Senatorii fiduci-
arius, patrem habuit Gul.
Arm. Obit I Nov. 1766,
^t. 73-
Inscriptions missing in PeshalVs time, but
preserved in MSS.
I Ric. Croke de Int. Templo I
1 Lond. Fil.&haer.Ric.Arm. I
L 2

Monument with
in altar rails.

148

St. Martin's, Oxford

Name.

Inscription.

Recordatoris Civit. Oxon,
& EUz. uxor ejus, fii. Martini
Wright, Gen., Alderman
Civit. Oxon. Ob. Jan. 11,
1671.

Remarks.

Recorder, 1679.

REGISTERED BAPTISMS AND BURIALS OF THE
WRIGHT FAMILY.
Baptisms.
1587. Oct. 29. Thomas Wright, son of Mathew Wright.
1590. March 21. Elizabeth Wright, daur. of Mathew Wright.
1594. Nov. 24. Martin Wright.
1596. July 17.  Wright.
1597. Aug. 14. Anne Wright.
1598. Dec. 18. Margaret Wright.
1606. April 15. WUliam Wright, son of William Wright, Gold
smith.
1610. Aug. 6. John, son of WiUiam Wright.
1619. June 29. William Wright, son of Martin and Katherine
Wright.
1623. AprU 21. Jane Wright, daur. of Martin Wright.
1624. March 12. Elizabeth Wright, daur. of Martin Wright.
1626. Jan. 21. Martin Wright, son of M' Martin Wright.
1627. March 23. Marie Wright, daur. of M'' Martin Wright.
1631. April 14. Ann Wright, daur. of M" Martin Wright.
1632. Jan. 6. Henry Wright, son of M" Martin Wright.
1636. Feb. 5. Sarah Wright, daur. of M' Martin Wright.
1649. Dec. 5. Christian 'Wright, daur. of M" WiUiam Wright.
1652. Dec. 27. WiUiam Wright, son of Mi' William Wright.
1661. March 14. Alexander Wright, son of Alexander Wright.
1666. April 17. Martin, son of Alexander Wright.
1668. March 31. Mary, daur. of Alex. Wright.
1670. July 3. William, son of Alexander Wright.
1673. Sept. 30. Elizabeth, daur. of Alexander Wright.

Appendix VI 149
1695. May 5. Alexander, son of WUl. Wright.
1696. Mar. 2. Lydia, daur. of Will"" Wright.
1706. July 14. Catherine, daur. of W" Wright, Goldsmith.
Burials.
1587. Oct. 20. A child of Mathew Wright.
1594. Oct. 14. Joane Wright.
1596. June 7. William Wright.
1613. Feb. 15. Margaret Wright, daur. of M" WilUam Wright.
1627. AprU 4. Martin Wright, son of M" Martin Wright.
1633. Nov. 8. Henry Wright, son of Mi' Martin Wright.
1635. Feb. 28. Mr. WiUiam Wright, Alderman.
1643. Aug. 3. Katherine Wright, Alderwoman.
1650. Feb. 15. Christian Wright, daur. of M' WiUiam Wright,
Goldsmith.
No Register between Oct. 6, 1653, and Feb. 28, 1660.
1664. May 16. Martin Wright, Alderman.
1665. April 18. Martin, son of WiUiam Wright.
1671. Oct. 5. M" Mary Wright, daur. of Alderman Wright, sen.
1674. Sept. 27. Mary, daur. of M"' Alexander Wright.
„ Nov. 24. Elizabeth, daur. of M' Alexander Wright.
1678. March 5. Alexander Wright, a youth, son of Alexander
Wright the Goldsmith.
1680. April 30. Mi^ Katherine Seaman, widow, daur. of Alder
man Wright.
„ Sept. 19. M"^ Katherine Wright, wife of M' Alexander
Wright, the Goldsmith.
1688. Feb. 7. William, son of WiUiam Wright, Esq., Recorder.
1689. May 36. M™ Dorothy Wright, wife of WiU. Wright, Esq.,
of S. Michael's parish.
1691. July 14. Martin Wright, son ofthe Recorder.
1693. Nov. 3. WiU. Wright, Aldr.
1694. Mar. 20. WiUiam, son of Will. Wright, Recorder.
1695. Sept. I. Thomas Wright [probably another son of the
Recorder].
1696. May 26. Lydia Wright.
1 70 1. June 3. Tho. Wright.
„ Dec. 3. EUzabeth Wright.
1702. Sept. 12. Alex. Wright.
171 1. Aug. 22. Martin Wright.
1716. July 31. Sarah Wright.
1720. March 14. William Wright, Recorder.
1721. Nov. 7. M' WilUani Wright | yj^^^^ „f j_ ^^j j^t. See
1723. May 13. Sarah Wright \ Peshall.
1724. April 13. Mary Wright )

150 Sf. Martin's, Oxford
174J. Jan. 18. Ovey Lambome, Esq., of S. Mary Magdalene
parish.
1742. May 16. M" WiUiam Wright.
1744 Dec. 8. M" Dorothy Wright.
1748. April 8. Lydia Wright, brought from Hereford.
1757. March 23. M" Dorothy Lambome, of S. Mary Magd.
parish.
1760. May 2. Henry Wright, Esq., from the parish of Chelsea.
[A son of the Recorder.]
1765. April 30. John Wright, Esq.
1766. Nov. 6. John Wright, Esq.
1780. March 31. Mary Wright.
1786. Jan. 10. Rev. WilUam Wright.
N.B. — Members of the family continued to be buried in the
church some titne after they had ceased to reside in the parish.

APPENDIX VII
INSCRIPTIONS IN THE CHURCH ON COFFINS, FLAT
STONES, AND TABLETS, AT ITS DEMOLITION
IN JULY AND AUGUST, 1 896

Name.

Thomas Cole.
Roger
Griffen.

Griffen.

William Bayly.

MorreU.

Inscription.

[Top obliterated].
Thomas Cole  late
wife  9  1665.
. Here Ue ye bodies of
Roger Griffen, Alderman
of this city, and of 
his wife. He died June

 , she died Sept. v.
3. [Top broken off].
Daughter of Alderman
Griffen and Ursula
daughter  .
He died Sept. 22, 1690,
she died Dec. I, 1708;
their daughter Sept. 19,
1690.
4. In hope of a joyful resur-
rectionHere liethenterred
y^ body of WUUam Bayly,
Alderman and twice
Mayor of this city, who
dyed in y^ 64 yeare of
his age, July y" 18, Anno
Dni. 1683.
4". [Top broken ofif]. Also
 the wife of Wil
liam MorreU, died March
6, 1696.

Remarks.

Flat stone in body
of church.
2 and 3, flat stones
in body of church.
Roger Griffen,
Mayor, 1662 ;
buried July 2,
1677. His son
Roger buried
Sept. 22, 1652.
Elizabeth Griffen
buried July 7,
1735. EUza
Griffen Aug. 18,
1735. See Burials
in Appendix V.
Flat stone relaid in
All Saints', near
pulpit. Mayor
1666 and 1681.

Stone dug up dur
ing excavations.
WiUiam MorreU
of the Crown Ta-

152

St, Martin's, Oxford

Name,

Spindler.

George Hinde.
Mary Hinde.

Jaggers.

Inscription,

5. [Top broken off]. Five
daughters, vid.
Ann died Nov"". 13, 1701.

Ann Cath.
Rich*
JohnJane MaryRobert
Wm.

Ap. I, 1705.
Mar. 24, 1 7 10.
Jul. 29, 1712.
Jan. 8, 1713.
Dec. 31, 1731.
Jan. 5, 1731.
4pril — , 171 1.
Oct.  .

Also Robert, husband of
the above Mary Spindler,
who died Feb. 36, 1734,
aged 86.

6. [Top obliterated]. Also
thebody of George Hinde,
sen., gent., who departed
this life March 11, 1739,
aged 70 years. Also the
body of Mary y" wife of
George Hinde, sen., gent.,
who departed this life
Jany. y« 29, 1743-4, aged
84 years.
7. Under this stone in a
vault lieth four . children
of Jabez and Eliz. Jagger.
Joseph died March 1742,
Martha Oct. 1747,
Kathern April 1748, Ann
Feb. 1757. To the above
 Jabez Jagger

Remarks,

vem was Mayor
in 1677, and was
buried Aug. 26,
1679. Seepp.141,
163.
Flat stone in body
ofchurch. Robert
Spindler was a
mercer, and he
and his wife,
Mary Spindler,
had eleven chil
dren, six sons
and five daugh
ters. The two
sons omitted in
inscription were
Bond, baptized
Nov. 8, 1 705, who
became Rector of
St. Martin's, and
Samuel, baptized
JuIy6,i7io. Wil
liam was buried
Oct. 8, 1744.
Flat stone in body
ofchurch. Upper
part of stone had
name of George
Hinde, jun., who
died Sept. 15,
1734. See PeshaU.

They had another
daughter, Mary,
baptized March
26, 1753.

Appendix VII

153

Name.

Green. Guy.

Kirby.
Ridge.

Bowler.

Inscription.

who died June I*, 1 774,
aged 68; also EUzabeth
the wife of Jabez Jagger
who died Jan. — , aged 68.
8. Here lyeth the body of
Mary, the wife of John
Green of this parish, who
died Feb. 27, Anno Dom.
I756,aetat.65. Also here
lyeth the body of John
Green, husband of the
above Mary Green, who
died Sept. 1 1, Anno Dom.
1756, aetat. 64. Sarah
Green diedSept.21,1799,
aged 72. Eliz. Guy died
Oct. 18, 1801.
In a vault under these seats
lieth the remains of
WiUiam Guy, who died
March 12, 1770. Also
Richard his son, who
died June 29, 1 77 1, aged
12 years.
9. In memory of Mary
Kirby, who died 
the 17, 1758, aged 24
years. And Mary Kirby
daughter of John and
Mary Kirby, she died
 17**1, 1759, aged
 .  the wife
of Richard Ridge, who
died  aged  \ —
Weeks. Also Mary, wife
of Richard, who died
 . Also Richard
Ridge.

10. Here lyeth ye body of
John Bowler of this parish
who departed this life

Remarks.

* Probably June 21,
as he was buried
June 25.
Flat stone.

This part inscribed
lengthwise.

Flat Stone. John
Kirby was buried
Oct. 20, 1758;
Mary, the infant
daughter, Feb.
20, 1759.
TheRegister has the
foUowing burials :
1770, Aug. 17,
Richard Ridge.
1773, Jan. 6,
EUzabeth Ridge.
1773, Oct. II,
Catherine Ridge.
1787, June 6,
Robert Ridge.
Flat stone.

154

St, Martin's, Oxford

Name,

James.

Home.

Stout.

Austen.

Inscription,

Feb. the 7, 1742, aged
46 years. Also Alicia his
widow, late wife of Geo.
Peace, who departed this
life June 38, 1748,aged4i.
II.  James in the 47"!
year of her age. Also Ed
ward James,whodied Jan.
3i I773>aged 33 years.
1 2. In memory of Elizabeth
the wife of Anthony
Home, who died the
 aged 52 years.
Also Anthony Home, her
husband, who died 
1773, aged 67 years.

13. Here lyeth the body of
M* Francis Stout, wine
merchant, who departed
this life June 16 

Remarks.

Also of the above men
tioned John Stout, wine
merchant, who departed
thislifeOct.27, 1766, aged
63. And also James their
son, who departed this
life Oct. 23, i77i,aged 38.
14. Near this place resteth
the Remains of John
Austen, Esq., Alderman
and three times Mayor
of this city, who departed
this life the 14 day of
May, 1775, aged 69. Also
of Ann his first wife, who
departed this Ufe Dec. 19,
1738. AndAnnhissecond
wife, who departed this
life Nov. 7, 1747.

Flat stone.

This stone stood
against church
wall in church
yard. Anthony
Horn was buried
Aug. 23, 1773;
Elizabeth Horn,
Feb. 16, 1757;
Mary Horn, Jan.
25, I7S7-
Flat stone. Middle
part illegible.
Elizabeth Stoute
buried June 29,
1746.

Memorial tablet re-
fixed on west wall
of AU Saints',
above gallery.
Maypr, 1742,
1761, and 1771.
His son WiUiam
buried Dec. 11,
1733; hisdaugh-
terEIizabethDec. 10, 1734.

Appendix VII

155

Name.

Treacher.

Treacher.

Hyde.

Bush.

Inscription.

15. J. Treacher, ob. March
22, 1780. M. Treacher,
ob. Sept. 30, 1778. The
Rev. Thos. Treacher ob.
Aug. II, 1786.
16. [Top broken off].
Daughters of the Rev.
Thomas Treacher and
Mary his wife.

Smith.
Fowler.

17. In memory of WiUiam
Hyde, who died May 24,
1796, aged 61 years.
Also Margaret, daughter
of WilUam and Margaret
Hyde, who died Feb. 10,
1780, aged 4 years and
6 months.
18. Eleanor Bush, wife of
Thomas Bush, died
March 8, 1785.

Remarks.

19. In a vault near this
place are buried the

Flat stone. John
Treacher, Mayor
1763.
The following
burials in Regis
ter : —
Richard Treacher,
Dec. 17, 1734.
Mary Treacher,
May I, 1737.
Deborah Treacher,
Oct. 14, 1737-
Elizabeth Treacher,
March 10, 1739.
SusannahTreacher, Aug. 8, 1746.
Deborah Treacher,
Dec. 22, 1751.
Mary Treacher,
Oct. 7, 1778.
Mary and Lucy
Treacher, March 27, 1789.
Flat stone. Father
of John Hyde,
who was Rector
of St. Martin's
I 800-1 838.

Flat stone within
altar rails. A
son (Thomas) of
Thomas and
Eleanor Bush
baptized Sept.
28, 1779 ; a
daughter, Ann,
baptized Nov. 20,
1786.
Memorial tablet
refixed on west

156

St. Martin's, Oxford

Name.

Bush.

Moore.

King.

Inscription.

Remains of M"' John
Smith of this parish,
Ironmonger, who died
April I, 1754. Also Ann
his wife, who died Sep.
3, 1763. Likewise two of
their daughters, Sarah
died Nov. 22, 1734,
Mary died Feb. 9, 1755.
In the same vault are
enterred the bodies ' of
Ml' Thomas Fowler of
this parish, Ironmonger,
who died May 7, 1772.
Also Ann his wife,
daughter of the above
John and Ann Smith,
who died Dec. 8, 1777,
and Eleanor Bush, who
died March 8, 1785, aged
38.
30. Daughters of Samuel
and Skeate Moore. Su
sannah died April 7,
1786, aged 3 years and
2 months. Skeate died
AprU  1786, aged i
year and 3 months.
Sophia died July 18,
1791, aged 6 years. Hales
Moore died July 23, 1798,
aged 7 years. Samuel
Moore died Sept. 17,
17— aged 78 years and
— months. Eliza Moore,
wife of Charles Moore,
died March 20, 1808,
aged 87. Charles Moore,
the son of Samuel and
Skeate Moore, died Jan.
II, 1815, aged 82 years.
Also Harriett 
21. [Top broken off]. Of

Remarks.

waU of AU Saints',
above gallery.

Flat stone.

Flat stone.

Appendix VII

157

Name.

Hardy.

Ensworth.

Swift.

Inscription.

this parish, who died
Jan. 9, 1781, aged 69
years. Also Elizabeth,
wife of the above Francis
King, who died Jan. 27,
1795, aged 78.
22. Thomas Hardy died the
21 Dec. 1797, aged 9
months. Rob. Hardy
ob. 30 Jan. 1787, aged
I year and 3 months.
Thos. Hardy died 29
Sept. 1790. Mary Hardy
died 19 Oct. 1791, aged
4 months. Catherine
Hardy died 4 Oct. 1794,
aged 14 days.
23. Under this stone rest
the remains of Mary
Ensworth, Daughter of
Thomas and Mary Ens
worth of this city. She
departed this life August
1806, aged 33 yrs.
24. A vault in memory of
4 sons and 5 daughters
of John and Sarah Swift.
Also John Swift Smith
their grandson. Also
Sarah, wife of John Swift,
who died Feb. I, 1817,
aged 61.

Remarks.

Flat stone.

Flat stone.

Flat stone. The
following bap
tisms and burials
of this family
are registered : —
Baptisms. Sarah,
daughter of John
and Sarah Swift,
Nov. 6, 1779;
John, their son,
Dec. I, 1781.
Burials. Edward,
June 22, 1755;
Mary, May 9,
1762; Elizabeth,
July 9, 1783 ;
Mary, July 25,
1783 ; Edward,
July 12, 1786.

158

St. Martin's, Oxford

Name.

Eaton.Eaton.

Tubb.

Inscription.

35. Elizabeth Eaton, aged
35. Died  19, 1822.
26. Sacred to the memory
of Elizabeth, wife of
Richard Eaton of this
parish, who departed this
life on the ig day of
March 1832, aged 35
years.

27. Sacred to the memory
of John Tubb, who died
Aug. 36, 181 1, aged 52
years. Also EUzabeth
his wife, who died April
9, 1824, aged 61 years.

Remarks.

On cofiSn plate in
vault.
Tablet refixed on
west wall of All
Saints', above
gallery. The
following bap
tisms and burials
in this family : —
Baptisms. 1747,
Sept. 1 8, William,
son of WiUiam
and Elizabeth
Eaton ; 1750,
Aug. 17, Mary,
their daughter ;
1752, Oct. 9,
Mary, their
daughter; 1754,
April 4, James,
their son ; 1784,
Feb. 13, John
Rusher,theirson ;
1786, March 24,
Christopher,their
son ; 1787, Aug.
12, Mary Ann,
their daughter.
Burials. 1752,
Nov. 7, Elizabeth
Eaton ; 1768,
June 30, WiUiam
Eaton ; 1771,
April 18, Jane
Eaton;- 1 78 1,
Dec. 6, Elizabeth
Eaton.
On stone in church
yard. A John
Tubb, buried
April 4, 1784, and
a John Cornwall
Tubb,Feb.4,i787.

Appendix VII

159

Name.

Inscription.

Hinde.

Gadney.

Paynton.

Turton.

And of WiUiam ComweU
Tubb their son, who died
Oct. 7, 1803, aged 14
years. Also of Michael
Tubb, who died June
26, 1825, aged 31 years.
28. Here lieth the body of
George Hinde, who de
parted  September

Remarks.

29.  Gadney -
aged 3 months.

PeshaU gives the foUow
ing inscriptions as ex
isting in his time : — ¦
J. Paynton (son and heir of
Joh. Gent. Town Clerk
of this city and Ann his
wife), Aug. 29, 1675.
John the Father, July 26,
1680.
W™ Turton, Jan. 10, 1690.

Flat stone.

Flat stone within
altar rails. There
are numerous
registered bap
tisms and burials
of the Gadney
familyreaching as
far back as 1736.

Monument in north
isle. Town Clerk
1663.

WUliam Turton,
Ironmonger,
buried Aug. 24,
1643. Edmond
and Edward, sons
of Edward Tur
ton, buried Oct.
26 and Nov. 28,
1643. Elizabeth,
daughter of Mr.
Turton of the
Crown Tavern,
buried March 14,
1670. See Regis
ter.

i6o

St. Martin's, Oxford

Name.

Cornish. Evans.
Spindler.

De
Conyngsby.

Inscription.

Flat stone.

M' Will. Cornish sometime
Mayor of this city, dyed
Sep. l6, 1679.
Catherine widow of J.
Evans, M.A., Archdeacon
of Llandaff and Canon
Resid. of Hereford, dyed
Oct. 16, 1757.
Sam. Spindler, Esq., dyed
Oct. 16, 1768.
Peshall gives the following
epitaph as missing but
preserved in MS.
Round the verge in
Saxon characters : —
 de Conyngsby quon
dam Rector istius ec-
clesiae cujus Aise, &c.
At the end of the
tomb : —
Tho. Cogan repaired this
monument 1642 to the
memory of his ancestors.
The existing flat stones, mentioned in Appendixes VI and VII,
have been relaid, some in the church and the rest in the church
yard of St. Martin and All Saints.

Remarks.

Monument on south
walL Mayor 1672.
Monument in
middle isle.

APPENDIX VIII
ENTERTAINMENT OF THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM,
LORD HIGH STEWARD, ON NOV. 2, 1 6 77

It is to be remembered that on Saturday the 3oth of October
A.D. 1677, Ml' Mayor of this city being made acquainted that
the most noble High Steward, George Duke of Buckingham,
was att Woodstock and was like to continue there for his
Grace's recreation some few days, on Monday the 23 of the
same month M" Mayor called a Council and acquainted the house
with the same and did advise with them whether it was not
requisite for the City to take notice of his Grace being so near
and to invite him to this city ; upon which motion the house
unanimously approved of the same, and did by an Act of
Common Council refer the whole matter to M" Mayor, the
Thirteen and Bailiffs ; and did agree that the city should defray
all expenses whatsoever in relation to this business. Where
upon, immediately after the Council, the same day M" Mayor,
Aid" Wright, Aid" Townsend, Aid" Fifield, M" Lambe, M"'
Eustace and M' Paynton Councillors, being attended by the
macebearer and other ofificers, rode to Woodstock to attend
upon bis Grace to the Manor house there, where being arrived
they were courteously received by some of Lord Lovelace's
servants (their Lord and the Duke being not yet returned from
hunting) and were had into a fayre room and entertayned with
wine, aJe, and other conveniences very respectfully about an
hour's time. At which time his Grace accompanied with my
Lord Lovelace and several other persons of quality returned
to the lodge to dinner. Immediately upon whose return, way
being first made to my Lord Lovelace, his Lordship was pleased
to favour us soe farr as to acquaint his Grace with our attend
ance there, upon which his Grace immediately admitted us
M

i62 St. Martin's, Oxford
into his presence, when the Town Clerk made a short speech
unto his Grace setting forth the occasion of our coming_ thither
to congratulate his Grace's arrivall soe near us and withal to
invite him to Oxon togeather with the noble and worthy compa.ny
with him to accept of an entertaynment from us there, which
invitation his Grace was pleased readily to accept off and did
promisse to give us a visit at Oxon, but did not then sett any
certayne time, but did assure us we should have timely notice,
and did then returne thanks to M" Mayor and the Company
for their kind invitation, and said he tooke it very kindly from
them, and was pleased to call for a glass of wine and drink to
M' Mayor and the Company the prosperity of the city of Oxford,
which was pledged by all the Company, and after several other
courteous expressions of his Grace's respects to us and our duty
to him, being kindly and freely entertayned wjth wine there we
took our leave of his Grace and returned to Oxon. Whereupon
the next day the manner of entertayning his Grace being con
sidered, the Company did earnestly entreat the said gentlemen
before named who attended his Grace att Woodstock togeather
with Alderman Bayly to provide all necessaryes for his reception
here, which th€y were pleased to undertake and did perform it
accordingly as follows. Upon his Grace's coming to Oxon,
which was on^Fryday the 2 of Novembe^there was twenty
Gent" of the Counseil Chamber well mounted and apparelled,
who by command of M" Mayor and the Aldermen attended his
Grace's comeing at the end of the ffranchises and conducted him
into the city, rideing in comely manner two and two before his
Grace's coach, and upon his Grace's approach near the city the
bells at S* Gyles, att Magdalene pi^ii, att S* MichaeUs and
S* Martins did all ring for joy as he passed by, but being come
to Pennyless Bench the City Waites being placed upon the
Leads there proclaymed his welcome, and there M" Mayor and
the Aldermen in their scarlet gownes, cloakes and Tippetts, and
the thirteen and Bayliffs in their scarlet gownes, the Town Clerk
with a gold chayne and the rest of the Counseil in their gownes
in decent manner, being accompanyed with several other persons
of quality, stood ready to receave his Grace, who was pleased
to alight out of his coach and came to the bench to them, being
accompanyed with my Lord Lovelace and divers other persons
of honour. Upon whose approach att the Bench the Town
Clerke made a solemne speech to his Grace to acquaint his
Grace with the antiquity of the Citty and the honour he had
done them by this visite and to welcome him thither and to
acquaint his Grace what high honour and respect the City had
for his noble person, as their lord and patron, and how ready
, they were on all occasions to expresse it. The speech being ended,
after three or four acclamations of joy by the multitude of people

Appendix VIII 163
round about, his Grace was pleased to expresse his kinde
acceptance of it and of his reception here, and went immediately
with Ml' Mayor and the Company through the halls into the
Counseil Chamber, from whence, after some small stay there,
he went with M"' Mayor and the Company to M" Langstone's
house, which was provided for his reception, where was a very
large table covered with damask together with  a ffayre
chaire for his Grace to sett to dinner, which table being richly
furnished with all manner of costly provision, fish and flesh,
after some small retirement in his Grace's private apart
ment, he was pleased to sitt to dinner accompanyed with
Ml' Sampson White, then deputy Mayor for M^ William MorrelD
who lay sick, my Lord Lovelace, Sir John Burlase, Sir Edwafa
Rowney, Sir John Doyly, Sir John Stonhouse, Sir Tymothy
Terrell, Broome Whorwood, Esq.,  and about 30 other
persons of greate ranke and quality, the Aldermen and
Assistants being pleased to stande by and to cause all his
Grace's servants, gentlemen and others to goe to several other
rooms to dinner, there being the before mentioned twenty Gent"
of the Counseil Chamber to attend his Grace and his Company ;
the first course being taken off, the table was furnished with the
second course (if possible) more stately and magnificent than
the former, with all manner of fish and fowle as could be gott
for mony round the country to the very great satisfaction of
his Grace and all the noble Compy with him, in soe much
that his Grace was pleased several times during the dinner
to expresse his approbation of it, and also to declare that he
never saw such entertaynment before for state and comelynesse
and for soe much good meate and (as his Grace was pleased to
call them) well marshalled and suited dishes and soe well
dressed in his life ; the 2"'^ course being taken away and the
cloth, there appeared another damaske cloathe under it, which
being sett immediately with plates, there was a most stately
banquet of all manner of sweetmeates wet and dry, togeather
with tarts, jellies and all other things suitable, which did very
much please and was wonderful! kindly accepted by his Grace
and the whole Compy, who did aU highly expresse their great
surprise in being soe treated by the Citty. And notwithstanding
verry plenty of all sorts of wine the whole businesse was carried
with such prudence and silence by all the Gent" that attended
that there was no disturbance in it, which did very much add
to the honour of it. Besides this there was several other tables
in several other rooms plentefuUy furnished with venison and
other provisions for all the Gent" and for the under officers and
for soe much as the gromes and footmen, all whom had all sorts
of wine at their comand without stint, the Citty Weights playing
aU the while his Grace was in the house.
M a

164 St. Martin's, Oxford
The dinner being ended, his Grace having washed in a very
large silver bason with sweet water prepared for that purpose,
he was pleased to sitt and discourse with the Compy and to
make many expressions of his great satisfaction with his enter
taynment and to drinke some bottles of wine with great mirth
and freedome : until about seven o'clock att night, about which
time with many kind expressions of thanks to M" Mayor and
the Citty he tooke his leave.
The above is copied from City Council Book D, 161, and is pre
sumably from the pen of Mr. Paynton, the then Town Clerk.

APPENDIX IX
PARISH PROPERTY
Lands and Houses.
The parish lands and houses were derived partly from
a grant dated in 1429, and partly from the will of Alderman
William Fleming, who died sometime between 1540 and 1553.
Dec. 5, 7 Hen. 6. By deed of this date, Cecilia Heberfield
of Oxford, widow, granted to John Acton and Nicholas Downe,
churchwardens of St. Martin's parish, one messuage situate in
the hundred without the north gate of the town of Oxford in
the parish of the church of the blessed Mary Magdalen between
a tenement of William ApuUon on the north part and the shop
(shopam) of the chapel of the blessed Mary the Virgin in the
aforesaid church on the south part upon trust to provide (in-
veniant and exhibeant) bread and wine to the officiating priests
in the Church of St. Martin, Oxford, out of the rents and issues
of the said messuage, and to enfeoff their successors (church
wardens of the same parish) upon the same trusts.
The above-mentioned house remained in possession of the
parish till the present century, when it was successively leased
to Worcester and St. John's CoUeges, and was eventually pur
chased by the latter college, which it adjoins. The purchase-
money was invested, and is now represented by a sum of
;^ioi7 17J. lo^., £1 per cent, annuities.
May 7, 1540. By his wiU, inroUed this day in the Mayor's
Court and in the testator's lifetime. Alderman WilUam Fleming,
who was by trade a grocer, gave a tenement in St. Martin's
parish adjoining the west end of the church ; one garden ground
in St. Peter-le-Bailey parish ; and a tenement and garden in
St. Ebbe's parish to the churchwardens of St. Martin's parish
and the parishioners for the time being and their successors
upon certain trusts for the yearly celebration of dirige and mass
for the souls of the testator and Joan his wife : and as to the
residue of the profits of the said lands and houses, the testator
M3

i66 St, Martin's, Oxford
wiUed they should be bestowed, at the discretion of the said
parishioners, upon St. Martin's Church and ornaments needful
for the same.
The parish held these lands and houses from 1 553 to 1560,
paying, however, a rent of 25J. 4d. to the Crown for the same.
After 1560 the Crown took possession of them, and they took
them (it would seem) as forfeited by being given for super
stitious uses. But in 1606, Mr. Ralph RadcUffe, who was then
town clerk and also a parishioner, took the matter up, and
by his energy and perseverance, after a protracted litigation
that lasted till 1 621, recovered the property for the parish with
the exception of the land in St. Peter-le-Bailey, on which
a house had been built ^ The holders of this last-mentioned
property, who may have had a grant or lease from the Crown,
refused to give it up and revived the suit, and the parish, tired
of law proceedings, declined to continue the contest.
In the eighteenth century the tenement in St. Martin's parish,
which had then become two tenements, was sold to the Com
missioners ofthe Oxford Paving Act. for ;£7o, and a quit-rent of
£1 15J., which the parish still receives.
The only part, therefore, of Fleming's bequest still retained
by the parish is the St. Ebbe's property, which consists of
a house and shop in St. Ebbe's Street let for ^30, and a yard
and premises in Church Street, St. Ebbe's, let for ;^6o.
Charities.
Mary Hayes' charity. Yearly sum of ;^i 12s. for a poor
widow. Several other old charities have been lost.
Communion Plate.
I. Silver-gilt Elizabethan chalice and cover. Weight 16 oz.
10 dwt. Date 1598.
2. Silver-gilt paten. Weight 6 oz. 10 dwts. Inscription —
' The gift of WiUiam Marten, Esq., 1632.'
3. Silver-gilt flagon. Weight 31 oz. Inscription — ' For the
use of the Lord's table in St. Martin's Church, Oxon. The gift
of Mr. Daniel Hough, 1645.'
4. Silver-gilt chalice. Inscription — 'The gift of the Rev.
R. C. Hales, Rector, i860.'
^ See ante, pp. 17-19.

APPENDIX X
The following article was included in the Chronicles
of Carfax, edited by me in 1873, and is now reprinted
by the kind permission of its author, the Rev. W. D.
Macray. It is twice quoted by Dr. Neubauer in his
' History of French Rabbis at the commencement
of the Fourteenth Century,' now appearing at inter
vals in the Histoire Litt^aire de France, vol. xxxii.
PP- 507= 508- C.J.H.F.
NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS IN
OXFORD IN THE TWELFTH AND THIRTEENTH
CENTURIES.
The parish of St. Martin, as well as that of St. Aldate and
a third called St. Edward's (which now forms part of St. Aldate's
and All Saints'), was in early days largely inhabited by Jews ^-
While traces of the existence of this people in England during
Saxon times are to be found, it is from the time of the Conquest
that their real history in our country begins to date, when
doubtless they followed in the train of the conquering Norman
knights, and soon began to share the spoils. . In the account
of the tenants of the Crown in Oxford, given in Doomsday
Book (which was compiled in 1086), we find one Jernio and
his son Manasse mentioned as possessing a house. In
1 141, when King Stephen was besieging the Empress Matilda
' In the latter parishes were streets called Great and Little Jewry :
one of these was known by the name of Little Jewry as late as 1440.

1 68 St, Martin's, Oxford
in Oxford, Castle, the Jews living in St. Martin's parish made
payments to him in order to save their houses from being
bumed, after the house of one of them, Aaron, son of Isaac,
had been thus destroyed. Of some time in the early part of
the same century a story is told in the life of St. Frideswide
(which is printed in the Acta Sanctorum for October, vol. viii.
p. 576, and noticed in Tovey's Anglia Judaica, p. 8), which
relates how a young Jew, possessing the apparently untrans-
lateable name of Deus-cum-crescat, profanely mocked at the
miracles said to be wrought by that Saint, first walking lamely
and then erect, and saying that his miracles were thus as good
as hers. He was rebuked by his father, Moses of ¦VV'aUingford,
who is said to have been not so bad as the rest of his brethren,
and in the night, in a fit of judicial insanity, he hung himself.
He was carried to London for burial, as then the Jews were
accustomed to do with their dead, followed by a multitude of
yelping dogs, but on the road the car broke down (no unusual
occurrence then, one may suppose), and the body was thrown
out. This narrative probably speaks of a time not later than
1 150. For in 1177 permission was given to the Jews to have
their own , burial-places wherever they were settled ; and in
Oxford they obtained a piece of ground outside the East-gate,
where afterwards the Hospital of St. John Baptist was built,
and which is now the site of Magdalen College. When the
Hospital was founded, early in the thirteenth century, another
piece of ground was assigned in exchange for the Jews'
Cemetery ; this is now occupied by the Botanic Garden.
The reign of King John was evil for the Jews, as well as for
his EngUsh subjects. Of the Uttle regard which he had for
the laws of m,eum and tuum,, examples seem not to be wanting
with respect to his dealings with the Jews in Oxford ; in 1214
we learn from the Close Rolls that he gave to WiUiam Briwerre
the house belonging to one of them, in compensation for a house
in Winchester; in 1216 to WiUiam, son of Guy, nephew ofthe
Archbishop of DubUn, land and houses which had belonged
to Bonechose and Deulecresse^, Jews in Oxford : while, in 1218,
Henry III ordered the Sheriff of the county not to hinder John
de Navare in the enjoyment of some other houses of Jews which
had been granted to him by his predecessor.
King Henry III was zealous in promoting the conversion of
the Jews ; he founded in 1233 a house of Converts in London
(where now the Rolls House is), in which those who embraced
Christianity were received and maintained, and also did the like
at Oxford, buUding here a house for the purpose, which after
the expulsion of the Jews from England was finally constituted
' The French equivalent of the Latin Deus Crescat ; both are the
translation of the Hebrew Gedaliah.

Appendix X 169
the Guild Hall of the town, in the place of which now stands
the present Town HaU. In January, 1255, he sent some 150
converts (whose names are preserved) to various monasteries
all over the kingdom, requiring that they should be there main
tained for two years ; his request was, however, received with
little or no respect, the monasteries, as we may imagine, not
being at all willing to have these royal almsmen imposed upon
them, and consequently in the following month the application
was renewed in more pressing terms. To Oseney was sent one
Matilda of Oxford, and to the Hospital of St. John Baptist one
Henry the Clerk. Probably the King's charity was sometimes
bestowed upon impostors, and the means adopted in various
ways both of force and favour to propagate Christianity may
have induced some to make a false profession then, as some
times is supposed to be the case now ; one such case, at least,
we learn from the Close RoUs did occur, for on April 5, 1245,
the King ordered the Sheriff of Oxford to imprison a Jewish
convert named Robert Bacun, who had become an acolyte, but
afterwards apostatized, until the Bishop of the diocese (Lincoln)
should determine what to do with him. (May this convert upon
his baptism have possibly chosen the name Bacun in order
the more forcibly to express his forsaking of his old religion ?)
In 1242 one of the Provosts (or Bailiffs) of Oxford was a person
named Pentecost; he appears to have been a very influential
burgess, but is never mentioned in any other way in charters
of the time but under this name alone, which seems distinctly
to point to his having been of Jewish origin, and so, probably
a convert. There were, however, several of this name in Oxford
at the same time; for in 1237-9 we meet with the names of
Thomas son of Walter Pentecost, and Henry son of Henry
Pentecost. The usurious practices of the Jews, and their gradual acquire
ment of landed property by such means, soon became a subject
of complaint ; so that it is no uncommon thing to find it
specified in grants of land that the property is neither to be
given into the dead hand of a religious house nor to the Jews ;
and in 1248 it was ordered that no Jew should receive from
a Scholar of Oxford higher interest than twopence per week
for a pound.
Amongst the Jews resident in St. Aldate's parish at this time
was one Copin, son of Bonefey ; he held a house of the Hospital
of St. John Baptist, at a yearly rent of 4^., which, after his
death, the Hospital re-granted to his widow Mildegoda (whose
seal, bearing a goose with some other animal, and the inscrip
tion ' S' Mildegode Jud.' ' is attached to the original deed among
the muniments of Magdalen College) in 1252, at the increased
rent of 20s. In 1261-2, Cresse, son of Master Mossy (i.e.

170 St, Martin's, Oxford
Moses), of London, and Jacob his brother, bought a house in
AU Saints' parish, of John and Agnes Halegod, for ^30 ;
among the witnesses to the deed of sale are the foUowing Jews :
Master Jacob son of Bonamy ^, Abraham Pernaze, Benedict de
Schola, and Jacob de Excestre. This house, the younger
purchaser, Jacob, sold in 1267 to Robert de Swinbroke. In
the same year also he sold the site for Merton CoUege to the
Founder of that House.
In the following year, 1268, the Jews got into serious trouble
in Oxford. Some of them meeting a procession of the University
going with their Chancellor at their head, according to annual
custom, to the shrine of St. Frideswyde on Ascension Day,
were so daring as to insult and jeer at them, and even at last
committed the outrage of seizing the Processional Cross and
breaking it. The culprits, or chief culprit, not being surrendered
to justice by the rest of the Jews, the King ordered the Sheriff
of the county to seize the property of all until they made com
pensation by erecting a marble cross near Merton College and
presenting one of solid silver for use in University Processions.
The nation was, however, now getting weary of the presence
of Jewish dealers- and moneylenders. Probably a considerable
number of influential people, knights and merchants, laymen
and reUgious corporations, were much in their power as debtors ;
and so in 1290, by unanimous voice of the nation, it was ordered
that all the Jews in England should go into banishment, with
passports and help on their way into France, but leaving all
their property behind for the use of the King. The number
thus exiled is given by one chronicler as 16,511. The names
of some of those who were driven from Orford are learned
from a deed of exchange of house-property in St. Aldate's
between the Hospital of St. John Baptist and William BurneU,
provost of Wells, in 1292, the houses in question having
belonged to Jacob caUed Mildegod (son, no doubt, of the
Mildegoda mentioned above) ; Marra, wife of Benedict le
Eveske ; Samuel de Berkhamstede ; Pya, wife of Benedict de
Kauz ; Avegny, daughter of Benedict de Wynton ; Joseph, son
of Mosses, and Benedict de la Cornere (probably, that is, of the
house at the corner of High Street)— all Jews and Jewesses.
At this date the early history of Jews in Oxford comes to
a close. Much no doubt may be ascertained for these two
centuries from old chartularies and records^; but from henee-
1 Bonechose, Bonefey, and Bonamy— Good-thing, Good-faith, and
Good-friend — were probably French Jews.
^ Dr. Tovey's Anglia Judaica, printed in 1738, contains some further
information, as weU as, of course, Wood's and Peshall's Histories of
Oxford.

Appendix X 171
forth until the time of Cromwell, who was the first again to
permit the open admission of Jews into England, it was only
in secrecy and disguise that the hunted people — hunted at
times everywhere yet always everywhere to be found, often
proscribed yet always prosperous, often cast down yet never
destroyed — could find a home upon English soil, and avenge
hemselves for their wrongs upon English spendthrifts.

OXFORD : HORACE HAHT
PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

3 9002 03455 1631

VAlt
BRITISH HISTORY
PRESERVATION PROJEa
SUPPORTED BY NEH