cs

436 .W8 W67 1913

HXnorcestersbire Bbarieb IRegister Society.

Secretary aiiD treasurer :

MISS WIGHT, Hartlebury, Kidderminster.

Bditor :

REV. R. A. WILSON. Witley Rectory, Worcester.

TL\)c IRegieter ot

Worcester Catbebral,

1693—1811.

TRANSCRIBED BY

E. OPHELIA BROWNE,

THE INTRODUCTION BY

J. W. WILLIS BUND,

AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES BY

REV. F. S. COLMAN.

PRIVATELY PRINTED FOR THE WORCESTERSHIRE PARISH REGISTER SOCIETY.

1913

HAROLD B. LEE LIBRARY

-^^

Morceeterebire lp)ari6b IRegieter Society.

Secrctari? an^ tTreagurer :

MISS WIGHT, Hartlehury, Kidderminster.

BOitor :

REV. R. A. WILSON, Witley Rectory. Worcester,

Z\)c IRegietcr ot

TMorcester Catbebral

1693-lSU.

TRANSCRIBED BY

E. OPHELIA BROWNE,

THE INTRODUCTION BY

J. W. WILLIS BUND,

AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES BY

REV. F. S. COLMAN.

PRIVATELY PRINTED FOR THE WORCESTERSHIRE PARISH REGISTER SOCIETY.

1913.

HAROLD B. LEE LIBRARY

^^M YOUNG UNIVERSITY

PROVO. UTAH

preface.

The Worcestershire Parish Register Society proposes to issue at least two volumes a year. The other volume for 19 13 is the Bushley Register, which will soon be ready.

Registers will be printed to the year 181 2. There is much to be said for continuing to 1836, when civil registration came in ; but this would greatly increase the cost and so diminish the number of Registers printed.

The form adopted is a shortened one, for the same reason, and abbreviations are used, but nothing material or interesting will be omitted.

The present issue does not altogether conform to our standard pattern, which will usually be the same as that of the Shropshire, Staffordshire, and other Societies.

Registers which have already been transcribed in a longer form will be accepted for publication, but preference will be given to the standard pattern. The Editor will be glad to hear of any registers which have been transcribed and are available for publication. He would also be grateful for offers to transcribe, and will gladly send full directions to an3^one who is willing to help in this way. The output of the Society will depend very much on voluntary help of this sort.

For the volume nov\r issued the thanks of the Society are due to Miss Ophelia Browne, who has prepared the MS. for the printer, made the Index, and revised the proofs, to Mr. Willis Bund for his interesting Introduction ; to the Rev. F. S. Colman for the valuable biographical notes in the text and appendix, and to the Dean and Chapter for allowing the Register to be printed.

The next Registers on the list for publication are those of Hartlebury, Eastham and Churchill-in-Halfshire.

WiTLEY Rectory, R. A. WILSON.

December, 19 13.

iv. Worcester Cathedral Register.

3ntrobuction»

The Worcester Cathedral Register, which fitly forms the first volume of the Worcestershire Parish Register Society's publications, possesses certain points of resemblance and of divergence from ordinary registers.

It must be borne in mind that the Cathedral was not in fact, and never appears to have been regarded as, a Parish Church, and it may well be doubted if the Injunctions to Parish priests apphed to the clergy of a Cathedral Church. When in 1694 a Statute of Wilham III.l made it a duty on " all persons in Holy Orders to keep a Register of any person " married, buried, christened, or born in their respective parishes or " precincts, or in such common burial places as their parishioners are " usually buried in," the Worcester Cathedral Authorities at once set up a register book in which to make the required entries. This book, which forms Volume I. of the Worcester Registers in this series, professes to give all burials, births and marriages in each year that had taken place between 1694 and the time of passing Lord Hardwicke's Act, 26 George II., c. 53 (1753). That act required the marriages to be kept in a separate book by themselves, so from 1753 to 1812 two volum.es of registers ought to have been kept, the existing one, which contained the entries of Baptisms and Burials, the nev-: one, which contained the marriages only. This register, which should be Volume II. of the Cathedral series, is now (1912) missing, so that this book is now the only Cathedral Register before 1812.

As this is the first volume of the Worcestershire Parish Registers it may be as well to give a very short account of the history of these records. There are said to be traces of registers being kept by some of the religious houses, whether this is so or not, there was no general idea of keeping registers before September, 1538. In that year Thomas Cromwell, being the Vicegerent to the King in Ecclesiasiical matters, issued to each Diocese in England and Wales, a series of " Injunctions " or Orders, which, among other things, required " every parson, vicar, or curate for every Church to keep one book or register wherein he should write the day and year of ever}^ wedding, christening, or burial made within his parish for his time, and so every man succeding him likewise, and also there insert every person's name that shall be so wedded, christened and buried." This order, it will be noticed, applies only to the parochial deray. It was well obeyed in this County, quite a con- sideralTe number of parish registers go back to 1538. In 1547, a set of " Injunctions " were issued under Edward VI., and the order as to parish registers was repeated in almost identical words with those of Cromwell's Injunction. A Synod, held by Cardinal Pole in 1555, gave directions as to matters to be inquired into by ]3isliops on their Visitations, one of which was to enquire "If the parish priest kept a register with the names of those who were baptized, of the sponsors, of the married and of the dead." Another set of Injunctions was issued under Elizabeth in 1559

1 6 & 7 W. & M.. c. 6, sec. 20.

Worcester Cathedral Register, V,

(1 Eliz.), which repeated the former Injunctions as to registers ahnost verbatim. Later in her reign she directed that every Minister should, on his Institution, subscribe certain articles, one of which was the follow- ing : "I shall keep the Register Book according to the Queen Majesty's Injunctions." Soon after his accession in 1603, James I. went a step further and ordered that not only should a register be kept in each parish, as had already been done by his predecessor, but that " The Minister and Churchwardens should subscribe their names to every page of the Register book and transmit a true copy of the book to the Bishop within one month from the 25th March in each year." At that date the 5^ear began on the 25th March, so in effect a copy of the register was to be sent to the Bishop's registry within a month of the end of every year. These copies are known as " Bishop's Transcripts." So things remained until after the Restoration. There was no legal statutor}^ duty imposed on the Clergy to keep parish registers, the obligation to do so, which had existed and had been observed for over a century, was only an ecclesias- tical obligation which, if not carried out, might possibly have been enforced in an ecclesiastical Court.

Charles II. Government was desirous of encouraging the woollen trade. In 1666, an Act was passed (18 and 19, Char. II., c. 4), which provided that " For the encouragement of the woollen manufacturers of the " Kingdom and prevention of the exportation of the moneys thereof " for the buying and importing of linen, no person should be buried in any " shirt, shift or sheet other than what should be made of wool only under " a penalty of £5." This Act did not have the desired effect, so it was " supplemented in 1678 by another Act (30 Char. II., c. 3), which " provided that "All persons in Holy Orders, Deans, Parsons, Deacons, " Vicars and Curates, and their or any of their substitutes do " within their respective parishes, precincts, and places take an " exact account and keep a register of all and every person or " persons buryed in his or their respective parishes or precincts, or " in such common burial places as their respective parishioners " are usually buried, and that some one or more of the relations " of the party deceased shall vv^ithin eight days next after such " interment bring an affidavit stating that the person v/as buried in a " shirt, shift, sheet, or shroud made of sheep's wool only, and in the " coffin no cloth, stuff, or any other thing was used but what is made " of sheep's wool only."

To ensure that the Act was earned out, " the Parson or Minister " of every parish was to keep a register in a book to be provided at the " charge of the parish, and make a true entry of all burials within his " parish, and of all affidavits brought to him within the time limited, " and if no affidavit was brought v«/ithin the limited time a mem.orial of " the default was to be entered in the Register against the name of the " party interred," and the Overseers of every parish were required in their annual accounts to state all the burials within their parish for the last year, and any certificates of the Parson that no affidavit has been handed in, and of all persons interred contrary to the Act.

This is the first statutory authority imposing a legal duty on the Parochial Clergy to keep Registers. It will be observed that it in no way touches the question of the legal obligation to keep registers as a record of deaths, but only attempts to secure the observance of a law, which, it was hoped, would benefit the woollen trade by increasing consumption, and promote the manufacture of paper by preventing a reckless con- sumption of linen fibre ^ — a most thoroughly English method of legis- lation.

1 Cunningham, " Growth of English Industry," I. p. 393.

vi. Worcester Cathedral Register.

It will be noticed that the Act, notwithstanding it mentions Deans, and uses words wide enough to cover Cathedrals in the early clause, in the penal clause provides no remedy for such a place as a Cathedral, as it speaks only of " the Parson or Minister of every parish " keeping a register, and the method of enforcing the Act by mean of the Overseers' Accounts can only apply to a place that had Overseers, that is, to a parish. As the Cathedral register shows, no attention was paid there to the Statute. It is, however, an important point in the history of parish registers, as it brings out (1) the legal obhgation of the incumbent to keep a register of burials, (2) the legal liability of the parish and its officers (the Overseers) to provide such register. The Act remained law for some 134 years. It was repealed in 1814 by the Statute 54, Geo. III., cap. 108.

It was only by the same indirect way that the legal hability on the Clergy' to keep registers became part of the law of the land. In 1692 Wilham III. v/as defeated at Steinkirk, in 1693 he was again defeated at Neerwinden. These defeats made the war unpopular, and Wilham's Government was at a loss hov/ to raise money to carry it on. The country would not endure any further direct taxation, so some method of indirect taxation had to be found, and this difficulty caused the legal habihty to keep Parish Registers.

In 1694 the Statute 6 and 7, Will. III., c. 6, was passed to raise mone}^ by placing a tax on bachelors and widowers. To ascertain who were liable to this tax, sec. 24 of the Act provides that all persons in Koly Orders should keep a register of every person married, buried, christened or born in their respective parishes, or in such common burial places as their parishioners are usually buried in, and imposes a penalty of ;^100 on persons in Holy Orders not carrying out this dut}'. So that by this Act it was made part of a Clergyman's legal duty to keep a register of marriages, burials, and christenings, with a liability to a very heavy penalty if he neglected to do so.

The hability to this penalty may have had the desired effect or it may only be a mere coincidence, but it is worth notice that in the 5'ear the Act became lav/ the Cathedral Registers begin. The inference being that it was this Act that led to the registers being kept. This is streng- thened by the fact that as in the Act the prescribed order of the Register begins with marriages, so in the Cathedral register marriages come first.

The next change in the law also came about indirectly. Clandestine marriages had become very common, so it was determined to put them down. This was carried out by Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act in 1753 (26 Geo. II., c. 33). It provided that all marriages should be solemnized in Churches or Chapels after banns or by licence. Churchwardens were to provide proper books in which all marriages and banns of marriages were to be entered. Persons who made a false entry of a marriage, or altered a true entry, or destroyed a register of marriages, were made guilty of a capital felony.

One effect of this Act was that a separate register book for marriages was kept, so that from this date to 1812 there are usually found (1) the old Register of Marriages, Burials, and Christenings kept under the Act of Wilham, but from 1753 containing only Baptisms and Burials, and (2) a separate Register of Marriages, kept under the provisions of Lord Hardwicke's Act.

At last, in 1812, keeping parish registers was directly legislated for. In that year an Act, often spoken of as Rose's Act, was passed (62 Geo.

Worcester Cathedral Register. vii.

III., c. 146), which provided that the entries as to baptisms should be made in a separate book, thus introducing and enforcing the modern idea that in each parish three registers shall be kept (1) Marriages, (2) Burials, and (3) Baptisms.

In the Worcestershire, as in most other Parish Register Societies, it is not proposed to print the registers subsequent to 1812, when Rose's Act came into force, but to print all the registers down to that date.

What has been said as to the liability to keep registers is very clearly shown by reference to the Cathedral P.egisters. While the liability was a parochial one, and only enforced in Ecclesiastical Courts, the Cathedral body took the line that neither the Injunction nor the Act for burying in woollen applied to them, as they were not a parochial body. But when the Act of Will. III. came into force, the Cathedral body felt they were obliged to carry out the law, and so set up a register.

This register book continued in use till 18121 — a separate book for marriages (now lost) being added in 1754. Since 1813 three separate registers have been kept, and the Cathedral Authorities are now obeying the general law.

It would be beyond the scope of this introduction to go into the details of the sj^-stem of registration now in force. It may be said that it completely upsets the old ideas and provides for a Central Registry in London, and for District Registries in country tov/ns. Copies of their registers are sent up to the General Registry and filed at Somerset House.

It has been already stated that it is the duty of the Incumbent of a parish to send in to the Bishop or to v/hom he shall direct, usually the Registrar, a copy of the register for each year. These copies, usualb'' called " Bishop's Transcripts," are filed at the Bishop's Registry, and should furnish exact duplicates of the parish register. Unfortunately, the series of Bishop's Transcripts, either from the neglect of sending the Transcripts in, or from carelessness in dealing with them when received, are very fragmentary. In no Diocese in England and Wales is there a perfect set of Transcripts. In some Dioceses the Transcripts are lam-ent- ably deficient. A Parliamentary Return was published in 1831 shov/ing what was the state of the Transcripts since 1813 in the various English and Welsh Dioceses. In the Worcester Diocese, out of a total number of 264 parishes, the average annual number of parishes who had neglected to send in their Return was 31, or 539 in 17 years. The reason is said to be that the Act does not prescribe any definite fee for the work that has to be done, and that there being no pay there are no Returns.

Whether this is or is not the real reason why the different parishes fail to comply v/ith the lav/ it is not easy to say, but it is a matter of interest that the Cathedral Authorities " gloried in their shame." There is an entry on the original register (Vol. I., fol. 29), " Transcripts given in in to 1788. "2 No further mention or allusion is made to Transcripts in the Cathedral Register.

The Act of William HI. im.poses the duty of keeping the registers on " all persons in Holy Orders, Deans, Parsons, Deacons, Vicars, Curates, and their substitutes." It would not be expected that a great ecclesiastical functionary like a Dean, who at Worcester was sometimes

^ There is a uote at the end of the 1812 Register ns follows :— N.B.— This register book discontinued by Act of Parliament, January Ist, 1813."

2 See p. 83.

viii. Worcester Cathedral Register.

the holder of a Bishopric as well, would keep the registers himself, so a substitute was employed. The substitute here was the Sacrist of the Cathedral. The duties of Sacarist appear to vary in different Cathedrals, and are not positively or legally defined. This may possibly be the reason why the task was given to the Sacnst at Worcester ; as it was no one else's job, it was made part of his duty .2

The register enables a fairly complete hst of these officers from 1694 to 1812 to be given. They are : —

John Sayer, buried Jany 25, 1694. Ambrose Meredith, Dec." 1st, 1698. Thomas Smith, 1742. Yamold, 1763. Digby Smith, 1782. Thomas Clarke, 1795.

In reading the registers it must be remembered that up to 1752 the year began on the 25th March, not the 1st January. Hence in the beginning of the register, of the first five entries, all of which are stated to be in 1693, all (except one, the christening of the Dean's son, which is said to have taken place on the 8th May, 1693), really belong to 1694. as they are all after the 1st January in that 3^ear and before the 25th March.

It has already been pointed out that the Cathedral was not a parochial Church. It was situated in the parish of St. Michael's, in Bedwardine, and at that time and up till 1832 the Parish of St. Michael was a County and not a City Parish, so that the Cathedral, with ail its buildings, was a great County foundation with nothing whatever to do v/ith the City. It may well be that this is the reason why the great majority of the entries in the list of marriages are of County and not of City people.

Lord Hardwicke's Act (26 Geo. II., c. 33 (1753) ), provided that in addition to keeping a separate register book for marriages, a record was to be kept of the publication of banns. A book was issued in which both banns and marriages were entered ; and this volume of the Cathedral Registers is, as has already been mentioned, now (1912) missing.

This Act also provides how the register of marriages was to be kept. Each marriage was to be separately registered, each entry was to be signed (1) by the Minister celebrating it, (2) by the parties who were married, and (3) by two or more credible witnesses of the marriage ; a .statement was to be added whether the marriage was by banns or licence. The ordinary Cathedral marriage entry before Lord Hardwicke's Act is as follows : —

" 1742, Dec. 24th. John Read of Kidderminster and Ann Car- penter of Bromsgrove, married by licence by Mr. White. "1

" 1754, Mar. 23. John Smith of Cradley, in Herefordshire, and Ann Beard of Mathon, married by Licence. 2

As the book kept in accordance with Lord Hardwicke's Act is not forthcoming, it is impossible to say whether the entries were in the correct form, but it will be noted that the name of the minister is not recorded in the entry of the year 1754 given above.

* Chapter Act Book.— Meeting of Chapter, 12 December. 1707. The Chapter did admonidh Mr. Sacribtto make a true and exact Register of all the Marriages, Chri-teningi and Barials in the College during the time that he has been Sacrist, and the same to be fairly written in a parchment book provided for that purpose, by Candle- mag next.

1 See p. 51. 2 See p .77.

Worcester Cathedral Register. ix.

By far the larger proportion of the Cathedral marriages were by licence, not by banns.

The first mention of banns is in 1706, when the entry occurs. " 1706, April 8. WilHam Pennill S^ Frances , of St. Swithun's,

Wore, by banns. "1

There is also another entry in the same year and also from St. Swithin's — " 1706. May 20. William Snead & Ann Morris, of St. Swithun's. By

Banns. "2

Another marriage from St. Swithin's the same year. No mention is made of banns. 3

In the next year, 1707, two marriages, one from Evesham, are mentioned as having been by banns.4

In 1709 the first mention of Marriage License appears in the following entry — " 1709, Apr. 25. John Ropier &- Elizabeth Phelps, of Elmley Castle,

were married by licence. "5

From 1730 onward the mode under VN'hich the marriage is solemnised is generally stated as — " 1730, April 10. Jonathan Minett of Evesham 6- Mary Adams of the same, by licence. "6

From that date onward most of the marriages are stated to be by license until 1754, when they were registered in a separate book. To make the matter clearer it may be stated from 1730 to 1754 no less than 794 marriages are recorded, of these only four are celebrated after banns, and one of them is doubtful.

In volume I. the name of the minister who celebrated the marriage is given in 59 cases out of 1,119, all within the years 1742 to 1753. In two cases marriages in the chapel to the Bishop's Palace, now the Deanery, are recorded in this v/ay —

" 1727, March 5. William Goodyear of Abberley <S^ Elizabeth Brasier, were m, in the Bp's Chappell."7

Of christenings — they are not spoken of as baptisms — there are 112 entries. The first is the earliest entry in the book : " 5th May, 1693, Edv/ard, son of William Talbot, D.D., Dean of Worcester, and Catherine his wife." The next year the only christening registered is of a daughter of the Dean " Carew Talbot." In 1695 only one christening, " Mary, daughter of Dr. John Cartwright and Catherine his wife." In 1696 there are only three : — another child of the Dean and of Dr. Cartwright, and Margarite Appletree. In 1700 and 1709, there were six christenings, the largest number recorded in any year. In 52 years no christenings are entered, and in 42 only one. The reason of this paucity seems to have been that only the children of persons living in or near the Cathedral precincts were christened in the Cathedral. The one person who had most children christened was the Dean, William Talbot, no less than eleven of his children and grandchildren are in the register. The register is very careful to enter when children were privately baptized, when they were brought into Church. " 1706, Marj^, the daughter of Ambrose Meredith, Sacrist, and of Elizabeth his v/ife was baptized privately and was publicly received into the Church December 4th." One interesting point is brought out in the register of the christenings, namely, the date of the

1 See p. 1.3. " See p. 13. ^ See p. 13. * See. pp. 13 & 34. = See p. 16.

® See p. 27, '^ See p. 26. These entries have been crossed out; after one of

them is added, "Registered at St. Michael's." (p. 25).

X. Worcester Cathedral Register.

new marble font in the Cathedral, probably the present one : " 12th July, 1770, John, son of Richard Clarke and Mary his wife was baptized at the new marble font in the Cathedral Church the first time of its being used." One wonders what the old font was like, why it was got rid of, and what became of it.

Like the baptisms, the burials are comparatively'- few, and this probably for the same reason as the baptisms, that as a rule they are confined to persons who lived in the College precincts. The highest number in any year was 7 in 1777. While there are only 23 yeyrs when there were no burials, yet in 32 years there was only one. The total number is 222, of these 3 were Bishops, Stillingfieet, Hough and Maddox ; four Deans, James Stilhngfleet and his wife, Edm.und Marten, Jolin Waugh, and St. Andrew St. John ; one Archdeacon, Worth ; two Chancellors, John Price and Philip Smallridge ; and 12 Canons or Prebendaries, Joseph Merryll, Wilham Hopkins, Josiah Sandby, Samuel Green, Thomas Inett, Philip Smalridge, Richard Meadowcourt, John Dalton, Edwin Sandys, Samuel Holcombe, Edward Stillingfieet, and Thomas James. There are other persons con- nected with the Cathedral, Or-ranists (including Hopkins), Minor Canons, Lay Clerks, Masters of the School, Sexton. The wives and daughters of all these per ons seem to have been buried in the Cathedral or its sur- roundings as a matter of course. In addition to these certain families living in the Count}^ appear to have possessed — it cannot be called a right, but it may be a custom, to be buried in or around the Cathedral. Some of these were Bromley, Briggenshaw, Cliff, Cope Hopton.

The next thing to be noticed is that there seems to have been for those who were buried in the Cathedral or its precincts a regular series of places arranged in order of Cathedral precedence. These were five in number, and were somewhat in the following order : —

(1) The Lady Chapel, or, as it is called in the Register, " behind the Quire." Here all the great church dignataries were buried, the three Bishops, Stillingfieet, Hough, and Maddox.

" 6 April, 1699, the Rt. Rev. Edv/ard Stillingfieet, late Lord Bishop of Worcester, was buried."

" 2 May, 1743, the Rt. Revd. Dr. John Hough, late Lord Bishop of Worcester, buried behind the Quire in the Cathedral."

" Oct. 6, 1759, the Rt. Revd. Dr. Isaac Maddox. late Lord Bishop of Worcester, was buried behind the choir."

Deans were also buried there. " 29th Augt., 1740, the Revd. Dr. James Stillingfieet, Dean of Worcester, buried behind the Quire in the Cathedral Church of Worcester."

Both Mr. Maddox and Mr. Stillingfieet were said to be buried " behind the Choir," but in their cases it probably did not mean the Lady Chapel, but the aisle on each side the choir, as it certainly does in some cases.

" 25th July, 1763, Dr. John Dalton, Prebendary, was buried behind the choir in the South aisle near the consistory Court."

" Behind the Quire," meaning the north and south Quire aisles was, it appears, appropriated to the wives and families of the higher Clergy, such as Bishops, Deans, Canons, and higher officials. " Miss Mary Dunstan was buried behind 'he north side of the Altar." " Rev. Edwin Sandys, Prebendary, was buried behind the Choir in the south aisle."

" In the body of the Church " means the nave and transepts, and seems to have been the place of burial of the inferior clergy and those laymen who were interred in the Cathedral.

Worcester Cathedral Register. xi.

11th May, 1733, Mrs. Anne Bromley buried in the South aisle." " 19th October, 1737. Mr. Joseph Dougharty buried in the body of

the Church."

" 3 August, 1748. Revd. Mr. Ivlathew Forester, Chanter of the

Cathedral, was buried in the Church."

In the Cloisters or Cloister Green many persons were buried, some were Cathedral Officers, some strangers.

" 6 August, 1748. The Revd. Thomas Smith, Sacrist of the Cathedral, was buried in the Cloisters."

" Jany. 5, 1759. Mrs. Margaret Bromley was buried in the Cloisters Green."

The lowest place was the Cathedral Churchyard. Here the least of the Cathedral Of&cers and strangers were buried.

" 6 April, 1785. Mr. Robert Davies, Sexton, was buried in the College Church yard."

" 10 September, 1786. Mrs. Mary Mayo was buried in the College Church yard."

It will thus be seen that even in death those persons who were buried were divided into classes, and the proper distinction in rank was obtainep by selecting the place of burial. Whether the fees varied on the principle which it is said existed in Parish Churches " the further in the m.ore to pay," there is not any evidence to show. The careful classification of persons and places points to something of the kind.

There are no entries that contain any very noteworthy information. At first sight entries hke the following : — " 8 June, 1702. Ehzabeth, d. of R. R. Willm., L.B., of Oxford, and of Catherine his wife," is not very intelligible, and it is possible a number of guesses might be made before it was discovered to mean " Elizabeth, daughter of the Right Revd. William, Lord Bishop of Oxford and Catherine his wife," an entry of the 27 December, 1730, which states that " Mr. John Hopkins and Mrs. Mary Duprat were buried in the body of the Church " is not happily expressed.

"18 June, 1746. , s. of Captain Shapoe and baptized,

died," is of interest as to the way the Sacrist spelt the French name of Chapeau, and also gives rise to some conjecture as to the maternity of the infant.

The entr}^ of the marriage on the 5th September, 1747, of " George Harrison and Susannah Milward, both of St. Andrew's in Droitwich, by a clergy man near Herejord," shows the need for one of the provisions of Lord Hardwicke's Act stating the name of the Minister who celebrated the marriage ; while two entries of private baptisms —

" 13 Aug., 1769. Mary Ann, d. of the Right Honble. William Dowdeswell, of Pull Court, and Bridgett his Wife was baptized at the Deanery by J. Arnold, Sacrist," and

"29 July, 1771. Richard, s. of Richard Clarke and Mary his wife was privately baptized at the Register Office, and was received into the Church the 5 September following,"

make us ask if the children were well enough to go to the Deanery and the Register Office, why did they not go to Church to be baptized ?

With regard to any noteworthy names occurring in the Register there are comparatively few.

xii. Worcester Cathedral Register.

Sir Thomas Street, one of the Judges displaced at the Revolution,

a native of Worcester, l

Lady Elizabeth Ivliddleton, v/ho in 1G98 married Wilham Spelman.2

Zviartha, Countess of iliddleton, v/ho died in 1705.3

Charles Talbot, the future Lord Chancellor Talbot.4

The Lady Bourchier5 and

William Do vvdcsvrell, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, are some of

the most prominent.G

It is often said " What is the good of printing Registers ? " and the answer " to illustrate Family History " is not always regarded as satis- factory. But, to show the importance of the Parish Registers in Family History, the facts as to the branch of the family of Talbot that were then residing at Worcester serves to show ho>v vital such information is. William Talbot succeeded to the Deanery/ of Worcester on the deposition of the non- juror Hickes in 1699. He possibly owed his elevation to the influence of the Earl of Shrewsbury, vv^ho signed the invitation to Wilham of Orange, quite as much as to any merits of his own. He had married in 1682 Catherine, daughter of Richard King, of London, Alderman.

The eldest son Charles, v/as born before Talbot became Dean of Worcester, but the entry in the register of seven of his children shows his connection vnth Worcester :

" 8th May, 1693. Edward, son of William Talbot and Catherine his wife.

" 5 December, 1694. Carew, da. of William Talbot, Dean of Worcester and Catherine his wife."

Others might be cited, but no one who reads the register carefully will fail to see what light it sheds on Parish and County history.

p. 2 Note. ^ See p, 4. ^ See p. 12 and Appendix. * See pp. 1 & 15 Notes. * See p. 25. ® See p. 78 and Appendix.

Worcester Cathedral Register.

appen&iy*

A — Note on the Cathedral Registers.

The first volume contains Baptisms and BuriaJs from 1693 to 1811, and Marriages from 1693 to 1754.

The entries are on 31 leaves of vellum measuring about 13^ by lof inches. The book is bound in sheep, is in good condition and very legible. There is a gap betv/een Dec, 1709, and Dec, 1711 ; and in one or two other places the number of entries is suspiciously small.

The Marriage volume from 1754 to 1812 is now missing, as is that from 1812 to 1837.

B — Additional Notes on prominent persons in the Register, by the Rev. F. S. Colman.

Page 12. MiDDLETON, Martha, late Countess of. Daughter and co-heir of Henry, second Earl of Monmouth, and second wife of John, first Earl of Middleton.

Page 17. Plowden, William, of Plowden and Aston, co. Salop. He was born in 1666 and was Colonel of the Life Guards under James II. His third wife, who survived him and was buried in the Cathedral in 1745, was Mary, 2nd daughter of Sir Charles Lyttleton.

Briggenshaw, Timothy. High Sheriff of Worcestershire, 7 William III. (1695).

Page 25. Bromley, V/illiam. Son of Francis Bromley of Abberley ; married as his second wife Sarah, daughter of and co-heir Wilham Pauncefote of Careswell, co. Gloucester. He died in 1769, aged 79 (Nash).

PO'g^ 35- HoPTON, Edward Cope. Son of Richard Hopton of Canon Frome, co. Gloucester, by Ehzabeth, grand-daughter of Wilham Cope of Icomb. His son Richard Cope Hopton bequeathed the Canon Frome estate to his cousin the Rev. Wilham Parsons of Kemerton, who took the name of Hopton.

Page 56. Sandby, Josias, was a Prebendary of Worcester. (See p 20, Note.)

Page 78. Dowdeswell, Rt. Hon. Wilham. Son of Wilham Dowdes- well of Pull Court by Amy, daughter of Anthony Hamond of Somersham. He was born 1721 and married Bridget, daughter of Sir William Codrington, Bart. He was M.P. for Tewkesbury 1747 — 1 754, and for W^orcester 1 761 till his death. He was one of the leaders of the Whig Party in the House of Commons, and became Chancellor of the Exchequer in the short lived Rockingham Ministry of 1765, but refused ofhce the next year under Chatham. He died in 1775, and was buried at Bushley, where is a monument to him with an inscription by Edmund Burke.

GXttBttx dl^at^ftrral Jtgistcrs*

A Register of Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials in the Cathedral Church op Worcester.

Marriages. 1693, Feb. 7. Thomas Baylies of St. John's in Bedwardine, b., & Esther Knight of St. Swithun's in Worcester, sp. „ Feb. 14. Richard Russell of Wotton Wawen, widr., &

Eliz. Round of Alcester, wid. „ Feb. 20. Robt. Spragge of Martley, b., & Grace Fawkes of same, sp. Christened. 1693, May 8. Edward, s. of Willm. Talbot, D.D., Dean of Worcester, & of Catherine his wife. Burials.

1693, Jan. 25. Mr. John Sayer, late Sacrist of this Cathedral.

Marriages.

1694, Apr. 21. Michael Tombs of Arrow, widr., & Eliz. Smart

of Studley, wid. „ May 21. Richard Stokes of St. Peter's in Droit-wiche,

b., & Jane Spilman of Strensham, sp. „ May 28. Theophilus Burrage of St. Andrew's in Worces- ter, widr., & Alice Jones of the same, wid. Christenings. 1694, Dec. 5. Carew, d. of Dr. Willm. Talbot, Dean of Worcester, & Catherine his wife.*

Dr. William Talbot, Dean of Worcester 1691 to 1715, was son of William Talbot, of Stourton Castle, Staffordshire, but he was of an old Worcestershire family, as his grandfather was Sherington Talbot, of Salwarr e Court, a zealous supporter of Charles I. He was educated at Oriel College, Oxford. In 1699 he became Bishop of Oxford, and was allowed to retain this deanery until translated to the Bishopric of Salisbury in 1715. In 1721 he was made Bishop of Durham, and died 1730 He married as his second wife Catherine, daughter of Richard King, Alderman of London. She died in 1702, and the following year he married Agnes Hartopp, of Worcester. His eldest son, Charles, became Lord Chancellor, and was createa Baron Talbot, of Hensol. His son, Edward, here christened, is said to have been Archdeacon of Berkshire, and to have died in 1720, in which case he would have been young for such a dignity. Dean Talbot was ancestor of the present Eari ot Shrewsbury aud Talbot. „

2 Worcestershire Parish Registers. [1694

Burials.

1694, Dec. 16. Carew Talbot, before-mentioned.

„ Oct. 31. John Thomas, gent, {in different hand on an

erasure). „ Jan. 17. Thomas Wright, Clerk & Minor Canon.* ,, Mar. 16. Constans Taylor, sp. „ Mar. 24. Charles Wright, clerk. Marriages.

1695, June 17. Richard Birt of Salwarp, widr., & Mary Nayer

of same, sp. „ Sep. II. Wm. Wormington of Cotherige, b., & Mary

Harris of Hallow, sp. „ Oct. 22. Richard Tustin of Great Malvern, widr., &

Elizab. Hunt of St. Svvithun's in Worcester. „ Oct. 23. Henry Laugher of St. Swithun's in Worcester,

widr., & Susanna Horniblow of the same,

sp. „ Dec. 26. Samuel Rickets of Breedon, b., & Anne

Bumpass of the same.

Burials.

1695, Jan. 25. Anne, wife of the Rt. Revd. Edward Lord

Bishop of Worcester.! „ Nov. 26. John Wright, sen., clerk. „ Mar. 12. Sir Thomas Street, Kt.J Christenings.

1695, Feb. 28. Mary, d. of Dr. John Cartwright & Catherine

his wife.

Marriages.

1696, June 29. John Hyron & Esther Mansel of Stoulton.

„ July 16. Richard Farr of Croom Dabitot & Catherine Re5niolds of Upton upon Severn. Fol. I, b.)

„ Oct. 24. Daniel Stanford & Mary Pardoe of Ombersley.

„ Nov. 25. Henry Jones & Mary Harvey of St. Swithun's in Worcester.

„ Nov. 28. Joseph Smith of St. Nicholas' in Bristol, & Phoebe Reynolds of All Saints' in Worcester.

* Thomas Wright, Clerk, M.A., admitted Minor Canon, 28th Nov., 1691.

t This is the first wife of Edward Stillingfleet, Bishop of Worcester 1689 to 1699, but the

name is incorrect ; she was Andrea, daughter of William Dobyns, of Dimbletou. t Town Clerk of Worcester and Judge of the Common Pleas. Deprived at the Revolnl.ion

1688 ; retired to his native city and died there.

i697]

Cathedral.

Christenings. 1696, May 27. Willm., s. of Willm. Talbot, D.D., Dean of Worcester & Catherine his wife. Mar. 12. Philadelphia, d. of Dr. John Cartwright &

Catherine his wife.f Mar. II. Margarita, d. of John Appletree, Esq., & Anne. Burials.

1696, Mar. 18. Wm. Owen, gent.

Marriages. 1607, May 5. Ralph Carpenter of Bromesgrove & Mary Gower of St. Martin's in Worcester. June 22. Henry Athelfoe of Cropthorn & Mary Ropier

of Elmley-Castle. Tune 24. Richard Stevens of St. Swithun's & Elizabeth Baskevill of All Saints, Worcester, by Banns. June 26. Thomas Wadley of St. Helen's & Brigit

Purslow of St. Swithun's, Worcester. July 8. George Badger & Jane Till of St. Swithun's

in Worcester. July 10. James Laughton of Catsden in p. of Breedon, ' & Sarah Rickards of Norton near

Breedon. Aug. 5. Robert Brook of Warndon & Susanna Hooper

of Tibberton. Aug. 25. Francis Hyde of Powick & Mary Hyndy of

Maddersfield.

Aug 25. Edward Turbett of St. Michael's in Bedwardme

& Jane Grove, in the precincts of the

Cathedral in Worcester.

i6q7 Sep. 23. Edward Hunt of Ledbury in dio. Hereford

^^ & EUzabeth Lloyd of Ridmarley Dabitot.

Oct 2. Samuel Butler & Mary House of Defford. ',' Oct. 2. John Edwards & Mary Ashfield of Stoke Prioris. Oct 5 Benjamin Silk & Alice Smith of Kedermmster. " Oct 16 Robert Day of Shenford in Leicester-shire & Susanna Adams of the Precincts of this Cathedral.

--^-^-^— ^;---^^ 8th March, 1687.

B 2

f Worcestershire Parish Registers. [1697

1697, Oct. 23. William Daniel & Elizabeth Knight of Acton Beauchamp. „ Nov. 15. Anthony Miland of Badsey & Mary Payne of Child's Wicldiam. Nov. 28. Richard Lilly of All Saints in Worcester & Anna Maria Yardley within the Prsecincts of the College. Christenings. 1697, July 28. Mary, d. of Mr. Charles Moor, Register, & Mary his wife.

Burials.

1697, Nov. 29. Mrs. Elizabeth Powell, wid.

Marriages.

1698, Apr. 17. John Ernes & Sarah Weston of St. Peter's in

Worcester. „ June 9. Charles Smith of Hashelworth in Glocester- shire, clerk, & Alice Wyatt of St. Andrew's in Worcester.

Fol. 2). >, July 31. Thomas Harper & Elizabeth Greenbank of

St. Swithun's in Wor. „ Aug. 25. Charles Clues of Feckenham & Sarah Adams

of Ipsley. „ July 14. George Wythes of St. Helen's, Worcest : &

Eliz. Gower of the College. „ July 20. William Spelman, gent., & the Lady Elizabeth

Middleton of the College. „ Sep. 19. John Wall of St. Martin's & Winifred Williams

of St. Peter's. „ Oct. 12. Samuel Morrall of Westbury in Glocester-

shire & EHz. Jones, alias Nash of Ombers-

ley. „ Oct. 23. Joseph Andrews of St. Helen's & Sarah Trap

of St. Swithun's, Worcest. „ Oct. 25. Rich. Tovey of Tewksbury & EHz. Beal of

Longdon. „ Dec. 8. Mr. John Fayting of London & Mrs. Mary

Parsons of St. Michael's in Bedwardine. ,, Jan. 3. Edward Combe, clerk, & Elizabeth Stevens.

1699] Cathedral. 5

Christenings. 1698, Apr. II. Mary, d. of Dr. Willm. Talbot, Dean of Worcester, & Catherine his wife. ,, Dec. I. Ambrose, s. of Ambrose Meredith, Sacrist, & of EHzabeth his wife.

Burials.

1698, Apr. 16. Mary Talbot, above-mentioned.

,,