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fields for Pesthouses neere the Shedde now there with the Garrettes over the same acording to plott (plan) in that behalfe made of Tenne houses in Range.

The building of fortifications "in and about the town" is found necessary as impending danger makes itself felt :—

Att a Vestrie holden the 28th day of October, 1642,

It is ordered that Leonard Braford and William Mason the present Churchwardens of the parish of St. Margarett in Westr. shall have lente unto them the summe of ffiftie pounds out of the hospitall money remayning in the black chest To be by the said Churchwardens for the building of Courts of guard and other worke and ffortificacons in and about this Towne for the safety hereof in theise times of dainger untill an Assessment may be made upon the Inhabitants to defray that charge and then that ffiftie pounds is to be repaid.

The Vestry are next found directing their attention to the relief of the poor by the sale of velvet pulpit cloth, and the brasses from the tombstones, in true Puritan style :

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At a Vestrie holden at the parish Church of St. Margaretts Westm. the 19th daie of December, 1644, it is ordered that in respect of the hardness of these times, the Churchwardens shall supplie the Overseers for the poore wh. such monyes as they can convenientlie spare for the use of the poore.

At the same Vestry it was also ordered

That the Churchwardens shall make sale of the rich velvett pulpitt Cloath given by the Lady Hervy at the best rate they can and to accompt for the money received for the same for that is subiect to be moth eaten and decave.

That the Churchwardens shall make sale of the brass taken off from the Tombstones and otherwise being lose in a chest to the best value they can and to account for the money.

The precaution against the velvet becoming “moth eaten being satisfactorily arranged, the Vestry proceed to appoint the minister, and then to see the object of their patronage safely away :—

At a Vestry holden 28th August, 1647, it is ordered that Mr. John Binns,
Minister, shall officiate the Cure of this parish, he having produced
Certifict from sum of the Assembly of Divines to be a man of Able
pts and unblameable life and conversacon.

The 13th daye of Aprill, 1649.

That the Churchwardens doe give unto John Binns, Minister (who lately officiated in this parish) ffortie shillings towards the bearinge of his charges in his Travell to Yorkeshire, whereby this parish may be freed from any further charge in relieving him.

These entries are the more remarkable owing to the officiating Ministers having been "intruded" by Parliament between 1641 and 1646. From the last something may be gleaned of the circumstances of the clergy of the period.

At the same period the records present the Vestry in the character of

usurers:

24th March, 1647.-It is ordered that the five hundred and fiftie pounds wch was paid in by mr. Smith for Turnmill Street rents shalbe lent to Mr. Rich. Willis Mr. Henry Willis Clerke and Rich yeoward upon theyr Recognisance of 1000: deferanced for payment of the 550 li with interest at 8 p. cente for six monthes.

They next appear as governors of the house of correction (see p. 59) :— 9th June, 1648.--Ordered that the Churchwardens for the tyme being shall repayre the house of Correction in Tuthill ffeilds with needfull and necessary reparacon.

Confidence being reposed in them as trustees, their business instincts lead them to become investors :

At a Vestry holden the 16th daye of April, 1649, it is ordered that 60 li being monyes intrusted by Thomas Jordayne for the good of his children and 80 li being intrusted for Mrs. Ray alias Roper shall be lent unto William Dodson upon his and Mr. William Styles theyr securities.

And to the manifold duties already undertaken, they do not hesitate to add that of administrators of an estate :

Att a Vestry held this xijth day of June, 1652,

Ordered that Mr. Emery Hill and Capt. Willm. Greeve the present Churchwardens of this Parish doe take out Lres. of Administration of the goods and Chattels of John Galloway Butcher (who lately died suddainely intestate) to the use of his three Children John William and Richard; And that the said Churchwardens doe deliver an inventory of his estate as they shall finde the same and doe dispose of the said children and estate as they in theyre discretions shall thinke fitt And doe make and give a particuler Accompte of the said estate from Churchwardens to Churchwardens successively untill the said children sball attaine theyre severall ages of one and Twenty years and then to pay the same respectively unto the said Children or the survivors or survivor of them as the Vestry and they shall thinke fitt.

The capacity of the Vestry for work, and their zeal for the public weal, leads them to make permanent provision for protection from fire :

22nd August, 1657.-It is ordered by a Vestrie this day holden,

That Mr. Edward Martyn and Mr. Emery Hill shall, out of the moneys remaining in their hands Build, erect and sett upp with Bricks a little house in the parish Churchyard of St. Margaretts, Westmr., to adioyne next unto the Cage or Round house there wherein shall bee alwaies kept the twoe new fire Engines wch they were formerly ordered to buy and provide for the use and service of this parish.

The storage of weapons in the Vestry room was continued until it was found to be inconvenient. An Order was, therefore passed on Thursday, 31st October, 1667

That all the Arms both offensive and Defensive And also all the Watch
Matrs. now remaining in the Dark Vestry be for the better Preservation
thereof Removed thence unto the House Newly Erected in the Artillery
Ground in Tuttle ffields.

Out-door medical relief was dispensed under the Vestry's supervision :—
7 May, 1668.-That the Church Wardens doe give unto John Sinclere,
Chyrurgeon, the summe of vs. for his Redinesse and Care in Cureing
the arm of one Walter Best, a poor Man of this Parish whose Hand
was Cutt off by a Souldier, and the same shall be allowed in their
Accoumpt.

Sunday, 8th Sept., 1689.-That the Churchwardens pay three pounds for ye Cure of Mary Cooke when she be cured & in the meantime to

Reliefe her.

17th January, 1690.-Ordered that the Chdns. do pay Mrs. Lucey Tenn poundes in full for Cures till this day.

The "worshipfull of the parish" are next discovered concerning themselves with the encouragement of the linen manufacture :

Tuesday, 10th Sept., 1668.-For the better Incouraging and Advancing of a Linnen Manufacture in this p'sh it was this Day Concluded and Agreed upon by the Vestry That a Summe of x£ should be once every yeare (on a certain day to be p'fixed) given to such persons as could p'duce ye best pieces of Linnen Cloth and make it appeare

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yt ye Same was Spunne and Woven all of it within this parish within Months last past ye sd. Summe to be Distributed to the severall persons who shall soe produce ye Linnin Cloth as below Expressed according to the Goodnesse and Fynesse of ye sd. Severall and Respective Cloaths (vizt.) For ye Finest Cloath for ye

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for ye third Finest.

Their proceedings are then varied by the exercise of a direct control over the churchyard, of which many entries are to be found :

Wednesday, 27 April, 1670.-Whereas the funeral of the late Lord Genll. Monke Duke of Albemarle is shortly to be solemnized It is thereupon Ordered That the Churchwardens doe lett (to be Skaffold) soe much of the Church Yard wall as have been formerly lett by their predecessors at times of Coronations great ffuneralls or the like for the best advantage of the Poore of this Parish.

And besides the provision of hour glasses for the interior, they set up a time indicator for the public use on the exterior :

Wednesday, 6th July, 1670.-That the present Churchwardens doe cause a Sunne Dyall to be placed on the west side of the Tower belonging to the Parish Church and the charge thereof shall be allowed in their accompt.

As the local drainage authority, the Vestry were not indifferent to the possibility of improving the primitive system of the time :

Wednesday, 6th July, 1670.-That the present Churchwardens with anie three or more of the Vestriemen doe view the Ditch or Drayne leading from ye Easte end of the New Chappell Southward by the wall of the Artillery Ground, and consider whether it be fitt that the sayd Ditch should be Damed up or not and Report their opinion therein unto the Vestry in writing.

Their solicitude is next directed to the drink traffic:

6th July, 1670.-That the present Churchwardens doe make what progresse they can in discovering how and howmanie Wine Licenses have usually been formerly Granted by the Cittie of Westmr. and make Report from time to time of their proceedings therein.

The condition of "the cage" at Knightsbridge is then the subject of a series of resolutions :

1st March, 1670.-The Churchwardens haveing this day Reported (viva
voce) That there is a necessity of Repayring the Cage or Round house
at Knights Bridge for avoydeing the charge and trouble of Lodging
of such as are to be passed away. It is thought fitt and Ordered
That the Churchwardens doe cause the sayd Cage or Round house to
be Repayred for this time until they can speake with ye Ld. High
Steward of Westmr. or Head Bayliffe Concerning ye same. And the
Charge thereof shall be allowed at ye passing of their Accompt.
18th Nov., 1698.—Ordered that the Churchwardens doe pay the constables
of Knightsbridge account for straw for the cage.
Thursday, 11 Nov., 1708.-Ordered that it be referred to the Church wardens
to repaire the
cage at Knightsbridge and the charge
thereof shall be allowed on their account.

The book referred to in the next following resolution has not found its place in the present collection, which is somewhat remarkable seeing its importance in Westminster-an importance which could not attach to any similar book elsewhere:

Register for Touching.

Upon reading an Order of his Matie. in Councill made in the yeare 1672 whereby the Minister of every parish is appointed to kepe a register of persons touched for the evell this Vestry is of opinion that the Right of keeping the said Register is in Dr. Sprat and the Minister of the parish for the time being and that he ought to have the keeping of the said Register booke and the disposall thereof.

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Whether the entry be interpreted as permissive or mandatory, the duty it refers to involved much more than appears at first sight. To Westminster it was that during the Jacobean period, thousands of scrofulous sufferers were attracted by the Orders in Council appointing "sittings" of the King for the "touching" of those who sought their cure at his hands, the sittings being nearly always held during the residence of the Court at Whitehall. From 1660 to 1664 inclusive no less than 23,601 persons were touched," and on the return of the King to the metropolis after the plague of 1665-6, the superstitious rite was resumed so actively that 68,506 persons availed themselves of it between 1667 and 1684. The necessity for the foregoing order will therefore be easily perceived. During the reign of William III., the solemnity was partially suspended, the King "being persuaded that he should do no injury to persons afflicted with the disorder by not touching them." Yet the practice was occasionally resorted to in Queen Anne's reign, for it is stated that Dr. Johnson was brought from Lichfield to Westminster, in his infancy, to be "touched by the Queen for the scrofulous

evil, though the ceremony was of no avail.

This "royal gift of healing" is evidently referred to in Macbeth

“strangely visited people,

All swoln and ulcerous, pitiful to the eye,

The mere despair of surgery, he cures;

Hanging a golden stamp about their necks
Put on with holy prayers."

the

Some of the writers on the subject suggest that the attraction was rather golden stamp" than the actual cure. Brand refers to the custom in his Popular Antiquities (vol. iii., p. 302-4) under the head of "Physical Charms."

The inimitable diarist, Pepys, notes under date of 10th April, 1667, “To the King's little Chapel; and afterwards to see the King heal the King's Evil (wherein no pleasure, I having seen it before) and then to see him and the Queene." And Herrick, who wrote contemporaneously, thus alludes to it :— Now to that Hand, (the Branch of Heavens faire Tree)

I kneel for help: O! lay thine Hand on me,

Adored Cæsar! and my faith is such,

I shall be heal'd, if that my King but touch.

The Evill is not yours; my sorrow sings,
Mine is the Evill, but the cure the King's.

Hesperides.

The ceremony is described at length in Chambers' Book of Days, vol., i., pp. 82-5, where engravings are given of the identical touch-piece, obverse and reverse, given by Queen Anne to Dr. Johnson, now preserved in the British Museum.

Besides the registration of those healed of disease, the Vestry, among all their other functions, undertake the liberation of debtors from prison:

7th October, 1674.-Upon the application of Marie, the wife of Edward Arnold, prisoner (for debt) in the King's Bench prison It is thought fitt that the Churchwardens doe endeavour to free the sayd Edward Arnold from prison att as easy Rates as they can And the charge thereof shall be allowed in their Accompt.

The enactment in the Local Government Act, 1894, requiring Vestrymen to make a Declaration upon their acceptance of office, was considered by many to be an innovation. Others knew it to be merely an adaptation of somewhat similar provisions of the Municipal Corporation Acts; but the following transcript shows that these last named Acts merely re-enacted, in effect, if not in terms, the provisions contained in the first Act relating to Vestries passed more than two centuries ago :—

5th Sept., 1677.

Know all men by these psnts. that Mr. Arthur Prior & Mr. Nehemiah Arnold of the parish of St. Margts. Westmr. in ye County of Middx. were Sworne Vestry men for ye Sayd parish before ye Rt. Worll, Sr

Rich. Lloyd Knt. Doctor of Lawes Comissary and Officiall Principall to the Worll. the Deane and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St. Peters Westmr. on Wednesday the 13th day of June 1677. These are to Certifie all persons whom it may concerne That this Second day of August in the yeare of Our Lord God 1677 Richard Newman Esqre Inhabitant and Parishonr of the Parish of St. Margarts Westmi. in ye County of Middx. Appeared before me Richard Lloyd Kt. Dr. of Lawes Comissary and Official Principal to ye Worll. ye Deane and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St. Peters Westmr. aforesayd judicially sitting in ye Consistory Court of the sayd Deane and Chapter held in the sayd Collegiate Church of St. Peters Westmr. And was by me according to the Act of Parlmt. in that behalfe made and provided Nominated and elected a Vestry man of the sayd parish of St. Margt. in Westmr. aforesayd made and subscribed the Declaration and Acknowledgement mentioned in the sayd Act of Parliament made in the 15th yeare of ye Reigne of Sovereigne Charles ye 2nd by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the ffaith &c., Intituled (An Act for the Regulating Select Vestries) for witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the Day and yeare aforesayd,

Rich Lloyd
The like verbatim

For Captn. Mich. Arnold*
Richard Pagitt Esqe

Mr. Tho Warner

Mr. Miles Mitchell
Mr. Rich Ffarthing
Mr. John Greene

Shortly afterwards (in 1680) the Vestry were allowed a voice in the nomination of the Commissioners of Hackney Coaches, the opportunity being then taken of offering some suggestions for the amendment of the law :

Sunday, 12th Decr., 1680.-That Sr. Wm. Waller Sr John Cutler

with ye Steward & High Burgesses for the time being be nominated Commrs. in St. Margarts. Westmr. for Regulating Hackney Coaches.

The heterogeneous offices the Vestry fulfilled are further illustrated by a reference which introduces them as the education authority of the day and which, at the same time, affords an insight into the conditions under which "elementary instruction was provided :

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Sunday, the 18th day of Decr., 1681.-The Peticon of Thomas Jordan praying that he may be settled and continued in the Imployment of instructing the parish Poore Children being this day read was laid aside (It being the opinion of this Vestry that he is not capable of performing that undertaking as it ought to be done.) And upon his further Application complayning of his poverty having flour Small Children and an Impotent sister lying on his Hands. The Vestry have thought fitt & do Accordingly Órder that the said Thomas Jordan shall be relieved and have halfe a Chaldren of Coles of the stock for this yeare (he having already had one Half Chaldren of the said stock) and 2s. per weeke towards the support of his said Family Provided his said Sister doe not become chargeable to the Parish. And at the same time Judith Smith wife of Thomas Smith was presented as a fitt person to undertake the Teaching of the said Poore Children which was accordingly conferred upon her. And she to receive for her Care and Paines therein half a Chaldren of Coles (being the remainder of the Stock for this yeare) and all the moneys of Dr. Busbys yearely gift of Six Pounds that shall remaine when the Coles are paid for.

M.P. for Westminster, 1685.

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