HISTORY OF NORTON. 13 



They were married on the 22nd of Nov., 1638, young Marvell 

 being at that time eighteen.* 



Amongst the burials are : July 31, 1601. Anthonius Blythe de 

 Byrchett p'ce de Dranfield armiger sepultus fitit in capella ecdesie 

 parochiali de Norton adjuncta tertio die Junii in node. The 

 Blythes, as the Dronfield register shows, removed their dead 

 from Dronfield, and buried them at Norton, in the chapel 

 founded by their great relation. A custom seems to have 

 obtained in some families of burying their dead by night. The 

 reason probably is that the darkness adds solemnity to the 

 occasion. Evelyn, in his diary, tells us that his sister, Mrs. 

 Darcy, was buried on the 3rd Oct., 1635, "at night, but with no 

 meane ceremony." And on 27 Jan., 1641 ; " that evening was 

 celebrated the pompous funerall of the Duke of Richmond, who 

 was carried in effigie in an open chariot thro' London in great 

 solemnity." It has, from time immemorial, been the custom of 

 the ancient family of Dyott, of Freeford, to bury its deceased 

 members by torch light.t The Blythes, doubtless, buried their 

 dead with considerable pomp, and would take a just pride in their 

 beautiful chapel. 



1604. July 15. Robert us Waddye nuper servus magistri 

 Cardinal de Eg wanton in coin 1 Nottingliam apud lees in puteo 

 immersus. [1676, Ap. 19, Nicholaus Stones mercator florentissimus 

 de Himsworth. 



I transcribe the first page of the register, as a specimen of what 

 it is like. The 1st Vol. is of very unwieldy shape. It measures 

 2ft. 2in., by 9<|in., and is doubled in the middle, which causes 

 both the binding and the leaves to be very much broken. The 

 baptisms begin in the first year of Elizabeth (1558), and are 

 continued down to Feb., 165 1. The marriages begin in the 2nd 

 of Elizabeth (1559), and are continued to March, 1653. The 

 burials begin in the same year, and are continued to March, 

 1650. Generally, I may say that the volume is of very con- 



* See Fuller Worthies Library. Andrew Marvell. 



+ Notes and Queries, 5th S. vii., 246. And see Cox's Churches of 

 Derbyshire, iv. 335. 



