r 54 



MINUTE BOOK OF THE WIRKSWORTH CLASSIS. 



Voted that Mr. Porter be continued Moderator ; after which vote he ended 

 with prayer. 



Wirkesworth Classis ) These being p'sent at the Classicall Meeting for the 

 Februarie 19, 1651 J Ordination of the afore mentioned Mr. Samuel 

 Heiron and Mr. Anthonie Wood, the said 19 th day 

 day of Februarie, 1 65 1. 



Others 



M r Henrie Buxton 



M r John Sclat' 



Edward Allen 



William Storer 



John Rudyard 



Henrie Buxton of Wirkesworth 



Ministers 

 ( Port 1 Moderator 

 Coates 

 Watkinson 

 Shelm r dine 

 Mr I Pole* 



Oldfield 

 Machinf 

 Myles 



Coke, scribe 



Mr John Otefield preached this day the Ordinacon Sermon, w ch ended 

 M r Peter Watkinson demanded the Questions of the said M r Samuel 

 Hieron, and M r Anthonie Wood required to be demanded of them by the 

 Ordinance for the Ordination of Ministers of the 28 of August 1646. Who 

 both publicklie answered the said Questions, whereupon the said M r Hieron 

 & M' Wood were ordained by prayer & Imposition of hands. 



The said M r Watkinson made the exhortacon & concluded with prayer and 

 the blessing. 



After the Congregation was dismissed ; The scribe was ordered to make 

 ready their Lres of Ordinacon ag st the next Classicall meeting, to the end 

 they may be signed by the Ordain rs & so delivered to the said M r Samuel 

 Hieron & Anthony Wood. 



The sevmll pages of their Testimonialls & Theses are remaining in the 

 custodie of the Scribe. 



Voted that M r Robert Porter continue Moderator. 



aged 73- Mr. Hieron was celebrated as a preacher and a divine throughout 

 the Midlands. He published an abridgment of Poole's Synopsis and several 

 other theological works. His biographer says : — " His study was his paradise, 

 and the swallowing of books his most delightful meat and drink." For fur- 

 ther particulars respecting him, see Chicrches of Derbyshire, vol. iii. pp. 55, 56. 



* Edward Pole appears to have held the rectory of Bonsall both before and 

 after the Commonwealth, as well during the time when Churchmanship was 

 penal. The Parliamentary Commission of 1650, described him as "a man 

 able and of good conversation." 



+ John Machin, who graduated at Jesus College, Cambridge, was ordained 

 presbyter by the Whitchurch Classis (Salop) in 1649. In 1650, he came to 

 Ashbourn, " where for the space of two years he was a painful and laborious 

 preacher, and exceedingly useful." In 1652, he moved to Atherstone, in 

 Warwickshire, and subsequently to Astbury and Whitley, in Cheshire, whence 

 he was ejected in 1662. He was a man of considerable mark among the 

 nonconformists. 



