289 



Walter Daveys, to whom Prior Holwaye had granted the " next 

 presentation." Adams did not die until 1577, and even then 

 there was an obstacle in the person of Gilbert Berkley, the Bishop 

 of the Diocese, whose consent was required. The Bishop died 

 in 1581, and during the vacancy of the See a Dr. Aubrey was 

 Vicar Capitular. Aubrey was a pensioner of the Bath munici- 

 pality, and received some relatively handsome presents for his 

 complaisance in consenting to the spoliation. The order for 

 •consolidation of the parishes was made in April, 1583. The 

 order recites that the "ruinated church" belonging to the 

 Priory had been re-edified, except the south aisle, and then orders 

 that the Church of Stalls and the Chapel of Widcombe should 

 be annexed "for the increase of Divine worship and the 

 preaching of the word of God to the said great ruinated Church. 

 The Abbey Church is then erected into a Parish Church " to 

 which as to their Parish Church all and singular the inhabitants 

 of the said late parishes should be obliged always to come to 

 and to no other place to hear Divine service and to receive the 

 Sacraments." The order permits the use of other Churches 

 until the repair of the south aisle of the Abbey, 



Thus what had been for centuries the parish of St. Mary de 

 Stalls became the parish of SS. Peter and Paul, the Abbey 

 having been dedicated to those Saints. 



The inhabitants of Widcombe were prompt in the action which 

 they took. They applied for a. sequestration of the living and 

 obtained an order to that efifect and a Mr. Gaye was appointed 

 to serve the Chapel. There was consternation amongst the 

 citizens; and by intriguing and bribing, and probably also by 

 promises to the men of Widcombe, they got the sequestration 

 removed. 



The parishioners of St. Michael's extra muros and St. James 

 were probably equally active, and to their remonstrances we owe 

 it that these two city Churches were not desecrated and destroyed. 

 The little Church of St. Michael intra muros was annexed to St 



