By the Rev. Chr. Wordsworth, M.A. 107 



it was the Justice of God, and that which turn'd the Ballance was Sin. . . . 

 [p. 7]. . . this Dream was doubled to me in one Night. 



The clergy at Marlborough, about 1675, were (1) Thomas Myles, 

 who had been Vicar of Preshute since 1643, except when removed 

 by the Puritans during the Commonwealth, and who had still 

 earlier held the vicarage of St. Mary's ; (2) Jonathan Heskins, vicar 

 of St. Mary's, 1668 — 77; and Joshua Sacheverell, Canon of 

 Salisbury, — and father to the famous Tory high-Church " doctor," 

 who was rector of St. Peter's, 1669 — 84. There was also in tlie 

 neighbourhood Mr William Hughes, born at Bromham (or Bed- 

 minster)^ in 1618, a graduate of New Inn Hall, Oxford, who had 

 been put into St. Mary's vicarage by the Puritans when Mr. Myles 

 was ejected for his loyalty. It was, I suppose, during W. Hughes's 

 tenure of the vicarage that St. Mary's Church was burnt down and 

 restored. He was not turned out immediately on the Eestoration 

 of Church and King, but contrived to hold the benefice until after 

 24th August, 1662, when the Act of Parliament required conformity 

 to the Book of Common Prayer. He then bought a house in 

 Marlborough and kept a successful school ; but he brought himself 

 within the arms of the law by holding nonconformist meetings in 

 the town ; and, when these were suppressed, he met his adherents 

 in the woods and fields. It was to one of his meetings that Mary 

 Hurll found her way. I find records of Nonconformity preserved 

 at Lambeth for the years 1669 and 1676. As regards " Marie- 

 borough " in 1669, there were two " conventicles," the one taught-: 

 by " Mr. Burges, formerly of Collingbourne Ducis," the other by 

 " Mr. Hughes, sometimes {sic) Vicar of St. Maries in Marleborough, 

 both Non Conformist Ministers." (Lambeth, cod. 639, f. 237). The 

 return for 1676 [ib. f. 256) gives the population of St. Peter's as 

 1200, including 100 "sectaries": that of St. Mary, as 2000, with 

 150 sectaiies ; and Preshute, only 1 sectary in 211 population. 

 The only places at this date where there were Popish Kecusants 

 in Pewsey or Marlborough deaneries, were in Pewsey, spelt 



' At Bromham, ''Wiltshire and iU Worthies," Joseph Stratford, 1882, p.l55. 

 - Precisians at that time distinguished between pastoral teaching and 

 preaching . See above. 



