By the Rev. Canon Moberly. 153 
“ the circuit of the close, together with the hospital of St. Nicholas, 
might be granted to the mayor and city, in as large and ample a 
manner as to the bishops, deans, and chapters thereof.” This prayer 
was granted in spite of a counter-petition from the inhabitants of 
the close, and in September of that year the mayor and corporation 
received a grant from the Parliament of the perpetual care, visitation, 
inspection, patronage, and free disposition of the hospital: and the 
mayor and any eight of the aldermen were fully empowered to 
reverse the decisions of the master, and to appoint a new master, 
when the place was vacant. On this (in 1658) Mr. Rivett resigned, 
and the mayor for the time being, William Stone, was appointed. 
But three years after—in August, 1659, when things were 
ripening towards the next year’s settlement—the mayor and corpo- 
ration were required to give up their new charter. They complied, 
but John Ivey, senior, the mayor of the year, was sent to London 
with a petition that the corporation might be allowed to keep the 
hospital. This was granted, Ivey was continued in the mastership, 
and his son, John Ivey, junior, continued as steward of the hospital, 
John Ivey had been mayor, and therefore master of St. Nicholas’, 
since the autumn of 1658. Immediately on succeeding to the latter 
post, he had gone to law with Dr. Nicholas, the late warden, for 
monies received by him in fines on leases, &c., and alleged to be due 
to the hospital. To this Dr. Nicholas answered by the plea that 
twelve years since he had delivered all the accounts into Rivett’s 
hands, and had since only received rents which were lawfully due 
to himself. 
However, the tide was turning: at the end of May, 1660, the 
King was brought back, and within the month (21st June) an order 
was issued for Dr. Nicholas’ restoration to his mastership. It was 
signed by the same clerk of the Parliament who thirteen years 
before had signed the order for Rivett’s intrusion. 
Dr. Matthew Nicholas also had a fresh grant of the deanery of 
St. Paul’s, London, of which he had been made dean by Charles L., 
but had never come into possession. He died in 1662, and was 
succeeded by his son, John Nicholas, a young man of 23, who was 
appointed by Bishop Henchman, He had been at Winchester and 
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