826 Entries in a Parish Register, Collingbourne Ducis. 
mihi meisque. the good of the Church, and a blessing 
to me and mine. 
From Lady-Day to the Midsummer following I kept my residence at Chichester, 
and y® Cure was supplyed by the Rev. Mr. Gwinn, who resided here. 
In y* beginning of Nov"., 1719, having resided constantly here for almost 
twenty years, I remov’d with my family to my residence at Chichester with the 
Bishop of Sarum’s approbation, who appointed Mr. Joseph Gilbert to be my 
Curate. W.S.! 
In 1703, under Burials :—Memdum y* y° five last register’d died of a feavour 
which was very fatall in y* & y*® upper parish, & more especially to such who 
were lett blood in y* time of y‘sicknesse. Fifteen dyed in Collingbourn Kingston 
within ten weekes; y® distemper probably caus’d by y* late mild winter. Rob* 
Marshman of y°® same distemper June y° 6th, being y* same day y° B? preach’d 
& confirm’d. By experience it was found yta common medicine called Decoctum 
Sacrum was of excellent use, few dying of y* feavour who made use of y' remedy. 
1703. Memdum y* on Saturday y* 27 day of Nov‘. about 2 o’clock in y® 
morning there arose a terrible Hurricane w did unspeakable damage all over 
England, but few places suffer’d more y" y° Parsonage here. For there was one 
long barn blown down, all y® rest of y® barns, outhouses, stables, & ricks of corn 
were unthatch’d, y® whole dwelling-house uncover’d, y* lead upon y* chancell 
shrivell’d up like a scrowl, & y* Tower & body of y® Church much damnifyed. At 
y° same time the Rt. Rev’. Richard Kidder, Bishop of Bath & Wells, together 
with his lady were destroy’d in y‘ Palace at Wells. But by y* Providence of 
God both man & beast escaped all manner of hurt in these parts. 
The register book containing the above entries has the following entries on the 
first page :— 
September 19, 1653. Mr. Bartholomew Tookey was chosen the Parish 
Register for Collingbourne Ducis in the County of Wilts by the major part of 
the Inhabitants of the said Parish meet for that purpose according to the Act of 
Parliament of the 24th of Aug‘, 1653 touching Marriages and the Registring 
thereof. this I testify 
AponrRamM BYFIELD. 
office by election as usual. Their claim to do so was not resisted by the Crown, 
and Mr. Wright was made Custos of S. Mary’s, and William Sherwin Canon 
Residentiary.—Sussex Archeological Journal, vol. xxiv., page 62. 
1 W. Sherwin died in 1735, and was succeeded as Rector of Collingbourne Ducis 
by the Hon. Thomas Bruce, who appears never to have resided, and resigned in 
1738. 
2 For an account of this great storm see Smollett, History of England, vol. 
II., chapter 8; Macaulay, Essay on life and writings of Addison; and the Rev. 
A. C. Smith, in this Magazine, vol. vi., page 386. 
