A DORSET WORTHY. 19 



and therefore not long since came this Ford to a place called Wimborne 

 in Dorset, and commanded the Clerk of that parish to ring all in ; for 

 he himself would preach twice that Lord's Day. The Clerk repairs to 

 the Dr. Incumbent and acquaints him with the will of this new Preacher. 

 The Doctor thought it strange that a man w T ho pretended to be so 

 high a pitch of learning as Divinity should have so little acquaintance 

 with the Ethics, as to command his pulpit without his leave ; but after 

 second thoughts and considering whose creature this Ford was, he 

 answered : ' If Mr. Ford will preach twice this day, his will must be to 

 me a law. Colonel Bingham, I perceive, is resolved to deprive me with- 

 out law, and to bring Mr. Ford in without Equity.' Mr. Ford goes to 

 Church, guarded thither by Lacy, Skutt, and some soldiers belonging to 

 that Regiment, and, regarded there by the presence of Baronet Cooper 

 and his brother, commands the Clerk to repeat the Lord's Prayer and 

 sing a Psalm ; and up to the Pulpit he steps. At the sight of whom and 

 missing of Common Prayer, the parishioners first gaze and then cry 

 out for their Doctor and the old service of God. Mr. Ford rails at and 

 reviles the people for this disorder (intending no one shall be disorderly 

 but himself) ; and rising up against him that came to bring Jesus Christ 

 to them (that expression he took in short hand the last time he heard 

 Mr. Peters) who had not been preached in three score years before. 

 The people hearing this impudent lie, and fearing that if this fellow were 

 suffered it might come to pass Christ should not be preached in three 

 score years after, renew their desires for the Common Prayer and their 

 Doctor ; at whose just commands Lieutenant-Colonel Lacy grows angry 

 and obtains leave of Baronet Cooper to command a guard of muskets to 

 bring the people into their order ; but the soldiers, seeing the people's 

 resolution, and foreseeing what a bloody day such an action would make, 

 are wiser than their Commander and sit still. And as Lacy is Zealous 

 in this business a discreet man wishes him to take wit in his anger, and 

 then to cut it off with his shears (you may know this Lacy was a tailor). 

 The Baronet being told the truth by the people that he had 

 already starved their bodies, for he is a racking landlord, and now took a 

 course to starve their souls as an Impropriator, hastens out of Church to 

 the Doctor's House, and desires him to come and lay that Devil which 

 himself had raised, promises that Ford should leave the pulpit which 

 in the way he did, not by the Baronet's policy but the people's piety. 

 And in requital this thankful Sir Anthony, with the help of Bingham, 

 Skutt, Lacy, and such other Reformers, have expelled the Doctor out of 

 his living and banished him out of the country. By this you may see 

 what property or liberty we shall enjoy, if the rebels prevail." 



Driven away from Wimborne because of his loyalty to 

 Church and King, Stone joined the Royal army, presumably 



