NOTES ON A MINUTE BOOK. 147 



steward of Seaton Parsonage money ; hut were to be " made 

 good " to him " out of the sale of the old Trinity Parsonage house, 

 the harne adjoining, and the garden Lehind the George, -with the 

 passage forth into the back lane belonging to the George." I may 

 say, in passing, that a portion of this old Parsonage remains, and to 

 some of the New England descendants of Puritans is almost like 

 the Black Stone to the Moslem. Further, I have heard, but also 

 heard it contradicted, that a house in Cornhill, next door to the 

 Antelope on the south, was formerly St. Peter's Rectory. IMay 

 this be the house referred to above 1 The mention of Seaton 

 brings us to what seems to me a curious practice of the Mayor and 

 Company. This was the buying of " parsonages," whereby in 

 short that body became lay rectors and patrons of the livings. 

 Seaton in Devon was long theirs. One or two other parishes are 

 named as being negociated for at least. But I would speak 

 particularly of Fordington. Fordington tithes are triply applied. 

 Until about twelve years ago there was a Fordington Stall at 

 Sarum, of which Canon Pearson was the last holder. Now I 

 assume it is swept into the Ecclesiastical Commission. Then there 

 is a Lay Eectory ; and lastly the Vicarage. I do not see the 

 event recorded, but it is my surmise that on the Puritan sup- 

 pression of Chapters Master jNEayor and Company bought the whole 

 prebendal, rectorial, and small tithes and presentation to the living 

 such as it was. With the scanty data in our possession we ought 

 not to be very hard on Master Mayor and his fellows. Still their 

 providing for the spiritual wants of Fordington seems not to have 

 given entire satisfaction. On Nov. 1, 1648, " ffordington men 

 were heere w^^ Master Maior and desires a minister and INIaster 

 Maior put them off till Friday sennight in the afternoone." Now 

 the ever useful Master Ben had been asked to " enquire out an 

 able mynister" for Fordington as long l>efore as April 21. This 

 minister was to have the " Vicaridgc House " and £20 a year 

 "out of the Inipropriat Parsonage of ffordington," with some 

 prosi)cct of £20 more out of Seaton Parsonage. Poor i>ay, even 

 iu those times. It seems to have attracted only a very young 



