A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



slightly raised in value by contributions from the Northamptonshire rectories 

 of Byfield, Stoke Doyle, Kilsby, and Ufford. 



Each county had its own committees and trustees, but none of their 

 actions, either in augmentations or ejection of scandalous ministers, were valid 

 until confirmed in London. The services of the various county commis- 

 sioners were given gratuitously, but they employed a small staff of paid officials. 

 The council sanctioned in 1657, ^^ ^^^ request of the 'Commissioners for 

 ejection of scandalous, ignorant, and insufficient Ministers and Schoolmasters 

 in Co. of Northampton,' the payment of jr5o for a registrar, and £2° ^^ch 

 for three agents. The financial work done in Northamptonshire by way of 

 augmentation and readjustment of clerical stipends was considerably in advance 

 of other counties of a like size.' From returns in the Public Record Office 

 we find that the sale of lands of the deanery of Peterborough realized rentals 

 of ^^658 3^, 3^., and that from this income grants were made to the North- 

 amptonshire parishes, varying from £jo to Peterborough to j(^io ioj. to 

 Rothwell.' 



Throughout the Commonwealth period the churchwarden system was 

 continued, as is witnessed by a great variety of county parochial accounts and 

 registers ; they were annually elected, and assessed rates yearly at Easter. 

 The Presbyterians were just as anxious to maintain the church-rate and the 

 tithe system as the Episcopalians whom they had superseded ; but after a 

 little time a strong agitation against tithes arose, which was afterwards 

 vehemently maintained by the Quakers. 



There was published in 1653 a pamphlet termed ' The Afflictions of 

 the Afflicted, or the Unjust Actions of Tythe-mongers Discovered," which 

 took a violent anti-tithe view on Scriptural grounds, and gave instances of 

 houses broken up, bodies imprisoned, and cattle and goods seized, 'pretended 

 for tythes, that unjust gain of oppression.' Some Northamptonshire examples 

 are cited — Richard Terry, of Houghton, prosecuted by Sir John Isham, 

 impropriator of Lamport for tithe £2 igs. 6d., was forced to pay £1^; 

 and on another occasion £^5' ^'^^ treble damages 'for pretended tythes*; 

 Thomas Roberts, of Overstone, imprisoned in 1646 by Sir R. Samwell and 

 Mr. Ward, justices, for not recognizing Mr. Lyonel Goodrick as parson of 

 Overstone, had to pay ;Cio for his redemption, and the parson afterwards 

 took four of his cows and twenty-six sheep for ' pretended tythes ' ; and in 

 the same year ' eight horses, three pairs of gears, and three hogs ' were 

 seized for a like purpose, ' which was an undoing to him, his wife, and chil- 

 dren.' The Tithes Act of 1654 reaffirmed the approving ordinance of 1647. 

 The anti-tithe feeling grew in strength, but the attempted legislation of 1657 

 in that direction was abortive ; and that of 1659 ended in a resolution that, 

 pending a better maintenance scheme for ministers, it should remain in force. 



' The following parishes were dealt with by the commissioners, some of them on several occasions : — 

 Adstone, Alderton, Aldwinkle, Ashley, Braybrookc, Brigstock, Brixworth, Long Buckby, Daventry, Desborough, 

 Doddington, Elkington, Earls Barton, East Farndon, Guilsborough, Glapthorn, Grafton, Gretton, Hasel- 

 bech, Halse, Helpston, Higham Ferrers, Holcot, Irthlingborough, Isham, Kilsby, Kingsthorpe, Laxton, Little 

 Oakley, Marston St. Lawrence, Maxey, Mears Ashby, Moulton, Newton Bromswold, Northampton (all the 

 parishes), Oundle, Paston, Paulerspury, Peterborough, Pilton, Polebrook, Plumpton, Pytchley, Raunds, Ring- 

 stead, Rothwell, Rushton (both churches), Sibbertoft, Southwick, Steane, Teeton, Thorpe Malsor, Thrapston, 

 Titchmarsh, Towcester, Walton, Warmington, Weedon, Wellingborough, and Wilby. 



^ Audit Office, bdle. 367, roll 2. 



' B.M. Pamphlet, E 714. In the same year was published another pamphlet entitled ' Downfall of 

 Tythes and Sacriledge ' (B.M. Pamphlet as before). 



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