KVNNINGfOJT. 



were so appropriated by Ranald Grahme ; either 

 in compliance with a previous custom, or by a regu- 

 lation of his own, adopted with the concurrence of 

 the clergyman and churchwarden, whose names ap- 

 pear as signatures to the document. 



The Rev. William Kay, A. M. a former incumbent 

 and celebrated for his classical attainments, was 

 rector of this church for the unusual period of 61 

 years ; dying; in 1798, at the advanced age of 89. 

 In the old Registers, the two following singular 

 entries occur : " 1656. Mr. Wood and the daugh- 

 ter of Marmaduke Norcliffe were married July 15, 

 by justice Robinson : 



God grant them both life with peace and joy, 

 That by disasters they have no annoy.*' 



Owen Jones, rector. 



1650. 1655. After three entries of the baptisms 

 of bis children, the said rector introduces the fol- 

 lowing lines : 



" This boon I crave of thee o Christ deny me not I pray 

 That I and mine may have God's grace, so shall we live 

 for aye." 



o. j. 



The first of these registers, containing the solem- 

 nization of marriage by the Civil Magistrate, marks 

 the fanaticism of the Commonwealth, and the ridicu- 

 lous schemes of the Barebone's Parliament, which 

 met under Cromwell, on the 4th of July, 1653* 

 " This Parliament," says Hume, c< took into consi- 



f man ; though it may be said, he is not singular in 

 this respect, as the histories of ancient and modern time* 

 furnish us with various instances of deaths cot less hu- 

 miliating and ignoble. 



