A HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



Bletchley, who tells us that he would never be content with any rector 

 who did not spend all the profits of the rectory on the church, adds in 

 his humorous way that any of his nominees who felt he had already 

 spent a good deal and Was not inclined to do anything further, had 

 better resign gracefully as soon as possible. 1 We are also told that he 

 ' did not affect a married clergy,' and that his opinions on this subject 

 were so well known that a certain curate at Bletchley actually went up 

 to London to be married, and kept his wife there secretly for years, for 

 fear of displeasing his patron ! 2 But there can be no doubt that an 

 example of some kind was sorely needed, and the notices of Browne 

 Willis's benefactions in the returns of Bishops Wake and Gibson show 

 that such cases were by no means common. 8 We learn thence, and 

 with more detail from Cole, that he beautified his own parish church at 

 Bletchley at a cost of over 1,200* ; that he built and adorned a chapel 

 which had long been needed at Fenny Stratford, 8 and did a great deal 

 by his influence and generosity to bring about a very necessary restora- 

 tion of the church at Bow Brickhill." His own epitaph in the chapel 

 of Fenny Stratford shows the effect upon his inner life of the study 

 of Christian antiquity, and may well be compared with the fulsome 

 inscriptions in which his contemporaries delighted : 



O Christe, Soter et Judex, 

 Huic peccatorum primo 

 Misericors et propitius esto. 



The rector of Bletchley has left us a full description of the parish 

 church as it appeared after its restoration, and this may perhaps serve as 

 a specimen of what was thought sufficient and even admired at the 

 time. After the necessary repairs to roof and windows, a new altar of 

 inlaid wood was provided and set in its proper place ; the chancel floor 

 was raised by two steps above the level of the rest of the church, and 

 its walls wainscoted and hung with eight neatly framed texts ; the 

 eastern wall had pillars and curtains painted on it, and the ceiling was 

 adorned with the word ' Jehovah ' in a ' glory ' surrounded by cherubims, 

 just above the altar, besides full length figures of the twelve apostles. 

 The altar-piece is described as 'very handsome,' made of Norway oak, 

 and had panels in it containing the Lord's Prayer, Creed and Decalogue; 

 the arms of Queen Anne were in the pediment, with an urn on either 

 side. A ' neat screen ' separated the chancel from the church, which 

 was now newly paved and pewed, and there were sixteen framed texts 

 provided for the walls. On Sundays and festivals the altar was covered 

 with a rich crimson velvet cloth edged with gold lace and fringe ; the 



Add. MS. 5821, f. 190. > Ibid. 



3 Under Bletchley is the entry ' ecclesia multum ornata a patrono Browne Willis.' The building 

 of Fenny Stratford chapel by him is also noticed. There are no similar entries at all. 



* It is not clear whether this includes the painting of the church, which cost 140. Add. MS. 

 5821, f. 200. 



6 Ibid. f. 153. The need of the chapel was noted in one of the Surveys of the Commonwealth period 

 (Lambeth Library, Augmentations of Livings, vol. rooi, f. 78). 



Add. MS. 5839, f. 32d. 



338 



