A HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND 



beautified nor adorned one whit. The organs and voices did well agree, 

 the one being a shrill bagpipe, the other like the Scottish tone. The 

 sermon in the like accent was such as they could hardly bring away, 

 though it was delivered by a neat young scholar, one of the bishop's 

 chaplains. The communion also was administered and received in a 

 wild and irreverent manner. 1 



Though it cannot be said that church feeling was remarkably 

 strong in the diocese, there was a leaven of devoted loyalty among the 

 clergy to King Charles as the political clouds began to gather around 

 his throne. When events became more threatening the clergy were 

 destitute of the immediate supervision and personal guidance of their 

 bishop. It is true that James Usher, the saintly primate of Ireland, had 

 received the see in commendam from the King in 1 642, about a month 

 after the death of Bishop Potter. But it is doubtful whether that 

 illustrious prelate ever set foot within the diocese. When Sir Timothy 

 Fetherstonhaugh laid the King's request for a subsidy in his distress 

 before the assembled clergy in the chapter house at Carlisle on 1 3 April 

 1643, the attitude of those that were present, though far from sym- 

 pathetic, cannot be described as disloyal. They acknowledged with 

 thankfulness that ' the honourable bench ' had recognized their ' ancient 

 and due libertys ' in representing the subsidy as a voluntary contribution, 

 and they were quite willing to admit that a tenth part of the sum of 

 the counties, as far as the diocese extended, was a full proportion if they 

 had enjoyed their entire dues as set out unto them by the law of God. 

 But notwithstanding the fact that every one of them had suffered great 

 diminution in their rights by impropriations and prescriptions, yet they 

 were willing to raise themselves to the proportions suggested, and were 

 of opinion that the same might be expected of their absent brethren. 

 It was not their intention that lay impropriators should be allowed to 

 escape, for they were required to join with the vicars to advance the 

 tenth, or wholly to undertake it where there was no vicar, ' since they 

 are, so farr as concerning the tithes they recieve, ecclesiastical persons.' 

 For once the clergy of Carlisle spoke out in defence of their ancient 

 rights, inasmuch as they stipulated ' that this our acte may be acknow- 

 ledged as voluntary and not to be drawn into example and so worded by 

 the clerke of the sessions.'* Before the year 1643, in which these 

 manly words were spoken, was brought to a close, the diocese of 

 Carlisle, as an administrative unit of the English church, had ceased to 



1 ' A Relation of a short Survey of 26 counties, &c., observ'd in a seven weekes journey begun at the 

 City of Norwich and from thence into the North on Monday, August nth, 1634, and ending at the 

 same place. By a Captaine, a Lieutannant and an Ancient. All three of the Military Company in Nor- 

 wich' (Lansd. MS. 213). 



1 This document, the earliest in the register of Bishop Usher, is headed ' the humble answere of 

 the clergy within the diocez of Carleill present in the chapter house, April 1 3th, 1643, to the request 

 brought from the ho le bench by Sir Tymothy Fetherstonhaugh K te ,' and is subscribed by ' Isaac Singleton, 

 archdeacon, Frederick Tonstall, Hen. Sibson, Leonard Milburn, Tho. Head, William Fairfax, Christofer 

 Peale, Charles Usher, Will Gregson (?), Parcivall Head, Tymothy Tully, William Head, Richard Sibson, 

 Richard Sharpies ' (Carl. Epis. Reg. Usher, MS. f. 313). 



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