On Stamfordham Church, by Rev. J. F. Bigge, M.A. 265 



(At the Chancellor's Visitation held January, 1578, it is stated 

 that the vicar Shaftowe was then in prison. The Will made 30 

 Jan. 1581, and the Inventorie of the goods and cattle of Mr 

 Arthur Shaftoe, Clarke and Yicar of S, are printed by the Surtees 

 Soc, 1850, vide Eccl. Proceedings of Bishop Barnes). Francis 

 Coniers 1583, Robert Grower 1610, Robert Gfreve Laughe 1615, 

 John Hinde 1618, John Marson 1618, William Swan 1619, Ralph 

 Fenwick 1662, Ed. Fenwick — Ambrose Fenwick 1719, James 

 Baker 1 732. Mackenzie, His. of Northd., says of him, " He was a 

 very worthy, but very eccentric man. He was a great agricul- 

 turist, and was called the 'Draining Doc.tor.' He kept no ser- 

 vant, but had his meals from a public-house. He never changed 

 his coat till in tatters. He resigned his living on his succeeding to 

 the family estate of Pen, in Buckinghamshire." He was suc- 

 ceeded in 1761 by Thomas Dockwray, who was a Fellow of St. 

 John's College, Cambridge, and was Lecturer in St. Nicholas' 

 Church, Newcastle, and died 1783. After his death no vicar 

 ever resided here till I was appointed in 1847. He was suc- 

 ceeded by T. L. O'Beirne, who was inducted by proxy by the 

 Vicar of Kirkharle. He never was in the parish except one 

 morning, and after holding it for two years, he resigned 

 it for the Bishopric of Meath. The mode in which he ob- 

 tained this living is well told in the Life of Rev. R. H. 

 Barham, vol. ii., p. 171. "Diary May 11, 1844. — Dined 

 at Sir Thomas Wilde's. Hobhouse told a story of the 

 Rev. (commonly called Parson) O'Beirne, which he had from 

 old Richard B. Sheridan. Sheridan had been dining with 

 O'Beirne, and it being Saturday, the host was anxious to bring 

 the sitting to an earlier termination than usual, as he had no 

 sermon ready for next day. Sheridan pleaded hard for another 

 bottle, ' Then you must write a sermon for me,' was O'Beirne's 

 answer, which Sheridan undertook to do. There was a certain 

 Mr , a neighbouring squire, who was proverbial for grinding 



of Philip de Maxton ; John de Normanville, the superior lord having recom- 

 pensed him with an equivalent in the territory of Newton. The co- 

 signatories are Bernard de Hauden, Gregory de Rtitherforde, Richard de 

 Hetun, Elgi Prudfot, and others. (Ibid. No. 253). The Normanvilles were 

 then lords of Maxton, and liberal benefactors of Melrose Abbey. In 1259, 

 Lord "Walleran de Normanville was buried in the Abbey. \ " Chron. of Mel- 

 rose," under date\ William de Normanville was rector of the church of 

 Maxton in 1250 (" Lib. de Melros," No. 338).- J. PL] 



