Lesbury Parish, by the late George Tate, F.G.S. 453 



With Eobert Brandling he engaged in other fierce conflicts. 

 On Sunday, July 16th, 1632, Brandling, after hearing prayers in 

 Lesbury church, appointed Thomas Thompson, in the presence of 

 the gentlemen of the parish, to pull down the clerk's stall, and 

 build there one for himself; but the vicar told him, that neither 

 he nor any other person save the bishop could displace the clerk 

 of his seat. Brandling very angrily replied, that the proudest 

 bishop in England durst not meddle with his inheritance, mean- 

 ing Lesbury chancel, and that if Mackelwyan meddled again, he 

 would likewise pull down his seat and reading pew ; he called 

 Mackelwyan Galloway rogue, and threatened to lay him in 

 prison till he starved and stinked, 



Mackelwyan appears again in 1637, as plaintiff before the 

 Court of High Commission, charging William Carr, gent., — that 

 he did disgracefully call him, being a minister of God's Word, 

 thief, carle, and Galloway knave, and in a threatening manner 

 said unto him, " Sirray, in derogation of his function and priest- 

 hood, and did likewise scandalise his wife and call her a whore." 

 The scene took place in Fareinfall, part of Lesbury Fields. On 

 the part of the defence, Eobert Gray said that Mackelwyan was 

 setting out the tithe corn before Carr came, and after Carr did 

 come, both fell at words about the tithing, Carr reproving Mac- 

 kelwyan for setting it out before he came, and railing against 

 him and his wife, after which Mackelwyan called Carr a thief 

 for saying so. The court considered the charge proved, and 

 sentenced Carr to pay costs and make submission and acknow- 

 ledgement before twelve of the principal inhabitants of Lesbury, 

 at such time and place as Mr Mackelwyan shall appoint. 



Mackelwyan figures also repeatedly in the baronial courts, in 

 1654 to 1658. He was amerced 6s. 8d. for six several pound 

 breaches, and for taking his geese out of the pinfold; and 12d. 

 for overstinting the common, where he had no eatage — 20d. for 

 a pound breach made by his servant Alis Huggin — 3s. 4d. for 

 another pound breach made by the same servant, and taking his 

 mare out of the pinfold — and another fine for a night layer with 

 his mare in the West Field. There has been exaggeration as 

 to his age ; Eandal represents his age at death 112 years ; but 

 as he died in 1659, he was then aged 101 years. Some of his 

 descendants lived nearly half- a- century later in Lesbury ; in the 

 church register it is recorded that James Mackelwyan was buried 

 in 1699, and Agnes Mackelwyan on March 17th, 1701. 



[Mr. Tate deals rather hardly with the famous centenarian, who 

 stood up so stoutly in a rough age. to maintain his supposed 

 rights. More about his history may be found in the " Memoirs 

 of Percival Stockdale," vol. i., p.p. 146 — 153. Mr Stockdalehas 

 preserved the following reminiscences. " He passed a part of 

 his very long life in the reign of Charles II. The plague which 



