A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



the report made for the Bishop of Lincoln two years later shows Presbyterian 

 famlHes scattered here and there over the Hertfordshire parishes of the arch- 

 deaconry of Huntingdon, but in considerable numbers only at Cottered." 

 The anti-Trinitarian tendency discernible in many Presbyterian congregations 

 began to make itself markedly felt at about this time, but it seems probable that 

 many of the Hertfordshire followers ultimately joined the Congregationalists. 

 The most important secession of this kind was that of the congregation 

 at Theobalds, numbering 300 persons in 171 5. In 1733 these formally 

 united with the members of the Congregational chapel at Crossbrook, 

 Cheshunt." By 1825 the only remaining Presbyterian congregation was 

 that which met in the chapel in Lower Dagnall Street, St. Albans." The 

 teaching was ' distinctly Socinian,' '" and the chapel finally became definitely 

 Unitarian. Dr. James Martineau was associated with it and had much 

 influence in the town. After 1868, however, there was no regular minister 

 here ; the congregation gradually dispersed, and finally the chapel, built in 

 1690, was sold in 1895 by order of the Charity Commissioners, the proceeds 

 being added to the funds of the Provincial Assembly of London and the 

 South-Eastern Counties." 



From the earliest days of the Reformation infant baptism had proved a 

 dividing point among Protestants. From the beginning of the 17th century 

 entries in the parish registers up and down the county seem to show a 

 dislike to the ordinance, and presentments in the archidiaconal courts of 

 neglect to have children baptized were not infrequent.'' Bitterly as the ruling 

 parties in the Commons, the Independents and Presbyterians, opposed the 

 Baptists, it was owing to the direct influence of the House of Commons that 

 George Kendall, one of their most distinguished ministers, obtained a footing in 

 Hertfordshire. In 1642 the House of Commons settled Kendall as lecturer 

 at Hemel Hempstead." On complaints that Kendall refused infants baptism *" 

 Dr. Burgess was sent down to inquire and report." The result was that 

 Kendall was lodged in Newgate during the pleasure of the House." Other 

 notable Baptists at this time were Edward Harrison, vicar of Kensworth, and 

 Daniel Dvke,*' rector of Much Hadham ; pronounced views, Antinomian as 

 well as Baptist, were also held bv Robert Baldwin, who was committed to 

 tlie prison of the Gate House in Westminster." In 1653 the Council of 

 State had declared itselr satisfied ' concerning the gifts and abilities of Major 

 William Packer to preach the gospel,' and had described him as eminent in 

 godliness.'' Fox tells how ' Coll : Packer had gotten Tybballs and was 

 made a Justice of peace there : and there sett upp a great meetinge of ye 

 baptists in Tybballs parke.'*'' Here in March 1657—8 a congregation was 



3o 'Speculum Dioecesis ' (Alnwick Tower, Line). '■* Urwick, op. cit. 513. 



^^ Th; Mr.nchiSter Soiir.i.-.r. Ccntrcversy, 132. '''' Ibid. 



'• George E. Evans, VaUges ofPrrJatcr.t Dissent, 245 and n. 3* See \!,Tvi\cV,N onconformity in Herts, passim. 



'' IhiJ. 209 ; Ccmr.cr.s' Journ. ii, 730. *'' Lords' Journ. vi, 433, 446, 470. 



^1 Ibid. 4-0 ; Lightfoot, Works, xiii, I 86. ''^ Lords' Journ. vi, 470, 4S0, 500. 



<3 Cjoshy, Hist, of the B^ti sts, ii, 57 ; iv, 25. Dyke was grandson of William Dyke of St. Michael's 

 (Urwick, op. cit. 211, see above, pp. 328-9). CzXzniy {}<onconfor mists' Mem. [1802], ii, 304) says that Dyke 

 and Tombes were probably the only Baptists among the Triers of 1653. 



" I;;..V J'.u-n. vi, 470, 6S1. « q^i g, />. Dom. 1653-4, P- H- 



*^ Fox, J:un!. (ed. 191 l), i, 165. 'They were exceedinge high and railed against freindes and truth 

 and threatned to apprehend mee with there warrants if ever I came downe there : I was moved of ye Lord 

 God to goe down to Tiballs and appointe a meetinge harde by,' but Packer 'had not power to medle with 

 mee ' (ibid, and 166). 



354 



