The Society's 3ISS. — Chiseldon and Dray cot. 



51 



All the above persons were allied, and their connexion with 

 each other and with St. John's College will be explained, so far as 

 it can be ascertained, when we come to the history of Chiseldon 

 proper. Meanwhile, so far as Draycote was concerned, the proposed 

 sale to Bishop Buckeridge never took effect, and we pass on another 

 fifty years, to an "answer" to a " bill," which, with search, the 

 future historian of Draycote will no doubt discover. The "answer," 

 it will be seen, traverses the " bill " at all points, and, without it 

 even, is a very interesting record : — 



"Jurat' 24° Die Novembris 

 1671 



W m . Beversham 



Blucke. 



"The answer of Thomas Twittie 

 Clerk to the bill of Complainte 

 of Roger Ewin Complainant. 



" Extract' er ^ e Sa *^ ^ e ^ en( ^ an t saveinge unto himselfe now and att all 

 Jo Blome 61 tymes hereafter the benefitt and Advantage of Exception to 

 the uncerteintyes and Insufficiencies of the said Complainants 

 bill of Complainte for answer thereunto or unto soe much thereof as doth 

 coneerne this defendant to make answer unto he saith that about seaven yeares 

 sithence this defendant was by his Majestie that now is by his Highnesse 

 Letters Patents under the greate Seale of England duely presented unto the 

 Parish Church of Dracott in the said Bill mencioned and was legally instituted 

 and inducted unto the same and is by meanes thereof lawfull incumbent 

 there and by that meanes alsoe is legally entitled unto all tythes both great 

 and small groweing ariseing happening or encreaseing within the said parish 

 And saith that he beleives his Majesties presentacion was ratione Lapsus as 

 the plaintiffe by his bill suggesteth for that the inhabitants of Dracott by 

 some combinacion or confederacy amongst themselves or otherwise (the per- 

 ticulers whereof this Defendant cannot discover) did heretofore suffer the 

 Parish Church to fall into decay and at last becamo wholly dissolved into 

 ruinous heapes as alsoe the parsonage house and buildings and two Yard Land 

 of the gleabland thereunto belonging wholly swallowed up soe that there is 

 not any place for this defendant to read the service of God in nor to administer 

 the Sacraments within the said Parish But is constrayned to exercise his 

 function for the said parish of Dracott within the Parish Church of Chissledon 

 neere adjoyneing to the said parish of Dracott wether the Inhabitants of the 

 said parish of Dracott may and many of them doe resort to heare Divine 

 Service according to the Law parte of which Church of Chisseldon is allowed 

 to be used by the inhabitants of Dracott and is used by them att their pleasure 

 untill such tyme as this defendant can procure the said Parish Church to be 

 rebuilt And this defendant further saith that he beleives itt to be true that 

 the Complainant Roger Ewen is owner or possessor of tho fTarm and lands in 



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