By the Rev. J. Wilkinson. 



19 



Charles and Lucy Gerrish, Christopher and Henry Winne, Martha 

 and Mary Lester, within less than six weeks, between 26th Dec., 1686 

 and 2nd Feb., 1687 ? Mr. William Hickes, not to mention various 

 doubles, rejoices in two triplets, three sons of John and Hannah 

 Flower in 170S, and three sons of Abram and Jane Cleve in 1720. 

 I regret to add that none of these survived many days. He tells 

 you, 1696, of "Susannah an unlawfully begotten daughter of Judith 

 Bull, widow." Mr. Hickes's meaning is clear, but the widow's 

 selection of the name of "a daughter of Israel in whom was found no 

 dishonesty " is almost ironical. He is not so perspicuous, when 

 speaking of "Illegal marriages" (of which he gives a list), "to 

 pay 6d. more at Christmas." Are these couples who ought to 

 have married before ? Some of them are ticked off as having paid, 

 but full half seem to have declined payment, which indeed amounted 

 to self condemnation. There are lists of the "births of Dissenters' 

 children not baptised into the Church," from 1699. " 1696. Wil- 

 liam Chantry, sen. and Ann Goar, widow, were married. This 

 couple made about 160 years. The man 75, the woman about 80." 

 " 1702. Frances Twiford or Nash, married to one Walter Nash, 

 but never lived together." 1729. "Marriages. John Tomkins of 

 the paroish of Holt and Ester Stevens of the paroish of Broghton 

 were maryed by licence, May 8th. The man was about 65 years 

 old, and was sick 3 or 4 weeks. The woman about 25 years. He 

 scarce ever saw her till they came to Church to be married, nor 

 spoke a word to her above his sign to mary her, but by another 

 person, and it was agreed upon but the night before mariage, and 

 were maried the next day, and he dyed the next day after mariage. 

 So that the woman was a maid, wife, and widow within 24 hours." 

 The further revelations of the plain-spoken Rector concerning Mrs. 

 Tomkins, do not admit of publication. But if Mr. Hickes be rich 

 in his marriages, he is glorious in his burials. He tells you 1701 

 that Mary Kedman "was in full health, about 17 years old, and 

 dyed suddenly in the churchyard at the burial of another." 1711. 

 " Isaac Bull was buried, Aug. 13. He was thrown of his hors on 

 Lansdown and dyed the next day. His mother he curs'd at his 

 going out and she wish'd that he might break his leg or ever be- 



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