232 JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
instrument in the education of youth, and in the formation of 
public opinion in the heart of the metropolis, was sharply looked 
after by the Parliament. One of the head masters who was not 
sufficiently deferential to the Parliamentary cause, or too out- 
spoken in the expression of his own opinions, was summarily 
removed from his office, and the order to that effect was signed by 
Sir Francis Rous, the Speaker of the House of Commons. Rous 
was a near relative of the man of that name whose tomb is in St. 
Dominick Church, as of Halton House in that parish. Name and 
house have since come down from their dignity — the former is lost, 
and the remains of the latter are to be seen in a simple farm-house 
on the border of the river Tamar. 
The presentation of Thomas Bedford to the living is thus inserted 
in the Records of the Merchant Tailors' Company. 
. " Tempore Georgii Mellish Mri. 
" A Court of Assistants here held this ffifth day of May Anno 
Dm 0 1647 anno regni Caroli Anglice &c vicesimo. 
" Mr. Bedford chosen j This day Mr. Crawford a Reverend 
"Parson of Martin > Minister of God ' s word _ Mr< Rowland 
" Outwich. J 
" Wilson, Senio r , Mr. Bateman, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Beardlock, Mr. 
Vincent, & Mr. Harrison, accompanied w th divers other of the 
parishioners of the parish of Martins Outwich, came to this Court 
& desired That Mr. Thomas Bedford Batchello r in Divinity might 
be chosen and presented to the parsonage of these parish (the 
being in the Companie's guift) & void by the resignacon of Mr. 
Walter Bridges, the late Incumbent there. Whereupon this 
Court proceeded, and put in Eleccon the said Mr. Thomas Bedford 
and Mr. Hayward to supply their cure. And the choice by most 
voices fell upon Mr. Thomas Bedford. And an Instrument of Pre- 
sentacon is to be prepared for that purpose to be sealed w th the 
Comon Seale of this Society." 
"19th May 1647. 
" There was likewise sealed w th the Comon Seale of this Society 
an Instrument of Presentacon for Mr. Bedford who was at the last 
Court of Assistants chosen Parson of Martins Outwich." 
So far there is no sign but that the Merchant Tailors' Company 
willingly joined and acquiesced in the appointment; but in the 
history of Merchant Tailors' School, by Wilson, the following 
