| HEXAB9445.11.19 |
| Hexham Lecturers |
| photocopy | ephemera |
| paper |
| Two copies of typewritten note by Colin Dallison on Puritan background to Lectureships, Richard Fishborne's national legacy, the Mercers' Company involvement and the development of the Lectureship at Hexham. |
| nd c2000 |
| From pages 166 & 167 of A B Hinds' History of Northumberland vol.3: In 1625, by his will dated March 30th, Richard Fishborn, a member of the Mercers' company, London, bequeathed the sum of £2,800 to be devoted to ecclesiastical purposes: Item, I give and bequeathe to the wardens and commonalty of the mystery of mercers at London the sum of £2,800 therewith to buy and purchase two more parsonages, rectories, or church livings antiently appropriated to some abbey, monastery, or religious house or houses, and now commonly called impropriations, the same to be in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, or some other northern county or counties of this land, where the said company of mercers shall best fit themselves with such a purchase, and find most want of the preaching of the word of God to be. And the said church livings and impropriations so purchased and had, my will is, shall be from time to time, successively, for ever, by the said wardens and commonalty of the mystery of the mercers of London, after their wonted custom of election by most votes at their general courts conferred, bestowed, and conveyed upon two or more ministers respectively for and during such term or terms, and in such manner and form, and with such cautil and provision, that if they or any of them, shall prove non-resident, or have any other benefice or church living, with cure of souls, then the said warden and commonalty, and their successors, from time to time, for ever, shall and may remove, displace, dismiss, deprive, and eject them, or any of them, out of the said impropriations, or any of them, and elect and place another, or others, in his or their room, according to their good discretion. And I heartily entreat the said wardens and commonalty, for God's sake, that they will be very careful from time to time to make choice of such as be well-known to be honest, discreet, learned men, fearing God, and painful in their ministry, that by their life and doctrine they may win many souls to Christ Jesus. [Wallis, Northumberland, ii, p.99.] Fishbourne was apparently keen on puritanism, but it seems his will didn't specifically mention Hexham, or even Northumberland. 1823 [AB Wright p.231]: “The lectureship is in the gift of the Mercers' Company. The following correct list of the lecturers of Hexham, has been most obligingly communicated from the best authority—the Company's Books at Mercer's Hall:— 1628, Dec. 15th, Rev. Benony Steere. 1651, Feb. 17th, Rev. Thomas Tilham. 1656, Feb. 18th, Rev. Geo. Ritschel. See part i. p. 93. 1684, June 18th, Rev. Geo. Ritschel. Son of the above. 1717, Nov. 1st, Rev. Thos. Andrewes. See part i. p. 95- 1758, Mar. 10th, Rev. William Totton. 1766, Feb. 26th, Rev. Sloughter Clarke. Part i. p. 96. 1801, March 5th, Rev. Robert Clarke.” |
| A4 |
| In storage |
| See also: www.mercers.co.uk |