wilts.txt
Extracts from his "A HISTORY OF WILTSHIRE" by Waylen (18?)
p104:
... there appeared in Marlborough in this year a strong Quaker group
which was in conflict with the authorities for many years. [ref.47]
Another in the district of Devizes and Lavington produced some
redoubtable champions. In 1656 Thomas WITHERS of Bishops Cannings was
apprehended at Market Lavington, and suffered six years imprisonment,
while in 1657 his brother Ralph was caught at Marlborough. [ref.48] In
the same year William MOXON, a poor husbandman of Marden was beginning
a contest with his vicar, and in 1658 the persecution of Isaac and
Jane SELF, leaders of the Quaker group in Market Lavington, began.
[ref.49] All these stood firmly against authority for years. Calne and
Chippenham, with easy communications to Devizes and Marlborough,
formed a third region of activity, with a group of Quakers in that
district around Slaughterford, which was so apt for dissent. A fourth
early centre lay in another remote spot near the Dorset border. The
leader was probably William FRY of Ashgrove in the parish of Donhead
St. Mary, who came under FOX's influence in 1657 and was distrained
for non-payment of tithe in 1658. [ref.50] In 1663 FOX rode from Ringwood
(Hants) to Ashgrove, where `we had a very blessed meeting and quiet,
though the officers had a purpose to have broken it up'. [ref.51] Thus the
two radical forms of dissent developed; that their names were linked
together as terms of opprobrium was well illustrated in 1660 when Sir
Walter ST. JOHN of Lydiard Tregoze was accused at Quarter Sessions of
being a rogue and a rebel, an anabaptist and a quaker. [ref.52]
Another example of the religious ferment and questioning of this
period was Robert WEST, who set forth in "The Voyce of Him that is
escaped from Babylon" (1658) 'to all sober-minded people why I
departed from the Ministry of those called Ministers of Parishes and
why I departed from the Ministry of those called Anabaptists and why I
have and what I have contended for some years past.' Among those he
questioned in his search for truth were two parish ministers, HUGHES
of Marlborough and SPINAGE of Poulshot, and two Anabaptists,
CRABB and ELLYOT of Southwick. [ref.53] He was, perhaps, still questing
when, in 1662, the churchwardens at Devizes presented him for
'going to hear other preachers'. [ref.54]
Between 1660 and 1662, 60 Wiltshire ministers were ejected from their
livings. [ref.55] Half of these remained in the county, gathering
conventicles, preaching round the countryside, school-mastering. Their
activities fell within well-defined areas. In the north-west, Benjamin
FLOWER,junior, the son of an incumbent of Castle Combe and himself
ejected from Cardiff, made Chippenham and Castle Combe his centres for
a preaching campaign which extended as far as Horningsham.56 In
Malmesbury the ejected vicar, Simon GAWEN, formed a congregation
of his sympathizers.57 Central Wiltshire became an area of much
preaching with Thomas JONES probably working in his old parish of
Calne,
REFERENCES FOR PAGE 104:
46 Journal of George Fox, ed. N. Penney (1924), 139.
47 J. Besse, Collection of the Sufferings of the People called Quakers (1733),
ii,37-38, lists the Quakers committed in Marlborough in 1656 and 1657.
48 Ibid. See below for the later career of the WITHERS brothers.
49 Ibid. ii, 38-39.
50 Ibid. i, 292; ii, 39,42,44; Sar. Dioc. Regy., Chw. Pres. 1662, 1668, 1674.
In 1660 he was imprisoned for non-payment of tithes; in 1678 he gave a burial
ground to the Friends at Ashgrove; he died in 1708: WNEQ i, 458.
51 Journal of George Fox, ed. Penney, 209.
52 W.R.O.Q. (Wilts Record Office Quarter) Sess. Rolls, 2 Oct. 1660;
Hist MSS. Com. Var. Coll. ii, 138.
55 For Hughes and Spinage see above, p. 102, and below, p.105; for Crabb and
Ellyot see p. 103.
54 Sar. Dioc. Regy., Chw. Pres. 1662.
55 Matthews, `Calamy Revised', p. xiii.
56 Turner, Orig. Rec. i, 108,117,121. For all ejected ministers, see Matthews,
Calamy Revised, sub nom.
57 G. L. Jenkins, Nonconformity in Malmesbnry, 14.
p105: PROTESTANT NONCONFORMITY
Robert Rowswell from Hilmarton preaching in Clack in Lyneham and
Berwick Bassett, John Baker from Chisledon working in Berwick Bassett,
Avebury, and Winterbourne Monkton and Nathaniel Webb from Yatesbury in
Caine and Bromham, while from outside the district came Thomas
Rashley, ejected from Salisbury, to Avebury, and John Row, probably of
Westminster, to Berwick Bassett. In addition to all these Daniel
Burgess of Collingbourne Ducis and Thomas Rutty of Milston paid
preaching visits.58 Marlborough was a stronghold of Puritan ministers,
with an influence extending into the hill-country of the Berkshire
border. William HUGHES ejected Vicar of St. Mary's, Marlborough, preached to
conventicles first in Savernake Forest and then in Marlborough itself while
Daniel Burgess also made Marlborough his centre and Thomas BAYLIE of
Mildenhall may have propagated Fifth Monarchy views there until his
death in 1663. 60 Later, other ejected ministers were drawn thither.61
Henry Dent, ejected from the curacy of Ramsbury, became the
evangelist of the whole Lambourn and Ramsbury area, walking and riding
many miles over the bare downs.62 Christopher Fowler and Noah Webb,
from Berkshire livings, preached in the old court house at Aldbourne
and at Ramsbury, while at Chilton Foliat a conventicle gathered in the
house of Sir Bulstrode Whitelocke.63
Devizes and Bromham formed another centre. In the former, John
Frayling from Compton Bassett and Obadiah Wills from Alton Priors led
a conventicle jointly while Timothy Sacheverell from Tarrant Hinton
(Dors.) also worked there. William Gough, ejected from Inkpen (Berks.)
and living at Erlestoke, lectured weekly and Benjamin Flower preached
regularly.64 Bromham is notable for the Puritan clergy connected
with it. Jn 1646 it had a Presbyterian vicar, Robert Richards, and in
1660 Timothy Richards, Presbyterian Vicar of Rowde, retired there. It was
the native place William HUGHES of Marlborough, who finally retired
there and of Nathaniel Webb, who made it his centre after ejectment
from Yatesbury....
REFERENCES FOR p105:
58 Turner, Orig. flee. j, 109, 126-7; for Burgess see Hist. MSS. Corn. Par.
Coil. j, 157; Wilts Q Sess. Rec. ed. Cunnington, 266; Sar. Dioc. Regy., ChW.
Pres. 1671. His son, Daniel, became a well-known Presbyterian minister.
59 Turner,.orig. rec. i, 106, 290,337-8,344,474;
Wilts. Q. Sess. Rec. ed. Cunrnngton, 266; Sar. Dioc. Regy.,
ChW. Pres. 1671.
60 Matthews, Calamy Revised, 40.
61 S Tomlyns (Crawley, Hants), M. Pemberton (Clayhaddon, Devon), W. Gough
(Inkpen,Berks.): J Waylen, Hist. o fMarlborough (1854), 310-312.
62 Turner, Orig. Rec. i, 126, 340, 344, 346, 475, 549;
Wilts. Q. Sess. Rec. ed. Cunnington, 266; Matthews, Calamy Revised,162
63 Turner, Orig. Rec. i, 106, 126, 354, 482, iii, 790-2;
Hist. MSS. Com. `Var. Coll.' i, 152; Sar. Dioc. Regy., ChW. Pres. 1688,
1671, 1674.
64 Turner, Orig. Rec. i, 118, 303, 320, 337, 344, 474; Matthews, Calamy
Revised, 213, 230, 422, 534; Waylen, Hist. of Devizes, 335-6
...
p116: A HISTORY OF WILTSHIRE
... Around Devizes staunch groups are found: in Bishop's Cannings
where the two WITHERS brothers were in conflict with authority until
1680 and Ralph, in particular, assumed a position of leadership in
the county;99 at Bromham and Rowde, where Gerrish, STEPHENS, and Shell
were outstanding family names;1 at Heddington, Potterne, and Marden,
where William Moxon kept up his contest with authority from 1657 to
1687.2 The Market Lavington Meeting, led by Isaac and Jane Selfe, had
satellite groups in the Cheverells, Urchfont, Fasterton, and West
Lavington.3 The Calne society, led by the serge-maker Israel NOYES,
was very strong.4 North and west of it was the region where Quaker
societies sprang up most thickly. At Charlcote and Bremhill the record begins
with David Hale's persecution and continues with the faithful witness
of his widow, Joan, in whose house the society was meeting in 1669
with so much success that in 1674 and 1683 the churchwardens presented
large groups of Quakers.5 There were groups in Compton Bassett,
Kellaways, Christian Malford, Draycot Cerne, Lea and Brinkworth, and
Sutton Benger,...
REFERENCES FOR p116:
...
98 Besse, Sufferings, ii, 40,47;Sar. Dioc. Regy., ChW. Pres. 1662.
NOYES represented Devizes at the first recorded Quarterly Meeting, 1678:
Q.M. Mm. Bk. i, 1. In 1665 the Devizes Meeting acquired a burial-ground:
Particulars of the Charitable Trusts ... of the Bristol & Som. Quart. Meeting
of Friends (1870), 71; in 1669 its conventicle is recorded: Turner,
Orig. Rec. i, 118.
99 Besse, Sufferings, ii, 40,45; Turner,Orig. Rec. i, 109; WNEQ ii, 178,180;
W.R.O.,Q.Sess. Rolls, 28 Apr. 1663. Ralph was appointed by the Wilts. Q.
Meeting to hold the public stock and in 1678 to represent it at the London
Gen. Meeting: Chippenham M.M. Mins. 1673; Wilts. Q.M. Mins. i, 1. He signed
the Epistles from London Gen.. Meetings of 1675, 1681, was a member of the
first Provisional Com. and emigrated to America in 1683; BEZER is the
other notable family name among Quakers of the Cannings; J. BEZER was one of
PENN's first commissioners for Philadelphia: WN. & Q. v, 21.
1 Besse, Sufferings, ii, 43,47.49; WN. & Q. ii, 181 Turner, Orig. Rec. i, 109;
Waylen, Hist. of Devizes, 343,348; WRO., Q. Sess. Rolls, 2 May 1671;
Sar. Dioc. Regy., ChW. Pres. i683;Wilts. Q.M. Mins. i, 1,5.
2 Heddington was a separate Meeting in 1678 and until 1683 it appeared
as a constituent society; of Charlcote M.M.: Wilts. Q.M. Mins. i, 1;
Charlcote M.M. Mins. i, 1683,4th month. For Potrerne, see Besse,
Sufferings, 44,46. For W. Moxon, ibid. 38-49; Turner, Orig Rec. i, 116;
WN. & Q. ii, 170-2.
3 Besse, Sufferings, ii, 39,41-44,49; WN. &Q.ii, 164, 166-7, 175-6;
Waylen, Hist. of Devizes, 341-4; W.R.O.,Q. Sess. Rolls, 2 May 1671;
Sar. Dioc. Regy., ChW. Pres. 1674, 1683, 1686; W.R.O., Certs. of Dissenters'
Meeting Houses, 10 Dec. 1707.
4 Besse, Sufferings, ii, 39,41; WN. & Q. ii, 181; W.R.O., Q. Sess. Rolls,
8 Apr. 1662. In 1672 I. NOYES gave the society a burial-ground: Particulars
of Char. Trusts, 71. For the first meeting-house, see W.R.O., Certs. of
Dissenters' Meeting Houses, 10 Jan. 1700. J. Waylen, Recs. of Calne Friends,
collects much detail and the visits of T. Story furnish more: Jnl of Life
of Thomas Story (1747) 79, 85, 526,631,673,696,710, 723.
5 ...
p117 PROTESTANT NONCONFORMITY:
... Farther south, the outstanding centre was Fovant, where a large
group was in constant conflict with authority from 1661 nwards and
the Merryweathers, father and sons, played the role of the WITHERS brothers
in the Devizes area....
p118 A HISTORY OF WILTSHIRE: ... By 1680 the organization of the
Wiltshire societies is fairly clear. At the first recorded Wiltshire
Quarterly Meeting in 1678, the following societies listed:
Marlborough, Purton, Charlcote, Lea and Brinkworth, Caine, Heddington,
Bromham and Rowde, Kington, Chippenham, Slaughterford, Corsham, Shaw
Hill with Melksham, Cumberwell (Bradford), Westbury, Warminster,
Alderbury and Fovant, Lavington, Devizes.24 These 'particular'
meetings were grouped in three monthly meetings:(Chippenham, with
Corsham, Slaughter-ford, Kington, Lea and Brinkworth;25 Charlcote,
with Bromham and Rowde, Madborough, Heddington, Calne,Purton,
Devizes;26 Lavington, with Cumberwell, Shaw Hill, Westbury, and
Warminster.27 In the south, Alderbury and Fovant appear at first to
have been unattached; in i686 Stapleford figured as a separate society
28 and at some date before 1697 the Salisbury Monthly Meeting was
constituted.29
The story of their conflict with authorities is told in a manuscript
volume, `Wiltshire Friends - Sufferings from 1653-1756', of which the
account of the period down to 1688 is in a contemporary hand.30 One
result of persecution was probably the emigration o America which
began in the 1680's. Names of Quaker arrivals in Pennsylvania include
some, such as Gardner and Harmer (Purton), BEZER and WITHERS (Bishop's
Cannings), Gibbons (Warminster), Hillier (Alderbury), that had often
figured in presentments. Other Quaker meetings represented were
Marlborough, Lavington, Brinkworth, and Melksham.31
For the inner life of the societies and their methods of expansion
there is less evidence. Story's Journal, describing some fifteen
visits during the period 1693-1735, throws some light. Many of the
stalwarts of the Society appear in his entries: in Chippenham, he
always stayed with Adam Goldney; in Corsham, Caleb Dickinson of Monks
was his friend; in Melksham, Thomas Beaven; in Marlborough, Daniel
Smith. There were large open meetings into which strangers were
drawn. Inner meetings of the Society were sometimes 'heavy', but often
'comfortable' in their silence or testimony. On several occasions
Story noted the presence of Presbyterians and Baptists in his meetings
and had discussions with them on theological questions.32
Relations were, perhaps, particularly close with the Baptists, who so
often mingled with Quakers geographically. Thus in 1674 Thomas Hix,
an Anabaptist leader in Devizes, appears to have held public dispute
with William PENN,
REFERENCES FOR p118:
...
24 Wilts. Q.M. Mins i, I.
25 Chippenham M.M. Mins. i,1669.
26 Charlcutt M.M. Mins. i, 1677, 4th month.
27 The mins. of the Lavington M. Meeting only begin in 1704. From 1678 to 1704
Cumberwell was merged in Bradford, Shaw Hill in Melksham, and Westbury
was united to Warminster.
28 Wilts Q.M. Mins. 1686, 2nd month.
29 Ibid. 1696, 7th month.
30 WN & Q ii 163
31 Ibid. iv, 139; v 21. Waylen, Hist. of Devizes, 348-9, mentions letters from
Pennsylvania to Chippenham and possibly Devizes.
32 Journal of T. Story, passim.
p119 PROTESTANT NONCONFORMITY
and others.33 Again, in 1695, an interesting disputation with the
Baptists took place in the courtyard of Thomas Beaven's house at
Melksham, when the controversy was maintained by the Baptist till
toward evening 'when William Penn being there, broke out over his head
in testimony to the people'.14 Further traces of Quaker propaganda are
to be found in a pamphlet, `A Brief Apology in Behalf of the People in
Derision Called Quakers written for the Information of our sober and
Well-inclined Neighbours in and about the town of Warminster in the
county of Wilts', by a group of Warminster Quakers in 1693 It passed
through a number of editions and was translated into Welsh.35 There
are a few signs or internal strife. George FOX met some opposition to
the establishment of the women's meeting in 1672.36 The separatist
movement of John Story and John Wilkinson gained considerable support
in the Chippenham district and Adam Goldney, writing to Fox in 1682,
gave a description of their attempt to capture the Chippenham
meeting.37 IsraelNOYES caused dissension by paying tithe 38 and in
1707 an anti-Quaker pamphlet by the Vicar of Melksham showed another
clothier, Thomas Beaven, also in dispute with fellow members over the
payment of tithe.39
Surveying nonconformity in the i7th century as a who]e, certain
points must be made. Though thickest in the woollen industry, it was
by no means confined to that region.40 The Marlborough district was
the most obvious exception and some of the groups there probably drew
their life from Hungerford and Newbury rather than from Wiltshire
centres. Other areas of activity beyond the 'industrial' region were
the group of villages north and east of Calne, a similar group in the
north-west, the villages of the Salisbury Avon and its tributaries,
and the south-west corner of the county. Each of these was, however,
in easy touch with the industrial district and it seems likely that
the main centres of nonconformist power were within the cloth-working
area, their influence radiating into the rural districts. The
admittedly incomplete figures of the 1676 Census show that the places
with over 30 nonconformists almost all fell within this region, the
highest figures being North Bradley (340), Trowbridge (174), Bradford
(159), and Melksham (100).41 ...
Evidence of occupations is fullest for the Quakers,43 but can also be
collected for the other sects.44 A long list can be compiled of
clothiers who were leading members and benefactors of the young
churches.45 Even longer would be a list of weavers and small men in
the cloth trade, while artisans of all kinds
REFERENCES FOR p119:
...
38 Waylen, 'The Quakers of Wilts.', cuttings from Devizes Advertiser in
W.A.S. Libr., Devizes.
...
41 WN. & Q. iii, 535-8.
...
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