unable to keep it himself, on account of the new terms of conformity, he gave it to Mr. Ball, who married his daughter, the son of the worthy Mr. Ball of Northampton; and a son of his afterwards possessed it. Mr. Cooper was a grave, venerable person, of the Puritan stamp; and a man of great note in this country, for the piety of his life, the prudence of his conduct, and his ministerial abilities.

HEMINGFORD. Mr. HEATH. There are in this place two Rectories and a vicarage,

Many

HUNTINGDON. SAMUEL BROOKS, B. D. years Fellow of Kath. Hall. Camb. He was turned out for refusing to take the Engagement. He was a learned man, a great school-divine, and a laborious tutor, who always had a numerous company of pupils of good rank. He died at an estate of his own in Essex.

He

OVERTON Longvill. Mr. EDWARD SPINKS. was also ejected at Castor in Northamptonshire, (a living reckoned worth 300l. per ann.) most probably at the Restoration, as it seems that living belongs to the Bp. of Peterborough. Which of the two was the sequestration doth not appear. Mr. Spinks was an able preacher, and a man of great note. After he was silenced, he lived near Mrs. Elmes, his wife's mother, who had a good estate, and made all nonconformist ministers welcome at her house.

* ORTON (Cherry). Mr. GIBSON, M. A. He was many years Fellow of Pemb. Hall, Camb. and was presented to this parsonage, by that college, and it is one of the best belonging to it. It lies near Peterborough. Mr. Gibson was a good scholar, and an eminent preacher.

-Mr. SCOTT. The place of his ejectinent is uncertain. Mr. RICHARD KIDDER of Standground, after some time conformed, and was made Bishop of Bath and Wells. § He is well known as the author of a valuable work entitled "The Messiah."

MINISTERS

MINISTERS EJECTED OR SILENCED

IN

KENT.*

***A

DDISHAM [R.] Mr. CHARLES NICOLS. A clergyman in a MS. note says, "He only had some estate in this parish, but never was Rector. Dr. Du Montin had the living before the Restoration, and was collated a-new by Abp. Juxon. Nicols settled there after the Restoration, and held a meeting." § Probably the place of his ejectment was Barming, as a person of this name is there mentioned.

ASH. Mr. WILLIAM NOKES. Of Camb. University, where he was cotemporary, and very intimate, with Dr. Stillingfleet. After his ejectinent he continued preaching here and there as opportunity offered, but died in a few years, He was esteemed a man of good abilities. § Hasted spells his name Noakes, and has the date 1659.

ASHFORD [V.] Mr. NICOLAS PRIGG. (Hasted writes it SPRIGG.) He was a man of eminen tabilities, and a celebrated preacher. He married one Mrs. Scott, with whose marriage-portion he bought some land, which maintained them after his ejectment. He was so melancholy for many years afterwards, that he was unable to preach. But he grew better, and at length died in comfort.

BARHAM [Chapel, to the R. of Bishopsbourn.] Mr. JOHN BARTON. In the diary of Mr. Thoroughgood of Monkton, there is an account of some members of parliament,

* Several additions, in this county, are communicated by Mr, Isaac James, particularly from HASTED'S History of KENT.

and

and other well-disposed persons about this neighbourhood, who agreed to unite together in religious meetings. The former were Mr. John Boys of Betteshanger, Col. John Dixwell of Broom, in Barham, and Mr. (after Sir) Harry Oxenden of Dean in Wingham, with their relations. The ministers were, Mr. Quinton of Addisham, Mr. Thoroughgood, and Mr. Barton. Other persons also joined them, from several adjacent parishes, who had not the sacrament administered where they lived. They met at first once a fortnight on Fridays, and afterwards, once a month, they had a sermon, in some private house. They also met every month, upon the Lord's-day, to receive the Lord's-supper, after hearing a sermon in the church, and the three ministers above mentioned took their turns in officiating. They also kept many days of fasting and prayer together, and held on in this course very comfortably and profitably, for several years.

East BARMING [R.] Mr. NICOLS. § Possibly he might be the person mentioned at ADDISHAM. Hastead has this entry. "Richard Webb, 1624. Ob. Oct. 20. 1667. He "seems to have been displaced by the fanatics; for one "Nicholls held it at the restoration, and was ejected by the "Bartholomew-act,"-He mentions a Mr. Nicholls as ejected at LINTON in 1662, and refers to Cal. Life of Baxt. p. 286. 1 Ed.

BENENDEN [V.] Mr. JOSEPH OSBORN. One Austin being turned out of this living for insufficiency, the people got Mr. Osborn to preach among them for half a year, during which time he had an invitation to a place in Sussex. The people of Benenden having notice of it, met together, and united in an earnest request to Mr. Osborn to continue with them. As the income was but small, they readily entered into a subscription to encrease it to 6ol. The patron of the living being then abroad with K. Charles, it fell into the hands of the Committee at London to provide for the place. The people promised to use their utmost interest with that Committe to get Mr. Osborn settled among them. They renewed their subscription for another year, and after that for three years inore, and then for five. They also moved for an augmentation of 40l. per ann. which was obtained; and still cheerfully continued their own subscriptions.-When the Protector took upon him to place and displace ministers, Mr. Osborn was tried by the Committee of his appointing; and when he appeared before them, he brought a certificate from

the people, and another from the neighbouring ministers, as to his abilities and behaviour. He satisfactorily answered all the questions proposed to him, fifteen commissioners being present, Mr. Caryl in the chair. He afterwards obtained the Protector's order for the living, and the vicarage-house being gone to decay, the committe agreed to repair it.

At the Restoration in 1660, when all the ministers whom Oliver put in, were to be immediately turned out,- Hendon, Esq; the patron, who came over with K. Charles, finding Mr. Osborn greatly beloved by the people, and knowing the living to be but small, would not present any one in his room. His brother also (afterwards Sir John Hendon,) desired him to continue there, and, if he possibly could, to conform. Another of his acquaintance (a very considerable man) earnestly pressed him likewise to conformity. But he told him, That faith and a good conscience would stand him in more stead than a hundred livings; and so he quitted this vicarage in 1662. Mr. Buck, the Dean of Rochester, came to him soon after, and offered to enter into a bond of 500l. to put him, within a month, into a better living than Benenden, provided he would conform. To which he answered, That if he could have conformed at all, it should have been at Benenden rather than for any other place whatever; because he should never meet with a more affectionate people, or a place where he was likely to do more good. His integrity was the more remarkable, as he had six children when he was silenced; and his wife was then lying-in.

After his ejectment, he lived for some time at Staplehurst, and then went to Hathfield in Sussex, where he had four children more; and there he continued several years. He afterwards preached nine years at Brighthelmstone. About the year 1681, he was sued for 201. a month, on account of his Nonconformity. Upon this he came to London, and preached some time at Peckham. He afterwards went to Ashford in this county, and from thence to Tenterden, where he continued about nine years. He spent about nine years more at Barsted near Maidstone, where he concluded his ministry, by reason of his infirmities, and then returned to Staplehurst, where he finished his course, Dec. 28, 1714, aged 85.-A kind providence attended him in all his removes. He lived in friendship with the established clergy; and at his death he left something to the poor in all the places in which he had resided.

BETTES

BETTESHANGER [R.] " JOHN DOD, A. M. Nov. 9. 1661, ejected 1662." Hasted.

BIDDENDEN [R.] Mr. WILLIAM Horner.

BIRLING [V.] Mr. THOMAS GUNNS. He died about' the year 1666.

BROMLEY [R.] Mr. HENRY ARNOLD. " 1656, ejected 1662." Hasted.

CANTERBURY. The CATHEDRAL. Mr. JOHN DURANT. He was born in the year 1620, but where, and how long he' lived, are unknown. He was an excellent practical preacher, as sufficiently appears from his

WORKS. Consolation for weak believers.-A Discovery of the glorious love of Christ to believers... Comfort and counsel for dejected souls...The Woman of Canaan ; Sermons on Matt. xv. 22,

...Silence the duty of saints under every sad providence; a Serm. on the death of his daughter... [The salvation of saints by the Appearances of Christ: 1. Now in Heaven. 2. Hereafter from Heaven.]

JOHN PLAYER, M. A. He was born in this city, and educated in the free-school there. He was brother to Sir Thomas Player, chamberlain of London. After the fall of Abp. Laud, he became public preacher in the cathedral, and gave great satisfaction by the seriousness and beneficial effects of his labours. He was of a very peaceable and healing temper, and kept a good correspondence with all his brethren in the city. He was pious and devout towards God, and plain and honest in his conversation with men.

ST. MARGARET'S [R.] THOMAS VENTRESS, M. A. Of Bennet Col. Camb. He was born in St. Alphage parish in this city, and brought up in the King's school there. At the College (where he had Erasmus's chamber) he made remarkable progress in good learning; and after taking hist master's degree, devoted himself to the sacred ministry, and was ordained by Abp. Laud. He first began the stated exercise of his office in this city, where he was curate to Archdeacon Kingsly; and afterwards settled in St. Margaret's; § where he so behaved himself in those difficult times, when

66

"August 10, 1638: ejected 1662. He was presented to the Hospital of poor priests in Canterbury, and the parish church of St. Margaret annexed to it, and in the patronage of the crown by lapse." Hasted.

VOL. II-NO. XVII.

Y

there