From that time the episcopal wig gradually fell into disuse.

This Bishop was strict, for the times, in the matter of non-residence. He was once at an informal gathering of Essex incumbents, many of whom had license of non-residence on account of the alleged unhealthiness of their districts, and had left curates in charge. He proceeded to remind the incumbents that curates were flesh, and that the residence which was possible for the one was not impossible for the other.

"Besides," he added, "there are two well-known preservatives against ague; the one is a good deal of care and a little port wine; the other, a little care and a good deal of port wine. I prefer the former, but if any of the clergy prefer the latter, it is at all events a remedy which incumbents can afford better than curates.”1

A matter of special interest to churchmen in the diocese has now to be recorded, and though it falls more properly in the Victorian days, yet the Bishop was concerned, and it may be treated of here. This was the proposed new re-arrangement of the dioceses of London and Rochester. The everincreasing population of London proper, the wide area of Essex, together with a considerable part of the county of Hertford, must have made large demands on the good Bishop's time. It must have been an intense relief to him when the negotiations for the transference of the outlying

1 "Memoirs of Bishop Blomfield." London, 1864, pp. 61-118.

members of his great diocese were brought to a climax, and the prospect of a lighter burden for his successor was assured. The change was effected by an Order in Council, dated August 8th, 1845, in pursuance of 6 and 7 William IV. c. 77, when the whole county of Essex (except the parishes of Barking, East Ham, West Ham, Little Ilford, Low Leyton, Walthamstow, Wanstead, Woodford, and Chingford, which were to continue a part of the Diocese of London)1 and the whole county of Hertford were to be transferred to the Diocese of Rochester. The actual transfer came into effect on January 1st, 1846.

Thus, on the death of Bishop Blomfield, "the old order changed, yielding place to new." The change satisfied nobody. The vicissitudes of Essex, that diocesan Cinderella, now the poor relation of the family of London, now of Rochester, must have meant much spiritual starvation. She met her isolation bravely, and gave strong evidence of vigorous life. Her faithfulness under the rule of three successive Bishops of Rochester, George Murray (1846-60), Joseph Cotton Wigram (186067), Thomas Legh Claughton (1867–77), was to receive its reward when the last-named Bishop was raised to the see of St. Albans. This happy event brought, as we shall see, to the churchmen of the two counties, new hopes and possibilities of a brighter future.

1 Vide infra, p. 352.

Y

CHAPTER XXVII

HANOVERIAN SLUMBER-HERTFORDSHIRE

"Thrice blest is he to whom is given

The instinct that can tell

That God is on the field, when He

Is most invisible."

FABER.

W

E must now turn to Hertfordshire, in Hanoverian days, and give some notes of the state of Church matters in that county. We have spoken, in a previous chapter, of William Wake, who ruled the see of Lincoln from 1705 to 1716.

Bishop Wake had an able successor in the person of Edmund Gibson (1716-23). He made the clergy feel that he was a real overseer of the flock. He was distressed by the social disorders and general neglect of religion, but he did not approve of Wesley's methods of correcting them.

Richard Reynolds (1723-44) was translated from Bangor to Lincoln. His rule was long, but we are unable to present any special records of his doings in the portion of the county under his charge. He appears to have held visitations in his diocese

on five occasions. In an address, preparatory to his fifth visitation, he proposed to himself, first, "to receive complaints and make redress of such disorders in and amongst the members of my diocese as are grown or growing up to notoriety;" secondly, "to collect a full and true state of the Churches, their edifices, and endowments for their effectual preservation from diminution and dilapidation." He regrets the customs of non-residence and plurality, and the consequent "temerarious entertainment of adventitious, unapproved, unqualified assistance," and declares his intention "to extirpate these roots of disorder." How far he was successful we cannot say.

John Thomas (1744-61), who followed Bishop Reynolds, owed his advancement to the fact that he spoke German fluently, and was travelling companion and tutor to George III. He was popularly termed "Honest Tom," and his personal appearance and not uncommon name gave rise to some amusement. There were two bishops of that name at this date,—John of Lincoln, and John of Peterborough (and a little later a third, John of Rochester). Each had held city livings, and Lincoln and Rochester had been royal chaplains. The story is told that, some one having referred to Dr. Thomas, the following conversation took place

"Which Dr. Thomas do you mean?'

'Dr. John

Thomas.' 'They are both named John.' 'Dr. Thomas who

1 "Diocesan History of Lincoln," S.P.C.K. 1897, pp. 331, 332.

has a living in the city.' 'They both have livings in the city.' 'Dr. Thomas who is chaplain to the King.' 'They are both chaplains to the King.' 'Dr. Thomas who is a very good preacher.' 'They are both very good preachers.' 'Dr. Thomas who squints.' 'They both squint.'" 1

In addition to his "squint," he was deaf, but, in spite of these defects, he was married four times. He has left behind him an interesting letter, dated from "Bugden, 4th June, 1744." In it he describes how he had been occupied for some days

"Ordaining a young sett of 'clergy,' and that he had found them all very well qualified, on a thorough examination, except one. I kept the young sparks there three days strictly to their duty; made them attend twice a day at prayers in the Chappell, when I tried the voices of those to be ordained Deacons, by making them read the lessons. None of them were suffered to gallop to and from Cambridge every day, as has been the practice. I made Ordination a little more solemn than usual at Bugden, and I had a smaller number of candidates than usual, taking all imaginable care not to be imposed on by False Titles." 2

He distinguished himself in Hertfordshire by granting (December 8th, 1750) a Faculty for pulling down the old parish church of Chisfield, and ordered the materials to be used for the parish church of Gravely, as need should require. In 1753 the tower of Shenley church was pulled down, and the chancel, and nave arches were removed.

1 Quoted from Chalmer's "Biography of John Thomas of Rochester," by C. J. Abbey; "English Church and its Bishops, 18th cent.," vol. ii. p. 74.

2 Historical MSS. Comm., pub. 1889, p. 489.