SOURCE - BA 2877 802 AT ST.HELENS RECORD OFFICE, WORCESTER
2. ITEM that you the sd Richd Watkins having been for ye space of 40:30:15:10 or at least 5 years last past lawfully instituted and inducted into ye Rectory of Whichford aforesd and have received and at p(re)sent do receive the proffits belonging to the aforesaid Rectory and for as lawful Rector of the aforesd parish & parish Church of Whichford aforesd have been and are reputed and taken to be ac ponit & etc
3. ITEM that the aforesaid Robt Wincoat, John Johnson & John Slater are the now Churchwardens of the said parish of Whichford and were duely elected into that office by the consent of you ye sd Richard Watkins & ye Parishioners of your said Parish or ye major part of them at a certain usual and customary time and place appointed for the parishioners of ye.sd Parish to elect and choose Churchwardens for ye said parish & that the aforesd Churchwardens viz Robt Wincoat, John Johnson & John Slater were duely and legally sworn by the aforesd Mr Archdeacon his Official Surrogate or Commissionary to execute the said Office of Churchwarden within and for your sd Parish of Whichford & to p(re)sent all such things and persons as were presentable in the aforersaid parish for the subsequent year at the visitaccon or visitaccons of the aforesaid Mr Archdeacon to be.held for ye said year ac ponit & etc
4. ITEM that the aforesaid Churchwardens Robt Wincoat, John Johnson & John Slater did jointly at Mr Archdeacons visitaccon for the Deanery of Kington and parish of Whichford aforesaid held ye 8th day of October last past in this present year 1695 now runing in the parish Church of Stratford upon Avon p(re)sent you the said Richard Watkins Clerk for not finding Bell ropes for ye bells belonging to the steeple of your sd Church according to ye custome of the aforesd parish & that the presentment so exhibited against you the said Richard Watkins by the aforemenconed Churchwardens is real & true wrote by one of the sd Churchwardens & that all ye aforesd Churchwardens namely Robert Wincoat, John Johnson & John Slater subscribed their own names at the bottom or foot of the sd presentment ............................ Court thereupon agt you ye sd Mr Watkins which afterwds at the peticon .... of you or your Proctor Mr Jo: ..... were transmitted according to Law & Practice to this Court borg fuit & est verum & ac ponit & etc
5. ITEM then for these 20:30:40:50:60:70 or so years but & for all the time whereof the memory of man is not to the contrary there hath been and still is a ancient & laudible custome used and observed within the aforesaid parish of Whichford that the Incumbent or Rector of the Rectory or parish Church of Whichford aforesd for the time being always provided belle ropes for the use of the bells and to ring the bells which hang or hung in the steeple of the aforesaid Church when and as often as there was any want of ropes for the said belles ac ponit & etc
6. ITEM that during all ye time of one Dr Langston ye imediate predecessor of ye sd Richard Watkins who was Rector of the aforesd Rectory and parish Church of Whichford aforesaid
and particularly in or about the year of our Lord God 1652 the sd Dr Langston according to the aforemenconed ancient & imemorial custome & usage of the said parish provided belle ropes for four Bells (at his own proper cost and charge) which hung in the steeple of the said parish Church of Whichford aforesaid and likewise provided ropes for the sd Bells when and as often as they were wanting during all the time as he was Rector there as is above expressed & declared borg fuit & est verum &ac ponit & etc
7. ITEM that one Mr day being the imediate predecessor of the sd Dr Langston and to the aforesd rectory of Whichford did well believing himself to be by the aforemenconed ancient & imemorial custome or usage obliged thereto always at his own proper cost and charge provide bell ropes for ye bells that belonged to the aforesaid church of Whichford or that hung in the steeple of the aforesaid church when and as often as there was occasion for bell ropes to ye sd Bells or the bell ropes to ye sd bells belonging were broke or worn out borg fuit & est verum & ac ponit & etc
8. ITEM that you the said Richd Watkins have since your Instucon & Induccon in & to ye sd Rectory of Whichford aforesd (except for the space of three years last past or thereabouts as often as the bell ropes of the said Bells that hung in the steeple of your sd Church were worn out provided & bought with your own money and at your own cost and charge new bell Ropes for the said Bells according as by the aforesd ancient & imemorial Custome or usage you were & are obliged to do and that you the said Richard Watkins did in the years of our Lord God 1693,1694 & 1695 and in some or one of them and especialy and p(ar)ticularly about Whitsuntide was two years last past promise to your Neighbours & Parishioners of your sd parish of Whichford or some or one of them that when the four bells that hung in ye steeple of the said Church were repaired new cast or made into five you would as by the said ancient Usage & Custome you are obliged to, find and provide at your own cost & charge bell ropes for ye sd Bells
upon which promise of yours the said Mr Watkins the three Churchwardens of your said parish did repair new cast or make or caused to be repaired new cast or made the sd four bells into five at ye Charge and Costs of ye Parishioners of ye sd p(ar)ish of Whichford aforesd ac ponit & etc
9. ITEM that all ye bells in ye Steeple of ye said Churche of Whichford aforesaid or most or some of them have for these two years last past or thereabouts wanted and at p(re)sent do want bell ropes to them in so much that upon any urgent occasion whatever in the said Steeple be rung tolled or chimed through your neglecting or refusing to provide bell-ropes for the said bells notwithstanding you the said Richard Watkins have by the aforesaid Churchwardens and Parishioners of Whichford aforesaid or some or one of ym been desired and required to provide ropes for the said 5 bells or at least for four of the said bells as you are by the said Custome obliged to provide ac ponit & etc
10. ITEM quod dimssis non obstun sed veris existed you the said Mr Watkins have refused for the space of two years last past or thereabouts as in ye preceding Article is set forth viz for the years 1693,1694 and this p(re)sent year 1695 or some or one of them and at p(re)sent do refuse to provide or buy bell ropes for the said five bells hanging in good order & tune in your said Steeple of Whichford or for four bells that have time out of mind hung in your aforesaid Steeple of Whichford not withstanding the Rector of the said Rectory of Whichford for these 10:20:30:40:50:60:70 or 80 years last past and time imemorial have alwayes provided ropes for the same , which neglect or refusal of yours was and is to the great damage detriment and prejudice of the parishioners of the aforesd parish of Whichford or the major part or some of them and especially to ye great damage detriment and prejudice of the aforesd Robert Wincoat, John Johnson & John Slater the p(re)sent Churchwardens of the said Parish ac ponit & etc
11. ITEM quod p(ro)missa & etc
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