Rectors of Ripple: Additional Notes and Correction

( 321 ) RECTORS OE RIPPLE. ADDITIONAL NOTES AND COREECTIONS. BY REV. C. L. PELTOE, D.D. IN 1905 the Eev. H. L. Beardmore (then Eector of Eipple) reprinted from Archceologia Cantiana (Vol. XXVII) the list of Eectors, with notes which he had compiled with much care from the Lambeth Eegisters and other sources. Since I have been Incumbent several additions to, and corrections of, his statements have been brought to my notice. The most important of these relates to No. 17 in Mr. Beardmore's list, viz., Thomas Scott, alias Eotheram. Following the Eev. G. Hennessey, Novum Repertorium Ecclesiasticum (1878), Mr. Beardmore claims that Eotheram was Eector of Eipple in Kent (1460—1478), though the original Bepertorium of Newcomb (1708) does not mention Eipple in connection with Eotheram. Hennessey probably took the statement from Cooper, Athen. Cant. (1858), vol. i., p. 1; and, indeed, as Eotheram was Provost of Wingham (1458—1463), and possibly Archdeacon of Canterbury (1466—1468), there was a priori likelihood that the Kentish Eipple, distant only a few miles from Wingham, might be the identical one. Canon H". Leigh Bennett, however, in his Life of the Archbishop (1901), p. 41, follows Nash. The latter (History of Worcestershire, ii., p. 299) claims Eotheram for the more important parish of Eipple in Worcestershire, and gives as reference Bishop J. Carpenter's Eegister, vol. i., fo. 162B. The precise extract, kindly VOL. xxxn, T 322 RECTORS OP RIPPLE. furnished by the Diocesan Eegistrar, sets the question at rest for ever:— "Eccl'ie B'rochi xij die mensis Juli [anno] Dni millimo de Eippull cccclxj0 in hospicio Dni London Eeva Pater Johes Wigorn: Epis' contulifc magistrum Collacio Thomam Eotheram eccl'ie prochiali de Eippull sue dioc' p liberam resign magistri Thome G-raunt ultini Eectoris, etc." Two minor inaccuracies in Mr. Beardmore's note should also be corrected: (1) E. was born in 1423 (not 1425); (2) the tomb in York Minster, as built by himself, is virtually non-existent; for it "was destroyed by fire in 1829," according to Cooper, op. cit. ("much defaced"— Leigh Bennett, p. 154), and soon afterwards restored by Lincoln College, Oxford, of which he was the second founder. And now as to facts of minor importance:— (1) Mr. Arthur Hussey (to whom I am indebted for much of the material in these notes) informs me that, on April 6, 1283, Archbishop Peckham cited the Eector of Eipple for refusal to attend a celebration of Orders, and, on December 30 that year, ordered his Commissary (Martin de Hampton) to sequestrate the Church (probably for the same offence). This gives us a certain reference to the parish eleven years earlier than Mr. Beardmore's doubtful No. 1 in 1294. (2) As to No. 15 : William Percier. No dates are given by Mr. Beardmore, but a friend has sent me the following extract from the Lay Subsidy Eolls 124/107 (18 Henry VI., 1440) :— "De WiHo Eectore Eccl'ie poch de Eiple non ten hospic' vjd." In the margin " amouetur." As the Eoll distinguishes throughout between those who are householders (hospicium tenet) and those who are not, apparently this Eector lodged with one of his parishioners; and as the subsidy was levied on all aliens, the foreign RECTORS OP RIPPLE. 323 name Percier (probably a Frenchman) is tacitly corroborated. (3) As to No. 21 : John Denbye. In 1510 he was supervisor to the will of Wm. Kyriel of Deal, which gives a date twenty years before Mr. Beardmore's "circa 1530." In 1511 at Archbishop Warham's visitation there was no complaint: " omnia esse bene " (Brit. Mag., vol. xxix, p. 634). (4) Under No. 22, William Mann, who was Vicar of Northbourne 1554—1563, the following presentment to the Archdeacon was made:— " 1561. That Thomas Cawte withholdeth half a quarter of barley, which should be paid yearly, which he did heretofore, before M1' Colens did condescend to pay it, and promises to make writing (Frighting) thereof. " Their parson did convey [away] their Bible." Vol. 1561-2, fo. 118. (5) As to No. 23 : Christ. Burton. In 1569 the followingentry occurs in Archbishop Parker's Visitation (fo. 19):— " Rectory: in patronage of Sir Thomas Kemp. Eector: Dom Christopher Burton, who is not married, resides there, has one benefice, and is hospitable as far as he is able, not a preacher, has no licence to preach, not a graduate. Householders 11 Communicants 42 That the parsonage is in decay and two houses fallen down. G-eorge Durbrand hath not received the communion since All Hallows last." (6) Under [No. 24, C. Dowsinge, M.A., we have two presentments:— (a) " 1595. Valentine Thurbarne, for that upon Sunday being the seventh of this month of December, he did unorderly remove himself out of his own pew or seat, wherein he hath used to sit . . . . of a long time ; & placed himself in a pew or seat . . . . appointed for certain kinswomen or maid servants of Mr John Warren . . . . & when they came to their pew, by means of Thurbarne sitting at the door thereof, they were letted to go in . . . , & were fain to go into the pew or seat of their mistress. T 2 324 RECTORS OP RIPPLE. Also the churchwardens present V. T. for using railing, reviling or brawling speeches against them . . . . in the Church or porch or churchyard, calling them . . . . fools, asses, knaves . . . . together with other unseemly & angry words." (Vol. 1585—92, fo. 51.) (b) " 1606. John Warren, gentleman, for quarreling in the Church with Mr John Gookin." (Eo. 82.) These were the two chief parishioners at the time, one of them indeed Lord of the Manor, and so their quarrel, if not unexampled, was certainly fessimi exempli. (7) To the incumbency of John Francis, M.A. (No. 25), the two bells that still remain belong. They bear date 1639, with the initials J. W. (for John Wilnar, the founder, of Borden: see Stahlschmidt's Bells of Kent, pp. 82 and 379), and E. W. (for Edward Cocke, Churchwarden). (8) No. 28. Henry Vorke, M.A., was uncle to Lord Chancellor Hardwicke, being the eldest child of Simon Vorke of Dover. B.A. (Queen's Coll., Camb., 1662), incorporated at Magd. Hall, Oxf. (M.A. 1664). Henry Ullock, E.D., writes to Archbishop Sancroft (1683) saying he was then lately married, resided on his cure, and officiated in his own person. He took much interest in his distinguished nephew, and left him all his books and MSS. (See P. C. Vorke's Life of the Lord Chancellor, vol. i. (1913).) One last note remains, though it is doubtful how far it actually concerns this parish. Solomon de Eipple was a monk of St. Augustine's, Canterbury (to the Chamberlain of which house the manorial revenues belonged), about 1309, when he accompanied Ealph de Bourne, the newly-elected Abbot, to interview the King in London. He gave three books to the Library : (1) Postills, on the Song of Solomon, etc.; (2) a French Tresor and Speculum S. Edm. Cant.; and (3) another French book on the Order of Knights Templar (see Customary, H.B.S., 1902, vol. i., p. 23, and James' Ancient Libraries, pp. 212, 371, 372). It is rash to theorize, but one is tempted to surmise that Solomon was born in, or in some way closely connected with, the parish of Eipple.