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Butler Kinhead, and Mr. Charles Wheeler, have, by of Petition for and in the Name of themfelves and the rest of the faid Parishioners, represented unto us, and to the Right Worshipful Richard Chaworth Doctor of Laws, our Chancellor, that, during the late unhappy Times of Trouble and Disorder within this Realm, the publick Affairs of the faid Church and Parish have been neceffitated to be managed by Perfons not admitted thereunto by the Authority of the Diocefan or Ordinary of the Place, in whofe Power alone (as they conceived) the Regulation and Ordering of Business of that Nature most properly and peculiarly ought to refide; and that many Perfons of Quality (Parishioners of the faid Parish), very fit to be entrusted with Bufinefs of that Nature and Concernment, are, notwithstanding, unwilling to act, unless lawfully appointed as aforefaid; by which Means the Good and Benefit of the faid Church and Parish hath been and ftill is very much obftructed; and therefore humbly defired that, according to the Manner and Practice of and in other Parishes within our Diocese, we would be pleased to grant and confirm unto them a Select Veftry, confifting of Forty-nine Perfons, all Parishioners and Inhabitants of the faid Parish, and of principal Quality, Judgement, and Integrity (befides the Vicar and Churchwardens there for the Time being), by whom the publick Business of the faid Church and Parish might be discreetly and orderly managed, and the Good and Welfare of the fame unanimoufly and effectually promoted, according to the Laws and Conftitutions Civil and Ecclefiaftical of this Realm; and have named for the prefent the Right Worfhipful and Reverend Nathaniel Hardy Doctor in Divinity, Dean of Rochefter, and Vicar of the faid Parish Church; the Honourable Charles Seymour

Efq.

Efq. Sir Henry Henne, Sir Thomas Clarges, Sir Tho mas Hewett, and Sir Pratt, Baronets; Sir John Nicholas Knight of the Bath, Sir John Denham, Sir Gilbert Gerard, and Sir John Adler, Knts. the Right Worshipful Jofeph Hinton and John Clarke, Doctors of Phyfick; John Harvey, Richard Atkins, Francis Lucy, John Corrance, Thomas Bayles, Edmondbury Godfrey, Thomas Windham, John Throgmorton, Andrew Cole, Thomas Fisher, Ralph Hallfall, and Francis Wetherie, Efqrs. Mr. John Cooper, Mr. Owen Ruffell, Mr. John Tonge, Mr. Robert Burgh, Mr. William Ayliffe, Mr. Mathew Seely, Mr. Francis Bromwell, Mr. Henry Bradbury, Mr. Richard Bissell, Mr. John Dixon, Mr. George Greene, Mr.Thomas Bagley, Mr. John Jeffs, Mr. Thomas Crompe, Mr. William Baker, Mr. Thomas Heflington, Mr. Thomas Barker, Mr. Thomas Halfpennye, Mr. John Horfepoole, Mr. Richard Bale, Mr. Walter Brydall, Mr. John Duncombe, Mr. John Hicks, Mr. John Francis, Mr. Robert Joyner, and Mr. Butler Kinhead, difcreet and fubftantial Parishioners of the faid Parish, befides the Churchwardens there for the Time being, to be Vestrymen for the directing, ordering, and managing of all fuch Things as belong to the faid Church, and are to be done by the Parishioners of that Parish; and that as any of them fhall happen to decay, remove out of the faid Parish, depart this Life, or become scandalous by Drunkenness, Whoredom, or other evil Life or grofs Misdemeanour, or otherwise unfit for that Society and Business, that fuch other of the better Sort of the faid Parishioners as are grave, honeft, and fubftantial, fit for the fame Place, may be chofen to fucceed them by the Vicar and Churchwardens for the Time being, and any Ten (at least) of the faid Veftrymen, who fhall meet to that Purpose: We therefore, the Bifhop and Chancellor aforefaid, duly confidering of the

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the faid Petition, and finding that it doth tend to the Peace, Quiet, good and well Government of the faid Church and Parish, to the end they may be the rather incited to do fome good Works of Charity towards the Relief of the faid Poor of the faid Parish, and therein give good Example unto others; have and do, by these Prefents, for us and our Succeffors, approve and allow of this their Petition; and (as far as by the Laws and Conftitu. tion Ecclefiaftical of this Realm, and Temporal Laws of the fame, we can or may) have and do, by our Authority Ordinary and Epifcopal, order and decree, That from henceforth there fhall be a Set or Select Veftry established in the said Parish; and alfo do name, appoint, conftitute, and authorize the aforefaid Perfons, and every of them (for their respective Times being) and none others, to be Veftrymen in the faid Parish; and the whole Bufinefs of the Church and Parish aforefaid to be dif patched, ordered, and done, by the said Vestrymen, they only, and none others, or any Ten of them (at the least) with the Vicar (or Curate in his Abfence) and Churchwardens there for the Time being; and who fhall meet upon publick Notice given to fuch Purpose, in the faid Parish Church, by and with the Confent of the faid Vicar or Curate, on the Sunday next before fuch intended Meeting, or, in cafe of Neceffity, upon any other general Notice, duly given or left, to intermeddle with and order all fuch Matters and Bufinefs as do or fhall belong to the faid Church and Parish: And that as any of them fhall decay, remove out of the said Parish, depart this Life, or become fcandalous by Drunkennefs, Whoredom, or other evil Life, or grofs Misdemeanour (whereof there fhall firft be a Prefentment made to us, our Chancellor, or into our principal Registry) or as any of them fhall

otherwise

otherwife become unfit for that Society, Meeting, and Business, to expel and amove fuch; and by and with the Confent of the Vicar thereof for the Time being, or his Curate in his Absence, together with the Churchwardens and any Ten of the faid Veftrymen that fhall be at any fuch Veftry or Meeting, to elect and chufe other Perfon and Perfons of the most fufficient of the faid Parifhioners, and fitteft for that Service, in his or their room fo dying, removing, decaying, or becoming fcandalous, or otherwife unfit as aforefaid; and to do, execute, and perform all other Matters and Things belonging to the Veftrymen, for the Good and Benefit of the faid Church, and for the better or dering and governing of all fuch Affairs and Bufinefs as belong to the faid Parish and Church, with these Limitations following, viz. That they do not at any Time, or upon any Occafion, presume to call before them any Minifter, Preacher, or Curate, who fhall be commorant within their faid Parish, to be queftioned with at all in their Veftries, but fhall leave them and their Caufes wholly to the calling, hearing, ordering, or cenfuring of the Ecclefiaftical or Temporal Magiftrate, whom (if they have any Cause of Complaint) they fhall inform according as the Nature and Quality thereof fhall administer Occafion. Further, That they fhall not any way, in their faid Veftry or Meeting, intermeddle with the Churchwardens and Sidefmens Office, concerning their making of their Bills of Prefentment, which they are upon their Oaths to deliver up into the Ecclefiaftical Court or Courts; nor fhall therein queftion with them about any Thing that they are to prefent, or fhall present (except it be to inform them of fome Abuse, Crime, or Misdemeanour, worthy and fit to be prefented), but fhall fuffer the faid Churchwardens

and fworn Men freely (without feeking to be made privy to any of their faid Presentments) to discharge their Confciences and Duties according to their Oaths. Neither fhall the faid Veftrymen take upon them to call before them into their said Vestry, any Perfon or Perfons whom the faid Church Officers are by their Oaths to prefent, to take any Account of them, or of the faid Perfons who are to be fo prefented, or of the Causes, Crimes, or Sufpicions upon which they are or may be presented: Nor are they hereby authorized to call before them, hear, or intermeddle with any Perfon, Cause, Matter, or Crime, Prefentment, or Offence determinable, punishable, or being of Ecclefiaftical Cognizance, either begun to be called in queftion, or presented, heard, ordered, cenfured, or decreed to be heard, ordered, or cenfured, in any Ecclefiaftical Court or Courts; but fhall forbear, in any of their faid Veftry Meetings, any way to intermeddle in any of the Premifes, as no ways belonging to them, but to the Ecclefiaftical Cognizance and Court. Provided always, That no fuch Veftry or Meeting be called, warned, or holden, or appointed to be holden, but by and with the efpecial Order, Confent, and Approbation of the Vicar there for the Time being, or Curate in his Abfence; nor without publick Warning given thereof in the faid Parish Church at the Time of Divine Service, or otherwife as aforefaid: And if the faid Vicar for the Time being, or Curate in his Abfence, (upon Notice given by the Churchwardens that there is good Caufe to call a Veftry), fhall deny to give his Confent, or forbear to publish the fame in the faid Parish Church, or otherwife, as aforefaid, before fuch intended Meeting, that then it shall and may be lawful to and for the faid Churchwardens to have Refort to Us or our Chancellor for the

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