KING HAROLD'S PARK.

Just before entering Nazing common on the right is "Harold's Park," so called from its having been the gift of King Harold to his canons at Waltham. On the top of the hill is an ancient farmhouse, and leading to it is a fine row of elm trees on each side of the road, forming a pretty avenue. The Abbot, Richard of Waltham, enclosed the park by licence of Henry III., circa 1225. On June 25, 1547, John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, had leave granted to alienate to him Harold's Park. And the same estate was held by Sir Anthony Denny, temp. Henry VIII. In Elizabeth's reign Sir Edward Greville, Lord Brook, resided here. He married the widow of Henry Denny, son of Sir Anthony. In Waltham Church is an effigy of Lady Greville in white marble. The inscription and part of her tomb has long been destroyed. Sir Francis Swift, the great Royalist, also resided here. Ogbourn says that the estate was held by the Denny family up to the year 1692. Harold's Park was tenanted by Thomas Burgh, whose name is appended to a brief in the Parish Register of Nazing, under date 1689, when John Turner, M.A., read himself in as incumbent of the church. The estate of Harold's Park was conveyed to the trustees of Matthew Kenrick* in 1717. His devisees and heirs-at-law conveyed the estate to Sir James Bateman, Bart., who devised the same to his son Richard Bateman, Esq., who in 1758 sold it to Joseph Bird. Mr. Smith held the estate after the Bird family, and after him it was held by Mr. Thomas Rippin.†

THE PARISH REGISTERS OF NAZING.

The Parish Registers of Nazing are well kept, and are now the most reliable documents to which we can refer with safety for information relative to the Pilgrim Fathers of that locality.

* Matthew Kenrick, of Harold's Park and Turkey, merchant of London, died March 21, 1712, aged 58 years, and lies buried at Havering. + Several early coins have been found in the foundation of the old house at Harold's Park.

As before stated, the Registers commence in 1559. On the fly-leaf of the first volume are written the following words :

"O Lord increase or. ffaith, Deus Augeat fidem nostram infr. Nicholas Grave, Olem Mead, John Mead."*

There are also a few notes of interest scattered here and there in the earlier Registers, which are worthy of notice, namely

"Mr. Dyer was buried the 8th of August.-Mr. a Dyer, above named, gave by his will xls. to the poore of Nazing, wh. was distributed by minister and churchwardens, August 15, 1602, per me, Richard fferian, minister, ibidem 1602.

Beck, churchwardens."

George Dowsett, Thomas

A note is given relative to David Leigh, incumbent, who succeeded John Harper in 1648 :—

"David Leigh, clerke, being chosen parish Register by the inhabitants and householders of the parish of Nazing, was sworne, approved by me, Hen. Wollaston."

A contract of marriage between Robert Gibb, of ye parish of Nazing, on the one part, taylor, and Letice Campe, of the parish of Epping, on the other part, spinster, being published three several Lord's days in ye respective parishes, as by certificate did appear, and were married by mee, Hen. Wollaston, David Leigh, clerk. Approved by me, Henry Wollaston, 1648-1654. Henry Wollaston was Justice of the Peace, and resided at Waltham Abbey.

The following "briefs" are entered in the Registers :—

"Gathered in the Pish. of Nazing, by vertue of the warrent directed to the churchwardens, and paid the high constable the 10th day of January, towards the repacion [restoration] of St. Paull church, London, the some of seven shillings and threepence, gathered by John Dean, anno 1634.

"Collected in ye parish of Nazing, towards ye relief of the inhabitants of Bride's parish, London, who suffered in the losse by ffire,

* Dr. Worthington, in his Life of Joseph Mede, B.D., states that, after the death of the father of Joseph Mede, his mother married a Mr. Gower of Nazing, circa 1596-7.

the summe of thirteene shillings and a penny, gathered on the 24th April, 1659, by George Campe, Ambrose Chandler, churchwardens.

"Collected in pish. of Nazing towards the relief of the inhabitants of ffakenham, in the county of Norfolke, who suffered by losse of ffire, the sume of sixteen shillings, gathered by William Kimpton, 1660.

"Collected in pish. of Nazing, towards the relief of Hannah Ansell, of Lowdwater, in the parish of Rickmansworth, who suffered by ffire, the sum of eleven shillings and seven pence, gathered by George Curtis, William Kimpton, churchwardens, 1660.

"Gathered in the pish. of Nazing, to the relief of the inhabitants of Milton Abbas, in the county of Dorsett, who suffered in the losse by ffire, the summe of twelve shillings and sixpence, feb. 10, 1660, gathered by George Curtis, William Kimpton, churchwardens.

"Brief.-Gathered from house to house toward the relief of Bongay, in Suffolke, ye sum of 4s. by us, J. Turner, vic. Toward the relief of the Protestants in Ireland, the full sum of £3, which mony was gathered 5th or 6th Sept. 1689.

"Gathered in the parish church of Nazing toward the relief of Philip Danduto, by nation a Turk, the sum of 4s.

"August 26, 1694. Thus received, Joseph Brett and Thomas Pegrum, of the parish of Nazing, toward ye french Protestants Breefe, ye sum of 5s. 4d., with the names of these y. gave. Registered also in ye presence of us, John Turner, vic.; Joseph Brett, churchwarden.

"These are to certify whom it may concern yt John Turner Master of Arts and Vicar of ye Pish. Church of Nazing, in ye county of Essex, did on ye 7th day of July, 1689, read ye thirty and nine Articles of ye Church of England, after ye Divine Service was ended, and did then also declare his assent and consent to ye same in ye presence of ye churchwardens and other of ye said pish. Witness, Thomas Burgh, Jun.”

The churchwardens of Nazing from 1634 to 1640 were as follows-1634, John Deane and George Barkmaker. 1635, John Alvary and Thomas Wilkinson. 1636, Thomas Huchins and John Algar. 1637, John Algar and Thomas Scott. 1640, John Payson and Hugh Hornalle.

VICARS OF NAZING.

A list of the vicars of Nazing--Patron, Abbot of Waltham, William the Clerk, of Nazing. He is one of the witnesses to a charter or grant of land in Amwell, co. Herts, to the canons of Waltham; temp., Hen. II.* John Galion, 1371. William Lekeman, April 6, per resignation of Galion. Lekeman was vicar of Margetting, co. Essex, on the resignation of Walter Hachman, Oct. 5, 1363; Lekeman resigned that living in 1366. John Mathew. He had been rector of Burstean Parva on the resignation of Thomas Lowe, March 7, 1390, which living Mathew resigned, for Nazing.† John Randolph cap. July 16, 1405, per resignation of Mathew. John West

1475, per mort Bell.

Thomas

Henry

William

more. John Hedon, per Nov. 20, 1457, per resignation of Westmore. Thomas Dikson, per August 1, 1459, per resignation of Hedon. William Lax, Dec. 10, 1467, per resignation of Dikson. W. Lax was of Fulham, co. Middlesex. Bell, cap. April 20, 1469, per resignation of Lax. Middleton, A.M., 30 Wilton. The vicarage was then under royal patronage. William Holmes, per Sept. 28, 1513, per mort Wilton. Nicholas Lock, cl. penult. Feb., 1541, per mort Holmes. When Mary came to the throne, Lock was deprived. It is thought that he was a married man, and would not put away his wife. The date of his institution would indicate that he was a Protestant, and for which he suffered. He was rector of Uggeshall and Harkestead in 1561,§ and in 1563 his name occurs in the list of officials to the Archdeacon of Suffolk. Thomas Brooke, per May 12, 1554, per deprivation of Lock. Christopher Wall, per Sept. 17, 1556, per resignation of Brooke. Edward Hopkinson, cl. April 25, 1559, per mort Wall. John Hopkins, cl. Feb: 3, 1570, per mort, Hopkinson. Edward Baker, A.M., Feb. 13, 1589, per deprivation of Hopkins. * Harl. MSS., 391.

+ Hunter MSS., relating to Charter of Cheshunt and Waltham.

Newcourt says that a John Randolph, rector of Buers Gifford, co. Essex, died 1392.

§ Bloomfield's Norfolk, vol. iii.

E. Baker resigned, and removed to Waltham Abbey, where he died in 1604. Richard Ferian, M.A., inducted Feb. 25, 1592. Richard Sherman, A.M., August 5, 1606, per resignation of Ferian. Edward Fude, A.M., Oct. 13, 1608, per resignation of Sherman. E. Jude resigned his living at Nazing for that of Hunsdon, not far distant, where he died, in 1644, and was succeeded by Philip Eliot, M.A. E. Jude must have been at Nazing many years. Lionel Goodrick may have officiated at Nazing, as his name occurs several times in the Nazing Registers from 1631 to 1638. Henry Back also officiated, in 1620. Nothing more occurs about Back, but Goodrick was incumbent of Waltham in 1672. The history of Edward Jude, as regards his labours at Nazing, is valuable, as he appears to have been the minister during the time many of the Pilgrim Fathers resided at Nazing. The Registers of Nazing record the baptism of two sons of Jude, viz. Edward Jude, baptized March 10, 1610; John Jude, baptized June 29, 1614. Robert Lewis, A.M., entered as vicar of Nazing on the resignation of Edward Jude, Feb. 25, 1640, at which period Feremy Dyke officiated. John Harper, in 1648, signed the "Essex Testimony," as vicar of Nazing, and late in the same year he left for Epping. In 1650 he is returned, by order of the Committee for Plundered Ministers, "an able godly preaching minister.”* After his ejectment, in 1660, he conformed, and was collated to the prebend of Hoxton, in St. Paul's. David Leigh (or Leech), 1648, per resignation of Harper. D. Leigh was buried at Waltham, August 29, 1658. Henry Albery was inducted into the living, 1650. His name occurs in the Lansd. MSS. 459.—“The vic. is sequested, and the sequester provide at present Hen: Albery, and allow o 10 O every Sabbath day" Joseph Browne, inducted Sept. 1, 1658, ejected in 1662. Joseph Browne was a great sufferer while at Nazing, owing to the Act of Uniformity and other equally tyrannical Acts. Dr. Calamy informs us that Browne was of Emmanuel College, Oxford. He was a native of Ware, co. * Lansd. MSS., 459.

+ "Possession of Earl of Carlisle, Vicaridge, £50 os. od." Lansd. MSS.