1655, O. 17. On the Vigil of St. Luke, Half of the Roof of the South Part of the outer Chapel joining to the Tower fell within the Church, about Nine O'Clock that Night, and broke all the Stones laying on the Floor; of which fome were Monumental a. Many other Things of this Church, more immediately relative to the College, I refer to the Hift. of the Univ. It is called St. John's Curacy b, and, as a Chapel, exempt from Epifcopal Dues and Tenths. At the general Taxation, Anno 1291, it was not worth ferving. Vid. St. Edward's Church, p. 117. The prefent Chaplains nominated by the Warden are, Mr. H. Macock, and J. Horner, A. M. Salary of each yearly about 30%. T This Chapel ferving for a Parochial Church, is the only Chapel in Oxford that is qualified by Law for performing the Offices of Chriftening, and Mar-1 rying, and Burying. It has ever been a Cuftom, fince the Building of this, for the Chaplains, which were Two, to officiate, receive Dues, and keep the Register of the Parish, and to do all other Parochial Duties, except Preaching. 1632. Dec. 16. Antony A. Wood, Hiftoriographer (Son of T. Wood, L.L.B. of Pemb. Coll. Oxon, of the ancient Family of the Woods in Lancashire) was born. 1644. May 22. Frances, Daughter of Ralph Freak, Efq. Note, That while the Queen Henrietta Maria lodged with her Court in Merton College, which was from the Year 1643 to 1646, were divers Marriages, Chriftenings, and Burials in this Parish, carefully registered by Mr. J. Gurgany, one of the Chaplains; but about the Time of the Surrender of Oxon (June 1646.) the faid Register, among other Books, was stolen from him by the Soldiers, who took it out of his Window in the Vault-Chamber next to the Chapel. On the Margin is wrote-This he hath feveral Times told me. A, A. W. of Dr. Tho, Willis, and Mary his Wife, were born. b Econ. Thef. 1665. Jan. 1. 17 Car. II. George, the natural Son or Bastard of King Ch. II. was baptized. This Child was begotten on the Body of Barbara Villiers, the Wife of Roger Earl of Caftlemayne, in Ireland; and being born in Merton College (while the Queen with her Court lodged there in the Time of the Plague) was christened privately in the faid College on the 1st of January following. Jan. Catharine, Daughter of Sir Alex. Frazer, Knt. born in Merton College. Q Catharine was her Godmother. 1668. May 1. Richard, Son 1670. Apr. 26. 1672. May 16. 1662. Sept. 1. 1667. May 3. 1665. Nov. 25. 1699. Sept. 30. 1671. Apr. 28. 1679. Apr. 15. 1680. July 6. Oct. 22. Mary, Daughter Richard, Son of Dr. Tho. Willis. John Earles, Lord Bishop of Sarum. John Parys, Doctor of Phyfick, Fellow of C. C. C. Alan, the Son of Dr. R. Lydall. G. Pudley, Gent. Commoner of Merton College, Son and Heir of Sir G. Pudsey, Knt. buried at Ellesfield. 1680. Jan. 31. 1681. Apr. 10. Warden of Merton C. C. C. died. Mary, Daughter of Dr. J. Luffe. Elizabeth, Wife of James Clayton, Esq. Dr. Rob. Newlin, Pref. of C. C. C. died. Phineas Ellwood, Doctor of Phyfick, and Fellow of 1691. Nov. 3. 1692. July 25. W. Barley, Gent. Commoner of Merton College. Margaret, Widow of Dr. Tho. Turner, and Daughter of Sir Francis Windebank, Secretary of State to K. Ch. I. W. Hacket, Son Francifca-Maria, Daughter 1693. Aug. 23. Sept. 8. Oct. 4. 1695. Nov. 29. 1698. Sept. 7. 1708. Nov. 17. Νου. of W. Hacket, Efq. Sir Tho. Clayton, Knt. Warden of Merton College. Dr. J. Luffe, Reg. Prof. of Phyfick. W. Hacket, Son of Sir Rob. Hacket, Knt. and Dame Frances, Daughter of Sir J. Yeomans, Bart. of the Island of Barbadoes.` 1711. Apr. 6. Robert, Second Son of W. Hacket, Gent. He died Lieut. of his Majesty's Ship the Salisbury Prize. Æt. 26. Marriages. 1692. Jan. 24. H. Bull, of Shepwick, in Somerfetfhire, Commoner of ·Magd. College in Oxon, and Mrs. Anne Luffe, a Native of this Parish, Daughter of Dr. John Luffe, the King's Profeffor of Phyfick. 1693. Feb. 13. Dr. 7. Beale, lately of C. C. C. now Minister of Meyfey Hampton, Gloucestershire, and Daughter of Mr. G. Dalgarno, a Scot, in St. Edmund's Hall Chapel. Writers born in this Parish. Tho. Wood, Son of Rob. Wood, Gent. was Fellow of N. C. 1679, aged 18 Years, took a Degree in the Civil Law, and was called to the Bar by his Kinfman Sir John Holt, Lord Chief Justice, in Eafter Term 1694. Of his feveral Treatifes, fee Wood. Atb. V. 2. 995. Tho. Youlding, a younger Son of John, fome time a Page of the Prefence, and Groom of the Chamber to Prince Charles, 2 Jan. 1669, was ift a Demy, and after a Fellow of Magdalen. Of his divers Poems, fee Wood, as above, p. 1022. Lived here, and was buried Nov. 3, 1643, J. Bainbridge, Savile Lecturer of Aftronomy, and fuperior Reader of Lynacre's Lecture; his Body conveyed hence to the Publick Schools, rested there. During an Oration in Praise of the Defunct, was accompanied by the feveral Degrees to Merton College, and depofited near the High Altar. Vid. Mont.-Of the Treatifes he composed, fee Wood. Ath. Vol. 2. 34. But the greatest Honour to this Parish was that eminent Antiquarian, the chief Author of this Work, Mr. ANTHONY A. WOOD, who was born 1632, in a little Stone House oppofite the great Gate of Merton College, now in the Occupation of Mr. Stockford. Having received the First Part of his Education in Thame and New College Schools, he was, in the Year 1647, admitted Postmaster of Merton College! His Turn of Mind foon discovered itself in Favour of ancient Literature and 134 Hiftory, to the Study of which he dedicated his whole Life. His indefatigable Industry appears not only in thofe valuable Works the Athena, and the Hiftoria et Antiquitates Univerfitatis Oxon, but alfo in that ample Collection of MSS. which he bequeathed by his Will to the Ashmolean Museum. For the Compilation of thefe, he was indulged with an Opportunity of perufing the original Records both of the Univerfity and City, of which he was fo faithful a Copier, that whoever follows him in his Researches, will have just Reason to admire his Accuracy and Care. To his unwearied Diligence was added a natural Propenfity to discover, and an undaunted Mind, to fpeak the Truth. He had a fincere Abhorrence of every Thing mean and fervile; and, if he is at any Time guilty of mifreprefenting the Characters of others, it is owing to his being firft deceived himself. I fhall fay the lefs of this learned and fedulous Antiquarian and Biographer, as the chief Memoirs of his Life, to the Year 1672, are published by Mr. Hearne, in the 2d Vol. of Caii Vindicia; of which also a 2d Edit. with great Additions, and a Continuation to the Time of his Death, is lately published at Oxford. He lies buried in Merton Anti-Chapel, under this fhort but expreffive Infcription-Antonius A. Wood, Antiquarius, ob. Nov. 29, 1695. Our Author fays, before his Time was a Defcription of the Parish made, with an Account giving what Number of Houses were then therein; whereby it appeareth, that at that Time, and long before, moft Houfes in this Parish were Halls for Students, and that the Parish confifted of much larger Limits than now it hath, appearing fo to be from other ancienter Records which I have observed; and for thofe Halls that were fituated herein, which were 18 in Number (I fpeak at the leaft) these were for the most Part taken into the Foundations and Limits of Colleges, fome into Orchards, others quite ruinated. So that at his Time the Parish confifted but of 7 Houfes (excepting 2 Colleges and an Hall) containing 10 Families, and no more. As it may be of fome Satisfaction to fome to know the precife Bounds of this Parith, I fhall give it in Mr. Wood's own Words. Whitmonday, June 5, 1682. This, fays he, being appointed for a Proceffion Day to be made by the Parishioners of St. John Baptist Parish, fome of the Fellows of Merton College, and fome of the Parishioners, with myself, did accordingly go between 8 and 9 o'clock in the Morning, after this Manner, as it was used by the Parishioners before the Grand Rebellion broke out in 1642. We met in the Great Vault in Merton College, and thence went out of the Back Gate, and fo to the S. E. Corner of the City Wall, which includes the College Terras and Garden, and made a Crofs. Returning thence, we went through C. C. C. Back Gate, to the Prefident's Lodgings beyond, and on the W. Side of the faid College; which Lodgings we leaving on the Right Hand, went towards the Houfe of Eafement, commonly called The Privy Houfe, and made a Crofs under C. C. College Summer-Houfe, and on the Wall (belonging to Corpus Chrifti) oppofite to it. Thence returning, we paffed by the faid Lodgings, and went out of the Door belonging to the aid Prefident, joining to the Great Gate of Christ Church, where we made another another Crofs. Thence we went to Oriel College Common Gate, where we fhould have made a Crofs on the S. Side of it (for the S. Half or more of Oriel College is in St. John Baptift Parish). Thence we went to Oriel College Corner, which we left on the Left Hand, as alfo their Chapel (formerly in this Parish, but loft through Neglect of Proceffion) and went up the Lane called formerly Grope Lane, but now commonly Magpie Lane, and on the Wall of Oriel College Hall Court (which is oppofite to the Door of the Magpie Alehoufe) we made another Crofs; and then going over the Gutter, we made another on the fartheft Extent Northward of the Tenement called The Magpie, foon after The Talbot, and after that The Magpie again. Thence we returned, and went up that Street, anciently called Kibald's Street, where the Univerfity Carriers Stables ftood, and fo into the Back Side of Mr. Rob. Wood, where in the House of Easement, that ftands crofs Kibald Street, we made another Crofs, close by that Cross which the Parishioners of St. Mary's use to make. Thence going through the Houfe on the N. Side of the Tennis Court, and through the Alley that leads into St. John Baptift Street, we went into Logick Lane, where in the Middle (where an Elbow or a Turning is) we made another Crofs upon the fartheft Extent Northward of a Garden Ground (belonging by Leafe from Magdalen to that of Merton) in the Tenure of the faid Rob. Wood. Thence going to the End of St. John Baptift Street Eastward, we made another Cross upon Merton College Garden Wall. Here ended this Proceffion. There have been several Proceffions made here fince this, as on Holy Thurfday 1683, 1684, 1685, and 1714. This Parish affords at prefent (1771) 17 Houses, and 85 Souls. In our Course we pafs by Merton College and St. Alban's Hall. In the Limits of the laft, as it now ftands, was Nun Hall, Aula Nonialis, annexed with it, as one of our Registers An. 1450 or 51 teftify a. So called, because it anciently belonged to the Nuns of Littlemore, in the County of Oxon. In this Place the Fellows of Merton College took Care within few Years after the faid College was founded (and as it feemeth the Foundation alfo) that the er Kindred of the faid Foundation fhould be educated and maintained, i. e. 1. Such that were born of and defcended from Margaret (Sifter to Christina, the Mother of the Founder) who married W. Chaftagne, of Kingfmulle. 2. From Robert, Brother of the said Chriftina. 3. From Chriftina, Sister to the Founder, who married T. Worting. 4. From Editha, Mother's Sifter, who married Eddrad. 5. From Caftana, another Sifter, who married Oliver. 6. From Matilda, another Sifter, who married de Wyly. 7. From Alice, another Sifter, who married de la Clytie. 8. From Agnes de Ewell, another Sifter. 9. From Matilda, another Sifter, who married - Staks at the Wick or Wyke, with others, the Iffue of all who were here maintained from within. Seven Years at leaft after the Foundation of the College, till the Reign of H. IV. or thereabouts; of which Time they were worn out and forgotten, |