R6/63/33/6

"The Archdeacons of Bedford held their Visitations for the said Archdeaconry in the chapel of Woburn viz:

about 1720

From: 1509 To: 1720

"The Archdeacons of Bedford held their Visitations for the said Archdeaconry in the chapel of Woburn viz: Anno 1573 April 1st 1575 April the 12th 1578 October the 2nd 1585 March the 26th 1587 October the 4th 1588 October the 19th 1589 April the 9th and October the 1st 1590 April the 29th and October the 3rd 1592 April the 14th 1593 April the 24th and October the 3rd 1594 September the 30th 1595 April the 24th and September the 3oth 1596 April the 20th and October the 6th 1597 April the 11th and October the 3rd 1598 October the 3rd 1599 April the 17th and September the 25th 1600 March the 28th and October 1st 1601 March the 30th and October the 6th 1602 April the 9th and October the 6th 1603 April the 16th and October the 15th 1604 March the 29th 1612 July the 9th by the Bishop of Lincoln 1614 October the 4th 1619 April the 26th and October the 11th 1622 July the 9th by the Bishop of Lincoln NB The original presentmts made at the said Visitations are now in the Registry for the Archdeacons of Bedford The Commissarys & Officials of Bedford held their Courts for the said Archdeaconry in Woburn chapel viz 1552 - 1569 - 1576 - 1585 - 1594 - 1613 1566 - 1573 - 1577 - 1586 - 1595 1567 - 1574 - 1578 - 1588 - 1599 1568 - 1575 - 1579 - 1589 - 1602 The Minister or Curate of Woburn hath been Subject to the Jurisdiction of the Archdeacon of Bedford in numerous instances some whereof are underwritten viz Anno 1574 Mr.John Johnson Curate sued John Machant of Woburn for Tithes in the Archdeacon's Court 1587 The Churchwardens presented Mr.John Johnson for keeping a young woman in his house with whom he was vehemently suspected to live in incontinence 1601 Caesar Wallpoole Curate of Woburn was presented for not reading divine service on Holidays &c 1604 Caesar Wallpoole was presented for not wearing the surplice & not using the sign of the Crosse in Baptism & was decreed suspended & May the 10th 1605 he appeared and submitted 1605 A person was presented for irreverently using the Minister & being called into the Archdeacon's Court appeared and submitted; 1607 Caesar Wallpoole certified the Commissary & Official of the performance of a Penance in Woburne Chapel; 1611 Harman Sheppard Curate of Woburn was presented for using hard speeches to Mr.Woodward the Scholemaster & being called submitted; 1611 Harman Sheppard was presented for his yard fence being open to the churchyard; 1611 Harman Sheppard published an Excommunication the 28th of April & certified the same; & Anno 1612 he published another & certified; 1612 Harman Sheppard was presented for baiting a Bear in the church of Woburne & other misdemeanors & the Ordinary proceeded against him; 1612 Harman Sheppard presented several of his Parishioners for nonconformity; 1613 Harman Sheppard made another presentmt distinct from the churchwardens; 1621 Zachary Breedon Curate of Woburn publisht an Excommunication and certified; 1625 Zach Breedon sued Thomas Tymbs for Tithes; 1631 An Excommunication was publisht in the parish Chh of Woburne Jan 15th [1632]; 1632 Zach Breedon publisht an Excommunication April 29th & an Intimation December the 9th; 1635 Zach Breedon wth the churchwardens certified that they had provided a decent Rail for the Communion Table; Zach Breedon publisht Letters of Excommunication in June; 1637 Zach Breedon publisht Letters of Excommunication the 25th Feb [1638] & the December before he publisht an Aggravation several Sundays & certified; 1641 Zach Breedon joined wth the churchwardens in presenting the young men of the Parish for breaking one of the Bells; 1662 John Timbs & Francis Turner chwardens presented Willm Blagrave Minister of Woburne for not reading the Book of Common Prayer; 1668 Robert Marshall Curate of Woburne published Letters of Excommunication agst several of his Parishioners; 1671 Robert Marshall joined wth the Cchwardens in presenting several for nonconformity; 1672 Mihil Michils was presented for not paying the Minister his Marriage Dues; 1676 Will Marshall made by Declaration & Subscription before the Commissary & Offical of Bedford which granted a License to serve the Cure of Woburne being entitled thereto by Patent from the Earl of Bedford dated the 13 April 1676; 1681 Will Marshall published Lettrs of Excommunication agst 15 of the Inhabitants of Woburne Chapel; & the like agst 9 on the 5th of March 1683/4 & certified to the Ordinary; 1682 Archdeacon Skelton visited the Archdeaconry of Bedford Parochially by Commissioners, who visited Woburne Church & in that Commission Will Marshall acted as a Commissioner NB The oldest Subscription Book I have yet found in the Office bears date from the 15th of April 1671 wch is the reason why the Licence granted to Mr.Will Marshall to serve the Cure is the only instance I am yet able to specifie. But that the Curate ordinarily appeared at the Visitations of the Bishop & Archdeacon time out of mind is beyond all contradiction wch wth the Cchwardens presentments of him as herein specified & his submission to the Correction & monition of the Ordinary thereupon; his suing for Tyths & Dues & publishing Intimations & Letters of Excommunication, is abundant evidence of an acknowledgmt of the Jurisdiction. It appears by the original Presentments now in the Registry, that from the year 1573 till 1703, the Churchwardens of Woburne constantly made their Presentments at the Archdeacon's Visitation; a very few years only excepted wch cannot at present be adjusted thro the miscarriage of the Office Books & Presentments, wch are lost or imbezeled. It appears also from the Books that the Cchwardens of Woburne made their Presentments in the year 1552 wch was the last year of Edw 6th. In the years 1613, 1629, 1638, 1639, 1663, 1664, 1665, 1666, 1669 & 1687 the Churchwardens of Woburne presented divers of the Parishioners for not paying the Church Rate, & recovered the same in the Archdeacon's Court. In the years 1613, 1639 & 1664 the cchwardens presented divers of the Inhabitants for not paying the Clerk's Wages. I could instance in all other branches of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction exercised by the Commissaries, Archdeacons & Officials of Bedford wthout interruption, excepting the time of the Civil War wn all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction ceased. Nor have I observed in the Books any one allegation in behalf of Woburne as a Peculiar or exempt Jurisdiction; or any Prohibition to stop the Proceedings of the Bishop, Archdeacon, or their respective officers for incompetency of Jurisdiction; or any plea whsoever by way of demur to the Jurisdiction of the Bishop or Archdeacon. Henry the 8th began his Reign Anno 1509. the Dissolution of the Greater Abbys was in the 31st of Hen 8th viz Anno 1540. Edward the 6th granted a Patent to John Lord Russell Anno 1547. Woburne Presentmts were prosecuted in the Archdeacon of Bedford's Court Ao 1552. By this computation it appears that Woburne was subject to the Jurisdiction of the Archdeacon of Bedford within twelve years after the Statute of Dissolution & wthin 5 years after the Estate was vested in the Most Noble Family, wch now does (& God grant yt it long may) enjoy it. The Patent granted to John Lord Russell bearing date the 16th July 1 Edw 6th. From the Visitation Books of the Bishop of Lincoln it appears that in the Reign of Hen 8 after the Dissolution of the monasteries & erection of the new Bishopricks, Mr.John Grace the King's Curate of Woburne was called at the Bishop's Visitation to exhibit & four Churchwardens were then sworn for Woburne. That in 1554 the 2nd of Qu Mary Mr.John Smith Curate of Woburne was called & excus'd & two Churchwardens sworn & in 1585 several of the Parishioners of Woburne were presented & prosecuted".

item

Bedford, John Russell, 1st Earl of,
Henry VIII,
Edward VI,
Mary I,
Johnson, John,
Machant, John,
Wallpoole, Caesar,
Sheppard, Harman,
Woodward,
Breedon, Zachary,
Blagrave, William,
Tymbs, Thomas,
Timbs, John,
Turner, Francis,
Marshall, Robert,
Marshall, William,
Bedford, William, 5th Earl of,
Skelton, John,
Grace, John,
Smith, John

Peculiars, archdeacon, WOBURN, religious foundations, Bishop's Visitations, Archdeacon's Visitations, Registrar, Commissary, curates, general clergy, clergy behaviour, clergy names index, tithes, Archdeacon's Court, bears, bear baiting, churchwardens, penance, excommunication, general Nonconformity, schoolmaster, churchyard, church bells, archives, Church Rate, parish clerk, English Civil Wars