At the time when grave-yard robbers, termed Resurrectionists, were the dread of surviving relatives, in 1820–21, these desecrators of the silent tomb paid the Old Churchyard a visit, in the autumn of the former year, and conveyed away at least one body, the chief of the sacrilegious wretches being Williams, who, in 1831, was executed at Newgate, with Bishop, for “Burking” an Italian boy. The circumstance of the body being stolen greatly alarmed the inhabitants, and for many years afterwards it was the constant practice to have watchers, under a species of impromptu tent, night after night, for months together, upon the death of a person, to prevent the body from being conveyed away. At one period the system of watching had become such a nuisance that persons were afraid to venture through the burial ground after dusk—the time when the watchers went on duty—as the parties were not satisfied with being there to scare off the expected marauders, but they took with them creature comforts in the form of beer, spirits, and tobacco, and armed themselves with pistols, guns, and swords, so that, when the alcoholic spirits began to rise, there was a great lack of discretion, and frequent broils in consequence ensued. The churchwardens, therefore, interfered and prevented their having any other arms than stout sticks. This reckless and indecent profanation of the sacred dormitory lamentably recalls to one’s mind the vitiated taste and customs of the early ages, when churchyards were no sooner enclosed than they were appropriated as places of public amusement. According to Aubrey, “in every parish was a church-house, to which belonged spits, crocks, and other utensils, for dressing provisions. Here the housekeepers met, the young people were there, too, and had dancing, bowling, shooting at butts, &c., the ancients gravely sitting by and looking on.” Fosbrook further informs us, that “Whitsun ales were brewed by the churchwardens, and sold in the church; and the profits—there being no rates for the relief of the poor—were distributed amongst them.” It was, also, customary for barbers to come and shave the parishioners in the churchyard on Sundays and high festivals, before matins. This liberty continued till 1422, when it was restrained by a particular prohibition of Richard Flemyng, Bishop of Lincoln.
For more than ten years the custom of watching prevailed; but legislation at length suggested a means of supplying subjects for dissection, without despoiling the graves; and, since then, in 1851, intra-mural burials being prohibited, the Brighton Churchyards have been respected, and on the 17th of November, 1859, the first tree was planted in the oldest ground, near Wykeham Terrace, by Mr. Churchwarden Marchant, who had suggested the plantation of the grounds. Other of the authorities and the inhabitants in general, followed his example, and very soon the planting of some hundreds of trees and shrubs was effected; but as yet the vegetation of them has progressed but slowly. [118a]
Brighton Vicarage, with West Blatchington, Rectory, is one united benefice, in the sole gift of the Bishop of the Diocese. The present Vicar was appointed by the Crown; his predecessor, the late Dr. Carr, who died Bishop of Worcester, having been made Bishop of Chichester. The Sovereign always takes the appointment to any Ecclesiastical preferment that is vacated by one who is raised to the Episcopate.
Chapter XVII.
MARTYRDOM OF DERYK [118b] CARVER.
Deryk Carver, a brewer, the proprietor of what is now known as the Black-Lion Street Brewery, the oldest building in the town, a Fleming by birth, who had been resident in Brighton about eight or nine years, was the first who suffered martyrdom in Sussex, under the persecution of Mary. About the end of October, 1554, Carver, who had adopted the doctrines of the Reformation, and had been in the habit, as opportunity offered, of collecting a few people of his own persuasion in his house, for the purpose of religious worship, was, together with John Launder, of Godstone, apprehended, as they were at prayer, by Edward Gage, of Firle, a gentleman and county Magistrate, and sent up to the Queen’s Council. After examination, he and his friend were sent prisoners to Newgate, to await the leisure of Bishop Bonner for his further examination into their heretical practices. The Bishop interrogated them on matters of faith, on the 8th of June following, so that they must have lain in prison for more than seven months, upon a mere suspicion. They made certain confessions, which they duly signed, and then the Bishop, who had no legal right whatever to meddle with their creed, as they were not of his diocese, objected against them certain articles, in the ordinary course of ecclesiastical law, as it existed in those days. Various means were resorted to to induce Carver and Launder to recant, but these they stedfastly resisted. “I will never go from these answers,” said the latter, “so long as I live,” and so said Carver. Wherefore, on the 10th of June, two days afterwards, they were cited to the Consistory Court of St. Paul’s. The “confession” of Carver, as preserved in Fox’s Acts and Monuments, was in substance this: “I. That the bread and wine used in the Holy Communion, or as it was then called, the ‘Sacrament of the Altar,’ is simply bread and wine, and not the material body and blood of Christ. II. That the mass is not a sacrifice; that it does not conduce to salvation; and that it is not profitable to a Christian man, because it is said in Latin, a tongue which he, with the majority of the people, does not understand. III. That although it is requisite to go to a good priest for counsel in matters of religion, yet that priest’s absolution is not profitable for a man’s salvation. IV. That the faith and religion now set forth in the Church of England is not agreeable to God’s Word. That Bishops Hooper, Cardmaker, Rogers, and others of their opinion were good Christian men, and did preach the true doctrine of Christ, and that they did shed their blood in the same doctrine, by the power of God. V. That since the Queen’s coronation he hath had the bible and psalter in English read in his house at Brighthampsted divers times, and likewise, since his coming into Newgate, but the keeper thereof did take them away; and also that about a twelvemonth now past he had the English procession said in his house with other English prayers. And further, that Thomas Iveson, John Launder, and William Veisie, prisoners within Newgate, were taken with this examinate in his house at Brighthampsted, as they were hearing of the Gospel, then read in English.” The “confession” of John Launder states, among other things, that he was a husbandman, twenty-five years of age, and an inhabitant of Godstone, and that himself, with Carver, Iveson, Veisie, and other persons, to the number of twelve, had been apprehended by Mr. Gage, in Carver’s house, as they were saying the service in English, as set forth in the days of King Edward the Sixth. It appears that Launder, having come down to Brighton to transact business for his father, had heard of Carver’s zeal for the Gospel, and had been to his house for religious worship, at the time of Mr. Gage’s unfriendly visit. The confession winds up with a statement of his religious views, which, in the main, are identical with Carver’s own, as stated. The Bishop’s Articles, twelve in number, reiterated the charges already adduced against the prisoners, who, being asked if they still adhered to their opinions, replied affirmatively. Carver added “your doctrine is poison and sorcery. If Christ were here you would put Him to a worse death than He was put to before. You say that you can make a God: ye can make a pudding as well. Your ceremonies in the Church be beggary and poison.” The Bishop, seeing their constancy, pronounced judgment upon them both, whereupon they were delivered to the Sheriffs, who were then present, in order that they might be burnt in due course of law. “This Dirricke” records Fox, “was a man, whom the Lorde had blessed as well with temporall ryches, as with his spirituall treasures, which ryches yet were no clogge or let unto his true professing of Christ, the Lord, by His grace, so working in him; of the which, there was such havock, by the gready raveners of that time, that his poore wyfe and children had little or none thereof. During his imprisonment, although he was well stricken in yeares (and, as it were, past the tyme of learning), yet he so spent his tyme, that being, at hys first apprehension, utterly ignoraunt of anye letter of the booke, hee coulde, before his death, read perfectly any printed English. Whose diligence and zeale is worthy no small commendation, and therefore I thought it good not to let passe over in silence, for the good encouragement and example of others. Moreover, at his comming into the town of Lewes to be burned, the people called upon him, beseechying God to strengthen hym in the faith of Jesus Christ. He thanked them, and prayed unto God, that of Hys mercy he would strengthen them in the lyke faith. And when hee came to the signe of the Starre, the people drew near unto him, where the Sheriffe sayd that he had found him a faithfull man in al his aunswers. And as he came to the stake, he kneeled downe and made his prayers, and the Sheriffe made hast. Then hys booke was throwen into the barrel, and when he had strypt him sclfe (as a joyfull member of God) he went into the (pitch) barrel him selfc. And as soone as ever he came in, he tooke up the booke and threw it among the people, and then the Sheriffe commaunded in the Kyng and Queen’s name, on paine of death, to throw in the booke againe. And immediately, that faithfull member spake with a joyfull voyce, saying:—‘Deare brethren and sistern, wytness to you all that I am come to seale with my blood Christes Gospell, for because I know that it is true; it is not unknowen unto al you, but that it hath bene truly preached here in Lewes, and in all places in England, and now it is not. And for because that I wyll not denye here God’s Gospell, and be obedient to man’s lawes, I am condemned to dye. Dere brethren and sistern, as many of you as do beleve upon the Father, the Soune, and the Holye Ghost, unto everlasting lyfe, see you doe the workes appertaining to the same. And as many of you as do beleve upon the Pope of Rome, or any of hys lawes, which he sets forth in these daies, you do beleve to your utter condemnation, and except the great mercy of God, you shall burne in hell perpetually.’ Immediately the Sheriffe spake unto him, and sayd: ‘if thou docst not beleve on the Pope, thou art damned body and soule!’ And farther the Sheriffe sayd unto him, ‘speake to thy God, that He may deliver thee now, or els to strike me down to the example of this people;’ but this faithfull member said, ‘the Lord forgive you your sayings.’ And then spake hee againe to all the people there present, with a loude voice, saying: ‘deare brethren, and all you whom I have offended in wordes or in dede, I aske you for the Lorde’s sake to forgeve me, and I hartly forgeve all you, which have offended me in thought, word, or dede.’ And he sayd further in his prayer, ‘Oh Lorde my God, thou hast written: He that will not forsake wife, children, house, and all that he hath, and take up Thy cross and follow Thee, is not worthy of Thee. But thou Lorde knowest that I have forsaken all to come unto Thee; Lorde have mercy upon me, for unto Thee I commend my spirit, and my soule doth rejoyce in thee.’ These were the last wordes of that faithfull member of Christ before the fire was put to him. And afterward that the fire came to him he cried, ‘Oh Lord have mercy upon me,’ and sprong up in the fire, calling upon the name of Jesus, and so ended.”
The order of the Sheriff, that the people should throw Carver’s bible into the fire, does not appear to have been complied with, as the book is still preserved, and is in the possession of Mr. Ade, Colonnade, North Street. It is what is termed, a “breeches” bible, from the circumstance that in Genesis iii., 7, the words are: “They”—meaning Adam and Eve—“sewed figge leaves together, and made themselves ‘breeches,’” other translations being “aprons.” It is in a state of good preservation, but the title page is gone, hence its date cannot be correctly known; but on comparing it with others of apparently the like edition,—an imperial octavo,—it was published in 1550. It received but little injury from the action of the fire upon it; merely a slight discolouration on some of the pages, from the smoke; but the following engrossed memorandum on a blank half-page, between Malachi and the Apocrypha, proves that it is not in the same binding now as it was when Carver had it:
By me, Edward Harffye.
Anno Dom.
1650.This Bible was Dirriek Carver’s; belonging unto his family: of Brighthelmstone: who suffered martiredom ffor Conscience’ sake in Queene Mary’s Dayes, And bought by Sibbell Clarke, Widdow, of Brighthelmstone; And Given to mee, Edward Harffye of Brighthelmston, Clarke and Writinge Master: And I have now bound him, 1660 [122] 1650. And I doe will him to my Youngest Child. And Soe the Youngest of my Stock. To hand him nor ever ffrom one to an other; And now ffirst I give him to Mary Harffye, my daughter, 1664. Wryten by my owne hand. By me Edward: Harffye.
This Carver was Burnt to death, in the Castell of Lewes, Sussex.
On the back of the same half-page, is written, in a good round-hand: “Sarah Clark—1778.”
On the inside of the cover, at the commencement, is written, “Wililam Clarke, his book, Septem Ber the 20, 1744.” This name also, with the same date, appears on the fly page between the Old and the New Testament. Where, also, previous to the “Holie Gospel according to S. Matthevve,” are the annexed entries:—
William Clarke the son of iohn and mary his wife, was Born the 4 of September, near 4 in the morning in the year of our lord 17.11.
the Son of william and Sarah his wife was Born ivne (June) the 13 at a C wor ter past 4 in the after noon on a Sather day, 1747.
William Clark Dyed December the 5, 1747.