Dissenting Chapels and Meeting Houses.
In the first year of William and Mary an act was passed "For exempting Protestant Dissenters from penalties of certain laws, on condition only that meeting-houses should be certified to the Bishop or Archdeacon or Justices at Quarter Sessions." In 1693 (the first year of the Sessions order book) "The wallhouse in the parish of Hanbury, and in the possession of Dame Ann Rouse," was certified to be "a meeting-house according to ye new Act of Parliament." Also "a house adjoining the foldyard of Mr. Blick, at Bromsgrove." 1695. The house of Henry Hanson, of Grafton Flyford, a place for religious worship. 1696. The house of John Emes, Bishampton, a meeting-house for dissenting Protestants. 1697. The house of John Scott, of Stourbridge, and the house of William Dugard, of Dodderhill. 1700. The house of Humfrey Potter, of Bromsgrove. 1702. Samuel Windle (place of residence not stated) "upon petition is allowed to have ye word of God preached in his house;" and a house at Dudley licensed on the petition of John Stokes. 1703. Ordered that "The house of Peter Payton, at Tenbury, be set apart for the worship of God for dissenters from ye church, according to the prayer of a petition for ye p'pose." 1704. The house of Mary Greene, widow, in Little Witley, called the New-house; and the house of John Sparry, at Belbroughton. 1705. Dwelling-houses of Henry Hunt, Cradley; James Thompson and William Tilt, Bromsgrove; Thomas Taylor, Hartlebury; and John Taylor, Chaddesley. 1715. House of Samuel Cater, Stourbridge; and of Jos. Harrison, Thomas Reynolds, John Reynolds, Mary Payton, and Arthur Radnall, of Bewdley; also that of John Carpenter, jun., Bromsgrove. 1720. The house of Richard Windle, Inkberrow. 1723. The house of Ann Thomas, of Pershore, "licensed for Anabaptists." 1733. House of John Harris, of Birlingham; and "a newly-erected house at Upton mentioned in the certificate of R. Baskerville and Thomas Skey;" also "the house at Bewdley wherein Thomas Watson and William Carter now dwell." 1735. Ordered, "That the barn and court-yard thereto belonging, now in the occupation of John Williams, at Tenbury, be licensed for Quakers." 1744. The house of Thomas Baker, at Himbleton, licensed for Baptists; and that of William Sadler, at Halesowen, for ditto. 1757. House of Joshua Kettleby, Church Street, Kidderminster, for Anabaptists; and in 1760, that of James Hill Baker, Black Star Street, Kidderminster, for Presbyterians. 1773. A tenement at Bartley Green, Northfield, licensed for dissenters; and a building in the occupation of G. Parsons, Mill Street, Stourbridge; also "a chapel lately erected in the hamlet of Westencot, Bredon, certified as a place of religious worship for Baptists." 1787. The house of John Harwood, of Moseley, licensed for Baptists; and one at Birmingham occupied by Benjamin Bedford, for Protestant dissenters; also the house of William Purser, at Welland; a Baptist meeting-house in New Street, Dudley; and a building in Mill Street, Evesham. In the year 1791, Robert Berkeley of Spetchley, T. Hornyold the younger of Blackmore Park, John Baynham of Purshall Hall, clerk, Thomas Parker of Heath Green, Beoley, and Mary Williams, of Little Malvern, subscribed certificates that they had set apart rooms in their respective houses for Roman Catholic worship. 1792. A building in Gilson's Lane, Blockley, certified for dissenters. 1796. Andrew Robinson, clerk, of Grafton Manor, set apart a room for Roman Catholic worship; and Richard Cornthwaite, clerk, of Harvington Hall, Chaddesley, ditto ditto.
The Civil Wars.
The year 1643, so distressing to the city of Worcester, when a great portion of the heavy levies on the citizens, for defence against the Parliament army, could not be raised, was nearly to the same extent a cause of pecuniary embarrassment to the county at large. At the April Sessions of 1643 the grand jury ordered "that the £3000 ordered last Sessions to be paid monthly towards the payment of his majesty's forces sent and raised for the defence of this county be continued till next Sessions, and paid over by John Baker, gen. collector to Sir William Russell, High Sheriff of the county and Governor of the city." But considerable difficulty appears to have been experienced in the collection. Here follows a picture of those critical times, worth preserving:
"The information of Edward Raynolls, of Kitherminster, taken uppon oath the 28th of March, 1651, before Gervase Bucke and John Latham, Esqs., two of the Justices of the Peace for the county aforesaid.
"Hee saith and doth informe that Edward Broad of Duncklin, Esq., about the time of the beginning of the warre betwixt the late kinge and the Parliament did raise a troope of horse for his sonne Edmond to engage in the king's service. That afterwards about the time when Sir Gilbert Garret, the gov'nor of Worcester for the kinge went to beseige Sturton Castle—a garrison for the Parliament—the said Edward Broade sollicited and earnestly pressed the contry thereaboute to rise together and to goe along with the said Sir Gilbert Garrett, telling and threatening divers of the country people that they should be hanged at their owne doores if they would not goe with him against the said Castle: That many of the country people came in to the said Edward Broade accordingly and hee was himselfe captaine over them and furnished them with arms and amunition and marched before them to Sturton Castle and continued before that Castle untill the governor whoe held the same for the Parliament was inforced, beinge overpowred by the enemye to yeeld yt upp. That afterwards, about 7 dayes before Sir Henry Lyngum did rise against the Parliament and surprised and tooke the county troope of Hereford, the said Edward Broade spake to this informer, beinge his tenant and his warriner, to goe to John Brancill, dwelling at Kidderminster, beinge a joyner and well skilled in stockinge of guns, to come with all speede to stock gunnes for him. And willing this informer alsoe himselfe to be in redinesse. And this informer askinge him what use there would be for soe many gunnes the said Edward Broade answered there would be use for them verry speedily, and further said that Mr. Hugh Vicaridge of Comberton and Mr. Thomas Wannerton, other Roundheaded Rogues, should be hanged to beginn withall. And the said Brancill came to Duncklyn accordingly, but how many gunnes he stocked this informer knoweth not. And afterwards when the newes was fresh that Sir Henry Lingin had surprised the Hereford county troope, the said Edward Broade asked this informer whether Sir Henry Lyngin was gone, whereunto this informer answering that hee did not know, the said Edward Broade replyed and said Sir Henry Lingin was not as good as his word; and about a weeke after Sir Henry Lingin was surprised the said Edward Broade hid divers gunnes which hee had provided as aforesaid under a rick of hay and afterwards remooved them thence and hid them under a corne mowe in one of the barnes att Duncklin where they weare seene within a yeare and a halfe last past by one Thomas Lovell, a workman belonging to that house, as he tould this informer.
"And this informer doth further informe upon his oath that about a year last past beinge att Bridgnorth in company with Edward Powys, of the citty of Worcester, bookbinder, and others drinking together, hee this informer heard the said Powys begin A health to the good proceeding of the king's army in Scotland, likewise A health to the queene his mother, and the third health to the confusion of the Parliament, and that hee began all these 3 healths together, but none of the company would pledge the same, some of them answering that they would drinke to ye conversion but not to the confusion of any. And that Steephen Dowty of the Morphe and his servant William Lawde were then in company, and further doth not informe."