Rock.—Parish is three miles and a half in length and two and a half in breadth. Tithes, £120; glebe, £8. 6s. 8d. Chapelry of Heighington belonging to it, which, containing thirty families, it was desired, should be made a parish of itself. "The p'sent incumbent is Edward Partington m'r of Artes and minister of the Ghospell hee was p'sented by the right and title of John Newce, Esq., late lorde of the ma'or of Rocke. The p'sente patrons (as wee conseave) are Edward Partington, Clearke, and Charles Cornwalis, Gent. in right of theyre wives Mary and Edith dawteres and coheires of the said John Newce, Esq. The cure at Highingeton chappell is supplied by George Boraston m'r of Arte for w'ch he is allowed by Edward Partington Rector all the tithes belonging to that hamlet, both small and greate, to the value of £30."
Bewdley.—"The presentment or certificate of the constables, churchwardens and burgesses of the borrough of Bewdley given in ye 7th Novem. 1655. Wee p'sent and certify yt neere the middle of the towne of Bewdley afforesad wee have a decent chappell w'ch was heartofore (as wee are informed) a free chauntery and had revenewes belonging to it, to the value of £200 p. ann. untill the same was transferred to the Crowne by Acte of Parliament, made in the raigne of King Edward the Sixte; since w'ch time the minister of the said chappell hath had an allowance of eight pounds p. ann. heartofore paied by the Auditors or Receivors (out of the King's revenue) and now paied out of the Rectory of Ombersley.
"That the said minnister before the incorporation of the said towne was elected by the townesmen there, as wee are informed, and since the incorporation theareof by the Bayliffe and Capital Burgesses. That Mr. Henry Oseland is our present minnister there in such sorte elected, who of right can onely claime the said annuity of eight pounds, forth of w'ch alsoe is deducted and the said minnister is forced to allowe, for portage and taxes two and twenty shillings and eight pence now by the yeare, and when assessments are more the disbursement is greater (besides w'ch) he hath an augmentation of fifty pounds p. ann. graunted to him soe longe as hee officiats there.
"That the said towne is a populous markett towne, whearein there are fifteene hundred or more fitt to be taught; that it hath been reputed to be within the parrish of Ribsford, that the parrish church is allmost a mile distant from the towne, that Mr. John Borraston is rector theareof, and hath out of our said borrough to the value of £48. 15s. 8d. p. ann. or thereabouts. And the said Mr. Borraston nor his predecessors have not given any mainetenance to the minnisters of the chappell aforesaid, neither have had the choice of the minnisters to yt place as wee have heard.
"Alsoe we humbly conceive there is a necessity that wee should have both places continued and minnisters to supply them for these reasons following:
"1. Because neither of the places will contayne the whole people of the towne and parrish.
"2. Because of the inconveniences yt a whole towne should goe neare a mile to the publick ordinance many being aged sicke and weake, when there is a convenient chappell in the midst of the said towne, that will contayne most of the people there.
"3. Because the chappell hath had for neare 60 yeares past praching minnisters successively (as we are credibly informed) And now wee have in the chappell a very godly man, well affected to the p'sent government, whom the Lord hath made an instrument to bring in many soules (wee hope) to Christ.
"4. Because of the greatness of the number of the people the worke of the minnistery will be too much worke for one man and the incombes of the p'sonage to little for the maintenance of two minnisters, thearfore we shall humbly pray that the augmentation of £50 p. ann. alreaddy graunted with the stipend of £8 p. ann. may be made up a competent mainetenance for the present minnister of the chappell and soe for succession of minnisters there, w'ch being done will conduce much to the glory of God and good of the place.
"Furthermore wee humbly desire that both the meetinge places at Bewdley and Ribsford be kept up and each have its p'ochall bounds fixed, the fittest and most convenientst way (as we humbly conceive it) for the parrish of Ribsford to conteyne the whole Lordship of Ribsford entire, and the division to be onely in the borrough as followeth.