“1585 Feb. 21. An order made III and IV Ph. and Mary conc. the derision of St. Margts. parish and the parish of St. Nic. and yt. of late yt. order notwithstanding prcell of the Checker-warde and of New Condutt-warde have been accounted prcell of St. Nic. Chap. ctrarie to the same order: yt. is ord. yt. those 2 wards aforesaid shall hollie be accounted of St. Margt’s parishe and shll paie clarcks wages and other charges, as prishrs. of the parish of St. Margt. according to ye sd. resited order.”
[1098] That affair is thus related in the record—
“1579, May 23. Controversye about the Tytle of St. Nicolas church yard. Opinion of the Recorder 19. June. Maior Ald. C. C. stand to their Tytle and Int. in S. N. ch. yd. and defend it by Law of Arms.”
[1103] p. 391.
[1109] In the White Friars Yard Chapel at Norwich, where he used to preach, a monumental inscription in memory of him was set up long after his death by his grandson the late Grantham Killingworth Esq. the chief part of which is as follows—
A Memorial
Dedicated to the singular merits of
A faithful confessor, and laborious servant of Christ,
Who with true christian fortitude endured persecution
Through many perils, the loss of friends and substance,
And ten imprisonments for conscience sake;
The rev. Mr. Thomas Grantham,
A learned Messenger of the Baptized Churches,
And pious founder of this church of believers baptized,
Who delivered to king Charles the second
Our Declaration of Faith,
And afterwards presented to him
A Remonstrance against Persecution.
Both were kindly received, and redress of grievances promised.
He died Jan. 17. 1692, aged 58 years:
And to prevent the indecencies threatened to his corpse,
was intered before the west doors,
In the middle aile of St. Stephen’s Church, in this city,
Through the interest, and much to the credit of
The rev. Mr John Connould
By whom, with many sighs and tears,
The burial service was solemnly read to a crowded audience:
When at closing the book he added,
“This day has a very great man fallen in Israel.”
For after their epistolary dispute, in sixty Letters, ended,
That very learned vicar retained
The highest esteem and friendship for him whilst living,
And was by his own desire buried by him, May 1703.
[1112] A narrative of this memorable affair has been published by Mr. Finch, and may be had of him, or of the booksellers.
[1113] With whom such connection might be desirable for this infant society; and it certainly would not be dishonourable, or inconsistent with their avowed aversion to religious thraldom; as it would require no sacrifice of their religious liberty or christian freedom: both parties being equally advocates for the full enjoyment of that inestimable right, and most invaluable blessing.
[1116] Of the origin and progress of Methodism in the kingdom, see a brief account at page [934] of this work.—It is a remarkable instance of deep policy in the history of methodism, that the sect, when young and weak, placed itself under the wing of the established church, and bitterly inveighed against all who separated from it; but when it acquired strength, so as to feel itself able to go alone, it threw off the mask, and scrupled not to avow and prove itself, to all intents and purposes, a dissenting sect.
[1120a] Should they soon assume a different character, or become disposed like their neighbours to congregate and form themselves into a distinct society, for the purpose of instructing their dear townsmen by public lectures, respecting that better way of thinking with which they deem themselves so well acquainted, an admirable opening for putting such a project in execution now presents itself—that of buying or hiring the Methodist Chapel, which is expected to be disposed of to the best bidder as soon as the new edifice is completed, or perhaps sooner.