went into the West Indies, and should have had a fifth part of his vicarage; but Mr. Salkeld during those unhappy times, got this chapel turned into a vicarage which he secured to himself. At the Restoration of King Charles II. he removed to be Reader at Gateshead, and afterwards got a living in Northumberland."

By "a true note and terrier of all the glebe lands, meadows, &c. in the chapelry of Stockton, as it stood in the year 1705, before the new church was built and it was made a separate parish," we are told, that the inhabitants paid to the vicar of Norton 37. per annum, commonly called the priest's own.* The one half at Michaelmas, the other at Lady-day, for a curate which he did at his own charge maintain in the chapelry; of which sum of 37. Stockton paid 27. Hartburn 13s. 4d. and Preston 6s. 8d. and was collected of every landed man who had 2 oxgangs of land of about 12s. per annum, of their widows 8d. and of every other inhabitant 6d. except of the chapel-wardens and of their widows 4d. only.

For the tithe of fish, every fishing coble was to pay 4s. and a salmon cock or scurf worth 6d. on the 8th of September yearly.

Chaplains before the Reformation.

Johannes Capellanus, fil Will. Pistoris, 1333, Temp. Rich de Bury. Thomas Capellanus, A° 3° Thome Langley Episcopi 1408.

William Osbern, 1430 and 1448.

Thomas Salvin

}

William Crofton Last Chaplains.

Curates since the Reformation.

1561 Christopher Smith.

1563. Sire Robert Synclar.+

A mistake of some ancient transcriber for Prescription; I add this on the authority of the late Ralph Bradley, Esq., Barrister at Law. + Sir-The designation of a clergyman at that period. "Sir Hugh

1565. William Heron. 1566. William Hogwell. 1566. William Allen. 1566. Robert Blaxton.

1572. George Morden.

1578. William Fewler, p. res. Morden.

1585. John Collin, B. A., drowned as he was swimming in the river Tees, July 12, 1585.

1585. Thomas Mann.

1585. Thomas Edyer

1599. Christopher Fewster, May: born at Morpeth.

1609. Thomas Robinson, November 8.

1610. Thomas Smithson, April.

1612. Thomas Lawson; afterwards Vicar of Stainton, Yorkshire. 1617. John Place, November 16: buried November 1, 1623. 1623. John Wright, February 2.

1635. Michael Rawling: buried November 6, 1636.

Evans." Shakespear. The word Dominus--Sir, is still used in the universities as an address to Bachelors of Arts. “He will hire a Sir John Lack Latin which shall say service so that the people shall be nothing edified". Latimer's Sermons. "Instead of a faithful and painful teacher, they hire a Sir John, who hath better skill in playing at tables, or in keeping of a garden than in God's word: and he, for a trifle, doth serve the Cure, and so help to bring the people in danger of their souls." Augustine Bunker's Ep. ded. to Latimer's Sermons. In the middle ages this was an highly honourable title. "Sir Knight, Sir King." Shakespear. "The knightly, and clerical characters were every where considered convertible, and the writers of romance faithfully reflected manners, when their hero at the commencement of the tale was a Sir Knight, and when at the close of his quests we find him a Sir Priest." Mills's History of Chivalry, vol. 1, ch. 1.

"And soothly it was said by common fame,

So long as age enabled him thereto,
That he had been a man of mickle name,
Renowned much in arms and daring do.
But being aged now, and weary too
Of war's delight, and world's contentious toil,
The name of Knighthood he did disavow;
And hanging up his arms and warlike spoil,

From all the world's incumbrance did himself assoil."
Spencer's Fairy Queen, B. 5, Canto 5, St. 37.

..་ བར་

1637. Robert Macdowell; killed by a fall from his horse, on Barnby

Moor, September 13, 1641.

1641. Rowland Salkeld

1662. James Gregg, May, 1.

1663. Thomas Rudd, May 1.*

CHAPTER XXX.

Of the Church and Parish of Stockton.

T has been mentioned that the borough and township of Stockton were situated within the parish of Norton. But as Stockton was increasing both in trade and population, and as the chapel was in a state of decay and at a distance from the

mother church, it became the wish of the inhabitants to separate from their old companion, and build a place of worship more spacious, elegant, and commodious. An act of parliament was therefore obtained in the 12th year of Queen Anne, 1711, to make Stockton with East Hartburn and Preston, two hamlets or townships situated on the south and west of Stockton, a distinct parish from Norton. Another act was passed, 1st Geo. I. 1714, to explain and amend the former.‡

The parish of Stockton is between 5 and 6 miles in extent from east to west, and from north to south perhaps. 4 it is bounded on the south by the river Tees, which