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The blanks above are where the damp has attacked the register and rendered the deciphering of names impossible, and in some instances the paper has rotted away.
| Jan. 24. | Thomas Johnson and Dorathie Dutton. |
| 1597. | |
| Apr. 25. | Robert Kenyer and Alice Beighton. |
| July 21. | George Freebur and Margret Whitley. |
| Aug. 14. | Roger Leadbeater and Constance Wombersley. |
| 25. | Richard Girdler and Issabell Royle. |
| Sep. 8. | Richard Helloby and Alice Langforthe. |
| Oct. 9. | Willm. Clarke and Margret Fisher. |
| Dec 18. | Raphe Brackney and Margret Wadsworth. |
| Jan. 16. | James Willson and Mary Clarke. |
| 22. | John Slater and Alice Chambers. |
| 1598. | |
| Apr. 30. | Richard Kitchen and Elizabethe Smithe alias |
| Clarke. | |
| May 16. | Gabrill Borrowes and Ellin Walker. |
| July 4. | Richard Butler and Margret Ingham. |
| Sep. 3. | John Goodhead and Mary Hodsonn. |
| 18. | Hugho Hill and Elizabeth Walker. |
| Oct. 9. | Willm. Wood and Issabell Cooke. |
| 9. | John Kitchen and Johane Stafford. |
| 16. | Thorn. Hunt and Dorathie Wilson. |
| 29. | John Wilson and Kathren Snoden. |
| Nov. 6. | Robt. Parker and Dorathie Ludlam. |
| 14. | Thomas Brusten and Issabell Came. |
| 14. | Ffrancis Sherston and Alice Stones. |
| 19. | Xtofer Hardwicke and Margret Harden. |
| 26. | Willm. Reeke and Elizabeth Leeveslay. |
| Jan. 22. | John Cheshire and Margret Bagshawe. |
| Feb. 13. | Christopher Spittlehouse and Ellin Dausonne. |
| 1599. | |
| Apr. 16. | Bartholomew Baker and Dorathie Dutton. |
| June 18. | George Merton and Elizabeth Royle. |
| 26. | Richard Innocent and Anne Smithe. |
| John Huxley and Anne Darwen. | |
| Nicholas Fielding and Elizab. Kirkby. | |
| Nou. 18. | Henry Cressie and Johan Cappron. |
| 19. | Thomas Spowton and Elizab. Claye. |
| Jan. 20. | Oliver Matcher and Margret Rye. |
| 21. | Willm. Sharpe and Margret Cleaton. |
| 1600. | |
| Apr. 21. | Thom. Clarke and Sicily Balme. |
| Maye 4. | Willm. Blackall and Elizab. Cooke. |
| 19. | Richard Genn and Ellin Cawood. |
| 20. | Thomas Wood and Annie Walker. |
| 25. | Nicholas Cawood and Kathren Watson. |
| June 1. | John Birch and Kathren Hardy. |
| June 9. | Thorn. Bootheroyd and Anne Lankforthe. |
| 16. | Ffrancis Ffulwood and Issabell Royle. |
| July 13. | John Fforthe and Susanne Weste. |
| Aug. 3. | Thorn. Kitchen and Mary Stubbinge. |
| 4. | Thorn. Bruster and Issabell Binge. |
| 7. | Willm. Genison and Ellin Stones. |
| 31. | Willm. Morfitt and Johan Wilson. |
| Sep. 14. | Willm. Clarke and Ellin Padley. |
| Oct. 26. | Richard Darwen and ------Larence. |
| 27. | George Lees and Elizab. Somersall. |
| Jan. 14. | Edward Atkin and Elizab. Dunne. |
| 15. | Thorn. Dawton and Kathren Bradshall. |
| 26. | Willm. Eare and Margret Blackcoe. |
| 1. | Thomas Allenson and Margret Watson. |
Having now reached the year 1600, it may be wise to turn to the most curious and interesting of the entries to be found in the registers after this date. First, however, let us turn back and glance at the records relating to the great Sterne family, for the fame of the Archbishop gave lustre to his ancestors. The first reference to the Sternes is in 1591, on the 22nd of September of which year Simon Sterne, father of the Archbishop, was married to Margery Walker; though on the 14th of July, 1589, Margret Sterne, no doubt a member of the same family, had been led to the altar by Christopher Snowden. It would be an interesting task to trace this family down to the present time, as there is no reason to suppose there are not now in Mansfield or in the district distant relatives of the Archbishop, from whom descended the no less celebrated Lawrence Sterne. Any one who has had the curiosity to follow the list already given cannot have failed to notice how the families of that time intermarried one with another, to such an extent, indeed, that nearly every one must have been able to claim relationship with his neighbour. Symon Sterne, who is described in the register as a gentleman, by which we may take it that he lived in Mansfield in a state of independency, had other children besides those mentioned in the previous entries, for baptisms are recorded as follows:—
| 1600. | |
| Nov. 26. | Thomas, ye sonne of Symon Sterne, bapt. |
| 1603. | |
| Aug. 26. | Samuel, ye sonne of Symonde Sterne, bapt. |
This completed his family, which numbered six sons—William, Gregory, Richard (afterwards Archbishop), Francis, Thomas, and Samuel. The death of the father is thus recorded:—
| 1606-1607. | |
| Jan. 1. | Symon Sterne, buried. |
It will be remembered that Symon was married to Margery Walker on the 22nd of September, 1591. In 1603, a member of the Sterne family —whose birthplace Mansfield appears to have been for a considerable period prior to the entries in the register—named Anne Sterne, probably a sister of Symon, married into the Cogill family of Norfolk, the parties being married by special license. Here is the entry:—
| 1603. | |
| Mar. 13. | Richard Cogill, of Emminghay, in the Countie of Norff., gent., and Anne Sterne, gent., by vertue of a spetiall license from ye L Archbishoppe of Yorke, were myed. |
There is another entry at this time of especial interest to the Whitworth and Dalien families of South Norman ton and Eakring:—
| 1603. | |
| Feb. 3. | Edward Whitworth, of Southnormanton, and in ye County of Derbye, husb., and Alice Dalian, of Ackringe, in ye Countye of Nott, spinster, by vertue of a lycense were maryed. |
Acringe was the ancient style of spelling Eakring, part of which parish was within the tenure of Mansfield, which, in the ancient times, was held from the Sovereign, and which, under the feudal system, was termed a tenure in capite. The Innocents, a name now obsolete in Mansfield, were a numerous family in the town during the early portion of the seventeenth century, the name occurring very frequently in the register about this time, and it dates back to almost the beginning of the entries. One of these, Richard Innocent, in 1603, gave the interest of £20 to be distributed to the poor on Good Friday and St. Thomas' Day. The present family of Blythe occurs among the marriages in 1611:—
| Aug. 27. | Gregorie Blithe and Annie Bolsouer, maryed. |
Going back to 1601, we find the scribeno has thought well to here and there throw some light upon the calling of some of the inhabitants, both in the baptismal and burial columns. Sparse as this is, we must be thankful for small mercies. In this year there is the following entry among the burials:—"Aug. Child of Rich. Clarke, the curryer." The article "the" suggests the idea that Richard Clarke must have had a tolerably easy life in this world, for he seems to have been blessed with an immunity from competition; and this being so, he must have been "master of himself and master of his trade" to a charming degree. In this keen, competitive age, we live, as it were, a century in a year as compared with the quiet, matter of fact, easy-going life of centuries ago. There was, however, more than one Clarke in business in Mansfield as a currier, for Thomas Clarke is mentioned in 1605, and described as a "currier." There was also a Thomas Clarke a husbandman, according to the following entry:—"1601. Sept. 19. Issabel, ye daughter of Thomas Clarke, ye husbandman." He was thus described, no doubt, in contradistinction to the other Thomas Clarke. There is a Thomas Clarke described as a cobbler, in an entry dated June 14th, 1606; but the term cobbler and currier were perhaps looked upon as synonymous in that day, or, what is still more likely, Richard and Thomas would embrace the two.
Leaving conjectures as to names, we come to curious entries. Under date October 9th, 1603, we have the following: "Rachell Irelande, a stranger, that died at Birchinall's, was buryed." One may reasonably infer from this that Birchi-nall's was either a tavern or a lodging-house in the town. There is also an entry, on October 27th of the same year, to the effect that the wife of Robert Hall, weaver, was buried. Weaving was evidently a trade in vogue at Mansfield at that time. A butcher, named Thomas Smith, also flourished in Mansfield in this year, a child having been born to him, and baptised on the 26th of April. As at present, the Smiths asserted themselves in numbers—at any rate in so small a community—for there is another Thomas Smith, described as a saddler. The following is the entry:—"1603. May 1. Margery, the daughter of Thomas Smith, saddler." However, one of the most important functionaries in Mansfield at that day appears to have been one William Esope, for notice the following:—"1610. March 12. George, the sonne of Willm. Esope, barber and chirurgeon." He was not of fable renown, but must undoubtedly have been a man who stood out amongst his brethren with a marked individuality, for few can happily combine in one profession the art of the barber and the surgeon. He would, no doubt, enjoy the reverence of his fellow residents; and, as he went about, his friends perhaps wondered how it was that one small head could carry all he knew. Still, one can conjure up a kind of affinity between whisking off hirsute appendages and lopping, off a leg, for it is only a question of degree, after all.
One of the most curious of entries makes its appearance in 1612, about which there is mystery enough to form the plot of a story. It runs as follows:—"August 5. Elizabeth, the daughter of one Newton, but in truth of Sir German Poole, his brother." Does this point to a case of conjugal infelicity, or was it a case of adoption? How came it that one brother was named Newton and the other Poole? And who was Sir German Poole? These, it is to be feared, are mysteries that will never be cleared up.
We now come to quite another class of entries in the registers—those relating to events; and first, the public whipping of beggars or vagrants, &c. The following extracts of such whippings by the constable, or under the "seale" of the vicar and constable, took place, no doubt, at the Old Market Cross, in Westgate, on which now stands a modern drinking fountain. The Revs. J. Little and J. Firth, together with the constables, would at that time be the embodiment of the law and legal power; and they seem to have performed their duties unflinchingly. Were such a system now adopted, of measuring the time of passage of vagrants from one place to another according to the distances which had to be reached at the time stated at their "perill," it would be a check, one would think, upon the lazy vagrants now infesting the country. Here are a few of the records:—
"To the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of the Parish of Pleasley, in the County of Derby. Mary Longman, a sturdy vagrant beggar of a little stature, aged about — yeare, was this second day of March, Anno Dom. 1680, openly whipped at Mansfield, in the County of Nottm., for a wandring rogue, according to law, and is assigned to pass forthwith from parish to parish by the officers thereof the next straightway to Pleasley, in the County of Derby, wherein she vouchsafes she was born, and is limited to be at Pleasley aforesaid written two days now next ensuing at her peril. Given under the handes and seales of John Little, minister aforesaid, and George Crawshaw, constable of the same, on the day and year above written."
"To the Churchwardens or Overseers for the Poor of the Parish of Pleasley, in the County of Derby. Joshuah Longman, a sturde beggar of a low stature, aged about — years, and black haird, was on the second day of March, Anno Dm. 1680, openly whipped at Mansfield, in the County of Nottm., for a wandring rogue, according to law, and is assigned to passe forthewith from parish to parish by the officers therof the next straightway to Pleasley, in the County of Derby, wherat he vouchsafeth he was born, and is limited to be at Pleasley aforesaid within two days now next ensuing at his perill. Given under the hands and seales of John Little, minister aforesaid, and George Crawshaw, constable of the same, the day and year above written."
"Robt. Sharbrook, a Sturdy Beggar of a middle stature, aged about — years, short hair'd, was this 26th day of March, Anno Dm. 1681, openly whipped at Mansfield, in the County of Nottingham, for a Wandring Rogue, according to law, and is assigned to passe forthwith from parish to parish by ye officers thereof ye next straightway to Higham, in ye County of Derby, wherat he confesseth he was borne, and is limited to be at Higham aforesaid within two days now next ensuing at his perill. Given under ye hands and seales of John Firth, Clerk, Minister of Mansfield aforesaid, and George Crawshaw, Constable of ye same, ye day and yeare above written."
"Elizabeth Longman, a Sturdy Vagrant Beggar of a Middle Stature, thin visaged, aged about fourty yeares, was this second day of April, Anno Dom. 1681, openly whipped at Mansfield, in ye County of Nott, for a wandring rogue, according to ye law, and is assigned, with two small children under seven years of age, to pass forthwith from parish to parish by ye officers thereof ye next straightway to Kirton, in ye same county, whereat she confesseth she was borne. And is limited to be at Kirton aforesaid, in ye County aforesaid, within two dayes now next ensuing at her perill. Given under ye hands and seales of John Firth, Clerk, Minister of Mansfield aforesaid, and George Crawshawe, Constable of ye same, ye day and yeare above written."
"To the Churchwardens and Overseers of Mansfield Woodhouse. Mary Thornton, aged about two and twenty, black haired and lean visaged, was ye 3rd day of January, 1683, openly whipped at Mansfield for a wandring Rogue, and assigned to passe to Long ------, in the county of Yorks., where she was borne and dwelt also by ye space of one whole year last past, and is limited to be there within twelve dayes now next ensuing. J. F., vicar; T. Innocent, constable."
"To ye Churchwardens and Overseers of ye Poor of Huddersfield. Daniel Smith, aged about fourty, black hair'd, was this nineteenth day of July, 1689, openly whipped at Mansfield for a wandring rogue, and assigned to passe to Huddersfield, in the County of Yorks., where he last dwelt by ye space of one whole year, and is limited to be there within tenne days now next ensuing. John Firth, vicar of Mansfield."
"To ye Churchwardens and Overseers of ye Poor of Sunderland, in ye County of Cumberland. John Grime, aged about five and thirty, black haird and lean visaged, was this 29th day of March, 1693, openly whipped at Mansfield, in the County of Nottingham, for a wandring Rogue, and assigned to passe to Sunderland, in the County of Cumberland, where he was borne and last dwelt by the space of one whole year, and is limited to be there within thirty dayes now next ensuing. John Firth, Vicar of Mansfield."
"To ye Churchwardens and Overseers of ye Poor of ye Parish of Ashmore, in ye County of Derby. John Walker and Elizabeth Walker, two sturdy vagrant beggars, one of about fifteen and the other about thirteen yeares old, were this fifth day of December, in ye fifth year of ------, openly whipped at Mansfield, in ye county aforesaid, for wandring beggars, according to Law, and are now assigned to passe forthwith from Parish to Parish by the officers thereof, the next straightway to Overton, in ye Parish of Ashover, and County of Derby aforesaid, where (as they confess) they were borne; and they are limited to be at Overton aforesaid within three days next ensuing at their perill. Given under our hand and seale the day and yeare above written. Annoq Dmi. 1693."
We must now leave these interesting items and pass on to others. The custom of proclaiming the kings and queens of England on their accession to the throne, throughout all the towns and villages of the country, is necessarily looked upon in the light of considerable importance, inasmuch as it marks a new epoch in the history of the nation. On these occasions, especially centuries ago, there was great feasting and rejoicing; for the people, after mourning the loss of their late sovereign, can, as a nation, turn round with wonderful facility and rejoice in the accession of a succeeding monarch. Hence, such an event was looked upon as a season for distributing gifts and donations, issuing pardons, and feasting the people with an unusually liberal hand. Of course, there were factions in times past as now; but bigotry and tyrannical religious oppression were more rampant then, in what was called the "Good Old Times," than at the present time, thanks to the increased enlightenment of the people. The following record of the proclamation in Mansfield of the accession of James I. of England and VI. of Scotland to the throne of England appears in the register:—
| 1603.— | Anne Newman was buried the 31st of March, upon which daie James ye first kinge of Scotts was solomlye at the Markitt Crosse in Mansfield proclaimde kinge of Englande by Sr John Byron knight Mr. Ayscoughe high sherife Mr. Gryffythe Markham Mr. Henry Chaworth esquior Mr. John Bryon esqr. Mr. Gabriel Armstronge and Mr. George Chaworth and divers other gent. And caused ye Belles for ioy (joy) to be rong and gave ye ringers two shillings and sixpence. |
This is a most interesting extract, as it gives distinctly the names of some of the principal gentry of the neighbourhood, together with the high sheriff of that time. The 31st of March, 1603, was evidently a day of rejoicing in the little Sherwood town, and one can imagine with what pomp these high dignitaries would proceed to the old Market Cross in Westgate, and deliver themselves of the formula declaring King James the Sixth of Scotland King of England.
Continuing the curious entries about this time, we come across the following:—
| 1615. | |
| Dec. 24. | James Ffeilde and Margret Harte that — night in bedd at ye ------ in her travell to ------ were myed. |
| Dec. 17. | ------ the ------ of James Ffeild (whose wife lay in in the Swanne), bapt. |
| 1620. | |
| Sep. 25. | Thomas Johnsonne, a Freemason, and Margret Stubbinge. |
From this entry of a marriage, it would appear that, if there was not a Freemasons' lodge, there was at least a member of that ancient and honourable order in the town.
| 1625. | |
| Oct. 25. | S. Walker, ye scholemaister, and Margery Hibberd, wyddowe, were maryed. |
| 1631. | |
| Mr. Rowland Dand, of Mansfield Woodhouse, and Mrs. Margret Saville were Maryed at Aston, in Yorkshire. | |
| 1632. | |
| Jan. 1. | Anne, the daughter of John Barlowe, citizen of London. |
| 1634. | |
| May —. | Anne and Marye, twynns, two of the daughters of Robert Somersall, bapt. |
| Aug. 18. | Kyri'aphes, ye bastard sonne of one Ffrancis Mollineux (family name of the Camarvons), a stranger, whose reputed father is Master Odinsalls, a stranger also unto us. |
| 1639. | |
| Oct. 2. | Dorothy, the daughter of Mr. Richard Halliwell, the scholemaister, and Jane, his wife, bapt. |
| 1635. | |
| March. | Wendesley Blackwell, Esq., a good and virtuous gentleman, was buryed. |
In 1637 we come across the first attorney who is mentioned as having practised in this parish. It occurs in the baptismal register, but it is necessary to begin at the marriage.
| 1637. | |
| Sep. 19. | Richard Wild, of Nettleworth, and Barbara Hall, of this parish, were marr. by lycense. |
| 1640. | |
| Dec. 6. | William, the sonne of Richard Wild, Attor., bapt. |
| 1642. | |
| Nov. 13. | Thomas, the sonne of Mr. Rich. Wylde, attorney, bapt. |
| 1647. | |
| May 23. | Jane, the daughter of William Balme, Freemason, bapt. |
| 1652. | |
| Nov. 17. | Eliz., the daughter of John Ffisher, of the Peacock, bapt. |
There is every probability that this was the old public-house in Belvidere Street, from which the Radford Street district derived the name of Peacock Croft prior to its being built upon.
We have now exhausted the interesting entries in the first book, the latter part of which is undecipherable through the action of damp upon its pages. On the first page of the second book of these registers is written:—"No endowment of the vicarage of Mansfield was discovered in the year 1814, after a most diligent search in almost every office of records in England for that purpose by T. L. Cursham, M.A., vicar."
On the second leaf is written, in an ornamental hand:—"The Register Booke of the Parish of Mansfield, Nouem., 1653. Price 22s. Francis Mollyneux, Esq., Robert Brunts, Churchwardens." Then come the following entries of collections made for other places, without any explanation of what they were made for:—
| 1678. | £ | s. | d. | ||
| Aug. 25. | Collected for Wom., in the County of Salop, twenty shillings | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Collected for Pattingham, in Staffordshire, twelve shillings five pence halfpenny | 0 | 12 | 5½ | ||
| 1680. | |||||
| May 20. | Collected for Duxford, in ye County of Cambridge, one pound and | 1 | 0 | 4 | |
| 1689. | |||||
| Aug. 8. | Collected for the Irish Protestants, twenty-five pounds, five shillings, and one penny, and payd | 25 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1690. | |||||
| May 28. | Collected for Alresford, in Hampshire, fouer pounds, twelve shillings, and six pence | 4 | 12 | 6 | |
| John Firth, Vicar. | |||||
| J. Nightingale. | |||||
| William Gunthorpe. | |||||
| 1690. | |||||
| Collected for Bungay, in Suffolke, fifty shillings, payd to Mr. Thomas Sanderson, Feb. 26, 1690. | |||||
| Collected for Stafford, nineteen shilling and two pence, payd to Mr. Samuel Elvis', May 11th, 1691. | |||||
| Collected for James Brindle, of Blackburn, in Lancashire, ten shill., Apr. 29, 1691. | |||||
| John Firth, Vicar. J. Nightingale. William Gunthorpe. | |||||
| Collected for St. Ives, two pounds two shillings. | |||||
| John Firth, Vicar. | |||||
Similar collections are made and entered for Mount Sorrel, East Smithfield, and Southwark, and the sums are stated to have been paid over to Mr. Samuel Elvis, deputy collector.
On another page, apart from the ordinary entries of christenings, &c, the following appears :— "At ye request of Mr. George Oldham, the births of ye following persons, his children, are mentioned here below." Then follow the entries: —"Mary, born 5th of March, 1708; George, born on the 22nd of January, 1711; and John, born May ye 3rd, 1713." A note at the foot of these states that " All these were baptized, as he says, by Mr. Fletcher, the Nonconformist minister. As also the children of Mr. Thomas Dodsley were baptized." The children of the Dodsley family are given as follows:—"William, baptized July 17th, 1706; Thomas, March 13th, 1707; Mary, Februarys 1709; Jane, March 14, 1711; John, February 3, 1713; Richard, July 30, 1715; Samuel, January 19, 1716." The Mr. Fletcher referred to was undoubtedly the Rev. Thomas Fletcher, who was at that time minister of the Old Meeting House in Stockwell Gate. The name of Sherbrooke, or Shirbrook, is frequently met with in the latter part of the seventeenth century, a Mr. Henry Shirbrook having several children baptised from 1653 to 1678. There are, too, entries of the baptisms of children of John Dodslie—1662 and 1664; and, in March of the latter year, Mr. Chambers, schoolmaster, had a daughter, named Mary, baptised. Mr. Francis Wilde, attorney, had a son, Richard, baptised in April, 1673; and John Wilde, gent, had a daughter baptised on the 14th April, 1664. A William Sherbrook, too, is mentioned; his daughter, Rebecca, being baptised in 1665. On May 26th in the following year, "John, the sonne of Doctor Bryon, was baptized." Going back again, the following entries respecting Mansfield Woodhouse are interesting:—"June 14th, 1661, Mary, da. of Edward Humphrey, Dr., Mansfield Woodhouse, was baptized." In December, 1667, Robert Watson, gent., had a son, Thomas, baptised; and among those honoured with the rank of gentleman about this time were Munk, Ridley, Lambe, Garnon, Porter, Robert Cromwell, William Sterne, Hirst, &c, some of whom will be alluded to further on. The Porters and the Cromwells are names which appear among the refugee Presbyterians who worshipped at each others' houses in Mansfield. The Robert Cromwell here mentioned was probably a relative of the Dr. Samuel Cromwell who resided at this time in the house still known as Cromwell House, in Westgate. A Mr. Cooke resided in Mansfield in 1676, carrying on the business of an apothecary, according to the following entry:—"Aprill vii., George, the sonne of Mr. Cooke, apothecary, was baptized." Two years later this curious entry is made:— "1678, June. Barnabas, the sonne of unknown parents, left in Nottingham Lane, the eleaventh of June, was baptized June 21."
Going back a few years, we come across this entry, which has no explanation: "Thorn. Walker, the dumbe man, buryed." On the 5th of the same month, a Nicholas Smith, shoemaker, was buried. On the nth of April, 1655, Robert Baskerville, gentleman, and on the 25th, John Rennald, blacksmith, were buried. Another curious entry occurs on the 19th of June, 1656, viz.: "Benjamin Younge, the piper, was buryed"; and among other burials at this time are recorded:
—"June 7th, Thom. Stubbin, servant to Nicholas Swift. August 19th, John Butcher, blacksmith. Februarie 3, 1657, John Renalld, malster." A noticeable entry, too, occurs on April 26th of this year, running as follows: "Thomas Smith, ye musisioner, was buried." No doubt Thomas Smith was a well-known local musician, but one cannot tell from this scanty entry whether he moved in the higher walks of life as a proud professor, or whether his talents were devoted to the delectation of those frequenting the taverns in the town and neighbourhood. At that time music could not be so highly developed in Mansfield as to support a professor; and the probability is, therefore, that he was a wandering minstrel, missed here, springing up there, and known to everybody. Benjamin Younge, the piper, too, was no doubt a prominent figure among the musicians at Mansfield in these days. The fact that he was a piper appears to have been his distinguishing feature.
On the 16th of April, 1658, Nicholas Swift, whose name has been frequently met with before, was buried; and, according to the entry, we have it that he was an "inholder," or inn-keeper, as we now term it. Other entries among the burials, by which we ascertain the tradespeople of Mansfield at this time, are:—
| 1657. | Nov. 9th. | Joshua Senior, dyer.--------- |
| 1658. | May 5th. | Jno. Ffisher, cardemaker. |
| 1659. | Nov. 10th. | John Hall, shoemaker. |
| Dec. 15 th. | Matthew Rawson, corner. | |
| Feb. 6th. | William Hall, corner. | |
| 1660. | Apr. 23rd. | Eliz., daughter of William Turner, joyner. |
| 1661. | Aug. 7th. | Henry Kitchen, ffellmonger. |
| 1662. | Mar. 2nd. | Richard Kitchen, tanner. |
| May 8th. | John Pye, malster. | |
| 1663. | Jan. 28th. | Robert Eyre, blacksmith. |
| 1665. | July 31st. | Thomas Ballm, butcher. |
| 1666. | Dec. 13th. | Mary, daughter of Ralph Wates, mettleman. |
| 1668. | Jan. 23rd. | John Heath, butcher. |
| 1669. | Sep. 21 st. | John Mason, gardiner. |
| 1676. | June 28th. | William Sansome, ffellmonger. |
| 1678. | July 28th. | Robert, sonne of Robert Newton, car-pinder. |
The wife of Mr. Byron, in other places referred to as Dr. Byron, who no doubt practised in Mansfield, was buried on the 28th of September, 1671; and the names of Robert Cromwell, gent., and John Cromwell, gent., appear frequently from 1665 to 1674 as having children buried. Several children, too, of Mr. John Frith, vicar of Mansfield, are recorded as having been buried at Mansfield; and he himself died in 1699, his burial taking place on the 27th of May. He was succeeded in the living by George Mompesson, of Eyam fame. From 1678 the entries are made more fully, the date of the "affidavits" as to burial in woollen, and before whom taken, being mentioned. The style of the entries of burials is as follows:—"1678, Aug. Peter Gould, with an affidavit dated the 10th of August, taken before Thomas Charlton, Esq." The entries show that affidavits were taken before Arthur Stanhope, Esq., whose residence was on the site of the present Wesleyan Chapel in Bridge Street, and after whom Stanhope Street takes its name. Other affidavits were taken before James Moseley, Esq., at Sokeholme; Thomas Parkin, Esq.; and William Cartwright, Esq.
In 1697, there is an entry of a stranger who was found dead on the road; and in the following year, two travelling men, names unknown, were buried. There is also an entry among the burials to the following effect: "Richard Hooton, of Moorhagh, by leave, was buryed at Pleasley." Also, in the list of marriages, Mansfield Woodhouse is mentioned, in 1682, as a chapelry of Mansfield.
That the name of "Dirty Hucknall" was borne by Hucknall Huthwaite nearly two hundred years ago, is amply proved by the following entry of a marriage: "1704, Sep. 7, John Dean and Mary Cartwright, both of Dirty Hucknall." It would be interesting to discover the real origin of this title. Was it that the people of those times were dirtier than their neighbours? It would be unfair to insinuate as much, while, on the other hand, situated as it is on a hill, it has all the advantages of natural drainage; and, therefore, thinly populated as it must then have been, unsullied by the grime and dust of the collieries, one could rather imagine it to have been a sunny, rural spot, where life was one round of peaceful, listless happiness and quietude. Yet here we have the stern fact that, even so far back as 1704, it was stigmatised as "Dirty Hucknall," which name was so universally accepted that it is so described in the Mansfield Parish Register. Whatever may have been its condition then, it is satisfactory to be able to state that it is now no dirtier than its neighbours, and that its inhabitants have all outlived the opprobrious title which attached to their village.
The following is another curious entry:—"1704. December 3rd. Richard, the son of Richard Thompson, o'th Hill Top." In 1714, Mr. Hugh Baskerville, a gentleman of high local standing in those days, died at the advanced age of 95 years. He married a Mrs. Astline, of Southwell. A Dr. Riley, of Mansfield, married Mrs. Adderley, of Edwinstowe, on August 27th, 1702. Amongst the christenings is the following:— "1672. Mary, the daughter of Thomas Ridley, gent." This was no doubt a relative of the celebrated Henry Ridley, M.D., who was born in Mansfield in 1653, and who is referred to amongst the eminent men of the town.
The morality of these times does not appear to have been very high, to judge from the many entries in the register of bastard children. Amongst entries of this sort, the following is the most curious:—"Sept. 17, 1712. Rebeccah, the bastard daughter of Rebeccah Wilson, a Quaker, whose father is Henry Upton, bapt." It is somewhat remarkable, too, that a very large number of the "reputed fathers " before and about this time are described as soldiers; not, indeed, that soldiers are any more noted for stoic morality than other people, but as signifying that, so far back as the year 1700, regiments must have been stationed in Mansfield; and, indeed, legitimate offspring of soldiers bear out this inference. In March, 1713, is the entry of the baptism of "John, ye son of Sargeant John Hutchinson." In 1718, June 15th, "Chadwalleder, son of Segt. Hind." In 1719, December 12th, "Elizabeth, daughter of J no. Course, a Dutch soldier"; and in the month of June, 1733, soldiers named Mount, Reynold, and Knoleman had children baptised. The burial of Joseph Hall, a foot sergeant (Feb. 28, 1733), and Tabitha Knoleman, soldier's wife (Feb. 26, 1733), are also recorded. Among the entries of burials may be mentioned the following:—"1675, June 5, the found childe from ye Workhouse." "1733, Feb. 21, a stranger, found dead." From about the year 1728, the number of paupers and vagrants (spelled vagarants) that are buried is really surprising. Among the baptisms is the following:—"Aug. 6, 1726, a child that was taken up in ye rode—her parents not known." The Workhouse, then on Nottingham Road, where is now Messrs. Greenhalgh's mill, is first mentioned in 1733, among the baptisms, as follows:—"March 31. Mary, ye daughter of John and Ann Gascoyne, Workhouse."
The foregoing are the most interesting particulars that are to be gleaned from the old registers. It is not pretended to be at all a complete copy of the books; that would fill a good-sized volume, the publication of which would be of great value.
Before quitting the parish church, it may not be out of place to mention something about the patron Saint, and the customs peculiar to the day. His day is the 29th of June; and Saint Peter, it need hardly be said, was one of the apostles. He suffered martyrdom at Rome, under the sanguinary Nero, about 68 A.D. In Christian art, St. Peter is represented as an old bald man, but with a flowing beard. He is usually dressed in a white mantle, with blue tunic, and holds in his hand a book or scroll. His peculiar symbols, however, are the keys and a sword, the instrument he used at the Crucifixion, and by which he died. The custom of popes changing their names, upon selection to the chair, is said to have been derived from St. Peter, whose name was changed by our Lord from Simon to Peter—a rock. The words of our Lord, "On this rock will I build My Church," are quoted in proof of the assertion that the Apostle Peter was the veritable founder of the Roman Catholic Church. On the eve of this Saint's day it was customary to set a watch. Bonfires were also lighted and torches carried about. According to an old chap-book, the following love charm should be tried on the eve of St. Peter:—"Procure nine small keys, your own property; if you have not enough, purchase sufficient to make nine. Twist a treble twisted band of your hair, and tie the nine keys together, fastening the end with nine knots. Fasten the whole with one of your garters, on going to bed, round your left wrist, tying your other garter round your head. Then repeat these words:—
'Saint Peter, take it not amiss—
To try your favour I've done this;
Favour me, then, if you do please
(You are the keeper of the keys);
Let me now your influence prove,
Show to me my wedded love.'
In your night's dream your future husband will appear to you. If you have no dream, you will never be married."