© F.Coakley , 2009
[From Choice Presentments]
There were a several pages in the Presentments of Ballaugh for early 1759 regarding the behaviour on at the Oiel Verrey on Christmas Eve.
The Humble Address & Representation of Us the Principall Inhabitants & Masters of Families in the Parish of Ballaugh
That we do hereby declare our utter Abhorrence & Resentment of the Unworthy & Unbecoming Behaviour of some of our Young People & others unknown, towards the Rev[eren]d Mr Moore our Rector, on the eve of last Christmas Day & the morning of the same, in riotously surrounding his House & throwing up stones on the Roof to the great Terror & Annoyance of his Family with outragious Noise & Tumult, calling on Him, at an Unusual & Unseasonable Time, to come forth, & do his Duty at the Ill-Verry-though & repeatedly told that He was so very Ill in his Bed that He could not possibly come-Continuing their Rude & Turbulent Behaviour from before Midnight till the Daylight dispersed them, the next morning-Which had such an Effect on him, as to disable Him from doing the whole of his Duty on Christmas Day when with great Pain & Difficulty, as we cold easily discern, He administered the Sacrament to an Hundred & Fifty Communicants. […].
John Tear P C
Tho Corlett
John Stephan
William Kewish
Dan Corkill X
Tho Kneen X
Ewan Corlet X
John Clark X
John Myllevorrey X
John Cain X
Philip Cottiman X
Nichs Mylrea X
Matt Cowle
"The Wardens, upon the Complaint of Thos Stephen, present the Rector for not performing Divine Service before Daylight on Christmas Day, commonly called the Oie-Il-Wurrey-Referr'd to Tryal".
To the worshipful & revd messrs Robt Radcliffe and Mathias Curphy Vicrs Genll Douglas Mar 6 1759 Dear Sir Having laid out my Mattrs so as to have been at Ballaugh last Sunday & to stay till Wednesday to the courts - I was unhappily on Friday seized wth a return of my old disordr wch confind me to my bed & still hangs abt me - so as to discourage me from ventur= ing over the mountains - as I fully intended - to advise wth you & Mr Curphy & Mr Wilks - abt preventing if possible - the riotous & tumultuous manr of spending the Xmas eve at Ballaugh - to go abt to describe it to you - wd only shock yr belief - but the worship of Bacchus or the devil wd only come up to that height of enthusiasm & frantik distraction which some of our foolish people shewd on that occassion so that had I been never so able - so I was not being then very ill - & they so told by the clark - I'd not think of prostituting the sacred office by joining in prayr wth people amongst whom were to many mad & drunken people - for sober they wd no be & so behave - they put it out of my power to serve them & then run into riot & outrage because I'd not come to do my duty Though I know all the ringleadrs of this madness - who are such as will be in all parishes, very angry men, because they cant have wt tythes they please - yet I wd very willingly overlook & from my heart forgive wt is passd - if you Gentlemen, to whom I refer the redress of this matter, with my Lord Bishop's advice & opinion had herein, will be so good as to give some directions on this my complaint, for the future prevention of such enormity to the more serious & suitable manner of observing & solemniizing the Ill-vorry & to prevent as far as may such indecencys & irregularitys as under the cover of the night & darkness are too often, tis to be feard committed on such nocturnal meetings wer favourable to debauchery & lewdness - As some serious people were much affronted at wt had happend - Mr Corlet thought it proper to propose an address to Lord Bp from the parish on the occasion - & accordingly pro= duced one, after morning prayrs on Sunday - to be signed by such as were so disposed before they dispersed - but the malcontents raised such an uproar in the church - that he was glad to get out & leave them to themselves - though wt was proposed was only an act of common practice to themselves as well as to me As I am afraid I cant be able to wait on you - I must leave it to your equity & justice - as well as to your duty & re= gard to the institutions of our Christianity to apply some remedies to the evils complained of - I wd have mentiond these things to you when I saw you last - but thought it improper to an= ticipate wt I intended to open more fully to the court Hoping you'l excuse & dispence wth my attendance & that Mr Corlet may be permitted to appear for gentlemen yr most obedt humble sert & bro Philip Moore
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Editor © F.Coakley , 2009 |
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