Depositions in MD 612

Background

These texts are found in a collection of miscellaneous documents transferred from the Diocesan Records to the Manx Museum - they are the original signed documents relating to the forced closure of Castletown Chapel (the Chapel-of-ease built by Bishop Wilson) by the Governor during a dispute with Bishop Wilson

Texts

I William Ross Academical professor do hereby certify & am ready to depose that at Easter 1719 after Mr Makon's resignation to my Lord Bishop, I was appointed by his Lordship to officiate in Castletown Chappel, which I continued to do till Octr following, at which time resigning to the Ordinary. Archdeacon Horrobin procur'd a Lycence from him to officiate in the said Chappel and besides the small sallary allow'd by the Right Honourable the [Lord of the] Isle to the Chaplain I receiv'd above five pounds from my Lord Bishop for officiating in the said Chappel (double to what I receiv'd or what had to be pay'd out of the Treasury) as a gratuity for my great trouble. I do further certify that as occasion offered I baptiz'd, church'd and reserv'd the fees for the Vicar of the parish, and with his advice distributed the alms of the people, and at the monthly sacraments during the time I officiated, the Elements were pay'd out of the Oblations. And I do declare that whilst I did Officiate I always look'd upon myself as under my Lord Bishop's direction and accountable to his Lopp and his substitutes, as much as any of the parochial Clegy; for tho for several years I was am officer under my Lord Derby, and of his Lordship's Council. I never heard that the Chaplain was exempt from Episcopal jurisdiction ot that there any poriviledges peculiar to that Chappel to exempt it from my Lord Bishop's visitation, but on the contrary ever since I came to this Island his Lordship preach'd in the said Chappel when he pleas'd, confirm'd when he pleas'd and allowed seats to be built for one of my Lord Derby's Officers and another Gentleman upon application made to his Lopp, And the judges of the Spiritual Court have ordered penitents to perform their pennance there, as they are used to order them in the parochial Churches. I do also certify that the steeple was built by subscription.
Witness my hand at Castletown the second of April 1723 [signed] Will Ross signed before us Anth: Halsal, Thomas Corlett

(2) We do certifye that the Reverend Mr Robt Horrobin did come to our dwelling house to get subscriptions for the payment of a Clarke for the Chappel of Castletown (wch then needed one) and the young man who was designed for that place, went up stairs to Mrs Pullers room, as I supposed to get her to subscribe, And she told me afterwards she would not subscribe but woulld give as liberally to him as any other of her rank, wch she said was the answer she gave him.
To the truth of the above we have set our hands this 5th of April 1723. signed Ri Reece, Eallnor Reece

(3) I Rebecca Puller do hereby certifye, and are ready to depose that having been resident in Castletownn for near seven years I was constantly a memmber of the congrgation in the Chappel of that town, and never communicated in any other place but in ye said Chappel, till was repell'd (without any just cause or grounds) by the Revd Mr Robt Horrobin Chaplain there; and do futher declare that, some time after the sd Mr Robt Horrobin came to be Chaplain, Jon Corriss, being chosen clark of the sd Chappel, came to my lodging and pressed me to subscribe with the rest of the inhabitants towards his maintainance, which I told him I could not do, because of my circumstances, but would contribute as much as I was able, which accordingly I did;
as witness my hand this 8th of April 1723 signed Rebecca Puller this signed before us : Anth: Halsal, Thomas Corlett

(4) We whose names are subscribed being inhabitants of the town of Castletown and attendants of Divine Service in the Chappell of the said town, which we always look'd upon as our Chappell of ease, and was the place where we constantly communicated with the rest of the inhabitants, do certify and are ready to depose, if required, that we have seen Mrs Rebecca Puller (now resident here) a constant attendant of Divine Service, and the Holy Sacrament in the said Chappel, till the Rev Mr Robt Horrobin repelled her.
As witness our hands this 8th of April 1723. Thos Harley, Jon Taubman, Hen Wattleworth, Tho Stevenson, Margrt Thompson

(5) I Edward Waterson do hearby certifie and am ready to depose that during my father John Waterson's serving as Clarke of the Chappell of Castletown which he did for 20 years or more, The Rigt Revd the Ld Bp of this Isle and many others of the Inhabitants of Castletown did subscribe towards his support and maintanance and that since my sd father's decease and the the archdeans being Chaplain he did purpose the Clarkship to me offering for my encouragement to go with me to the several Inhabitants for subscriptions. Which I refused to do because of the difficulty of collecting them by reason of the peoples backwardness in paying my father to whom they had subscribed before.
As witness my hand the 4th of April 1723 signed Edward Waterson This ackowledged before me Thomas Corlett

(6) I James Makon do certifie that I performed the office of Chaplain in Castletown Chappel by the present Lord Bishop's Liberty and Authority (whither it was usual for the inhabitants of the said town to resort for Divine Serice, prayers and Sacraments) and observed and obeyed his Orders & injunctions as well as others of his Clergy under his juresdiction did, and, when the present Governor made complaint to the Bishop that I made use of a bidding prayer, and that I had preached a Sermon favouring of Popery (of which I cleared myself to his Lordship) I afterwards, for peace & quietness sake, resigned the Chaplainship up to the Bishop. I certifie also that his said Lordship, to the best of my remembrance, not long before the late Lord of Mann left the Island, came over to consecrate the said Chappel, and performed that solemnity before he went off, and afterwards, from time to time, performed what officers he pleased in it, as also, that while i was concerned in it, I knew of no instance of the Lord of the Isle's finding bread for the communion, nor wine (for some time before my resignation, tho we had commonly Sacraments there once a month)except on the Grand Festivals [lost] when I churched women in the Chappel [lost] Hen Woods, the present incumbent, the dues I received for that office; and I further certifie that odffenders censured by the Ecclesiatical Court did penance there as in other churches; and moreover, that I had besides the £5 a year received from the Lord of this Isle, the encouragement of the more liberal part of my salary through my Lord Bishop's bounty, allowed, and paid me as I take it on and after the year 1704 out of the ecclesiatical revenues in cetaintythes in that parish where the Chappel stands, till the time I resigned; which was, I think in the year 1718. And that I went with Captain Cross, when he made his application to some of the persons, who, of their liberaslity contributed towards the building of a steeple to the same Chappel, and that I contributed to the present clerk.
This is true, according to the best of my recollection, and can agreeably thereto, attest the same upon oath if required. signed James Makon signed & acknowledged in presence of us Anth: Halsal, Thomas Corlett

(7) I William Ross Academick professor do hereby certify that upon my Lord Bishop's order, dated at Bishop's Court the 25th of May 1722, by which I was authorized and requi'd to officiate in Castletown Chappel during the Archdeacon's suspension, or until further orders; I went next Lord's day in the morning, to the Clark, demanded the key of the said Chappel, and desired him to get the bells rung as usual but he telling me he could do nothing without orders I sent him first to the Archdeacon, then to the Govr, to acquaint them that I demanded the key of the Chappel to read prayers, but (in presence of Mr Woods Episcopal Registrar, and Mr Harley) he brought me word that the Governernor had the key and would not deliver it. Having acquainted mu Lord Bishop with this proceeding, I recv'd a letter from his Lordship dated the 21th of June following, wherein I was desir'd to wait upon the Govr; to demand the key of the Chappel; to represent to him that it was as much under his jurisdiction as any Church or Chappel in the Diocese; and to desire him not to hinder the service of God any longer, or oppose his legal authority in matters purely spiritual. I waited upon the Govr along with Mr Woods, and told him what orders I had receiv'd but he left us in great hast without speaking a word, and when I followed him and desir'd his answer, he asked what business I had with the key, I reply'd to read prayers, and offerring to represent the matter to him as I was ordered, when I began to speak of the Lord Bishop's jurisdiction, he told me that was not decided and hastily turn'd from me, so that I only had an opportunity to tell him that I hop'd he would remember I had demanded the key of the Chappel, and that he hindered the publick worship of God.
This is truth as witness my hand this 22th of Janry 1722 [1722/3] signed Will Ross This sign'd before us Anth Halsal, Thomas Corlett

(8) I John Woods Vicar of Kk Malew these 27 years, do certify that, as occasion serv'd, I batized infants, churched women & solemnized matrimony in the Chapel of Castletown (wherein most of the town's children were baptized) And this without the leave of the Chaplain; And whenever he, at my request, church'd any woman there, he always sent, or gave me the fee. And even the present Archdn directed the women he church'd to pay me the fee, which they accordingly did. And the day on which the new chapel was consecrated by the present Lord Bishop (the Right Honble the late Lord of this Isle being then present) I performed part of the divine service there; after which Pews were alloted to the Officers, the Archdn & to several of the inhabitants of the Town, by the Lord Bishop aforesd. There have also been many offenders done penance in that Chapel, in my time, it being constantly allowed to be a Chapel of ease to the Church of Kk Malew. Moreover the Soldiers of Castle Rushin have, during my time received the Holy Sacrament every Easter day in the said Mother Church, tho it was administered constantly, on the same day in the Chapel of Castletown. Only, at the two last Easters, they have not repaired to the said Parish Church, being prohibited by the present Governr, Capt Horne. And that this has been the uninterupted usage until now of their receiving the sacrament on every Easter day at the Parish Church aforesaid, is manifest by the affirmation of very aged people, particularly that of Mr John Fargher late Parish Clark, who died in the 93rd year of his age, Anno Dni 1716.
signed J Woods March 29th 1723