Devon - History of Chudleigh

All this was necessary for the county was now in a high state of disorder.

In 1584, there is an item: - " For Wine, at the Musters of the Justices, 3s." These gatherings were doubtless important; for it was well known that Philip of Spain, whilst smarting under the success of Drake in the Spanish Main and the aid Elizabeth was giving to the insurrections in the Netherlands, was already steadily making some preparations to conquer England. The attendance of the Chudleigh soldiery was required at a general muster of the military forces of the South Hams at Totnes; and we have accordingly: -

" Pd to the soldiers that ware the pyshe Armour at Totnes, 8d."

" To the man that had the commission for archerie, 3s. 4d."

" For cariage of the pyshe Armour to Totnes & when they trayned upon Haldon 1s. 6d."

1587, " Pd for xx pounds of Gunpowder, £1:3:4.

On the 29th of May, 1588, the " Invincible Armada " sailed from the Tagus. After being at sea a few days, a storm, off Cape Finisterre, crippled nearly the whole fleet, and compelled the ships to put into Corunna to refit, which occupied three weeks. Meanwhile the muster throughout the kingdom brought together 130,000 men; and 5,000 men of Cornwall and Devon defended Plymouth. Great were the rejoicings when the news of the disaster reached England. Elizabeth even ventured to order a part of the English fleet, then in Plymouth Sound, to be dismantled, but the Lord Admiral had the good sense to refuse.

Matters soon turned up which shewed his wise precaution. He had hardly moored his fleet, when a Scotch privateer sailed into the Sound in hot haste with the news that the Armada was off the Lizard. Most of the.Officers were enjoying a game at bowls on the Hoe, and Drake, who was one of the party, bade them not to hurry themselves, but finish the game and then go out and beat the Spaniards.

Nothing could exceed the consternation throughout England, and especially Devon, when the Armada was announced to be in sight of Plymouth. The English fleet came up with the enemy on the 21st of July, and a running fight took place for two hours, but the Spaniards held on their way. On the 23rd the Armada was off Portland where a general engagement ensued. There was no line-to-line fighting, but the English ran in and discharged their broadsides, and then steered without the range of the Spanish guns which, owing to their uncommon height, fired over their enemies' heads and did little damage. The English made another attack on the 25th, but they had to close the engagement for want of powder. On the 27th, the Armada anchored off Calais, where 30,000 additional soldiers were ready to be put on board for the invasion of England, and now there was no time to be lost. Before daylight on the morning of the 29th, the English sent eight fire-ships amongst them in full blaze: " some cut their cables, others let the hawsers slip, and happiest they who could first be gone, though few could tell what course to take."

Several ships went ashore upon the rocks, others stood out to sea, and some were attacked and destroyed by the English. A great storm wrecked many of those that had otherwise escaped; and when the remnant reached home, it was found that out of 130 ships and 30,000 men, the Spaniards had lost 81 ships and nearly 20,000 men. Such was the result of the vaunted " Invincible Armada," and thus did Providence signally deliver England from a most terrible fate.

In the Account Book we have accordingly: -

1588, " Pd for a horse & a man that came: from nuton (Newton) to fetch the musketes the xxth of July, 8d."
" Pd for the souldiers for there presmony the fyfthe day of Auguste at nuton, 6s."
" Pd for six men for goinge to Greenawaye after the Spanniards, 2s."
" For Breade for the Spanniards, 10d."
" For a procklymasion, 7d."

1595, " Pd to Wm. Putt for John Dawes apparell when he was put forthe for a Souldier in the late Vyage of Francess Drake by consent, 5s,"

From this period to the end of the reign of Elizabeth nothing particular occured to disturb the peace of the county. Affairs appear still tranquil during the following reign of James I. The woollen trade was then in a flourishing condition; and the inhabitants were busily employed in combing, spinning, weaving, and fulling. Some fields on the other side of Kate brooke are still. called the " tucking fields." There are no accounts of the number of serges manufactured, or of the amount of wages - then paid weekly. The only criterion by which it can be judged is the annual rent of the market and fairs, and this rent was considerable.

The parish armour was again held in readiness and examined in the year 1627 - two years after the accession of Charles I. " In Mr. Vaughan's * custody," it consisted of ten head-pieces and murrions, two Bills, one Tuck, three Callivers, four corslets, and two muskets; "in Thomas Mawhys Custody one corslet pformed;" and in another person's custody, one musket pformed.

* Captain Nicholas Yaughan was elected about this time as muster-master of the Train Bands to the city of Exeter. He was treacherously slain, in Dec. 11, 1642, by a shot from a window at Dunsford, while engaged in capturing some arms designed for the nse of the rebels against the King and Parliament. Polwhele, vol. 2. p. 19.

From this period the contention between Charles and the Parliament continued to increase. The king's obstinacy and the inflexible spirit of the Parliamentarians, whose liberties he had unjustly infringed, caused the Civil War which deluged England in bloodshed and confusion.

Lysons says: - " When the civil war commenced in the 17th century, the whole of Devon was in the hands of the committees of safety, and the majority of the inhabitants attached to the parliament." Whether this was the case or not with respect to this county, it is quite certain that the king's affairs were so badly managed as in many instances to convert his friends into open foes; and instead of his forces being concentrated they were scattered throughout the kingdom. About 6,000 horse and foot of the Royalists were scouring the west of England. These were idle and dissolute, creating disorder and confusion wherever they came, and in many places the inhabitants rose against them. Chudleigh had no alternative but to afford them entertainment. Soldiers were continually passing to and fro, sometimes remaining quartered on the town for days together. Parties of the Royalists occupied Chudleigh successively from the summer of 1641 to January, 1646.

Numerous sums of money had to be paid by " The Seven Men" out of the slender resources of the parish funds. In the Account Book there is - " A particular note of Disbursements for the Parishioners of Chudleigh by Humfry Pynsent," from which we cull the following : -

" Funds for the ordinary of 12 troopers of Major Cary, & after ye rate of 6d. for every mans dinner on Sunday 21. July. 1644, 6s."

" For 13 of their horses at hay the same time, 3s. 3d."

" Item for the meate & drink of 8 troopers wch lay here when the Princes troope quartered, here being 2. Sept 1645, Is 6d."

" Item for one bridle & saddle pformed for Mr Johnson quartermaster generall to the Lo: Gorings Army 3. Sept 1645, 12s."

" Item for 2 bushells of oats. 1. Sept. 1645 for Col : Tooke, 6s. 8d."

" Item for 8 seames of wood for the Guarde, 4. seames faggottwood & 4 .hardwood 6. Nov : 1645, when Ma: generall Molesworth was here, 10s. 8d."

" For the hay of 8 horses that came w^th amunition the same time being 3 days & 3 nights, 8s."

" Item for 2 seames of wood for the Guards yt watcht ye Amunition when Col: Sheely was here 12 Nov. 1645, 2s. 8d."

" Item for wood for ye guards & for sickmen for Col: Wises Regiment from 18. Nov. 1645 till 10 Decemb: following being 23 dayes & in all 45 seames, £3."

" Item for pvision for Lieutent: Col: Porter & divers other Commanders of Col: Sheelyes Regiment & their 6 horses 2 dayes & one night this reckoning was for the most pt payed but by severall of ye Parishioners re-delivered 28 No: 1645, 13s."

It appears that a dinner had to be provided for Lord Wentworth at Col. Wise's quarters - probably Hams Barton - hence: -

" Item for 3 Pulletts 9 Dcr: when ye Lo Wentworth dyned at Col: Wises Quarters, 1s. 6d."

To conclude the extracts referring to the visits of the Royalists of which many more could be selected, we find: -

" Item payed to the Constables in money, £ 10."

This sum no doubt included various outlays, as well as much time employed, in providing for such expensive and troublesome visitors.

Chudleigh shared largely in the general consternation of this eventful period of our history. Besides the heavy expenses, the peaceful inhabitants were no doubt in great dread of a collision between the contending parties.

" On the Lord's day" Dec. 21, 1645, a party of dragoons under Captain Woggan took possession of Canonteign House * in the name of the Parliament, as a garrison there "might beare an usefull proportion towards the blocking up of Excester, and hindering of provisions from the South Hams. They were no longer in the house but Munday Dec. 22, in the morning," says Sprigge, when the Royalists came under a Lieut.-Colonel, and burnt the out-buildings and stormed the mansion. Capt. Woggan and his party, however, behaved so gallantly that the Royalists were obliged to retire, carrying with them the Lieut.-Col.," desperately wounded," and leaving behind them four killed and divers prisoners.

* It received its name from the Black Canons of the Priory of Merton in Surrey, who formerly owned the property. The old house, which belongs to the Tudor age of architecture, is fast crumbling into ruins. Some years since it was re-roofed and repaired, and it is now inhabited by a farmer and his family. The corridors, however, the stairs and balustrades, lofty chambers, heavy oak beams and girders, deep square fire-places, &c. are still the same. Three circular holes in two of the oak doors - which, it is said, grate on the same hinges as they had during the Civil War - seem to show that the Captain was not idle during that Sunday night. One of these doors commands the approach from Ashton over the Teign, the other that from Chudleigh.

While Capt. Woggan was at Canonteign, Fairfax and Cromwell determined to march from their head-quarters, at Tiverton, into the South Hams where the greatest part of the enemy lay, taking the road by Crediton, Dunsford, and Canonteign, and thence to Bovey-Tracey and Ashburton.

Sprigge writes: - " Monday, January 5, a private consultation was held, and divers officers of the army sought council of Heaven that day, ,in answer- whereunto, God inclined their hearts to resolve of an advance. The next day a public council of war was called, and it was in this council resolved to advance into the South Hams.

" The dragoons from Canonteen were beforehand with this resolution, which this day fell into the enemies quarters, took a Captain, 9 men, and 20 horse. And, that this purpose to advance might finde the less interruption, the same day the stockings and shoes (which the foot soldiers were sadly in want of) came to Tiverton, most seasonably to fit them for the march; wherewith they were so well satisfied, as that they shewed much forwardness to march without staying for cloaks, which they had much need of also, being many of them all to tatters, and the weather was extream cold to boot. While the army was preparing to march some of our dragoons snatched at the enemy at Huic (Hennock) took a Lieutenant, 10 prisoners, 22 horses, and one of their colours with the motto patientia victrix."

An encounter took place at Bovey-Tracey, which ended in the complete defeat of the Royalists. Five regiments of Lord Wentworth's Brigade, consisting principally of horse, had taken up their quarters in the town. On Thursday Jan. 8, a brigade of horse and foot under the command of Lieut.-General Cromwell marched that night to Crediton, and on the nest day, though the weather was very cold, and there was much snow on.the ground, the same brigade marched on to Bovey-Tracey, and about six o'clock at night fell upon the Royalists in their quarters, and completely defeated them. The Royalists were altogether unprepared for this attack, and the greater part of them were playing at cards at the instant the Parliamentarians entered the town, being almost their supper time. Many of the principal officers were together in a room at play, they threw their stakes of money out of the window, which whilst the soldiers were scrambling for, they escaped by a back door over the river and saved their lives. Sprigge* says that Cromwell took on this occasion "about 400 horse, seven colours - one of them the King's colours with a crown and C. R. upon it. The enemy in Bovey were put to their shifts; yet through the darkness of the night most of the men escaped, except a Major and some few officers more, and about 50 persons." It appears from what he says, further on, that three regiments were eventually taken prisoners.

Vicars § says that " His Excellencie Sir Thomas Fairfax and Lieutenant Generall Cromwell made a general rendezvous, and afterwards advanced into the enemie's quarters, resolving either to force them to fight, or at least to remove more remotely towards Cornwall into the quarters from whence they came. And thereupon, a party was drawn up farther West, which fell upon them in their quarters at Tracie, and beat them out of them, and out of the field also; and in the pursuit of them we took 4 Colonels, 3 Lieutenant Colonels, 5 Majors, 11 Captains, and other officers, 7 Colours whereof one having the Crown and C. R. upon it; 400 horse at least, 300 Arms, 140 Prisoners, 150 head of Cattell, and store of other provision designed for the reliefe of Exeter, which they now ( blessed be the Lord ) came short of it."

*England's Recovery, p. 163. § Parliamentarie Chronicle, vol. 3. p. 341.

On the same day that the attack was made on Bovey-Tracey, Fairfax marched with his army to Moreton where he remained the night, being obliged to leave a part of the carriage horses with the ammunition, on account of the frost, at Fulford. He marched the next day, the weather being still extremely severe, to Bovey-Tracey, where he had a rendezvous with Cromwell near the town, when intelligence was brought that about 120 of those that escaped in the night were got into Ilsington (Sprigge calls it, Ellington) church, whereupon a party of horse and foot were commanded after them, which those in the church understanding, fled away. The army marched that night to Ashburton, where the Royalists had their head-quarters the night before.

There are many traditions, respecting this celebrated encounter, related by the inhabitants of the town. On Challabrook enclosure at the west extremity of the Heath-field is a granite pillar, 10ft. high and 2ft. thick, called Longstone, now used as a gate-post, and-is said to mark the spot where one of the officers was buried. It is the remains of a rude granite cross, most probably erected long anterior to the battle. Cromwell is said to have passed the night in the Old Meeting House, then a private dwelling. The brass eagle supporting a reading desk, in the chancel, was buried at this time, and dug up again at the Restoration of Charles II. The noses of the images, on the monuments in the chancel, were mutilated by the Parliamentarians.

About a mile from the town are considerable remains of a Breastwork, thrown across the narrow part of the Heathfield, extending from the fields near Little Bovey, to the recent enclosures towards Ilsington. The road leading to Newton passes through this Breastwork, which at some places is nearly 15ft. in height; it appears to have been thrown up in a hurry to defend the town from the south-east, and was most probably formed by the Royalist army when stationed at Bovey-Tracey. Balls and warlike implements have been occasionally dug up here.

On Saturday Jan. 24, after taking Dartmouth Sir Thomas Fairfax with the Parliamentarian army marched from Totnes to the house of Lady Reynolds, and thence on the 25th " the Lord's Day after forenoon sermon " to Chudleigh " endeavouring to take a view of Pouldram (Powderham) Castle, before which place Col. Hammond was set down with some force. But night coming on (whilst he had yet two miles thither) he was forced to return to Chidley without viewing the Castle."

Powderham Castle surrendered the same night. Colonel Hammond found in it five barrels of powder," match and bullet proportionable," and four pieces of cannon.

On Thursday: Jan. 29, Fairfax went from Chudleigh to Tiverton, to prevent the junction of some horse from Oxford with Lord Goring's force, then near Barnstaple, and returned again before Feb. 5, to make further preparations for the siege of Exeter. In his letter to Lenthall, the Speaker of the House of Commons, printed by order of the House, he says, the continual foul weather, and the absence of Colonel Cook, in Dorsetshire, with so many of the horse, occasioned his stay in these parts for a fortnight.

"On Lord's Day Feb. 8th, letters having been inter-cepted from Lord Wentworth to Sir John Berkley, a council of war was called at Chidley, and also another on Monday the 9th." In this council it was determined that the management of the siege of Exeter should be committed to Sir Hardresse Waller; and Fairfax marched from Chudleigh to Crediton, his head-quarters, no doubt to the great relief of " The Seven Men " and the satisfaction of the people at large.

The following Memoranda are in the Parish Account Book relative to these transactions; -

" Since ye Parliament Army came hither."

" Item for wood for ye guards when the Generall was here from 24 Jan untill. 1. Febr being, eight dayes & 12 seames at every one of those 8 dayes at Is. 4d. the seame, £6:8:0."

"It Monday. 2. Febr: one seame & haife for ye same guards an order being obtained from ye Generall the day before that ye neere adaicent Parishes should assist us, 2s."

And so on up to February 9th inclusive, when, according to Sprigge, Fairfax left Chudleigh.

The inhabitants acted most wisely in preserving a strict neutrality, receiving each party in turn. Had any strife arisen, some account would have been handed down by history or tradition.

Cromwell was compelled by his position to keep up a powerful military force: and officers of the army were sent throughout the country to levy both horses and money. Chudleigh did not escape a visit, for we find in the Account Book :-

1652, " Mr Woolcombe (the Vicar) for his mare and saddle, £5: 10."
" Roger Winsor for do.,* £ 5 : 5."
" The Captain by consent, £ 2 : 16."
" Fire and candles for the troop, 3s."

* It appears by a subsequent entry that these horses were bought for the service of the Commonwealth.

In 1651 we have: - " That Bennett Sexton bee allowed out of six pounds hee is to pay to the Parish upon Bonde fower pounds tenn shillings for victualls sent by him by the Parishes order to Barton howse at such tyme as the Garrison was kept there, and the thirty shillings remaining is now by him payd in and his Bonde delivered upp."

Humphrey Pinsent, renting the fairs and markets at this time, was evidently accountant to " The Seven Men;" and, as a deduction hung on the contingency of war, he made an entry accordingly; - " Allowance which I crave in time of war, £ 1 : 10."

Nothing of importance occured from the termination of the Civil War to disturb the tranquility of our town ; indeed, it seems to have preserved a peaceful character throughout its generations. Even when fierce and bloody contests raged around, all was peaceful within its borders.

It may be interesting to turn again to the Account Book, as shewing the anxious and unceasing concern manifested by " The Seven Men," and others, for the welfare of the parish. The Rev. Robert Woolcombe, already mentioned, succeeded his father, Benedict Woolcombe, and was instituted to the vicarage of Chudleigh in the year 1600. In his latter years, being by age and infirmities unable to discharge the duties of the parish, he was aided by a curate of the name of Charles Wills. "The Seven Men" agreed to pay him £10 yearly, "to be no precedent for the future." On Jan. 19, 1654, Robert Woolcombe died, and after his death the parish was without a vicar, there being several entries at this time of sums paid for occasional supplies. The civil and religious strife, which so long distracted the country, had no doubt the effect of thinning the ranks of theological students in the colleges; for, instead of there being a host of applicants, not even one came forward to apply for the vacant benefice.

At the time of this vacancy the living was at the disposal of William Putt, and James and Thomas Eastchurch.

They with " The Seven Men " convened a meeting, and the interesting particulars of the resolutions then passed are well worth being quoted in full: - "

22. Octobr : 1657

"The Parishioners together wth the Seaven men having this day mett and conferred touching the procuring of and provision to bee made for an Orthodox Setled Minister here in this our Parish, have thereupon resolved as followeth,

" That Mr Gyles Inglett one of the Seaven men bee desired forthwth to write away to Oxford to such of his Acquaintance as hee shall think fitt for the purpose aforesaid.

"That when such a man as shalbee thought fitt shalbee pitcht on, that the Seaven men according to the power to them given, doe cause such moneys belonging to the Parish as shall bee requisitt, to bee payed over & disbursed towards his journey & preparacon thereof hither.

" That after his coming hither hee staying here halfe a yeare upon tryall, shalbee payed after the rate of £80 paid out of the Tythes of the Parish & an augmentacon out of the Fayres & Marketts.

"That what charges Mr Inglett shalbee at in entering a Caveat above, or any other wayes in order to the said busines, hee shalbee reembursed out of the said moneyes belonging to the Parish, & also for his paynes & trobell in & about the same.

(Signed by)

" John Coysh.

Giles Inglett.

Humfry Pinsent.

Geo: Prowse.

Thomas Clifford.

James Rennell.

William Ball.

Joh Bennett.

Bennett Balle.

Will: Clogg.

Andrew Cholwich.

Rich : Manley.

William Ball.

Tho: Bawdon.

John Chaplin.

Humphry Shapter.

Richard Drow.

Phillip Veale. "

After thus deputing Mr. Giles Inglett to the important office of getting an orthodox minister, "The Seven Men" with all diligence requested Richard Mauley and Humphrey Shapter "to enquire after & viewe the surplesses Organ pypes & Seats & to certify howe they shall finde the same, at the next meeting of 7 men; and that the Churchwardens bee spoken to that they may take order for the reparacon of the Clock much in decay,"

Mr. Giles Inglett was most successful in his application for a sound orthodox divine, for we read in another entry: -

" Ordered that Humfry Shapter pay out of his Receipts unto Mr Gyles Inglett forty shillings in discharge of a Note of disbursemt for ye Parish amounting to one & twenty shillings, & the residue is a gratitude ( gratuity ) to him & his sonne for their paynes & care in pouring Mr Bloy hither," as well as for other services.

On the 10th of May, 1658, the parishioners and " The Seven Men" met for the purpose of making arrangements for the new minister, Mr. Bloy, who was coming from Oxford on trial; and 40s. was immediately paid towards his journey hither. All necessary repairs, as well as the cleansing and renovating the interior of the Church, were effected before his arrival. In October, it is further entered that Mr. Bloy is to have " besides the vicaridge & premises thereto belonging, Twentie pounds yearely, to be payed to him by quarterly paymts," and " Twentie marks towards his charge in procuring the great seale" for his induction.

There was great anxiety that all necessary preliminaries, towards his being in full possession, should be completed, impossible, before Easter, as the following entry fully proves: -

" That he (Mr. Bloy) will pcure himself ordayned a Minister before the 25, day of March next or so soone as conveniently he canne & that the paymt of the £xx yearely not to commence untill he be inducted to the sd vicaridge & ordayned a minister. If he pcure himself to be ordayned a minister before the 25 day of March next then to grant him £x for that halfe yeare."

Mr. Bloy was regularly inducted before Easter. The gown and surplices, after a careful examination, were found altogether the worse for wear and keeping; an item is accordingly entered. - " Paid for a new gown, £4.;" and the surplices were repaired, which in those days were made of dowlas. This worthy vicar, obtained under such interesting circumstances, gave great satisfaction during the fifteen years of his ministerial labours, and at his decease left a donation of £30 to the parish.

Charles II. ascended the throne under circumstances the most propitious, but he destroyed his own wellbeing and the prosperity of the nation by profligate extravagance. and an inordinate love of pleasure. The interesting fact that one of his prime ministers was born at Ugbrooke, naturally directs our attention to a few leading particulars relative to the Clifford family. They became possessed of their beautiful domain, as before stated, at the time of the Reformation. Although their descent was noble, yet when first located in our parish they simply ranked with the neighbouring gentry, as to wealth and influance. The name of " Anthony Clifforde" first occurs in the Parish Register in 1566. Thomas his son, baptized at Chudleigh June 1, 1572 - afterwards Dr. Clifford - was a singular character. He had served in the army in the Netherlands, and had accompanied the Earl of Essex in his naval ex-pedition to Cadiz. When upwards of fifty years of age, he applied himself to the study of theology at Oxford, and took the degree of D. D. " On the 2nd of March, 1613, he was appointed afternoon lecturer in the Cathedral of Exeter by the mayor and chamber, with a salary of £ 50 per annum, which was subsequently increased by the addition of £ 10 for the rent of his house. For three years he filled this office. On the 26th of Nov. 1625, Bishop Valentine Cary collated him to a prebend in the Cathedral, and in the same year he was made a justice of the peace for the county of Devon." After this he preached without emolument " to show others," as he himself expressed it, " the way of avoiding those rocks whereon he, in his youth, had sometimes run."

During his latter days he resided chiefly at Lower Bramble, which lies at the extremity of the parish of Ashton, between Chudleigh and Trusham. This estate was possessed by Dr. Clifford in the right of his wife, one of the ancient family of Staplehill, in memory of whom there are some curious old monuments in Trusham church.

Dr. Clifford died in the year 1634, aged sixty-two, and was buried in our chancel, where there is a gravestone to his memory.

His son, Hugh Thomas, married Mary, eldest daughter of Sir George Chudleigh, of Ashton. He was a Colonel in the army of Charles I., and served in his expedition against the Scots. Col. Clifford's name frequently occurs in the records, as he appears to have been deeply interested in the welfare of the parish, having undertaken the management of the erection of the Alms Houses - a source of anxiety to " The Seven Men."

After his death, the records give us the particulars of an interview, on the 21st of Sept. 1658, between his widow, who was also his executrix, and " The Seven Men;" which show that Colonel Clifford's engagements with the parish were altogether unsettled at the time of his decease. The same entry adds that Thomas, bis son, "though not lyable to any of his said fathers debts," was most anxious to unite with his mother in the final adjustment of the affair.

This son, Thomas Clifford, was bom at Ugbrooke in 1630. After a suitable education he was sent to Oxford, and was admitted a commoner of Exeter College; leaving the University, he entered the Middle Temple, and afterwards travelled. In April, 1660, he was elected a burgess for Totnes, was .knighted, and re-elected the ensuing year. He distinguished himself by his gallantry in the Dutch War, and was conspicuous as a diplomatist at the Courts of Sweden and Denmark, as well as deeply involved in the intrigues carried on between Charles II. and Louis XIV. His talents and eloquence were altogether of a superior order. We read in Cliffordiana: - ", That on the 8th of Nov. 1666, his Majesty delivered to him the white staff of Comptroller of his Household, and within a month later, named him a Privy Councillor. On the I3th of June, 1668, he gave him the appointment of Treasurer to the Household; and on the 8th of the following April, declared him a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury. During Lord Arlington's absence in Holland, Sir Thomas Clifford was directed to execute the duties of his office as principal Secretary of State. On the 22nd of April, 1672, the king raised him to the peerage, by the style and title of Baron of Chudleigh; and lastly, by special recommen-dation of his Royal Highness James, Duke of York, he was advanced to the most profitable office in the kingdom, viz. that of Lord Treasurer," so quickly did one preferment follow another. He was the leader of the celebrated Cabal Administration, of which his initial forms the first letter. On abandoning office, in consequence of the Test Act - having become a convert to the Roman Catholic religion - he retired to Ugbrooke where he died in 1673, at the age of 43, and was interred in Ugbrooke chapel.

His descendants are indebted to him for their high position as peers of the realm, with a large amount of property; for it is stated in Cliffordiana: -- "That on the 15th of July 1672, the king granted him Cannington Priory with its manor and rectory ; also the manor of Fitzpain, and the hundred of Cannington, with the free-chapel of Piddlewaldeston. On the 18th of June, 1673, he conveyed to him the perpetuity of the Craslow pastures, near Aylesbury; the lease of which, for a term of sixty years, he had granted him about two years before."

The records during the reign of James II. present nothing of importance regarding the affairs of the parish. A unanimous invitation was sent, in consequence of James' misrule, to William, Prince of Orange, to occupy the throne of these realms. He landed at Brixham on the 5th of November, 1688, rode on the 7th to Ford House, near Newton-Abbot, and passed the night at Chudleigh. He slept at the Mansion House of the Cholwich family in the centre of the town, and is said to have addressed the inhabitants from one of the windows.

About this period the family of Woolcombe were resident in Chudleigh, and their name is of frequent occurrence in the Parish Register. Robert Woolcombe A.M. was a remarkable character, and a few particulars concerning him cannot but prove interesting. He was presented to the living of Moreton by Sir William Courtenay, and ordained in 1657. He did not hold the living long, giving it up in 1662, not being satisfied with the terms of conformity then imposed. Mr. Woolcombe was followed on his ejectment by several of his hearers, and became the founder of the Presbyterian Church at Moreton. The following is extracted from an account of the congregation in M.S.: -"Mr. Robert Woolcombe was the settled rector and incumbent at Moretonhampstead, anno 1662, when the act of uniformity came in force, which act imposing terms he could not in conscience comply with, he there-fore chose rather to quit the benefice, than wound his conscience. Many of his congregation thought it their duty to continue under their ejected pastor, so provided them-selves a house to meet in; but the Court, bent on suppressing the nonconformists, got acts of parliament more strict and severe against them. Now, like the, old Christians, they. were obliged to meet in secret, even in the woods;.and, deserts. However, so watchful were their adversaries, that they were sometimes discovered, haled before magistrates, sworn against bv infamous informers, had their houses rifled, their goods confiscated, and to complete all, their worthy minister expelled five miles from the town, and on his return to visit his flock seized and committed to prison. The persecution lasted with little intermission till anno 1687, when Mr. Woolcombe and eleven others procured a license dated at Whitehall Feb. 18, 1687, by his Majesty's command, signed "Sunderland," by which means a considerable sum was extorted from them to exempt themselves from prosecution; which license became useless within seven weeks by a declaration for liberty of conscience. It must not be omitted that during the whole term, being nearly 25 years, the rent for the house, and salary to the minister were honourably raised and paid. But God, who is able to bring good out of evil, so overruled the designs of the Prince, then reigning, that what was thought the most likely means to establish the Popish interest, proved its overthrow, and occasioned the Revolution, which was followed by the Act of Toleration, granted to Protestant Dissenters, in the first year of William and Mary, Anno 1689; when Mr. Woolcombe was restored and continued Pastor unto the year 1692, when he died at Chudleigh where he was born."

Calamy gives him the following character: - " He was a hard student, a great philosopher, and a sound solid preacher. He was a glorious confessor for the cause of Nonconformity, losing by it not only a good benefice, but a good estate; for his father on that account disinherited him, and made his son his heir, charging in his will, that he should not have the educating of him. However, be lived comfortably and contentedly, and found a good conscience a continual feast."

The extracts from the Parish Account Book * are given verbatim, and are only a few of the numerous entries that fill a folio volume of 800 pages. We trust the selection has interested and amused the reader, withdrawing as it does the curtain from the past and giving more than a peep into the habits and transactions of those by-gone days.

* It was handsomely rebound in the year 1847 at the expense of the late M. E. N. Parker, Esq., Whiteway.

As already stated the government of the parish was in the hands of seven men who reigned with undisputed authority. They were elected from time to time, even as late as the close of the 18th century, by a class answering to the ratepayers of the present day; and a majority of their names were to be seen attached to notices relating to parish affairs, in conjunction with the overseers and churchwardens. It was well for the parish that clemency, justice, and thrift shone forth in the management of its affairs. The power of the purse wrought no mischief; the treasury - the parish chest - was too empty, and money too scarce either to exercise undue influence, or usurp the judgment of the voters who were honest, industrious men. Times were hard, and " The Seven Men " had often to borrow and pay a high rate of interest for the sums required from one market-account day to another, in order that they might supply needy applicants with the loan of small sums to keep them from want, or it might be starvation. Economy, the true source of benevolence and well-doing, was the leading principle in the management of their affairs. It is evident that wretched habitations, unceasing labour, poverty, and self-denial were the portion of all connected with the agricultural districts during the period to which these entries belong.

The History of Chudleigh, Devon