Lord Mayor of London, who published his well known Chronicle in 1516, 4to, printed by Richard Pynson.* It is quite certain that the same family lived here, as a field near the vicarage is yet called Chronicle Field; and, as we have before observed, the head of the river is called Fabian's Spring. From the entries in the churchwarden's books of accounts, this family appears to have been the wealthiest in the village. From the same book of accounts,-and ere we quit the interior of the church in which we are still tarrying, the reader is furnished with the following not incurious or uninteresting extracts: 1590. Item pd the twesdaye before Easter for half a hide of white leather for 8. d. the belles Clappers .... Item pd for the byble at London and for bringinge of yt from the Stationers to my[le] ende Item pd for a Quier of paper & parchment to make this Booke.......... ij Item pd to newecome for Dressinge and Scoweringe of the armoure and for mendinge of yo muskettes iiij Relating to the furnishing of the sacramental bread and wine at Easter, there are various entries, as thus: 1592. : In primis for a pint of muscadine and for breade againste the Sonday before Easter. Item for iij pintes of muscadine and for breade againste maunde thursdaye....... 8. d. vij xix ...... Item for a pottell of malmesye agaynste Ester euene and for breade...... Item for a gallon and a pint of muscadine and bread for the communion upon Ester Daye ij ij Item for a quart of muskadine agaynste the sondaye after Easter iiij viij As the entries descend to the middle of the seventeenth century, the writing is slovenly, and at times illegible. The population of that period was doubtless exceedingly small; for in the years 1645, 6, and 7—1655, 6-only one entry in each year is made of a burial. In the years 1651, 2, 4, 7, 8, and 9, there is not one similar entry. Among the vicars, James Margetson appears to have exercised his vicarial functions for the longest period-succeeding in 1701, and being buried in 1736. Watson Tokey, and Cooper Willyams,† (the former dying in 1784, and the latter relinquishing in 1806,) appear to have been the next longest sojourners as vicars. To the latter suc A volume of extreme and noted rarity, especially when perfect and in fine condition. See the Typograp. Antiq., vol. ii. p. 466-472, edit. Dibdin. Such a book may be even now worth fifty guineas; but the reprint of it, with notes, in 1811, by Henry Ellis, Esq., is in all respects the more valuable volume for a reading library. + Mr. Willyams had been chaplain on board the Swiftsure frigate, and published his Voyage up the Mediterranean, under Lord Nelson, in 1791, in a somewhat costly manner, in 1802. White, the bookseller, made a great fuss about this very superficial and most clumsily embellished volume, printing a few copies on a royal folio form. Mr. Willyams was, however, an active magistrate, and a conscientious and zealous pastor. ceeded Charles Robert Marshall; who, dying in 1823, the present Incumbent was instituted and inducted in the month of August in the same year. The vicarial revenues, before the time of the inclosure, were very limited. In the year 1809, when the act for inclosing Exning was carried into effect, and when the first tenant of the vicar entered upon his lease for twenty-one years, the value of land was at its highest; and the 225 acres, allotted to the vicar,* were tenanted for 3801. per annum. On the expiration of this term, its renewal could only be procured at the reduction of one-third of the rental; but even when the present incumbent took possession (in 1823), the original tenant pleaded hard for abatement, and a reduction of almost onefourth was allowed him. At this moment, when it is considered what the curate is legally entitled to, on a population of 917 souls,† and that the parsonage-house was burnt down in 1821-2, and rebuilt upon the Gilbert Act,-causing thereby a material deduction from the remaining portion of the revenue,-it must be confessed that the vicar's viaticum cannot be said to amount to a very stupendous or disproportionate sum! The destruction of the vicarage by fire was purely accidental; but the word FIRE, as applied to EXNING, is a monosyllable of frightful import.§ Two-thirds of its inhabitants (including all of the respectable classes) yet tremble as they dwell upon the memory of past events connected with the effects of that destructive element at their own thresholds, or at those of their neighbours. Even the pleasure derived from a contemplation of the many new and neat houses scattered through the village, which give it the aspect of peculiar cheerfulness and comfort, is somewhat embittered by the reflection that all this cleanliness and neatness were obtained at sacrifices which its The land for the vicar was rather capriciously assigned-75 of the 225 acres being situate in the fens, about a mile and a half from the main allotment, which is within a quarter of a mile from the vicarage. The land throughout may be called excellent ; and it is now in the hands of one tenant, who cultivates it with equal advantage to the landlord and himself. The extent of cultivated acres throughout the parish is about 5000, of which two-fifths are the property of the lay rector, Mr. W. Bryant, of Newmarket. + The last census returned the following population:-449 males, 468 females. This inference is drawn from the most careful and candid investigation of the circumstances leading to it, although there are those who give these circumstances a very different construction. The fire, arising from an over-heated oven, happened just before sun-set, in the height of summer. As night came on, it presented an awful appearance; and so thick and incessant were the flakes blown by the wind upon the wood-work, which incloses the bell at the top of the tower of the church, that nothing but the undaunted perseverance of the parish clerk, who posted himself upon that perilous eminence, drawing up buckets of water furnished from below by means of a rope, probably saved the sacred edifice itself from destruction. This wood-work was more than once fiercely ignited. These fires were all (with the above exception) the diabolical work of incendiaries. They became so frequent, that, latterly, no office would allow of an insurance to be effected upon a house at Exning. It was a usual thing with a friend of the author of this communication, (then residing at Cambridge,) to put his head out of his college window, on retiring to rest, and look towards Exning-in the confident expectation Alas, he was rarely deceived! of a FIRE. inhabitants could but slenderly afford. Goods and chattels-live stock -farming stock-animals-grain-ALL were frequently destroyed, in one night, by the act of the incendiary; and that incendiary, or those incendiaries, marvellous to say, were never detected! Rewards-daily and nightly watchings-notices of every descriptionpersonal activity, from the magistrate to the shepherd-all was put into requisition-without effect. The miscreant's hiding-place could never be discovered, and the work of ARSON seemed to go systematically on; for the inhabitants of certain houses received written notices of the coming destruction. At length, this spirit of iniquity appeared to be layed. Either the author of the mischief had certain "compunctitious visitings" on his death bed,* or he travelled into other counties for the perpetration of more wickedness. During the incumbency of the present vicar, only one fire, and that of a secondary description, (the burning of a bean-stack,) has taken place at Exning; but the neighbourhood, about three years ago, was the scene of one of the most appalling conflagrations (by the hand of an incendiary) upon record.+ It is time to turn from these painful reminiscences, and to close our "Parish Annals." Sparingly as the village of Exning is inhabited An old man, of very doubtful character, died about seven years ago at Exning. He refused all spiritual consolation, and every time that the nurse brought a light, during the night, to give him his medicine, he exclaimed, "Take away that light; I have had too much to do with fire-in my time!" He was pressed to make disclosures, as his latter moments were hastening; but human nature, even in this awful extremity, is not divested of that sullen obstinacy to which it seems to cling as if with pride and triumph! + No fiction can perhaps exceed the severe, and sometimes horrible, details of TRUTH. The perpetrators of the above deed must have been demons in human disguise. They were two of the labourers employed by the individual whose property was destroyed. This individual was one of the most respectable characters in the country-remarkable alike for the neatness of every stick and stone about him, the judicious cultivation of a fine farm of about 600 acres, and the good nature and kind-heartedness of his conduct towards all classes of society. If ever a man could calculate upon an exemption from a premeditated calamity, of the description of which we are speaking, it was Mr. Hatch. The labourers, above mentioned, left their cottage, situated within a stone's throw of the house, about one o'clock in the morning, with some lighted peat. There is a stream to the left, with a bridge across it, over which stand two cottages; and to these the miscreants first betook themselves-firing one of them, in which were a father and mother, with seven children, fast asleep! This was done in order to give a colouring to their second attempt the destruction of Mr. Hatch's dwelling-house and farm; thinking it might be inferred that the sparks or flakes, from the accidental fire of this cottage, might have led to that of the more important object of their fury;—and accordingly they set about the latter in good earnest. They plunged a flaming brand or two into a bean and a corn stack, and set fire to a shed close to the house. The wind (blowing from the side of the cottages) was high; the flames were quick in spreading destruction on all sides; and, by morning light, every thing was bare and desolate. The house was gutted,-the sheds and stacks were burnt to the ground. The live stock was saved-for, about two in the morning, the child of Mrs. H, which was nursed at the breast, became troublesome, and, crying, disturbed the mother. The mother awoke, and, finding the chamber in a blaze of light, roused her husband. In five minutes, the whole household was in state of agitation and activity. Thus the live stock was saved. The cottagers were also providentially saved. Of the miscreants, one was hung, and the other was transported for life. VOL. II.-Nov. 1832. 2 H by the wealthier class of farmers, its rates have to support a public highway of not less than twenty-one miles in extent*; and this highway, generally speaking, is of the most creditable description;-the lowness of the hedges, the openness of the country, and the nature of the soil being extremely favourable for good roads. Within the limits of the parish is included a portion of the running course at Newmarket, called the Ditch In, on the left, as you descend the hill into the town. The parochial boundary is designated by a stone. The reader is called back, for a few seconds, to place himself by the side of the Vicarage, built pretty nearly upon the site of that destroyed, and remarkable alike for the neatness of its exterior and the commodiousness of its interior. It has also another claim to the admiration of the beholder-the moderation of the charge; which is not the least part of the merit due to the architect, the late Mr. Hakewill-who, in the house which he built for the late Mr. Penrice, at Yarmouth, has left behind one of the most perfect models of classical domesticity. The fact is, that, in the middle ages, the parish of Exning comprehended the whole of what is now that of Newmarket, and its church was the mother-church to which the flock of the latter resorted. As late as the year 1200 there was something like a royal residence at the former place; but in 1227, a contagion or plague breaking out, its Market was removed to the latter place and hence the origin of the appellation NEW-MARKET. One of the churches in Newmarket is, in fact, in the parish of Exning, which comprehends the north side of the town. The other church of Newmarket, on the south side, contains, within its interior, some pretty specimens of the perpendicular architecture of the latter end of the fifteenth century. The exterior of either tower is repulsively frightful. ON THE NECESSITY OF GIVING THE PUBLIC CORRECT INFORMATION RESPECTING THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH. THE watchwords of every friend of the Church should be FACTS— DOCUMENTS-PLAIN STATEMENTS-CLOSE REASONING-and CANDID EXAMINATION; and all churchmen, lay and ecclesiastical, should be called on to aid in promoting and in diffusing these. They are called upon now especially, because the policy of our enemies is misrepresentation, deception, calumny, sophistry, and, through these, the destruction of the venerable fabric of our church establishment, so long the principal asylum of true religion, and the hallowed sanctuary of those virtues on which both social and individual happiness depend. But it is asked, why this special call now? Have not these always been the arts of the enemies of not only our church, but of all religion. True, they have; I admit it. But let every man look at the license which has been given to these arts; let him contemplate the effrontery and prostitution of the daily press; and, above all, not only the vast power of public opinion, but the recent measures which have increased the rapidity of its operation. It is impossible for any man not to see, indeed it is admitted, that the Reform Bill is intended to render the operation of public opinion upon the legislature more rapid, as well as more extensive. It ministers to the general appetite for legislation, not by the deliberations and debates of Parliament, so much as by the judgments of the people and the discussions and statements of the press. It is the fashionable doctrine of the day, that public opinion is to decide every thing, and decide it, neither gradually nor indirectly, but immediately. I do not wish to canvas the wisdom and expediency of this state of things, but so it is. And I know what is the only course presented to the Church -which is, if public opinion must decide, to do our best endeavour to furnish it with Facts, Documents, and Evidence, on which its judgment may be formed, and to take care that the pleading should not be all on one side. This is the ground of the call made, and of the conduct pursued in this Magazine. This too appears to be the ground on which all churchmen should cheerfully and readily cooperate with the Ecclesiastical Commission for inquiring into the state of the Church. I am fully persuaded that this will turn out an essential benefit to the Church. It will give an effectual answer to the numberless falsehoods which are coined. It will help to dispel the mists and shadows, under cover of which her enemies magnify their own importance, and carry on their unprincipled attacks. It will furnish her friends with arms of defence. But this cannot embrace all points. This may repel one column of assailants, but our citadel is assailed at all points, and at all points I trust the assailants will find her champions ready, not only to repel the attack, but, if necessary, to sally and encounter their opponents on their own ground. The public mind must be informed upon the many points which, though before discussed, require to be brought fresh before the memories of the people, and to be placed in a light in which they may be viewed with reference, not only to their general character, but also to such |