September 1646: An Ordinance for the dividing of the Church of Holland in the County of Lancaster, with the Precincts thereof, from the rest of the Parish of Wigan; And making it a distinct Church and Parish of it self.

September, 1646.

[28 September, 1646.]

Mr. Richard Whitefield & future Ministers of Holland Church to have all Tithes, Rents, &c., in ancient; precincts of that Church formerly paid to Rector of Wigan.; To bear sixth part of duties payable to King out of Wigan Rectory.; Inhabitants of Holland Precincts to hear necessary charges of Church there.; Wm. Ashurste & others discharged from certain payments to Bishop of Chester or Orlando Bridgeman.; Indemnity.

Whereas a Bill hath passed the House of Commons, and is now in the House of Peers (whereunto the Kings Royal assent in these times of distraction cannot be had) for making the Chappel of Holland in the County of Lancaster, with the precincts thereof into a distinct Parish, and to be divided from the rest of the Parish of Wigan; And whereas in the said Bill it is declared, that the said Parish of Wigan is very spacious and populous, and the Profits belonging to the said Rectory of Wigan is very great, and that the Inhabitants within the Precincts of the Church or Chappelry of Holland, do live far distant from the Parish Church of Wigan (some of them near six miles) so as they cannot possibly receive the benefit thereof; and although all Parochial Duties be necessarily exercised at the said Church or Chappel of Holland, yet here is no maintenance at all for a preaching Minister belonging to it: And whereas now the whole profits of the said Rectory of Wigan is taken and seized by vertue of the Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament, for the Sequestring of Delinquents Estates; And the Committees for Sequestration have no power by the said Ordinance to distribute or dispose any of the profits belonging to the said Parish Church of Wigan unto any other Church or Chappel within the said Parish, and the people by reason of these sad distractions, are utterly unabled to maintain a Minister at their own charge; therefore, for the providing of fit maintenance for a preaching Minister at the said Church or Chappel of Holland, and for the ease of the said Inhabitants within the said Church or Chappelry, according to the provisions in the aforesaid Bill; The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, do hereby Order and Ordain, That Mr. Richard Whitefield a godly, learned and Orthodox Divine (now Minister of the said Church or Chappel of Holland) and the Minister of the place successively shall have, hold, receive and take all the Tithes, Lands, Rents, Duties and Profits whatsoever, within the ancient Precincts of the said Church or Chappel of Holland (that is to say) the yearly Rent of Nineteen marks anciently paid for the Corn Tithes of the several Towns of Holland and Dalton, and all other Tithes and Profits whatsoever within the said Towns, and of the Town of Orrel, and such parts of the several Towns of Billing and Winstanly, as are within the known or reputed Precincts of the said Church or Chappelry of Holland, which the Rector of the said Parish Church of Wigan had received, or heretofore enjoyed in right of the said Rectory or Parish Church of Wigan: And all persons paying their Tithes, Rents or other duties to the said Minister of Holland, and to the Ministers of the said place successively, within the Precincts of their said Church or Chapelry of Holland as aforesaid, are hereby acquitted and discharged of the said payments, and from all other claims and demands by any person or persons whatsoever concerning the same. And the Minister of the said Church or Chappel of Holland, shall have the same remedy to recover all Tithes and other Profits within the said Church or Chappelry that the Rector of Wigan had or ought to have had, if this Ordinance had not been made. And whatsoever Duties to His Majesty shall be payable out of the said Rectory of Wigan, the said Minister of Holland shall pay and bear a full sixth part thereof for the Profits he receives within the aforesaid Church or Chappelry. And it is further Ordered and Ordained, That the Inhabitants within the said Church or Chappelry of Holland shall from time to time bear all necessary charges and payments to and for the said Church or Chappel of Holland. And they shall hereafter be discharged of and from all Offices, payments and duties whatsoever unto the said Parish or Parish Church of Wigan, and from all attendance upon the same. And whereas for procuring the consent of Doctor Bridgeman Bishop of Chester Rector of the said Parish Church of Wigan, unto the aforesaid Bill, William Ashurst Son and Heir apparent of Henry Ashurst of Ashurst in the County of Lancaster Esq.; James Marshal, Richard Leigh, Hilliam Bowyer, Robert Holland, Jeffery Roby, and William Prescot of Holland Yeomen, David Holland, George Barton, and Richard Prescot of Dalton Yeomen, Jeffery Burchal of Orrel, John Smethurst of Billing, and Nicholas Withington of Winstanly, Yeomen, Inhabitants within the said Church or Chappelry of Holland did covenant to pay unto Orlando Bridgeman, Esq; Son to the said Bishop of Chester, for his use six hundred pounds per annum for all the rest of the Tithes and Profits of the said Rectory of Wigan so long as he should continue Rector there; All which Tithes and Profits are now by vertue of the aforesaid Ordinance of Sequestration seized and taken for the Delinquency of the said Bishop, and the said Orlando Bridgeman; It is therefore further Ordered and Ordained, That the said William Ashurste Richard Leigh, James Marshal, Robert Holland, Will: Bowyer, Jeffery Roby, Will: Prescot, David Holland, George Barton, Richard Prescot, Jeffery Burchal, John Smethurst, Nicholas Withington, and their Heirs, Executors and Administrators shall hereby be clearly acquitted and discharged from all payments unto the said Bishop of Chester, or Orlando Bridgeman, or their Assigns, for any of the Tithes and Profits belonging to the said Rectory of Wigan, and from all Covenants, Bonds or other Writings concerning the same. And that they and every of them shall make a true and perfect Accompt unto the Officers appointed for Sequestrations within the said County of Lancaster, of all moneys or other goods belonging to the said Rectory of Wigan received by them, or any of them, or any other person imployed from, by or under them or any of them; And if any moneys or other goods belonging to the said Bishop of Chester, or Orlando Bridgeman be found in their hands, they and every of them are hereby required forthwith to pay the same unto the said Officers for Sequestration, whose Acquittance shall be their sufficient discharge. And they and every of them shall leave the whole profits of the said Rectory of Wigan to be disposed of by the Parliament for the time to come. And whatsoever any person shall do in pursuance of this Ordinance, they shall be saved harmless by the power and authority of both Houses of Parliament.