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BARTHOLOMEW-CLOSE.

Simmons, and Mr. Sandercock.* In the year 1758, Dr. Fleming accepted an invitation to succeed Dr. Foster, at Pinners'-Hall. Upon this occasion he quitted his connexion with the society in Bartholomew-Close, which being greatly reduced, dissolved its church-relation, and most of the members went to Pinners'-Hall. Dr. Fleming survived the dissolution of that church, and died in 1779.

After the dissolution of the old Presbyterian church, we have a blank in the history of Bartholomew-Close meeting, for about ten years. Subsequent to that time it has been occupied by the following ministers, who succeeded each other in regular rotation, and raised separate churches, all of which are now in existence.

JOHN WESLEY.-This celebrated person took Bartholomew-Close meeting in the room of the Bull-and-Mouth, and preached in it for the first time, December 26, 1763. Mr. Wesley occupied the place only a short time, and was succeeded by Mr. Relly.

JAMES RELLY.-Of Mr. Relly a particular account has been given under the article Crosby-square. He preached only a short time in Bartholomew-Close, and upon the expiration of the lease in 1769, removed to the place just mentioned, vacant by the dissolution of the Presbyterian society, under the care of Mr. Richard Jones.

JOHN TOWERS.-A division taking place in the society at Jewin-street, after the death of Mr. Hart, the persons. who withdrew, met for some time in a private house in Noble-street, and chusing Mr. John Towers, then a young preacher, who went by the name of The London Appren

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BARTHOLOMEW-CLOSE.

tice, for their minister, they took a lease of the meetinghouse in Bartholomew-Close, where he was ordained to the ministerial office, and preached to them for fifteen years. They entered upon the place on the next Sunday after Mr. Relly left it, and upon the expiration of the lease at Midsummer, 1784, built a new meeting-house in Barbican, to which place we refer for a more particular account of Mr. Towers and his church.

JOHN CARTWRIGHT.-Soon after Mr. Towers left this place, it was taken by Mr. John Cartwright, who occupied it a short time, when he removed to Lant-street, Southwark, where he preached about thirty years, till his death, in the year 1800.

THOMAS CANNON.-Mr. Cartwright was followed by Mr. Thomas Cannon, who was educated under the Countess of Huntingdon's patronage, and preached here several years. A new meeting-house being erected for him in Grub-street, he removed to that place in 1788. After preaching there several years, he removed to Glass-house-yard, Goswellstreet, but has left that place, also, and now resides at Hammersmith, where he carries on the employment of a school-master.

WILLIAM HOLLAND-Mr. Cannon was succeeded at Bartholomew-Close by Mr. William Holland, who had been educated at Homerton academy. While at this place he preached a lecture in Kennington-lane. After preaching here a few years, he removed to a small place in Gee-street, Goswell-street, where he now preaches.

THOMAS DAVIES.-Mr. Holland was followed by Mr. Thomas Davies, a Welchman, who studied under the patronage of the Countess of Huntingdon. Having collected a people, he took the meeting-house in Bunhill-row, where

BARTHOLOMEW CLOSE.

he preached some years, till about 1793, when he removed to Bartholomew-Close. There he continued several years, was much followed, and had a Thursday lecture. In 1798, he removed to a large and more commodious meeting-house at the Three Cranes, near Queen-street, Cheapside, where he now preaches.

WILLIAM BRAITHWAITE.-Mr. Davies was succeeded by Mr. William Braithwaite, originally a printer. He was some time in the Countess's connexion, and patronized by Mr. Wills, in whose chapels he frequently officiated. He was for some years a close follower of Mr. Romaine, whom he affected to imitate, and was a great admirer of Hutchinson. In the year 1798, he took the meeting-house in Bartholomew-Close, where he raised a congregation, and continued preaching there till 1803, when he removed to Cross-street, Hatton-garden, where he was amazingly followed, and continued preaching till his death, in 1807.

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THOMAS MADDEN.-Upon the removal of Mr. Braithwaite, Bartholomew-Close meeting was taken by Mr. Thomas Madden, who was likewise under Mr. Wills's patronage; but upon the removal of his patron, raised a congregation at Bartholomew-Close, where he preached about a twelvemonth, when he removed to a large room which he fitted up for a chapel, with an organ and prayer-reader, and other requisites, and where he was much followed. After preaching there a few years, he removed towards the latter end of last year (1809) to a new meeting-house in Aldersgate-street.

JOSEPH MORE.-Mr. Madden was followed by Mr. Joseph More, who had preached at various places in the vicinity of London; as at West-lane, at Queen-street, Ratcliffe, &c. He preached at Bartholomew-Close but a short time, and left it about 1805.

HIGH-HALL.—Independent, Extinct.

JOHN LATCHFORD.-He followed Mr. More at this place about the year 1806, and is the present minister at Bartholomew-Close. Though his hearers are of the poorer sort, he is nevertheless, tolerably well attended.

HIGH-HALL.

INDEPENDENT.-EXTINCT,

HIGH-HALL, in St. John's-court, Cow-lane, WestSmithfield, was anciently the city residence of the Prior of Sempringham, in Lincolnshire. It was an ancient structure of wood and stone, and went by the name of SempringhamHead-House. In the reign of Charles II. a part of this building was converted into a meeting-house for the use of the Nonconformists, and we have notice of two congregations that successively occupied. One was of the Independent, and the other of the Baptist persuasion. The building having been long since destroyed, and no records of it preserved, any description of the meeting-house is not now to be expected. With respect to the Independent congregation, it was gathered in the former part of the reign of Charles II. by Mr. John Yaxley, the ejected minister of Kibworth, in Leicestershire, who preached here a considerable number of years, and lived to an advanced age. His assistant and successor, Mr. Thomas Powell, of whom an account has been given in a preceding article, removed his people to Jewin-street, and from thence to some other place, of which we have no account; and in a little time his congregation became extinct. Having given this brief introduc

HIGH-HALL.--Independent, Extinct.

tion, we will present the reader with some brief memorials of Mr. Yaxley, and then advert to the society of Baptists.

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JOHN YAXLEY received his education in St. John's College, Cambridge. During the civil wars he sided with the parliament, and accepted a captain's commission in the army. He continued in arms some years at Uttoxeter, Worcester, and other places, and opposed the loyal Sir George Booth. Mr. Nichols, in his history of Leicestershire, relates some disorders committed by his army, and accuses him of great severity towards the cavaliers. This, it is very possible, might be true; but the same things may be said of the opposite party, for when any towns that sided with the parliament fell into the hands of the royalists, the inhabitants were treated with severity enough. About the year 1647, he was presented by the committee for plundered ministers, to the living of Kibworth, in Leicestershire, and is said to have taken forcible possession of the living, by entering the church with a party of soldiers. He is reported to have constantly preached and prayed against the Stuarts; and, with thirty-six other ministers, petitioned that King Charles I, might be brought to trial. He also petitioned against Sir G. Booth's party, and seems to have taken too active a part in the politics of those troublesome times. It is said that he caused the font to be taken out of the church, and converted it into an horse-trough. If this be true, it cannot be censured with too great severity.

After the restoration, Mr. Yaxley was repaid with interest for his conduct in the late times. He was not only dispossessed of his living, which was restored to the former in

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