9. Miscellaneous events, A. D. 1705 to 1707.

James Moss (by will, 4th June 1705,) left L. 100, to be laid out in blue frieze kersey gowns, to be given to five aged men, inhabiting Manchester, on Christmas day morning, before prayers, in the south porch of the Collegiate Church, by the testator's next heir, assisted by the junior constable and church

warden.

Mary Chorlton, (by will, 29th September 1706) left L. 50, to be lent in portions of ten pounds each, successively on St Thomas' day, for five years, free of interest, to young persons, natives of the town, who having served an apprenticeship in it, have a good character from their master, and are members of the church of England.

10, The Death of Doctor Stratford, Bishop of Chester, and late Warden of Christ's College, Manchester, a. D. 1707.

Many of the early annals of this eminent churchman's life have been cited in the account which has been given of his wardenship of the College of Manchester. We have beheld him undismayed by the influence and animosity of a Popish monarch, and signalizing himself by his fearless vindication of the principles of the Church of England against those of antichristian Rome. But, happily, the storm which had threatened the existence of an ecclesiastical establishment, to which he had ever been fervently attached, was in time dispelled; and he then exchanged the scenes of civil and religious contest, and the stimulated feelings of elation, which the proud victory of his church could not fail in inspiring, for the more congenial solace which was afforded him in the tranquil exercise of the pastoral duties of his see. These he continued to perform for eighteen years undisturbed; and during this period became as much characterized by the plainness and simplicity of his manners, as heretofore he had been during his polemical strifes for the soundness of his erudition.

By his clergy, Dr Stratford was beloved for his condescension, for his hospitality, and for the concern which he had ever evinced for their best interests; which did not, however, prevent him from being alive to their omissions of duty, and from being a plain reprover of their faults, though in a spirit of charitableness mixed with Christian firmness.

"A Sermon Preached in the Collegiate Church of Manchester, March the 8th, 1703-4, being the day of her Majesty's happy accession to the throne. By Richard Wroe, D. D., and Warden of Christ's College in Manchester. Published at the request of the town. London: printed by J. H., for Henry Martlock, at the Phoenix, in St Paul's Church Yard. 1704."

In his demeanour towards the parishioners included in his diocese, Dr Stratford exhibited a still greater plainness of deportment, communing and advising with them in no other language but that which they could understand, and which he carefully adapted to their respective ranks in society. To this plan he adhered, even though the expressions which he used, when exhortations were necessary, might, from the homeliness of their diction, savour of the spirit of puritanic times. Nor was he regardful of the momentary pain which his reproofs might give, so that they ended in the ultimate advantage or conversion of offenders."

The charitable acts by which Dr Stratford was very early signalized, he continued at the chief place of his see; where, in imitation of Chetham's Institution, which he had admired at Manchester, he founded a similar Blue Coat Hospital, for the maintenance, instruction, and apprentice fees of thirty-five poor boys of the city of Chester. He was also endeared to this town for the large sums he expended in the necessary architectural repairs of his cathedral, as well as other purposes connected with the dignity and salutary objects of his bishopric. The sacrifice of his wordly emoluments was consequently great; but this was disre garded by him while laying up for himself abundant stores in Heaven.

Such was the plain spoken language, for instance, which Dr Stratford used on the occasion afforded him by a correspondence with a country squire, near a well-known market town north of Manchester, which, from time immemorial, has been distinguished as much for the ignoble venation of badger and fox-hunting, as for the plentiful libations which succeeded to the toils of the chace. "Your request," said the good and well-intentioned bishop in a letter to the Squire Western of the aforesaid district," was easily granted; for I am myself inclined to give the best encouragement I can to the poor curates, as long as they continue diligent in the discharge of their duty. But I have now, Sir, a request to make to you, which I heartily pray you may as readily grant me,-and this is, that you will for the future abandon and abhor the sottish vice of drunkenness, which (if common fame be not a great liar) you are much addicted to. I beseech you, Sir, frequently and seriously to consider the many dismal fruits and consequences of this sin; even in this word how destructive it is to all your most valuable concerns and interests; how it blasts your reputation, destroys your health, and will, if continued, bring you to a speedy and untimely death, and, which is infinitely more dreadful, will exclude you from the kingdom of Heaven, and expose you to that everlasting fire, where you will not be able to obtain so much as one drop of water to cool your tongue. I have not leisure to proceed in this argument, nor is it needful that I should, because you yourself can enlarge upon it without my [assistance.]-I assure you, Sir, this advice now given you proceeds from sincere love, and my earnest desire to promote your happiness, both in this world and the next; and I hope you will be pleased so to accept it from, Sir, your affectionate friend and humble servant, N. CESTRIENS." The original of this curious letter, so illustrative of the simple manners of Dr Stratford, is in the possession of the Reverend J. Clowes of Broughton. It is dated Chester, November 1699.

Dr Stratford died on the 12th of September 1707, at the advanced age of seventy-four, leaving behind him an only son, William Stratford, Archdeacon of Richmond, who, in a monument erected by him in the Cathedral Church of Chester, has recorded the virtues of the bishop in an honourable tribute to his memory.'

11. Miscellaneous Events, A. D. 1708 to 1712.

In 1708, Francis Cartwright left the sum of L. 420, to be placed out on security; the produce to be applied in the payment of twenty shillings for a sermon in the parish church of Manchester on new year's day, and the residue to be divided into three equal parts, of which two parts were to be lent yearly, and without interest, to two honest men, well principled in the doctrine of the established church, who had faithfully served their apprenticeship, and could give security for repayment at the expiration of the term, so that the loans might be advanced to others on similar conditions; and the remaining third part to be applied in binding out such poor boys apprentices as could read English, and whose parents were indigent housekeepers, who maintained themselves without parochial assistance; the trustees to meet yearly, on the first Monday after the feast of Saint Andrew.

i NICOLAUS STRATFORD, S. T. P. Natus est apud Hempstead in com. Hartf. Anno 1633. Factus est Coll. S. S. Trinitatis Oxon, Socius, 1656. Collegii Christi apud Mancunium in Com. Lancastriæ Guardianus, 1667. Sanctæ Margareta Leicestriæ in Eccl. Lincoln. Prebendarius, 1670. Ecclesiæ Asaphensis Decanus, 1673. In Ecclesia de Aldermanbury Lond. Concionator, 1683. Ecclesiæ de Wigan Rector et Cestriæ Episcopus, 1689. Mortuus est 12mo die Februarii 1706-7. Ex vitâ per 18 annos hic sanctissime instituta memoriam sui reliquit omni marmore perenniorem. Reformatam fidem eruditis contra Pontificios scriptis strenue asseruit, Ecclesiæ defensor priusquam pater. Illorum quos adeptus est honorum. nullos ambiit ; nonnullos sponte deposuit. Divitiarum adeo erat non cupidus, ut post 40 annos inter dignitates Ecclesiasticas exactos rem sibi relictam non solum non auxerit, sed in tuendis Ecclesiæ ipsi creditæ juribus eam libentissime imminuerit. Morum simplicitate, charitate in omnes, Pietate in Deum erat plane primævâ. Episcopale munus eâ fide administravit, ut qui ordinem non agnoscerent, virum faterentur esse revera apostolicum. Laboribus magis quam annis fractus occubuit, a Christo, cui solo serviebat, promissum dispensatori fido præmium laturus. GULIELMUS STRATFORD, S. T. P. filius unicus, Archi-Diaconus Richmondiæ, Ædis Christi apud Oxon Canonicus, Optimo Patri.

While Dr Stratford was bishop he wrote the following works:-Charge to his Clergy at his Primary Visitation of the diocese of Chester. London, 1692. 4to. Of the Reverence due to God in public worship, preached before the King and Queen at Whitehall, March 25, 1694, on Eccles.. v. 1, former part. London, 1694. 4to. Examination of Bellarmine's fourteenth note concerning the unhappy end of the Church's enemies.

k

In 1708, an act was obtained for building St Ann's Church. The site selected was upon a part of the old church-yard, named Aca's Field, belonging to the ancient parish church of St Mary; and, in the act which was obtained, the ancient fair named Aca's Fair, held originally three days, was reduced in its duration to two days.'

May 18, 1709, the foundation of the new church of Aca's Field was laid by Lady Anne Bland of Hulme Hall.

March 3, 1711, Catharine Richards, by her will of this date, after devising her manor of Strangeways, and her mansion of Strangeways' Hall, and her property in Manchester, directed, that the persons who should be in possession of the devised estates should, out of the rents of the houses in Manchester, pay L. 100 per annum, for the relief of widows of decayed tradesmen of Manchester, and for instructing and apprenticing poor boys and girls of the like decayed tradesmen, in such manner and number as they, together with the warden of Manchester, should direct. If the clear rents of the houses did not produce L. 100, the objects of the charity were to be proportionally limited. And in the event of the failure of issue of Francis Reynolds and the other devisers, the entire produce of the whole estate of the testator was to be applied to the charitable objects mentioned, in such manner as the warden of Manchester, with the approbation of the boroughreeve, the church-wardens and overseers, should appoint.

July 17, 1712, The consecration of the new church of Aca's Field took place. It was dedicated to Saint Anne, in compliment not only to the Queen, but to the lady by whom the foundation was laid, who was the greatest contributor to it. She

k Mr Aston has observed, that on the removal of the parochial rights to the Collegiate Church, CERES had by degrees been admitted to her ancient rites on the land. A respectable old man, who died about the year 1780, stated, that he perfectly recollected the whole of Saint Ann's Square and the church-yard a corn-field, then called Acres (Aca's) Field; into which, on the 19th day of September, old style, the fair, still known by the name of Acres (Aca's) Fair, was annually held; and that sometimes the corn was rather prematurely cut, and carried off, on account of the right possessed by the lord of the manor to hold his fair on that day.”

"This fair was originally for three days, on the eve, the feast, and the morrow of Saint Matthew. It was granted by letter-patent, recorded in the tower, by Henry the Third, to Robert Gresley, Lord of the Manor of Manchester, and bears date 13th August, in the eleventh year of his reign. By the act which was obtained in 1708, for building Saint Ann's Church, the fair was reduced to two days, the feast and morrow of Saint Matthew, which being on the 21st of September, the subsequent alteration of style, has brought the fair to the first and second days of October."-Manchester Guide.

subscribed the largest sum, and presented the communion-table with a rich velvet cover and silver plate. The first rector was the Reverend Nathaniel Bann."

12. State of religious parties during the reign of Queen Anne, and the early part of the reign of George the First.

The state of religious parties during the reign of Queen Anne was materially changed. With the accession of this princess to the throne the jacobites were gratified, as they were led to entertain the hopes, that, upon her decease, the succession would be made in favour of her brother, James the Third. Nor were

those who merely ranked as tories less pleased by the very early predilection which Queen Anne showed in their favour, which was so great, that at length her Parliament could boast of a tory majority, while her counsels were governed by a tory administration.

In the church many dissensions occurred. The House of Commons, in the lenity which it had recently shown to dissenters, incurred the imputation of meditating designs against Episcopacy: the consequence of which was, that the tories urged the importance of the house vindicating itself by a declaration, that the order of bishops was superior to presbyters; that it was a divine apostolical institution; and that it was incumbent upon the bishops to settle the divine apostolical right of Episcopacy, in order that it might be a standing rule of the house. This declaration, which was eventually carried, caused the greatest possible dissensions the ecclesiastical tories distinguishing themselves as of THE HIGH CHURCH, in contradistinction to their adversaries, who, from continuing to advocate the principles of the revolution, and from their recommendation of a moderate conduct towards the dissenters, were stigmatized by the name of THE LOW CHURCH. An alarm was also spread, that the adversaries of the church of England were waxing strong in their designs, and that THE CHURCH WAS IN DANGER; which outcry, however, failed in producing much effect upon the kingdom, as the house resolved

m Above the vestry window is the following inscription: "Ecclesiæ hujus sola Benefactorum Munificentia extructæ Fundamenta jacta Die xviii Maii A. D. MDCCIX. Totum opus absolutum et consecratum Die xvii Julii, A. D. MDCCXII.”-Saint Ann's Church is a tolerably neat building of the Corinthian order. It had originally a cupola, but has now a square tower for its steeple with one bell only. In addition to the accustomed duties of prayers and sermons on Sundays, prayers are read on all other days, throughout the year, viz. at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and at six in the evening. To support this extra duty, two curates have generally been attached to the church. The living is a rectory in the gift of the Bishop of Chester.-See Manchester Guide.