Now! Then! Despite Charles II’s Declaration of Indulgence, Presbyterians Oliver Heywood and Christopher Richardson are detained while preaching at Lascelles Hall (Kirkburton)

2 January 1673: Despite Charles II’s Declaration of Indulgence, Presbyterians Oliver Heywood and Christopher Richardson are detained while preaching at Lascelles Hall (Kirkburton)

Oliver Heywood. 1883. The Rev. Oliver Heywood, B.A., 1630-1702, Vol. 3/4. Ed. J. Horsfall Turner. Bingley: T. Harrison. Get it:

Excerpt

When Mr R. was preaching, Sir John Kaye’s sergeant came, and thrust through the crowd, made inquiry whether he had a licence to preach there. Mr R. smartly answered, what have you to do with that? The man withdrew, Mr R went on. I confess at first it something affrighted me, and I thought with myself if he come again when I am in preaching, it will put me quite out. Well, he finished, I succeeded, and when I had prayed and was preaching, he came again, demanded if I had a licence. Mr R answered sharply, saying what authority have you to inquire. He answered, his master sent him. Who is your master, said he. He answered, Sir John Kaye, and he commanded us both in the king’s name to go along with him to his master. Mr R answered, we would not go without a warrant. He told him he had a warrant. We desired to see it, he showed it us, I read it, wherein both our right names were. When I saw that, I gave him mild words, and desired him to stay awhile till we had done our work, and then we would obey him. “Well,” sayeth he, “I shall wait your leisure.” He stood by, I went on with my sermon, and god graciously helped above fear, it was quite gone, and god helped memory, and elocution, and affection.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

The distance is only some three miles, but this is A-grade heckling.

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Original

On January 2 1773 I joined with Mr Richardson at an exercise at Lassel-hall, abundance of people came. When Mr R. was preaching, Sir John Kay’s sergeant came, and thrust through the crowd, made inquiry whether he had a licence to preach there. Mr R. smartly answered, what have you to do with that? The man withdrew, Mr Richardson went on, I confess at first it something affrighted me, and I thought with myself if he come again when I am in preaching, it will put me quite out. Well he finished, I succeeded, and when I had prayed and was preaching, he came again, demanded if I had a licence. Mr Richardson answered sharply, saying what authority have you to inquire. He answered, his master sent him. Who is your master, said he. He answered, Sir John Kay, and he commanded us both in the king’s name to go along with him to his master. Mr R answered, we would not go without a warrant. He told him he had a warrant. We desired to see it, he shewed it us, I read it, wherein both our right names were. When I saw that, I gave him mild words, and desired him to stay awhile till we had done our work, and then we would obey him. Well, sayeth he, I shall wait your leisure. He stood by, I went on with my sermon, and god graciously helped above fear, it was quite gone, and god helped memory, and elocution, and affection.

When we had done our work, we went along with that man and two of Sir John’s liverymen, came to Woodsome that Clark (I suppose he was) was churlish, and snappish, told me he thought we had not made such particular reflections as we did, I asked him in what? Sayeth he, I took good notice of your words. I bade him speak truth, and I cared not what he said. We went into the hall, wherein many waiting-men were playing at cards at the table. We waited a pretty while. At last, Sir John came, who we asked us if we had any licences, saying his majesty hath graciously encouraged conformists, and indulged others of his subjects that pretend conscience in not conforming, but his princely clemency had been abused, in many places. Therefore, sayeth he, he hath sent us express order to inquire into persons’ licences. We told him we had there a licence for the place, but licences for our persons were at our homes. He demanded a sight of that we had, we produced it, he read it, said so far he was satisfied, but required a sight of the other. We desired time to produce them, he gave us time till Saturday, and then sending them by another should serve. I have sent mine this day by John Robuck, and Arthur Lee will let Sir John see it tomorrow, -thus god’s gracious providence hath wrought for us, so that with confidence we may look upon authority having authority for what we do, -blessed be god.

I cannot but observe how spiteful the devil is against preaching, when he will not hinder but promote keeping open house, feasting, dancing, revelling, there I saw a great number of gentlemen, (among whom was Mr Thomas Horton) musicians, master of misrule, or Lord of misrule as they call him etc.

572 words.