Chapter II: Section 1: Introductory Statement

Northampton has been distinguished in the history of this country by the struggles there maintained for the liberties of Englishmen; nor has it been unknown in the efforts that have been made to secure the liberty of Christian worship and the purity of divine institutions.

Soon after that "morning star of the Reformation," John Wickliffe, appeared, about the year 1369, his doctrines were introduced into Northampton, and met with much favour in the town. Notwithstanding the earnest opposition of the clergy, they were cherished by several persons of rank, the Mayor himself being tainted with the heresy. A formal complaint was made to the King in council by one Richard Stannisworth, a woolstapler, that the chief magistrate, John Fox, harboured in his house James Collyn, a fierce maintainer of Lollardy (as the sentiments of Wickliffe were called), in Northampton, and that they encouraged the preaching of the Lollards, contrary to the prohibition of the Bishop of Lincoln. Thus it appears that there were numbers at that time in Northampton ready to welcome the days of reformation from the corruptions of Popery.

When the Reformation was introduced, and sanctioned by the rulers of England, amongst those who sought a greater degree of purity in the worship of God than the sovereign would allow, and who could not conform to the relics of Romanism that were retained, were several devoted men who laboured and suffered in Northampton.

Francis Merbury was a minister at Northampton during this period, when the Puritans struggled to obtain a change in the existing state of things. He was brought into many troubles for Nonconformity, being several times cast into prison. On Nov. 5th, 1578, he was convened before the High Commission, where he underwent a severe examination, and was sent a prisoner to the Marshalsea.

Edward Snape, after being educated in the University of Cambridge, became minister of Saint Peter's Church, Northampton. He was a decided Nonconformist, a laborious preacher, and a zealous advocate for a pure reformation of the Church. It is stated that when the parishioners of St. Peter's understood that he did not account himself a full minister until he should be chosen by some particular congregation, they immediately chose him to be their minister. In 1590 he was brought into trouble on account of the Associations held in Northamptonshire and Warwickshire. He was a zealous and active member of these assemblies, for which he was summoned before the High Commission. He moved the Mayor of Northampton to unite with other towns in presenting a supplication to the Queen, humbly beseeching her Majesty to hear their cries, and grant them a more pure ecclesiastical discipline.

The following anecdote is related of this persecuted servant of God: "He was cast into prison by the bishops for his Nonconformity; and all his money being expended by his long confinement, he met with much unkind usage from the gaoler. The good man being one day on his knees in fervent prayer to God, and the window of his chamber being open, he observed something thrown into the room; but he resolved to finish his prayer before he examined what it was. When he rose from his knees, he found to his great surprise that it was a purse full of gold. By this unexpected supply he was more comfortable in his situation, and enabled to make his keeper more humane ever after. "The Lord heareth the young ravens that cry; how much more," it is observed, in connexion with this, "will he hear his afflicted people?"

Humphrey Fenn was several years minister at Northampton--a most learned and venerable divine, whose ministry was rendered very successful: yet he underwent many troubles for Nonconformity. While at Northampton he experienced the cruel oppression of the times--was apprehended and committed to close prison, where he remained a long time. During his confinement the inhabitants of Northampton presented a supplication to Queen Elizabeth, humbly and earnestly desiring her Majesty to grant his release, and his restoration to his beloved ministry. In this supplication they affirmed, upon their dutiful allegiance, that during his abode in that place he had lived a honest and a peaceable life; and they gave a high character of his diligence in preaching, his obedience to God, and to those in authority. It does not appear whether this application was at all successful. Mr. Fenn, with some others, presented a long letter to the Queen in vindication of their own innocency; but we have not discovered how long they remained in prison after that period.

John Penry, a very distinguished Puritan, after leaving the University, was settled for some time at Northampton. He was brought before the High Commissioners for Nonconformity, and after examination, cast into prison. After a month's confinement, he was discharged; but when he had obtained his release, they sent their pursuivants to apprehend him, and again commit him to prison. Walton, one of them, went immediately to Northampton, and upon entering Mr. Penry's house ransacked his study, and took away all the books and papers which he thought proper; but Mr. Penry was not to be found. Upon the publication of 'Martin Mar-Prelate,' he was again apprehended.

He became at length a member of a Church of Brownists, meeting about London, sometimes in the fields and woods, in the dead of the night, to avoid the fury of the prelates. During his imprisonment he wrote a most pious, affectionate, and encouraging letter to Mr. F. Johnson, the pastor, and the rest of the brethren. It is addressed "to the distressed and faithful congregation of Christ in London, and all the members thereof, whether in bonds or at liberty;" and he concludes by subscribing himself, "their loving brother in the patience and sufferings of the Gospel, John Penry, a witness of Christ in this life, and a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed." He at length lost his life for the cause to which he was devoted, for he was executed May 29th, 1593.

Arthur Wake was another of these worthies, who had some connexion with Northampton. He was a son of John Wake, Esq., descended from an ancient and honourable family. He became a most popular and useful preacher. In 1565 he was presented to the living of Great Billing, in Northamptonshire. He was very much persecuted for his Nonconformity, and at length deprived of his living. In the year 1593 he was residing at Northampton, and engaged as minister of Saint John's Hospital in this town. It is stated that "he was a divine of good learning, great piety, and a zealous, laborious, and useful preacher."

By the rigorous proceedings of the ruling prelates the Church was deprived of many of its brightest ornaments, and nearly all its faithful pastors were ejected, especially in Northamptonshire. In the vicinity of Northampton there was William Fleshurne, or Fletcher, B.D., rector of Abington, in 1588. Of him it is recorded, that in 1590 he was one of the Puritan ministers who associated in general synods and particular classes at Northampton, Fawsley, and other places, to promote the new discipline in opposition to the Established Church. He obtained the vicarage of Moulton in 1607, and held it till his death; but appears to have resided at Abington, where he was buried the 3rd of May, 1627.

Dr. John Preston was born at Heyford, in Northamptonshire, in the parish of Bugbrook, 1578. He became a very popular preacher, but met with considerable opposition on account of his Puritan principles. He had a strong constitution, which he wore out in the study and in the pulpit. Being desirous of dying in his native county and among his old friends, he retired into Northamptonshire, where he departed this life in a most pious and devout manner in the 41st year of his age, and was buried in Fawsley Church, old Mr. Dod, minister of the place, preaching his funeral sermon to a numerous auditory. His practical works and sermons were printed by his own order after his decease.

William Prandlove was a respectable Puritan minister, who about the year 1562 became vicar of Fawsley, in Northamptonshire, and in 1577 he became rector of Lamport, in the same county. He united with his brethren in their private associations, and took an active part in promoting the desired ecclesiastical discipline, for which, in the year 1590, he was apprehended and cast into prison, where he remained a long time. He was after carried before the High Commission and the Star Chamber, where he underwent the severe scrutiny of his ecclesiastical inquisitors.

In connexion with these statements relating to Puritan ministers who maintained and suffered for their principles in the county town of Northamptonshire and its immediate vicinity, it may not be considered unsuitable to state that a Sir Richard Knightley, at Fawsley in this county, who received the honour of knighthood from the Earl of Leicester, at Fotheringay, in the 8th of Elizabeth, 1566, was one of the earliest and most zealous patrons of the Puritans, or opposers of the new Act for the Uniformity of Worship, who assumed the importance of an organized party in 1568. Their publications, principally from the pen of John Ap-Henry, better known by the assumed name of Martin Mar-Prelate, were industriously though secretly disseminated by means of a travelling printing press, conducted by one Walgrave. To elude detection, the scene of its operations was frequently changed. It was first set up at Mousley, in Surrey, from whence it was removed to Fawsley, and worked in a private upper room, approached only by a winding staircase. Its next stage was to Norton, another of Sir Richard's seats. It was subsequently conveyed to Coventry, Woolston, in Warwickshire, and finally to Manchester, where it was seized by the Earl of Derby. For these clandestine proceedings Sir Richard and his associates were summoned before the Court of Star Chamber, and heavily fined; but Archbishop Whitgift, though one of the most prominent objects of their attack, with a truly Christian spirit obtained by his intercession a remission of their sentence. In the succeeding reign, Sir Richard ventured, with Sir Edward Montague, Sir Francis Hastings, and 60 or 80 other gentlemen, to petition the King on behalf of the Puritan clergy of this county; but they were severely rebuked in the Star Chamber and at the Council Table for their presumption, and Sir Richard was dismissed both from the lieutenancy and the commission of the peace.

There is another name that is connected with Fawsley and the county of Northampton, to which we should like to devote a single page--the name of John Dod, A.M., generally styled "the Decalogist," from his celebrated exposition of the Ten Commandments. He resided several years at Fawsley, under the patronage of the Knightley family. This learned Puritan divine was the youngest son of John Dod, Esq., of Shacklach, in Cheshire, where he was born in 1555. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge. He was successively minister of Hanwell, in Oxfordshire, Fenny Drayton, in Leicestershire, Canons Ashby and Fawsley in this county. In a work published in 1635, entitled 'A Plain and Familiar Exposition of the Lord's Prayer,' there is a dedication to his much honoured, loving friend, Mr. Richard Knightley; where he states, "I dedicate this book unto you, that as the Lord is my witness that I pray daily for you by name (and so, by his assistance, I purpose to do while I live), so I must leave some testimony behind me to men after my death (which I continually wait for) of my unfeigned and hearty thankfulness for all your favours and goodness to me and mine." He survived ten years after this, and died at the very advanced age of 90 years--was buried at Fawsley, 19th of August, 1645. He published a number of different works; but his sayings acquired great provincial celebrity, and have been printed in various forms. Fuller characterizes him as "by nature a witty, by industry a learned, by grace a godly, divine." His life was written by Samuel Clarke.

Mr. Dod was several times silenced for his want of entire conformity to the established system; but he maintained his principles to the last, being distinguished by his fervent spirit of devotion, his entire reliance on God, his submission to the Divine will, his trust in the Redeemer, his heavenly-mindedness. "The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance."

Though this Work chiefly relates to one denomination of Nonconformists in Northamptonshire, it appeared to us desirable to include a short notice of these early advocates of Nonconformity, especially in the town of Northampton, though they did not generally come out from the Church as by law established; for they laboured to obtain a further reformation, and would rather suffer than conform to all that was required. Their principles and their spirit gradually led on to all that has since been manifested in the support of genuine, evangelical, vital, voluntary Christianity, in the different communities that have separated from the Established Church.