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Without assigning any reason, the Vestry of a few years
later ordered the casement to be built up.
In this connection a notice of the appointment of the
notorious John Wilkes as Churchwarden may be admitted.
While sitting as Member of Parliament for Aylesbury, he
was elected upon the Vestry on the 27 June, 1758. His first
attendance as Vestryman was on 14th December, 1758;
within five months he was chosen Churchwarden, with Mr.
Samuel Peirson as his colleague. At the end of the year a
cordial vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to Mr.
Peirson for his "great and most signal services done in the
faithfull execution of his office." Not a syllable is recorded
concerning the retirement of the great agitator, nor is he
nominated for re-election, in which respect he is an exception
to the custom prevailing at the time. Whatever his
success in other spheres, the Vestry minutes imply that he
was voted a failure as churchwarden.
The following record is unique. The culprit might
possibly have been found among the disappointed applicants
for charity gifts or relief, looking to the season of the
year
Monday, 5th January, 1778.—Mr. Glanville one of the Churchwardens
of this Parish having this Day laid before the Vestry
several anonymous Incendiary Letters which he has received
within these five Months wherein his Life has been Threatened
which Letters appear to the Vestry to have been sent to him
merely as being Churchwarden of this Parish.
Resolved and Ordered That for the better discovery and bringing
to Justice the Person or Persons who wrote the said Letters
or especially the last received, that a Reward of Twenty
Pounds be given to any Party or Parties who shall give
Information so that the Offender or Offenders may be brought
to Justice and Convicted thereof.
A specimen of other liabilities to which the Churchwardens
were subject is met with a few years onwards:—
Wednesday, 8th October, 1788.—Mr. Loton, Church Warden, laid
before the Vestry a Notice which he received, whereof the
following is a copy:
"In the King's Bench.
Take Notice, that this Honorable Court will be moved on the