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39
been made without the aid of the Vestry, they were
instrumental in the removal of two of them:—
Att a Vestrie held the first of Octobre 1657.
Resolved that in obedience to his Highnesse the Lord Protectors
nominacon and appointm. bearing date the 22th day of
September last remaining with the Churchwardens Mr.
Vyner and Doctor Warmstree bee removed from preaching
in the parish church of Margaretts Westmr. and that Mr.
Edward Pearce be permitted to preach there on the Lords
Daies in the forenoones and Mr. Seth Wood on the Lords
Daies in the afternoones and that they the said Mr. Pearce
and Mr. Wood shall have and enioy such advantages and
maintenance as shall be raised in such sort as hath been
usual here.
Mr. Walcott (p. 120) states that Mr. Vyner was taken as
a prisoner to the Upper Bench, and that Dr. Warmstree was
removed as a notorious delinquent.
The same self-derived power as the Vestry exercised in
other church matters was employed in relation to the choice
and appointment of the Officers of the Church, from the
Lecturer downwards.
From 1591 to 1693 this power was never subjected to
question—bearers, gravemakers, bell ringers, church cleaners,
sextons, parish clerks, organists, gallery keepers, and others
were all subject to the will of the Vestry.
On the 3rd of January, 1693, however, one Ezekiel Turner
attended before the Vestry to announce himself as gravemaker
appointed by the Bishop of Rochester, then Dean of
Westmiuster. A deputation from the Vestry was forthwith
dispatched to interview his Lordship, whose refusal to
withdraw the right he had asserted was warmly debated by
the Vestry on the following Sunday, when a resolution was
passed declaring the choice to be in the Vestry absolutely.
A search Committee was directed to examine the ancient
books of Orders, a task which was commenced at seven
o'clock in the morning of the next Tuesday. Two days
afterwards the proceedings are thus entered:—
" Whereas John Parker Esq & some other gentlemen of this Vestry
have in pursuance of an Order of the one and twentieth instant