To
the
Right
Honourable
the
Lords
in
the
High-Court
of
Parliament
assembled
.
The
humble
Petition
of
the
Parishioners
of
Ackeliffe
in
the
County
Palatine
of
Durham
.
April
6.
1642.
Humbly
sheweth
,
THat
the
Petitioners
have
a
long
time
been
destitute
of
a
Conscientious
Minister
to
the
great
prejudice
of
their
soules
,
and
griefe
and
sorrow
of
heart
,
and
about
the
Moneth
of
June
last
their
Vicar
Doctor
Carr
,
who
was
Chaplaine
to
the
late
Earle
of
Straford
,
and
Prebend
of
Durham
,
died
,
and
about
September
last
,
M.
Daniell
Carwardine
was
nominated
for
a
Clerke
to
the
said
Vicaridge
of
Ackeliffe
by
M.
Smart
senior
,
Prebend
of
Durham
,
according
to
the
Customes
and
Statutes
of
that
Cathedrall
Church
,
whereby
your
Petitioners
were
exceeding
joyfull
in
hopes
and
assurance
that
their
soules
should
have
been
committed
to
the
charge
of
one
so
able
and
conscientious
,
and
one
whom
they
in
their
soules
approve
of
and
desire
;
but
the
Prebends
of
the
said
Church
refused
to
confirme
the
said
M.
Carwardine
so
nominated
as
aforesaid
,
whereupon
your
Lordships
were
petitioned
,
and
the
said
Custome
exactly
proved
,
by
the
testimonies
of
Nicholas
Hobson
about
90.
yeares
of
age
,
and
Robert
King
in
October
last
,
since
which
time
the
great
affaires
of
the
Kingdome
not
admitting
the
full
and
finall
determination
thereof
,
M.
Smart
tooke
institution
for
the
said
Vicaridge
himselfe
in
favour
to
your
Petitioners
,
and
for
preserving
his
owne
rights
,
least
the
said
Uicaridge
should
fall
into
the
Lapse
:
And
the
Bishop
of
Durham
did
write
Letters
directed
to
the
Church-wardens
and
others
,
appointing
M.
Carwardine
to
officiate
in
the
said
Parish
as
Curate
untill
the
businesse
were
determined
by
your
Lordships
,
and
thereupon
M.
Carwardine
did
enter
,
and
was
admitted
.
But
so
it
was
that
one
George
Leake
who
was
Curate
under
Doctor
Carr
,
who
daily
goeth
from
Ale-house
to
Ale-house
,
where
he
continueth
drinking
whole
dayes
and
nights
,
and
when
he
commeth
from
Church
justifieth
others
to
goe
with
him
,
being
a
most
scandalous
,
deboist
,
drunken
man
,
hath
violently
entred
into
the
said
Church
,
locked
up
the
Pulpit-doore
,
broke
violently
into
the
said
Uicaridge-house
,
expelled
the
said
M.
Carwardine
without
any
lawfull
authority
,
so
as
your
Petitioners
are
deprived
of
a
godly
,
learned
Preacher
,
and
the
said
Leake
,
to
the
great
sorrow
of
your
Petitioners
,
and
scandall
of
Religion
doth
officiate
the
place
.
May
it
therefore
please
your
good
Lordships
to
commiserate
the
sad
condition
of
your
Petitioners
,
and
by
an
expresse
Order
of
your
Lordships
House
settle
the
said
M.
Carwardine
in
the
Vicaridge
of
Ackeliffe
,
or
to
appoint
the
said
M.
Carwardine
to
officiate
according
to
the
former
appointment
of
the
Bishop
of
Durham
,
and
direction
of
M.
Smart
untill
the
full
determination
of
the
businesse
before
your
Lordships
,
and
that
the
said
George
Leake
may
be
summoned
before
your
Lordships
to
answer
such
his
ryotous
disturbance
and
other
his
misdemeanours
aforesaid
,
And
your
Petitioners
shall
pray
,
&c.