Captain Smith, you have been an often and earnest Suiter to me, [Page 5]that I would come hi­ther to you: now that we are come hither to you, what have you to say to us?

IN the Name of Ri­chard Smith of Peer­tree in the County of Southampton Esq, Right Reverend Father in [Page 6]God, I present unto you the state of the Village of Weston, and the Ham­lets, Itchin, Wolston, Ridgeway, and the part of Bittern Mannor (be­ing all of the Parish of S. Maries, neer Southam­pton in the Diocess of Winton) as well in his own, as in the name of the Inhabitants of the said Village, Hamlets, &c. wherein are many Housholds, and much people of all sorts, who not only dwell far from the Church, but are al­so divided from the same by the great Ri­ver of Itchin, where the [Page 7]passage is very broad, and often dangerous; and very many times on the dayes appointed for Common-Prayer, and that Service of God, so tempestuous, as the River cannot be pass'd; and so the peo­ple go not over at all; or if any do, yet they both go and return back in great danger, and sometimes not the same day. Besides, in the fairest weather, at their return from Church, they press so thick into the Boat for haste home, that often it proves dangerous, and ever [Page 8]fearful, especially to women with childe, old, impotent, sickly people, and to young children; many times also they are forc'd to baptize their Children in pri­vate Houses, the water not being passable; and when they lye sick, they are without comfort to their souls, and dye without any Ghostly advice or counsel; their own Minister not being able to visit them, by reason of the roughness of the water, and other Ministers being some miles off remote from them.

And thus much for­merly having been pre­sented to your Prede­cessor, he favourably gave leave to the said Richard Smith to erect a Chappel on the East-side of the said River, at the only proper Cost and Charges of him the said Richard Smith: which Chappel being now finish'd with intent and purpose that it may be dedicated to the wor­ship of God; and that his Holy and Blessed Name might there be honour'd and call'd up­on, by the said Richard Smith his Family, and [Page 10]the Inhabitants afore­said, who cannot with­out great danger pass over unto their Parish Church, I, in the name of the said Richard Smith, and in the names of them all, do promise hereafter to refuse and renounce to put this Chappel, or any part of it, to any profane or common use whatso­ever; and desire it may be dedicated and con­secrated wholly and on­ly to religious uses, for the Glory of God, and the Salvation of our Souls.

In which respect he humbly beseecheth God to accept of this his sin­cere intent and purpose, and he and they are to­gether humble Suiters unto your Lordship, as Gods Minister, the Bi­shop and Ordinary of this Diocess, in Gods stead to accept of this his Free-will offering; and to decree this Chap­pel to be severed from all common and pro­fane uses, & so to sever it: as also by the Word of God and Prayer, and other Spiritual and Re­ligious Duties to dedi­cate and consecrate it [Page 12]to the sacred Name of God, and to his Ser­vice and Worship only; promising that we will ever hold it as an holy Place, even as Gods House, and use it ac­cordingly; and that we will from time to time, and ever hereafter, as need shall be, see it con­veniently repair'd, and decently furnisht in such sort as a Chappel ought to be; And that we will procure us some sufficient Clerk, being in the Holy Order of Priesthood by your Lordship, as Ordinary of that place, and by [Page 13]your Successors to be allow'd and licenced, and unto him to yield competent Maintenance, to the end that he may take upon him the Cure of the said Chappel; and duely say divine Service in the same at times appointed, and perform all other such offices and duties, as by the Canons of that Church, and the Laws of the Realm every Curate is bound to per­form.

In the Name of God let us begin.

THe earth is the Lords, and all that is therein, &c.

I Was glad when they said unto me, we will go into the House of the Lord. Our feet shall stand in thy Gates, O Jerusalem.

Let us dedicate and offer up unto God this [Page 16]Place with the same prayer that King Da­vid did dedicate and of­fer up his: 1 Chron. 29.10.

BLessed be thou O Lord our God, and the God of our Fathers for ever and ever, &c. usque ad finem vers. 18. paucis mutatis. Deinde

MOst glorious God, the Heaven is thy Throne, and the Earth is thy Footstool; what house then can be built for thee, or what place is there that thou canst rest in? Howbeit we are [Page 17]taught by thy Holy Word, that thy will is not to dwell in the dark Cloud, but that thy de­light hath bin ever with the Sons of Men; so that in any place what­soever, where two or three are gathered to­gether in thy name, thou art in the midst of them; But specially in such places as are set apart and sanctified to thy name, and to the memory of it, there thou hast said, thou wilt vouchsafe thy gra­cious Presence after a more special manner, & come to us and bless us.

Wherefore in all Ages of the world, thy Ser­vants have separated certain places from all profane and common uses, and hallow'd unto thy Divine Worship and service, either by inspiration of thy bles­sed Spirit, or by express Commandment from thine own mouth.

By inspiration of thy holy Spirit. So didst thou put into the heart of thy Holy Patriarch Jacob to erect a stone in Bethel to be an house to thee, which act of h [...]s thou didst call for, and highly allow of.

By expresse Com­mandment from thine own mouth. So did Mo­ses make thee the Ta­bernacle of the Con­gregation in the De­sert, which thou didst honour by covering it with a Cloud, and fill­ing it with thy Glory. And after, when it came into the heart of thy servant David to think it was in no wise fitting that himself should dwell in an house of Cedar, and the Ark of God remain but in a Tabernacle, thou didst testifie with thine own mouth, that in that Da­vid [Page 20]was so minded to build a House to thy Name, it was well done of him, to be so mind­ed, though he built it not.

The material Furni­ture for which house though his Father plen­tifully prepared, yet Solomon his Son built it and brought it to per­fection. To which House thou wer't plea­sed visibly to send fire from Heaven to con­sume the Sacrifice, and to fill it with the Glory of thy presence before all the people.

And after, when for [Page 21]the sins of thy people that Temple was de­stroyed, thou didst by thy Prophets, Aggai and Zachary (by shew­ing how inconvenient it was that they should dwell in seeled houses, and let thy house lye waste) stir up the spi­rit of Zorobabel, to build thee the second Tem­ple anew: which second House likewise by the fulness of the Glory of thy presence, thou didst shew thy self to like and allow of.

Neither only wer't thou well pleased with such as did build thee [Page 22]these Temples, but e­ven with such of the people afterwards, as being moved with Zeal added unto their Tem­ple, their Mother Church, lesser places of prayer, by the names of Syna­gogues, in every Town thorowout the Land; for the Tribes to ascend up to worship thee, to learn thy holy will and to do it. Which very Act of the Centurion, to build thy people a Synagogue, thou didst well approve and com­mend in the Gospel.

And by the bodily presence of thy Son our [Page 23]Saviour at the feast of the Dedication, testified by S. John, didst really well allow of, and do honour to such devout Religious services, as we are now about to perform.

Which also by thy holy Word hast taught us, that thine Apostles themselves, and the Christians in their time, as they had houses to eat and drink in; so had they also where the whole Congre­gation of the Faith­ful came together in one place, which they expresly called Gods [Page 24]Church, and would not have it despised, nor a­bused, nor eaten, nor drunken in, but had in great Reverence, being the very place of their holy Assemblies.

By whose godly ex­amples the Christians in all Ages successively have erected and con­secrated sundry godly houses, for the Cele­bration of Divine Ser­vice and Worship (Mo­numents of their Piety and Devotion) as our eyes see this day.

We then as Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of [Page 25]God, being built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself be­ing the head corner­stone, walking in the steps of their most holy Faith, and ensuing the examples of these thy Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles have toge­ther with them done the same work (I say) in building and dedica­ting this house, as an habitation for thee, and a place for us to assem­ble and meet together for the observation of thy Divine Worship, in­vocation of thy Name [Page 26]reading, preaching and hearing thy most holy Word, administring thy most holy Sacraments; and above all in thy most holy place, the very gate of Heaven upon earth, as Jacob nam'd it, to do the work of Heaven; to set forth thy most worthy praise, to laud and magnify thy most glorious Maje­sty, for all thy goodness to all men; especially to us of the Houshold of Faith. Accept there­fore we beseech thee, most gracious Father, of this our bounden duty and service; ac­cept [Page 27]this for thine house; and because Ho­liness becomes thine house for ever, sanctifie this house with thy gra­cious presence, which is erected to the honour of thy most glorious Name.

Now therefore, arise O Lord, and come into this place of thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength; Let thine eye be open towards this House day and night; Let thine ears be ready towards the prayers of thy children, which they shall make unto thee in this place, and [Page 28]let thine heart delight to dwell here perpetu­ally: And whensoever thy servants shall make to thee their petitions in this House, either to be­stow thy good graces, & blessings upon them, or to remove thy punish­ments and judgements from them, hear them from Heaven thy dwel­ling place, the Throne of the glory of thy Kingdom, and when thou hearest have mer­cy; and grant, O Lord, we beseech thee, that here and elsewhere thy Priests may be cloathed with Righteousnesse, [Page 29]and thy Saints rejoyce in thy Salvation.

And whereas both in the Old and New Te­stament thou hast con­secrated the measuring out and building of a material Church, to such an excellent My­sterie, that in it is si­gnified and represented the fruition of the joy of thy Heavenly king­dome, we beseech thee that, in this material Temple made with hands, we may so serve and please thee in all holy Exercises of God­liness and Christian Re­ligion, that in the end [Page 30]we may come to that thy Temple on high, even to the holy places made without hands, whose Builder and Ma­ker is God; so as when we shall cease to pray to thee on Earth, we may with all those that have in the like manner erected such places to thy Name, and with all thy Saints eternally praise thee in the high­est Heavens, for all thy goodness vouchsafed us for a time here on earth, and laid up for us there in thy King­dom for ever and ever; and that for thy dear [Page 31]Sons sake, our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom, &c.

Blessed Father, who hast promised in thy holy Law, that in every place where the remem­brance of thy Name shall be put, thou wilt come unto us and bless us,; according to that thy promise come unto us and bless us, who put now upon this place the memorial of thy Name, by dedicating it wholly and only to thy Service and Worship.

Blessed Saviour, who in the Gospel, with thy bodily presence, didst [Page 32]honour and adorn the Feast of the dedication of the Temple; at this dedication of this Tem­ple unto thee be pre­sent also, and accept, Good Lord, and pro­sper the work of our hands.

Blessed Spirit, with­out whom nothing is holy, no person or place is sanctified a­right, send down upon this place thy sanctify­ing power and grace, hallow it, and make it to thee an holy habita­tion for ever.

Blessed and glorious Trinity, by whose Pow­er, [Page 33]Wisdom and Love all things are purged, lightened, and made perfect; enable us with thy Power, enlighten us with thy Truth, per­fect us with thy Grace, that both here and else­where acknowledging the glory of thy eter­nal Trinity, and in the Power of thy Divine Majesty worshipping the Unity, we may obtain to the fruition of the glorious Godhead, Tri­nity in Unity, and Uni­ty in Trinity to be ad­ored for ever.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the [Page 34]Holy Ghost accept, sanctifie, and bless this place to the end where­unto, according to his own Ordinance, we have ordain'd it, to be a Sanctuary to the most High, and a Church for the living God: The Lord with his favour ever mercifully behold it, and so send upon it his spiritual Benediction and Grace, that it may be the House of God to him and the Gate of Heaven to us. Amen.

REgard, O Lord, the Supplications of thy Servants, and grant that those Children that shall be baptiz'd in this Laver of the New birth, may be sanctified and washed with the Holy Ghost; delivered from thy wrath, recei­ved into the Ark of Christs Church, receive herein the fulness of Grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect Chil­dren.

GRant that thy Ho­ly Word, which [Page 36]from this place shall be preach'd, may be the savour of life unto life, and as good seed take root and fructify in the hearts of all that shall hear it.

GRant that by thy Holy Word, which from this place shall be read, the hearers may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have Grace and Power to fulfill the same.

GRant that all they that shall at any time partake at this Table the highest bles­sing of all, thy Holy Communion, may be fulfill'd with thy Grace and Heavenly Benedi­ction, and may to their great and endless Com­fort obtain Remission of their sins and all other Benefits of thy Passion.

GRant that such per­sons as shall be here [Page 38]joyned together in the holy estate of Matrimo­nie by the Covenant of God, may live together in holy Love unto their lives end.

GRant to such bodies as shall be here in­terr'd, that they with us, and we with them, may have our perfect consummation and bliss both in body and soul in thine everlasting kingdom.

GRANT that this place which is here dedicated to thee by our Office and Ministry, may also be hallowed by the sanctifying pow­er of thy holy Spirit, and so for ever continue through thy Mercy, O blessed Lord God, who dost live and govern all things, world without end.

Grant as this Chap­pel is separated from all other common and [Page 40]profane uses, and dedi­cated to those that be sacred only, so may all those be that enter into it.

Grant that all wan­dring thoughts, all car­nal and worldly imagi­nations, may be farr from them; and all godly and spiritual co­gitations may come in their place, and may be daily renew'd and grow in them.

Grant that those thy servants that shall come into this thy holy Tem­ple, may themselves be made the Temples of the Holy Ghost, eschew­ing [Page 41]all things contrary to their profession, and following all such things as are agreeable to the same.

When they pray, that their prayers may a­scend up into Heaven into thy presence, as the Incense; and the lifting up of their hands be as the morning sacri­fice; purifie their hearts, and grant them their hearts desire, sanctifie their spirits, and fulfill all their mindes, that what they faithfully ask, they may effectu­ally obtain the same.

When they offer, that [Page 42]their Oblation and Alms may come up as a Memorial before thee, and they finde and feel that with such Sacrifices thou art well-pleased.

When they sing, that their souls may be satis­fied as with marrow, and fatness, when their mouth praiseth thee with joyful lips.

When they hear, that they hear not as the word of man, but as in­deed it is the Word of God, and not be idle Hearers, but Doers of the same.

IF we say, we have no sin we deceive our selves, and the truth, &c.

I Believe in God, &c. & post usitatas Colle­ctas hanc specialem addi­dit Episcopus.

O Lord God, mighty and glorious, and of incomprehensible Majesty, thou fillest Heaven and earth with the Glory of thy pre­sence, and canst not be contain'd within any the [Page 45]largest compass, much less within the narrow walls of this Roome; yet forasmuch as thou hast been pleased to command in thy holy Law, that we should put the Remembrance of thy Name upon places, and in every such place thou wilt come to us and bless us; we are here now assembled to put thy name upon this place, and the Memori­al of it, to make it thy house, to devote and dedicate it for ever un­to thee, utterly separa­ting it from all world­ly uses, and wholly and [Page 46]only consecrate it to the invocation of thy glorious Name, where­in supplications and in­tercessions may be made for all men; thy sacred Word may be read, preached and heard; the Holy Sacraments, (the Laver of Regene­ration, and the Com­memoration of the pretious death of thy dear Son) may be ad­ministred; thy Praise celebrated and sounded forth, thy people bles­sed by putting thy Name upon them; we (poor and miserable creatures as we are) be [Page 47]altogether unfit, and utterly unworthy to appoint any earthly thing to so great a God; And I the least of all thy servants, no wayes meet to appear before thee in so honourable a service, yet being thou hast oft heretofore been pleased to accept such poor of­ferings from sinful men, most humbly we be­seech thee, forgiving our manifold sins, and making us worthy by counting us so, to vouchsafe to be present here among us in this religious action, and what we sincerely offer [Page 48]graciously to accept at our hands, to receive the prayers of us and all others, who either now or hereafter entring in­to this place, by us hal­lowed, shall call upon thee; And give us all grace when we shall come into the house of God, we may look to our feet, knowing that the place we stand on is holy ground, bringing hither clean thoughts, & undefiled bodies, that we may wash both our hearts and hands in in­nocency, and so compass thine Altar.

O Lord God, who dwellest not in Temples made with hands (as saith the Pro­phet) yet hast ever vouchsafed to accept the devout endeavours of thy poor servants allotting special places for thy Divine Worship, promising, even there, to hear and grant their requests; I humbly be­seech thee to accept of [Page 50]this days duty and ser­vice of dedicating this Chappel to thy great and glorious Name; Fulfill, O Lord, I pray thee thy gracious pro­mises, that whatsoever prayer in this sacred place shall be made ac­cording to thy will, may be accepted by thy gra­cious favour, and retur­ned with their desir'd success to thy glory and our Comfort. Amen.

OUr Father, &c.

MOst blessed Savi­our, who by thy bodily presence at the Feast of Dedication didst honour and ap­prove such devout and religious services, as we have now in hand, be thou present also at this time with us, and con­secrate us into an Holy Temple unto thy self, that thou dwelling in our hearts by Faith, we may be cleansed from all carnal affections, and devoutly given to serve thee in all good works. Amen.

Let us pray the pray­er of King Solomon, w^ch he prayed in the day of the Dedication of his Temple; the first Tem­ple that ever was, 2 Chron. 6. ab initio vers. [Page 55]18. ad versum 42. quo finito ait,

THus prayed King Solomon, and the Lord appeared unto him, and answered and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place for my self, to be an house of Sacrifice, 2 Chron. 7.12.

Thus did God an­swer; We have prayed with Solomon, answer us, O Lord, and our prayer, as thou didst him and his. Behold the face of thine Anointed, even Christ our Savi­our, [Page 56]and for his sake grant our requests.

IN nomine Domini Amen. Cum strenuus vir Richardus Smith de Peertree in Comitatu Southampt. Armiger, pia & Religiosa Devo­tione [Page 57]ductus, Capellam hanc in quodam solo vasto vocato Ridgway-heath, juxta aedes suas commu­niter nuncupatas Peer­tree (infra Parodhiam Ecclesiae paroch. Beatae Mariae juxta villam Southampt. Dioceseos & jurisdectionis nostrae, continentem intra muros ejusdem in longitudine ab Oriente ad Occiden­tem 50 pedes & dimid. aut circiter; in latitu dine vero ab Aquilone ad Austrum 20 pedes & dimid. aut circiter, pro­priis [Page 58]sais sumptibus ae­dificaverit, erexerit, & construxerit; eandem­que Capellam Cancellis ligneis distinxerit; sa­cra Mensa decenter in­structa, Baptisterio, Pul­pito, sedibus convenien­tibus, tam infra super solum, quam supra in mo­dum Galeriae, Campana etiam alliisque necessariis ad divinum cultum suffi­cienter & decenter or­naverit; nobisque sup­plicaverit, tam suo no­mine quam aliorum inha­bitantium in villa de [Page 59]Weston, ac Hamlettis de Itchin, Ridgway, ac quorundam etiam inhabi­tantium in Manerio no­stro de Bitterne, de Pa­rochia praedicta, quatenus nos authoritate nostra or­dinaria & Episcopali pro nobis & successori­bus nostris dictam Ca­pellam ab usibus pristinis communibus & profanis quibuscunque separare, & in usus sacros & di­vinos consecrare, & de­dicare dignaremur.

Nos Lancelotus per­missione divina Win­ton. [Page 60] Episcopus, pio & re­ligioso tam ipsius quam aliorum in villa et Ham­lettis praedictis habitan­tium desiderio, in hac parte favorabiliter annu­entes, ad Consecrationem Capellae hujus de novo propriis sumptibus dicti strenui viri Richardi Smith, sic ut praefertur erectae et ornatae authori­tate nostra ordinaria et Episcopali procedentes, eandem Capellam ab om­ni communi et profano usu in perpetuum separa­mus, et soli divino cul­tui [Page 61]ac divinorum cele­brationi in perpetuum addicimus, dicamus, de­dicamus: Ac insuper eadem authoritate nostra ordinaria et Episco­pali, pro nobis et Succes­soribus nostris licentiam pariter et facultatem in Domino concedimus, ad rem divinam ibidem fa­ciendam, nempe Preces publicas, et sacram Ec­clesiae Litwrgiam reci­tandam, ad Verbum Dei sincere proponendum et praedicandum, Sacramen­ta Sacrae Eucharistiae et [Page 62]Baptismatis in eadem ministranda, Matrimo­nia solemnizanda, Mu­lieres post puerperium ad gratiarum actionem pub­licam recipiendas et ad­juvandas, Mortuos sepe­liendos, caeteraque quae­canque peragenda, quae in aliis Capellis licite fie­ri possunt et solent. Ac tam Presbytero in Capel­la praedicta deservituro preces divinas dicendi, coeteraque praemissa faci­endi, quam Domino Ric. Smith, et Familiae ejus, reliquisque in dictis locis [Page 63]habitantibus, preces di­vinas audiendi, coetera­que praemissa percipiendi, plenam in Domino po­testatem concedimus. E­andemque Capellam ad levamen (Anglice, a Chappel of Ease) sub dicta Ecclesia parochiali B. Mariae juxta villam Southamp. tanquam Ma­trice Ecclesia sua, quantum in nobis est, et de jure divino, Canonibus Ecclesiae et Statutis hujus Regni Angliae possumus, in honorem Dei et sacros inhabitantium usus, nunc [Page 64]et in futurum consecra­mus, per nomen Capellae JESU in Parochia sanctae Mariae juxta villam Southampt. et sic con­secratam fuisse, et esse, et in futuris perpetuis tem­poribus remanere debere, palam et publice pronun­clamus, decernimus, et declaramus; et per no­men Capellae JESU no­minamus et appellamus; et sic perpetuis futuris temporibus nominandam et appellandam fore de­cernimus: Privilegiis insuper omnibus et singu­lis [Page 65]in capte usitatis, et Ca­pellis ab antiquo funda­tis competentibus, Capel­lam hanc JESU praedi­ctam; ad omnem juris effectum munitam muni­tam et stabilitam esse vo­lumus; et quantum in no­bis est, et de jure divino possumus, fic munimus et stabilimus per praesentes; Absque praejudicio ta­men ullo, et salvo semper jure et interesse Ecclesiae Parochialis sanctae Ma­riae juxta villam South­ampton. tanquam Ma­tricis Ecclesiae; et Recto­ris, [Page 66]Guardianorum, alio­rumque Ministrorum e­jusdem pro tempore ex­istentium (in cujus Pa­rochiu dicta Capella JE­SU notorie sita & situata est) in omnibus & sin­gulis decimis, oblationi­bus, obventionibus, va­diis, feudis, proficuis, privilegiis, juribus et emolumentis quibuscun (que) ordinariis et extraordi­nariis eisdem respective debitis vel consuetis, ac infra praecinctum seu li­mites Capellae JESU prae­dictae orientibus et prove­nientibus, [Page 67]et ad dictam Ecclesiam Matricem sanctae Mariae, Rectori, Guardianis vel aliis Mi­nistris ejusdem de jure vel consuetudine quoquo modo spectantibus, vel pertinentibus; in tam amplis modo et forma, prout eisdem debebantur, aut solvi solebant, ante hanc nostram consecrati­onem hujus Capellae prae­dictae.

Proviso, quod praedi­ctus strenuus vir Rich. Smith, ac ejus haeredes et Assignati, aliique in [Page 68]dicta villa et Hamlet­tis, &c. habitantes, non solum dictam Capellam quoties opus fuerit, im­pensis suis propriis refi­cere et reparare, sed eti­am ad reparationes prae­dictae Matricis Ecclesiae sanctae Mariae juxta vil­lam Southampon. et Coemeterii ejusdem Ec­clesiae, ac adomnia alia onera, ad quae coeteri Pa­rochiani dictae Matricis Ecclefiae teneantur.

Proviso etiam, quod tam dictus strenuus vir Rich. Smith, haeredes et [Page 69]assiguati ejus, quam reli­qui omnes in dictis villis et Hamlettis, &c. habi­tantes, in signum subje­ctionis Capellae hujus sub Ecclesiae Matrice Beatae Mariae juxta Southamp. ac senioritatis ejusdem Ecclesiae supra dictam Capellam, singulis annis de tempore ad tempus ad Festum Paschatis, vel ad Festum Pentecostes, ad dictam Ecclesiam Matri­cem venire, et in dicta Matrice Ecclesia tantum, non in dicta Capella, (si tuto ad Ecclesiam Parc­chialem [Page 70]venire possint) Preces audire, et Sacra­mentum Eucharistiae ibi­dem percipere; vel si tempestate aut alio impe­dimento detineantur, quo minus tunc venire possint, tum die Dominico, quo tuto venire possunt, sub­sequente, venire et Eu­charistiam accipere om­nino teneantur, absque speciali Licentia nostra, sen Vicarii nostri gene­ralis in hac parte ob­tenta.

Proviso etiam quod in dicta Capella Sacramen­tum [Page 71]Baptismatis non mi­nistretur, nec Matrimo­nia solemnizentur, neque Verbum Dei praedicetur, neque Saecramenta vel Sacramentalia aliquibus profanis conferantur, praeterquam solis inhabi­tantibus seu degentibus in villa, Hamlettis, &c. praedict. nec etiam reli­quis dictae Matricis Ec­clesiae Parochianis in Oc­cidentali parte ripae in­habitantibus, inscio vel invito Rectore Ecclesiae Matricis sanctae Mariae juxta villam Southamp. [Page 72]praedict. seu absque as­sensu, consensu et licentia ejusdem prius habita et obtenta.

Et ulterius dicto stre­nuo Richardo Smith, Haeredibus et Assignatis suis, liberam et plenam potestatem in Domino concedimus per praesen­tes, idoneum Presbyterum de tempore in tempus no­minandi ad deservien­dum, et divina officia in dicta Capella exequenda, a Nobis et Successoribus nostris de tempore in tempus approbandum, et [Page 73]licentiandum: Ac quo­dictus strenuus vir Rich. Smith, haeredes & assi­gnati sui, & reliqui in dictis villa & Hamlet­tis, &c. inhabitantes de tempore in tempus in fu­turum propriis suis sum­ptibus dictum Presbyterum sive Curatum in eadem Capella deserviemem, & authoritate nostra, vei successorum nostrorum ut praefertur approbatum & licentiatum, alent & sustinebunt, ac annuale stipendium viginti mar­carum ad minimum ei­eidem [Page 74]Presbytero vel Curato praestabunt, & solvent ad quatuor Festa; Nativitatis Christi; An­nuntiationas; Nativita­tis sancti Johannis Ba­ptistae; & sancti Mi­chaelis, per aequales por­tiones, sine ulla tamen di­minutione, vel defalca­tione juris Ecclesiastici, decimarum, oblationum, vel obventionum qua­rumcunque ad dictam Ecclesiam Parochialem sanctae Mariae, seu ad Rectorem ejus pro tem­pore existentem, quo modo [Page 75]de jure vel consuetudine spectantium seu pertinen­tium.

Et ulterius quod pro sepulturis in Capello prae­dicta, et in Choro seu na­vi ejusdem, omnibusque aliis in dicta Capella vel extra gerendis, vadia, quoad defunctos tam in domo dicti strenui viri Rich. Smith, Haeredum & Assignatorum suorune, quam in dicta villae, Hamlettis, &c. Rectori dictae Ecclesiae Matricis pro tempore existenti, et successoribus suis, et [Page 76]Guardianis respective, et Clerico, caeterisque Mi­nistris dictae Ecclesiae Parochialis debite sol­vantur, in tam amplis modo et forma, prout pro sepalturis in Choro seu intra Cancellos, seu etiam in navi dictae Ecclesiae Matricis, solvi consue­tum fuit, et prout solvi solet et deberet, si perso­nae praedictae intra Can­cellos seu navim dictae Matricis Ecclesiae sepul­tae fuissent.

Quod si autem ali­quando defuerit in dicta [Page 77]Capella Presbyter, Cu­ratus legitime per nos aut successores nostros licen­tiatus et approbatus, tune praedictus strenuus vir Rich. Smith, Haeredes et assignati sui ac reliqui in dicta villa, et Ham­lettis, &c. inhabitantes, ad Matricem Ecclesiam convenire, aut ibidem precibus interesse tenean­tur, prout ante solebant, donec dicta Capella de legitimo Curato, ad ibi­dem divina celebrandae idonee provideatur et i­dem admittatur. Quod si [Page 78]autem aliquo tempore in posterum, quod Deus a­vertat, per continuos sex menses per culpam aut negligentiam Parochia­norum defuerit idoneus Curatus in dicta Capella, qui ibidem divina cele­bret, aut si Curatus sit qui per sex menses con­tinuos non celebret, tunc nobis et successoribus no­stris potestatem reserva­mus pro ea vice tantum, idoneum Curatum, ad dictam Capellam nomi­nandi, ad supplendam negligentiam dictorum [Page 79]Rich. Smith, Haeredum & Assignatorum suorum. Quod si autem dicta Ca­pella decenter non fuerit reparata vel instructa Li­bris, aliisque ad cultum divinum necessariis per tempus praedictum (nisi ex legitima in ea parte causa per Episcopum ap­probanda hoc contigerit) tunc in perpetuum post di­ctos sex Menses continu­os sic elapsos, teneantur omnes infra praecinctum, seu limites dictae Capellae inhabitantes ad Matri­cem Ecclesiam convenire, [Page 80]pro divinis, audiendis, prout ante hanc nostram consecrationem teneban­tur; aliqua in hac conces­sione seu consecratione nostra in contrarium non obstante, ac perinde ac si haec concessio seu conse­cratio facta nunquam fu­isset.

Postremo reservamus nobis & successoribus no­stris, Episcopis Winton. potestatem visitandi di­ctam Capellam, prout a­lias Capellas infra no­stram Diocesin situatas, communiter nuncupatas [Page 81]peculiares, ut nobis eis­que constet, an decenter in reparationibus aliisque conservetur, & an omnia ibidem decenter & se­cundum ordinem fiant. Quae omnia et singula sic reservamus; quoad coe­tera vero praemiss a quate­nus in nobis est, et de jure possumus, pro nobis et successoribus nostris de­cernimus et stabilimus per praesentes.

BLessed be thy name O Lord God, for that it pleased thee to have thy Habitation a­mong the Sons of Men: and to dwell in the midst of the Assembly of thy Saints upon earth; Bless we beseech thee this days action unto thy people, prosper thou the work of our hands unto us, yea prosper thou our handy work.

ALmighty God our Heavenly Fa­ther, &c.

OUr Father, &c.

O Lord our Heavenly Father, &c.

GLory be to God on high, &c.

BLessed be thy name O Lord, that it hath pleased thee to put into the heart of this thy servant to erect an house to thy worship and service, by whose pains, Care & Cost, this work was begun and finish'd. Bless (O Lord) his substance and ac­cept the work of his hands: Remember him O our God concerning this, wipe not out this kindnes of his that he hath shew'd for the house of his God; and [Page 87]the offices thereof, and make them truly thank­ful to thee, that shall en­joy the Benefit thereof, and the ease of it; and what is by him well in­tended, make them rightly to use it, which well be the best fruit and to God most acceptable.

THe peace of God which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and Minds in the Knowledg and Love of God, and of his [Page 88]Son Jesus Christ our Lord: and the Blessing of God Almighty, the Fa­ther, the Son, and the Holy Ghost be amongst you, and remain with you alwayes. Amen.

Captain Smith, for what have you called us hither again?

O Lord God thou hast been pleased to teach us in thy holy Word, as to put a diffe­rence between the soul of a Beast, and the spirit [Page 97]of a Man; for the soul of a Beast goes down to to the earth from whence it came, and the spirit of man returneth unto God that gave it; so to make diverse ac­compts of the Bodies of Mankind and the Bodies of other living Crea­tures; in so much as the Body of Adam was re­solved on, and was af­terwards the workman­ship of thine own hands, and endued with a soul from thine own breath: But much more since the second Adam, thy blessed Son, by taking upon him our nature, ex­alted [Page 98]this flesh of ours to be flesh of his flesh, whose flesh thou sufferedst not to see Corruption; so that the Body returns to the earth, and the soul to him that gave it. It shall from thence return again, it is but a rest, and a rest in hope (as saith the Psalmist) for it is a righteous thing with God that the Body which was partaker with the soul both in doing and suffering, should be rais'd again from the Earth to be partaker al­so with the soul of the reward, or punishment which God in Mercy or [Page 99]Iustice shall reward, not to one of them alone, but jointly to them both.

There being then so great difference, it is not thy will, ô Lord, that our Bodies should be cast out as the Bodies of Beasts to become dung for the earth, or our bones lye scatter'd abroad to the sight of the sun; But when thy servants are gathered to their Fa­thers, their Bodies should be decently and seemly laid up in the bo­som of the Earth from whence they were taken.

Neither is it thy plea­sure, ô Lord, that they [Page 100]should be buryed as an Asse in the open fields but in a place chosen and set apart for that purpose.

For even so from the Begining we find that the holy Patriarchs Abraham (the Father of the faithfull) would not bury his dead in the common fields; nay nor amongst the Bodys of the Hethites who were heathen men, but pur­chased a buriall-place for himself in the plain of Mamre which became as it were the Church-Yard of the Patriarchs, therein they laid the [Page 101]dead bodies of Sarah his Wife, of himself, his son Isaac, and Rebeccae his wife; after them Ja­cob and Leah were buri­ed there.

After this manner did the Patriarchs in old time, who trusted in God, sever themselves places for Burial: whose children we are so long as we do their works, and walk in the steps of their most holy Faith.

Ensuing then the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham, we for the same purpose have made choice of the very same place, wherein we [Page 102]now are; that it may be as the Cave of Mam­re, even Gods store­house for the bodies of such our Brethren and Sisters to be laid up in, as he shall ordein there to be interr'd; there to rest in the sleep of peace till the last Trump shall awake them; for they shall awake and rise up that sleep in the dust; for thy dew shall be as the dew of hearbs, and the earth shall yield forth her dead.

We beseech thee good Lord to accept this work of ours in shewing mer­cy to the dead; and [Page 103]mercifully grant, that they whose bodies shall be here bestowed, and we all, may never for­get the day of putting off the Tabernacle of this flesh, but that living we may think upon death, and dying we may apprehend life; and rising from the death of Sin to the life of Righ­teousness, which is the first rising of Grace, we may have our parts in the second, which is the rising to glory by thy Mercy, O most gracious Lord God, who doest live and govern all things, world without end.

IN DEI Nomine. Amen. Nos Lance­lotus permissione divina Winton. Episcopus hunc locum jacentem in vasto solo vulgo nuncupatum Ridgway-heath, infra Parochiam Ecclesiae paro­chialis sanctae Mariae, &c. & jam propriis sumpti­bus strenui viri Richardi Smith de Peertree Ar­migeri in circuitu Ca­pellae [Page 105]noviter ab co quoque propriis sumptibus suis constitutae, palis inclusum & arboribus consitum; continentem in longitu­dine 148 pedes, aut cir­citer, in latitudine 124 pedes, aut circiter, in to­to vero circuitu 435 pe­des aut circiter; a pristi­nis, aliisque quibuscunque communibus usibus & profanis in usus sacros se­parandum fore decerni­mus, & sic separamus; ac cundem inhabitantibus vel degentibus in familia Ric. Smith, in villa de [Page 106]Weston, Hamletti [...] de Itchin, Wolston, Ridg­way, & in parte Mane­rii de Bitterne, quae est de Parochia sanctae Ma­riae juxta Southampton. in Coemeterium sive lo­cum Sepulturae pro corpo­ribus inibi decedentium Christiano ritu humandis, quantum in nobis est, ac de jure & Canonibus Ec­clesiastic is, ac de statutis hujus Regni Angliae pos­sumus authoritate nostra ordinaria & Episcopali assignamus: ac per no­men Coemeterii Capellae [Page 107]JESU designamus, dedi­camus, & in usum prae­dictum consecramus: ac sic assignatum, dedicatum, & consecratum fuisse & esse & in futurum, per­petuis temporibus rema­nere debere palam ac publice declaramus; Ac Coemeterium Capellae JE­SU deinceps in perpetuum nuncupandum decerni­mus: Privilegiis insuper omnibus et singulis Coe­meteriis et locis sepulturae ab antiquo consecratis et dedicatis competent. Coe­meterium praedict [...]m sive [Page 108]locum sepulturae ad om­nem juris effectum muni­tum esse volumus, et quan­tum in nobis est et de jure possumus, sic munimus et stabilimus per praesentes.

Proviso tamen, quod praedict. Richardus, Hae­redes et Assignati sui, ac reliqui in dicta villa, Hamlettis, etc. inhabitan­tes, propriis suis sumpti­bus dictum Coemeterium de tempore in tempus, in decenti sta [...]u conserva­bunt, et clausuras ejus quoties opus fuerit suffici­enter et convenienter re­parabunt. [Page 109]Salvis etiam et omnino reservatis Rectori Ecclesiae Parochialis san­ctae Mariae praedictae, ac Guardianis aliisque Mi­nistris dictae Ecclesiae protempore existentibus in perpetuum, omnibus et singulis oblationibus, mor­tuariis, Feudis et vadiis, pro omnibus et singulis se­pulturis Mortuorum in hoc Coemeterio; aut ratio­ne eorundem de jure, sive consuetudine debitis, et in tam amplis modo et for­ma, ac si personae praedictae sepultae fuissent in Coeme­terio [Page 110]Matricis Ecclesiae praedictae. Quas quidem oblationes et mortuaria, feuda et vadia omnia et singula sic de jure ac con­suetudine debita Rectori, Guardianis et Ministris dictae Matricis Ecclesiae pro tempore existentibus in perpetuum solvendi, quantum in nobis est, et jura patiuntur, reserva­mus per praesentes: salva item nobis et successoribus nostris, tanquam loci Or­dinariis, potestate visi­tandi dictum Coemeterium de tempore in tempus, et [Page 111]inquirendi an sufficienter reparatum fuerit in clau­suris; et an omniae ibi decenter et secundum or­dinem fiant; et, si minus fiant, per censur as Eccle­siastic as corrigendi.

LOrd God of Abra­ham, Isaac and Ja­cob, who because thou art the God, not of the dead, but of the Living, shewest hereby that they are living and not dead, and that with thee do live the spirits of all [Page 112]them that dye in the Lord, and in whom the Souls of them that are Elect, after they be de­livered from the burden of this flesh, be in joy and felicity; Thou hast said thou wilt turn men into small dust, and after that wilt say, Return again you Children of men: Thou art the God of Truth, and hast said it; thou art the God of power and might, and wilt do it; by that pow­er whereby thou art a­ble to subdue all things unto thy self, and bring to pass whatsoever plea­seth thee in Heaven and [Page 113]Earth, with whom no­thing is impossible.

Lord Jesu Christ, who art the Resurrection and the Life, in whom if we believe, though we be dead yet shall we live; who by thy death hast overcome death, and by thy r [...]sing again hast opened to us the Gate of everlasting life, who shalt send thine Angels and gather the bodies of thine Elect from all the Ends of the Earth, and especially those who by a mysti­cal union are flesh of thy flesh, and in whose hearts thou hast dwelt [Page 114]by Faith; We humbly beseech thee for them, whose bodies shall in this place be gathered to their Fathers, that they may rest in this hope of Resurrection to eternal life through thee, O blessed Lord God, who shalt change their vile bodies, that they may be like thy Glorious bo­dy according to the mighty working where­by thou art able to bring all things, even death and all into sub­jection to thy self.

Holy and blessed Spi­rit, the Lord and giver of life, whose Temples [Page 115]the bodies of thy Ser­vants are, by thy sancti­fying Grace dwelling in them; we verily trust that their bodies that have been thy Temples, and those hearts in which Christ hath dwelt by Faith, shall not ever dwell in corruption, but that as by thy sending forth thy Breath at first we received our being, Motion, and Life in the beginning of the Crea­tion, so at the last by the same Spirit sending forth the same breath in the end of the Con­summation, Life, Being and Moving shall be re­stored [Page 116]us again; so that after our dissolution, as thou didst shew thy ho­ly Prophet, the dry bones shall come toge­ther again, Bone to his Bone, and Sinews and Flesh shall come upon them, and thou shalt cause thy Breath to en­ter into them, and we shall live; and this Cor­ruption shall put on In­corruption, and this Mortal shall put on Im­mortality.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, accept, san­ctify and bless this place to that end whereunto [Page 117]according to thine own Ordinance we have or­dain'd it, even to bestow the Bodies of thy Ser­vants in, till, the number of thine Elect being ac­complished, they with us, and we with them, and with all other de­parted in the true Faith of thy Holy Name, shall have our consummation and Bliss both in Body and Soul in thy eternal and everlasting glory.

Blessed Saviour, that didst for this end dye and rise again, that thou mightest be Lord both of the Living and the Dead, whether we live [Page 118]or die thou art our Lord, and we are thine; living or dying we com­mend our selves unto thee, have mercy upon us, and keep us thine for evermore.