The only thing worth noting in the address to the reader is that he describes the sermons as "The Author's first in print after twenty seven years spent in Preaching, and suffering (in the time of the Prelacy) in almost all the courts of England."

I have given these long extracts from the Wedding Supper, the book itself being so scarce as to be practically unknown, and it is interesting to have Larkham's own account of his troubles, although they are evidently somewhat coloured.

He suddenly left London before the conclusion of his business about the Lamerton tithes, and set out for Tavistock, arriving there June 1st. In the Bodleian Tract the reason for this sudden journey is given thus. After recounting his journey to the North, long absence from Tavistock, their letter desiring him to return:

"He tells them he is better where he is, hath received neer about an hundred pounds for Preaching, desires them to weigh hist condition give over their sute and look out for another. This was done, they send him a dismission and write for a resignation of the Earle of Bedford's presentation that another might be procured. Upon receipt of this away comes Mr. Larkham again for Tavistock, comes from Ockhampton twelve long miles, the Lord's day in the morning, goes to Church, finds the doors shut, sends for a bar of iron and with the assistance of some others breaks them open."

This happened on the 1st June, when Larkham says; "5I had the doors of the Parish Church shut up against me by Hawksworth." (The churchwarden.) It is scarcely to be wondered at that the people of Tavistock should decline to acknowledge him after his long absence (nearly a year) and neglect of them. To return to the account in the Bodleian Tract: "For this he and some others were convented before a Justice of the Peace and bound over at the General Sessions." (the date of the Sessions must have been 8th or 9th of June, when Larkham says) "I departed from Exon sad and uncertaine of issue upon the shutting of the Parish Meeting upon me." He was "at Bristol on the eleventh June when I received of Ebthery 11 daies pay due to me £3 13 4, they being about to take ship" (the regiment probably with which he had been connected as chaplain in the North, was going to Ireland). "On 16th June when I was almost hopelesse, I was settled and confirmed in the place of publicke preachinge at Tavistocke by an order of the Committee for 5 Page 17, published Diary.

plundered Ministers." It is difficult to reconcile this statement with the next, that "in this week viz: September 28th. Justices sate by commission to examine witnesses upon articles exhibited unto the Committee Committee for plundered Ministers." That is, articles alleging various improprieties on his part. But before the last-mentioned date, the Assizes were held at Exeter, and the breaking open the church door "being a matter of some difficulty (he Larkham having his presentation unresigned) it was transmitted to the Assizes where he and his assistants were indicted for a riot." (Larkham speaks of it as "Row's riot.") "He entered a traverse and by the mediation of some friends that thought it only a misdemeanour, they were acquitted of the riot and came home again." . . . Larkham delivered "in the Assize week August 9th, 1652 to Mr. Hunt of Exeter" (a bookseller probably), "twenty copies of the Wedding Supper, in the quire." He was at home again by the 17th August, when he adds up the year's accounts finding that he had received £121 1s., i.e. £54 2s. 10d. more than the previous year.

He had "laid out at the Assizes £8 2s. 8d." about the riot. "It hath beene," he says, "a verie expensive yeare by reason of my long journey into Cumberland and back thence to London and greate charges in London and thence into Devon." He went again to Exeter for the Assizes in September, and notes subsequently, "I spent in the business of opening the steeple-house doore at Tavistock (besides what was contributed) £4 16s. 9d., also for 3 severall journeys to the Commissioners for sequestration sitting at Exon, £1 5s. 9d. November 18th, 1652, paid for 3 yeares tenths at one time, viz., 1649-50-51, et acq. £3 6s. 3d." These tenths were presumably paid to the Committee for Plundered Ministers, now that he was appointed by them.

His youngest, and apparently favourite daughter, Jane, was married 17th December, 1652, to Daniell, son of Mr. Edmond Condy, of Tavistock, a man of tolerable means, who kept a shop, perhaps a serge merchant or linen draper. Larkham gave his daughter £200 for wedding portion, besides an outfit costing £10 2s. 1d.

Though Larkham was again settled in Tavistock, the town was far from being peaceful and settled under his ministry. He introduced changes, "those "Protean shapes in which he made this poor church appear, which were enough to weary any but an Athenian spirit. First, the church must be

governed by pastor and elders, then it must have deacons too, as other churches had, then there must be a general meeting of the church, and all the officers must surrender up their power into the church's hands, then a dozen members must be chosen out, and they must go by themselves into a room in the nature of a jury, and then give in who fit to be continued, who dismissed, then all the power must return to the pastor. The seven men chosen, then sixteen, and though the Church had been five years with the ordinary covenant, he comes and says the church is broken up, and only those who will come to his house and satisfie him will be admitted to the new church." On this Nicholas Watts, one of the wealthiest men in the town, and many others, left him. Meanwhile the settlement of the Lamerton money was still going on. The 20th May Grills, Godbeare, and Pointer had written to the County Commissioners,8 we showed you our deeds and accounts last Summer and have not received any profitts since, we had an order from the Commission for Plundered Ministers to pay them the remaining profitts after Tavistock, etc."

On the 20th June (when he was, I suppose, in London, as it is in his own writing)

"The humble petition of Thomas Larkham showeth. . . . that the profitts since 1645 had been taken by Pointer, Stert of Curriton (Coryton), and Grills and God beare, although he only claims 501 for the last four years."

This claim was excessive; the estate was not confiscated until November, 1648, and Larkham had received one year's income-see report of Commissioners, 8th June, 1650. He tells the committee that

"Your order is slighted by the said Grills, Godbeare, and Pointer. . . and your petitioner desireth that the dishonesty and obstinacy of the said persons may be taken into consideration and some further course taken that both the Commonwealth and your petitioner may have what of right belongeth to them respectively, and that they be made to know what it is to contemn your power and, etc. "THOM. LARKHAM."

22nd June. Order thereon that as the reply of Grills, Godbeare, and Pointer is not satisfactory, they appear to pay the arrears, or in default be brought up in custody of the serjeant-at-arms.

July, 1652. Grills, etc., petition that they are men unfit

8 Record Office.

to travel, the youngest being more than 60, and one very ill. Beg that the accounts, etc., may be accepted and proved before some gentlemen near, etc.

21st July. The case referred to the County Commissioners who are to pay Larkham and the other minister their arrears, and that Larkham have liberty to take exception to their accounts. They are also "to certify why the sheafe of Lamerton was let at 75 when Glanvill compounded for it at 90li"

Larkham then petitions on 9th November (past 8th December.) He still calls himself sometime minister of Tavistock; not having received the money, "humbly prays that they may be taken into custody and there remain until they have performed your orders."

8th December. Order is made that the County Commissioners, in case of default, are to take the sheafe of Lamerton into their own possession.

Larkham writes under date 20th December, "In this nick of time I had good news from Haberdashers' Hall," where the committee sat.

But affairs were not yet settled. Pointer remonstrated against the order, having a lease for the land in July, 1649, for eleven years at 75li., and having held it four years to the content of the parishioners, begs to be confirmed therein for the rest of his lease, and again 17th June, when he says that he waited on the Commissioners of Devon at Exon, "with three witnesses, to prove that the land was formerly let for 60li., but the witnesses, etc., could not be heard (they being bound up for Mr. Larkham), and all the difference is for money which the feoffers detain in their hands for paying of ministers in Mr. Larkham's absence and for charges laid out, etc., and the Commissioners at Exon did tell your Petitioner that they had settled it. And if Mr. Larkham and the feoffers did agree your Petitioner might hold out his term of seven years yet to come. And Mr. Larkham said as much to your Petitioner within these few days himself." Begs them to consider that he "took it in most unsettled and worst of times, being about the death of the late King," to notice the two certificates annexed. This business being executed "against him of malice, as is evident, and may be made clearly manifest, which hath already cost your Petitioner 201i., besides riding above 500 miles, being 64 years of age," &c.

But the order is enforced 13th July, 1653, and on 5th August the County Commissioners write: "We have let Lamerton Sheafe at 90li. a year, its full value, but the ten

ants exceedingly complain of the trouble given them by Pointer, who claims the Sheafe by his lease, and threatens law, and so disturbs them that they will be unable to pay their rent." And after all this Larkham wrote a book on tithes, concluding with these words: "So, that by any means tythes as now payable of all sorts root and branch are by Authority to be taken away, in the judgement of T. L."

On the 1st June, 1653, Larkham writes: "I have been this year exceedingly persecuted by arrests, in the Committee for plundered ministers, by indictment for a supposed riot with divers of my brethren to the expense of at least 50li. in Charges." To the proceedings against him before the Committee for Plundered Ministers we shall refer farther on, when he was summoned before other Commissioners, where much of the evidence was repeated.

Larkham had, of course, followers and adherents in Tavistock, although he offended the wealthier and more educated men who were in power. Young Mr. Glanvill was, we have seen, the special object of his abuse, and he also speaks in his Diary most slightingly of Mr. Nicholas Rowe, one of the Commissioners appointed in 1650, and presumably a justice, and later on of Mr. Nicholas Watts, who though at first taken. with him, afterwards wrote against him.

He (Larkham) figured in two suits in the Tavistock Guildhall this year, 1654, one on "18th April about my son's son9 passed. Great abuse by Godbeare. Many passionate sinfull words spoken by me." And on "August 18th, 1654, there was a trial in the Court of Tavistock between Thomasin Smith and my grandchild, Thomas Larkham, for driving and beating her sow. It was God's pleasure, for ends best known. to His wisdom, to suffer me to be foiled in this action. With this fatherly whip beginneth the three and fiftieth year of mine age. But my hope is that His holy Majesty will bring good out of this action and all others, which mine unworthy walking have caused His fatherhood to lay upon me. But the deriding of Thy Church wanes, and worship by Eveleigh, the Steward at the Court, and others, O Lord, forget not."

This "deriding" must have been personal, as at this period the "Commonwealth" was at its zenith, and all England robed in sad colour. Neither can Tavistock have been specially inclined to Royalism. Had not Pym been returned to successive Parliaments as its Member, and George Hughes, a Puritan among Puritans, been its pastor?

On the 12th November Larkham recalls how "I left my

9 Thomas Larkham.