ncellor gave him xxs., but he in effect did the reverse of helping
him. On reaching the outskirts of the town, "many parsons and vicars
among" the rebels cried "kill him!" whereat William Hutchinson and
William Balderstone, of Horncastle, "pulled him viantly of his horse,
kneling upon him, and with their staves slew him." The Vicar of Thornton
gave xvs. to the rebels. The Vicar of Horncastle, at that time John
Haveringham, seems to have avoided being mixed up with this movement, as
many of his brethren were. The whole affair barely lasted a week, and it
does not appear that the church plate suffered. The King issued a
proclamation from Richmond, 2 December following, that he pardoned all
except the wretches in ward at Lincoln, T. Kendal the Vicar of Louth, and
William Leche of Horncastle.

For a final notice of old records connected with the church, we may
mention a matter of less importance, but one which we can hardly realise,
in these days of religious liberty, when everyone is "a law unto himself"
in matters of faith, and even largely in practice. The parish book of
the adjoining Thimbleby, which is in the soke of Horncastle, shews that,
as late as the year 1820, the parish officials ordered all paupers, in
receipt of parish relief, to attend the church services, on pain of
forfeiting the aid granted; and cases are named where the payment was
stopped until the offender had given satisfaction. The State Papers
Domestic of 1634 show that, at Horncastle, there was a like strictness.
Luke Burton of this town was fined 1s. for being "absent from divine
service," and again a like sum as "absent from prayers." Even "a
stranger, a tobacco man," was fined 1s. for the same offence; and 3s. 4d.
for "tippling in time of divine service." John Berry, butcher, was fined
1s. "for swearing." Simon Lawrence, for selling ale contrary to law, was
fined 20s.; the same "for permitting tippling, 20s.;" while for "selling
ale without a licence," William Grantham and Margaret Wells were
"punished upon their bodies." (State Papers Domestic, vol. 272, No. 23,
Chas. I.)

[Picture: Ancient Scythes in St. Mary's Church]

RECTORS AND VICARS.

We here give a list of these as compiled by Canon J. Clare Hudson, in his
1st volume of the _Horncastle Parish Register Book_, 1892.

A.D. RECTORS.

1236-7 Geoffrey de Leueknor by the Bishop of Carlisle
(admitted on con