Reproduced from
DRYPOOL -
Being a History of the Ancient
Parish of Drypool cum Southcoates
by M. Edward Ingram (1959)
by M. Edward Ingram (1959)
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In 1603, the plague paid one of its periodic visits to the district. Two deaths can be attributed to this at Sculcoates, but at Drypool it took a heavier toll. The first death a peste is that of John Robson, who was buried 25th July. Throughout the warm month of August the number rose to thirteen. Death laid its merciless hand particularly on the family of Alexander Medcalfe, four members of which perished during the fatal month. The same Alexander, in his will, left ten shillings to the "poore of drypoll," and this was handed over by his brother Edward to the churchwardens on 6th May, 1604. A fortnight later, a further note gives the distribution of this small legacy. "First to widdow Jeggar 12d." Stephen Stoker and William Harrison received a similar amount. 2/6 was given to " James Bell, his wife and children," a similar sum to Thomas Wood, and the remaining two shillings to WilIiam Cowley. In 1606, George Cockerrill died. His will, dated 1st May, 1606, is that of a typical Elizabethan parson. The preamble is picturesquelly phrased, and his bequests illustrate the tremendous concern for the poor felt by many Elizabethan parsons. " I doe bequeath my soule unto the hands of Allmighty God my Creator, whoe gave it And steadfast lie believinge that he will receive the same for his sonne Jesus Christ's sake, in whome he is well pleased, for he is the lambe of God which takes awaie my sinnes. Neither doe I acknowledge salvacon in any other for he loved me and gave himselfe for me. I doe committ my body to be buried in the churche or churchyard as it shall please my friendes, believinge that I shall in body rise againe out of the Earthe in the laste daie and I shal be covered again with my skyne and shall see God in my fleshe and I myselfe shall behold him, not with other eyes, but with |
From his small estate, Cockerrillleft two shillings to the poor of Drypool and also directed that his wife should" bestowe moste of my apparill uppon my poore frends which stande moste nede, excepte my best coate, gowne and Cloakes." His" dagger and knyfe" were left to his brother-in-law, Peter Wood, whilst Ann, daughter of John Smith, was to have a " brazen mortar." There are bequests in money of a shilling" beside wages" to his servant, "and to everie of the children of John Snaith and Robert Gall." The most treasured books from his library are left to his several friends-" Babbing ton uppon the Comandments" to John Sadler; to Stephen Shackles a book by " Gasper Loare " ; and to William Barbar, of Sculcoates, Baker's" Lectures in Englishe uppon the Crede." The residue of his property went to his wife, with the request that" if she dye a widdowe she will bestowe the goods which she leaveth uppon my frends which are most nedefull." A truly generous and compassionate will for a country parson, whose economic status does not appear to have improved as some of his contemporaries had done. At Sculcoates Cockerrill was succeeded by George Shawe, but there is no record of his being at Drypool until 1609. He remained there for ten years, during which time a daughter Anne was baptised, and another, Marie, was buried. In 1619, Shawe's successor enters the year of his institution in the Register, "Hic incipit Johannes Ware." Each year a transcript had to be sent up to York, and failure to do so in 1627 had resulted in a fine. To prevent this recurring Ware inscribes both registers, "It must alwaies be remembered that the Register be sent before Easter weeke." |
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