with such unreasonable charge as he demanded of them 10. He hath Cited several of his Parishioners into the Spiritual Courts for pretended Crimes because he could not have his unjust demands of them and when he hath so cited them hath taken sumes of money of them to excuse them being prosecuted in the said Court 11. That having let a Lease of his Tithes to one Mr. Wood for a certain Rent Wood by vertue of that Lease received Tithes of the Parishioners and paid him his Rent after which he sued the Parishioners over again for the same Tithes and forced them for quietness to pay him declaring the only way to be quiet was to pay both Wood and Him 12. Several poor People having in the time of the late dreadful Sickness buried their relations in the Woods the said Doctor in the time of their necessity was so far from extending his Charity towards their relief that he forced them to pay unreasonable Fees for their Burials as if they had been buried by him in the Church-yard those that would not comply with him he sued and extorted great sumes of money from them for his Charges as well as Duties before he would clear his Prosecution 13. He denied to receive his Tithes in kind of several of his Parishioners though duly tendered to him and he desired to accept of them demands of them what moneys he pleases in liew thereof And if they do not pay what he demands he sues them at Law and if they agree and pay for one two three four five or six years at the rate compounded for then at the six years end he demands of them the arrears of Tithes pretending the Tithes to be of greater yearly value then what he compounded for and if the People will not pay what he demands above his composition-money paid for these years past then he sues them till they by frights and being put to unreasonable trouble and charge were enforced to give him what he demanded rather then be undone by contending with him that being the lesser evil of the too by him put to their choice 14. Here by this violent Persecution of diverse poor men hath forced them to leave their Wives and Children and seek shelter in remote places to the utter ruine of their Families 15. He demands of the poor Inhabitants the tenth Penny got by their day labour and threatnes to compel them to bring their Milk into the Church-Porch to sell and there deliver him his tenth from some he hath extorted great sums of money on pretence that he had been at Law with them seven years whereas they were never served with any Process others he hath served with Process after they had newly paid him his demands to put them to further vexation and charge One Process which he had taken out against a man he altered it and made another man pay the charges as if it had been originally made out against him 16. He frequently extorts great Sums of Money from his Parishioners for Marrying out of the Parish and those that refuse to pay him what he demands for that Offence he refuses to receive their Tythes and then sues them for their Tythes and that together 17. Such persons as refuse to pay the said Doctor his unjust Demands he will not suffer the Clerk to receive his just Dues threatning to sue both for his Money and Clerk's Dues when as both hath been tendred and might have been received without any Suit 18. He hath arrested several on pretended great Actions and thereby kept them in Prison and yet on the Tryal could prove nothing against them to the utter ruine of these poor People imprisoned and hath forced several persons to pay him five pounds where his due is but twelve pence By these and the like Extortions he makes his Living above 250 l. per annum which never was worth to any his Predecessors above 60 l. and enricheth himself by the ruines of his Parishioners especially the poorer sort that live on the Common whom he endeavours to enslave because they are not able to contend with him at Law That Petition and Articles were read The Kings most excellent Majesty his Royal Highness the Duke of York and eighteen more of his Majesties most Honourable Privy-Council were present and the Order following was made At the Court at VVhitehall the 21 March 1672. Present The King 's most Excellent Majesty His Royal Highness the Duke of York Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Duke of Lauderdale Duke of Ormond Earl of Bridgwater Earl of Northampton Earl of Anglesey Earl of Carlisle Earl of Arlington Earl of Bathe Earl of Craven Lord Viscount Falconbridge Lord Newport Lord Berkley Mr. Secretary Coventry Mr. Chancellor of the Dutchy Master of the Ordnance Sir Thomas Osborne THe Inhabitants of the Town of Croydon in the County of Surrey by their Petition this day read at the Board humbly complaining of the many Oppressions Extortions violent and unwarrantable Proceedings of Dr. William Clewer Vicar of the said Parish of Croydon against the Petitioners under pretence of recovering his Tythes insomuch that in a short time if Relief be not given most of the Petitioners will be forced to leave their Dwellings or be inevitably ruined as some of them with their Families have already been It was thereupon Ordered by his Majesty in Council That the Petitioners do forthwith deliver in to the Clerk of the Council attending the Particulars wherewith they intend to charge the said Dr. Clewer to the end he may have a Copy thereof timely enough to come prepared to make his Defence thereunto on Friday the 4th of April next which time his Majesty hath appointed to hear the said Complaints and doth command that all Parties concern'd do then give their attendance John Nicholas According to this Order a short Paper was delivered in to the Clerk of the Council whereby the Parishioners declared they would insist upon Oppression Extortion common Barretry Subornation of Perjury Forgery Felony and some more such like petty Crimes of his Doctorship But before the Cause came to be heard the Act of Grace came out and Barretry a thing never pardoned by any former Act of Grace was pardoned thereby The fourth of April 1673. his Majesty was graciously pleased to come early to the Council and together with his Royal Highness and twenty more of the Lords of the Privy Council sate with unspeakable Patience heard the Charge against the said Doctor made good which was done by the Oaths of several persons in every particular mentioned in the said Articles and many others if possible more wicked and hainous than the former was proved against him 1. As first he being one of the Trustees for the Alms-houses in Croydon would not suffer Almes-men to be admitted till he had forced them to promise to allow him one half of the profits of the said Alms-houses and took Bond for the same which done he admitted them and would have turned one Edward
Humfry out of his Alms-house when he could no longer afford to pay him four shillings a month according to the said Bond which Humfry is now turnd out by the said Doctor 2. That when at the Sacrament money hath been collected for the Poor he took a third part of it to his own use saying None was poorer than the Vicar and kept it which hath since prevented mens Charity 3. That he sent for a man from London pretending he would pay him some money which he owed his Father who was dead the poor man came to Croydon to his house and was made welcome and had good meat and drink after which he was carried by the Doctor into the Garden made eat Fruit which done he sent him away without a penny of money but that was not all for soon after he arrested the poor man in an Action of Trespass of two or three hundred pounds dammage for coming into his ground kept him a Prisoner till he was forced to seal him a general Release and so cheated him of his Debt which was about thirty pound and grew due to his Father Mr. Preston as aforesaid for officiating as Curate for him at Ashton in Northamptonshire 4. They proved that the Doctor had two special Bayliffs that do all his business one of them hath been burnt in the hand the other a vile Rogue as is in the Country these Arrest his Parishioners then bringing them to his house there they are kept Prisoners till he force them to agree to what he pleaseth which done he draws them into Judgments instead of pretended Notes and these are they whom he useth together with a most excellent Gentlewoman Mrs. Reams 's Daughter in law who went there by the name of Mrs. Clewer who by the report of the whole Country and People at Westminster had a Child before her Marriage lay in at Westminster and the Doctor was much with her and she went for his Wife though her Mother was then alive now lives in the Doctors house wholly governs him to say no worse makes him oppress the People as she pleaseth and is his constant Witness to all his Agreements 5. They proved that when the Doctor hath gone into the Pulpit to Preach he hath dropt bundles of Writs out of his Pockets taken out against his Parishioners and being taken up and perused have been found to be raz'd in the Dates and in the Names and new Dates and new Names put into them which was a frequent thing with him he making twenty Warrants out against twenty Persons upon one single Writ and making each person pay seven shillings six pence for charges when the Writ cost him not above three shillings so that he got above seven pound by a Writ and made a property of his Majesties Court of Exchequer to the enriching himself and impoverishing his Parishioners And after when he should have been Preaching on Sundayes did use to ride to London to follow Suits against his Parishioners leaving them without any one to Preach or read Prayers for them 6. That he sent for the Parishioners to come to his house to pay their Tithes and when they had so done frequently Arrested some of them in Actions of Trespass for coming upon his ground thereby putting them to great charge and ruined some of them 7. That he hired a Carrier to bring his goods to London which was done and in London an old Desk was stole out of the Carriers Warehouse by his letting his goods lie there three weeks after brought up but the man that stole it was catcht the Desk brought back to the Inn was opened not knowing whose it was and there was only in it a pair of Slippers and one old Law Book The Doctor arrests the Carrier declares against him for 190 l. pretended to be in the said Desk The Carrier telling his Landlord thereof he produced the said Desk with the things aforesaid in it so that Suit ceased 8. He hath caused the Gentry to leave the Town to the Ruine thereof spoiled the School so that no Gentlemens Sons come at it He hath caused Lands and Houses to fall in their Rents brought down the Price of them in their Sale above three years Purchase makes Tenants that they will take no Lease unless Landlords will Covenant to secure them against him which they dare not do and so the Houses and Lands stand empty and lie waste And he hath forced the Parishioners to leave their Parish-Church and to keep from receiving the Sacrament insomuch that there are not above ten or twelve in the Parish besides Almspeople who are obliged that will come to the Church or Sacrament but if a stranger at any time do Preach there comes at least six seven or eight hundred Lastly That the said Doctor endeavoured to part Husbands from their Wives raising false Stories of them offered himself to sue out Divorces And many more Crimes of this nature These matters and also the aforesaid Articles being clearly proved the said Doctor only for defence offered that the Parishioners would pay him no Tithes thereupon was forced to Sue them for his Dues and pray'd time to make defence Whereupon the Order following was made At Whitehall the fourth of April 1673. Present The King 's most Excellent Majesty His Royal Highness the Duke of York His Highness Prince Rupert Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Duke of Lauderdale Duke of Ormond Marquess of Worcester Earl of Ogle Earl of Ossory Lord Great-Chamberlain Earl of Bridgwater Earl of Northampton Earl of Anglesey Earl of Carlisle Earl of Craven Earl of Arlington Earl of Carbury Viscount Hallifax Mr. Secretary Coventry Mr. Chancellor of the Dutchy Master of the Ordnance HIS Majesty having this day heard at large the complaints of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Croydon in Surrey against Doctor Clewer Vicar of that Place concerning several exorbitant Courses by him practised for recovery of his Tithes was pleased to refer the whole matter to his Grace the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and to the Earle of Shaftsbury Lord High Chancellor of England who requiring the said Doctor and some of the principal persons of the said Parish to attend them are to endeavour to settle the business for the future quiet of the Parishioners and that there may be a constant maintenance for the Vicar there which if their Lordships shall not be able to effect they are to return their Opinion and Advice to his Majesty what they conceive fit to be done therein John Nicholas With this Order his Grace the Lord Arch Bishop of Canterbury and the Right Honourable the Lord High Chancellor of England being attended they were pleased to appoint a day in May last past when both parties with their Witnesses should attend their Lordships at Lambeth-House where the matters aforesaid were made manifest As also That the said Doctor Clewer was a notorious and common Theif that used to come into Booksellers Shops and steal Books and carry them away
had come thither Hereupâ—n the Parishioners of Croyden once again most humbly Petitioned his Majestie in Council and annexed their Proposals aforesaid shewing how inevitably they must be ruined if he were continued and prayed his Removal Whereupon the 28 of May 1673 It was ordered as followeth At the Court at Whitehall 28 of May 1673. Present The Kings most Excellent Majesty His Royal Highness the Duke of York Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Lord Privy-Seal Duke of Lauderdail Earle of Ogle Earle of Bridgwater Earle of Bath Earle of Carlisle Earle of Arlington Earle of Craven Earle of Carbury Viscount of Hallifax Lord Maynard Lord Newport Lord Holles Mr. Vice-Chamberlain Mr. Secretary Coventry Mr. Chancellor of the Excheq Mr. Chancellor of the Dutchy Mr. of the Ordnance Sr. Thomas Osburn Mr. Speaker VVHereas upon hearing the Complaints of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Croyden in the County of Surrey against Dr. Clewer Vicar of that Place concerning several exorbitant courses by him practised for recovery of his Tithes it was the 4 of April last referred to his Grace the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the Lord High-Chancellor of England to endeavour to settle the Business for the future quiet of the Parishioners and that there may be a constant Maintenance for the Vicar there And the said Inhabitants by their Humble Petition this day read at the Board Praying his Majesty to receive a Report from the Lords References of their Proceedings therein and to suspend the said Doctor and give the Petitioners leave to proceed at Law against him or otherwise to relieve them it was thereupon Ordered by his Majesty in Council that it be again referred to his Grace the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the Right Honourable the Lord High Chancellor of England who calling all Parties before them are to endeavour to compose and settle the said Business according to the Proposals made by the said Inhabitants of Croyden but if they cannot effect the same then it is Ordered that the said matter in difference be heard at this Board on Wednesday the 11th of June next at which time all Parties concerned are to give their attendance Edward Walker Before the time for this Hearing came unluckily it fell out that Dr. Clewer having taken a little too much of the Creature in London being upon his Journey home just as God would please to have it to shew what he deserved against the Gallows near Newington-Butts his Horse threw him or he fell off from his Horse broke his Leg in three pieces and put his Shoulder out there he lay and none would help him the people thereabouts knowing him so well that one cried There lies the Vicar of Croydon with his Leg broke I would to God he had broken his neck the Church would then be no more scandalized by such a Rogue nor the poor People tormented Others wished more severe things which savoured not of Christianity therefore we will not mention them but certain it is no one would help to remove him till they were paid before-hand because he is counted so great a Knave that none would trust him nor would a Coach-man take him up to carry him to Dr. Welden's house the Parson of Newington before he had ten shillings in hand which is not half a Mile And when he was at Doctor Welden's house he sent for one Doctor Thorland the Bone-setter from London who found him in a very ill condition but very glad he saw him at all for it happened about twenty years since an accident of the same nature befel him in Northamptonshire of which the said Doctor Thorland cured him but to this day was never paid for it Nevertheless the good man as became a Christian pitied the Doctor and seeing his misery applied himself to his Cure and effected the same in about three months when he demanded for his pains in this and the former Cure fifty pounds but the Doctor would not pay him upon which he arrested him thereupon he pleaded himself his Majesties Chaplain shewed a Certificate of his being sworn in that capacity and so got off without paying for his Cure And as unworthily he served Doctor Welden in whose house he so long lay sick to the great trouble and disorder of his Family prejudice and spoyling of his Goods By this means the Cause could not come to a Hearing as by the Order of 28th May 1673 was directed But during this the Doctors sickness he was several times sent unto by his Grace of Canterbury and the Lord Chancellor to know if he would resigne he declared that he would so soon as there were indifferent Persons nominated to Arbitrate the Difference between him and his Parishioners concerning arrears of Tithes Thereupon his Parishioners presented the Petition annexed and had the Order of Reference under-written made thereupon To his Grace the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the Right Honorable the Lord high Chancellor of England The Humble Petition of the Inhabitants of Croydon Humbly Sheweth THAT your Petitioners most thankfully acknowledge your Lordships great Favour in giving them hopes of the removal of Doctor Clewer their Vicar and placing amongst them Mr. Hescott who hath been two Sundayes with them and Preached and the whole Parish in general satisfied with him and are ready to make good their former Proposals under their hands for making a settled maintenance of one hundred and sixty pounds per ann to be secured and paid in such manner as therein was proposed Sunday the 22 day of June instant the Church Doores were shut up there being no Person to Preach or read Prayers which was a great discouragement to the Parish That Doctor Clewer who as your Petitioners are informed had resigned his Vicarage or promised on Friday last was seven night so to have done doth now refuse to make such surrender until by your Lordships two Gentlemen be nominated and appointed to arbitrate the matter in difference between him and some of the Parishioners concerning his Tithes in arrears to which your Petitioners readily consent That by the Order of his Majesty and Council upon the last Petition presented by your Petitioners it was referred to your Lordships to end this business if you could or otherwise the Cause upon the said Petition to have been heard at that Board the 11th of June last past That your Petitioners have none to Preach to them or Christen Marry or Bury Mr. Hescott being gone into the Country The Premises considered they most humbly implore your Lordships Favour to nominate and appoint under your Hands two Persons to arbitrate the difference aforesaid and desire them to meet and end the same and that Doctor Clewer may give his final determination whether he will surrender or not and the Cause thereupon to be set down to be heard in Council and in the mean time that you will be pleased to appoint some good man to Preach amongst them And as in Duty bound they shall Pray