Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Obituary.
maintained to the last , for he was truly an honest man . This spirited election in 1768 terminated in favour of John Radcliffe , l- ' . sq . who continued an independent M . P . for this borough until his death , 17 X 3 . In December , 1794 , he lost his eldest son John , aged 4 8 ; and , in-.--ct . 1795 , this was followed by
the death of his second son Walter , aged 47 . By these strokes he felt heavily the hand of Providence almost to his last , but murmured not . The antiquary and the curious traveller have lost their guide through that sacred pile the abbey church ; the beauties of which he familiarly pointed outwithan
ac-, , curacy that at once described his wonderful mind and memory . With the late reverend and learned Dr . Browne Willis he was intimate , and also with the Rev . -Paul Wrighte The celebrated and ingenious Mr . Gough has noticed his intelligence in the second volume of his ' Sepulchral Monuments of Great
Britain . ' The late Rev . Peter Newcomb expressed his thanks for the Variety of information he had received when compiling his ' History of the Abbey , " accompanied with a copy pf that instructive and laborious work . His
veneration for the sacred particles deposited there often created disputes ; the monks could not have taken more care of tlje shrine of St , Alban than he did of the remains of good Duke Humphrey ; for he would not suffer , if he knew it , a thread pf his cloak to have been purloined ; and , 40 years ago ( as
he told some gentlemen who visited the abbey , in August , 1798 ) , he caused he wooden stall to be made which inclosed the Puke ' s remains . The following circumstance , known to the writer of this , was related by Mr . K . Some years ago , Kent suspected a gentleman , now deceased ( who never
passed the town without taking a view ° f the church ) , of having taken a piece of bone from this hallowed tomb ; and frequently mentioned his suspicion whenever the gentleman came again , which usually passed with a smile . But 'lieir last interview was , > Kent , I am come for the last time to look at
. your abbey . ' When in the vestry together , lie uers . on said , ' 1 am come on purpose { o deposit this piece of bone into that sacred place from which it was taken ; ^ , I could not depart easy with it in ^ y possession . ' At another time he
received , from an unknown hand , a piece of bone in a parcel , desiring him to take care and put it into Humphrey's tomb . Pie had not less veneration for the building itself ; and perhaps-there is not its equal in the kingdom , wherein the beauties of ancient architecture are so magnificently displayed , This
ancient edifice was his constant care , and engrossed his attention so much , that it would have given him great concern to have seen any part thereof despoiled by the crude architect of the present day . As a convivial and social companion , Mr . K ' s company was courted . The
society of College Youths , of which he was a member , he annually entertained with his favourite ditty called , ' the Old Courtier ;' whichalspwas annually called for at the mayor of St . Alban ' s feast , by the nobility and gentry , and received with a thunder pf applause . In his official station as parish-clerkit
, may not be presumption tp sayth . it in psalmody he was expelled by no one , and equalled by few , particularly in the old hundreth psalm . He had a voice strong and melodious , and was himselfa compleat masler of church music ; always
pleased to hear the congregation join . It has often been remarked , when country choristers came from a neighbpuring parish tp perfprm in the abbey , with instruments termed by him a bpx pf whistles , with which the cengregation could not join , he , on thpse occasions , gave out the psalm or anthem in this
way : ' Sing YE to the praise and glory of God . ' He was rarely absent from his desk ; and , though of late he laboured under much weakness , and was frequently confined during the week , ' he was always in the Spirit pn the Lprd ' s day . ' So wonderfully was he assisted in the churchthatnotwithstanding
, , , in the month of June , 1793 , he hada first stroke of the palsy , which he called a body blow , and much distorted his mouth , and occasioned him to stammer in conversation , in worship it coutd not be discerned . His last essay was on a public occasionMondaySept 10
, , . , that of . the consecration of a pair of colours presented to that spirited corps , the St . Alban ' s Volunteers , by the Hon . Miss Grimstpns , when he sang the twentieth psalm befpre one of the most respectable and largest congregations that ever assembled within those
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Obituary.
maintained to the last , for he was truly an honest man . This spirited election in 1768 terminated in favour of John Radcliffe , l- ' . sq . who continued an independent M . P . for this borough until his death , 17 X 3 . In December , 1794 , he lost his eldest son John , aged 4 8 ; and , in-.--ct . 1795 , this was followed by
the death of his second son Walter , aged 47 . By these strokes he felt heavily the hand of Providence almost to his last , but murmured not . The antiquary and the curious traveller have lost their guide through that sacred pile the abbey church ; the beauties of which he familiarly pointed outwithan
ac-, , curacy that at once described his wonderful mind and memory . With the late reverend and learned Dr . Browne Willis he was intimate , and also with the Rev . -Paul Wrighte The celebrated and ingenious Mr . Gough has noticed his intelligence in the second volume of his ' Sepulchral Monuments of Great
Britain . ' The late Rev . Peter Newcomb expressed his thanks for the Variety of information he had received when compiling his ' History of the Abbey , " accompanied with a copy pf that instructive and laborious work . His
veneration for the sacred particles deposited there often created disputes ; the monks could not have taken more care of tlje shrine of St , Alban than he did of the remains of good Duke Humphrey ; for he would not suffer , if he knew it , a thread pf his cloak to have been purloined ; and , 40 years ago ( as
he told some gentlemen who visited the abbey , in August , 1798 ) , he caused he wooden stall to be made which inclosed the Puke ' s remains . The following circumstance , known to the writer of this , was related by Mr . K . Some years ago , Kent suspected a gentleman , now deceased ( who never
passed the town without taking a view ° f the church ) , of having taken a piece of bone from this hallowed tomb ; and frequently mentioned his suspicion whenever the gentleman came again , which usually passed with a smile . But 'lieir last interview was , > Kent , I am come for the last time to look at
. your abbey . ' When in the vestry together , lie uers . on said , ' 1 am come on purpose { o deposit this piece of bone into that sacred place from which it was taken ; ^ , I could not depart easy with it in ^ y possession . ' At another time he
received , from an unknown hand , a piece of bone in a parcel , desiring him to take care and put it into Humphrey's tomb . Pie had not less veneration for the building itself ; and perhaps-there is not its equal in the kingdom , wherein the beauties of ancient architecture are so magnificently displayed , This
ancient edifice was his constant care , and engrossed his attention so much , that it would have given him great concern to have seen any part thereof despoiled by the crude architect of the present day . As a convivial and social companion , Mr . K ' s company was courted . The
society of College Youths , of which he was a member , he annually entertained with his favourite ditty called , ' the Old Courtier ;' whichalspwas annually called for at the mayor of St . Alban ' s feast , by the nobility and gentry , and received with a thunder pf applause . In his official station as parish-clerkit
, may not be presumption tp sayth . it in psalmody he was expelled by no one , and equalled by few , particularly in the old hundreth psalm . He had a voice strong and melodious , and was himselfa compleat masler of church music ; always
pleased to hear the congregation join . It has often been remarked , when country choristers came from a neighbpuring parish tp perfprm in the abbey , with instruments termed by him a bpx pf whistles , with which the cengregation could not join , he , on thpse occasions , gave out the psalm or anthem in this
way : ' Sing YE to the praise and glory of God . ' He was rarely absent from his desk ; and , though of late he laboured under much weakness , and was frequently confined during the week , ' he was always in the Spirit pn the Lprd ' s day . ' So wonderfully was he assisted in the churchthatnotwithstanding
, , , in the month of June , 1793 , he hada first stroke of the palsy , which he called a body blow , and much distorted his mouth , and occasioned him to stammer in conversation , in worship it coutd not be discerned . His last essay was on a public occasionMondaySept 10
, , . , that of . the consecration of a pair of colours presented to that spirited corps , the St . Alban ' s Volunteers , by the Hon . Miss Grimstpns , when he sang the twentieth psalm befpre one of the most respectable and largest congregations that ever assembled within those