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Tum ille præfata humillimè Reverentia schedulam porrigit, quam suo nomine recitari cupit per Willielm. Cole, qui Episcopo à Registris erat: eam ille (ad nutum Episcopi) clara voce sic perlegit.

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IN the Name of Richard Smith of Peer-tree in the County of Southampton Esquire, Right Reverend Father in God, I pre"sent unto you the state of the Village of Weston, and the Hamlets, "Itchin, Wolston, Ridgeway, and the part of Bittern Mannor (being "all of the Parish of St. Maries, neer, Southampton, in the Diocess of Winton) as well in his own, as in the name of the Inhabitants of "the said Village, Hamlets, &c. wherein are many Housholds, and "much people of all sorts, who not only dwell far from the Church, but are also divided from the same by the great River of Itchin, where "the passage is very broad, and often dangerous; and very many times on the dayes appointed for Common prayer, and the Service of God, "so tempestuous, as the River cannot be passed; and so the people go "not over at all, or if any do, yet they both go and return back in great danger, and sometimes not the same day. Besides, in the fairest weather, at their return from Church, they press so thick into the "Boat for haste home, that often it proves dangerous, and ever fearful, especially to women with child, old, impotent, sickly people, and to young children; many times also they are forced to Baptise their chil"dren in private Houses, the water not being passable; and when they lie'sick, they are without comfort to their souls, and dye without any Ghostly advice or counsel; their own Minister not being able to "visit them, by reason of the roughness of the water, and other "Ministers being some miles off remote from them.

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"And thus much formerly having been presented to your Pre"decessor, be favourably gave leave to the said Richard Smith to "erect a Chappel on the East-side of the said River, at the only proper "Cost and Charges of him the said Richard Smith: which Chappel being now finished with intent and purpose that it may be dedi"cated to the worship of God; and that his Holy and Blessed "Name might there be honoured and called upon, by the said R. "Smith his Family, and the Inhabitants aforesaid, who cannot with"out great danger pass over unto their Parish Church, I, in the 66 name of the said Richard Smith, and in the names of them all, do promise hereafter to refuse and renounce to put this Chappel, or any part of it, to any prophane or common use whatsoever; and

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"desire it may be dedicated and consecrated wholly and only to religious uses, for the Glory of God, and the Salvation of our "Souls.

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"In which respect he humbly beseecheth God to accept of this his "sincere intent and purpose, and he and they are together humble "Suiters unto your Lordship, as Gods Minister, the Bishop and Ordinary of this Diocess, in Gods stead, to accept of this his Free"will offering; and to decree this Chappel to be severed from all common and prophane uses, and so to sever it: as also by the "Word of God and Prayer, and other Spiritual and Religious "Duties, to dedicate and consecrate it to the sacred Name of God, " and to his service and worship only; promising that we will ever "hold it as an holy Place, even as God's house, and use it accordingly; and that we will, from time to time, and ever hereafter, as "need shall be, see it conveniently repaired, and decently furnisht, "in such sort as a Chappel ought to be; And that we will procure us some sufficient Clerk, being in the Holy Order of Priesthood by your Lordship, as Ordinary of that place, and by your successors "to be allowed and licens'd, and unto him to yield competent Main"tenance, to the end that he may take upon him the Cure of the "said Chappel; and duly say divine Service in the same, at times appointed; and perform all other such offices and duties, as by the "Canons of that Church, and the Laws of the Realm, every Curate "is bound to perform.

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Post hæc Episcopus.

Captain Smith, is this the Desire of you and your Neighbours?

Quo affirmato, Ille:

In the Name of God let us begin.

Orditur igitur à Psalmo 24.

THe earth is the Lords, and all that is therein, &c.

Alterni vero respondent uterque Sacellanus, et sic deinceps ad finem Psalmi: dicta autem Aogonoyía, paulatim se promovet Episcopus ad portam Capellæ, atque recitat è Psalmo 122.

I Was glad when they said unto me, we will go into the House of the Lord. Our feet shall stand in thy Gates, O Jerusalem.

Substitit itaque præ fioribus universa multitudo intrante Episcopo et Fundatore, cum Sacellanis, qui genua statim flectunt, ubi spectari commodé audirique possint à plebe: atque Episcopus infit.

Let us dedicate and offer up unto God this Place, with the same prayer that King David did dedicate and offer up his, 1 Chron. 29. 10.

BLessed be thou O Lord our God, and the God of our Fathers for ever and ever, &c. usque ad finem vers. 18 paucis mutatis.

Deinde.

Most glorious God, the Heaven is thy Throne, and the Earth is

thy Footstool; what house then can be built for thee, or what place is there that thou canst rest in? Howbeit we are taught by thy Holy Word, that thy will is not to dwell in the dark Cloud, but that thy delight hath been ever with the Sons of Men; so that in any place whatsoever, where two or three are gathered together in thy Name, thou art in the midst of them; But especially in such places as are set apart and sanctified to thy Name, and to the memory of it, there thou hast said, thou wilt vouchsafe thy gracious Presence after a more special manner, and come to us and bless us.

Wherefore in all ages of the world, thy Servants have separated certain places from all prophane and common uses, and hallowed unto thy Divine Worship and Service, either by inspiration of thy blessed Spirit, or by express Commandment from thine own mouth.

By inspiration of thy holy Spirit. So didst thou put into the heart of thy holy Patriarch Jacob to erect a stone in Bethel to be an house to thee, which act of his thou didst call for, and highly allow of.

By express Commandment from thine own mouth. So did Moses make thee the Tabernacle of the Congregation in the Desart, which thou didst honour by covering it with a Cloud, and filling it with thy glory.

And after, when it came into the heart of thy Servant David to think it was in no wise fitting that himself should dwell in an house of Cedar, and the Ark of God remain but in a Tabernacle, thou didst testifie with thine own mouth, that in that David was so

minded to build a House to thy Name, it was well done of him, to be so minded, though he built it not.

The material Furniture for which house though his Father plentifully prepared, yet Solomon his Son built it and brought it to perfection. To which House thou wert pleased visibly to send fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifice, and to fill it with the Glory of thy presence before all the people.

And after, when for the sins of thy people that Temple was destroyed, thou didst, by thy Prophets, Aggai and Zachary (by shewing how inconvenient it was that they should dwell in cieled houses, and let thy house lye waste) stir up the spirit of Zorobabel, to build thee the second Temple anew: which second House likewise, by the fulness of the Glory of thy presence, thou didst shew thy self to like and allow of.

Neither only wert thou well pleased with such as did build thee these Temples, but even with such of the people afterwards, as being moved with zeal added unto their Temple, their Mother Church, lesser places of prayer, by the names of Synagogues, in every Town throughout the Land; for the Tribes to ascend up to worship thee, to learn thy holy will and to do it. Which very Act of the Centurion, to build thy people a Synagogue, thou didst well approve and commend in the Gospel.

And by the bodily presence of thy Son our Saviour at the feast of the Dedication, testified by St. John, didst really well allow of, and do honour to such devout Religious services, as we are now about to perform.

Which also by thy holy Word hast taught us, that thine Apostles themselves, and the Christians in their time, as they had houses to eat and drink in; so had they also where the whole Congregation of the Faithful came together in one place, which they expressly called Gods Church, and would not have it despised, nor abused, nor eaten nor drunken in, but had in great Reverence, being the very place of their holy Assemblies.

By whose godly examples the Christians in all Ages successively have erected and consecrated sundry godly houses, for the Celebration of Divine Service and Worship (Monuments of their Piety and Devotion) as our eyes see this day.

We then as Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Household

of God, being built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone, walking in the steps of their most holy Faith, and ensuing the examples of these thy Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles, have together with them done the same work (I say) in building and dedicating this house, as an habitation for thee, and a place for us to assemble and meet together for the observation of thy Divine worship, invocation of thy Name, reading, preaching and hearing thy most holy Word, administring thy most holy Sacraments; and above all in thy most holy place, the very gate of Heaven upon earth, as Jacob named it, to do the work of Heaven; to set forth thy most worthy praise, to laud and magnifie thy most glorious Majesty for all thy goodness to all men; especially to us of the Houshold of Faith. Accept therefore we beseech thee, most gracious Father, of this our bounden duty and service; accept this for thine house; and because thine Holiness becomes thine house for ever, sanctifie this house with thy gracious presence, which is erected to the honour of thy most glorious Name.

Now therefore, arise O Lord, and come into this place of thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength; Let thine eye be open towards this house day and night; Let thine ears be ready towards the Prayers of thy children, which they shall make unto thee in this place, and let thine heart delight to dwell here perpetually: And whensoever thy servants shall make to thee their petitions in this House, either to bestow thy good graces, and blessings upon them, or to remove thy punishments and judgments from them; hear them from Heaven thy dwelling place, the Throne of the glory of thy Kingdom, and when thou hearest have mercy; and grant O Lord, we beseech thee, that here and elsewhere thy Priests may be cloathed with Righteousness, and thy Saints rejoyce in thy Salvation.

And whereas both in the Old and New Testament thou hast consecrated the measuring out and building of a material Church, to such an excellent Mystery, that in it is signified and presented the fruition of the joy of thy Heavenly Kingdom, we beseech thee that, in this material Temple made with hands, we may so serve and please thee in all holy Exercises of Godliness and Christian Religion, that in the end we may come to that thy Temple on high, even to the holy places made without hands, whose Builder and Maker is God; so as when we shall cease to pray to thee on Earth, we may,

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