Illustrative Documents: The induction of Wellesley to canonry of Neasdon, 1809

XXI. PROCEEDINGS ON THE INDUCTION OF THE REV. GERALD VALERIAN WELLESLEY TO THE PREBEND OR CANONRY OF NEASDON, AND ON HIS PROTESTATION OF HIS DESIRE TO BECOME A RESIDENTIARY, 1809. (fn. 1)

On Friday 8 December, 1809, the Rev. Gerald Valerian Wellesley, M.A. appeared personally in the Cathedral before the Dean, George Bishop of Lincoln, (fn. 2), and the Rev. Samuel Ryder Weston, D.D. Canon Residentiary, and exhibited the Mandate of the Bishop of London (fn. 3) directed to the Dean and Chapter for his induction into the real actual and corporal possession of the Prebend or Canonry of Neasdon: by virtue whereof he prayed to be inducted and installed into the said Prebend or Canonry. The said Mandate having been read by the Notary Public in attendance (George Jenner, Notary Public, Deputy Registrar), the said Rev. G. V. Wellesley "subscribed the several Articles and Declarations, and declared and took the several Oaths as usually subscribed, declared, and taken on this Occasion. Whereupon the said Right Reverend the Dean and the said Reverend S. R. Weston inducted and installed the said G. V. Wellesley into the said Prebend or Canonry of Neasdon, and received him as a Canon of the said Church by delivering him the Statutes for his Spiritual Food and Bread for the Refreshment of his Body, and assigned him the Stall in the Choir and the Place and Voice in the Chapter belonging to the Prebend or Canonry of Neasdon aforesaid and usually assigned to the same."

On the same day and before the same persons the following proceedings then took place.

"On which Day and Place the said Right Reverend the Dean, and the said Reverend Samuel Ryder Weston, considering of assuming and electing a new Residentiary of the Cathedral Church aforesaid, in the place and stead of the Right Reverend Father in God Henry William [Majendie] by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Chester promoted to the See of Bangor, and after mature deliberation in that behalf had, by and with the consent of the rest of the Chapter of the said Church, elected the Reverend Gerald Valerian Wellesley, Clerk, Master of Arts, Prebendary of the Prebend of Neasdon founded in the Cathedral Church, as a future Residentiary, under the condition nevertheless that he preaches a fourth part of the Afternoon Sermons on Sundays according to the usage of the said Church, or if he wants Health or has mighty Affairs preventing him, he substitutes some other Person to be approved of by the Chapter, and also that he does not begin his Residence in the said Cathedral Church before the tenth Day of December instant; and decreed the said Election to be published and signified to the said Gerald Valerian Wellesley, by Letters under seal of the Chapter.

"Intimation.

"George, by Divine Permission Bishop of Lincoln, Dean of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul London, and the Chapter of the same Church, To our beloved in Christ the Reverend Gerald Valerian Wellesley, Clerk, Master of Arts, Canon and Prebendary of the Canonry and Prebend of Neasdon founded in the said Cathedral Church, Greeting in the Lord Everlasting. We hereby signify and make known to you that on the day of the date of these presents, We, being Capitularly assembled and making a Chapter, diligently considered of assuming and electing a new Residentiary of the said Cathedral Church in the stead and place of the Right Reverend Father in God Henry William by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Chester promoted to the See of Bangor, late Canon Residentiary thereof, and after mature deliberation had, We, the Dean and Chapter aforesaid, agreed upon and elected you the said Gerald Valerian Wellesley a future Residentiary, under the condition nevertheless that you do preach a fourth part of the Afternoon Sermons on Sundays according to the usage of the said Church, or if you want Health or have mighty Affairs preventing you, you substitute some other Person by us to be approved of, and also that you do not begin your Residence in the said Cathedral Church before the tenth day of December instant; and we have also decreed our said Election to be published, and also signified and intimated to you under the Seal of our Chapter. Wherefore we hereby desire and request of you, that on or before the tenth day of December instant you do personally appear before us in the Chapter House of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul London aforesaid, and give your Assent and Consent to the said Election of your Person as a Residentiary, and there according to the Custom of the said Cathedral Church to read and interpose you first Protestation of your Residence in the said Church to be begun and had as above mentioned. In faith and testimony of all and singular which Premises we have caused our Chapter Seal to be affixed to these Presents. Dated in our Chapter House the eighth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nine.

"First Protestation.

"In the Name of God. Amen. Before you the Right Reverend Father in God, George, by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Lincoln, Dean of the Cathedral Church of S. Paul London, and the Reverend Samuel Ryder Weston, Doctor in Divinity, a Canon Residentiary of the said Church, and before you the Notary Public here present, I, Gerald Valerian Wellesley, Clerk, Master of Arts, Canon and Prebendary of the Canonry and Prebend of Neasdon founded in the said Cathedral Church, Do say, alledge, propound, and protest in this Writing as follows, to wit, That it is my Will and Intention upon the tenth day of December (with the Divine Assistance) to make and begin to the Praise, Glory, and Honour of God, my first and personal residence in the said Cathedral Church according to the Statutes and laudable Customs of the same, but so far only as the Statutes and Customs of the said Church are not in anything repugnant, opposite, and contradictory to the present Laws and Statutes of the Kingdom and Royal Injunctions and others heretofore issued, decreed, and enjoined by Royal Authority, which said Laws and Royal Injunctions I do not intend to oppose or contradict or in any way derogate from, but do firmly purpose and herein expressly profess and protest to adhere to and obey them in all things; and I do further publicly protest before you that I do will and intend to begin and also in due manner compleat and end such my first and Personal Residence according to the manner, form, and qualities aforesaid (excepting what are before excepted and reserving what ought to be reserved) unless I shall otherwise be dispensed with by Royal Authority or by you, to which Residence so to be begun I pray you really and effectually to admit me, with good will and charity, according to the Statutes and Customs of the said Church, under the Qualities before promised on this day, the Statutes and Royal Injunctions and other the Premises aforesaid being in all things saved and preserved.

"This Protestation was read and interposed by the within mentioned Reverend Gerald Valerian Wellesley, Master of Arts, on the eighth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nine, in the Chapter House of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, before the within mentioned Right Reverend Father in God, George, by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Lincoln, the Dean aforesaid, and the aforesaid Reverend Samuel Ryder Weston, Doctor in Divinity, and before me the Notary Public subscribed, and the said Gerald Valerian Wellesley protested and did in all things as in the above Protestation is contained; on all and singular which Premises he required me, the Notary Public, to draw one or more Public Instrument or Instruments, and so forth.

"Which I attest. George Jenner, Not. Pub. Dep. Registrar.

"Second Protestation.

"In the Name of God. Amen. Before you the Right Reverend Father in God, George, by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Lincoln, Dean of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul London, and before you the Notary Public here present, I, Gerald Valerian Wellesley, Clerk, Master of Arts, Canon and Prebendary of the Canonry and Prebend of Neasdon founded in the said Cathedral Church, do say, alledge, propound, and protest in this Writing as follows, to wit: That I did on this day, the tenth day of the month of December, (with the Divine assistance) make and begin to the praise, honour, and glory of God my first and personal residence in the said Cathedral Church, and that I do intend duly to compleat and end the same, as far as the state and condition of the said Cathedral Church shall permit or require, according to the Statutes and laudable Customs thereof, which I have sworn to observe, and hitherto in the like cases have been observed by Canons Residentiaries and Stagiaries of the said Church, but so far only as the Statutes and Customs of the said Church are not in any thing repugnant, opposite, or contradictory to the present laws and statutes of this kingdom, the royal injunctions and others heretofore issued, decreed, and enjoined by royal authority, unless I shall be otherwise dispensed with by royal authority or by you; to which my residence by me so begun I pray you really and effectually to admit me on this tenth day of December, with good will and charity, according to the exigence of the said Statutes, under the qualities aforesaid, the laws, statutes, and royal injunctions and other the premises aforesaid being in all things saved and preserved.

"This Protestation was read and interposed by the Reverend Gerald Valerian Wellesley, Clerk, Master of Arts, therein mentioned, on this tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nine, in the Chapter House of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul London, before the within mentioned Right Reverend the Dean of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul London, and also before me the Notary Public subscribed; and the said Gerald Valerian Wellesley protested and did in all things as in the above Protestation is contained; on all and singular which premises he required me, the Notary Public underwritten, to draw one or more public instrument or instruments, and so forth.

"Which I attest. George Jenner, Not. Pub. Dep. Registrar.

"Neasdon P. Act on reading in.

"On Sunday the tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nine, in the Choir of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul London, in the presence of George Jenner, Notary Public, Deputy Registrar—

"The Reverend Gerald Valerian Wellesley, Clerk, Master of Arts, Canon and Prebendary of the Canonry and Prebend of Neasdon, founded in the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul London, publicly read Morning and Evening Prayers as set forth in the Book of Common Prayer in the Choir of the said Church, at the time of Divine Service, and publicly declared his assent and consent to everything prescribed and contained in the said Book, pursuant to an Act of Parliament made in the fourteenth year of Charles the Second, late King of England, and so forth."