and Tenement in this Parish, after the Decease of his Wife and Brother unto the Parson and Churchwardens of this Parish; upon Trust that they shall out of the Rent and Profit thereof yearly distribute among seven poor Women of this Parish in most Want, 7l. and shall cause one Sermon yearly to be preached in this Church, on the Day he shall be buried, by some godly Preacher: And shall give to him for his pains for every Sermon, 10s. And that the Churchwardens may take other, 10s. And all the rest of the Rents and Profits of the said Messuage or Tenement shall be to the Use of the Poor of the said Parish.

Note, This House is leased out to Tho. Kirkes, by Indenture dated Nov. 21. 1689. for fifty Years, at 8l. per ann. he having rebuilt the same at his own Charge.

1636. April 20. Joyce Featly by her Will, or Writing indented Tripartite, did appoint, that after the Death of Dr. Dan. Featly, her Husband, and her self, yearly to be paid by her Heirs, out of the Rents and Profits of a Messuage in the Parish of Lambeth in Surry, (being Copyhold of the Manor of Kennington) for ever, 4l. per ann. to be paid to the Vicar and Churchwardens of this Parish by quarterly Payments upon Trust to distribute 12d. thereof weekly every Sunday in Bread. And 20s. thereof yearly to the Preacher, to preach on the Day of her Burial [and that happened on the 3. Oct. 1637.] And in default of such Sermon, that said 20s. to go to the Poor of the Parish. And 6s. yearly to be bestowed in upholding her Father's Tomb. And the other 2s. yearly to the Sexton, for keeping clean the same Tomb.

Note, That this Annuity did accrue due and payable in the Year 1645, upon the Death of the said Dr. Featly (who dyed April 21. that said Year.) But the Heirs of the said Joyce refusing to pay the same, the Vicar and Churchwardens sued out an Inquisition upon the Statute for charitable Uses: And in December 1648. obtained a Decree for the Payment thereof. But the Manor of Kennington being vested in the Crown; and by reason of the Change of Governent and Confusion in those Times, the said Decree was never put in Execution, or revived until the Year 1702. when the Vicar and Churchwardens sued out a Writ of Scire facias, to revive the same Decree. To which one Nicholas Lampen, and others in Possession of the Premisses, put in Exceptions. And the Matter coming to be heard before the Right Honourable the Lord Keeper, Nov. 13. 1703. his Lordship dismist the said Exceptions, and ordered the Payment of the said Annuities from Michaelmas 1703; but (for some reasons) with a Remittance of all Arrears. Which Order is made a final Decree of the Court of Chancery; and so enrolled in the Pettybag Office, March 1703.

1682. May 23. Diana Astrey of this Parish, Widow, did by her Will give 10s. yearly for ever to the Minister of this Parish, for better encouragement to preach, and to the Clerk 2s. 6d. for ever, 12s. 6d.

1684. May 16. By an Indenture (concluding an Agreement between Sir John Laurence, Knt. and the Parishioners of this Parish) he obliged himself and his Heirs, Executors, &c. to pay a Legacy of 100l. given to this Parish by Adam Laurence, Merchant, by his Will dated Mar. 23. 1656. and to pay 150l. due for Interest of the same at that time; and to pay 100l. more for leave to make a Vault in the Parish Church, for the Use of himself and his Family: The said Sir John Laurence did by the same Indenture therefore grant to several Persons and their Heirs for ever, in Trust of the Parish, one Annuity or Rent Charge of 20l per ann. to be issuing out of a Messuage or Tenement in this Parish, now in the Year 1703. in the Occupation of John Seayre, with a Clause for Distress: Redeemable upon payment of 350l. and the Annuity thereupon to cease.

Note, This 20l. per ann. is to be applied towards the encouragement of the Minister and for the Use of the Poor: at the Direction of the Parishioners in Vestry assembled.

There is to be received yearly at Christmas by the Alderman of the Ward of Bishopsgate, or his Beadle, 2s. being the Gift of Margaret Dunn, payable from Ironmonger's Company, for the Use of the Poor of this Parish.]

This Church of St. Helen's and Rectory was once in the Parish, if they could but have kept it, being held of the Crown by Lease. And there is, in a Parish Book belonging to this Parish, the Copy of a Lease, from Queen Elizabeth to Cæzar Aldermarie [as it is writ for Adelmare] Esq; and Thomas Colcel [or Colshill] Parishioners and Inhabitants of St. Helen's Parish in the City of London, for and in the Name of all Parishioners and Inhabitants there, upon their Desire, to be to them granted, of the Rectory of the said Parish: for that Intent and purpose, that the Rents, Issues and Profits of the same shall from time to time rise, grow and increase, to the Use, Profit and Commodity of the Parishioners there. Therfore in Consideration of 17l. 12s. 2d. paid by the said Cæzar Aldermarie and Tho. Colcel at the Receipt of the Exchequer, she, (the said Queen Elizabeth) granted, and to Ferme devised to them, all that Rectory and Parsonage and Church of St. Ellen's in the said City: Except and reserved unto her Majesty and her Heirs, the Advowson of the Vicarage there. To have and to hold the said Rectory, Parish and Church, Messuages, Houses, Tithes, Oblations and other Profits, to the said Cæzar and Thomas, their Executors and Assigns, from the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, unto the Term of one and twenty Years: Yielding and paying therefore yearly unto her, her Heirs and Successors 8l. 16s. 1d. The said Cæzar and Thomas to pay as well the Priests Wages, there doing divine Service, and all other Sums of Money for Bread and Wine and other Necessaries in the Church, to be expended and paid.

Then there was a Clause, that the said Farmers shall repair the Chancel and Housing to the said Rectory belonging. And likewise a Clause, that after such reasonable Sums of Money received, paid and deducted, as they laid out, as well for the Fine of this Lease or otherwise about the Sum and obtaining the same, or of these Letters Patents; and from thenceforth, all such Issues and Profits coming and issuing of the same Parsonage, all Charges of the said Parsonage being deducted, they shall convert and dispose to the Use and Commodity of the Parishioners, or cause to be converted or disposed, during the said Term. This was dated May the 27. in the tenth Year of that Queen's Reign.

The Parish seems to have this Rectory in Lease before. For I find, that March 21. 1564. the Parish paid Mr. Colshill, for the Charge of the Lease of the said Parsonage, 20l. according to an order taken in Vestry.

One of this Farmers of the Rectory, viz. Mr. Cæzar, died soon after the foresaid Lease, namely Ano 1569. And seems to have been the Father of Sir Julius Cæzar, a Civilian, and a great Man under Queen Elizabeth and King James I. being Judge of the Admiralty and a Privy Counsellor: Who lies buried in St. Helen's Church un-