Page:The History of the Church & Manor of Wigan part 2.djvu/83

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History of the Church and Manor of Wigan.

a friendship between him and the archbishop of St Andrews, the following letter from whom,^[1] received by him at this time, shews that coming events in that country were already casting their shadows before.

"My very reverend good lord and brother
I resevit yo^r l's letter from Master doct^r Snell^[2] qho has resevit the degree that yo^r l. requestit, for his owne worthe and virtue did merite the same, qhereof he has gifen us good proof, during his abode here, and I wishe o' church were furnished with many of the lyke spirit But we are greatly vexed with a number of turbulent persons, that wil by no meanes be induced to yeald that obedience to the late constitutions of o^r churche, q^ch they oght, yit with tyme it may be they growe wyse, and we haif the happie peace q^ch sometymes we enjoyed: qhether this be or not, we must not faint, so long as god gifts strength: and qhil this salbe we sal alwayes be ready to doe yo^r l. the best offices we can, and such as ye sal recomend to us ) so comending my self to yo^r prayers I rest

Yo^r very lufing Broth^r

:Dated the 8 July 1620.

Saint Andrewes."

This letter is addressed "to my very reverend good lord, and Brother, my lord Bishop of Chester." The seal bears a chevron between 3 trees.

In the summer of 1620, the parish church of Wigan was reflagged by the parishioners with part of the half of four leyes which were laid throughout the whole parish in the previous

↑ Original letter preserved among the muniments at Weston. [[w:John Spottiswood|]], then archbishop of St Andrews, had been translated from the See of Glasgow in 1615.
↑ Dr. George Snell, who seems to have made a favourable impression upon the archbishop, was at that time archdeacon of Chester, to which he had been collated on 16th January, 1618-9. He soon afterwards married Lydia Bridgeman, the bishop's youngest sister, and became rector of Wallasey and Smeaton (to which last he was instituted in 1622), and I think also of St. Mary's, Chester. He likewise held a prebendal stall at Chester, to which he was collated on 2nd January, 1620-21, which he retained until 1632, when he resigned it in favour of William Bispham (Bridgeman family evidences). Dr. Snell died on 5th February, 1655-6, and was buried in St. Mary's church at Chester, with this short epitaph : "Hic situs est Georgius Snell S, T.P, Archidiaconus Centriensis, qui per Injuriam temporis in communionem laicam redactus privatus obiit Feb. 5, 1655."

[1] Original letter preserved among the muniments at Weston. [[w:John Spottiswood|]], then archbishop of St Andrews, had been translated from the See of Glasgow in 1615.

[2] Dr. George Snell, who seems to have made a favourable impression upon the archbishop, was at that time archdeacon of Chester, to which he had been collated on 16th January, 1618-9. He soon afterwards married Lydia Bridgeman, the bishop's youngest sister, and became rector of Wallasey and Smeaton (to which last he was instituted in 1622), and I think also of St. Mary's, Chester. He likewise held a prebendal stall at Chester, to which he was collated on 2nd January, 1620-21, which he retained until 1632, when he resigned it in favour of William Bispham (Bridgeman family evidences). Dr. Snell died on 5th February, 1655-6, and was buried in St. Mary's church at Chester, with this short epitaph : "Hic situs est Georgius Snell S, T.P, Archidiaconus Centriensis, qui per Injuriam temporis in communionem laicam redactus privatus obiit Feb. 5, 1655."

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