Page:History and characteristics of Bishop Auckland.djvu/128

HISTOBT OF BISHOP AUGKLANB. 101 clerk, sexton, the five bell-ringers, and the organist, attended the usual morning service at the churcL The parties named, it is said, retired into the vestry, where the rev. gentleman read morning prayera Two or three years after this event, another rather unusual occurrence took place in the churcL The minister (the Rev. Robert Thompson) had just finished reading morning prayers, and, having ascended the pulpit, was preparing to give out his text, when an indi- vidual, in the midst of the congregation, rose up and announced that he had been commissioned by Almighty God to preach another and a purer faitL This person was Jonathan Martin, who, soon after, became notorious by setting fire to York Minster. He was a tanner to trade, and was working, at that time, for Mr. George Maw, senior. Wear Chare. The authorities had had some intimation of his intention, and were, therefore, prepared to take action. Old Thomas Bamshaw, who was then constable, with the assistance of several of the church officials, took Martin in charge, and having succeeded in ejecting him, the sermon was proceeded witL When the first part of the congregation, however, arrived in the Market-place of Bishop Auckland after service, they found Jonathan mounted upon the balcony of a shop at the lower end of Fore Bondgate, fironting the Market-place, ready to preach them a sermon ; and, giving out as his text, " If the blind lead the blind, they shall surely both fall into a ditch," he began to harangue them most vehemently. A crowd soon gathered round ; but the authorities again putting in an appearance, brought him down from his perch and this time lodged him in durance vila This singular and unfortunate individual was bom in the year 1782, at Highside House, near Hexham, of humble parents, who apprenticed him to a tanner. In his twenty-second year, he went to London, where he was impressed and sent to sea on board the " Hercules," a 74-gun ship. While on board this vessel, he was engaged in the bombardment of Copenhagen. He was, afterwards, engaged in the blockade of the Russian ships in the Tagus, and from thence sailed to Corunna, where the wreck of Sir John Moore's army was embarked. Subsequently, he sailed to Egypt, being then "under strong religious impressions," and was "filled with delight on beholding the place where our Blessed Lord took refuge from the rage of Herod." He, subsequently, travelled the northern counties of England, selling copies of a pamphlet, entitled, " The life of Jonathan Martin, of Darlington, tanner," written by himself The little book was printed for the author by Thomas Clifkon, of Barnard Castle, in 1826. It was partly written whilst he resided in Bishop Auckland, and was embellished with curious engravings by his brother, William Mai-tin, the artist, natural philosopher, and poet The subjects were — 1, The Colossus at Rhodes. 2. His providential escape from a watery grave in the Bay of Biscay four different times. 3. His providential escape from the Asylum House on Gateshead FelL He was frequently, at thai time, dressed in a very eccentric manner, wearing an entire suit, including cap and shoes, made of calf s skin, with the hair turned outwards, in which he used frequently to take exercise on the Batts, greatly to the terror of the rising generation of the town. He adopted this dress as the one best suited to withstand the rough weather he often encountered in his travels to sell hia pamphlets, which he carried in a pair of saddle bags, thrown across his shoulders. On the 6th of February, 1829, the Newcastle papers contained an advertisement offering £100 reward for this man's apprehension, charging him with having set fire to York Minster, which was discovered in flames on the morning of the 2nd. He was soon apprehended by Mr. Stainthorpe, the Sheriff's officer, at Codlaw Hill, near Hexham, where, without the least resistance, he was lodged in the House of Correction. The trial came on at York on the 31st of March, and lasted ten hours. The jury found a verdict of " Not Guilty," on the ground of insanity. He was removed, on the 28th of April, to the Criminal Lunatic Asylum at St George's Fields, London, to be confined for life, where he died very suddenly on Sunday, June 3rd, 1838. For the last two or three years of his life he was very quiet in his demeanour, and spent a great portion of his time in reading. When first admitted into the hospital he was allowed the use of Digitized by Google