Whatever inducements the Parish might have to support Mr. Ellis so strenuously we do not say, though they manifestly did not arise from any pique to one Dean more than to another; and we are decidedly clear that they were not founded in any aversion to Mr. Pegge as an individual; for his character was in all points too well established, and too well known (even to the leading opponents to the Dean), to admit of the least personal dislike in any respect. So great, nevertheless, was the acrimony with which the Parishioners pursued their visionary pretensions to the Patronage, that, not content with the decision of the Jury (which was highly respectable) in favour of the Dean, when the right of Patronage was tried in 1748; they had the audacity to carry the cause to an Assize at Derby, where, on the fullest and most incontestable evidence, a verdict was given in favour of the Dean, to the confusion and indelible disgrace of those Parishioners who espoused so bad a cause, supported by the most undaunted effrontery.
The evidence produced by the Parish went to prove, from an entry made nearly half a century before in the accompts kept by the Churchwardens, that the _Parishioners_, and not the _Deans of Lincoln_, had hitherto, on a vacancy, nominated a successor to the Bishop of the Diocese for his licence, without the intervention of any other person or party. The Parish accompts were accordingly brought into court at Derby, wherein there appeared not only a palpable erasement, but such an one as was detected by a living and credible witness; for, a Mr. _Mower_ swore that, on a vacancy in the year 1704, an application was made by the Parish to the _Dean of Lincoln_ in favour of the Rev. Mr. Littlewood[14].
[14] We believe this witness to have been _George Mower_, Esq. of Wood-seats, in this county, who served the office of Sheriff in 1734.
In corroboration of Mr. Mower's testimony, an article in the Parish accompts and expenditures of that year was adverted to, and which, when Mr. Mower saw it, ran thus:
"Paid William Wilcoxon, for going _to Lincoln to the Dean_ concerning Mr. Littlewood, five shillings."
The Parishioners had before alleged, in proof of their title, that they had _elected_ Mr. Littlewood; and, to uphold this asseveration, had clumsily altered the parish accompt-book, and inserted the words "to _Lichfield_ to the BISHOP," in the place of the words "to _Lincoln_ to the DEAN."