From the Diocesan Registry.

Document No. 70.

1681.

COMMSSION OF BISHOP HENRY BRIDGMAN TO ROBERT PARRE TO BE VICAR OF KIRK CHRIST LEZAYRE.

Henry, by divine permission, Bishop of Sodor, Man, and the Isles. To our beloved in Christ, Robert Parre, clerk, eternal greeting in the Lord. [We do admit] the said Robert Parre, Clerk, to the perpetual Vicarage of the Parish Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Lezayre, within Our Diocese and jurisdiction, legitimately vacant by the natural death of Richard Fox the last Incumbent thereof. To which thou hast been presented [to us] by the Right Honourable William, Earl of Derby & Lord of Man & the Isles aforesaid, the true & undoubted patron of this Church, thou having first taken your bodily oaths on the Holy Gospels, both to renounce all and every kind of jurisdiction and forensic power, and to recognise the supreme [ ?] authority of the most illustrious [in Christ] prince & lord Charles II, in all causes both Ecclesiastical & Civil within the Kingdoms of His Majesty, & to bear fidelity or allegiance to our Lord the King aforesaid, which oaths were to be taken by thee according to the tenor of the laws of this famous Kingdom of England in this case provided. And to pay thy canonical obedience to Us & to Our successors. and to reside in [or upon?] the said Vicarage according to the force. form, & effect of the Laws of the Kingdom of England, & of the Ecclesiastical Constitutions.

And as thou hast neither directly or indirectly obtained the said Vicarage by any simonaical compact, We do institute thee to be the perpetual Vicar of the Vicarage of the Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, Lezayre, & invest thee with all rights, members & appurtenances thereto canonically belonging. Committing and We do commit it to thee, in the Lord, the cure & government of souls of the parishioners therein.

Saving always all Our Episcopal rights & customs & the dignity & honour of our Cathedral Church of Sodor & Man.

In Testimony whereof we have caused our seal Episcopal to be impressed hereon.

Given the 28th day of month of September, in the year of our Lord, one thousand six hundred & eighty one & in the 9th year of our Consecration.

Henric : Sodorencis.

Henry Bridgman was Bishop of Sodor and Man from 1671 to 1682.

[Translated by Rev. Canon Kermode, &A., and Mr. P. G. Ralfe.]