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DAVID HODGSON was born in 1676, at Wormanby near Moorhouse in Cumberland. He was a nephew of
Thomas Stordy of Moorhouse, and his parents were persons of good repute, who gave him a
religious education. Little is put on record of his life. He first took to public ministry,
as a Friend, in 1704, or, as the quaint old book from which we gather our information says
'came forth in public testimony to the Universality of the Love of God in Christ Jesus, and
the effectual Operation of his Grace in the Hearts and Souls of Mankind, in order to their
Salvation; and his Ministry was attended with a fervent engagement of Spirit for the Cause of
Truth and the Prosperity thereof.' He attended several of the yearly meetings of the Society of
Friends in London, and also travelled through Scotland and Ireland as a preacher. He died in
1755, of paralysis, by which his mental faculties were somewhat impaired, and was buried in the
Friends' burying ground at Moorhouse.
David Hodgson is recorded in the annals of the Society as 'a loving Husband, a kind Friend,
a peaceable Neighbour, and charitable to the Poor and Afflicted.'
With David Hodgson's name we have coupled that of his friend and neighbour, JONATHAN OSTELL,
of Moorhouse. Jonathan was born one year later than David, namely in 1677. His parents were
persons of good esteem among Friends, who gave him a sober and religious education. As he grew
up, he found his mind strongly inclined to the customs and fashions of the world but he resisted
and 'witnessed a happy change in himself,' and became an able minister of the Gospel, visting,
on several occasions, the Friends' meetings in England, Scotland and Ireland.
Jonathan Ostell died in 1752, aged seventy-seven, and was buried at Moorhouse. For a few years
before his death, he was very infirm and had lost his sight; but he travelled up to London in
his seventy-fourth year, to attend the Annual Meeting of the Society, to which he and his friend
Hodgson were often delegated together by the Friends in Cumberland, as their representatives.
Their names also occur together in the journal of THOMAS STORY, who used to attend meetings at
Moorhouse, and stay with one or other of the two.
Both Hodgson and Ostell demonstrated the sincerity of their conscientious scruples against
tithes in the same manner as Thomas Story; not only did they object to pay them. Both were the
owners of impropriate tithes, which during their lives they declined to receive payment of; and
both, by their wills, devised the tithes of which they were impropriators to the owners of the
estates out of which they were payable.
GEORGE FOX, for preaching the Truth in the great Worship-house at Carlisle, after
the priest had ended his sermon, and for witnessing a good confession before the
Magistrates and People there, was imprisoned for seven weeks, sometimes among
Thieves and Murderers.
ROBERT WITHERS, for asking the priest of Aketon a religious Question after
sermon, was imprisoned at Carlisle one month; as was GEORGE BEWLEY for
accompanying him. ROBERT HUNTINGDON for preaching at Carlisle, was
imprisoned three months and JAMES NOBLE, for the same cause, nine weeks.
ROBERT WITHERS, THOMAS RAWLINSON, JOHN STUBBS, and THOMAS
GWIN, for declaring against false worship in the Steeple-house at Coldbeck, were
inhumanly treated by the rude People, one of them being knocked down, and much of
their blood spilled on the Place.
JOHN MARTIN, for testifying against the priest of Kirkbride, whom he met in the
Fields, and calling him by his proper name, viz an Hireling, was committed to prison.
THOMAS STUBBS was concerned to go into the Steeple-house at Deane, where,
when the priest had done, he said 'thou daubest the people up with untempered
mortar'; whereupon the Priest bid his Hearers 'fight for the Gospel'; they fell
violently upon Stubbs and some of his Friends, tore their clothes, and beat them
cruelly. The Priest's son in particular sorely bruised the face of RICHARD
RICHARDSON. After which two Justices sent Stubbs to prison but, conscious of the
Wrong they did him, writ his Mittimus and Discharge both on one Paper; this
furnished the Gaoler with a Claim for Fees, under pretence of which he kept him
fourteen weeks in prison.
PETER HEAD, for testifying to the truth, in the same place, was imprisoned fourteen
weeks in a close room among Felons in the Heat of Summer; and JOHN HEAD for
delivering some Queries to the Priest of Deane at his own house was imprisoned
fourteen weeks. JOHN SLEE, for reproving a priest at Grisdale, was kept a close
prisoner among Felons for two months. Also KATHARINE FELL, for asking a priest,
whether he did witness what he spake to the People, was kept in prison nineteen
weeks, having a young child sucking at her breast.
THOMAS BEWLEY and HUGH STAMPER, standing at the Sessions in Carlisle
with their hats on, were by the Justices committed to prison without any legal cause
assigned. After a month's confinement they were discharged without paying fees: but
Hugh Stamper was afterwards arrested for fees and again imprisoned and detained
there one and twenty weeks.
JOHN NICHOLSON, THOMAS MARK, and JOHN PEACOCK, on an Attachment out of
the Exchequer, were committed to Carlisle Goal in the month called April
this year, and detained there about three years.
In this Year also GEORGE BIGLANDS and JOHN DOBINSON suffered eight weeks
Imprisonment for refusing to Swear; and for the same Cause CHRISTOPHER
MANSER had a Cow taken from him worth £2.4s. and CHRISTOPHER
BIRKETT a Cow worth £3.
BESSE, Pages 132-133
ANNO 1679
In this year sixteen persons were taken by a Sessions Warrant,
and committed to prison, for Absence from National Worship, viz.
JOHN JACKSON, WILLIAM GRAHAM, CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR, CHRISTOPHER JACKSON,
HUMPHRY TWEEDAL, FERGUS WATSON, ANDREW TAYLOR, FRANCIS GILLESPY,
THOMAS VOWE, GEORGE GRAHAM of Rigg, ANDREW HETHRINGTON,
SIMON ARMSTRONG, JAMES CLARK, HENRY GRAHAM, GEORGE GRAHAM of Blackhouse
and JOHN SCOTT. And in the same year WILLIAM LANCAKE, THOMAS OSTELL,
WILLIAM SAUL and JOHN WAITE, were imprisoned for Thithes at the Suit of
WILLIAM DALSTON.
The Amount for the Tithes, taken in kind from this People in this
County in this and the four Years next foregoing is £777.5s.3d.
In this year also, for meetings in their respective houses, were taken
from THOMAS DREWRY of Newlands Row, Goods worth £11. from HENRY
SCOLLICK of Newbiggen, Horses and Cattle worth £26. and from
EDWARD TYSON of Bickerthwaite, Goods worth 19s. 7d.
In this same year JOHN SAUL, THOMAS SPLATT, JOHN OSTELL and JOHN BARNE,
suffered Distress of Goods for refusing to swear when summoned to
serve on Juries at the Mannour Courts: Also JOHN GRAHAM and JOHN BELL
were fined for the same cause. Several others, dwelling at Scotby,
were returned into the Exchequer for refusing to swear, upon conviction
for Recusancy, on Statutes made against Papists, and suffered Distress
of Goods on that Account, viz.
| £ | s. | d. |
| ELIZABETH BOND, to the value of | 5 | 19 | 7 |
| THOMAS DOBINSON, to the value of | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| JOHN RICHARDSON, to the value of | 3 | 17 | 8 |
| 15 | 17 | 3 |
Some of those Goods were sold at low Rates in Carlisle Market, but when the People understood
that they were the Spoils of Conscience, they refused to buy any more of them.
On the 20th of the month called April this year, the following persons were continuing prisoners
for tithes at the suit of ARTHUR SAVAGE, Priest of Caldbeck, viz: THOMAS BEWLEY and ALICE NICHOLSON
who had then been prisoners five years and three months. WILLIAM SCOTT, five years and four
months. GEORGE STALKER, four years and four months and GRACE STALKER, five years and ten months.
Also JOHN SOWERBY, who had been prisoner three years and seven months at the suit of ALAN
SMALLWOOD, Priest of Greystock and JOHN TODHUNTER, who had been been imprisoned three years and
two months at the suit of the same priest. Also WILLIAM LANGCAKE, WILLIAM SAUL and JOHN WAITE,
imprisoned three years and three weeks at the suit of WILLIAM DALSTON, Tithe-farmer. Likewise
WILLIAM HOLME, imprisoned above a year on a writ de excommunicato capiendo, at the suit of
WILLIAM STANLEY of Dalegarth, impropriator, died a prisoner on the 2nd of September this year.
HUGH TICKELL and THOMAS BIRKHEAD were prisoners by attachments out of the exchequer, at the
suit of RICHARD LOWRY, priest of Crossthwaite.
In this year were discharged out of prison RANDOLPH BULMAN, committed on a writ de excommunicato
capiendo, at the suit of THOMAS BELMER, farmer of the Bishop's tithe. Also JOHN SLEE, who had
been committed at the suit of ALAN SMALLWOOD; and GEORGE BEWLEY, who had lain in prison more
than five years, at the suit of ARTHUR SAVAGE, priest of Caldbeck.
In November this year, JOHN HOLME was committed to prison at the suit of LANCELOT SIMPSON,
Impropriator. Also THOMAS ROBINSON, MATTHEW STORDY, and THOMAS BONE were imprisoned after
excommunication, at the suit of JEREMY NELSON, Priest. ARTHUR CORDELL was also imprisoned six
weeks at the suit of ROWLAND NICHOLS, a priest.
In this Year were remaining Prisoners in Carlisle Goal, at the Suit
of GEORGE FLETCHER, Impropriator, JAPHET ALLASON, LUKE STEEL,
JOHN SENHOUSE Sen., JOHN SENHOUSE Jun., JOSEPH STEEL, CHRISTOPHER
FEARON, ANNE STEEL, JOHN BANKS, and WILLIAM WRIGHT; and at the Suit of
JOHN LOWTHER of Lowther, Impropriator, THOMAS OSTELL, MARY SAUL, Widow,
WILLIAM GLAISTER, THOMAS DRAPP, ANTHONY SKELTON, WILLIAM BOUCH, ARTHUR
SKELTON, JOHN BIGLANDS, and THOMAS WILKINSON.
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