Deeply do I regret the course I am now about to relate but necessity compels me to adopt this one only resource and I am sure your Lordship will excuse the liberty I have taking in addressing you but as an inhabitant of Haddenham and having served the office of Churchwarden for six years and being obliged from the conduct of our Vicar to relinquish office I am now compelled to lay the case before your Lordship in order that some steps may be taken for the better conduct of our Vicar for the future it is not long since he was incapable of reading for a year from being intoxicated in the reading-desk and on the 13 inst at Aylesbury within 8 miles of his parish he was found by Mister J B Rose of Haddenham and a policeman of Aylesbury in a house of ill fame and was taken from there to the George Inn from where he has gone and nothing more has been heard of him too much praise cannot be given to our curate the Revd Dr Willis who has exerted himself to the utmost to obtain a good congregation, if your Lordship should require further evidence I must refer you either to Mr JB Rose or Mr A Lee, of Haddenham

Dinton, Sept 27th 1843

My Lord

I grieve for the occasion of your Lordship's letter to me for I had hoped that all clerical matters had been going on well at Haddenham.

Immediately upon hearing from your Lordship I sent to request that Mr J.B. Rose, and Mr Lee would call upon me on Friday morning. The latter has engaged to do so – the former is at Ipswich, and is not likely to return to Haddenam at present, having obtained an appointment of some kind at the former place.

I called also upon my own Churchwarden in this Parish, a Man in whom I place confidence, who is the Brother in law of Mr A. Lee, to ascertain if he had heard anything lately from the latter to the prejudice of Mr Willis, without particularising the allegations the allegations against him in the anonymous letter. He replied at first that he had not; but upon further consideration he said he believed he had heard that "upon some occasion Mister Willis was thought to have had too much wine when he was in the reading desk": and in answer to still further enquiry on my part he said that he had "had never heard of any other charge whatever against him." I am sadly afraid however that as one part appears to be true, the other will be found so also.

I have very little doubt that the anonymous letter was dictated if not written by Mr J.B.Rose, before he left the neighbourhood. I know that both he and Mr A. Lee had been Churchwardens at Haddenham for a considerable time.

If it should turn out that I have any difficulty in obtaining from Mr Lee and Mr Rose the information your Lordship seeks, I will see the Policeman at Aylesbury, with whom, as a Magistrate, I am often in communication and I have no doubt I shall be able to obtain the truth from them.

I will forward to your Lordship the result of my enquiries as soon as possible.

I have the honour to be my Lord,

Your Lordship's obliged and obedient Servt

John Harrison

Dinton, Septr 29th 1843

My Lord

I regret to be obliged to inform you that the charges against Mr Willis, made in the anonymous letter to your Lordship, are but too true.

Mr A. Lee called upon me this morning and stated that his Father in law Mr J. B. Rose, who is still at Ipswich, was willing to come forward and attest the truth of them, if required; and that the Policeman was ready at any time to do the same. Mr A. Lee was present himself at Haddenham Church about two months since, (but he does not recollect the Sunday) when, to use his own words, "Mr Willis was most disgracefully intoxicated in the reading desk," and he is prepared to attest this fact, if called upon.

One of the present Churchwardens of Haddenham, Mr Cox, came here this morning to make a communication to me, similar to that which was sent to your Lordship. There cannot be any doubt therefore of the melancholy truth of the whole of it.

I am sorry also to add that the profligacy of Mr Willis is not confined to the detected instance at Aylesbury. Mr A. Lee informed me that he knows that Mr. Willis has had a woman in keeping in London for a year or two past, and that he has no doubt that her house is his present place of retreat. He states also that he knows where the House is.

In addition to all he told me that not many months since Mr Willis went in a state of Intoxication to an Inn at Wycombe in company with a bad woman, and that his conduct that was so offensive that the Landlord turned them both out of his house, and that he then came home to Haddenham and remained intoxicated in a Hay loft for two days, and wine was brought to him by his servant whilst he was there.

I understand that Mr Willis has an Income of 800£ a Year independent of his preferment; and I cannot help thinking that a Man so regardless of every religious and moral obligation – so utterly debased and steeped in crime as he is – and withal possessed of such an Income, must consider his preferment an incumbrance, and would be glad to resign it, if it were suggested to him. Mr Lee and Mr Cox are very anxious not only that he should be debarred from ever returning to Haddenam again, but that he should be deprived of his living altogether.

Mr A. Lee says that he is aware that he ought to have made many of these circumstances known long ago, but the task was so unpleasant, that he could not bring his mind to it till now.

Mr A. Lee says that Mr Willis is not the kind of Person to offer any opposition to your Lordship's dealing with him as you may judge best.

If there be any other information which will Lordship may wish to obtain I will endeavour to get it if possible.

I have the honour to be my Lord new power your Lordship's obliged and obedt Servt

John Harrison

P.S. Oct 2nd I kept my letter open till this morning, having been led to expect some further information concerning Mr Willis, but none has reached me.

Dinton Octr 5th 1843

My Lord

I have just received intelligence that Mister Willis has returned to Haddenham. I believe he came here three days since.

I think it right to communicate this information to your Lordship.

I have the honour to be my Lord,

your Lordship's obliged and obedient servant

John Harrison

P.S. I have received an account today of the dangerous Illness of a Relation of mine in Surrey, and I propose going there to morrow. I mention this circumstance lest any little delay should occur in my replies to any communications I may be favoured with from your Lordship, which, without this explanation, would appear inattentive in me.

{Bishops reply}

Riseholme Lincoln
October 9 1843

R.S. I am informed on Authority which removes all doubt of the truth of the Information; that you have on more than one occasion Performed the Service of the Church in a state of Intoxication and that you have been seen coming out of Houses of Ill Fame both at Aylesbury and Wycombe. Under these circumstances it becomes my sorrowful? duty to ? the institution of Proceedings against you with a view to your ejection from the living of Haddenham

Dinton, Octr 9th 1843

My Lord

The exact date of the transaction at Aylesbury was the 13th of September.

I return the anonymous letter to your Lordship. I am sorry I did not do so before.

It cheers me to learn from your Lordship's letter that Mr Willis is no longer to disgrace our neighbourhood by retaining the living at Haddenham. Incalculable good to the cause of religion in the Church will result from this decisive step; and I anxiously hope that an earnest, sound, and able minister may be fixed upon to succeed him.

Haddenham is one of the most important Parishes in this part of the Country, and so desirous am I that in disposing of this preferment, the Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Rochester, should know I feel their heavy responsibility upon this occasion, that if your Lordship would not think it presumptuous, meddling, and impertinent in me to originate a petition from the Clergy of the immediate neighbourhood to that body, respectfully calling the attention to these points, and to the deplorable delinquency of their present nominee, I would with the concurrence of my Brother Clergy undertake to do so.

In our manner of expression we should of course take care to give no reasonable ground of offence, and we should not presume to recommend any particular individual to their notice, nor should we take any step in this matter till Mr Willis's deprivation was completed.

I returned on Saturday night for my duties here, and I am going back today to "Mrs Gulston's, Clevedon, Guildford" Since I propose staying till Saturday morning; to which place, if your Lordship, during that time, should have any communication to make to me, I shall be obliged to you direct your letter.

I have the honour to be my Lord

Your Lordship's obliged and obedient servant

John Harrison

16 Welbeck Street
Cavendish Square
Oct 12th 1843

My Lord,

Your very painful communication of the 9th Inst. following so closely upon the announcement of the sudden and unexpected death of my Wife, has so completely overwhelmed me, that I am at present utterly unable to enter upon the subject of your letter, in such a manner as its grave importance, and the respect due to your Lordship demand.

I feel however that my own inability ought not to prevent an immediate and frank disclosure of all the circumstances which have given rise to the accusations. My Brother in Law, Mr Paul Wilmot, who is not altogether unknown to your Lordship, and well knows all my feelings and infirmities, has therefore kindly undertaken to wait upon you, and will, with your permission, state to you, without reserve, all the circumstances alluded to in the accusations, for which with the deepest regret I confess there are some grounds.

Should your Lordship kindly consent to give my Brother in Law an interview I trust he will be able to convince you that what ever may have been my past errors they have proceeded not from the heart, and should it be compatible with your Lordship's sense of duty to forbear the proceedings alluded to in your letter I shall feel most grateful, on account of the pain they may cause others who are wholly innocent. I need scarcely assure your Lordship that I will not aggravate any offence I may have committed, nor attempt to screen myself from its just consequences by requiring legal proof of it, and permit me to add, that whatever may be your decision, after you shall have heard the whole of the circumstances surrounding my present position, I shall obey it with a full conviction that you have exercised as much leniency as your sense of duty would permit. I cannot conclude without assuring your Lordship that it is a great accumulation of my present suffering that any conduct of mine has caused you to be disturbed in the enjoyment of that quiet and relaxation of which you must so greatly stand in need after your late severe labours – and I hope I may still be permitted to subscribe myself

your Lordship's

Very respectful and obedient humble Servant

John Willis

Saturday afternoon

Dinton Vicarage
Octr 17th 1843

My Lord

I returned here on Saturday evening and found your Lordship's two letters, the second of which, I own, perplexed me greatly, because if I say that the opinion I had before expressed of Mr. Willis's conduct, as regards the interests of the Church, remains unshaken, I must appear in the invidious light of urging severe measures towards him at the time that your Lordship would seem inclined upon reconsideration to adopt lenient ones, and thus the whole onus of his punishment will fall upon me, and will be attributed to a persecuting spirit in me. This was the impression made upon my mind upon reading your Lordship's letter, and it shortly after seemed to be further confirmed by a conversation I had with Mr. Wilmot, who made a very unexpected call upon me at 10 o'clock on Saturday night. He presented a letter to me from Mr. Willis containing an extenuation of his faults similar to that which had been pleaded by him (Mr. Wilmot) to your Lordship; and if I understood the object of his interview with me it was to inform me that your Lordship had expressed yourself willing to deal as leniently as possible with Mr. Willis, consistently with the interests of the Church, but that his fate would much depend upon the view I might take of his case.

Impressed with the deference due on every account to your Lordship, and which no one feels more sincerely than myself, I then unguardedly told him that if such were your Lordship's opinion, I would not presume to oppose mine to it, and should forbear to press the case severely against his Brother in law, and I carefully avoided committing your Lordship in any way with him, and I did not even mention that I had received your Lordship's letter.

I have suffered great anxiety of mind ever since Saturday night, for I still think that my first impression of the case was the right one, and that the feelings of Mr. Willis's friends are not to be put in competition with the great and important interests which are involved in the treatment of this gross and glaring case.

Even if the Court of Arches should not pronounce sentence of deprivation, still the case will have gone as far as the law will allow it to be carried, and the Character and discipline of the Church will have been vindicated.

Besides these reasons several unfortunate cases, varying in their degree of guilt, have occurred in this immediate neighbourhood, though not I believe any of them approaching in enormity to this, and an example at length seems to be necessary.

And though last not least I may say that the [sic] suffering Mr. Willis under his circumstances to draw any portion of the revenues of such a Parish as Haddenham without discharging any of its duties cannot but be most prejudicial to all its interests, temporal as well as spiritual.

I know that there is a strong feeling on this subject amongst my Brother Clergy, with some of whom I have communicated, and I firmly believe that all the real well-wishers of the Church in this neighbourhood are decidedly with me.

Permit me, my Lord, to ask now, whether you do not think I am bound in honour, after what passed between Mr. Wilmot and me, to write to him and say that upon more mature reflection, I must leave the case, as far as I am concerned, to take its course.

I have the honour to be my Lord

Your Lordship's obliged and obedient servant

John Harrison

P.S. I will apply to the Churchwardens to ascertain whether the precise day on which Mr. W.s Intoxication in the Reading desk can be proved.

Dinton Octr 21st 1843

My Lord

The day on which Mr. Willis was intoxicated in the reading desk, as I have been informed by Mr. J. B. Rose this morning, who returned from Ipswich last night, was on Sunday.

Mr. Rose was not present in the Church at the time, but he can bring forward a credible witness, who was present, and is prepared to attest it on oath.

Mr. Rose tells me he is ready himself to prove the finding of Mr. Willis in the House of ill fame, and the Policeman Cornaby, whom I have this day seen, will do the same.

I shall write by this Post to Mr. Paul Wilmot, but I understand that he, being a member of the Bar, is going the routine of Sessions in some part of the country, and therefore I can only address my letter to him in London.

I must beg for the most ample instructions from your Lordship, as to the course of proceeding,

I have the honour to to be my Lord

Your Lordship's obliged and obedient servant

John Harrison

Sunday afternoon

P.S. Mr. Rose has not sent me the date of the Intoxication as he promised, but probably I shall receive it to morrow (Monday) I will then immediately forward it to your Lordship. Mr. Wilmots Letter goes by this (Sunday's) Post.

Dinton Octr 23rd
1843

My Lord

The date of the intoxication in the reading desk can be proved by 8 Witnesses, and it took place on the 23rd of October 1842.

The drunkenness at Wycombe alluded to in a former letter took place on the 14th of July 1843.

On the 17th of July 1843 Mr. Willis was seen drunk in the streets of Wycombe.

On the 18th of July 1843 he was found intoxicated in a stable at Haddenham, and some bottles of wine were under a truss of Hay near him.

I have the honour to be my Lord

Your Lordship's obliged and obedient servant

John Harrison

{Bishops reply, terrible writing}

Riseholme Lincoln
October 26 1843

Sir, When you did me the honor to call here, I stated to you that the course which I should pursue in Mr Willis's unhappy case should be rejected as ?? by the view taken by the Clergy in the neighbourhood of the subject. I am sorry to say that their opinion, communicated to me by Mr. Harrison, is that the case is of so serious a nature as to ? the institution of proceedings ... in order to vindicate the character of the Church. I suggest therefore ...

16 Welbeck St
Cavendish Square
30th October 1843

My Lord

I should not have suffered a post to elapse without acknowledging the honour of acknowledging your Lordship's obliging though very painful communication of the 26th inst but that at the time of its arrival I was, and for some days previously had been, confined to my bed, and was quite unequal to my present exertion.

Permit me, my Lord, to take this opportunity of assuring you, that in the part I have taken in this most grievous affair, I have had no wish to attempt to extenuate the seriousness of the offence, or lesson one tittle the punishment of the offender. My only anxiety has been to weaken, as far as possible, the harmful effect such a scandal was calculated to produce, by making known to the chief of those whom it had reached, the lighter shades in the character of the offender, and I was truly pleased to find that the Churchwardens and others believe him to possess many virtues which may well be doubted by those who know or hear of him only through his mis-deeds.

From a conversation I had with Mr Harrison the day after I had the honour of an interview with your Lordship, I had reason to hope, that, as the offender had admitted, with a full sense of his misconduct, that he justly deserved punishment, and had expressed his readiness to submit to any course your Lordship should suggest, as some atonement for his offence, the neighbouring clergy would not think public proceedings essential for the vindication of the character of the Church, or the imposition of an adequate punishment on the offender. And I would that they had so thought, for tho' the punishment of the offender will become more publicly known by the interposition of a Court, so also will the scandal. And the punishment, however less publicly inflicted, could scarcely fail to become known to those aware of the scandal.

I trust your Lordship will not think me presumptuous in so freely expressing my opinion.

A communication I received from Mr. Harrison on the 23 inst with which I trust your Lordship will under the circumstances forgive my troubling you, rather prepared me to expect that the course intimated in your Lordship's letter would be adopted, although on his own part he intimated that he shall be martial.

I now beg to apologise for troubling your Lordship at such length, and with a deep sense of your Lordship's kindness and courtesy on this most trying and painful occasion

I have the honour to subscribe myself your Lordships very obliged and obedient humble servant,

P. Wilmot.

PS. I think it right to mention that by the same post that bought Mr. Harrison's letter I received one from Mr. Rose the late Churchwarden (quite unworthy of your Lordships perusal) in which he informed me that he had seen Mr. Harrison and the churchwardens since I had

{Bishop's reply}

Riseholme, Lincoln, November 1 1843

Sir, I beg leave to...

Dinton Vicarage
Nov 16th 1843

My Lord

In reply to your Lordship's letter I beg leave to name the following Clergymen to be inserted in the commission.

The Revd A. Isham, Weston Turville, Wendover

The Revd J.B. Reade, Stone, Aylesbury

The Revd John Pretyman, Aylesbury

The Revd Mr Partridge, Chinnor, Tetsworth (Vicar of Ilner)

I have the honour to be, my Lord new power your Lordship's obliged and obedient servant

John Harrison

65 Warren Street
Fitzroy Square
London
November 16th 1843

My Lord,

My Brother in Law Mr Paul Wilmot, who has, throughout my present degradation and suffering, acted with great kindness though firmness towards me, lost no time in affording me a perusal of your Lordships last most obliging communication to him, and I have ever since felt most anxious to convey to you my best thanks for the intended forbearance of unnecessary publicity in my unhappy case, therein expressed; but a sense of my own unworthiness of such consideration has hitherto made me hesitate to acknowledge it with my own pen. The state of my Brother in Law's health and engagements, however, continuing to forbid my imposing any further exertion upon him, and having failed to find in another, so true a disinterested a friend, I have at last determined on myself addressing you.

For the forbearance your Lordship intimates will, upon my consenting to obey your sentence after the Commissioners of Enquiry have made their report, I am not the less grateful, though I feel it can be induced only by a discrete regard to the true interests of the Church, and out of consideration to the feelings of others already too deeply wounded. I will only add that my knowledge and experience of your Lordship's impartial and delicate exercise of your authority on all occasions, will make it my wish, as it will be my duty, to submit most implicitly to any sentence you may pass on me. And here, I will take the opportunity of stating, that on one occasion only (one alas! too many) did I ever commit any irregularity in the performance of the service of the Church, and then I was overcome not by any improper quantity of Wine or other exciting liquor, as can be testified by the friends who dined with me and walked with me to Church on the evening in question without discovering any thing unusual in my manner. In support of this assertion I might venture to appeal even to my Curate, tho' he has not evinced any disposition to lessen any exaggeration in the offence with which I am charged or in any way offered me consolation or assistance, and therefore I have not have, nor do I intend to have, any communication with him, not absolutely necessary.

I will now venture to disclose to your Lordship's circumstance I had, till yesterday, reason to believe a clerical friend had imparted to you. From a letter however, I have received from him, I find that although he has addressed your Lordship upon my unhappy case, I fear he has done so at the instigation of self-interest, rather than in obedience to the call of friendship, as he has not communicated to you the only fact which induced me to solicit his advice and services. He tells me, my Lord, that he does not conceive that your being made acquainted with the fact can either alter my present position with your Lordship, or at all influence you in my favour. This is a poor and unworthy excuse for not having done what he consented to do, more particularly as he well knew that I had no such expectation in wishing the truth to be made known to your Lordship, but because it was an important factor I feel in duty bound to have disclosed to you, however it might affect you as regards myself.

The simple fact is, my Lord, that on the 27th of last month I was married at St Pancras Church, not upon any sudden impulse or suggestion, but to one whom I have been steadily attached for nearly the last four years, and whose Husband I had pledged myself to become, if ever I should be able. I now beg to assure your Lordship, that I have not ratified my vow with any expectation of thereby lessening the just punishment for my offences, but in obedience to the best feelings of my heart, and to secure, as I firmly believe I have, that peace of mind and domestic comfort which I have scarcely ever known and for the want of which I had become painfully subject to the influence of any excitement. I however cannot help regretting that my clerical friend for whom I sent to communicate the fact to your Lordship, did not comply with the only request I made to him, and to which he consented; as he might at the same time have expressed more becomingly than I can his opinion of my present Wife, and how far she is likely to govern my future life to the comfort and advantage of others as well as of myself. And I am the more surprised that he did not do so, as it was his own wish to be introduced to my Wife, and he passed many hours here with her and myself, and expressed himself gratified that I had met with such an apparently quiet and domestic companion, and himself volunteered to and did read to us the Blessing in the Marriage Service. It would not become me to say more in praise of one so near and dear to me, and I will therefore only add that she is the Daughter of a most respectable Widow aged 61. I think it right also to mention that my marriage was most respectably attended, and out of consideration to my present unhappy position was conducted very quietly, in which state I hope hereafter to live.

I cannot conclude without stating, that a chief cause of my anxiety for your Lordship to be informed of my marriage was, lest it should have been again inferred from my absence from the Vicarage that I have been committing further offence from which I most heartily pray, I may be in future prevented by Him "unto whom all hearts are open." If happily I should be, I shall feel myself more at liberty than at present to subscribe myself

Your Lordship's most obliged and obedient humble Servant

John Willis

{Bishop's reply}

Riseholme, Lincoln, November 17 1843

R.S. The Notice required by the Clergy Discipline Act having been placed in the hands of Mr Prickett in order that it may served upon you, I must decline to write further upon the the subject touched upon in your letter than to say that it conveys to me the first intelligence of your marriage.

My Lord

I have received back from Mr Prickett of Aylesbury this notice of which a copy has been served by him on Mr Willis.

I have the honor to remain your Lordship's very faithful and obliged servant

Robt Swan

Lincoln

5 Dec 1843

The Lord Bishop of Lincoln, Riseholme

Dinton
Decr 23rd 1843

My Lord

I beg leave to acknowledge the receipt of the Commission and of your Lordship's letter.

I called at Mr. Prickett's yesterday, and I saw his Partner Mr. Watson, who says that Mr. Willis stated to Mr. Prickett when he served the first notice upon him in London that he (Mr. Willis) intended to admit the charges generally, but meant to defend himself on the ground of a conspiracy of certain parties, who prefer the charges, against him.

I will do every thing in my power to lessen your Lordship's expences in this matter, and I intend to apply to the High Sheriff for the use of the Magistrate's Chamber at Aylesbury, which will be free of all expence, except a trifle for coals.

I hope the inquiry will begin on Tuesday the 9th of Jany. The principal party who prefers the charges is Mr. J. B. Rose, who is now at Ipswich, and must be brought up to Aylesbury. Mr. Watson has written to him to fix the probable time for the Inquiry, and I hope the case can be got up by the 9th. I directed Mr. Watson to tell him that we should expect him as a voluntary witness, and that he would not charge his expenses, but I am afraid he will expect to be paid. If from your Lordship's experience you can tell me how to diminish expense, I will use my utmost endeavours to comply with your suggestions.

Mr. Watson has copies of notices to be served upon parties who may not choose to come as volunteers.

I have the honour to be my Lord new per your Lordship's obliged and dutiful servant

John Harrison

Wrote to Mr Willis Feb 2.

Dinton Vicarage
Feb 3rd 1844

My Lord

The commission was opened at Haddenham last Wednesday at 10 o'clock in the morning and closed at 5 in the afternoon. Besides myself there were present Mister Isham, Mr Reade, and Mr Pretyman.

Messrs Prickett and Watson will forward to your Lordship the depositions. The charges against Mr. Willis for his conduct at High Wycombe were abandoned, because the only Person (a female of the name of Weston) who could identify Mr. Willis there, or speak to the exact date of those transactions, could not be found so that notice might be served upon her. For reasons best known to herself and her father, she was purposely kept out of the way.

We unanimously came to the conclusion that there were prima facie grounds for instituting further proceedings in the three other cases of impeachment.

The Brothel case at Aylesbury was proved beyond the vestige of doubt.

The evidence of drunkenness in the church was, we thought, sufficiently proved, although the testimony was in some degree conflicting; and the case of intoxication in the stable was also proved in our opinion, although there the evidence was conflicting also. Dr. Willis's testimony was very different before us to what it was when he was privately examined by Mr. Watson, and the Commissioners hence thought it right to make a remark to that effect at the end of Dr Willis' deposition. The Dr. positively told Mr. Watson that his Cousin Mr. Willis was drunk not only in the stable but in the Church also, and read minutes from a Pocket book to Mr. Watson in which the date of these occurrences of the circumstances connected with them had been noted down by him at the time. That he was placed in a delicate position in reference to his Cousin there can be no doubt; but he never felt any delicacy upon the subject until he came before us, and certainly promoted the investigation privately. I do not think I should be discharging my duty as a Will Dean, painful though it be to me, if I did not venture to mention to your Lordship, in strict confidence at present, that statements have been made to me respecting Dr. Willis, which, if certain parties will come forward publicly and attest them, I shall be compelled to lay before your Lordship. We held the commission at Haddenham to save expence.

65 Warren Street
Fitzroy Square
February 13th 1844

My Lord,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's obliging communication and its enclosure of the 7th Inst which owing to their having been directed to Haddenham, and to the neglect of my servant to forward them by the first Post, did not reach me till this morning. I trouble your Lordship with this explanation, to account for the delay, which I much regret should have occurred in the return of my consent that your Lordship should pronounce sentence without further proceedings; for I do so most cheerfully, not from any fear of my accusers being able to substantiate the charges upon which they have made it appear to the Commissioners, there is sufficient grounds for instituting further proceedings, but from a sense of my having committed breaches of propriety which bring me justly under your Lordship's censure.

Allow me to assure your Lordship that I submit myself entirely to your discretion most willingly, not merely from a deep sense of your uniting on all occasions, moderation with firmness, but also from a conviction that I thereby best consult the interests of the Church, to have injured which, in any degree, will ever be a source of bitter reflection.

A sense of Propriety and Decorum have kept me from Haddenham pending the late investigation.

Again I must beg to thank your Lordship for the kind consideration you have shown throughout my unhappy case, and

I have the honour to be

Your Lordships very obliged and faithful humble servant

John Willis

Doctors Comms 19 Feb 1844

My dear Lord

In the Court of Arches Mr. Willis would, I think, be suspended for at least two years, be condemned in Costs, and the suspension not removed without a certificate, to be approved of by the Court, of intermediate good behaviour. The Brothel scene, brought under the eye of the Police, is a very awkward fact to deal with in an anxiety to cast about for explanatory and mitigating circumstances; yet the guilt is from presumption; it is a single instance; and so also as to his state while in the discharge of his duties, nor is your Lordship, like the Judge of a Court, fettered by precedent, so that, upon the whole, if the Suspension be for one year, conditional, upon proof that he is ? ?, as with relaxation, and with costs, sufficient may be done to show that such offences must not be committed with impunity.

I am My dear Lord your very obedient and obliged servant

J Haggard

PS I return the evidence

Drs Comms 28 Feb 1844

My dear Lord

The sketch of a part of a Sentence, which accompanies this note, will show your Lordship what is the result of my consideration of your Lordship's queries. In my opinion you have the power to award Costs. They are incidental to a Sentence; and they Sentence under s. 6, must, I think, be taken as a Sentence according to the Ecclesiastical Law.

It seems to me correct that the Sentence should run from the date of Publication; & in this instance I have considered that there is a Chapel at Cuddington. I have also inserted a notice of a Sequestration; but I know not what was done, in that respect, in Mr Heyton's case. The injunction to deposit the original, & copies, is directory; & does not, necessarily, I think, for my part of the Sentence.

I do not know an instance of an Eccl. Court sustaining a criminal Suit upon the evidence only of one Witness; but, assuming that the Evidence is quite inexceptionable, your Lordship has, in addition, the submission of the Defendant: Is not that a supplemental circumstance of weight? Perhaps also, independent of the single witness, there may be some corroborating circumstances proved. I am, My dear Lord, yr obed & faithful Servt,

J. Haggard.

65 Warren St
Fitzroy Square
April 5th 1844

My Lord,

Having received (tho' not so early as I should have done) a copy of your Lordship's Decision in my unhappy case, I take the earliest opportunity of tendering to your Lordship my unfeigned thanks and respect for the kind and anxious consideration you have throughout given to it. The Sentence is indeed characteristic of your Lordship – blending mildness with wisdom – It affords irresistible evidence that while firmly discharging the delicate duty cast upon you, your Lordship's chief anxiety has been so to administer correction as to lead to a amendment in the offender. Most earnestly shall I strive not to disappoint your hope, and I feel some confidence in being able to keep my present resolution, as I shall abide cheerfully by your Lordship's Decision.

I know not whether the appropriation of the Income of my Benefice during the period I have forfeited it, is at your Lordship's Discretion, but I am unwilling to lose this opportunity of stating that tho' I last year had promise of a very considerable sum for the purpose of erecting Schoolrooms & forming National Schools, the undertaking was not commenced owing to our funds falling short of the amount required to enable us to adopt the plan sent by the National Society, upon which condition only they would afford assistance. I will trouble your Lordship no further than while I subscribe myself,

Your Lordship's,

very obliged & faithful servant,

John Willis.

65 Warren Street
Fitzroy Square
London
April 15th 1844

My Lord,

I have unhappily of late caused you so much trouble, but I assure you, I feel great dividends in again obtruding on you. I am however so anxious to act in strict accordance with your wishes that I trust you will pardon the liberty I take in consulting you as to the propriety of my residing at Haddenham during the period of my suspension.

My Parishioners having learned that your Lordship's sentence does not extend to depriving me of the use of the Vicarage, have expressed a desire that I should at once return and reside amongst them, and for many reasons I should wish to afford them an opportunity of knowing how I pass the term of my probation. I could have, however, anticipate little good resulting from my residing there whilst my Cousin continues to be Curate, and for this reason I had twice, previously to your Lordship's Sentence being known, suggest to him the propriety, if not necessity, of his seeking another field for his labours. Of my suggestions he has not however taken any notice. I entertain no unkind feeling towards my Cousin, but I should like to have as an associate one who is more capable of "feeling the luxury of doing good", and on whom I could more safely rely.

Under the circumstances, and distrusting my own judgement, I venture to seek guidance from your Lordship, and awaiting the honour of your reply, I remain, with the utmost respect,

Your Lordship's

Very obliged & faithful humble Servant,

John Willis

{Bishop's reply}

? April 19 1844

R.S.

I am sorry but I cannot?? expressed in your letter. I? A consideration and? But nothing can be less desirable with reference either to yourself or for the parish than that you should reside at Haddenham, another person being in charge of the duty. And yourself? interference?. It is very? I appoint a Curate to Cuddington? But when you return to Haddenham it must rest with you to determine whether you will retain Doctor Willison duty as your assistant