Note 40a — Chapter III

Walker in his Sufferings of the Clergy (1714) gives an account of Thomas Gibson, which we here abridge. Born at Keswick (in the diocese of Carlisle), he went to Queen’s College, Oxford, was appointed Master of the Free School at Carlisle, there promoted to the similar post at Newcastle, and finally preferred by the Bishop of Carlisle to the Vicarage of Horncastle in 1634. In consequence of a sermon preached by him, at the Election for Convocation, he was seized, in 1643, and carried as a prisoner to Hull. Being released after four month’s detention, and returning to Horncastle, he was charged with teaching “ormanism” (arminianism), and committed to the “County Jail” at Lincoln, a Presbyterian minister being appointed in his stead at Horncastle. In 1644 Colonel King, the Governor of Boston under the Parliament, ordered a party of horse to seize him (apparently having been released from Lincoln) and to plunder his house, but an old pupil, Lieut. Col. John Lillburn, interceded for him with his superior officer, Col. King, and the order was revoked. In the subsequent absence, however, of Lillburn in London, the order was repeated, and Mr. Gibson was made prisoner, his house plundered, and his saddle horse, draught horses, and oxen carried off. He was imprisoned at Boston, Lincoln and “Tattors-Hall Castle,” where he had “very ill-usage for 17 weeks.” He was sequestrated from his benefice and an “intruder,” named Obadiah How, put in charge. He was now accused of defending episcopacy, “refusing the covenant,” &c. He retired to a “mean house,” about a mile from Horncastle, supposed to be at “Nether (Low) Toynton,” where he and his family “lived but poorly for two years, teaching a few pupils.” He was then appointed Master of the Free School at Newark, two years later removed to the school at Sleaford, being presented by Lady Carr. There he lived until the Restoration, and then resumed his Vicarage at Horncastle, until he died in 1678, aged 84. “He was a grave and venerable person (says Walker), of a sober and regular conversation, and so studious of peace, that when any differences arose in his parish, he never rested till he had composed them. He had likewise so well principled his parish that, of 250 families in it, he left but one of them Dissenters at his death.” (Walker’s Sufferings of the Clergy, pt. ii, p. 252, Ed. 1714).