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Notes 153
knave, escaped imprisonment by giving satisfaction to the injured party,
along with another defendant, to the tune of £598 [Douglas Grant, The
Cock Lane Ghost (London, 1965), pp. 112, 113-14].
The Cock Lane Ghost was a supposed ghost to which were attributed
mysterious noises heard at No. 33 Cock Lane, Smithfield. The object of
the noises was said to be the detection of a crime, but in 1762 they were
discovered to be the result of an imposition practiced by William
Parsons and members of his family. A number of respectable people
were taken in by the "ghost" and its accusations, among them Thomas
Broughton, secretary to the S.P.C.K. The "ghost" generated a great
deal of excitement. The accused murderer, one Kent, took legal action
against a group of people for conspiracy, among them the Reverend
John Moore (see preceding entry). For a monograph on the subject see
Grant, The Cock Lane Ghost.
A great Storm: on 19 August, 1763 there occurred one of the most
destructive hail storms ever recorded in English history. For an eyewitness
account of the destruction see G.M., XXXIII (1763), pp. 444-45.
Mr Lewis: Thomas Lewis, an M.A. who "resides constantly at
Tarring," a Canterbury peculiar in the area of Chichester (L.P.L. VG
2/5, p. 297). Patching was a sinecure rectory to which was attached the
vicarage of West Tarring.
Dr Fowell: John Fowell, who had been granted a D.D. from Exeter
college in 1762. He was professor of moral philosophy 1757-61, "a very
fair character, both for learning and good behaviour" (L.P.L. MS 1123,
fol. 40: Daniel Burton to Seeker, 19 October, 1761). In 1763 Seeker sent
Fowell £100 for the college (L.P.L. MS 1483, p. 125).
my Nephew Frosts Death: John Frost died on 29 April, 1765 as rector
of Bishopsbourne [GM., XXXV (1765), p. 247].
Mr Freeman: Thomas Freeman, possibly the person of that name (b.
1726?) who matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, in 1744 and
received a B.A. from New college in 1751 and his M.A. in 1752 [Foster,
Alumni Oxon.; G.M., XXXIII (1763), p. 619].
Mr Wallace: Matthew Wallace, son of Robert Wallace of Edinburgh
and an M.A. of Edinburgh, who was ordained deacon on 11 May and
priest on 1 June, 1760 (L.P.L. Act Book IX, pp. 388-89).
Mr Wentworth: John Wentworth, LL.B., who since 1738 had also been
rector of Brenzett in Kent. He died 26 May, 1776 (Hasted, History and
Topographical Survey . . . of Kent, III, p. 494).