The history and antiquities of Boston, and the villages of Skirbeck, Fishtoft, Freiston, Butterwick, Benington, Leverton, Leake, and Wrangle; comprising the hundred of Skirbeck, in the county of Lincoln. Including also a history of the East, West, and Wildmore fens, and copious notices of the Holland or Haut-Huntre fen ... sketches of the geology, natural history, botany, and agriculture of the district; a very extensive collection of archaisms and provincial words, local dialect, phrases, proverbs, omens, superstitions, etc. By Pishey Thompson. Illustrated with one hundred engravings.

THE CHURCH. 519
There are five bells, two of which bear the date of 1614. The parish chest
has the date 1590. At the taxation of Nicholas IV. in 1291, the church at
Freiston was valued at 261. 13s. 4d.
A short time before the dissolution, it appears that the Abbot of Croyland
" granted to John Frysnay de Benynton, Esq., John Davy of Leke, merchant
of the staple at Calais; William Dawne, and Richard Frysnay of Croyland,
gentlemen, the advowson and right of presentation to the church of Freiston."
The date of this gift is 18th October, 1538.1
The receipts of the profits of this church had not, however, passed out of the
hands of the Abbot of Croyland at the dissolution, for the value of the united
Rectory of Freiston and Butterwick, as enjoyed by him at that period, is stated
to have been 441. 18s. 3Ad.2 The Rectory of Freiston, probably, remained in
the hands of the Crown until it passed with the priory lands to the Dryden
family (circa 1720), who held it in 1820; the present patron of the Rectory of
Freiston cum Butterwick is - Hutchins, Esq., who resides near Wakefield.
We find the following names of clergy connected with Freiston prior to the
Reformation:
1275. Alexander Pissey, chaplain.3
1358 and 1363. Sincius, Vicar of F'reiston.4
1378 and 1381. Simon, vicar.5
1470. William Warde, vicar.6
1477. Robert Kirkeby, vicar.7
1520. Thomas Everard.8
1535. Christopher Tamworth, vicar, and received 161. 13s. 4d.9
1535. Williamn Prestman, rector.10
1541 and 1547. William Hethenes, vicar.l
The following is the most perfect list we can find of the incumbents of this
vicarage since the Reformation:12 —
1712. John Linton died 6th January, 1773, aged eighty-eight.
1773. John Linton interred March 12, 1782, aged sixty.
1782. Henry Linton, D.D.
Edward Gibbs Walford.
John Glover interred December 28th, 1837, aged sixty-two.
1837. Thomas Homer, D.D.
GoUGH'S Croyland, p. 123. Pishey with JohnThompson. We believe the Pisheys
In COLE'S Collection in the British Museum there to be the lineal descendants of the Pech6s of this
is a MS., which recites a grant by the Abbot of parish.
Croyland, for ninety-two years, of the rectories of 4 Corpus Christi Guild Roll.
Freiston and Butterwick, to Richard Bowles; by Subsidy Rolls.
indenture bearing the seal of the Abbey, and dated 6 Corpus Christi Guild Roll.
26 January, 1538. The annual return of revenue is 7 ibid. " Ibid.
stated as 801. 12s. 9 Valor Ecclesiasticus. He was precentor of the
2 Monasticon, new edition, vol. iii. p. 126. Cathedral Church in Lincoln, and died 13 January,
3 We find the name of this family spelt in five 1545; and was buried in the south aisle, called the
different ways in 1275, 1276, and 1280. " Chaunter's aisle," there. - PECK'S Desiderata
The above-mentioned Alexander Pissey occurs in Curiosa, vol. ii. liber 8, p. 4.
the Assize Rolls, 4 Edward IV.; the others in the 10 Corpus Christi Guild Roll.' Ibid.
I~llzdred Rolls. Dominus John Peichd is found 12 The ParishRegisters of Freiston commence so
in the Subsidy Roll for Freiston in 1333; and John late as 1657; and we know officially from the
Pyschd, and Matilda, his wife, in 1381. In 1484 Registry of the Archdeaconry of Lincoln, " that it
the name is spelt Pyshey in the Corpus Chr-isti Roll, would take about three weeks to search for the necesand Pechei in 1498. It is spelt Pisshey in 1540, sary documents tofurnish lists of the incumbentsfor
Pyshie in 1597, and finally, Pishey in 1605. The Freiston, Butterwick, and Beningtoz," all of which
family remained in Freiston until 1749, when the we want. We state afact, and make no conmmentL
name became extinct by the marriage of Bridget