preferred a claim to the advowson and presented to it as belonging to her jointure. His eldest daughter Elizabeth was born at Peterborough, November, 1612, but died in the following year; and another child of the same name was born there in 1613, but died in 1624. During the year 1613 Dr. Bridgeman was summoned to preach several times before the King at Greenwich and Whitehall by his Majesty's special command. In July of that year he was collated to a prebend in Exeter Cathedral, on acceptance of which he resigned the inferior prebend of Carswell in the castle of Exeter; and on 6th May, 1615, he was further elected a canon residentiary of Exeter, on the death of Dr. Lawrence Bodley. In this year his fifth son, Henry (afterwards dean of Chester and bishop of Sodor and Man), was born at Peterborough, 22nd October, and was christened on the Wednesday following, 25th October, in the new font which had been "built" at Dr. Bridgeman's expense in the body of the Cathedral, "for before that tyme they alwayes christened in a bason. This new font the Bp of Peterburgh, being attended wth the Archdeacon and quire, who fetched him wth procession to the font, singing the 84th psalme, did then solemnly consecrat with a very pathetical prayer yt God would "blesse all those yt brought any to be baptized, &c. And after he had so consecrated it," Dr. Bridgeman's son "was christened by Mr. Wager, the Bp's chaplen, and named Henry; Thomas, Lord Bp of peterb: and Sr Humfrey Orme, Knyght, being his Godfathers, and Eliz. wife of Dr. Whaley, his Godmother."[1]
This was the last year of Dr. Bridgeman's residence at Peterborough. His departure was deferrred somewhat longer than he had intended, as we learn from the following entry in his diary: "I purposed to leave peterburgh and to goe to London and soe to Exeter to dwell ther upon my canonry, but I fell dangerously sick wch held me till Christmas (1615), and then I left peterburgh finally (nunquam rediturus) and went with my wief and family to London, wher I was not a moneth er the King gave me the
- ↑ Family Evidences.
