A HISTORY OF NORFOLK Gayton Thorp ; Henry Meriton, rector of Oxborough ; and Lancaster Topcliffc, rector of Oxwold, as well as by two justices of the peace, E. Wodehouse and J. Wodehouse. The meeting, which appears to have been tumultuous, lasted all day without any approach to a settlement of disputes ; and the orthodox seem to have thought this extremely unreasonable of the Quakers, whom they had been sanguine enough to expect to convince promptly by their own unanswerable arguments. At last, ' the night approaching, and many of the People there being at a great distance from their homes, the magistrates then present, seeing nothing more (which might tend to edification) was like to be done, were pleased to put an end to the Contest and dissolve the Assembly.' Afterwards a certificate of proceedings at the meeting was drawn up and attested, not only by the above clergy, who were managers of the meeting, but by other persons present, among them John Meriton, rector of Boughton, Thomas Fysh, preacher of King's Lynn, and John Williamson, minister of the Gospel, so there were probably other nonconformists participating also. There is appended a certificate of several principal inhabitants within the parishes of West Dereham and other adjacent parishes to ' obviate the false reports given out by the said Quakers,' which at least testifies to a certain enthusiasm for the pastor, who came to the parish in 1691, and refused, very rightly, to defend himself. The parish is described as having ' fallen a prey ' to the Quakers when he undertook it, ' having in it several divisions and sectaries, and but an exceeding small salary for a minister, discouraged most men from supplying the cure.' Instances of the ' pernicious principles of the Quakers and their rugged behaviour ' are adduced, and must have been very trying to one described, as this incumbent is, as ' always averse that either he or his Brethren should engage in a public dispute.' But it is impossible not to feel a considerable measure of sympathy with the Quakers, who seem to have been fighting single-handed on this occasion against the combined forces of all ' the divisions and sectaries ' and of the established clergy ; and this feeling remains uppermost, in spite of the statement that the Quakers handed up provocations and challenges in the pulpit. It is to be feared that the Norfolk men must at all times have justified Wesley's description of them as ' shattered by divisions,' and that, whatever the colour of their religious convictions, they all dearly loved a conflict. Bishop Trimnell, who was consecrated bishop of Norwich 8 February, 1707-8, was strongly opposed to the High Church opinions and practices then becoming prominent. He had been connected with the diocese for many years, having been installed in a prebend of Norwich 4 December, 1691, and collated archdeacon of Norfolk 1698. As bishop he distinguished himself by the emphasis with which he urged the subordination of the church to the state, and was translated to Winchester 21 July, 1721. A list of dissenting congregations, arranged under counties, for the years 171 5 and 1772, shows that in 171 5 there were in Norwich two Baptist congregations, two Independent, and one Presbyterian.^ Bishop Green was appointed to Norwich 8 October, 1721. He was domestic chaplain to George I, a Whig, and a warm supporter of the ' By Josiah Thomson. Add. MS. 32057 ; on fol. 21 there is an account in shorthand of dissent in Norfolk. 302
