STAFFORDSHIRE AND DORSET 45
fourteen years the former Vicar of Portesham ministered to the
people of Durweston, but during this period he returned at
least twice to soldiering. After the battle of Worcester the
villagers of Durweston saw their minister ride oif armed with
sword and pistols, and in 1659 he was seen similarly arrayed,
at the head of Major James Dewye’s troop, passing through
Blandford. On the last occasion he was heard to say that " he
would lose his life if ever there were a king in England againe."
Ten years later he was of a different mind and was speaking of
" His Majesty’s happy and blessed Restoration."
It seems necessary to give some explanation of Galping’s
‘ return to Portesham after his resignation of the vicarage. At
‘ the Restoration Hooke went back to Durweston Rectory, and
the ejected Galping seemed likely to fall between two stools.
However, he brought an action at the Assizes for the
recovery of the vicarage of Portesham, and obtained a verdict
in his favour on the ground that his resignation had not been
made before the Ordinary. But in the meantime one Henry
Bartlett had been presented and inducted to Portesham, and
it is hardly to be expected that the parishioners were inclined
to welcome back their former vicar. Fortunately for Galping
Bartlett did not live long, and after some tedious suits in
Chancery the former found himself back in his old vicarage.
The cost of these suits were heavy, and in 1667 Galping
describes himself as " utterly impoverished and undone,
havinge made iifteen journeys on foot since the law put him
in possession of the vicarage from Portesham to London, a
distance of 105 miles/’ His tomb-stone bears the record that
he was vicar of the parish for 5 3 years. No one would suppose
from this inscription that for nearly half the period of his
alleged incumbency the interest he showed in the parish was
limited to his leading a raid on the goods and chattels of his
parishioners.
F.   Pom:.
The writer of the above appears to be unaware that in the
Civil War it was nothing extraordinary for the clergy to take
command of bodies of troops and they often made very gallant
and able leaders. Here is an epitomized account taken at
_ random from Hutchins: