Sequestration of Stanford Rivers from Dr. Meredith.

Next this Houfe took into Confideration the Charge agaift John Merdith, Doctor in Divinity, Parfon of Stanford Rivers, in the County of Essex. And this Day he being by Order of this Hofe to appear, and he failing, Richard Cox testified upon Oath, “That he ferved the Order of this Houfe, at his Lodgings, upon Wednesday laft.”
Hereupon this Houfe, taking this as a Contempt, proceeded againft him; and thefe Witneffes were produced:

Ric’d Cox teftified, “That he hath not been at his Charge at Stanford Rivers this Nine Months.”

Francis Flewing , Ric’d Cranfield teftied, That the faid Dr.Meredith is at Oxford, with the King’s Army.

Hereupon this Houfe, taking the whole Bufinefs into Confideration, adjudged, “That for this Offence, the faid Dr Meredith fhall be fequeftered from his Living of Stanford Rivers, and the Profits thereof; and that Matthew Ellifton, Master of Arts is hereby appointed to officiate the faid Cure during the Pleafure of this Houfe, and fhall be allowed fuch Maintenance for the fame as this Houfe fhall appoint, when they are informed of the tur Value of the faid Living; and the Profits of the faid Living to be fewqestered into refponsible Hands.”

ORDERED, That the Perfon that is appointed by this Houfe to officiate the Cure of Stanford Rivers, shall have the whole Profits allowed him for his Pains.

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A further note regarding Dr Meredith is to be found in the Memorials of Oxford, Volume 1
All Souls College
Many of the wardens of this college highly distinguished themselves in the times in which they lived: but none went through such vicissitudes as Dr. John Meredith. He was sometime fellow of Eton, of which college he afterwards became provost; rector of Stanford Rivers, in Essex, in 1641, and chaplain to the earl of Newburgh; who being chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster bestowed on him the mastership of Wigston’s hospital at Leicester, on the sequestration of the celebrated Chillingworth, 1643-4; but the omnipotent house of commons of that day interdicted the appointment.

He was also deprived of his rectory of Stanford Rivers in May following an arbitrary vote of the house of lords. But he lived to be restored to all his preferments in 1660, nearly twenty years afterwards, and did in 1665.