Charles, by the Grace of God King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c., to all the mayors, bailiffs, constables, and others our officers and ministers civil and military, whom it may concern, greeting. In pursuance of our Declaration of the 15th of March 167-1/2, we have allowed, and we do hereby allow, of a roome or roomes in the house of Allen Linzey, of Daventry in Northamptonshire, to be a place for the use of such as do not conform to the Church of England, who are of the persuasion commonly called Presbyterian, to meet and assemble in order to their public worship and devotion. And all and singular our officers and ministers, ecclesiastical, civil, and military, whom it may concern, are to take due notice hereof; and they, and every one of them, are hereby strictly charged and required to hinder any tumult or disturbance, and to protect them in their said meetings and assemblies. Given at our Court, at Whitehall, the 8th day of November, in the 24th year, of our reign, 1672. By his Majesty's command, ARLINGTON. This society ranks with the Independent or Congregational, and not the Presbyterian denomination, as named in this license. At what time a settled ministry was first enjoyed here is not exactly known; but the first pastor of the Church was Mr. Andrew Barnett, born at Uppington, in Shropshire, the youngest of ten children. His father, Mr. Humfrey Barnett, appears to have been celebrated as a preacher, and as a man of devoted consistent character. People in the country around would flock to hear him twice on the Lord's-day, which was a very unusual thing in those times. He refused to read the 'Book of Sports,' and preached against it; but was cited by the Bishop, and obliged to retire out of that diocese. He was accounted one of the first Puritans in Shropshire, principally on account of his serious preaching and his devoted life. This son, who became pastor of the Church at Daventry, was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge--was ejected from the rectory of Roddington, in Shropshire, in 1662. He did not suffer so much for his Nonconformity as many of his brethren; having some knowledge of medicine, his skill in diseases obtained him favour among the neighbouring gentry. But on one occasion, being invited privately to preach on the Lord's-day, a neighbouring justice came in while he was praying, and fined him for preaching. Mr. Barnett appealed to the quarter sessions, and pleaded that he had not preached, for he was only engaged in prayer; but his plea was overruled, for the King's Attorney declared that the defendant's praying was preaching; so that on this judgment he was cast, and his fine doubled. He had to pay L40. He was a man of considerable solidity of judgment, a useful preacher, and highly valued by those who best knew him.