Henry Ward (d. 1674), resident of Sunnybank near Grayrigg, where, First Publishers of Truth records, he was one of ‘the first receivers of those first Messingrs & Ministers of truth into their houses’ [page 247].  He was present at the inauguration of the Meeting in Grayrigg, having been previously convinced (possibly at Draw-well, since this occurs just before Firbank Fell in Fox’s Long Journal).

Although severall of Grayridge was Convinced of the Truth before, by the Ministery of Gff, as ffrancis Howgill, Tho: Robertson, Ambros Rigg, Henry Warde, who had bene a Captain in ye armey, Alixander Dixon, & others att ffirbanke Chappel, Preston Chappell, & other places. The sd Richard ffarnsworth Came in the moveings of the Lord to Grayridge Chappell, where one Benson, a Priest, being then Preaching ... [page 247]

It has been suggested that he is the same Henry Ward who was presented before the Star Chamber in 1621 for breach of the peace as having taken part in

a stage plaie at kendale Castle ... and did therein make a representacion of Hell and in the same did personate and acte manie Lords of the Mannors of the said Countie which they did libellouslie and disgracefullie then and there represent to bee in hell to the greate abuse of the saide Lordes ...

This seems the more plausible because the accused Henry Ward is said to be bailiff and tenant to Sir Francis Duckett of Grayrigg [see ‘Other Sources’ for one of the depositions]. It does not however state how old he was at the time. If this is the subsequent Captain Ward, it throws an interesting light on his pre-Quaker interests, both theatrical and political. The play was in support of the ancient custom of tenantright: the creatures in Hell were ravens (greedy landlords) feeding on poor sheep (their tenants).¹

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Further Reading
‘The First Publishers of Truth’: being early records, now first printed, of the introduction of Quakerism into the counties of England and Wales edited Norman Penney (Friends Historical Society Journal Supplements 1-5; London: Headley; New York: Taber, 1907)

1.    Records of Early English Drama: Cumberland, Westmorland, Gloucestershire edited Audrey Douglas and Peter Greenfield (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1986) 188–198.
On the Star Chamber case, see Joe Scott ‘The Kendal Tenant Right Dispute (1619-1628)’ Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society 98 (1988) 169–182.       Return