With such extraordinary exhibitions of blatant ignorance can a worthy clerk regale himself, but they must be very trying at times.

Mr. Lupson has also written The Friendly Guide to the Parish Church and other places of interest in the neighbourhood, The Rows of Great Yarmouth; why so constructed, and some devotional works.

He is also the author of the following additional verse to the National Anthem, sung on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria: 

     “Long life our Queen has seen: 
     Glorious her reign has been: 
       Secure her throne! 
     Her subjects’ joy and pride,
     God’s Word be still her guide: 
     Long may she yet abide
       Empress and Queen!”

The sons of parish clerks have sometimes attained to high dignity in the Church.  The clerk of Totnes, Devonshire, had a son who was born in 1718, and who became the distinguished author and theologian, Dr. Kennicott.  On one occasion he went to preach at the church in his native village, where his father was still acting as clerk.  The old man insisted upon performing his accustomed duties, placing the surplice or black gown on his son’s shoulders, and sitting below him in the clerk’s lowly desk.  The mother of the scholar was so overcome with joy at hearing him preach, that she fainted and was carried out of the church insensible.  Cuthbert Bede records that he was acquainted with two eminent clergymen who were the sons of parish clerks.  One of them was a learned professor of a college and an author of repute, and the other was attended by his father in the same manner as Dr. Kennicott was by his.

Sometimes our failures are the stepping-stones to success in life.  The celebrated Dr. Prideaux, Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford and Bishop of Worcester in 1641, was the son of poor parents at Harford, near Totnes.  He applied for the post of parish clerk at Ugborough, but failed to obtain the appointment.  He was much disappointed, and in despair wandered to Oxford, where he became a servitor at Exeter College, and ultimately attained to the position of rector or head of his college.  When he became bishop, he was accustomed to say, “If I could have been clerk of Ugborough, I had never been bishop of Worcester.”

The history of the clerks of Barnstaple (1500-1900) has been traced by the Rev. J.F.  Chanter[95], and the record is remarkable as showing their important status, and how some were raised to the diaconate, and in difficult times rendered good service to the Church and the incumbents.  The first clerk of whom any trace can be found was Thomas Hunt (1540-68).  He appears in the register books as clericus de hoc opido, and in the churchwardens’ accounts for 1564 there is an entry, “Item to Hunt the clerke paid for lights 2 s. 8 d.”  He was succeeded by his son, John Hunt (1564-84).  Robert Langdon flourished as clerk from 1584 to 1625, when spiritual matters were at a low ebb in the parish.