Sacrament Gasthuis in Noordeinde.
"The English church in the Noordeinde was an English Reformed church and subsidized by the magistrates as a "reformed"
congregation, a gereformecrde gemeente, in this case serving an English community but nevertheless in communion with the
Dutch Reformed Church. The congregation, however, was not a part of the classis or synod. Throughout its history the
congregation had regularly omitted some or most of the prescribed liturgy of the Church of England, sometimes through
carelessness but increasingly as a consious policy. In John Burgess' time (1604?-1610), the practice of kneeling for the
communion was dropped and also the cross in baptism and the surplice-the three "nocent" ceremonies despised by the Puritans.
Ames (1611-1619), and extreme nonconformist, made considerable changes in the administering of the sacraments - "some
things he left out" and other things he added, but in those days it was allowed to pass. Hassall in his ministry was the exception,
for he was a "comformable man," using the prayer book for the most part except that he too "allowed sitting at the communion,"
this "for feare of giving offense" to the Dutch, who in their canons expressly forbade kneeling. Wing and Balmford carried the
congregation, now officially organized, back to the Puritan side and swiftly dropped most of the prayer book. Ambassador Sir
Dudley Carleton alerted Laud in 1628 to the "novelties" springing up at The Hague under its Puritan leadership - "this place hath
servd as a refuge for such ministers of both nations as could not conforme."

"ARCHBISHOP LAUD'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST PURITANISM AT THE HAGUE," written by Keith L. Sprunger. (Church
History, Vol.44, No.3.(Sep.,1975), pp.308 - 320)


We have known for some time that Reverend John Wing ministered a church at the Hague in the Netherlands. Thanks to
Raymond Wing, Michael Wing and the Wing Family of America, Inc., we now have the proof of just exactly when and where.
Equally fortunate was an article that was found and copied from the internet; "ARCHBISHOP LAUD'S CAMPAIGN
AGAINST PURITANISM AT THE HAGUE," written by Keith L. Sprunger. (Church History, Vol.44, No.3.(Sep.,1975),
pp.308 - 320) which is reprinted here.

Thanks to the photographs of the Register and the article by Keith Sprunger it is evident that our ancestor, Rev. John Wing,
was a Puritan.

"English religion had been practiced at the Hague since at least 1585, when the magistrates appointed a place of English worship.
At this early point, the services were primarily for the edification of Leicester's English soldiers serving in Holland. the place of
worship was the chapel of the Sacrament Gasthuis in the Noordeinde. Over the years the English church came to serve both the
military personnel and also other English residents, of whom the chief were ambassadors Sir Ralph Wingwood (1603-1613), Sir
Dudley Carleton (1616-1628), and Sir William Bosell (1632-1650). Another notable inhabitant was Elizabeth, Queen of
Bohemia, the daughter of James I.
The larger part of the English community was composed of assorted merchants, craftsmen and servants. For a long time, the
English clergyman at The Hague was officially chaplain to Sir Horace Vere, governor of the Brill (Brielle) but who resided
principally at The Hague, a leading figure in the English army in the Netherlands. Again and again, Sir Horace opened the
post of chaplain to a series of Puritan preachers in exile - John Paget, John Burgess, William Ames - and for variety's sake, in
the 1620's to John Hassall, forced out of England by his debts and later on his return the Puritan-baiting Dean of Norwich.
Up to 1627, the Hague congregation was a gathering but not an organized, officially-recognized church; however, in that
year, the English congregation became a formal church with its own minister, consistory and with a stipend of 300 guilders a
year provided by the States of Holland and West Friesland. The first minister of the church was John Wing, formerly of
Vlissingen, who served 1627-1629, and then Samuel Balmford, minister 1630-1650. No one did more than Samuel
Balmford to maintain the church in its Puritan conformity.

(The stipend was raised to 500 guilders in 1628. (Resoluties van de staten van Holland en West-Friesland, no.59, November
28, 1626; no. 61, August 17, 1628). The resolution of 1628 refers to "ponden," that of 1626 to guilders).

"ARCHBISHOP LAUD'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST PURITANISM AT THE HAGUE," written by Keith L. Sprunger.
(Church History, Vol.44, No.3.(Sep.,1975), pp.308 - 320)



Family, please savor and appreciate these pages from the Church Register of the Sacrament Gasthuis in
Noordeinde. We have every reason to believe that the first two pages were written by Rev. John Wing himself.
How very lucky are we that we can pluck these pages from history to better know and understand our
ancestor, Rev. John Wing?

Who knows to what heights in history our ancestor might have attained had he not died. We know that his
health had been compromised for a number of years and that immediately after resigning his pastorate at the
Hague in 1629 he returned to London, England and wrote his Last Will & Testament on November 2, 1629. His
will was probated on August 4, 1630.
We would be remiss not to thank Raymond Wing, the Wing Family Genealogist for the pictures of the
English Church at the Hague (Sacrament Gasthuis in Noordeinde) (Reproduced from the picture at the Fort
House). And for the picture of Queen Elizabeth, Daughter of King James. His insight is also greatly
appreciated. Secondly, Michael Wing, District Representative for the New Fourteenth District for finding the
pages from the Great Bible of the Sacrament Gasthuis in Noordeinde. It was not an easy thing to do but he
doggedly stayed at the task until he got permission to not only buy them but to share them.

And finally, we must thank the Wing Family of America, Inc. who have endeavored to live up to the By-Laws
of our organization by sharing Wing family history and promoting knowledge of our family. You all must
know what a great find this is for all of us. No one asks you to pay for this. You can view our family history all
over the place. However, if the WFA is not supported and if we cannot maintain the Wing Family Fort
House...we have truly lost one of the most unique aspects of our family unity. I hope to never see that in my
life time. Support your Wing Family History by becoming a member of the WFA.