XXV.

six hundred years after Christ being here on earth, and of CHAP. all Councils kept in the same continuance of time. Out of the which Doctors and Councils, (for that the said Bishop Anno 1564. had avouched, that the best learned of all the adversaries, or all the adversaries together, were able to bring nothing to any purpose from them,) he set all the adversaries, learned and unlearned, a work by common conference, to devise to say something for themselves, and against him.

CHAP. XXVI.

The state of the Church in the north parts. And particularly of Rachdale, Whalley, and Blackburn, in Lancashire, belonging to the Archbishop. At Rachdale he founds a freeschool. The state of the Church of Canterbury. The certificate thereof sent to the Archbishop. The Bishops of London and Peterborough go out Doctors.

of York.

ABOUT this time, or perhaps the year before, the Arch-The state of bishop of York seemed to have visited his province, as our the province Archbishop had his. The noise out of the north parts, Pilkinton, Bishop of Durham, sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury; making complaint how sadly things there in those quarters were out of sorts. As that the Bishop of Chester's diocese was not visited by the Archbishop of York, who had compounded with the Bishop for it. Nor did that Bishop visit himself, but only gathered the visitation or procuration money by his servants; pretending for his neglect, that he would not put the country to charge. That the Bishop of Man was jolly, and lived at ease out of his diocese. That as for the north parts of Lancashire, the Priests were very negligent in the service, and often said none at all: and that the Archbishop of Canterbury's own The Archbishop's towns and parishes there, namely, Whalley and Blackburn, towns in were very sorrily supplied; the Vicar of one had resigned Lancashire, for a pension, and in the other a Popish schoolmaster had settled. Rachdale indeed was somewhat better provided

BOOK by means of a Curate there; who seems to have been one Gargreve; for whom to be preferred to be Vicar there, the Anno 1564. said Bishop of Durham made request. But take his relation of the state of those parts as he wrote it to the Archbishop.

The Bishop

of Durham

bishop.

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"It is to be lamented to see and hear how negligently to the Arch-" they say any service, and how seldom. I have heard of a commission for ecclesiastical matters, directed to my 182" Lord of York, &c. But because I know not the truth "of it, I meddle not. Your cures all, except Rachdale, be 66 as far out of order as the worst in all the country. The "old Vicar of Blackbourn resigned for a pension, and now "liveth with Sir John Biron. Whalley hath as ill a Vicar as the worst. And there is one come thither that hath "been deprived or changed his name, and now teacheth "school there; of evil to make them worse. If your "Grace's officers lust, they might amend many things. I "speak this for the amendment of the country, and that

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your Grace's parishes might be better spoken of and "ordered. If your Grace would, either yourself or by my "Lord of York, amend these things, it were very easy. "One little examination or commandment to the contrary "would take away all these and more.

"The Bishop of Man liveth here at ease, and as merry "as Pope Joan. The Bishop of Chester hath compounded "with my Lord of York for his visitation, and gathereth "up the money by his servants; but never a word spoken "of any visitation or reformation. And that, he saith, he "doth of friendship, because he will not trouble the country, "nor put them to charge in calling them together. I be"seech you, be not weary of well-doing, but with authority "and counsel help to amend that is amiss. Thus after com"mendations I am bold boldly to write, wishing good to "my country, and furtherance of God's glory. God be "merciful to us, and grant, ut liberè currat Evangelium. "Vale in Christo. Cras profecturus Dunelmum, volente Deo. « Tuus Ja. Δυνελμεν.

XXVI.

bishop

freeschool

Now we are fallen upon the mention of these places in CHAP. Lancashire belonging to our Archbishop, I will subjoin something relating hereunto. These three rectories of Anno 1564. Blackburn, Rachdale, and Whalley, came into the arch-The Archbishopric by Archbishop Cranmer's exchange with King founds a Henry the VIIIth, and Edward the VIth, formerly ap-in Rachpropriated to the Abbey of Whalley. The rectory of Rach-dale. dale was let to a farmer with this condition among others, that the Vicar should be paid by him forty marks per annum; and to pay certain pensions to the Ministers that served the chapels of the said rectories. But the farmer for some years paid not these pensions; whence the poor Ministers were drawn to great exigence. Whereupon Archbishop Parker went to law with him, and would have taken from him the possession of the rectory by forfeiture for non-payment of these rents: meaning, if he should have the better, to have paid the Ministers their arrears, and enlarged their stipend for the future. It proved a long suit and very expensive. At last the farmer, Sir John Biram, fearing to lose the rectory, came to his prayers and entreaties, and begged the Archbishop that he would forbear any further to prosecute the law, and he would leave the matter wholly to his Grace's decision and will. Hereupon the Archbishop pondering in his mind how many families that parish contained, and consulting for the good of the whole county of Lancaster, he promised to release the farmer of all fears of losing the rectory, if he, besides the yearly rent, would give seventeen pounds yearly for the finding of a master and an under-master for the teaching of children in a free grammar school, that should be founded in the said town of Rachdale. Which condition the farmer readily agreed to during his lease. Afterwards, for the continuance of this school for ever, the Archbishop by his own ratification, and the concurrence of the Chapter of Canterbury, tied the sum of seventeen pounds per annum for maintenance of the said school, to be paid for ever out of the rectory. And it was his will, that the Master and Fellows of Corpus Christi college in Cambridge should be

BOOK overseers of the same school, and electors of the schoolII. master, in case he, or any succeeding Archbishop of CanAnno 1564. terbury, happened not to do it; as appeareth by an in

denture tripartite, bearing date Jan. 1. an. Regin. 7. Which he caused to be made; and one of the copies he left to the Master and Fellows of the said College, to be kept among their other monuments belonging to their house.

If the Archbishop for the time being presented not a schoolmaster in three months after a vacancy, then the Master of the college, or in his absence the President, was within two months to nominate and present two able scho183 lars, and offer them to the Archbishop, to choose one for the schoolmaster of the said school. And let me occaDr. Ken- sionally add what I read in a late book, that another Impropriat. Archbishop (viz. Juxon) augmented still more Rachdale

of Canter

fied.

vicarage with 427. per annum. And the vicarage of Black

burn by 70%. per annum, beyond the old pension of 261. 138. 4d. And made Whalley 1207. per annum.

The state of It was mentioned above, how that in January last, upon the Church the Queen's letters to our Archbishop for establishing the bury as to uniformity, he had required of every Bishop a certificate to conformity, to be certi- be sent him up concerning their respective Clergy's manners and behaviours, their doctrine, and conformity to the rites and ceremonies of the Church. He also sent his letters to his own cathedral church for that purpose. And this was the certificate made to the Archbishop's Commissary thereupon.

The certi

ficate from

the Church.

C.C.Miscel

Jan. D.

"Christ's Church, Cant. The certificate of the ViceDean of the cathedral and metropolitical church of MSS. C. C. "Christ in Canterbury, and the Prebendaries of the same "church here present. After due consultation had upon "the copy of a letter directed from the most reverend Fa"ther in God, Matthew, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, "unto you his Grace's Commissary, containing the Queen's "Highness pleasure and commandment for special regard "to be had to the Clergy within the province, for their "conformity in doctrine, and uniformity in rites and cere"monies of the Church, and for their private manners,

XXVI.

usages, and behaviour, according to the tenor of the said CHAP. "letters; we do make our certificate for the state of our "Church touching the premises in manner and form fol- Anno 1564. "lowing.

"First, we do certify, that there is no doctrine taught or "defended by us, or any of us, nor by any preacher of our "church to our knowledge, other than that which is approved by the word of God, and set forth within this "realm by public authority.

"The Common Prayer daily through the year, though "there be no Communion, is sung at the communion table, "standing north and south, where the high altar did stand. "The Minister, when there is no Communion, useth a surplice only, standing on the east side of the table with his "face toward the people.

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"The holy Communion is ministered ordinarily the first "Sunday of every month through the year. At what time "the table is set east and west. The Priest which min"istereth, the Pystoler and Gospeler, at that time wear 66 copes. And none are suffered then to tarry within that "chancel but the communicants.

I.

II.

"For the ministering of the Communion we use bread ++ Which "appointed by the Queen's Highness Injunctions.

was to resemble the

cakes, which

the use of

"The evening prayer in winter is between three and singing "four; in summer between four and five of the clock in served for"the afternoon. At which prayers Mr. Dean, when he is merly for "here, and every of the Prebendaries, are present every private day once at the least, appareled, in the choir. And when "they preach, with surplice and silk hoods.

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"The preachers, being at home, come to the Common "Prayer on Sundays and holydays, wearing surplices and ❝hoods.

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"The Petty Canons, the Lay Clerks, and Choristers, wear surplices in the choir daily.

"The schoolmaster for grammer, the usher, and the "Queen's Highness scholars, come to the choir on Sundays "and holydays in surplices.

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Thirdly, we certify, that touching the manners, usages,

Masses.

III.