BOOK II. Anno 1563. of Paul's is CHAP. XIII. The Council's letter to the Archbishop for St. Paul's. The Archbishop goes down to his diocese. Book of Homilies; both parts. Letters to him from the Council; requiring an exact account of his diocese. His certificate thereof. His metropolitical visitation continues. The ignorance of the Curates. The work THE contributions made by the Clergy of the province at a stand. of Canterbury for repairing the damages made by fire in St. Paul's church, anno 1561, which we heard of under that year, enabled the work to go commendably forward hitherto. But now in 1563, it received a stop for want of money to carry it on, and to buy lead for the covering; whereby some parts of the church unfinished, being exposed to the weather, received injury: some of the Clergy being backward in their payments by reason of their poverty, and some, it seems, refusing any benevolence at all. The Council therefore, to back and give the more authority to the Archbishop to gather up the arrears in his diocese, sent him a letter rehearsing the condition of that church, and exciting him to hasten the collection; which was as followeth : The Coun cil's letter to the Archbishop hereupon. C. C. 66 "After our very hearty commendations to your Lordship: "whereas we understand, that according to such order as ye received from the Queen's Majesty, ye have directed MSS. C. C. "your letters to all the Bishops of your province for the "levying of a contribution of the Clergy within the same "towards the re-cdifying of the church of Paul's, according "to certain limits in that behalf; so it is that at this pre"sent the works of the said church, being one of the most "notable monuments of this realm, which hitherto with great "diligence and like success have been prosecuted, are now compelled to cease; and some part of the roof thereof to "stand bare and uncovered for want of lead and present "money, to sustain the charges of such a work; not only "to the decay of the places uncovered, but also to some "note and slander in the sight of the world. CHAP. XIII. "These are therefore to require your Lordship forthwith, Anno 1563. "with all diligence, according to the rate of the book of "tenths and subsidies, to collect all the arrearages of the "said contribution remaining unpaid, as well of all the dig"nities and prebends of your cathedral church, as of all "other spiritual promotions within your diocese of Canter"bury, which for exility are not exempted from the said "contributions by your former letter; and to pay the same "unto the treasurers of the same works of Paul's, at or be"fore the first day of August next; taking further order "for those that will deny or refuse the payment thereof, according to the said rate before limited, as to your wis"dom shall seem good. And thus we bid your Grace right heartily well to fare. From Greenwich, 26th of June, 1563. "Your Lordship's assured loving friends, "N. Bacon, C. S. Will. Northampton. "Arundel. Pembroke. Will. Howard. R. Duddely. 66 "E. Clinton. F. Knollys. W. Cecil." This letter no question forwarded the work; but all was 128 not finished before the year 1566. visits his own dio Soon after Midsummer the Archbishop went down to his The Bishop diocese, to visit it in person, that he might, as he told the Secretary, thoroughly know the state thereof himself per- cese. sonally, and take order among the Clergy. And this year he obtained a licence of the Queen to retain forty persons; perhaps that he might now make the greater appearance. of Homilies. The Book of Homilies as yet lay before the Queen to be The Book considered of. But in the month of June he earnestly excited the Secretary to put her Majesty upon resolving herself concerning this book, which had been revised and finished, with a second part, by him and the other Bishops, and printed the year before, and waited only for the Queen's allowance to be publicly used in the parish-churches of the nation. And this motion the Archbishop now made the rather, because he was minded to deliver these books to each BOOK parish one, as he should go along in his intended visitation, II. and give his charge to the respective Ministers to read those Anno 1563. Homilies for the people's profit and edification. And.I find two editions of them (perhaps there were more) this year 1563, printed. He resolves to keep a ation. In this visitation he was resolved to maintain a table, begood table fitting his quality; and during his being abroad to receive in his visit- both the Clergy and gentry with the ancient hospitality of an Archbishop of Canterbury. But he had no parks, or at least others had spoiled them of their venison. For he complained, that the most part of his brethren, meaning the Bishops, were better furnished in that provision than himself. Therefore, as he said, to avoid the shame of his table, if he should not have to bid his neighbours to a piece of flesh, he requested of the Secretary to procure him from some of his friends in Kent a couple of bucks. And the like request he made to the Lord Robert Duddely (the same that was afterwards the great Earl of Leicester) and other of his friends. And gave an hint to the said Secretary, that if he durst as boldly speak to the Queen, as he was wont formerly to find grace in Queen Anne's favour in such like requests, he would offer his suit to her for three or four bucks out of her park at Canterbury, as some recompence for taking away his Broyle in Sussex: which was and still is a very large and noble park near Lewis in that county. But in some kind of sullenness for that disregard and contempt of the Clergy, that then was visible enough at the Court, he thought it best to say nothing to her Majesty, and content himself with his beef; telling the Secretary between jest and earnest, "Marry, "because I doubt in these days whether Bishops or Min"isters may be thought worthy to eat venison, I will hold "me to my beef, and make merry therewith, and pray for " all my benefactors." This also must be added to the memorial of his generosity in his visitation, that it was at his own cost; not taking of his Clergy the procurations that were due to him for visiting. Takes no procurations of his Clergy. In July the Lords of the Council wrote a letter to him, to give them an exact account of the diocese, (which indeed contained a common order to all of the Bishops.) was the tenor of it. And this CHAP. XIII. Anno 1568. cil's letter C. C. Vol. "After our very hearty commendations to your good The Coun"Lordship; the Queen's Majesty, upon certain good consi51- to him. "derations moving her to understand in some part the state MSS. C. C. "of your diocese, hath commanded us to write unto your Certificator. Lordship with all speed possible; and thereby to require "the same to make answer by writing distinctly to us of "all these articles following. 66 " I. How shires or counties many your "tain, or into how many it doth extend. diocese doth con "II. Into what manner of regiment the same is divided; "whether the same be into archdeaconries, deaneries, or "such like. And how many the same be, with their dis"tinct names. Who occupieth those rooms at the present; "and where they are, to your understanding. "III. What exempt or peculiar places are within the "circuit of your diocese, where you have not full jurisdic"tion as Ordinary; and what the names thereof be; and "who hath the ordinary jurisdiction thereof at this present. "IV. How many churches within every such archdea- 129 "conry, deanery, or other regiment. Which be parochial. "How many of them have Parsons, Vicars, Curates. And "whereas the parishes are so large, as they have divers "chapels of ease, which have or ought to have Curates or "Ministers in them; to certify how many be of that sort in 66 every such parish, with the names of the towns or hamlets "where the same churches or chapels are so situate. "V. How many households are within every parish, or "within any such member of any parish, that hath such "churches and chapels of ease. "VI. And lastly, wheresoever any such exempt places "be within the circuit of your diocese, wherein you have "no such jurisdiction, as you can presently make sufficient "answer to the former articles, her Majesty would, that 66 you should in writing copy out so much of the substance . BOOK "of these five former articles as shall seem convenient for "the purpose: and with speed send to such persons as have Anno 1563. " the jurisdictions of those exempt places, or their deputies, "residing next unto you; willing and commanding them in "her Majesty's name forthwith to send distinct answers "thereunto; to be sent either to yourself, or by them sent ❝ to us. "And because the greater part of these former articles is "such, as we doubt not but ye are by means of your visit"ation able to cause sufficient certificate to be made unto us “with speed, we require your Lordship to use therein all "the diligence that you can, and not to defer any time "therein; but either by this messenger, or within two or "three days at the farthest, to return us answer. And for "some such part thereof as speedily you cannot certify, with "conference had with your Chancellor, Commissioners, "Archdeacons, Deans, or other inferior officers, our like "earnest request is, that you do procure information there"of without delay of time; and to command in her Majes"ty's name the like to be done by all other, having, as above "is said, any exempt jurisdiction; so as her Majesty may "be amply and certainly satisfied therein. And so fare your Lordship right heartily well. From Greenwich, the "9th of July, 1563. 66 Sends up a certificate of And accordingly he sent up his certificate to the Lords his diocese. with such speed as they required; naming not only the parishes in each deanery, and the Parsons and Vicars respectively, but the number of households in each of those parishes for the most part. The Certificate was as followeth, bearing this title; The Certificate of the most reverend Father in God, Matthue, |