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Prevents taking timber out of his woods. Commends a contribution for Chard: and for Bath. A Bishop consecrated by him. Who now officiates for the Archbishop. Stubbs's book. The Council's letter to the Archbishop relating thereto. His orders to the Preachers hereupon; and to some Preachers as would not administer the Sacraments. Difference between Sandys, now Archbishop of York, and Grindal, about Battersea.

WE must expect now, while the Archbishop's hands were Anno 1578. thus tied, but little action from him: yet what I find, I

will relate.

his woods.

In the midst of his troubles, he was not guilty of any His care of thing that might bespeak him negligent, or wanting to his duty or calling. This partly appeared in his care for the good estate of his see; which at this time there happened an occasion to manifest. As there were wood-lands belonging to the archbishopric, so was the Archbishop vigilant for preserving the timber thereof, and neither sold it for his own gain, nor used any of it more than was necessary for the reparation of houses and farms. Now it fell out, that the Queen wanting timber either for shipping or her other works, some that had authority to take timber for her provisions, appointed to take presently some quantity out of his woods, lying near the city of Canterbury. And this 241 perhaps was the rather done, since he lay at present under such a cloud. But the Archbishop still preserved the same constant temper, and resolution of discharging his duty. And therefore hearing of this, laboured to stop it what he could; and despatched a letter hastily to Court to his friend the Lord Treasurer, May 24, 1578, acquainting him with this affair, and letting him know first, that there was but small store of timber in those woods; and withal, that not only three of his own mansion-houses standing at or near

II.

BOOK unto Canterbury, and divers of his farmers' houses and milns, were to be maintained therewith; but also that Anno 1578. timber was to be brought from thence to Lambeth by water, for maintenance of that house: for that the woods of the see in the parts near to that palace were so decayed, that there was not convenient timber so much as to make planchers for a stable. He signified moreover to the Treasurer, that he was informed there were others in that part of Kent had such store, that they could spare, and did sell. And that for his own part, as he had ever been careful to preserve his timber, so he did not intend, during his incumbency, to make any sale of it at all. And therefore in conclusion he desired the said Lord, either to give out his order for the staying of that which was appointed to be taken, or otherwise, that neither then nor at any other time after, during his Lordship's pleasure, none should be taken in the same woods. And I suppose thus seasonably interposing, he had his request.

Contribution for Chard.

Anno 1579.

Bath.

All the use I find the Court made of the Archbishop this year was, that the Queen granting by letters patents dated February 26, 1578, licence and permission to certain of the inhabitants of the town of Chard in the county of Somerset, to ask the charity as well of spiritual men as temporal, in all places of her Highness's realm of England and her other dominions, towards the new building and setting up the town of Chard, (the chiefest and greatest part whereof was lately wasted by fire,) during the term of two years; the Archbishop was employed to signify the Queen's pleasure to the rest of the Bishops. Whereupon he issued out his mandate to the Bishop of London to commend this work unto all the rest of the Bishops in the province of Canterbury; and to will and require them to cause the contents to be executed throughout every of their dioceses and jurisdictions.

The next year the Queen granting letters patents to the city of Bath for a licence for seven years, to gather the devotion of all her loving subjects towards the building of a

X.

church and hospital within the same city, there were sent CHAP. unto the Archbishop to be distributed certain orders imprinted for the collection.

Anno 1579.

The Archbishop's officers, who now acted all under him The Archbiand for him, were Dr. Aubrey and Dr. Clerk, who exer- cers. shop's officised the jurisdiction of the see of Canterbury; Dr. Lawse, Commissary of the diocese of Canterbury; Dr. Redmayn, or Redman, Archdeacon of Canterbury, and Mr. Mullins, were the Commissaries for the deanery of Bocking; Mr. Richard Kitson for the deaneries of Malling, Pagham and Terring, in Sussex; Mr. Joseph Heins for the deanery of Shoreham and Croyden.

diocese

Some beginning of a metropolitical visitation of the diocese 242 of Norwich happened in the month of June this year. And Norwich an inhibition was issued the same month to the Bishop visited. thereof from Aubrey and Clerk. But it seemed not to go on, but to receive delays, till the year 1582, when we shall hear of it again.

crateth a

Bishop of

I find the Archbishop in this year at Croyden; so that Conseeither his confinement was taken off, or rather he had leave for the sake of his health to retire to his house at Croyden. Exon. And here John Wolton, S. T. P. was by him confirmed Bishop of Exon, Friday July 24, and consecrated, Aug. 2, in the chapel there, John Bishop of London and John Bishop of Rochester assisting. Thus we see how he exercised this part of his archiepiscopal function even under his sequestration by commission from the Queen.

In this year happened a matter that gave the Queen high Stubbs's disgust. She was in treaty with the Duke of Anjou about book. joining herself in marriage with him. This was a thing, which however desirous the people were of seeing her married in hopes of issue, yet they could not endure to hear of: partly out of an innate hatred to the French, and partly out of a particular dislike of this person: of whom many reports went concerning his dissolute life and manners. But of all others, the Puritans made the most noise. And one of them, named Stubbs, a student in the law, and a man

11.

Gulph.

Num. XIII.

BOOK of parts, but very hot, wrote a most violent book against the match, entitled The Gaping Gulph. The Queen saw how Anno 1579. dishonourable these clamours were to herself, and how ofThe Gaping fensive they might prove to the French, with whom she saw it her interest to keep all fair. Therefore she speedily issued out a proclamation for seizing the book, the author, and printer. And withal, the Lords of the Council wrote a letter dated in October to this purpose to our Archbishop, with the proclamation enclosed: whereby may be understood the whole matter. See it in the Appendix. Therein to take off any surmises, (covertly hinted in the book,) as though the Queen meditated some alteration in religion, The Coun- they shewed, "how fully the Queen was determined to cil's letter maintain the religion which she had at first established in bishop re- "the realm; and that, if need were, even with the hazard latingthere- of her own person. And this they endeavoured to "strengthen by divers arguments, for the full satisfaction "and quieting of her subjects in that behalf. And that “she had for that very cause sustained the malice of divers "powerful princes her neighbours. That the book having "been dispersed about in many places, and perhaps in his diocese, divers of her subjects, and especially some of the Clergy, might be induced to think unjustly and unduti"fully of her Majesty. That it was therefore the Queen's "pleasure, that he, with as much speed as he could conve

to the Arch

to.

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niently, should call together the noted Preachers, and "other ecclesiastical persons in his diocese of good calling, "and to have the proclamation read against the said libel. "And then to signify unto them the Queen's resolution to "maintain the religion without all change. And that she "intended not by any treaty with the Duke of Anjou to be "ever brought to make any alteration. And that the said 243 "Prince had shewed himself lately a friend to those of the religion, by the hazard of his own estate and life; and 66 moreover deserved to be honoured for the honour he did "her Majesty, in coming to see her. That he, the said "Archbishop, should likewise admonish these Preachers,

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"in their sermons not to meddle with any such matter of CHAP. "estate, as in truth not appertaining to their profession; "but to contain themselves within the limits of their calling. Anno 1579. "Which was to preach the Gospel of Christ in all purity, "without intangling themselves in secular matters. And "to teach the people to be thankful to God for liberty of "conscience, peace, and wealth, which they had hitherto en'joyed. And not to go about by intermeddling in such "matters, to give occasion of disquiet and distrust to the "subjects of this realm. By which their disorderly dealing [for some such, it seems, there were among the Preach"ers] there could not but grow prejudice to the cause of "religion.

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"And as for other of the ecclesiastical order, which could "not be present at this exhortation, but lived more remote, "the Archbishop was required to send his letter to them. "But that, if any people should, notwithstanding the endeavours of the Preachers, not rest satisfied, but should "entertain undutiful and unnecessary conceits of her Majesty, then to charge the said Preachers to give him "notice thereof: and he by his authority to call such per"sons before him; and by better information, or otherwise, "correct them in their error."

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bishop's

Upon this command from above, the Archbishop acted, The Archand sent his letters of orders to Dr. Aubrey. And Aubrey orders hereaccordingly sent his to Dr. Lawse, Commissary of the diocese upon. of Canterbury; to Dr. Redman, Archdeacon there for the rest of the diocese; to Mr. Mullins and Dr. Styl, for the deanery of Bocking; to Mr. Kitson, for the deanery of South Malling, Pagham and Terring; and to Mr. Herne, for the deanery of Shoreham and Croyden. Aubrey's letter to these ran in this tenor:

"After my hearty commendations, having received "letters from my Lord's Grace of Canterbury, the copy "whereof I have sent unto you herein enclosed, together "with a copy of a letter sent to his Grace from the Lords " and others, her Majesty's most honourable Privy Council,

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