the same. And assure yourself there are diligent inquisitors for those matters, who will not be silent, when occasion shall serve. Her majesty is very earnest to have them performed; and I would be lothe, for my creditts sake, that any defect should be found, when the matter 5 shall come to further examination. I have sent your lordship herein enclosed a note of such counterfaite ministers, as I have learned to be abroad.

I pray you have a special regard unto them, and if any of them happen to be within your diocesse, send them uppe to me, that I may 10 take order with them accordingly. And so with my hearty commendation I committ your lordship to the tuition of Almighty God. From Croydon the 6th of September, MDLXXXVI.

The archbishop of Canterbury's license to bring in popish books.-Strype's Life of Whitgift, p. 269.

HEREAS sundry books are from time to time set forth in the parts beyond seas by such as are ad

The archbishop of] Strype, Whitg. vol. i. p. 512. "One of the charges made by Dr. Reynolds at the Hampton Court conference was that unlawful and seditious books were circulated, whereby many young 20 scholars and unsettled minds in both universities were corrupted and perverted; naming for one instance that book entitled ' De jure magistratus in subditos,' published by Ficlerus a papist, and applied against the queen for the pope. Bishop Bancroft answered that there was no such licentious divulging of those books as he imagined or complained 25 of, and that none, except it were such as Dr. Reynolds (who were supposed to confute them), had liberty by authority to buy them." Barlow's Conference, 2d day.

dicted to the errors of popery; yet in many respects expedient to be had by some of the learned of this realm; containing also oftentimes matter in them against the state of this land, and slanderous unto it, and therefore no 5 fit books to pass through every man's hand freely: in consideration whereof, I have tolerated Ascanius de Renialme, merchant bookseller, to bring into this realm from the parts beyond seas some few copies of every such sorts of books, upon this condition only, that any of them 10 be not shewed nor dispersed abroad, but first brought to me, or some other of her majesty's privy council, that so they may be delivered or directed to be delivered forth unto such persons only, as by us or some of us shall be thought most meet men, upon good considerations and 15 purposes to have the reading and perusal of them. Given at Lambeth the ... day of October MDLXXXVI. anno reg. Elizab. XXVIII.

CV.

Archiepisc. Cant.
JOH. WHITGIFT 4.

Anno Christi

1587.

Reg. Angliæ
ELIZAB. 29.

A letter from the archbishop of Cant. to the bishop of Lin

coln about Bibles in churches.-E Libro Instrument. episc. Lincoln. fol. 65.

HEREAS I am credibly informed that divers, as

WH

well parish churches, as chapels of ease, are not

A letter from the] Archbishop Parker's translation, commonly called 20 the Bishops' Bible, was first printed in folio in the year 1568 and in 4to in 1569; and it was ordered in the convocation of 1571 (Wilkins, Conc. vol. iv. p. 263) that copies should be provided by all dignitaries for their private houses, and by all church officers for the use of their cathedral and parish churches. It was republished several times in folio 25 and once or twice in 4to before the year 1585, in which year were

sufficiently furnished with Bibles, but some have either none at all, or such as be torn and defaced, and yet not of the translation authorized by the synods of bishops: these are therefore to require you strictly in your visitations, or otherwise, to see that all and every the said 5 churches and chapels in your diocese be provided of one

printed the two editions described by archbishop Whitgift in this letter as "extant and ready." During the same interval the Genevan translation had been republished at least fifteen times. The feeling in its favour seems to have been created by archbishop Grindal; for though 10 it had not been reprinted for several years previously, five different editions of it made their appearance within two years after his removal from York to Canterbury. Notwithstanding this letter, it still continued throughout the reign of queen Elizabeth to be the more popular translation, and is computed to have been published by the queen's 15 printers alone more than thirty times. Archbishop Whitgift, who in the year 1595 approved the Nine Lambeth Articles, cannot reasonably be supposed to have objected at this period to the Genevan translation from any supposed tendency it had to favour the peculiar opinions of Calvin. His objections doubtless were the following: that it was not 20 the translation enjoined to be used by the authority of the church; and that many of the notes which accompanied it were adverse to the principles of government, civil as well as ecclesiastical, established in England. The original epistles dedicatory which were offensive to the queen had been omitted; but it still contained such notes as these; 25 Exod.i. 66 19, ‹ Their disobedience herein was lawful.” Exod. x. 26, “ The ministers of God ought not to yield one iota to the wicked as touching their charge." 2 Chron. xv. 16, "Herein he shewed that he lacked zeal; for she ought to have died, both by the covenant as verse 13, and by the law of God: but he gave place to foolish pity." And Rev. ix. 3, 30 where, under the word "locusts" are included not merely monks, friars and cardinals, but also bishops, doctors, bachelors and masters. was owing to its evil reputation in this respect that at a subsequent period, during the conference at Hampton Court, king James pronounced it the worst of translations, adding that some of the notes 35 annexed to it were 66 very partial, untrue, seditious and savouring too much of dangerous and traitorous conceits." See Cotton's List of Bibles. Lewis, Hist. of Transl. p. 257, &c. 308. Neal, Purit. vol. i. p. 110. Strype, Whitg. vol. ii. p. 280. Collier, vol. ii. p. 504. Barlow's Conference, p. 45. Newcome's Hist. of Transl. p. 68. Todd's Vindic. App. 40 No. 3. Wood's Ann. vol. ii. p. 312.

It

Bible, or more, at your discretion, of the translation allowed as aforesaid, and one book of Common Prayer, as by the laws of this realm is appointed. And for the performance thereof, I have caused her highness's printer to 5 imprint two volumes of the said translation of the Bible aforesaid, a bigger, and a less, the largest for such parishes as are of ability, and the lesser for chapels and very small parishes; both which are now extant and ready. And so I commit you to the tuition of Almighty God. From 10 my house at Lambeth the 16th day of July, MDLXXXVII. Your loving friend,

Articles to be enquired of by the churchwardens and sworne men in the ordinary visitation of the lord archbishop of Cant. within the diocese of Sarum.-Reg. Whitgift, fol. 400. a.

I.

IN

NPRIMIS, Whether your church be void, and if it be, who gathereth the fruictes thereof; and if it be 15 full, whether the incumbent hath any moe benefices then one; and whether he be a preacher, yea or noe; and what degree of schole he hath taken ?

20

II. Item, Whether your minister doth reverently say service, and minister the sacraments according to the

Articles to be enquired of] Strype, Whitg. vol. i. p. 549. The see of Sarum continued vacant for three years after the translation of bishop Piers in the year 1588 to the province of York. (Le Neve, Fasti, p. 260.) The same articles appear to have been employed by the archbishop in other visitations, as of Canterbury and Rochester, which he made about 25 this time. Strype, Whitg. vol. i. p. 593.

book of common prayers: and whether doth he use in his ministration the ornaments appointed by the lawes now in force?

III. Item, Whether have you in your church all things necessary for the common prayer, and due administration 5 of the sacramentes, according to her majesties lawes and injunctions?

IV. Item, Whether have you had monethlie sermons in your parish church at the least, or noe; and whether are the homilies read, when there is no sermon.

10

V. Item, Whether any person, being not deacon at the least, is suffered to say service in your church, to minister the sacraments, or bury the dead; and whether doth any take upon him to preach, not being sufficiently licensed; and whether doth any use to preach, that doth not 15 once in the year at least administer one of the sacraments?

VI. Item, Whether your parson or vicar be resident upon his benefice; and whether he be an incontinent person, or suspected thereof, or faulty of any other kind 20 of lewdness?

VII. Item, Whether your parson, vicar or curate have publickly, or otherwise, spoken against the order or government of the church of England, or the book of common prayer, established by law?

25

VIII. Item, Whether your ministers used to pray for the quenes majestie, queen Elizabeth, by the title and style due to her majestie, appointed by the statutes of this realme, and her highness injunctions, and exhort the people to obedience to her highness, and other magis- 30 trates being in authority under her?

IX. Item, Whether your minister doth not openly in your church catechise such as be of convenient age, according to the ordres set forth in the book of common prayer?

X. Item, Whether all persons of convenient age doth

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