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sir Nathaniel Brent, knight, our vicar general, who having viewed the said church in the presence of you the said parson, churchwardens, and some others of the said parish, hath certified us what seems to him upon the said view 5 to be most decent and convenient for the most reverend and orderly receiving of the holy communion in the said chancel of the said church. Now know you that upon the relation of the said sir Nathaniel, as also upon a mature and deliberate hearing of the parties interested in 10 the said difference, in our manor house of Lambeth in the county of Surrey upon the 21st day of May, anno Domini MDCXXXIII. in the presence of our said vicar general, and divers others, and also in the presence of Thomas Tane clerk, the now incumbent parson of the 15 parish church of Crayford, and Thomas Andrewes, John Ludlowe, churchwardens, and Joseph Bingham, Thomas King, and John Kettle, parishioners of the said parish of Crayford, and others then and there present, we have ordered and decreed, and by these presents do order and 20 decree as followeth; "videlicet:" that the parishioners and inhabitants of the said parish of Crayford, and others intending hereafter to receive the holy communion there, shall repair unto the two ascents, or foot paces in the chancel before the communion table, and there mats 25 being laid upon the said two ascents, or foot paces, to kneel upon, and mats being also laid on either side above

fice. Thus a difference in the position of the table was made to distinguish two opposite views in a theological dispute now reappearing in the church; and there arose in consequence another article of dissen30 sion between the two great parties, into which the whole community, whether churchmen or laymen, were divided. See No. CXL. It is worthy of notice that the decision in this instance was given by archbishop Abbot, and would be considered adverse to the wishes and sentiments of the puritanical party in the church, to which he was supposed 35 to belong. The archbishop died on the 4th of August following. Comp. Fox's Martyrs, vol. ii. p. 700. ed. 1641.

the said steps to kneel upon, (if by reason of the number of communicants it seems requisite, the two ascents or foot paces being first filled,) they shall in decent and reverend manner humbly kneeling upon their knees on the said two ascents or foot paces, receive the holy com- 5 munion and sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and after the first company hath received the same, they to return to their seats and places in the said church; and to give way for a second company to receive in like manner; and the 10 second, after they have received in like manner, to return and give way for a third company, and the third to the fourth, and so successively, until all the communicants there have received the holy communion in manner and form aforesaid. And we do require you the minister of 15 Crayford aforesaid, that upon some Sundays or holy-days, in the time of divine service, you do publish and declare this our order and decree to the parishioners of the said parish of Crayford; and we admonish you, the parishioners of Crayford, that upon notice of the premises, you be 20 obedient and conformable thereunto, as you will answer the contrary at your peril. Given under our archiepiscopal seal at Lambhith the eighth day of July, anno Domini MDCXXXIII. and in the three and twentieth year of our translation.

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CXXXVIII.

Archiepisc. Cant.
GUIL. LAUD I.

Anno Christi
1633.

Reg. Angliæ
CAROL. I. 9.

The king's instructions for the most reverend father in God our right trusty and right entirely beloved counsellor William, lord archbishop of Canterbury, concerning certain orders to be observed and put in execution by the several bishops of his province, anno Domini, MDCXXXIII.-EX MSS. Harleyanæ Bibl. lib. 61. B. fol. 19. et Rymer. Fœd. vol. xix. p. 470.

I. THAT the lords the bishops respectively be commanded to their several sees, there to keep residence, excepting those which are in necessary attendance at our court.

5 II. That none of them reside upon his land or lease, that he hath purchased, nor on his commendam, if he hold any, but in one of his episcopal houses, and that he waste not the woods where any are left.

III. That they give charge in their triennial visitation, 1o and at other convenient times, both by themselves and the archdeacons, that our declaration for settling all questions in difference be strictly observed by all parties.

The king's instructions] It is evident from these instructions that lecturers, who had always been objects of suspicion in the church, had 15 been encouraged and increased by the influence of puritanical principles, and had in their turn contributed to the growing spirit of independency. They were employed as chaplains in private houses, as occasional lecturers in market towns, and as preachers before corporations; and in all these cases they were engaged by the dissatisfied 20 parties in the church, and naturally adopted such practices and inculcated such opinions as were agreeable to their employers. But the evil had been made more conspicuous by the system and organization that had been given to it. Twelve persons, all belonging to the

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IV. That there be a special care taken by them all, that their ordinations be solemn and not of unworthy persons.

V. That they likewise take great care concerning the lecturers within their several dioceses, for whom we give these special directions following:

1. That in all parishes the afternoon sermons be turned into catechising, by questions and answers, where and whensoever there is not some great cause apparent to break this ancient and laudable order.

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2. That every bishop take care in his diocese, that all 10 lecturers do read divine service, according to the liturgy printed by authority, in their surplices and hoods, before the lecture.

3. That where a lecture is set up in a market town, it may be read by a company of grave and orthodox divines 15 near adjoining and of the same diocese, and that they ever preach in such seemly habits as belong to their degrees, and not in cloaks.

4. That if a corporation maintain a single lecturer, he be not suffered to preach, till he professes his willingness 20 to take upon him a living with cure of souls within that corporation, and that he do actually take such benefice or cure, so soon as it shall be fairly procured for him.

VI. That the bishops do countenance and encourage the grave and orthodox divines of their clergy; and that 25

puritan party, had formed themselves into a society for purchasing impropriations, for establishing lectureships, for hiring schoolmasters, and for other purposes of a similar nature; and being supported by ample subscriptions, they became the centre of a large religious party, and seemed likely to acquire a permanent control over the affairs of the 30 church. In the year 1630 Dr. Heylin, in an Act sermon preached in Oxford, first pointed out the dangerous character of this new society; and in the year 1632 it was dissolved and its property confiscated, on an information which had been laid against it by Noy the attorney general, as being an illegal association. Archbishop Laud speaks of it 35 in his Diary (Feb. 13, 1632) as being "the main instrument for the puritan faction to undo the church." (Heylin's Laud, p. 198. Can

they use means by some of the clergy or others to have knowledge, how both the lecturers and preachers within their several dioceses behave themselves in their sermons, that so they may take present order for any abuse ac5 cordingly.

VII. That the bishops suffer none under noblemen or men qualified by law, to keep any private chaplain in his house.

VIII. That they take special care that divine service To be diligently frequented as well for prayers and catechism as sermons; and that particular notice be taken of all such as absent themselves as recusants or otherwise.

IX. That no bishop a whatsoever, who by our grace and good opinion of his service shall be nominated by us to 15 another bishopric, shall from the day of our nomination presume to make any lease for three lives or one and twenty years, or a concurrent lease, or any ways renew, any estate, or cut any wood or timber, but merely receive the rents due, and quit the place: for we think it a 20 hateful thing, that any man's preferment to a better bishopric should almost undo the successor. And if any shall presume to break this order, we will refuse him our royal assent, and keep him at the place which he hath so abused.

25 terb. Doom, p. 386. Wood's Ath. Ox. vol. iii. p. 554. Neal, Purit. vol. i. p. 548. Collier, vol. ii. p. 754. Rushw. vol. ii. p. 30. Lingard, vol. vi. p. 302.) This was the first subject to which the archbishop turned his attention, and he found his remedy in these instructions and in his letters respecting titles for ordination, which he issued imme30 diately after his appointment. See No. CXXXIX. For further particulars respecting the episcopal house at Cuddesden, the building of which was much promoted by the archbishop, see Laud's Diary of Sept. 2, 1635. and Wood's Ath. Ox. vol. ii. p. 893.

a IX. That no bishop] This just and salutary regulation was some35 times suspended by the king himself; as, in the instance of bishop Wren on his removal from the see of Hereford to that of Norwich in the year 1636. Wren's Parental. p. 50.

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