chancellor, commissary, archdeacons, and officials, as by their means, and your own, with the rest of the preachers and ministers of your diocese, they may induce their parishioners to be willing, every parish to buy one of the 5 works of bishop Jewel; and I am so far persuaded of your lordship's ability to prevail with your clergy herein, as I did likewise in as hearty manner desire you to send for as many of the said books ready bound unto Mr. Norton, as there are parishes in your diocese, that hereby 10 the said parishes may have those books near at hand, which will the better encourage them to buy them. What you shall be content to do herein, I know his majesty will take in very good part, being ever of his most princely goodness ready to like and approve of that, 15 which may tend to the instruction and benefit of his loving subjects; and besides, you shall bind me very much hereby unto you, in that I gave encouragement to the printing of the said works in one volume, to the end, that the whole realm might in that sort be furnished with 20 them; and for the prices of them I will take order that they shall be reasonable. Lastly, his majesty is not well pleased with the negligence generally of almost all the bishops in England, touching the collections prescribed heretofore by his majesty, for the building of the church 25 and chapels of Arthure in Cumberland; and therefore I pray you in any wise call your officers before you, and take a strict account of them; first, how many collections have been made, and where the money remaineth; for I am persuaded that in many dioceses, much doth 30 rest in the collector's hands. Besides, there be sundry

f Arthure in Cumberland] "The parish church of Arthuret in Cumberland was built in the year 1609, by the help of a charity brief; but the persons employed in the building going off with a considerable part of the money collected, the tower was left unfinished: towards which 35 Dr. Todd the rector expended about 60l. and procured contributions of 201. or 30l. more." Hutchinson's Cumberl. vol. ii. p. 546. note.

dioceses wherein there hath been no collection at all, and in some not past one or two. Let me receive your lordship's particular letter to be shewed to his majesty, how his pleasure and directions touching this collection have been accomplished in your particular diocese, after you 5 have informed yourself of the premises, and done the best you can in this matter. I must tell your lordship, that I am to send to his majesty, by his commandment, a copy of this letter, and that I keep likewise a copy of it myself, to the end, that both his majesty may know what 10 I have done, and I be able to justify myself for the discharge of mine own duty, and so leave the blame and burden upon them, who shall through their negligence deserve it; and so with my hearty commendations and prayer I commit your lordship to the tuition of Almighty 15 God. At Lambeth the 27th of July, MDCX.

Archiepisc. Cant. RIC. BANCROFT 6.

CXXVII.

Anno Christi
1610.

Reg. Angliæ
JACOB. I. 8.

A letter for contributions towards the prince's library.Reg. Bancroft, fol. 174. a.

THE prince is earnestly affected to have such a library,

as is fit for his highness; whereof I having notice, did hold it very convenient, that the abler sort of the clergy, as well as we that are bishops, should give unto his high

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A letter for contributions] Prince Henry died Nov. 6, 1612, in the 18th year of his age. Of his love of learning sir Walter Ralegh has furnished evidence in the preface to his "History of the World," which was written at this period. "It was for the service of that inestimable prince Henry, the successive hope, and one of the greatest of the 25 Christian world that I undertook this work. It pleased him to peruse

ness some books towards the furnishing of the said library; and because they shall not be able to know what books the prince doth want, deal with the abler sort of double beneficed men in my name, to send up unto me every 5 one of them five pound apiece to be bestowed for them upon such books as I shall know are meet, having the catalogue of all his books, to be presented afterwards by me unto his highness in their names. I trust they will give me so much credit, offering unto them my service To herein. I have not hitherto been ready to move any extraordinary charge, but in this case I hold it very convenient, that his highness being so wise, judicious, and worthy a prince, should have some little glimpse of our love and duty towards him. I did not think it fit to 15 mention this point in my letter, as holding it convenient that no more should be acquainted with it than such men, as you mean shall contribute. Your lordship well knoweth that the prince will take it very kindly that your chancellor, and the richer sort of commissaries 20 of yours and other dioceses should bestow some law books upon his highness; and accordingly I think fit that some of them ought to give twenty marks, some 107. and the least twenty nobles. I therefore pray your lordship to deal with yours accordingly, and to cause them forth25 with to send up the money unto me, assuring them that their names, their books, and the prices of them shall not be omitted in the general book, which is to be exhibited to his highness of the whole contribution.

some part thereof and to pardon what was amiss." And again at the 30 end of the work "besides many other discouragements persuading my silence, it hath pleased God to take that glorious prince out of the world, to whom they were directed; whose unspeakable and never enough lamented loss hath taught me to say with Job' versa est in luctum cithara mea, et organum meum in vocem flentium."" See also 35 Wood's Ann. vol. ii. p. 312. Collect. Curiosa, vol. i. p. 212.

Articles to be inquired of in the cathedral church of Bristol, in the metropolitical visitation of the most reverend father in God, George, by God's permission archbishop of Cant. and primate of all England, in the year of our Lord God MDCXII.-Reg. I. Abbot, fol.

I.

229. a.

INPRIMIS, Of what number of persons doth your

cathedral church stand?

II. Item, Whether have you any laws, statutes, or ordinances in your church, and by whom the same were made?

III. Item, Whether doth every member of your church, at his first admission to the same, swear to observe such statutes and ordinances of the church, so far as they concern himself, and are not contrary to the laws of this land?

IV. Item, What other benefice or ecclesiastical preferment have the dean, archdeacon, prebendaries, and other ecclesiastical persons of the church, besides their rooms, and places in the same?

5

ΤΟ

V. Item, How are the XLII. XLIII. and XLIV. canons 15 for the residency of the dean, as well in the said cathedral church, as upon their benefices, and* in the convocation anno MDCIV. and confirmed by his majesty under the great seal of England, kept and observed?

VI. Item, What time of residence is every residentiary 20 in your church bound unto? and whether do not they dispense one with another for their residency, or some time thereof every year?

* Forte desunt: the rest of the canons made, aut quid simile. -WILKINS.

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VII. Item, Whether be not all the residentiaries in your church many times absent at one time, so that none is to be seen in the church there for divers weeks together, to do the service due to the church, or to keep 5 hospitality there?

VIII. Item, Whether do they at the time of their living there according to their statutes, and the laudable customs of this church, keep hospitality there?

IX. Item, Whether there be not a general neglect To among the said canons of coming to evening prayer Sundays, holy-days, and other week days?

X. Item, What extraordinary leases have you past within these five years last past? and whether have you not entered into bonds and covenants to make or renew 15 any lease hereafter, whose term is not yet expired, contrary to the true intent of the laws and statutes of this land? and what leases, covenants, and grants have been thus made, and to whom?

XI. Item, Whether your prebendaries in the time of 20 their lying from their cathedral church, do preach upon their benefice, and keep hospitality there, as by the laws of the church and realm they are bound?

XII. Item, Whether sermons be duly had in your cathedral church upon the Sabbaths, and holy-days? and 25 how oft in the year have you the communion ministered amongst you in the cathedral church? and how often have you sermons or lectures on the week days in your cathedral church aforesaid, and by whom? and what are the statutes of your church in this behalf?

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XIII. Item, How cometh it to pass, that whenas the mayor and aldermen of this city were wont, to the credit of this place, to resort to your cathedral church, and there to hear divine service, now they forbear the same? and who gave the cause of their forbearing thereof? and 35 whether there have been any means made for the reconciliation of either corporation to the other again?