tolling of bells to church on holy-days, as is used on Sundays, and that there be no difference of ringing to church, when there is a sermon, more than when there is none; excepting the knells for funerals.

5 XXVII. That no church windows nor chancel windows be stopped up in any part; nor the floor in any part unpaved, or uncleanly kept, nor the churchyard any ways abused, annoyed, or profaned.

XXVIII. That all defaults contrary to the premises 10 be faithfully inquired into by the officials from time to time at their generals, of whom the bishop will require an account concerning the same.

CXLIV.

Archiepisc. Cant.
GUIL. LAUD 4.

Anno Christi
1637.

Reg. Angliæ
CAROL. I. 13.

Literæ patentes pro visitatione locorum exemptorum.
Ibid. fol. 85. b.

CAROLUS, Dei gratia Angliæ, Scotia, Franciæ, et

Hiberniæ rex, fidei defensor, etc. reverendissimo in 15 Christo patri Willielmo, providentia divina archiepiscopo Cant. totius Angliæ primati et metropolitano, Johanni, eadem providentia Roffen. episcopo, Nathanieli Brent, militi, legum doctori, vicario ejusdem archiepiscopi in

Literæ patentes] Among the improvements projected by the arch20 bishop one was, as he himself expressed it, "To settle the statutes of all the cathedral churches of the new foundations, whose statutes are imperfect and not confirmed. Done for Canterbury." After completing this work for his own cathedral, and obtaining the king's letters of confirmation, dated Jan. 3, 1637, (Rymer, vol. xx. p. 99.) he then 25 applied for general letters patent to enable him to carry the whole of

his great undertaking into effect, including schools, hospitals, and other

spiritualibus generali, Thomæ Reeves, legum etiam doctori, advocato nostro, Isaaco Bargrave, S. T. P. decano ecclesiæ cathedralis metropoliticæ Christi Cantuar. Johanni Warner, et Thomæ Jackson, sacræ theologiæ etiam respective professoribus, Richardo Clark, sacræ theologiæ 5 professori, Arthuro Ducke, et Roberto Aylet, legum respective doctoribus, salutem. Cum vos prædict. archiepiscopus ex solicitudine pastorali gregis dominici vobis commissi, tam civitatem, dioec. et ecclesiam vestram Cant. cæterasque dioec. et ecclesias tam cathedrales, 10 quam collegiatas et parochiales, hospitalia item, et scholas publicas seu liberas, aliaque loca ecclesiastica infra provinciam vestram Cant. constituta, tam in capite, quam in membris, clerumque et populum residentem in eisdem diœc. et provincia, jure vestro metropolitico propediem 15 visitare, et negotiis præpediti munus illud prædict. episcopo, Nathanieli, Thomæ, Isaaco, Johanni, Thomæ, Richardo, Arthuro, et Roberto (inter alios) conjunctim et divisim committend. proposuistis; ac tam infra diœcesim, quam alibi infra provinciam vestram Cant. diversæ ec- 20 clesiæ cathedrales, cum episcopis, decanis, capitulis, cæterisque ministris et officiariis in eisdem, ac decani et capitulum cum præbendariis, aliisque ministris et officiariis in diversis ecclesiis nuper citra annum regni domini Henrici, nuper regis Angliæ octavi, vicesimum sextum, 25 ac tam citra annum illum, quam antea nonnulla hospitalia et domus ad pauperum sustentationem, ac scholæ quædam publicæ et liberæ per antecessores nostros fundata, erecta,

eleemosynary houses. These letters were issued on the 1st of March in the same year; but owing to the insurrection in Scotland, and the 30 rebellion that followed soon afterwards, no further progress was made in the matter. The "cathedrals of the new foundation" were those that were founded in the reign of Henry VIII. after the dissolution of the monasteries: viz. Canterbury, Winchester, Ely, Worcester, Norwich, Rochester, Durham and Carlisle, together with those of the five 35 bishoprics, of Oxford, Gloucester, Bristol, Peterborough and Chester,

et stabilita extiterunt et existunt; et æquum est, ut qui unitatem religionis amplexi sunt, eadem disciplina ad cultum divinum externum et morum probitatem dirigantur; nos auctoritatem nostram regiam ad fidem Christia5 nam vere catholicam, cujus sumus defensores, et morum probitatem conservand. nobis a Deo optimo maximo commissam agnoscentes, utque (amputatis malorum vepribus) sincera religio et canonica recte vivendi forma tam in ecclesiis et locis antedictis, quam in cæteris ecclesiis, ac 10 in locis universis provinciæ vestræ florescat et augeatur, cupientes; ad visitand. igitur tam in capite, quam in membris, tam ecclesias cathedrales et collegiatas prædict. ac præfata hospitalia, domus, scholas, et singula loca ecclesiæ infra diœc. et provinciam prædict. de fundatione 15 vel patronatu nostri vel progenitorum nostrorum (tam exempta et immediate nobis subjecta, quam non exempta) quam episcopos, decanos, et capitulum, præbendarios, officiarios, et ministros, aliosque degentes vel ministrantes in eisdem (ecclesia collegiata beati Petri Westm. et 20 decano, capitulo, et ministris in eadem except.) ac de statu ecclesiarum, hospitalium, domorum, et scholarum illarum, ac eorundem episcoporum, decanorum, et capitulorum, ac canonicorum, præbendariorum, ministrorum, et officiariorum, et aliorum quorumcunque in eisdem degen25 tium vel ministrantium, modis omnibus, quibus melius et efficacius poteritis, inquirend. et investigand. ac delinquentes irregularitatis macula irretit. vel officia seu ministeria sua negligentes, aliterve culpabiles pœnis pro ratione et modo criminum, excessuum, negligentiarum, et

which were created at the same period. The rest were of old founda30 tion, and their statutes required no alteration, except in the case of Hereford; for which the archbishop had already provided. (Hist. of Troubles, &c. p. 68.) For an account of subsequent doubts and disputes arising out of the unsettled condition of these statutes, and the final adjustment of them by the act, 6 Anne, c. 21. see Burn, 35 Eccl. Law, art. Deans and Chapters. Comp. Gibs. Cod. pp. 203-208,

delictorum suorum condignis, usque ad dignitatum, officiorum, et ministeriorum respective privationem et amotionem inclusive, ad stipendiorum, et emolumentorum suorum sicut in dividentiis excrescentium, communiis, annona, cæterisque proventibus suis ecclesiasticis indies 5 pervenient. sequestrationem, vel quamcunque aliam congruam et competentem coercionem, puniend. et corrigend. ad probatiores vivendi mores, et canonicum magis officiorum suorum ministerium, modis omnibus, quibus poteritis, reducend. contumaces item et rebelles, si quos inveneritis, 10 cujuscunque fuerint status vel conditionis, tam per censuras ecclesiasticas et alia juris remedia compescend. aliisque jurisdictionem ecclesiasticam durante visitatione vestra in ecclesiis et locis prædictis exercere inhibend. prout inhibemus per præsentes. Insuper chartas regias, 15 indulta, privilegia, immunitates, libros, statuta (si quæ sint) registra, computa, et alia scripta, seu munimenta quæcunque dictarum ecclesiarum, hospitalium, domorum, scholarum, episcoporum, decanorum, capitulorum, canonicorum, præbendariorum, ministrorum, officiariorum præ- 20 dict. fundationem, incorporationem, dotationem, negotia, vel statum quoquomodo tangen. sive concernen. petend. exigend. vobisque proferri et exhiberi mandand. et faciend. ea recipiend. et diligenter examinand. necnon injunctiones et statuta, quæ vobis pro commodiori ordine 25 et gubernatione ecclesiarum, hospitalium, domorum, scholarum, decanorum, capitulorum, canonicorum, præbendariorum, ministrorum, et officiariorum prædict. videbuntur idonea, tam durante visitatione prædicta quam postea condere et edere, eisque nobis propositis, et per 30 nos stabilitis, ea decanis, capitulis, canonicis, præbendariis, ministris, officiariis, atque aliis quibuscunque in eisdem ecclesiis, hospitalibus, domibus, scholis, et locis commorantibus vel ministrantibus, per ipsos et eorum successores observanda, nomine nostro tradend. et auctoritate 35 nostra eis indicend. et injungend. in eorum violatores

pœnas infligend. decernend. et ordinationes et consuetudines (si quas inveneritis) eisdem inidoneas tollend. et penitus abolend. et omnia alia, quæ circa præmissa requisita aut necessaria fuerint vel opportuna, faciend. et 5 exequend. vobis, de quorum sinceritate, religione, et doctrina ac morum probitate, et rebus gerendis provida circumspectione, et industria plenius in hac parte confidimus, ex certa scientia et mero motu nostris, ac suprema auctoritate nostra regia vices et auctoritatem 10 nostras, omni appellatione remota, conjunctim et cuilibet et quibuslibet vestrum separatim vel divisim committendo, plenam tenore præsentium damus et committimus potestatem; vosque ac singulos vestrum et quoslibet vestrum separatim vel divisim delegatos et commissarios nostros 15 ad præmissa omnia et singula exequend. nominamus, ordinamus, et deputamus per præsentes, eatenus duratur. donec eisdem supersedend. fore decreverimus; etiamsi hujusmodi sint, quæ specialia magis et expressa verba requirunt. Ac licet ecclesiæ, hospitalia, domus, scholæ, episcopi, decani, capitula, canonici, præbendarii, cæterique ministri et officiarii aut alii in eisdem ecclesiis sive locis sint de patronatu nostro vel de fundatione nostra, vel progenitorum nostrorum, et sint exempta vel nobis immediate subdita, vel non exempta, cum auctoritate proce25 dendi in præmissis summarie et de plano et sine strepitu et figura judicii, solum rei veritate inspecta, æquitate attenta, ac cum cujuslibet legitimæ coercionis potestate; mandantes omnibus et singulis episcopis, decanis, archidiaconis, canonicis, præbendariis, ministris, et officiariis in 30 ecclesiis et locis prædictis, ac aliis in eisdem degentibus, vel minister. exercentibus, necnon omnibus et singulis vicecomitibus, custodibus pacis, constabulariis, ballivis, præpositis, necnon rectoribus ecclesiarum, vicariis, hospitalium et scholarum præfectis, ac clero et populo per 35 totam diœc. et provinciam Cant. constitutis, quod vobis et quibuslibet et cuilibet vestrum in præmissis sint inten

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