maintaining such seditious actions, which her majesty mindeth to have severely executed. And if any person have had knowledge of the authors, writers, printers or dispersers thereof, which shall within one month after the publication hereof, discover the same to the ordinary of 5 the place, where he had such knowledge, or to any of her majesty's privy council; the same person shall not for his former concealment be hereafter molested or troubled. Given at her majesty's palace at Westminster, the 13th of February, MDLXXXVIII. in the 31st year of her high- 10 ness's reign. God save the queen. CIX. Archiepisc. Cant. Anno Christi Reg. Angliæ The archbishop's letter for catechising and confirming. Reg. I. Whitgift, fol. 181. a. AFTER my very hartie commendations. Your lord ship is not ignorant, that a great parte of the dissolutenes in manners and ignorance in the common 15 sorte, that raigneth in most partes of this realme, even in this clear light of the gospell otherwise, ariseth hereof, for that the yowthe (being as it were the frie and seaminarie of the church and commonwealth) through negligence both of natural and spiritual fathers, are not (as 20 were meete) trayned up in the chief and neacessarye principells of Christian religion, wherby they might learn The archbishop's letter] Strype, Whitg. vol. ii. p. 106. Comp. Nos. CXXXII. CLV. 10 their duty to God, to their prince, their countrie, and their neighbours, especially in their tender yeres, when these things might best be planted in them, and would become most hardly to be afterward removed. This mis5 chief might well (in myne opinion) be redressed, if that, which in this behalf hath been wisely and godlie provided, were as carefullie called on, and executed, namely, by catechisinge and instructing in churches of yowthes, of both sexes, on the Sabbath daies, and holy daies, in afternoones, and that (if it may be convenientlie) before their parents, and others of the several parishes, who therby may take comforte and instruction alsoe. One great inducement unto the learning of the rudimentes of religion hath hertofore ben observed to be, that chardge, 15 which by the book of Common Prayer every minister should give after baptizing the infantes, to have them (soe sone as they maye learne) instructed in the catechisme, and having learned it, to be broughte to the bisshoppe to be confirmed; which gyvinge chardge I do 20 heare is for the most parte omitted. This auntient and laudable ceremonie of confirminge children, in respect of a carefullnes in fathers to have their children instructed, that afterwards they might be confirmed, hath heretofore wrought much good, where yt was used; I am very 25 sorrye to hear that my brethren the bishops of my province of Canterbury doe so generally begin to neglect to confirm children, at least to call for, and exact the use both of it and of catechising children in the church by the minister, and of parents to send their children, and to 30 come thither themselves. These wantes are now grown so common and offensive by the ill effects, which they are found to yeld, that I am in conscience urged verie earnestlie, and in the fear of God, to require your lordship and other my brethrene the bisshops, according to your 35 pastoral care, and for the duty which you owe to God and his church, both in your own visitations, from time to time, and by your archdeacons, and other ecclesiastical officers, to give straite chardge unto parentes to come themselves, or at least to send their children to the church at such times, and especially unto ministers to expounde unto them, and to examine the children in 5. that little catechisme, which is allowed by authoritie; and also at the baptizing of infants to give that charge for bringing them unto the bishop to be confirmed, which by the book of Common Prayer is prescribed. And I do also hereby require at your lordships handes to geve 10 warning to the ministers of your dioces, that they cause such children of their parish onely, that can say the catechisme, to be brought from tyme to time unto your lordship to be confirmed, not only when you visite trienniallye, but also at other fit opportunities for such a 15 purpose; as namely when you travel abroade in the dioces to preach, and on markett daies, when you reside and make your abode in any markett town, whither the people of parishes thereabouts do usually resorte. Thus nothing doubting of your lordships forwardness and care 20 herein, I commend you to Gods holy protection. From Croydon the...... of Septembre M.D.XCI. your loving freind and brother. CX. Archiepisc. Cant. Anno Christi Reg. Angliæ Archbishop's letter for contributions towards converted preists.-Reg. II. Whitgift, fol. 106. a. "SALUTEM in Christo." Amonge such priestes as come over from beyond the seas to pervert her majesties subjects both in religion and obedience, yt pleaseth God, by conference and other good meanes, to 5 convert some to the truth, to whome alsoe it pleaseth her majestie of her gracious goodness to graunt pardon; and forasmuch as diverse of them, being pardoned, are altogether destitute of maintenance, and driven to great extremitie through the same (a great temptation for 10 them to revolt, and a discouragement for others to followe their example of conversion, and a slander to the state) I am moved with Christian pity and compassion, to pray your lordship to move the better and wealthier sorte of the clergie within your dioces, to yelde some contribu15 tion towards their releif, untill they may be otherwise provided for (as some of them are) and the same contribution to send unto me, with as convenient expedition as you may. Our adversaries plentifully rewarde and maintaine such as flye from us to them; and their preistes, 20 whilest they remayned papistes, lacked nothing; a great want of charity therefore, and shame it were for us, after Archbishop's letter] "Antony Tyrrel and William Tedder, priests, both recanted at Paul's Cross in the month of December 1588; and many more afterwards. Contributions for the maintenance of these 25 converted priests were expected from the bishops and the abler sort of the clergy." Strype, Whitg. vol. ii. p. 155. their conversion, to suffer them to begge or else to dye, or to revoult for lack. If it were not for one or two, some of them had ben in that case ere nowe, who being no longer able to indure that charge, the poore sowles shal be driven to the before named extremities, without 5 your charitable relief. The burden will be very easie divided among soe manye, which otherwise is importable to such as do now sustayn yt, and therefore I hartelie pray you to have good consideration hereof, and to deale in this case as you would be dealt with in the like; and 10 soe with my verye hartie commendations I committ you to the tuition of Almighty God. From Lambeth the 9th of December M.D.XCIII. The councill's letter and instructions to the archbishop of Canterbury about recusants.-Reg. II. Whitgift, fol. 113. a. AFTER our hartie commendations to your lordship 15 and the rest. Whereas it is crediblie enformed, The councill's letter] The statute 23 Eliz. c. 1. entitled "An act to retain the queen's majesty's subjects in their due obedience" (see No. XCV.) was followed by the statute 29 Eliz. c. 6. " for the more speedy and due execution of certain branches of it," and in the year 1594, by 20 the statutes 35 Eliz. cc. 1 and 2 which imposed severe penalties upon recusants and non-conformists. The first of them (c. 1.) enacted, that any persons obstinately refusing to come to church should be committed to prison, and there remain without bail or mainprise; and if |