BOOK I have written to her majesty after my humble maner. Absit, ut tam grave exemplum edatur in ecclesia Anglicana, quam tantopere Romana tyrannis infestare et devorare satagit, &c. Thus the Lord Jesus bless you with encrease of health, and with all goodness that your heart can desire. From my house at Dodington the 12th of June, 1577. Your lordship's assured, Richarde Ely. MSS. Cecilian. Number IX. The queens letter to the bishop of Lincoln: to cause the exercises, called prophesyings, to cease in his dioces. RIGHT Reverend, &c. Although we doubt not, but that you do well and effectually remember our speeches unto you, to continue and encrease your care and vigilancy 112 over your charge in Gods church, (a matter of no small weight,) warning you also of the dangerous presumptions of some in these days, who by singular exercises in public places, after their own fancies, have wrought no good in the minds of the multitude, easy to be carried with novelties: yet forasmuch as we have been sithence credibly informed, that in sundry places of your dioces, namely, in Hertfordshire, those exercises, or, as they term them, prophesyings, are yet, or were very lately continued, to the great offence of our orderly subjects; and therefore, and for divers good respects, we think requisite, that they shall be forborn to be used: Wee let you wit, that having in singular recommendation God's people under our government, whom we desire to have guided in an uniformity as neer as may be, wee charge and command you, as a person who by your function wee look should ease and satisfy us in this behalf, within your charge to have dutiful consideration hereof: and furthermore, to take express order through your dioces, that none other exercise be suffered to be publickly used, than preaching in fit times and places, by persons learned, discreet, conformable, and sound in religion, heard and allowed by you without partiality; reading of homilies, as is set forth by public authority, by the Injunctions ap- BOOK pointed, and the order of the Book of Common Prayer. And further, that ye signify unto us, or to some of our privy council, attending about our person, the names of all such gentlemen, and others, as have ben the setters forth and maintainers of those exercises; and in what places; and of such as shall impugne this order. And also, what you shall have done herein from time to time. Hereof not to fail, as you tender our plesure, and will avoid the contrary at your peril. II. Number X. The order of the government of the colledge of Westminster, syns the last erection, begonne by D. Byll, and contynued by me [Dr. Goodman] with the assent of the chapiter: as appeareth by divers decrees, recorded in the chapiter book. in the DAILY prayer in king Henry the Sevenths chappel at The service six of the clock in the morning: and a lecture there read upon the Wednesday and Friday. church. MSS. ec cles. pen. Dayly service song in the chancel of the great church, me. according to the order of her majesties chappel, at the usual hours; that is, upon Sundays, from eight to eleven in the forenoon. Upon Wednesdays and Fridays, and other holydays, from nine to eleven. And on other days, to begin at nine until almost eleven. Or in the afternoon service to begin at four, and to continue until five, or after five. A sermon every Sunday in the year, either by the dean, or one of the prebendaries, or some other for them. The dean to preach four times in the year in his own person, unless there be cause to the contrary: that is, upon Christmasday, Easter-day, Whitsunday, and Allhallown-day. Every prebendary to preach in their own persons upon the Sundays in their course of residence; or else some other for them. A solemne communion ministred upon the great feasts, II. BOOK and every first Sunday of every month. Where by order there do communicate the dean and prebendaries present: the ministers and four of the clarks, and four of the almes men. Upon those days that the dean is bound to preach, either he himself doth minister the communion, or some one of the prebendaries. Twelve almesmen of her majesties foundation are bound to be resident; and in the church daily at service, according to her majesties order. 113 Every Sunday in the year, there is 40 mess of meat, for 40 poor householders of the parish, by the oversight of the chaunter of the church. Every mess being allowed there in flesh, or fish, a peny loaf in bread, and a peny in The diet. mony. Every Saturday the dean, or one of the prebendaries, whose course is to be resident, after the service, morning prayers being ended, they do call before them the ministers of their church, and the clarks of the the twelve almosemen; and whom other they see cause. the chaunter of the church, in the book of Perditions, doth shew the default of such as were absent, or negligent in the week before. And there Dr. Byll did appoint two square tables, and one mess to either of them: the one for himself, or whom he would call unto him. The ordinary allowance of the same for himself and six of his men, was 28s. The extraordinary as occasion served, he did further allow. The other table, to serve the four prebendaries, whose course it was to be resident. And they bear each one for himself, and his man, 7s. a week. But shortly after, by decree in chapiter, it is encreased so, that every prebendary was to allow for himself and his man, in his course of residence weekly 10s. in toto. For four 40s. In my time, for ease of charge, I and the four prebendaries have joyned together at one table, having one full mess, and sometimes more, as occasion serveth, I allowing II. thereto my ordinary portion, and the residentaries theirs. BOOK The detriments are born by the college; unless there be some special occasion of some special allowance. The school-master, and such as be officers, are allowed all the same table. The scholars do dine and sup in the hall, by the dean and prebendaries; and be allowed according to their rates: having a several buttry or pantry, and cellar by themselves. The servants in likewise in the hall, having the reversion of the masters, and special allowance for those that are the college servants, and necessary officers, according to a necessary proportion. Every week, commonly upon the Saturday after dinner, the charges of the week past is cast by the weekly charges of masters and servants in one book. The scholars charges in a several book by themselves. vernment The dean hath the general charge of all. The sub-dean The gounder the dean to oversee the good order of the church and and charge. house. The archdeacon hath to do with the ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and such causes, either by himself, or by his official. The treasurer, one in like wise of the prebendaries, receiveth of the receit what is convenient for all charges. The steward of houshould, who is also a prebendary, receiveth of the treasurer, or general receiver; and layeth out for the necessary charges of the house in diet and other provisions. Under him is an under-steward, and the clark of the kitchin, and other officers. Once a year the general receiver, treasurer, stewards, and all other accomptants and under-officers, make their accounts unto the auditor. mar school. There be two teachers, the schoolmaster and the usher of The gramthe school. The scholars of the grammar be in number fourty elected both into the house, and from the house to the universities, according to a special statute from her highness. The scholars for their prayers in church, school, and chamber, for their teaching, for their diet in the hall, and lodging in one chamber, and for all other orders, they are II. BOOK served as they were in Dr. Bylls time, and was appointed, by him in special statutes: very like the orders used in Eton and Winchester schools. The song school. The master of the singing boys hath his house, and other due allowances for himself and ten children. Whom he is charged to bring up in song, for the daily service of the church. 114 MSS. Burg. Number XI. Edward Phaer, condemned for counterfeiting coin, his letter from the Tower to the lord treasurer: offering to make great discoveries of coiners, such as used magic, &c. AFTER supplication for his life and liberty, he thus opens himself. I began first at York: where I learned first to practise with one Morehouse, and of Fra. Jobson, Nic. Ricoard, and another; and made certain dollars. After I came to Nottingham, and there with one Mr. Fairfax, Warcup a priest, Nelson, and Dawson, we made foreign and English. All this was to no purpose: for we wrought with the mould. I suffered imprisonment therefore, and was delivered again; since which time I have practised other devices and tools to coin. Some of other men's inventions, and some of mine own, in such order (together with my stoutness in prison to yield and confess nothing) as began to spread my fame abroad, to excell in that art, and to be sought unto from divers places. As, in Yorkshire, Robert Warcup, gent. James Green of Lambwel, gent. William Bucton of Semer, gent. Meynil, gent. Three of the Claphams of Beamsley, gentlemen: and divers more gentlemen; as Gower neer Stockton, Thwaits in the Woulds, Garston, Constable, about Whitly Strond: two of the Conyers, gent. And there these gentlemen offered to place me in a castle of my lord Monteagles at his charges. In Northumberland, with Stephen Fenick, Robert Car, gent. Coldwel, and others. In Lancashire, Thomas Wolfal and Bretton, gent. In Lincolnshire, Fra. Carsey and his brother, gent. In Gloucestershire, with Chattertons, two bre |