cinge of excommunication ought to be a verie grave and lerned man aucthorized by Commission to sitt as assistant with the Judge, whereby he might be acquainted with the merites of the cause before he pronounce the sentence and not to haue the same deliuered over the Judges shoulder to be pronounced behind his backe.

V

Pluralities. Cap. V

Concerninge pluralities of benefices, it is to be wished that anie publique preacher licensed, (though under the degree of a Master of Art) maye be permitted to hold two benefices, beinge under value and within compasse of myles.

VI

ffees. Cap. VI

It is complained that the fees of orderinge ministers, of licenses to preach, and of Institutions are grown verie excessive and scandalous in diverse places. It is thought that farmeinge of Iurisdiction is cause of excessive fees.

Item. in other matters the table of fees is either not sett upp at all or soe sett, as men cannot easilie read them.

It is generalie desired that none be ordered deacon or minister, or admitted to anie cure or benefice, or licensed to preache or to teache anie schollers publiquelie or privatlie, unlesse he doe first subscribe and take the oath of the supremacie.

Item it is to be considered, whether it be not needfull for the necessarie supplie of Peticannons in Cathedrall and Collegiat Churches to admitt some singinge men of honest conversation and tollerable knowledge in the Scriptures unto the Ministerie, though they understand not the lattin tongue, tyinge them by bond or otherwise to the servinge in those churches for the which they are first ordeyned.

Item. yt may please your Lordshippes to haue care that none be licensed preachers inhabled to receyve benefices of XXX£ but such as ar maisters of art of fowre yeares of standing at the least or have byn preachers publiquely Licensed for 4 yeares before.

(Additional MSS. 28571, f. 187-192.)

The three first points concerninge explanations of some thinges in the Common booke are already finished.

The fourth which towcheth the translation of the Bible hath not as yett ben dealt in.

The fifthe was sett downe by the LL. in these wordes: consideration to be had what nomber of ministers there are: where placed: howe qualified: and howe provided for already: to the intent that better provision may be where they are wantinge and further cure taken for those which haue not competente maynte

naunce.

ffor the first and second point (sic) of this proposition, viz: the nomber of ministers and the places where they remayne, there are as many mynisters as there are parishes in England, besides those which remayne in bothe Universityes: which serve cures under other Ministers, and which remayne in divers noblemen and gentlemens houses: the nomber whereof is greate but the certainty of it as yett is not knowne.

Touchinge theire qualities and how they are provided for; very many are Preachers and many are no Preachers. Many beinge no Preachers haue ecclesiasticall liuings and many that are preachers doe want; viz: suche as remayne in the Universities, serve cures under other ministers and remayne in noble and gentlemens houses.

ffor those parishes where the Incumbents are no preachers these may be the remedies. I° that as muche may be allotted out of the

livinge towards the mayntenance of a preacher as the incumbent may any wayes spare so as he may live, the rest is to be supplyed by the parishe. 2° that after the said Incumbentes deathe who is no Preacher: it may not be lawful for any BB to admitt any into it who is not a Preacher. 3° whereas partly upon necessitie and partly through oversight divers insufficient persons haue heretofore ben made ministers: it woulde nowe be provided for that when any insufficient minister either for his learninge or conversation shoulde be presented to a benefice: it may be lawful for the B. to reiect him and vppon any Quare impedit brought the Bs. certificate thereof to the Judges may suffice without further triall by any course at the temporall lawe.

But the cheifest drifts which this Consultacon aymeth att is: how every parishe may afforde a competent mayntenance for a Preacher. ffor that once effected in shorte tyme there would be able ministers almost for every parishe in England. These meanes therefore are offered to be Considered of for that purpose.

1° There are many Personages and vicaredges in Englande now scarce able to finde a Reader, which would afforde a competent livinge for a Preacher, if it might be provided for by Acte of Parliament that all Vicars and persons havinge benefices with cure of soules might haue the tithes payed unto them in kinde accordinge to the auncient ecclesiasticall constitutions of the churche, notwithstanding any custome priviledge or composition to the contrary.

2° If some small vicaredges and personages notwithstandinge the said paymentes of tithes in kinde, shoulde not be able to manteyne a Preacher, then one or two of the small benefices next adioyninge and livinge fitt for that purpose might be conioyned into one.

3° In cities and Towneshipps where there are no prædiall tithes att all or litle, and where in auncient tymes the Priestes livinge did rise uppon offerings, oblations, and personal or priuie tithes which nowe are utterly decayed: it would be provided by an acte of Parliament that tithes in suche places should be payd accordinge to the house rents of the Inhabitants, as it is in London. And that where in suche cities or Towneshipps there are divers litle parishes which are not able every one of them to maynteyne a Preacher, notwithstandinge they had tithes payed unto them

accordinge to the manner of London: there two or three might likewise be ioyned together to make one parishe.

Where the personages are impropriate, there the Cure is discharged either by a Vicar or by a stipendary. The Vicars are mainteyned with suche tythes only as were allotted unto them by composition when the Personages were first impropriate which in many places notwithstandinge they should be payed in kinde, woulde not be able to maynteyne Preacher. But where the Cure is served by a stipendary, his mayntenance is commonly much worse. In which cases and where there can be no convenient unyon of divers livinges in one as aforesaid, these wantes would be supplied and remedied if the B: of the diocese might have authoritie by acte of Parliament to allot to every suche vicar or stipendary congruam portionem out of the impropriations and all other personages that have vicaridges indowed.

5° In Lancashire and in the shires adioyninge there are many personages of very large extent which haue divers chappells under them: whereunto as many househoulders doe apperteyne as to the most parishes in England southward. These personages all of them almoste are impropriate. So as here it were meet, that the said chappells were made of themselves several parishes: or ells as before the allowance for Preachers in those places must be allotted out of the Impropriations which are indeed of greate yearely worth.

6° If all the Benefices with cure in England were divided in 6 partes, 5 of them and more are of lay men's patronages whereby many of the said Benefices are made unable through the Patrons greediness to mainteyne a Preacher in any honest sorte. ffor remedy whereof there would be a more severe statute made against

symonye.

Concerning the 6° proposition there are in it two generall partes. 1° with what causes the Bishops and theire Chauncellors, Commissaries and Officialls shall deale? for answere whereunto there is some uncertayntie as of late they haue bene impugned by Prohibitions. Otherwise the answere would in tymes past have been directe viz that all causes are of ecclesiasticall cognizance which are not to be reformed by any originall writt att the comon lawe.

The 2 generall point is concerning order to be taken for the pro

ceedinge of Chauncellors and other ecclesiasticall officers in the said causes that thereby certayne supposed abuses may be reformed. These remedies followinge will meete with those enormityes that are complayned of.

1° That Bishops may not sell theire office whereby he that buyeth in grosse as it was obiected must be compelled to sell by retayle.

2° That no Chauncellor, Archdeacon, Comissary or Officiall shall interteyne any criminall causes but vpon presentment or iudiciall accusation where there is a partie: unlesse in causes of greater importance which no man will present, and yett are necessary for the comon good to be punished; the B. shall license them under his hande to procede in them ex officio.

3° That presentments be not urged above once or twice in the yeare.

4° That neither Chauncellor, Comissary or officiall shall keepe aboue viij courtes in the yeare for causes criminall.

5° That all ecclesiasticall Judges, Registers and other officers belonginge to theire Courtes: shall be tyed to the ancient fees used to be paied 20 or 30 yeares since.

6° That all Chauncellors, Commissaries, and officialls may be sworne to deale uprightly in their proceedings and without corruption.

The 7th proposition or resolution is satisfied towchinge the writinge of letters into Lancashire.

The 8th point hathe not ben yett dealt in towchinge the Comission for causes ecclesiasticall: sondry of his Maiesty's Councill beinge appointed to ioyne togeather with the Bishopps for the expeditinge of it.

As towchinge the 9th proposition: there beinge also divers of his Maiestys Councell as well as Bishops appointed to deale in it: the same hathe not as yett ben resolved uppon. Only the late lo: Archebusshop of Canterb: and some other Bishopps had concluded to haue offered the proiect followinge to theire LL. consideration.

ffirst it was thought meete to be propounded whether the ecclesiasticall Iudges might not haue authoritie to impose for contumacy a mulet to the Kinges use, or to imprison, and that those coertions should be executed by the said Iudges and theire officers