Page:VCH Norfolk 2.djvu/297

 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY The county continued to win notoriety for its Puritanism, and in 1567 the archbishop visited Norwich, ' where he had understood many things to be mothers, when they come to baptize childre, in the same points : secretly and modestly, bearing with y" age of some persons. For howe can they be sureties for another to be instructed in that faith, wich they cannot skill of themselves. Thirdlie that they suffer none to come to the holie communion, except they also itnowe the same necessarie points of religion. 7. Item, y' they marie none before dewe time, y' is before six of the clock in the somer, and seven in the winter, at what time the broade dale light doth appeare. 8. Item, that they preach theyr sermons limited by the quenes Maiestics Inuinctions, that is euerie moneth one, or els at the leastwies get them to be preached, so that they themselfes preache foure tymes in the yeare in their own persones, beeing habled thereto by their orJinarye : if they can not preache, then to reade som homely set out by the Queenes Majestie. 9. Item, that they with suche diligent trauail, Industrie, and conference, do euery wekc reade & peruse two chapitres of the newe testament and studie the same, that they may be able to answere to all matters conteyned therein with the trewe understanding thereof to begynne with Sainct M.ithewes Gospcll, and after with Saint Johns, and so consequentlie till they be gon ouer and so to the epistles. This to begynne in August next, & to make accompt to such as bi the saied reuerend father shalbe appointed y° first Twcsdaie of euery moneth following. And besides this they shall also cause euerie quarter one sermon at the least to be preached at ther benefices bi some learned preacher till they be hable to preache them tiieir selfcs. To this taske as touching y' chapters y' curates also be enioyned, though they haue no benefices. 10. Item, that they teache the Catechisme euerie Sondaie and euery holidaie one howre at the leaste before euening prayer, and to beginne the same the first Sondaie in August next, and so to continue euery Sondaie and holydaie. 11. Item, y' they warne the parents and m.iisters to cause theyr children & youthe to learne the Catechisme, either in scholes or els at home, so aa they may be examined by y' minister every Sondaie and holydaie. 12. Item, y' they requyre the yonge folkes unmaried to resorte to the hearing of the children examined and rendering of the Catechisme to thintent that they by hearing may learn the same, and thereby (besides discharge of their dewty towards God) auoid worldly rebuke and shame whyche shuld happen unto them, if they should be rejected from mariage for ignoraunce of the Christian faith, the Lordes Prayers and the Tenne Commaundementes, exhorting also thelder maried folkes to be present, bothe for the good example of the youthe, and also to learn them selfes, by hearing, if they, by reason of euill education in tyme of ignoraunce, haue not been sufRcientlie instructed in tymes past. 1 3. Item, y' they see the places filled up in walles or ellswhere, where images stood, so as if there had been none there. The stones, foundacions, or other places, frames or tabernacles deuised to advance imagerie, holy water stones, also, to be quite and clean taken away, and the pLices where they were set, comely and decentlye to be made up with convenient expedition, or ells to declare to the ordinarie the lettcs and stales thereof as soon as miy be. 14. Item, y' euery parson, vicarre, Curate, & reader, shall euery quarter ones, read openly in the pulpet, the Quenes Maiestie's Iniunctions, and also these present Iniunctions with the Confession hereunto annexed, and besides that, get him a copie of these Iniunctions, and set them up by the last of September in some convenient place of theyr quier there to remaine still to be scene of them y' lyst to reade them. 15. Item, y' y' maister, pryest, and other governours of all hospitalls be vigilant and look diligently, as wel to the wel ordering and godly instructing of y' sik & sore people within y° same hospitals, as also to the u^rtuous and godli educacion of y° children and other youth there, so as they may be taught to foiow and favour the sincere veritie of Almighty God, as it is now manifestly set forthe by the Quenes most excellent Maiestie & that they themselves also be followers thereof. • Among the interrogatories are : Whether any images, beades, bookes of saruice or vestiments not allowed by lawe be reserued of any man or in any place, by whome and where they be reserued. Whether al aulters, images, holwater stones, pictures, paintings as of thassumption of the Blessed irgin, of the descending of Christ unto the Virgin in the fourme of a little boy at thannunciation of the Aungell, and all other superstitions and dangerous monuments, especiallie paintings & images in walle, boke, cope, Banner or elsewhere, of the blessed trinitie or of the father (of whom there can be no image made) be defaced and remoued out of y° churche and other places and are destroyed, & the places where such impietie was, so made up, as if there had ben no such thing there. Whetlier any minister or priest in the tyme of trouble have deuorced himself from his wyfe and whether his wyfe hath been maryed to any other man sythen, or that he himself hath maried any other woman without judgment of the church. How the clianges in legislation as to the marriage of the clergy had affected their wives may be gathered from an entry in the register of the parish of West Rudliam made by John Robotham, incumbent, 1626. ' M'^. Peter Stanclif, Vicar of y" Church, was in y" dales of Q. Mary enforced to put away his v-ife, who thereupon married to another man : but when Q. Elizabeth came to the throne, he took her again from her second husband. He lieth buried near the north door of the church with this inscription yet legible over the door : Peter Stanclif, Vicar.' Norf Arch, i, 68. The will of another clergyman. Sir Robert Hunte, dated 7 August, 2 Mary (Arch. Norf Lib. 1553-5, fol. 31 i, quoted in Eastern Counties Collectanea), bequeaths all movables ' unto Elenor my wyff yf the lawe of the Realme permytt yt yfF not I give and bequeath to Elenor Baker all my movables.' It is hardly to be wondered at that with the possibility of further changes 263