August. In the months of September, October, and Fe- BOOK bruary, but till two of the clock. Whoever is not personally present before eight of the clock in the morning, he is counted as absent, and is to pay the mulct for the same. The writers that have profited by writing, are appointed to speak, if the moderators so think good, and to surcease writing any longer: many of which that could do little good before in the church, by this means have been brought in a short time to do some profit in the church. Much good hath ensued of this exercise. The Lord continue it to his glory, and to the encrease of many painful labourers in the church. The byshop of the dioces is to have the exercise of all the writers, with their names subscribed thereunto, delivered up unto him, every quarter of a year once. That he may see who do profit, and who do not. All the people and the whole congregation are to resort to the sermon, but none to the other exercise but clergiemen onely, parsons, vicars, curates, and schoolmasters. Number XL. Littleston's declaration, Novemb. 1574, of certain English gentlemen, that have entertainment of the king of Spain. To the right honourable and my singular good lord, my lord high treasurer of Yngland. 76 I. THE certain notes of such Yngles gentlemen, that came MSS. Burg. into Spain for entertainment at the king's hands, and what the king gave to each man in mony at times. George Chamberlain came to Madrid the 10th of December, anno 1571. The king gave him entertainment for Flanders, with letters to the duke of Alva. And more, the king gave him in mony 300 duckats: and he departed the last of February, 1572. Duc. 300. Timothy Moquet came to Madrid the 16th of December, 1571. The king gave him entertainment for Flanders, with letters to the duke there. More the king gave him in mony 150 duck. And departed the last of March, an. 1572. - 150. BOOK I. Anthony Standen came to Madrid the 16th of December, 1571. The king gave him letters for entertainment for Flanders. More, the king gave him in mony 150 duck. And departed the last of March, 1572. 150. All these following came also to Madrid; the dates of their coming, their gifts, and the dates thereof, and the dates of their departure, were as followeth. Anthony Molesworth, 13. of Jan. 1572. The king gave him letters to the duke for Flanders for entertainment, and 150 duck. Departed ult. March, 1572. John Parrot, 1. of March, 1572. Entertainment for Mellen, [Milain,] 100 duck. Departed the last of May, 1572. Egremond Ratcliff, 2. of May, 1572. The king gave him in July 300 duck. More, September 8. following 200 duck. Returned from Milain, the king gave him 300 duck. The 20. of September for Milain; where the king gave him entertainment there one duck. per day. Then he departed from Spain, May ult. 1574. towards France and to Flanders. Thomas Genny, 2. of May, 1572. Given him in September 200 duck. And in January, 1573, 100 duck. And more, 20 duck. per month. Departed for Flanders. Edward Daycres, [Dacres,] the 10. of August, 1572. In October the king gave him 300 duck. In January next 200 duck. And more, 30 duck. per month in Flanders. Departed 20. of February, 1573, for Flanders. Sir John Nevyl, the 20. of November, 1572, came from Rome. Given him 200 duck. and 30 duck. per month in Flanders. Departed for Flanders the 20. of February, 1573. Hugh Owen, 26. of November, 1572. Given him 150 duck. November 26, and allowed 20 duck. per mens. Departed for Flanders, February 20, 1573. Rowland Tourner, [who named himself at Madrid, my lord Awdley,] Christmas-day, 1572. Given 50 duck. and had a letter to duke Alva. A friar of Ireland, called friar John, 100 duck. Had the king's letter for Flanders. Myget Tempest and his son came to Madrid, May 1574. The king gave to the father and to the son 300 duck. I. And gave to the father 20 duck. per month, and to the son BOOK 15 duck. per month. And they returned for Flanders, July 1574. Tyrrel, Cotton, Pet, Tichborn, Strodlen, [Stradling,] Greffy, Swynborn, and Smith, came to Madrid, November 1573. The king gave among them 1300 duck. and en-77 tertainment; some for Flanders; some, as Mr. Pett, for Mellen [Milain.] And some had 20 duck. per month, and some 15 duck. per month. Dr. Sanders came from Rome to Madrid, Nov. 1573. The king gave him, at his first coming, 300 duck. And more since that day, 200 duck. And there he as yet remaineth. The archbishop of Caswell, [Cassilles,] in Ireland, came to Madrid in March, 1574. The king gave him 300 duck. in April following. And there as yet he remaineth. My lord Morley, Edmund Parker, my lords youngest brother, and Rowdman [Redman] came to Madrid, March ult. 1574. The king gave my lord Morley and his company 600 duck. at one time. And there they remain. Richard Ley came to Madrid, May ult. 1574. The king gave him 150 duck. And there as yet he remaineth. The bishop of Methe, of Ireland, came to Madrid 20. of July, 1574. The king gave him 200 duck. And there as yet he remaineth. Thomas Steukely. The king gave him at times, from his first coming into Spain, anno 1570, to this time of August, 1574. And for the keeping of Thomas Steuekly his house at Madrid at the king's charge for 6 months at 500 re. of plate per day, which amounteth in the whole sum to 27576 duck. The king doth give to Thomas Steukley for his pension by the year 600 duck. And doth give to William Steukley for his pension by the year 400 duck. the Countess of Northumberland; the king doth give her by year 2000 duck. I have seen the treasurers books by his clarks; and by hear-say by divers of good credit, that the king is charged in Flanders by the year, given to Englishmen there, the sum of 231 thousand duckats yearly in pensions. BOOK I. MSS. epist. me. Number XLI. Scory, lord bishop of Hereford, to the lord treasurer: against some clarks of the exchequer, intending to suppress, under the name of colleges, divers parsonages in his dioces. RIGHT honourable, may it please your lordship to be Ro, advertised. That whereas leud persons, being clerks of the exchequer, by colour of their office, and countenance of the court, have attempted to overthrow certain parish-churches in my dioces, (of whose leud and wicked practices I certified your lordship heretofore,) nevertheless, either favoured by the court, or maintained by the officers, cease not to vex and molest the poor incumbents of the said churches. Their purpose is, that such parish-churches as are divided into portions, where are two or three parsons, should under the name of colleges be suppressed, and come to the prince by the statute of Suppression. Which if they bring to pass, not onely many parish-churches in my dioces, but very many throughout the whole realm, both parsonages and vicarages, should be overthrown. The overthrow whereof were the slandering of the gospel, the defacing of religion, and the disquieting of the quiet estate of this realm. For what a slander were it unto the church of England, to have the parish-churches destroyed? And what a grudge would it breed in the hearts of the people, to see their churches spoiled, their ministers and preachers defaced, and their lands and tiths abused? I beseech your lordship remember, how we are already slandered by Dorman and others, that our churches in England, some are made houses of private men, some stables, and other some thrown down and made flat with the earth. God grant we suffer not these unjust reports of the popish Lovainists to be justly reported of us. There are in present suit in the exchequer, three great parish-churches of my dioces; and more, as I understand, shall come in very 78 shortly. But, I trust, your lordship, by whose wisdom the church of England hath hitherto been defended, will not I. suffer this spoil: that the parish-churches, where was never BOOK any sign of college, should be overthrown under the name of colleges. The church of Bromyard hath been long in suit, and the parsons thereof greatly impoverished, being from time to time delayed. They seek nothing but justice. I beseech your lordship that they may be heard, and have tryal according to order of law, without any farther delay. Thus committing their cause unto your lordship, I most humbly take my leave, commending your honour to the gracious protection of the Almighty, this 24th day of January, 1574. Your honours most humbly to command, Jo. Heref. [ Number XLI.] Mr. Rafe Lane's account of his offer to go into the Levant in the king of Spain's service, against the Turk, from his own pen. Viz. An account of my procedings touching my intended Levant service, (by the favour of God,) as well toward her majesty, as otherwise, the 19. of Jan. 1574. FIRST, drawn on by mine own particular occurrences, MSS. Polit. having thought of sundry employments of my self by her penes me. majesties licence for certain years, reason and mine own affection, before all others, recommended unto me a Levant service against the Turk, if the same from hence might by her majesty be favoured, and of the king of Spain well entertained. Whereupon I made Anthony Guerrasse [the Spanish agent] to be asked his opinion, if a bulche of Englishmen, being of service either for sea or land, or both, were offered unto the king his master from hence, whether the same would be well accepted with pay, or not. His answer was directly, that if the same might be with her majesties favour, he knew assuredly that they should not only be largely entertained for their payes, but also otherwise most honourably used, and most heartily welcomed to the king: yea, and would open a greater gate of kindness between |