BOOK the minister thereof. For further memory of which, I II. have added in the Appendix two letters of this Michael Anno 1550. Angelo to Secretary Cecyl, whence many of the matters, LII. LIII. next above mentioned, were collected.

Num.

A French

As there was thus a German and Italian church in church also London, so also there was a third of Frenchmen, under in London. A Lasco's superintendency. One member of which, a very honest man, and of sound religion, by the general testimony of that church, had desired to set up a printing-house for his livelihood, chiefly for printing the Liturgy, and other books of the church of England, in French, for the use of the French islands under the English subjection. In whose behalf the Superintendent readily interceded by a letter with the Secretary to procure the King's letters patents, for his license and authority so to do. The issue of which will be seen in the progress of this history. The letter I have transcribed to accompany two others of A Lasco in the Appendix.

No. LIV.

242

CHAP. XXIII.

The Church at Glastenbury.

Another IN the same year, viz. 1550, another church of strangers,

church of

strangers at and they mostwhat French and Walloons, began to settle Glasten- at Glastenbury in Somersetshire. They were weavers, and bury. Their trade followed the manufacture of kersies, and cloth of that weaving.

nature, as I conjecture. Their great patrons were the Duke of Somerset and Sir William Cecyl; I add, and our Archbishop, though I do not find his name mentioned in the papers I make use of, relating to this church: for there is no question but that his counsel and aid concurred in the settlement of this church, as well as those in London: and particularly as to the preacher; whom I suspect to have Valerandus been one of those learned foreign divines whom he harPollanus boured in his own house. His name was Valerandus preacher Pollanus, a man of great worth both for learning and inteintendent. grity, who had the title of Superintendent of the strangers'

their

and super

church at Glastenbury, as John a Lasco had of that at CHAP. London; given to each to fix a character of honour and XXIII. esteem upon their persons, and perhaps to exempt them Anno 1550. and their churches from the jurisdiction of the bishops of those respective dioceses. This Pollanus turned into Latin, and printed, the disputations held in the beginning of Queen Mary's reign between the Protestants and Papists at the convocation, anno 1553. If any desire to know the particular state and condition of the establishment of these strangers, as to their trade, it stood thus.

66

came to fix

Pollanus, in behalf of the rest, had preferred a petition How they to the Duke of Somerset, and the rest of the lords of the here. council, to this effect; "That they might be permitted to "form themselves into a church for the free exercise of religion, and to follow peaceably their calling of weaving; declaring, as an argument to persuade them to allow "the same, the considerable benefit that would accrue "thence to the realm: and that for shops and working"houses, and for reception of them and their families,

66

they might enjoy some old dissolved religious house." Their petition was condescended to: and the Duke, being a great cherisher of those of the religion, resolved to be their patron, and to take the managing of this whole cause upon himself. The Duke, in the month of June this year, had made an exchange of certain lands with the King, and that probably for the better accommodating of these strangers. He had parted with the castle and lordship of Sleford, and other lands and tenements in the county of Lincoln, to the King: and the King had granted him, in lieu thereof, all and singular his messuages, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, with their appurtenances, in the town of Glastenbury, (namely, what had belonged to the abbey,) and other lands and tenements in Kingston upon Hull, to the value of 2141. 148. 5d. obq. as I find in a manuscript book, mentioning the several sales that King made. Having obtained such conveniences in Glastenbury, he resolved to plant this manufacture here; which he thought would tend so much to the benefit of the country, 243 himself, and these poor strangers too. Conditions were mutually entered into.

BOOK

The conditions on Somerset's part were, "That he should II. "provide them houses convenient for their occupations, Anno 1550. " and to contain themselves and families: that five acres of Conditions

of trade

between

Somerset

and them.

Their trade obstructed by the

troubles of Somerset.

Apply

themselves

66

pasture land, or as much as would serve for the feeding of "two cows throughout the year, should be allotted to each "of them: and until land were so allotted, they should enjoy the park in common for the said use, with some part also of the gardens. They were also to be supplied "with monies from the Duke to buy wool, and defray "other charges necessary to set them on work. They were "also empowered to employ both English men and women, as they should have occasion, in spinning, and other "works belonging to their trade." And so accordingly they went down to Glastenbury, and fell to work.

But upon the troubles and fall of Somerset, which happened about fourteen or fifteen months after, their affairs were much obstructed. His servants neglected to furnish them with money according to contract: nor was he at leisure now to regard them. The people, among whom they lived, took this opportunity to express what little kindness they had for them: it being the temper of the common sort to be jealous of strangers, and rude to them. So that they were not without their discontents and discouragements for they wanted those conveniences of room for work-houses and habitations, that were promised them. They ran in debt, and were forced to lay to pawn the clothes they had wove, to supply their wants. Cornish, one of the chief of their procurators, appointed to oversee them, and further their trade, proved very deceitful and false to them who came to them, pretending letters from the council, and treating them at first with fair words, and after with threatenings and so compelled them to deliver the clothes that they had made to him, though they had by mere necessity been forced before to pawn them. He had also, by his importunity and fraud, got the grant of the park from them, though he knew the Duke had fully purposed and intended it for their use, for the necessary maintenance of themselves and families.

;

Things being in this ill condition with them, and Someragain to the set no longer able to befriend them, they were glad to apply council,

XXIII.

again to those above. Pollanus therefore, in their behalf, CHAP. petitioned the lords of the council to take their declining state into their consideration, and to carry on that good Anno 1550. work the Duke of Somerset had begun. He did also ply And to the the Secretary to further their petition, (who was indeed of Secretary Cecyl. his own accord their most hearty friend;) and laboured particularly with all earnestness imaginable, both by word of mouth, and by divers letters, to get the factory discharged of Cornish, urging that the weavers had never found the least grain of integrity, justice, or candour in him. This man was now very industrious and busy at court to get himself continued in his office: which the strangers understanding, were as diligent to get themselves delivered of him. The Superintendent had but a little before dispatched to the 244 Secretary one Peter Wolf, a good man, and a great sufferer, a Brabanter by nation, to relate the evil deeds of this man: and now again he dispatched Stephen Le Provost, a deacon of his church, with another message to the same import to the said Secretary. Telling him, "That those who were to "be set over others ought themselves in the first place to "be honest and just; but especially they ought to be so in "the highest degree that were to be placed over such good 66 men, and who were exiles only for the sake of Christ; "unless any could be willing that such upright men should "be undone, and that those very considerable advantages "that were likely to accrue to the commonwealth by them "should be diverted to some other place or country. That

66

they could not enough wonder with what forehead this "man should attempt this thing, after he had so plainly "betrayed his base treachery and ill-will towards them: "and could not but know, how very hardly they could

66

away with him, and who were going to sue to the "Duke for that which they now desired. That himself "was solicited by the prayers of those good men to write "this to him, that he would be their advocate with the "lords in this behalf."

become

The result was, that the lords consented to uphold and The council encourage them: and sent down their letters to the over- their pa

seers of this manufacture, and to the chief officers of the trons, and town, Powis, one of the King's servants, and Hyet, the chief"

assist them.

II.

BOOK magistrate, and others, to examine into the present state of these strangers, and to give them in writing an account Anno 1550. thereof. These letters the Superintendent delivered to them; and one Clark, a justice of peace, was then present: who being a gentleman and a scholar, that understood both French and Latin, did, out of his good-will to them, interpret to the rest Pollanus's petition to the lords of the council, and the contents of their contract with the Duke of Somerset, and other matters relating to this business; that so they might be the better acquainted with their affairs, and it might appear there were no neglects or breaches of covenants on the strangers' parts. And so letters were dispatched back to the lords from the overseers, signifying how they had examined the affairs of these strangers, and had found all things fair and just on their side; mentioning likewise what considerable commodity they hoped for by them: and likewise from the chief of the town to the same import.

Orders from the

lords to set

facture

forwards.

Speedily upon this, orders came down from the lords to certain gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood, whereof this manu- one Dyer was one, a person of good religion, and their cordial friend, commissionating them to set this manufacture forward, and to take care the undertakers might be relieved in what they needed, according to their former contract with the Duke. So they obtained the use of the park for the running of threescore head of kine, till other pasture were provided them. Thirty houses were ordered to be forthwith repaired and fitted up for them: and money was paid sufficient for the clearing them of their debts. These gentlemen had also assigned them a stated provision 245 of money for the future, but it was too scanty; the allowance that they had proportioned them for two months would scarcely hold out for five weeks. Nor was any wool at all bought for their use, though their stock was almost at an end; and then their work must stand still for want thereof, having no money themselves to purchase more: and to take it up upon credit would enhance the price thereof. For one Crowch had demanded of them thirty-two shillings for wool, when they could buy it of their neighbours for four and twenty, had they money. Their only hope was in Dyer, who promised them wool at a far more reasonable rate, and