ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



that brought about the sequestration of his see, and his suspension from office.' 

 The order of suppression was dated 7 May, 1577, and Bishop Scambler found 

 it necessary to obey. Having been the first bishop in any way to sanction 

 the methods complained of, he resented their suppression, and apparently 

 encouraged the clergy of Northampton to show a like spirit. The result of 

 the conflict was a decline in religious observances and church services, and 

 Lord Keeper Bacon, who visited Northampton toward the close of 1 578, when 

 the town was recovering from a visitation of the plague, was shocked at its 

 spiritual destitution and lack of any preacher. He wrote a severe letter to Bishop 

 Scambler, saying that the condition of things would be lamentable in a poor 

 village, and far more so in ' a towne so greate and so notorious as Northampton.'^ 



The bishop, however, maintained his policy of inaction until the formal 

 attention of the Privy Council was called to the ' disorders in matters eccle- 

 siastical in the town of Northampton.' On 5 April, 1579, they addressed a 

 letter to the bishop, requiring him ' with the assistance of some learned 

 ministers in the places adjoining, and especially Mr. Smith, parson of Blis- 

 worth,' to inquire into these ' disorders,' and to take steps for their repression 

 with the aid of such gentlemen and justices in the neighbourhood as he 

 should think fit to consult.' 



The bishop excused himself on the ground of ill-health, but it was he 

 who, about this time, reported to the council that people were repairing in 

 great numbers out of their own parishes in Northampton to the house of the 

 noted Puritan and parliamentary leader, Peter Wentworth, at Lillingstone 



thence in lyke order to their place, havinge all this tyme a mynister in the pulpitt readinge unto them 

 comfortable scriptures of the passion or other lyke pertaynynge to the matter in iiande. 



1 2. There is on euery other Sntterdaye, and nowe euery Satterdaie from IX to XJ of the clocke in 

 the mornynge, an exercise of the mynisters bothe of Towne and countrj-e about the interpretacon of 

 scriptures, the mynisters speakinge one after another, doth handell some texte, and the same openly amonge 

 the people ; that doon, the mynisters doth w"'drawe themselves into a pri\ye place, theare to confere 

 amonge themselves as well touchinge doctrine as good liefF, manners or others orders mete for them. 



13. There is also a vvekelye assembly euery thursdaye after the lecture by the maior and his bretherne, 

 assisted w"" the preacher, mynister, or other gentlemen, appointed by the Bisshoppe for the correction of 

 discorde made in the towne, as for notorious blasphemy, whoredome, drunkeness, raylinge against religyon, 

 or the preachers thereof, skowldes, rybaulds, and suche lyke, w'^*' faults are eche Thursdaye presented unto 

 them in writinge by certein sworne men, appointed for that cervice in each parisshe, so the bisshoppes 

 authoritie and the mayors joyned together being assisted w'" certein other gentillemen in comyssion 

 of peace, yll lyefF is corrected, Godds gloary sett fourthe, and the people brought in good obedience. 



14. The comunyon table standeth in the bodye of the churche, accordinge to the book at the over 

 ende of the midle He, havinge three mynisters, one in the mydle to delyver the bread, the other ij at eche 

 ende for the cupp. The mynisters often tymes doo call on the people to Remember the poore w'"" 

 is there plentyfully doon, and thus the comunyon beinge ended, the people doo singe a psalm. 



15. The excessyve ringinge of bells at forbidden tymes by Injunctions (whereby the people grewe in 

 disorder to the slaughter of some and the unquyetinge of others geven to here sermonde) is inhibitted, 

 allowinge notw"'standinge suche orderly ringinge as may serve to the callinge of the people to churche 

 and gevinge warnynge of the passinge and buriall of eny persons. 



16. The carryenge of the bell before courses (corpses) in the streets, and biddinge prayers for the 

 ded (w'"" was there used till w"" in thes twoo yeres) is restrayned. 



17. There is hereafter to take place ordered that all mynisters of the shyer once euery quarter of 

 the yere, uppon one monethcs warnynge gyven repayer to the said towne, and theare, after a sermonde in 

 the churche herde, to w'Mrawe themselves into a place appoynted w"'in the sayde churche, and there 

 pryvately to conferre amongst themselves of their manners and \yves, amongst whome yf any be founde in 

 faulte, for the fyrst tyme exhortation is made to hym amongest all the bretherne to amend, and so Ivkewyse 

 the seconde, the thirde tyme by complaynt from all the bretherne, he is comytted unto the bysshopp for 

 his correccon. 



See Nortiam/it. Borough Rec. (1898), ii, 386-90, where the confession of feith and the rules for the 

 prophesying are also given in full. 



' See Strype, Grindal, 325 et seq. and GrinJal Remains (Parker Soc), 372-390. 



' Harl. MS. 398. The letter is printed by R. M. Serjeantson, Hist, of All Saints', Northampton, 1 1 i-i 5. 

 ' Acts ofP.C. (New Ser.), xi, 93. 



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