BISHOP AYLMER. 13 



tion of the Sacrament kneeling; the use of the cross in CHAP. 

 Baptism, and of organs in the Church ; the laying aside of 



the holy days, and the using only the surplice in the ser 

 vice,) Aylmer was absent, whether by chance or on purpose 

 I know not; and so also was the Dean of Canterbury, Mul- 

 lins Archdeacon of London, Cole of Essex, and divers others, 

 to the number in all of twenty-seven with the proxies. 



This reverend man dwelt much at Lincoln, where he was Writes to 

 Archdeacon; whence in the year 1567 he wrote a letter *jj A ***~ 

 to Archbishop Parker, who had sent to him to make in- ceming old 

 quiry for ancient historical writings in that cathedral, or L col * 

 other libraries in those parts. Mr. Aylmer accordingly 

 made search, but after all could give him no satisfaction in 

 that point, the libraries thereabouts consisting chiefly of old 

 schoolmen. But among his own books he found one writ 

 ten by one of the Archbishop s predecessors upon the Old 

 Testament, which Aylmer promised to send up to him : in 

 fine, expressing his joy, that God had chosen the chief Pas 

 tor of this church out of his native country, meaning Nor 

 folk. 



.Here at Lincoln he stuck a long while, though he was Sticks at 

 often nominated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, his 

 countryman and friend, as occasion served, to succeed to 

 some vacant bishopric. But the Archbishop had enemies at 

 the Court, that commonly thwarted what he recommended 

 and advised. But that he remained yet in statu quo with 

 out higher preferment, many passed their conjectures. That 

 party of men that did not much favour the Bishops, nor 

 like the divine worship established by law, made his book 

 against Knox one of the causes that he had so many back 

 friends, that employed their interest against his rising ; be 

 cause perhaps they thought he had in that book too much 

 advanced the power and authority of princes, which Knox 

 had so lessened and disparaged. For to this, it seems, that 

 expression tended, of one Norton, a Minister, in a letter to 

 Dr. Whitgift, wrote anno 1572; where advising the said 

 Whitgift to forbear answering Cartwright the Puritan s 

 book, that Protestants might not give an entertainment to 



