BISHOP AYLMER. 53 



^refuse to conform themselves in matters of religion, and to C H A P. 

 come to their own parish church, and refuse the Commu-_ 

 nion ; and what be their names, and of what condition or Articles to 

 estate they are. ^ imiuir 



Item, How long they have refused so to do. 



Item, How many of their wives, children, servants, or 

 others, sojourning and abiding in their houses, do likewise 

 refuse so to do ; and what be their names and surnames ; 

 and how long they have so done. 



Item, For what cause they have refused so to do. 



Item, Of what yearly living in England, or other value 

 of substance or goods, are these principal persons thought 

 to be, in truth and in deed, and not as they be stinted in the 

 subsidy book. 



Item, Whether any one or more of them have been now 

 already committed to any prison for such recusancy. 



Memorandum, This inquisition not to extend to any 

 other than such as do obstinately refuse to come to their 

 parish church, and there to receive the Communion. 



This inquisition seems to have been set on foot upon the Chiefly for 

 intelligence of the increase of Papists. For those crafty emis-&quot; Paplsts 

 saries of Rome took this opportunity to reconcile as many 

 as they could to the pretended unity of the Church, while 

 the eyes of the State were chiefly upon the dissenting bre 

 thren, of whom it had a great jealousy about this time. 



Therefore from henceforth both sorts were equally looked City Minis- 

 unto ; and in the month of January 1581, there was a call i n . 

 of the City Ministers, to make inquiry what sons of English 

 gentlemen and others, or what servants were now beyond 

 seas, and to what ends they went ; whether as scholars, or 

 factors, or otherwise. And the same month, namely, Ja- And again. 

 nuary 29th, there was another call of them into the consis 

 tory by the Bishop of London and ecclesiastical Commis 

 sioners ; when these injunctions and inquiries were given 

 forth. 1. No invectives to be used of or against estates : 

 [that is, this or other kingdoms, or potentates : some preach 

 ers, as it seems, being now-a-days Very liberal of their 

 speeches both against France and Spain.] 2. None to re- 



E 3 



