BISHOP AYLMER. 65 



that he would finish that which he had so favourably hi- CHAP, 

 therto followed ; desirous to be delivered of this heavy bur- __ 

 den, as he called it, of London. The bishopric of Ely had 

 been now void for a pretty long time ; which he was con 

 tented to succeed into. He desired now in the beginning of 

 the year, that the business might be finished, since he once 

 had the Queen s promise for it. He pleaded, now was the 

 time for him to settle himself for his provision either here 

 or there : which must at this time be considered of both for 

 the successor s commodity, and his own. He added, how 

 this ensuing summer would much hinder the state of that 

 living, both the parks and elsewhere. And he heard that 

 great swarms both of Papists and of the family of love did 

 daily increase there, for lack of one to look unto such dis 

 orders. But alas ! these were not sufficient reasons to fill 

 that vacant see while there wanted not men about the 

 Queen that suggested to her the ample revenues of it. And 

 Bishop Aylmer seemed not to be for their turn ; that is, to 

 submit to the alienation of some of the lands and lordships 

 of it. So that however he called this his long looked for 

 suit, and thought it now upon a despatch, yet he was de 

 ceived. 



But still he gave it not over; for in October the next Solicits 

 year I find him labouring with the Treasurer in the same 

 cause: who furthered it again with the Queen, and got 

 some good probability of it. So that the Bishop hung in 

 suspense, and could not settle to make his provisions in any 

 place. He pleaded again his years; and that that place 

 of London had need of a younger man than he was. And 

 at last he was so near his desired remove, that his conge 

 d elire seemed only deferred a little, because he was con 

 cerned in a commission for the reparation of Paul s, which 

 by his departure thence might probably receive some hin 

 drance ; and because the Queen s audit for the temporalities 

 of that bishopric of Ely was at hand. But the Bishop an 

 swered, that as for the first, the action would follow his 

 person ; and that it was to be answered at Ely as well as at 

 London. And as to the second, that the audit would be 



