BISHOP AYLMER. 81 



&quot; Fridays ; for the turning away of God s wrath, as well CHAP. 

 &quot; concerning this untemperate weather, and rain lately V1L 

 &quot; fallen upon the earth, as also all other plagues and 

 &quot; punishments which for our manifold sins we most justly 

 &quot; deserve. Most needful to be used of every housholder 

 &quot; and his family throughout the realm.&quot; It began, &quot; O 

 &quot; Almighty God, and most merciful Father, we most hum- 

 &quot; bly prostrate ourselves before thy mercy-seat,&quot; &c. 



The Bishop was now, together with the Lord Mayor, The Bishop 

 using his interest in the city of London to pacify a mur- 

 muring and discontent among the citizens, occasioned by the 

 great multitude of poor strangers that fled thither, by rea- 

 son of the persecution of religion in those parts whence ers - 

 they came. The tradesmen were apprehensive how injuri 

 ous they would prove to them by underworking and under 

 selling them, and getting part of the business from them. 

 Of this dissatisfaction some good men at the Court were 

 very sensible ; and the Lord Treasurer wrote to Secretary 

 Walsingham about it ; who thereupon procured letters from 

 the Council to the Bishop and the Mayor, that they would 

 use all means to make the strangers better liked of in Lon 

 don : an account of which Walsingham gave to the Trea 

 surer in these words : &quot; That he was sorry to find by his 

 &quot; Lordship s letters, that the repair of the poor afflicted 

 &quot; strangers was so greatly grudged at, seeing for their sakes 

 &quot; (for that God had used this realm as a sanctuary for them) 

 &quot; he had bestowed so many extraordinary blessings upon 

 &quot; us ; and that both the Bishop and the Mayor had re- 

 &quot; ceived letters from the Board, to use all good means that 

 &quot; might be, to remove the dislike of the vulgar sort.&quot; This 

 letter was written November 4, 1585; and the Bishop, 

 who himself was once an exile for religion, no question 

 heartily espoused this business. 



In the summer of the year 1586, the Bishop went his Holds a vi- 

 next triennial visitation, to take account in what state 

 Ministers and people of his diocese were; and had, as it 

 seems, some intimation from the Queen, especially to have 

 regard to those that dissented from the established order &amp;gt; 



