ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



This mildly tolerant indulgence was, however, only in force for a few 

 months. Parliament revoked it in 1673, and passed the Sacramental Test 

 Act. Toleration for Protestant nonconformity did not come until 1689. 



Anthony Sparrow succeeded to the bishopric of Norwich in 1676, on 

 the death of Bishop Reynolds. He was a native of Depden in Suffolk, in 

 which parish he resided after his ejection in 1644 from the rectory of 

 Hawkedon, and from his fellowship at Queen's College, Cambridge. He 

 had the boldness to publish his famous Rational! upon the Book of Common Prayer 

 in 1657, at a time when its use was prohibited under heavy penalties. On 

 his death in 1685, Bishop Lloyd was translated from Peterborough to this 

 diocese. 



The accession of William of Orange to the English throne in 1688 

 occasioned a most serious loss to the church of England. Archbishop 

 Sancroft, a native of Suffolk, eight other bishops (including Lloyd of Norwich), 

 upwards of four hundred and fifty of the clergy, as well as some of the more 

 distinguished of the laity, conscientiously objected to taking any new oath of 

 allegiance, as they had already taken an oath of allegiance to James II and 

 his heirs from which they had not been dispensed. Among the nonjurors 

 were many men of the deepest piety and learning; but the Whigs pressed 

 the advantage they had gained, and insisted on tendering the new oath to 

 men like Sancroft, Ken, and Lloyd, who had resisted James's despotism, and 

 who had indeed paved the way for the revolution of 1688. 



Twenty-three of the clergy of Suffolk followed their archbishop and 

 bishop in preferring to lose their cures and emoluments rather than take the 

 new oath. 1 Two others at first refused, but afterwards complied. 



It is impossible not to feel much admiration for men who, rather 

 than do violence to their conscientious scruples, went forth from their 

 benefices ' into the cold shade of neglect and even of want.' Archbishop 

 Sancroft, on his ejection from Lambeth, retired to his birthplace at Pressing- 

 field, passing the rest of his life in quiet retirement. Many in his own 

 county had much sympathy both with the deposed archbishop and his 

 views, particularly among the Tory gentlemen. There is an extant letter 

 addressed to him by Mr. Glover, of Frostenden, asking Sancroft to 

 confirm his daughter in his private chapel at Fressingfield, as he could 

 not bear the thought of her being confirmed by the intruding bishop 

 of Norwich. 8 



The pious archbishop died on 24 November, 1693. He was buried in 

 Fressingfield churchyard, where a humbly worded epitaph, written by him- 

 self, records his career. It thus ends : ' The Lord gave and the Lord hath 

 taken away (as the Lord pleaseth so come things to pass) ; Blessed be the 

 name of the Lord.' 



1 Overton, Nonjurors (1902), 471-96. They were Anger, curate of Botesdale ; Edward Beeston, rector 

 of Sproughton and Melton ; Matthew Bisbie, rector of Long Melford ; Anthony Bokenham, rector of 

 Helmingham ; Cole, rector of Chelsworth ; Sam. Edwards, vicar of Eye ; Fisher, curate of Washbrook ; 

 W. GifFord, rector of Great Bradley ; Mich. Gilbert, curate of Spexhall ; George Gripps, rector of Brockley ; 

 W. Kerrington, curate of Depden ; Ric. Lake, curate of Parham ; Jonathan More, schoolmaster of Long 

 Melford ; Stephen Newson, rector of Hawkedon ; J. Owen, rector of Tuddenham ; W. Phillips, curate of 

 Long Melford ; E. Pretty, rector of Little Cornard ; Richardson, curate of Great Thurlow ; T. Rogerson, 

 rector of Ampton ; T. Ross, rector of Rede ; Abraham Salter, vicar of Edwardstowe ; Charles Turnbull, 

 rector of Hadleigh ; and Giles Willcox, curate of Bungay. 



1 Tanner, MSS. Bodl. cited in Raven, Hut. of Stiff. 231. 



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