A HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND 



number two such disciples. But the enthusiasm for Rome which flamed 

 up brilliantly for a time in the diocese of Carlisle never laid hold of a 

 considerable section of the community and was soon spent. 



The episcopate of Bishop Robinson was so remarkable for its success 

 in bringing about conformity to the national religion that the words 

 inscribed on the pastoral staff which forms a feature of his memorial 

 brass in Carlisle cathedral Corrigenda, Sustentando, Vigilando, Dirigendo 

 may be taken as descriptive of his ministry and not as a mere monu- 

 mental euphemism. Immediately after his appointment to Carlisle, he 

 petitioned for a special commission ' for the repressing of recusants,' but 

 the archbishop of Canterbury thought the time inopportune until the 

 renewal of the general commission for the province of York. In 1 600 

 he petitioned again on the ground that some of the most disordered of 

 his churches were superstitiously popish and others were impiously 

 licentious, one husband having several wives then living and one wife 

 several husbands. People of that sort took little notice of ecclesiastical 

 censures, but he pleaded that if the principals felt the smart of civil 

 justice, they would be humbled, at least it would prevent the canker 

 spreading as it was then doing to the subversion of many.' At the same 

 time he felt that the church of which he was bishop needed the most 

 strenuous exertions in order to raise the clergy and people to a higher 

 moral standard, the want of earnestness in the former and of Christian 

 knowledge in the latter being a real trouble to him. a No pains were 

 spared during the eighteen years of his episcopate to bring about the 

 desired result. 



It was the tendency of the penal laws to produce outward con- 

 formity only, without reference to the religious convictions of the 

 individual. Papists were not agreed at this time on the expediency of 

 attending the church services. Prominent men like Lord William 

 Howard of Naworth, according to Panzani, were in favour of the oath 

 of allegiance and occasional conformity.* It was his moderation perhaps 

 which saved Lord William from the troubles of the general persecution. 

 The agents of the government in the north were not slow to bring 

 railing accusations against him on account of his papism, but James I. 

 steadily refused to disturb him. 4 Soon after the King's accession com- 

 plaints were made that Howard was maintaining one Skelton of 

 Wetheral in his service, the said Skelton being a 'church papist' who 

 came to church only at Easter and was said to have been a harbourer of 



whose grandfather, old Richard Dudley, being a good Protestant, did in his lifetime so detest his grand- 

 child's obstinacy that he disinherited him of all his lands and conveyed them to his second brother. It 

 is known to many of our gentlemen that the said angelical Jesuit or seminary is harboured in those parts, 

 yet none of them will, though they see him, lay hands on him. Unless Lancaster can be induced by his 

 persuasion and authorized to apprehend Dudley and his associates, now lurking in this country, they will 

 never be taken ' (Cal. of Salisbury MSS. vii. 298). 



S.P. Dom. Eliz. cclxxv. 66. Ibid, cclxxiii. 56. 



Engl. Hist. Rev. xviii. 118. 



4 John Dudley, writing to his brother from London on 12 November, 1616, stated that the infor- 

 mation Mr. Salkeld had exhibited against Lord William Howard for recusancy was withdrawn by the 

 King's command (Hist. MSS. Com. Ref. [Rydal MSS.] xii. App. vii. 15). 



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