ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



homily-book ; the late vicar took it to Fangfoss and left it there. The non- 

 provision of quarter sermons at Pickering is noted three times. At Ellerburn 

 in 1596 there were no quarter sermons, but they were provided in 1599. 

 There was no Bible 'of the largest volume' at Millington in 1570, nor at 

 Wilton in 1595. The Kilham register was missing in 1602. The dean 

 was twice presented for not disbursing a fortieth of his living to the poor of 

 Pickering. He was responsible for the decay of some of the fabrics.'" 

 Pickering, Ebberston, Fangfoss, and Kilham were chronic cases of structural 

 ruin. In 1594 and 1595 the vicar of Fangfoss was presented for neglecting 

 service on Wednesdays and Fridays, and occasionally on Sundays and holy- 

 days : he made no attempt to catechize, when there was no sermon he 



• omitted to read a homily. At Pocklington in 1601 the vicar had no 

 communion service at weddings, in 1602 he had no Wednesday or Friday 

 service, save on Ash Wednesday, and held no catechizing. The vicar of 

 Pickering in 1602 was said to be careless about wearing a surplice during 

 service. He was removed in 161 5 by the dean, who had been summoned as 

 ordinary before the Privy Council.^^ At AUerston in 1594 there was no 

 curate, and there had been no communion since Easter. At Wilton things 

 were more satisfactory, although during the earlier visitations the vicar was 

 presented for neglecting service on Wednesdays and Fridays, and afternoon 

 service on Sundays and holydays. At a later date things improved, but 

 morning prayer was said at eight and afternoon prayer at two o'clock, prob- 

 ably because the vicar was due for similar services at Ellerburn. At Goath- 

 land in 1 60 1 there was no pulpit. Necessary repairs, chiefly of churchyard 

 fences, were taken in hand where possible ; but, as at Kilham, where an 

 assessment for mending the steeple windows was made in 1593, parishioners 

 were occasionally unwilling to pay their part.^*' 



After the accession of James I more energy was shown in restoring 

 churches and providing chapels in large parishes. One of the old col- 

 legiate chapters was revived. Beverley had been dissolved in 1544, when 

 the clerical staff of the minster was reduced to a vicar and three curates.^' 

 A commission was appointed in the same year to reform Ripon ; but the 

 chapter was dissolved under Edward VI. Archbishop Sandys made an 

 effort to procure its revival ; *** and in 1604 the corporation of Ripon 

 petitioned Anne of Denmark for its re-foundation. With her aid the 

 chapter, consisting of a dean and six prebendaries, was revived and endowed 

 out of the Crown lands.''*' The archbishop at this time was Tobias Matthew, 

 translated from Durham on Hutton's death (1606)."^ Under his care, some- 



'" John Thornborough, who succeeded Hutton as dean, held his deanery with the bishoprics of Limerick 

 (i 593-1 604) and Bristol (1604-17), resigning it on his translation to Worcester. Although his non- 

 residence was an evil, he was no exceptional case, and the dilapidation of Ebberston, Fangfoss, and Kilham 

 had begun long before his time. 



" Minute of Privy Council ap. Pickering parish register, printed in rorks. Arch. Journ. xviii, 200, 201. 



" References in Torks. Arch. 'Journ. ut sup. The visitations 1568-94 are printed pp. 209-31 ; 1595 

 (Pocklington, Belby, Fangfoss), p. 232 ; 1595 (rest)-l6o2, pp. 315-41. 



"^ Lawton, Coll. 319 ; Hiatt, Beverley Minster (1898), 31. The staff was further reduced to a vicar 

 and one curate temp. Elizabeth. 



" Sandys had a scheme, in which he was encouraged by Burghley and Richard Hooker among others 

 for founding a theological college in the Bedern, the common house of the prebendaries' vicars under the old 

 r'e^me Q^i:A.t.\X., Cathedral Church of Ripon \\<)o\\, 10). 



'•" J. T. Fowler, Mem. of Ripon (Surt. Soc), ii, 257, 258. A fresh charter was granted in 1607, and the 

 subdeanery erected. "' Drake, op. cit. 458. 



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