A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



subscribed in 1559," but must have repented, for his successor, Thomas 

 Sympson, was instituted in March 1560-1."" To these names must be 

 added that of G. Bullock, whose successor was instituted to Munden in i 560. 

 Later in this year a visitation was held in the deanery of Braughing," 

 where the old learning appears to have been particularly strong. Of the 

 thirty-two livings within the deanery three were vacant ; there were thus 

 twenty-nine incumbents answerable, and of these three were absent," pre- 

 sumably for reasonable cause, and four refused to put in an appearance. 

 These four were John Bendall, vicar of Ware, Richard Cotton, vicar or 

 Braughing, John Hopper, rector of Reed, and Robert Yngham, rector of 

 Stocking Pelham. The position of Ware on the Great North Road and its 

 commercial activity made the living of considerable importance, and it was 

 obviously necessary that the incumbent should conform with the laws. 

 The living belonged to Trinity College, Cambridge, which had presented 

 Bendall in 1559." He subscribed in the same year," but in 1561 he 

 refused to make an appearance. Pressure was probably brought to bear upon 

 him, and he must have conformed, for in November " he was instituted to 

 the vicarage of Latton, and in 1563 became rector of St. John the Baptist, 

 Dowgate." The case of Richard Cotton of Braughing proved more serious. 

 In July 1554, on the deprivation of James Lodge, the cure was given to 

 Nicholas Aspinall. He subscribed in 1559," but resigned this living at the 

 end of the year,"* possibly on promotion, for in 1562 he was instituted to 

 the living of Stepney, of which he was deprived two years later." His 

 successor at Braughing was probably much of his way of thought. Richard 

 Cotton was instituted in December 1559,°° though his name appears on none 

 of the extant lists of subscriptions. No comment appears in the visitation 

 list," but his name has been crossed out and that of William Lyon written 

 above. William Lyon was instituted 14 October 1562°* on the deprivation 

 of Richard Cotton. He was probably well known as a 'safe' man, and 

 already enjoyed important preferment, having been rector of Mile End since 

 August 1560 and of Holy Trinity, Colchester, since February 156 1-2." 

 John Hopper, unlike Cotton, was a graduate ; he was instituted to the living 

 of Barkway in January 1554-5 "' on the deprivation of Thomas Butler, and 

 was thus probably strong in his opposition to the new movement. In 

 1556 he became rector of Reed, holding both livings. He subscribed in 

 1559,°' but failed to put in an appearance at the visitation of 1561," when 

 he was noted as a pluralist. His deprivation followed, but it is noteworthy 

 that here as at Braughing no institution was made until the autumn of 1562," 

 and it is possible that pluralism rather than recusancy was the cause, for 



*5 Gee, op. cit. 103, where the name is given as 'T. Bartleton.' '" Newcourt, Repert. i, 896. 



'1 Visit, of Grindal, 1561 (Lend. Epis. Reg.). No indication of the actual date is given. 



*2 Those absent were John Barnes of Wymondley, — Dobbinson of Barley and William Preston of 

 Hunsdon ; they all retained their livings. Preston was instituted in 1557 and Dobbinson in 1559 (Nevf- 

 court, Repert. i, 800, 840). 



" Ibid, ii, 904. " Gee, op. cit. 103. 



'^ Newcourt, Repert. ii, 367. 



^* Ibid, i, 372. Robert Kaye was instituted to Ware in December 1567. 



^'' Gee, op. cit. 124. ^* Clutterbuck, Hist, and Antiq. of Herts, iii, 157. 



'^ Gee' op. cit. 253. Nicholas Aspinall was rector of Little Hormead and of Ealing in 1 576 (Lambeth 

 MS. xii, no.' i). «<> Clutterbuck, loc. cit. " Visit, of Grindal, 1 561 (Lond. Epis. Reg.). 



" Clutterbuck, loc. cit. «' Newcourt, Repert. ii, 420, 182. '^ Ibid. 803. 



" Gee, op. cit. 105. ^« Visit, of Grindal, 1561 (Lond. Epis. Reg.). «' Newcourt, Repert. 11, 862. 



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