ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



1589, 'they had lived without any ordinary preaching until within four or 

 five years. By which want they knew not, as they ought, what did belong 

 to God, what to their Prince, their rulers, their neighbours, their families, 

 to bring them up in that obedience and subjection as was meet.' ^^ Bishop 

 Aylmer's version of the matter was that Dyke was ' troubhng his auditory 

 with new opinions and notions, thwarting the established religion,' ^" and 

 that he had refused to take priest's orders though a deacon of long standing. ''' 

 On the petition of the parishioners Burghley remonstrated with Aylmer, 

 pointing out that the people were now untaught, having ' for a Curate a 

 very insufficient, aged, doting man,' and that Dyke, who had probably erred 

 through excessive earnestness, ' would hereafter be more advised and in a 

 temperate sort carry himself.' " The bishop seems to have complied with 

 this request from so powerful a quarter, for Dyke was still preaching at 

 St. Michael's in April 1590." 



How the duty of preaching was discharged by the more able and zealous 

 of the clergy may be gathered from the conduct of Andrew Willet, who 

 preached 'in his church of Barley, for a long time, thrice every week.' " 

 ' And although he had been chaplain to that noble young Prince Henry, 

 and both during that time, and sometimes since, had preached at court, and 

 knew how to tune his tongue to the most elegant ears ; yet amongst his 

 own people he taught . . . after a most familiar way, affecting a plain 

 phrase and humble style, applying himself to the capacity of his hearers ; 

 reputing that sermon best adorned, that was least set out with human 

 learning or eloquence, or perplexed with curious questions that help not to 

 heavenwards.' " 



By the time of the accession of Whitgift to the primacy in 1583 

 Puritanism had gained a definite position and the controversy had shifted 

 from mere matters of order to the constitution of the Church. None 

 appreciated better than the archbishop how serious was the position nor how 

 greatly the danger was aggravated by the ignorance of the authorities as to 

 its extent. His first act, therefore, after his election was confirmed in 

 September, was to issue articles which were sent to the bishops under cover 

 of a letter dated 1 9 October. The returns for the archdeaconry of St. Albans 

 have been preserved, and it seems possible that a summary list of clergy 

 within the archdeaconry of Huntingdon may also be referred to this date, 

 but no return for the archdeaconry of Middlesex is available, and the review 

 of the county must therefore be incomplete. The Bishop of London 

 forwarded Whitgift's letter to the Archdeacon of St. Albans on 3 i October, 

 and followed this on 3 1 December with a letter from the archbishop dated 

 12 December and inclosing further articles of inquiry promulgated by the 

 Privy Council.*^ Nothing, however, was done here until March. The 

 first three of the archbishop's articles dealt with attendance at divine service 



"^ Lansd. MS. 6i, fol. 70-1 ; printed by Strype, op. cit. 301-2. 



'^ Strype, op. cit. 104. For the charges against Dyke and his defence see Lansd. MS. 61, fol. 72-4. 



'" Strype, op. cit. 203. " j^jj^ 203-4. 



'^ Rec. of the Old Archd. of St. Jlbans, 75. In 1591 he was presented to the vicarage of Hemel Hemp- 

 stead in the diocese of Lincoln (Urwick, Nonconformity in Herts. 115, 427). 



^' Fuller, Jbel Rediziivus, ii, 3 1 9. 



^ Ibid. For the truth of these remarks see Willet, Eccksia Triumphani, being sermons preached in 

 Barley Church. 



85 Rec. of the Old Archd. of St. Albans, 35. 



4 329 42 



