A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



endowments were also considered and grants made in augmentation, such as 

 the /50 allowed in 1656 to the minister of Offley and the sums allowed 

 in January 1658-9 to Watford and [King's] Walden.' 



With the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 came the re-establish- 

 ment of the Church of England. It is difficult to say what was the exact 

 number of ejections of Parliamentary clergy, but changes took place in at 

 least forty-one cures in this county in the first few years of the reign." In 

 many cases the living was handed back to the incumbent whom the Parlia- 

 ment had disseised. Thus Herbert Thorndyke returned to his living of 

 Barley," his whilom successor, Nathaniel Ball, finding employment as public 

 preacher of Royston, where he held a lecture on market days until silenced 

 by the Act of Uniformity of 1662." Such cases made no appearance in 

 the episcopal registers. Within that part of the diocese of London which 

 lay in Hertfordshire eight institutions were made between 25 March 1661 

 and 25 March 1662 on the removal or resignation of the intruding incum- 

 bents of Amwell, Reed, St. Peter's and St. Stephen's in St. Albans, Anstcy, 

 Codicote, Hunsdon, Brent Pelham, Ware and Watford." The ministers 

 thus displaced do not, however, appear to have been in the first rank of 

 importance, Philip Goodwin of Watford being the only ' Tryer ' among 

 them.'* Proceedings against them may possibly have been somewhat in the 

 nature of a threat, for Goodwin held preferment in Essex until his death." 



In the autumn of 1661 work was begun on the revision of the Book of 

 Common Prayer, and in May 1662 the Act of Uniformity passed into law." 

 This Act required episcopal ordination from all beneficed clergy, and made 

 the use of the revised Prayer Book compulsory ; it also required an under- 

 taking to observe conformity from all clergy and schoolmasters. The Act 

 came into force on St. Bartholomew's Day (24 August), 1662, and was 

 followed by numerous cessions of the clergy. Although but eight institutions 

 to livings in Hertfordshire apparently vacant through the Act have been 

 traced in the London episcopal registers," and four in those of the diocese 

 of Lincoln," the number of displaced clergy was probably considerable," 

 and most of the prominent Puritan ministers now devoted their talents and 

 piety to the small bodies of separatists which sprang into being all over the 

 country.^*" Their conviction was probably obtained through the working of 

 the visitations which accompanied the Act. The Articles of Inquiry were 

 particularly minute in character, sections dealing with the church and its 

 ornaments, the minister, the parishioners, parish clerks, sextons, schoolmasters, 

 midwives and physicians. The churchwardens were required to answer 

 whether their minister had had episcopal ordination and institution and 

 whether he was resident and a preacher. One inquiry was whether he ' read 

 the prayers distinctly, gravely, plainly and with due attention and reverence,' 

 without omissions ; another whether he observed Holy Days and Fasting 



' Ca/. S. P. Dm. 1656-7, p. 164 ; 1658-9, p. 254. 



" Newcourt, Refert. i, passim ; Cakmy, Nonconformists' Mem. (ed. 1S02), passim ; Harl. MS. 7048. 



" Newcourt, Repert. i, 800. 12 Calamy, op. cit. ii, 309. 



Newcourt, Repir/. i, 789, 790, 797, 824, 840, 854, 904, 906. " See above. 



' Newcourt, Repert. ii, 393. le Stat. 13 & 14 Chas. II, cap. 4. 



Newcourt, Repert. i, 788, 792, 800, 816, 826, 842, 848, 896. 

 ^ Harl MS. 7048, fol. 249^. 19 Calamy, op. cit. Li, passim. 



See below. For the conforming vicar of Hatfield see Wilde, Tie Recantation of a Penitent Proteu 



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