Preachers and preaching

Preachers and Preaching.

I. 11. Letter from the Lord Mayor and Aldermen to the Lord Bishop of London (Aylmer), informing him that, in accordance with the will of the late Sir Thomas Rowe, they had appointed Mr. Dove to preach at the new burying place on Whitsuntide, and requesting his approval.
1st May, 1580.

I. 12. Letter from the Lord Bishop of London in reply, approving of the choice of Mr. Dove.
4th May, 1580.

I. 248. Letter from John (Aylmer), Lord Bishop of London, Alexander Nowell, (fn. 1) Dean of St. Paul's, and William Day, (fn. 2) Dean of Windsor, to the Lord Mayor, informing him that they had received letters from the Privy Council, containing instructions for a contribution to be made by his lordship for certain preachers to be appointed to preach in and about London, and requesting the Court of Aldermen to devise the best means for the accomplishment of this object. For his better information, Mr. Doctor Lewis, (fn. 3) one of the Masters of Requests, and Mr. Doctor Stanhope, (fn. 4) the Chancellor of London, had been instructed to confer with him upon the subject.
Fulham, 31st August, 1581.

I. 249. Instructions sent from the Lords of the Council for a contribution to be made towards the maintenance of preachers.

To make a Catalogue of all the Learned Men and Readers in London.

To assign for every convenient division a learned man to preach twice a week.

To arrange with the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, &c., for raising a contribution from every parish for the payment of these lecturers.

To assign to every lecturer a convenient share of the collection.

To arrange the time when the several lecturers should be given.

The overplus of the collection to be employed for the finding of ministers and learned men to repair to the prisons.

I. 250. Letter from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Bishop of London in reply. His office was already sufficiently burdensome and chargeable, both in trouble and expense, and he objected to contribute more than other parishioners. Having submitted the whole subject to the Court of Aldermen, they were of opinion that the matter would have to be submitted to the Commons for their consent. He had, however, caused a collection to be made of the names of such lectures as had been already founded in the several parishes. In this return the lectures at the Temple, the Inns of Court, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the four ministers at Christ's Church, had not been included. The yearly charge of the Companies and Private persons for the maintenance of students at the Universities to serve the Church in the office of preaching was great, therefore the citizens ought to be suitors against any further contribution. The Court of Aldermen further desired to inform his lordship of their displeasure at the behaviour of his chaplain, Mr. Dyos, (fn. 5) who, in an open sermon preached at St. Paul's Cross, had publicly defamed them to their faces, and stated "that if the appointing of preachers were committed to them, they would appoint such as would defend usury, the family of love, and puritanism." They desired his lordship to take order that he should make reparation of their good fame.
6th September, 1581.

I. 255. Letter from John (Aylmer), Lord Bishop of London, to the Lord Mayor, acknowledging his letter asking for the direction of the Privy Council for the establishing of Preachers in certain allotments within the City. Knowing the great burdens now upon them, he had forwarded their statement to the Privy Council. With regard to the evil words used by his chaplain, Mr. Dios, he had sent for him and some learned men who were present, who stated that there could be no such meaning gathered from anything he had preached. In case any further explanation might be desired, he had directed Mr. Dios to attend and to satisfy those offended. After alluding to the many charities supported by the City, the Bishop requests some contribution towards the preachers at St. Paul's Cross.
Fulham, 8th September, 1581.

I. 256. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. They had lately written to the Bishop of London and certain of the clergy, to advise among themselves of some convenient order how the suppression of Popery might be effected. They were, among other things, desired to deal with his Lordship and the Aldermen for the maintenance of preachers, &c., as well in the parishes as the prisons. For the support of such preachers a collection might be made among the clergy and other inhabitants of the City.
9th September, 1581.

I. 291. Letter from Sir Francis Walsingham to Mr. Thomas Norton (Remembrancer). It had been before agreed that steps should be taken to provide learned men as lecturers upon religion, and he requested to be informed what had been done in the matter.
8th November, 1581.

I. 296.Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor, reminding him of their communication with regard to a sufficient number of learned preachers being provided by the City, and complaining of the delay which had taken place.
21st January, 1581.

I. 297. Letter from the Lord Mayor (Sir James Harvey) to the Lord Bishop of Salisbury, (fn. 6) stating that, for the publishing of the word of God, the Court of Aldermen had yearly appointed as preachers, in the usual place, on the three holidays at Easter, the most notable men for sincerity, learning, and credit that they could find. Highly appreciating his lordship's wisdom, they desired to obtain his services upon Easter Monday at St. Mary's Hospital.
18th February, 1581.

I. 493 Letter from the Lord Mayor to Dr. Day, Dean of Windsor, informing him that the Court of Aldermen had chosen him as one of the Easter preachers, and requesting his assent thereto.
5th March, 1582.

I. 494. Letter from the Lord Mayor to Dr. Still, (fn. 7) to the same effect as the foregoing.
5th March, 1582.

II. 36. Letter from the Earl of Essex to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, recommending Mr. Broughton to preach in the great assemblies for the public good, and that a competent allowance be made to him.
14th October, 1594.

II. 309 Letter from the Lord Mayor to Dr. Pilkington, requesting him to preach the Spital Sermon on Monday in Easter week.
11th February, 1607.

IV. 65. Letter from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to the Lords of the Council, stating that they had always been accustomed to appoint the preachers at St. Mary's Spital on the three usual days in Easter week. Latterly they had usually acquainted the Lord Bishop of London with their names, that he, knowing who they were, might the more fitly appoint a preacher for the rehearsal sermon at Paul's Cross. They had lately appointed three learned preachers as usual, two of them being Doctor's of Divinity, and had caused the Chamberlain to acquaint the Bishop with their names. He asserted the right to appoint such preachers belonged to himself (though neither he nor his predecessors had ever chosen them), and had forbidden one of them by name, and said he would forbid the rest to preach there. Such a course would be displeasing to the citizens, and hinder their wonted charity to the poor. And the Masters and Governors of the several Hospitals of the City would be discouraged, both in their daily care and pains, and in the observation of that decent order used at those times when they and all the children and poor people of each Hospital resorted to those sermons, where they had built a place to sit and show themselves, in remembrance of their good benefactors and of the comforts they received, and thus to stir up imitation in others. The Court, therefore, desired that their preachers might receive directions to preach without interruption as heretofore, for they considered that though the Bishop might censure both the lives and doctrines of preachers in his diocese, he should not assume a nomination to himself which by ancient custom belonged to others.
8th March, 1616.

V. 57. Letter from the Lord Mayor (Sir W. Cocklaine) to Mr. Beale, (fn. 8) Master of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, requesting him to preach at the Spital on the Wednesday in Easter week, the former two days being supplied by the Dean of St. Paul's and Mr. Doctor Bates. (fn. 9)
From his house in Broad Street, 18th February, 1619.

VI. 58. Copy of Letter from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to the Lord Bishop of Ely, (fn. 10) requesting him to preach one of the Spital Sermons.
(Circa 1924–5.)

VII. 21, 22, and 23. Draft forms of Letters from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, inviting Preachers to preach the Easter Sermons at the Spital, before the whole Magistracy and Commonalty of the City.
In margin, March, 1629.

VII. 13. Letter from Dr. John Prideaux (fn. 11) (Exeter College) to the Lord Mayor, excusing himself from accepting an appointment (probably as Easter preacher) because his daily employment in the University gave him no time to fit himself for such a business, and that he was in a manner engaged there for Easter Day.
7th February, 1618.

VIII. 15. Letter from Lawrence Britton (Cambridge) to the Lord Mayor, accepting the appointment to preach on certain days, of which he desired notice in fit time (the marginal note says, "preaching in Paules")
15th February, 1618.