BOOK

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Ferculorum carnibus ac piscibus delicatissimis refertorum, ordines duo apponebantur, præter tertium, qui ex selectissimis placentarum generibus constabat.

Reliquæ omnes aulæ mensæ convivis repletæ sunt. In proximis reginæ mensis, a dextris discubuerunt, cum archiepiscopo, consiliarii, cum quibusdam tum viris tum fæminis illustribus. Et ex his præcipui illorum qui ex Gallia cum Retio venerant. A sinistris nobiles ac illustres fæminæ. In remotioribus vero mensis major Cantuariensis, cum illius civitatis senioribus, et Cantiani comitatus generosi viri et mulieres sederunt. Hisque omnibus ab archiepiscopi famulis toto convivio servitum est.

Interea vero, dum multi spectatum frequentes introissent, et aulam mediam pæne complessent, removeri eos, et ad aulæ latera concedere subinde jussit regina; ut aulæ longitudinem et discumbentes per omnes mensas convivas intue72 retur. Epulis autem peractis, et remotis mensis, postquam assurrectum est, regina cum Rhetio legato, et D. Moto, oratore Gallico ad longam illam mensam secretum sermonem habuit, interea dum inter nobiles ad instrumenta musica tripudia haberentur. Ac paulo post per viam secretam in archiepiscopi deambulatorium ascendit. Ibi cum eodem legato ad noctem fere colloquium perduxit. Tum archiepiscopum accersivit, narravitque quàm gratum atque honorificum sibi visum esset illius diei convivium: actisque summis gratiis ad palatium suum curriculo per plateas reducta est.

Atque præter hoc magnificum ac sumptuosum convivium, archiepiscopus insignia quædam dona reginæ dedit; salsarium, viz. ex auro affabre factum, in ejus coopertorio achates gemma, divum Georgium draconem trucidantem, cum Gallicis versibus in regiis insigniis consuetis continens, intexitur: in orbe autem sive concavo ejusdem, alter achates includebatur; in quo vera reginæ imago in albo achate incisa fuit. In coopertorii autem summo aurea navicula adamantem oblongum tenuit. Hoc salsarium, cum sex Portugalensibus aureis ejus concavo inclusis, quorum singula tribus libris decem solidis Anglicis valent, archiepiscopus re

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ginæ dono dedit: quod ducentis amplius Anglicis marcis BOOK æstimabatur. Præterea equum ei præstantem, quem in monte Folkstonæ, cum famulatum (ut diximus) archiepiscopi prætergressa est, inter cæteros ejus catervæ equos conspexit, ac animadvertit, archiepiscopus donavit. Cujus etiam generis equos nonnullis proceribus, reginam huc comitantibus, largitus est. Quibus præterea singulis, atque consiliariis, virisque in aula illustribus, librum Latine nuper editum de Visibili Romanarchia contra N. Sanderi Monarchiam: matronis autem atque fæminis illustribus commentaria in Ecclesiasten in Anglicum sermonem versa, et Biblia minora Anglica, artificiose ac ornate ligata, dedit. Ad extremum, inter regii hospitii ministros atque famulos quingentos amplius aureos distribuit. Toto etiam tempore, quo regina Cantuariæ commorata est, archiepiscopi domus, convivis tam ex aula, quàm ex comitatu, aliisque advenis confluentibus, beneficentissime patuit. Et in magna camera tres convivarum ordines singulis diebus, pro proceribus, consiliariis ac illustrioribus convivis, apparabantur. Quorum duo ad mensam archiepiscopi, tertius ad aliam adjunctam quadratam mensam, appositi sunt. Aula vere minor in prandiis, cœnis, necnon matutinis jentaculis, satellitibus cœterisque inferioribus hospitii regii ministris, cum magna frequentia indies replebatur.

Atque horum omnium conviviorum apparatus, ciborumque in eis varietas, in rotulis seorsum describuntur.

Sequente rursus die Dominico, regina ad ecclesiam cathedralem, in curriculo per plateas rediit, precibusque matutinis finitis, concioneque a Lincolniensi episcopo habita, ad palatium suum eo quo ad ecclesiam accessit ordine, regressa

est.

Hæc reginæ mora Cantuariæ quatuordecim dierum fuit. Namque die Mercurii, qui decimus quartus post adventum suum esset, eo Fevershamiam migravit: ibique permansit biduo. Tum die Veneris ad Sitingbornam perexit, et in ædibus Mri. Cromeri armigeri pernoctavit. Postridieque Roffam appulit; quatriduoque in hospitio Coronæ sic dicto diversabatur: ac die Dominico in ecclesia cathedrali Roffensi

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BOOK matutinis precibus et concioni divinæ interfuit: semelque in ædibus M. Watts pernoctavit. A Roffa ad suas ædes Dartfordiæ sitas progressa est. Indeque post biduum, Grenovicum tandem iterum reducta, a peregrinando cessavit, atque requievit. In tota autem hac Cantiana peragratione, quam ex omnibus, quas unquam peregit provinciarum suarum, seu comitatuum lustrationibus, ob Cantiorum summam humanitatem ac lautitiam, regina crebris laudibus extulit. Vicecomes cum militibus atque generosis Cantii catervatim eam comitabantur.

Et postquam regina discessisset Cantuaria, archiepiscopus, ad residuum ejus copiæ, quam in reginæ adventum, ut lautus pater familias comparaverat, ex urbe, et vicinis parochiis et multos convivas invitavit, liberaliterque excepit, et pauperes abunde pavit assidue.

MSS. R.

73

armig, vol.

Number XXXVIII.

The direction of the ecclesiastical exercise in the dioces of

Chester.

THE moderators of every several exercise shall select Thoresby, such parts of scripture, to be handled amongst the minisfol. no.37. ters, that are to attend the same, as they in their discretions shall think meet. So that they take, in every several place of the exercise, divers parts of scripture.

The writers shall be appointed to gather several observations upon every verse of that part of scripture which shall be assigned unto them. And so procede with the whole, verse by verse.

The speakers shall be appointed (every of them) in order to treat upon so many verses of the same, as by an equal distribution of the whole text amongst them all shall be assigned to every one.

The maner of proceding in the exercise.

First, Prayer shall be aptlie conceived, for the present occasion, for the blessed estate of her majesty, of the church

and commonwealth, by one of the moderators. Who in or- BOOK der shall every of them accomplish the same at every several

exercise.

Then the first moderator shall propose and read the first verse of the text, which is to be handled.

Upon which verse the writer shall in order read the observations which they have gathered.

After whom the speaker, assigned to that part of the text, shall in some larger maner discourse upon the same.

After him the rest of the speakers shall have liberty to give any brief notes upon that verse.

In all which actions of the writers and speakers, the moderators [office] that proposed the verse, shall be to make special observation of any errors, negligence, or ignorance in any of them. And the same to correct and reform with as brief speech as may be. After which he shall further add such observations as he shall gather upon the said verse. And after him the rest of the moderators and preachers, in due order, shall do the like, till as much be said upon that verse as shall be thought convenient.

All which time both the speakers and writers shall take notes in writing of those observations which shall be given by any the speakers, preachers, or moderators. And so in due order shall all the moderators procede with the whole text, verse by verse.

Then shall the moderators call before them those, whom, by any information, they are to admonish of any misdemeanor or enormityes of life. And if after such admonition, they shall again fall into the like offence, then the moderators shall certify the bishop thereof, and crave suspension of them.

After, the moderators shall procede against the absents in this sort: viz. They shall at the next exercise after every such absence, call before them the said parties: who, if they cannot be able to prove a sufficient cause of their absence, and the same well approved by the moderators, then the moderators shall exact the mulct imposed by the order set down by the right reverend the lord bishop, without abating

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BOOK any part thereof in any respect; lest any thereby learn to presume of favour in such case to be shewed. Which mulet

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any shall refuse to satisfy, and not duely conforme themselves in that behalf, or not come in place to give account of their actions, then the moderators shall without delay procede to suspension, according to the said orders. Which suspension they shall forthwith certify unto the said bishop, 74 according to the said orders; and further with all instance prosecute the said suspension with full effect.

In fine, the whole action is to be concluded with prayer, as it was begun.

Ubi supra.

Number XXXIX.

A copie of the authorite gyven by the bisshop of the said dioces to the moderators of every several exercise: with the names of the moderators throughout the dioces; and other orders to be observed in the exercises.

WILLIAM by God his providence, bysshop of Chester, to Peter Shawe, parson of Burie, Oliver Carter, preacher of Manchester, William Langley, parson of Prestwich, Thomas Williamson, vicar of Eccles, moderators for the exercises holden at Burie, within the dioces of Chester, greeting. Whereas the right honourable the lords of her majesty's most honourable privy council, upon careful zele for the furtherance of the good proceding and course of religion, have recommended unto us some further enlargements of the ecclesiastical exercise, to the end they might be more frequently used, and in more places in this dioces, then before it had been; whereupon we have, upon good deliberation and by good advice, appointed, that the said exercise shall be had and kept at more places: sithence which time we do understand, by credible information, that many who ought to frequent the said exercise, and diligently endeavour thereby, as well to profit themselves, as to make the minis