[15] Annals of England, p. 407.
[16] Eccles. Hist., vol. ix. p. 388, ed. 1841, Collier, where the office may be found entire.
[17] Cypr. Ang., introduction, p. 9. Heylin.
[18] ‘On August 29, 1636 (the plague then raging in London), King Charles, the Queen, and the Court arrived at Oxford. The Chancellor (Archbishop Laud), the Vice-Chancellor, and numerous doctors and masters went out to meet the royal retinue. The Chancellor, accompanied by the Lord Treasurer (Bishop Juxon), the Bishop of Winchester (Dr. Curle), the Bishop of Norwich (Dr. M. Wren), and the Bishop of Oxford (Dr. Bancroft), rode in a coach.’ The Court was entertained with very brilliant festivities, and a series of masks and interludes arranged by Inigo Jones.—Oxfordshire Annals, p. 25, by J. M. Davenport.
[19] The state of the diocese is vividly shown in Bishop Corbet’s charge of 1634 (for the repairs of old S. Paul’s Cathedral). ‘Some petitions,’ he says, ‘I have had since my coming to this diocese, for the pulling downe of such an isle [aisle] or for changing lead to thatch, soe far from reparations that our sute is to demolish.... Since Christmas I was sued to and I have it yett under their hands, the hand of the minister and the hand of the whole parish, that I would give way to their adorning their church within and out, to build a stone wall round the churchyard which now had but a hedg. I took it for a flout at first, but it proved a very sute; they durst not without leave mend a fault forty yeares ould.’ The spire of Norwich Cathedral where Bishop Corbet was preaching had fallen in, and during three years but two yards had been rebuilt. See Documents relating to S. Paul’s by Dr. Sparrow Simpson, p. 137. Camden Society.
[21] I am indebted to the kindness of the Rev. R. N. Milford, rector of East Knoyle, for this account. See Sir R. C. Hoare’s History of Wiltshire. The inscriptions on the columns have been destroyed.
[22] So guide and govern as to profit souls. Love, Pray. One thing needful. Ask fit things from God.
Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say
Peace be to this house.
To so solemn a precept, by a seasonable vow,
I, entering, have set my name.
C. W. Rector.
July 28. In the said year, i.e. MDCXVVIII.