A CERTIFICATE from Northampton-shire;
1. Touching Pluralities, 2. Defect of maintenance. 3. Of not Preaching. 4. Of scandalous Ministers.
For Northampton-shire.
THis is to certifie, that for pluralities there is not in the whole Shire above sixteene or twentie the number of Benefices being 326. as they are reckoned by Cambden and Speed. And it is conceived by some of good judgement, that these few pluralities doe nothing so much hinder the preaching of the Gospell, and discharge of their duties in severall kindes, as doe the poore and scandalous livings in the Countrey, which I thinke in number are about one halfe almost one hundred and fiftie.
Sir Francis Bacon in his considerations for Pluralities saith, that in case the number of able Ministers were sufficient, and the value of the Benefices [Page 2]were sufficient, then Pluralities were in no sort tolerable, but take wee heed that we desire not contraries, for to desire that every Parish should be furnished with a sufficient Preacher, and to desire that pluralities be forthwith taken away, is to desire things contrary; considering de facto there are not sufficient Preachers for every parish whereto adde that there is not sufficient maintenance in many parishes to maintaine a Preacher which makes the impossibility so much the greater.
Let me adde hereunto one passage of the same Author.
For my owne opinion I must confesse, let mee speake it with reverence, that all the Parliaments since the 27. and 31. of K. Henry the 8. who gave away Impropriations from the Church seeme to me to stand in some sort obnoxious, and obliged to God in conscience to doe somewhat for the Church to reduce the patrimony thereof to a competency, for since they have debarred Christs wife of a great part of her dowry, it were reason they made her a competent joyncture.
To the second inquiry.
Touching want of maintenance, or little maintenance the particulars are very many. For one halfe almost are appropriate Churches, and the Vicarages commonly left so small and destitute, that there is no sufficient meanes left to a Minister to buy Bookes, nor to keepe hospitality, or live like a Minister in reasonable condition. Besides [Page 3]the Vicarages that are poore, there are many Parsonagee so abridged and spoyled under pretence of long Leases made before the Statute, and also rate tithes in lieu of tithes in kinde, that the livings are poore and scandalous. And it is thought by some, that these poore livings being so many for number, doe more hinder the preaching of the Gospell, then the few Pluralities, because the puralists doe preach by themselves, and their Curates, and doe oftentimes write in defence of the truth, but the Impropriators preach not at all, poore Vicars preach perhaps more seldome then otherwise they would, and some not at all. Besides pluralities are not held successively so, which is very considerable, but poore Vicarages are continued without amendment. As to instance in particulars.
1. The Parsonage of Piddington in the Hundred of Wimmersley distant three miles from Northampton, is worth almost three hundred pounds yearely, which Sir Iohn Wake Knight detaines wholly in his hands, enjoying both the Parsonage house, all the glebe, being three or foure yard land, together with all the tithes whatsoever. And there is not so much as a poore Curate left resident there to reade prayers, or Catechise, or bury the dead, or any such like duty. Only Sir Iohn keepes a Minister in his house at the Lodge in Sawcy Forrest, whom he sends to Piddington at times. There lived lately one Master Cave a very poore miserable Minister, in a very poore Cottage for the space of some forty yeares, [Page 4]and after his death some three or foure yeares agoe there was a Curate one Durham, then one Langley, and now one Setterford, who uncertainly serve the cure in a very poore manner, being not instituted nor inducted, neither is there one child or servant in the parish that can say the Lords prayer of their teaching: though the parish consists of another Village (Hackelton) adjoyning to it, so that the Inhabitants are many in number.
Sir Iohn Wake holds the Parsonage (as is reported) by colour of some old Lease from S Iohns Hospitall in Northampton, which Lease whether it shall expire ever or never is uncertaine to any neighbour. Whatsoever his Lease or title be, it is very fit he should allow 100. pounds yearely, together with the dwelling house to a resident Minister, with a convenient portion of the glebe land; it being no lawfull Uicarage, but a Church robbed by strong hand.
2. The Parsonage of Hartnell, not farre of, is worth about 100. pounds yearely, and is held by Sir Iohn Wake, in the same kind; the poore Minister Master Io: Gittins that doth serve the Cure, is so very poore and miserable, that no marvell, there is no preaching, he hath beene there some thirty or forty yeares.
3. The Parsonage of Horton distant three or foure miles from Northampton is also a poore Church, not presentative of late yeares, (though [Page 5]not long since it was) but being inclosed wholly in pastures, and lately come into the hands of a great Nobleman (the Lord Privy Seale) there is a stipendiary Curate allowed at some meane rate; but no man dare be bold to call it in question, the neighbours being but of meane condition that dare not complaine, whatsoever their losse or grievance be.
The Curate is one master Marten, of commendable desart, for ought I know, and lives there by curtesie in an—
But the Parsonage house, glebe and tithes are all lost and gone, for ought I can heare.
4. The Vicarage of Preston distant three miles from Northampton, is worth 100. markes yearely, as is reported, but the dwelling house is long since pulled downe, the glebe lost, and the tithes all detained by the Lords of the Mannour, Sir Robert Hartnell and his Father, allowing some eight pounds stipend to a poore Vicar. Thus it continued all Queene Elizabeths time, and King Iames raigne in a very scandalous manner, insomuch as master Iasper Hartnell, and Sir Robert Hartnell his sonne, pulled downe the body of the Church, sold the Lead and the Bells, and imployed it to prophane uses, the Chancell also for a time was prophaned, being made a Kennell for Greyhounds, and the Steeple a Pigeon house. As for prayers and preaching, when they were disposed to have any, it was performed in the Hall or Parlour, the house standing neere to the Church, and [Page 4]sometimes they frequented the Lectures at Northampton. But Sir Robert Hartnell lately sold the whole estate which hee had left remaining to Sir Clement Edmonds Knight, whose sonne Mr. Charles Edmond hath repaited the Chancell, and the body of the Church, and destroyed the Pigeons, pulling downe their nests, and hath put all things in good order for the Church and Fabrick, only thee poore U [...]car is destitute of globe or dwelling house, and for these 80. yeares it hath stood in a miserable case, though upon a late suit in th'E [...]chequer, the Vicarage tithes are recovered, and upon the next avoydance it is hoped there will be some amendment.
5. The Vicarage of Thrip, within three miles of Northampton is very poore and contemptible, having only a beggarly Cottage allowed to the Vicar for his dwelling house, and some small tithes, to the value of 20 pounds yearely, or somewhat better if they bee well payd, but the Parsonage house, and glebe which by right, and the old indowment (which lately remained upon Record) doth belong to the Vicar, is detained by Sir Richard Samuel Knight, not by any good title in law, but some colour of an Order (as is reported) in th'Exchequer made long agoe, when his Grandfather perhaps was an Auditor in th'Exchequer, and so might procure some favour there in his owne behalfe, more then a poore miserable Vicar could ever get reversed or altered. The tithe corne is worth one hundred pounds yearly, [Page 7]which also Sir Richard Samwell holdeth an Appropriation.
But by this meanes the Vicar is very poore, and in part scandalous, being a man chosen by Sir William Samwell, and there presented, who would be sure to place one in the Vicarage, that for want of wit and meanes, should neuer be able to make any question of the Parsonage house and glebe. The want of bread and drinke in his owne house, doth make him too often frequent the Alehouse, where if he talke foolishly, it is not much to be wondered at.
6 The Parsonage of Lampert, distant foure miles from Northampton, is worth about 400 pounds yearely, but it is held by Sir Iohn Issam Knight by colour of an old long Lease, and the present incumbent hath but some stipend upon agreement, but hee-hath also another Living not farre off, where he resideth, but if this Rectory had the rights restored, it would give entertainment to any one of the most eminent Divines in either Universities, and there might be continuall preaching in very due manner, with great hospitality and reliefe of the poore. The old Curate Master Bunny, who dyed lately, lived very poore and long, and no marvell if there were little preaching, and 'tis pitty that such a great Living should be swallowed up under colour only of a Lease.
7. Duston a poore Vicarage stipendiary neere [Page 8] Northampton Master Iames the Vicaris well reputed, but his living is very poore, only 20. pounds yearely, some 5. pounds more was given lately by the Honourable Earle of Warwicke, but he having sold his estate there, that Exhibition is discontinued.
8. Dallington a poore Vicarage neere Northhampton, the Patron is Sir Henry Wallop.
There are many other poore Vicarages and Livings in this Countrey, occasioned sometimes by the Appropriations, sometimes by the meane and small rates which in many places are given only for tithes, as twenty shillings where twenty pounds were due, if tithes in kind were paid. I think the Clergie would be content to forgo their pluralities (being so few for the number) if the poore Vicarages, and other poore livings might be made competible, or enjoy their fulltithes, and the small rates taken away throughout the whole Kingdome, which is but a very reasonable proposall, if pluralities should be taken away, and till there be a tolerable maintenance provided in every parish, it is impossible that there should be a constant faithfull preaching ministery throughout the whole kingdome, which hath beene so often moved and petitioned for in Parliament.
Cambden doth reckon almost the one halfe of the parishes in the Kingdome to bee Vicarages, there being in the whole nine thousand two hundred, whereof almost foure thousand are Appropriate [Page 9]Churches, which for the most part are poore, besides also many Parsonages are very destitute, and unfit to give entertainment to a constant and diligent Preacher, and many also are shamefully spoyled and robbed most unjustly, though they be not Appropriate.
It hath beene reported that it was once voted in Parliament in Queene Elizabeths time, that an Act might passe to make it lawfull for them that would bee willing to restore Impropriations to the Church, (which now is not lawfull in an ordinary way without charge) and that the Religious Earle of Huntington offered to restore all the Impropiations of his estate, which then was great, and might have many in it. The motion was in many respects Christian, pious, and very religious, but it happened to be denyed, ne res transiret in exemplum; Which was detestable, and perhaps one cause why God hath given no better successe to many Parliaments since that time. Master Calvin speaking of Impropriations, saith, that the theft is still continued in the Church, only the theeves are changed, heretofore the Monks and Friers were the theeves, now many that would be accounted good Protestants. It were much to bee wished that the Parliament would make an Act, whereby it should be freely lawfull, and absolutely cleere in Law, without any hinderance to restore or purchase Impropriations to the Church, wherein of late yeares many worthy Gentlemen have given singular good example, as Master Richard Knightly, who dyed lately, restored [Page 10] Preston and Faustey (as is reported) whiles he lived, blessed be his name and memory. I have heard a wise man propose a course, how the Restitution of Impropriations might be made easie; and that was, if the King would bee pleased to publish and grant Letter, Patents, to give leave for restitution of them, and if this may hold good in law, (as good Lawyers may easily informe and direct a course, for the drawing of the Letters Patents) it would in time produce many singular and good effects, for many well disposed Gentlemen are willing to restore, and many might bee named, as Sir william Dorrington, Knight of Hampshire, restored six out of his owne estate, to the value of five hundred pounds yearely, and more.
Concerning the scarcity of preaching Ministers throughout the whole Kingdome.
In the generall it may be objected, that there is no scarcity, for it is thought, and I take it, may easily bee proved, that for number there are more Preachers, and for worth and desert more excellent within these last 40. yeares, then ever was since the Reformation of Religion, or since we were first Christians. And both the Universities have greatly encreased in numbers of Schollers and Preachers, especially since King Iames his time because he gave so pious example, being excellently learned himselfe, and speaking favourably, as the good Hezekias did to all the Levites, [Page 11]that taught the good knowledge of the Lord.
Perhaps the scarcity of preaching Ministers (if it be so) may arise from the causes alledged in the Conference at Hampton Court.— Where the King saith that he had consulted with his Bishops about that complaint, whom hee found willing and ready to second him in it, — but as subita evacutio, was periculosa, so subita mutatio, therefore this matter was not for a present resolution, because to appoint to every parish a sufficient Minister, were impossible, the Universities would not afford them. Againe, hee had found already that he had more learned men in his Realme then he had sufficient maintenance for, so that maintenance must first be provided, and then the other to be required. What the King saith that the Universities will not afford store of learned Preachers to supply every parish throughout the Kingdome, is true, if a view and consideration be taken of their numbers; for both Universities will not afford constantly every yeare 200. Preachers (though perhaps at this instant they would afford 100. a piece, because there bee many there that would gladly bee gone if they had Benefices) whereas of nine thousand parishes, and 200. in all, there dyes five or six hundred Ministers every yeare, so that there should be to supply the vacancies that happen by death every yeare so many ready Preachers (if the Colledges could afford them) but seeing the Universities cannot afford so many, the supply of the rest (300. at least yearly) must come from Curates, Schoole-masters, [Page 12]and such as teach children in the houses of Knights and Gentlemen, whom they commonly reward with some Benefice in their gift and donation.
But further in that Conference of Hampton Court, Doctor Bilson then Bishop of Winchester, made knowne to the King that then insufficiencie of the Clergie, be it as it was at that time, came not by the Bishops defaults, but partly by Lay-Patrons, who did present very meane men to their Cures, whereof in himselfe he shewed an instance, how that since his being Bishop of Winchester, very few Masters of Art, were presented to good Benefices, partly by the law of the Land, which admitteth of very meane and tolerable sufficiency in any Clerkes, so that if the Bishop should not admit them, then presently a Quare impedit is sent out against him. And certainly it cannot bee denyed but that man. Patrons are very much to bee blamed, for as the excellent Bishop Iewel complained in his time, in a Sermon before the Queenes Majesty, that if the Patron were no better then a Gentleman, they seldome suffer a Benefice to passe, but either for the Lease, or for ready money. I wish it were made by Law to be felony, to take either Lease of the tithes or ready money for a Living. Mr. George Catesby Gentleman, that wants neither wit nor learning, and one that will talke zealously for Religion, yet he sold most shamefully a very good Parsonage, viz. Acton worth 240 pounds yearely, first to one Master Carjer, then to one Master Parker, two scandalous [Page 13]Ministers for many disorders, so that Master Catesby was the true cause of that scandall and mischiefe that did arise to the Church thereby, and now the same Living is upon sale againe the third time, the old incumbent being hurt and sickly. But when Benefices are exposed to sale, the choyce of a Minister can never be good, for Chapmen that buy in this kind are commonly obnoxious men, or none of the best sort.
Master Perkins, that man of God, in his Sermon of the duties and dignity of the ministery, giveth three reasons of the rarenesse and scarcenesse of good Ministers. 1. The contempt and disgrace of their Calling, by wicked and worldly men. 2. The difficulty of discharging the duties of their Calling. 3. The third is more peculiar to this age of the New Testament, viz. Want of maintenance and preferment for men that labour in the Calling, and that in these times under the Gospell, when it deserves best to bee rewarded. Certainly it were a worthy Christian policy to propound good preferments to this Calling, that thereby men of the worthiest gifts might be wonne to it, and the want thereof is the cause why so many young men, of especiall parts and greatest hope, runne to other vocations, and especially to the Law, wherein at this day the greatest part of the finest wits of the Kingdome are imployed. And why? but because they have all the meanes to rise, whereas the Ministery for the most part yeeldeth nothing but a plaine way to beggery. This is a great blemish in our Church, and [Page 14]surely I wish the Papists, those children of this world, were not wiser in their kind, in this point, then the Church of God. The reformation hereof is a worke worthy of the labour of a Prince and people, and speciall care is to be had in it, else it will not bee reformed, for doubtlesse had not God himselfe in the Old Testament taken such streight order for the Livings of the Levites, they had beene put to no lesse extremities, then is the Ministery of this Age. Thus master Perkins, and much more he hath touching this and the former reasons, in the same Treatise, whereto I referre.
It is not to be forgotten, what was the sinne of Ierobeam, that made Israel to sinne, hee made Priests of the basest of the people; and this hee did, 2 Chron. 13.9. because he robbed sacrilegiously the Priests and Levites of all the Cities which they had in his Kingdome of the ten Tribes, (and those Cities were many more then there are Bishopricks in England.) And also he freed the people from the payment of tithes to the Levites (which is the secret thing which our common Freeholders and Grand-Iury-men doe so much ayme at, if Bishops and their Courts were overthrowne) so that of necessity he must make base Priests, for his base gods. And so if tithes were taken away here, then would quickly follow Ierobeams Priesthood base, contemptible, poore and illiterate, for what man of good quality or ability, will bring up his sonne to the Ministery, when he shall be sure to be nayled fast to one place, and live there only upon [Page 15]a stipend.— Invitatus ad haec aliquis de ponte negabit; A beggars brat taken from the bridge where he sits a begging, if he knew the inconvenience had cause to refuse it.
But I greatly hope, and trust that God will so direct and blesse the supreme Court of Iustice, that they will be ready to command, double Honour to be given to the labouring Clergy, as Saint Paul requireth, and make the Calling honourable and respected, according to the true esteeme that it ought to have. God said anciently, Levit. 21.8. Thou shalt sanctifie the Priest, and hee shall be holy to thee. 1. Thou shalt reverently esteeme him as an holy person.—Calvin saith upon the place,— Quo melius commendet sacri officii reverentiam admonet ad totius populi salutem spectare; Ego, inquit, sum Deus qui ves sanctifico: Illis autem verbis significat gratiam adoptionis, qua selecti erant in peculium, in sacerdotio fundatam esse.
And now perhaps you will expect to know from whom this commeth, which for the present, I must request you to excuse; because I feare that upon the knowledge of my name, so many persons as I have had occasion to taxe, will thinke that I singled them out of envie and malice, which I utterly deny: whereas I might have insisted upon many more in the like kind offending: it is indeed too true, there are many more, but hoping there will be a vigilant eye, and prudent care carried in examining the truth of all things, and that many others will send in their Advertisements to [Page 16]the like purpose, I will proceed no further. Only submitting to censure whatsoever is amisse, and shall be glad if any thing here mentioned may give the least furtherance to the advancement of Gods glory.
Only let me adde one thing as a postscript.
Whereas there is a bruite and rumour spread, that the Clergy is over-growne of late; and as I have heard it was so told unto the King, when he was last at Barwicke, by Master Henderson, a principall Scottish Minister, and also among our owne selves many doe thinke so, yet I take it under correction to be a notorious errour and fallacie. Sir Francis Bacon saith in one of his Essayes, That it is to be foreseene that the population of a Kingdome (especially if it bee not mowne downe by Warres) doe not exceed the stocke of the Kingdome, which should maintaine them, neither is the population to be reckoned only by number, for a smaller number that spend more, and earne lesse, doe weare out an Estate sooner, than a greater number, that live lower and gather more, therefore the multiplying of Nobility, and other degrees of Quality, in an over-proportion to the common people, doth speedily bring a state to necessitie. Hee doth hereby intimate not obscurely, that our Nobility and Gentry is greatly overgrowne, for whereas there was but some seventeene Earles, and twenty sixe Barons in Hen. 8. [Page 17]time, before the dissolution of Religious houses, now there is encreased a very great number more especially since the beginning of King Iames, who to reward old servants, and gaine new friends, and withall perhaps to weaken the power and greatnesse of the Nobility, encreased their number exceedingly, especially both before in the Queenes time, and Hen. 8. they did rise upon the Church lands and possessions, being seated for the most part upon the Abbeys, and such like houses taken from Bishops and Churches. Whereas if the lands and possessions of the Abbeyes had beene well imployed, as was pretended and projected, they would have made the Crowne richer then the Crowne of Spaine and both the Indies. For the yearely Revenue of these lands comes to foure millions sterling, according to the improved rents of this Age, whereof if but a third or fourth part had beene annexed to the Crowne and fixed, there would have beene little need to grant Subsidies. Whereas being used as it happened, it enriched the Crowne very little, but raysed a number of petty foggers, and many new Gentlemen, as Raleigh speaketh. And it is easie to bee observed, that whereas in Queene Elizabeths time, there was but two or three Knights in the Shire, now there is sixtie, besides many pretended Esquires and Gentlemen, which as Bacon saith, doe [Page 18]spend much, and earne little, living for most part above their quality and degree, which they ought to keepe in all their behaviour, expences, apparell, &c.
But the Clergy for number are not much above the nine thousand and two hundred Benefices that are in the whole Kingdome, and out of those that are above that number the vacancies by death yearely must be supplyed, as Curates, Lecturers, Schoole-masters which are besides those in the Universities, which will not afford constantly and yearely two hundred Ministers, whereas there is about sixe hundred vacancies in the yeare by death; and other casualties. Besides, the Curates which are under superiour Ministers to assist and helpe them, doe live and are maintained out of the profits of the Incumbent of the place, without charge to the Common-wealth otherwise, or the Parishes where they live, and oft times they helpe themselves by teaching schoole.
But if some severe courses now voiced bee put in execution, there will be such discouragement given to Schollers in the Vniversities, that few will apply themselves to the ministery, there may be a si quis set up in Pauls, to accept Livings, as was done in the beginning of the Queenes time, when many popish Priests did flye the Land, and the Vniversities [Page 19]afforded no choyce and supply.
But if the over-growing of the Clergy be understood of wealth and meanes, I take it is easie to disprove it, for it cannot appeare upon good enquirie, that of all the Bishops for these last eightie yeares since the beginning of Queene Elizabeth, that any almost hath left five hundred pounds yearely in land, or any such considerable estate, except only very few, two or three perhaps, or that all the Bishops being reckoned together, have not left so much land as one Lawyer did to his children, viz. Sir Edward Cooke, who left twenty thousand pounds yearely, or little lesse; Serjeant Gaudy, left five thousand; Serjeant Crew, left foure thousand; and many Lawyers doe commonly leave one thousand and five hundred pounds yearely, that are of ordinary practise, not of the principall Councell to the King, nor great Serjeants or Judges, many of whom have raised up great Families of Nobility and Gentry, whereas very few of the Bishops have beene able to leave their sonnes such estates, as to raise them to Knighthood; one Bishop Sands in Queene Elizabeths time, left his sonnes of good estate, but hee was a Gentleman well descended, and what other meanes and helpes he had I know not, but the Queene did favour his sonnes being worthy men. And some [Page 20]other Bishops at this day, and formerly have had rich friends, by whom they have gained the greatest part of their wealth, and not by their preferments in the Church.
And for the ordinary Clergy, I doe not know any man in the Diocesse, that is able to leave one hundred pounds, nor scarce fiftie pounds to his children in land, excepting Doctor Clerke, who having beene the Kings Chaplain twenty yeares hath perhaps gotten something, and he that cannot leave fortie pounds or fiftie pounds in land at his death, is not to be regarded as a rich man, whereas there are many Attorneyes, besides Lawyers, that have one hundred pounds yearely. I am sure there dye every yeare many Ministers very poore, and leave their children meanly provided for, in regard all the better sort live and continue long at the Universities before they be preferred and married, and dye before they can gather any wealth or estate. And of these examples it is easie to produce an hundred for one, that leaves any thing of moment.