Rochester Cathedral in 1634

ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 By V. J. TORE MANY years ago I published in Volume LVII of Archceologia Cantiana an account of a journey through Kent in 1723, which was copied from the version printed by the Historical MSS. Commission, and wherein are contained various interesting references to bygone Rochester. The long series of these closely-printed volumes comprises all sorts of items of local significance, but it is feared that they are lost to most people, by reason of the few public hbraries which possess them. I now revert to the same source to set down in these pages the Kentish portions of documents of great historic importance, the metropohtical visitation of his province undertaken by Archbishop Laud, soon after his translation from London to Canterbury in 1633. I shall take Rochester first and Canterbury second, with warning to the reader that both reports affect only the cathedral establishments and not the respective dioceses. This valuable series is not complete for the province of Canterbury. There is nothing for the following sees, although it is known that their cathedrals were actually visited, the records not however included by Hut. MSS. Com.: Chichester, Ely, Lincoln, Oxford, and Winchester (undated); and Hereford and the four in Wales, probably in 1635 or 1636. St. Paul's was left until 1636, and duly appears in H.M.C. In 1634 were taken Canterbury, Rochester, iSarum, Bristol, Wells, and Exeter, each with both injunctions and reports. In 1635, Norwich, Peterborough, Worcester, Lichfield, and Gloucester, where Laud had been dean, during the reign of James I; all these with injunctions only. Included in the H.M.C. series are the colleges of Eton (1634) and Winchester (1635-6), the latter providing a likely similar date for the adjacent cathedral. Laud's commissary was his vicar-general, Sir Nathaniel Brent, who later on fell out with the Archbishop, as the clouds gathered about him. Another name occurs, off-stage, in the Rochester report, for the marginal notes (doubtless dictated by Laud, just as Charles I made similar annotations on the yearly reports to him from both provinces), were made by his secretary, Wilham Dell. The King (like his theologicallyminded father), took a keen interest in ecclesiastical affairs, as evinced by his notes to both Laud and Neile. He was particularly annoyed by 39 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 such abuses as overcrowding of quires by ladies' pews, mayors sitting behind the Holy Table, curates dismissed by lay corporations, and such like. Similar valuable reports on the five sees of the province of York have survived, but for certain years only of the decade 1630-40, and dealing with the dioceses more than their cathedrals. Laud's counterpart in the northern primacy was Richard Neile (1632-40), after passing through five previous bishoprics of which the first was Rochester, wherein Neile had given Laud early preferment in the living of Cuxton. These returns1 are also defective, from only four years of Neile's primacy, but they give many interesting particulars of church life in the north, which put into perspective the disorders which Laud was handhng in the south and in Wales. Thus, in 1633, the quire-service in Manchester College was found to be virtually abandoned, and one of the fellows had not worn the surplice for thirty years past; in 1635, in that of Southwell, the service was augmented both in singers and stipends; in 1636, the Bishop of Man was driven back to England because of the extreme cold there; great sums had been spent in adorning churches in the sees of York and Chester; and Neile declares, in 1636, that in 28 years of episcopal life he had never deprived any troublesome clergyman, in which respect we may note that his tact was superior to that of his colleague, Laud. But attention must now be confined chiefly to Rochester. Although one of the most ancient bishoprics in England, its diocese was the smallest and poorest of all; and it was unique in having, during a vacancy, the Archbishop of Canterbury and not the Crown as the guardian of its slender temporalities. Lambarde did well to call Rochester the 'Kentish moon', by comparison with the solar glory of Christ Church in Canterbury. Always in a vulnerable position as a city at the head of a wide estuary, Rochester underwent a long procession of trials, from the Danish incursions onward. Bishop Gundulf, after many centuries of tenure, had ejected the secular clergy of the cathedral in favour of Benedictine monies, said to have numbered threescore,2 circa 1110. Yet when Abp. Morton's deputy visited the church, sede vacante, in 1496, they had sunk to less than twenty.3 During the thirteenth century, the Rochester monks were in constant collision with those of Christ Church, Canterbury, a singularly quarrelsome body which was at perpetual variance with its neighbouring monasteries. And just as they were at open war with Abp. Baldwin, late in the twelfth century, so also was there nearly contemporary strife between Bp. Glanville and his refraotory monks at Rochester. 1 P.R.O., S.P.D. Charles I, vols. 250, 312, 345, 412. 2 Registrum Roffense, 5, 8 Morton's Register, f. 161. 40 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 But much worse than these domestic squabbles were the two dreadful episodes of 1215 and 1264, when Rochester cathedral was sacked and profaned in a manner which anticipated the Puritan behaviour of centuries hence, yet without the excuse of religious differences as then. In 1534, the monastic chapter duly subscribed to the supremacy of Henry VIII as the head and protector of Ecclesia Anglicana; and six years later the wheel turned again and put back seculars into the place of monies. This process, normally swift and peaceful, merely brought the minority of English cathedral churches into hne with the majority which had always been served by deans and canons. In many cases, the last monastic superior became the first dean of the new foundation. This actually happened at Rochester, as also at Winchester, Norwich, Carlisle and elsewhere, and it was also the desire of the last prior of Canterbury, but he was disappointed in favour of the famous Nicholas Wotton. So in less than a century after this, we come to the times which these documents describe. In Laud's first year as Primate (1633), we find striking corroboration of the question of defective window glazing which occurs more than once in the verbatim quotations to follow. In Lambeth MS.943, p. 248, we find Laud's report to Charles I, how matters stood in Rochester diocese. The whole deanery of 'Mawling' had been very much out of order, and as to the cathedral: 'The Bp complaine's, y* the Cathedrall Church suffer's much for want of Glass in ye Windowes, and y' the Churchyard lye's very vndecently, and ye Gates downe; And y* He hath noe power to remedy these thinges, because ye Dean and Chapter refuse to be Visited by him, vpon prtence y* theyr Statutes are not confirmed vnder ye Broad Seale, wth some other circumstances, with which J shall acquaint your Maty more at large'. A marginal note in the King's own hand replies: 'This must be remedied one way or other concerning woh I expect a particular account of you.' Closely contemporary comment on the cathedral establishment at Rochester, of date 1635, is contained in Brit. Mus. Lansdowne MS.213, f. 350v. After setting down the bishop, dean, subdean and five prebendaries, with 6 petty canons, 16 singing-men and 8 boys, the writer says, 'Her Quire is neatly adorn'd wttl many small Pillars of Marble; her Organs though small, yet are they rich, and neat, her Quiristers though but few, yet orderly, and decent; her Pallace, and Deanery though both little, yet are they both, hansome, and liuely.' This comment of a travelling stranger is valuable as bearing out the chapter's contention that they had in fact done all possible, with their limited resources, to repair the church and provide seemly services. It had always been poor, at least relatively; and again, in 1963, we hear of continuing financial anxiety at Rochester. 41 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 Cathedral chapters have always tended to internal dissensions, whether they be monastic or secular; yet the 1634 report on Rochester is distinctly favourable when set beside that for Exeter, and rather superior to that upon its richer neighbour at Canterbury. Laud found, at Exeter, the chapter not only at strife with the city authorities, but also divided against itself, where there were 'soe many Brothers and Brothers in Lawe'. Nor was it only a question of Trollopian human failings, for we find throughout England, and long after the Tudor Reformation, all manner of medieval church abuses still in vigorous being, to be only slowly removed by the early Victorian brooms. H no other proof of unbroken church life existed, this might weU be a very tolerable substitute. Before I leave the reader to the verbatim reports which follow, the relatively good order at Rochester can be stressed by a few comparisons with other great churches in this highly interesting series, but excluding Canterbury as about to foUow in due course. The report on Sarum (alias Salisbury) is very long, like that for Bristol, but reveals more general defects than at Rochester. The business about the square caps in quire was also pressed by Brent at Worcester, WeUs and Norwich; while at Peterborough, soon to suffer more cruelly perhaps than any of her sisters, as we may read from eyewitness accounts in Ryves and Gunton—he had more serious matters to deal with. A great bell had been alienated from the church; and because a pair of gates had been similarly removed, 'consecrated ground is intollerable prophaned, by the defilement of some nasty people'. Lichfield Close—so soon to become a battleground—had its own problems, being made a public thoroughfare for carriages (as is still the case at York); and it was found that two laymen had dug themselves in among the petticanons, in order to escape civil obligations. Gloucester also had its troubles, such as church muniments kept in the city but out of the precincts; dungheaps within the close; objectionable corporation pews to come down; and two 'incorrigible boyes', to be expelled from the band of choristers. WeUs cathedral was found to be in moderately good order, save some defective windows; Holy Communion monthly instead of weekly; and four female residents in the close who were 'suspected to be popish recusantes'. But Rochester conditions are put in still better light by comparison with the Exeter report which good Bishop Hall sent to Laud in 1634, before his translation to Norwich, where later he was to be so oruelly treated by the triumphant Puritans. On the credit side, every member of the church, save choristers, had to take an oath, in Latin and on the Gospels, at his first entrance; and the quire habits, music and sermons 42 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 were generaUy satisfactory. But there was serious trouble with the city, the civil powers having arrested cathedral servants and even certain prebendaries. The city had invaded the cathedral churchyard, so that the bishop declares it 'grosly prophaned, and soe overlaid wth the buriall of the dead of the whole cittie, that many times the dead carcasses are digged vpp before they be quite consumed'—abuses which neither he nor the chapter can reform. Prebendary KeUett declares that 'the dogs come too often into the quire; and that he hath seene the cloysters defiled'. Four others of his brethren report similarly of irreverent human beings, for the church is 'sometimes prophaned by making water against the west end thereof, and the churchyard defiled with more filthy excrements, notwithstanding the strict charge of the deane pubhshed and set up in writing to forbid & suppresse such abuses'. There was surely need of the Laudian reformation, if only it had been carried out with more discretion. Space forbids more than the briefest comment on the Rochester replies to Brent's requirements, for they may speak for themselves. The thorny matter of the two churchyards recalls how, early in the fifteenth century, the friction between the monies and the parishioners of St. Nicholas, who had an altar in the nave of the great church, at length compelled the erection of a small church by its side. A similar arrangement existed at Chichester, but there it was far later before the St. Peter's parishioners were moved out of the cathedral. The matter of the position of the Holy Table is interesting—in this decade so burning a question in parish churches. The 'great window' is, of course, a loose expression for the lancets at the far end of the presbytery. The table had hitherto stood in the quire; Brent directed the usual removal to the east waU (ordered by Laud, as Dean of Gloucester, in his church as early as 1616), but was answered in practical terms by the chapter, who, unless overruled by his grace, would carry out a compromise. It seems hkely that they meant to place it in the centre of the eastern crossing, with the 'partition' acting as a kind of reredos. The inaudibUity alleged to pervade the extreme end of the quire is a tribute to the remarkable length of the eastern limb in a church otherwise of only moderate size. But their various improvements were soon to meet a rude check, for although the cathedral was less harshly treated by the parliamentarian soldiery than was the fate of many others, there was harm enough done in 1642. Mercurius Rusticus, published four years later, is a useful companion to Hist. MSS. Com. From it we learn (on p. 200) that the new altar-rails were broken down, the altar taken farther westwards and its velvet covering seized; while havoc was made with the Common Prayer books on which the chapter had spent so much, for, we 43 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 read how the pavement was 'strowed with the torne mangled leaves'. Though the monuments of the dead are said to have been untouched then, no doubt can exist that the fine episcopal and other brasses were ripped up at some time between 1642 and 1660. M.R. tells us, finally, that Prebendary Larken (see the signatories) was shot at when trying to stop the destruction of the rails; but he lucidly escaped, as did also Richard Culmer the stone cast at him when smashing glass at Canterbury. After the Restoration of 1660, cathedral life at Rochester soon got into stride again, in marked contrast to the slowness of many Enghsh parish churches to recover from Commonwealth disorders. This was specially so in some parts of Sussex, where, some 25 years later, certain churches had no surplice, nor even a communion-table! And in remote parts of the north, a slovenly state of things lingered even longer, as may be read in the accounts of Bishop Nicolson of Carhsle, in the reign of Queen Anne, when generaUy the Enghsh Church was in remarkably good fettle. It seems hkely that the damage by the fanatics at Rochester was less serious than at Canterbury, where the chapter in 1660 had to face an enormous bill for repairs. Yet even so, the Rochester revenues cannot have allowed any great degree of restoration. The great church is frequently mentioned by such writers as Pepys and Evelyn, and the prevalent impression on travellers was that of a rather shabby place. Perhaps the chapter of the days of Charles I I was less solicitous and efficient than its predecessors in the time of his father? By coUating the evidence of Lansdowne MS. 213 with that of the present transcripts, it appears that before that storm broke which put the earher Reformation into the shade, the episcopal palace4 at Rochester was still in use, and here, perhaps, was passed most of the long illness of Bp. Bowie (1630-37). Laud had reported to the King, in 1634, that Bowie had been absent from his diocese by a forced visit to Bath, from which he had returned, partly cured.5 Yet in 1636 the poor man was very ill again;6 and next year, 1637, he died, after he had lain 'languishing and was able to looke to little for three whole years before his death.'7 He was succeeded by the better known Bp. Warner, who gave the beautiful font in the nave at Canterbury. After 1660, the bishops seem to have lived almost wholly at Bromley or Westminster. This was doubtless partly dictated by the damage to and neglect of the palace of Rochester, where the chief concern, in the early years of Charles II, was to repair the cathedral, and amongst the refittings was 4 Between the west end of the nave and the castle wall. 6 Lamb. MS.943, 262. 8 Ibid., 272. 7 Ibid., 277. 44 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 the making, apparently between 1660 and 1670, of the fine royal arms which was originaUy over the eastern side of the quire door, as still at Canterbury. Another reason was almost certainly the greater nearness of Bromley to London, in times when the ancient poverty of Rochester, now aggravated by the recent catastrophe, had made it necessary to give the bishops an extra income from the deanery of Westminster, long held in commendam with the see. If the Norman cloister and chapter house of Rochester had remained unruined, they would, now be among the most notable of their kind in England, and even as they are, the mural arcading of the former and the imposing western wall of the latter are strildng indeed. This return of 1634 makes clear that the chapter house, whatever its state of repair, was then in sufficiently good condition for use on so formal an occasion as a metropolitical visitation. It will also be noted that the inferior clergy of the cathedral lived on that side of it where the charming early eighteenth-century Minor Canon Row now stands. To get proper perspective, the modern reader must hold in mind that in the time of Charles I, Rochester was a small and compact riverside city, the Medway spanned by one of the finest English bridges, Gillingham a completely detached village, and open country stretching on all sides, now (alas) much invaded by the sprawling limbs of a typical modern 'conurbation'. As to the orthography of the transcripts, they may be taken as substantially if not absolutely faithful to the originals. I have reproduced the H.M.C. version as it stands, with only a few minor changes which appear more likely to be found in the actual manuscripts. It will be noticed that the use of apostrophes is a little inconsistent, e.g., but this may also be so in the originals. [Royal Commission for Historical MSS., 4th Report, pt. i, report and appendix, p. 144.] ROCHESTER I. Articles for the Cathedrall Church of Rochester to be enquired of in the Metropoliticall Visitacon of the most Reverend Father in God, William by God's providence, Archbishopp of Canterbury, Primate of all England and Metropolitane, Jn the year of our Lord God 1634. (identical with those propounded to the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury). II. The ioynte answere of the Deane and fyve of the prebendaries of the cathedrall church of Christe and the blessed Virgin Marie of Rochester, in the countie of Kent, which they in canonycall 45 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 obedyence, and with all humble submyssion doe make and tender vnto the articles hereunto annexed, which were delyvered vnto them at the metropoliticall visitacon of the Moste Reverend Father in God, Willm. by God's providence, Archbishop of Canterburie, Primate of all England and Metropolitane, the xxiiith daye of Aprill in the yere of our Lord God 1634. 1. To the firste article they saye, that everie member of this church vpon his first admyssion hath sworne as in the same article is interrogated ever synce Mr. Doctor BalcanquaU hath bene deane8. And such as had not formalhe bene sworne, Mr. Deane hath sworne them synce. 2. To the second article they saye, that the deane, besides the place he holdeth in this church is M* of the Savoye, rector of Adisham, and rector of Kingstone, both being in the dioces of Canterburie. And that the archdeacon9 is one of the prebendaries of Elie, rector of Southfieet in the dioces of Rochester, and viccar of Cannonden10 in the dioces of London. Mr Doctor Cheke, one of the prebendaries of this church and the now subdeane there, is rector of Tunstall in the dioces of Canterburie. Mr Georg Smyth, one of the prebendaries of this church, is rector of Chelsfeild and viccar of Alysford, both of them being within the dioces of Rochester. Mr. Christopher Dale, one other of the prebendaries of this church is rector of High Halstoe and viccar of St. Warburgh,11 being both within the dioces of Rochester. Mr. Doctor Jackson, one other of the prebendaries of this church, is rector of Norton in the dioces of Canterburie and rector of Trotescliffe in the dioces of Rochester. Mr John Lorkin, one other of the prebendaries of this church, is rector of Lympsfeild in the countie of Surrey, being within the dioces of Winchester and viccar of St. Nicholas in Rochester, in the dioces of Rochester. Mr John Balcanquall, one other of the prebendaries of this church, is rector of TatenhiU, being within the dioces of Coventrey and Lichfield. Mr Michaell Chapman, one of the pettie cannons of this church, is viccar of Hailing, being three myles from Rochester, and within the dioces of Rochester. 3. To the third article they answere, that the xlijth, xliijth, and xUiijth chapters of the constitucons made in anno 1604 are observed by the deane and prebendaries, onlye Mr Doctor 8 Installed 12th Maroh, 1624-5. 0 Elizeus Burgess, appointed in 1621. 10 Canewdon, in Essex. 11 In Hoo. 46 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 Jackson12 and Mr Dale, twoe of the prebendaries, doe reside within the precincte of this church, both the cures of either of them being soe nere to our church as they may officyate them themselves, and retorne at night the same day to their places of resydence in this church, and that Mr Lorkin is resydent in his prebend's howse, wherevnto the church of St. Nicholas is nere adioyneing, whereof he is viccar. 4. To the fourth article they saye, they have the full nomber in the church, as in the same article is demanded, whoe are able men and doe their dayhe service according to the Foundacon of this church, excepting theis three, videl't, Mr Richard Cotton, one of the pettie cannons, Mr John Stevens and Mr Willm West, twoe of the laye clerks, whoe plead their privilege to be absent, being * That some order gent, of his Maties chappell, and therefore fngtoeyrabsencf" either S™ ^ i r personall attendance &c.i3 here, nor substitute any to doe the same for them, by which the daylie service is much weakened, they being three of the ablest men of the quyer, onlye Mr Cotton alloweth fortie shillings p' annu. to one other of the pettie canons here to read for hym in his tournes and Mr. Stevens aUoweth some smale allowance to one other of the clerks. Mr West doth geve his attendance here duehe, but when he is in his Matles service in the chappeU, yet by their absence three voyces are wanting in our quyer. (as to church services and sacraments) 5. To the fiveth article they saye, all is dullie performed, as in the same article is interrogated. 6. To the sixth article they saye, that all the members of the church doe weare their garments exacthe, as in the article is interrogated, except that the inferiors or vnder graduates doe not weare their capps, but goe attyred, as in the xxvth chapter of the * Let them bo en- booke of cannons is requyred, but yf j g t " ™ our metropohtane doe requyer them to weare capps, they shalbe enioyned soe to doe. 12 Jackson and Lorkin were respectively Treasurer and Receiver-General to the chapter. 13 This and the following marginal notes are in the handwriting of William Dell, Abp. Laud's Secretary. 47 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 7. To the seaventh article they saye, that the deane and prebendaries doe preach double their sermons enioyned (p. 145) by the statutes of this church, * Pray thanke Mr. for whereas by the statutes the deane is S e n t r ^ h i s , ^reby enioyned to preach but three &c. sermons yerelie, and those at the three great festival dayes,14 now he preacheth fyve, besides those three courses. And whereas everie prebend is to preach but one sermon everie quarter, they now preach at least twoe, by which meanes, there is now one sermon everie Sondaye throughoute the whole yeare. All which sermons are verie seldom performed by any other then by the deane and prebendaries in their owne persons, of which yf any be absent then course is moste comonlye supplyed by some of the prebendaries here resydent. And for sermons and lectures in the weeke dayes they have none, neither doe the statutes of their church requyer any. 8. To the eight article they saye, that the munymentes and evydences of this church are saffelie kepte in such manner as in the article is interrogated, and that their foundacon consisteth of one deane, sixe cannons or prebendaries sixe pettie cannons, one deacon, one subdeacon, sixe laye clerkes, one mr of the choristers, eighte choristers, one mr and one vsher of a gramer schole, twentie gramer scholers, sixe almesmen, two sextens or sub sacristes, one porter whoe is alsoe to be barber, one butler whoe is called vergerer (for there is noe other word in their statutes for a vergerer, and in their chapter meetinges the same officer hath bene and is called butler and vergerer), one cooke, and one undercooke, as appeareth by the firste chapter of their statutes.15 All which persons are maynteyned at the charge of the church. And further they answere, that at this present the whole nomber is full, according to their answere to the fourth article, but for the office of deacon and subdeacon they have of long tyme bene disvsed, and that at this present there are but fyve pettie cannons, for they fynd by their audite bookes that there have bene sometymes but fyve, and sometymes but fouer pettie cannons, yet the nomber of the whole quyer is still full, for in stedd of the deacon and 14 Christmas, Easter and Whitsun. 10 The text of the original Latin statutes, dated 30th June, 36 Henry VIII, may be read in pp. 60-115 of History and Antiquities of the Cathedral Church of Rochester, London, 1717. 48 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 subdeacon, there have bene always twoe clerkes the more, and soe one clerke more, in stedd of a pettie cannon, yf he be wanting. All which receave the full allowance geven to the quyer by their founder, and a greate deale more is geven yerelie by the benevolence of the deane and chapter, that the quyer may be kepte full and good, for the honor of Almightie God and his service. And they further saye, that the sixe almesmen are none of them resydent here, as by the statutes are requyred nor have not bene in the memorie of the now deane and prebendaries, the reason whereof (as they conceave) is, for that their places are bestowed vpon such poore men as never lyved nere the church, and therefore (as it seemeth) they are vnwilling to remove from their habytacon, for their allowance here, which is vju xiijs. iiijd. a peece p'annu., onlye everie of them doth allowe yerelie for sweeping the church vjs. viiid. a peece. And they alsoe saye, that all the said members of the church are elected according to the statutes of this realme and this church. To the nynth article they saye, that the choristers are well ordered and the nomber of them furnished, and they being children whose parents dwell in or nere Rochester, are catechised by Mr Lorkin, one of the prebendaries of this church, he being viccar of St. Nicholas as aforesaid. To the tenth article they saye, that the officers of this church doe make their accompts perfectlie everie yere, as is interrogated, at the tyme of their audite, and that none of them are indebted to this church, to their knowledge. To the eleaventh article they saye, that the cathedrall church is sufficyentlie repayred in all the partes thereof as in the article is interrogated, the only defecte being in some parte of the glasse windowes, and that but verie smale, • Let care be taken a b o u e t h r e e P a r t e S o f t h a t c h a r 8 e b e i n§ yt the glass windowes alreadye defrayed amd the rest being haveSrdmuch now i n hand, and the reason whie they complaint of theyr wer e lefte last to fynishe was, the greate ' ' charge the church had bene at of late yeres in repayreing the stone worke, tymber worke, and leades, which hath bene soe greate that besides the anuall expences of reparacons there hath bene of late yeres, vpon the fabrick of the church and makeing the organes, expended by the church, above one thousand poundes, and yf the glasse windowes had bene firste repayred, they would have bene broken agayne before the reparacons had been 49 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 fynished; And further theysaye, that thehowsesof the deane, prebendaries, pettie cannons, schoole and schoolemaster's howse, and other buyldinges charged vpon them by their statutes, are kepte in good and sufficyent reparacons. And further they answere, that for encroachmentes Mr Doctor Jackson complayneth that the daughter of one Mr Collyns, sometymes one of the prebendaries of * Examine and settle t h i s clmrch> claymeth and holdeth by this bysines of y vertue of a lease made from the deane [their] garden. ^ c h a p t e r ; o n e garden plott which belongeth to his prebende's howse. And they alsoe saye, that their churchyard is kepte in as decent a manner as they can possibhe keepe it, considering that the cyttie church called St. Nicholas standeth in the same yard with their church, parte of which churchyard belongeth to that church, by which meanes that parte of the of the churchyard which belongeth to * Let a particon be their church, cannot be kepte private as churchyardeTand they desyer, there being a throughfare both well fenced. through the same betweene the same cittye and St. Margarett's and other places adioyning, but the maior of Rochester hath assured them, that such order is taken, as hereafter there shalbe noe iuste cause for them to complayne. 12. To the twelueth article they saye, that all thinges in this article are fulhe performed according as the article interrogated. (as to prayers for the King's Majesty and the royal family) 13. To the thirtenth article they saye, that there are noe such [disorderly] persons as are menconed in this article that they knowe, or heare of, within the precincte of this church. 14. To the fouertenth article they saye, that their capitulare meetinges are duehe kepte according to their statutes. 15. To the fyftenth they answere, that they knowe of none other offence or cryme in that article interrogated comytted by any of this church. Wal. Balcanquall, Decanus. Robert Cheke, Vicedecanus. George Smyth, Prebend. Christopher Dale, Prebend. Edmund Jackson, Thesaurarius. John: Lorkin, Receptor genalis. 10 their. 50 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 [John Balcanquall, doubtless a kinsman of the dean, and Archdeacon Burgess being absentees]. III. The ioint Answer of the Pettichanons & clerkes of the Cathedrall Church of Christe and ye blessed virgin Marie of Rochester, in ye countie of Kent, woh they most humblie doe render to ye articles dehued vnto them by Sr Nathaniell Brent, knight, at the metropoliticall visitacon of ye most Reuend Father in God, WiUiam by God's providence, Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England & Metropolitane, holden in ye Chapter house there, the xxiijth day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord God 1634. (This answer is not transcribed verbatim here, because it was abeady only summarised in the printed version of 1874. The general tenor is very similar to the replies of the Dean and Chapter, but much shorter, for the respondents have no means of answering some of the questions propounded. The fourth answer says that the choir of 14 is much weakened by the absence of 3 members in the King's chapel. Yet it is mostly furnished with able singers, and daily service is sung. 5) Orderly divine service, by singing and note; and the sacraments duly administered. 9) There are 8 choristers, and so for long past. They are young and somewhat rude, but probably will shortly improve. 11) The Dean and Prebends have spent a lot on repairing the church, and are still doing the most needful work. The petticanons' houses are well repaired, but one of them, Mr. Wright, says his rooms want repairs. As to encroachments, two of the petticanons, Kerison and Wright, and Rowle and Kirk, lay-clerks, say that the way leading to their common well is stopped up by a fence of pales. Against this, a note by Dell says: 'Let this business of ye waye be considered of and settled.') IV. Direccons geven to the Deane and Prebendaries of the Cathedrall Church of Rochester, for the reformacon of certen thinges presented in the Metropolitan Visitacon of the moste Reverend Father in God, WiUm, by Godes provydence, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. 1. Inprimis, you are to take care that the absence of Mr Richard Cotton, Mr Jo Stephens, Mr Wm. West, gent, of his Maties chappell, M1 Chapman, Mr of the free schoole, and Mr Whiting, be some waye supplyed, that the quyer may be noe longer maymed by their absence. 2. Item, you are to have square cappes within your cathedrall church at aU tymes of dyvyne servyce and sermons. 51 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 3. Item, you are withoute delaye, to repayre the glasse windowes of your church, in a decent manner, as alsoe to put your bells in good order, together with the frames of them. 4. Itm, you are to seperate your churchyard from the other that ioyneth to yt, with a verie handsome fence, yf it may be, that the consecrated ground may be kepte from future prophanacon, and yt is to be done assoone as may be. 5. Itm, noe place in your church is to be granted in reversion, and none are to be elected to be Kinges schollers in your church, but the sonnes of men of the poorer sorte, according to the meanyng of your statute. 6. Itm, you are to have a new fayer deske in your quyer, and new church bookes without further delaye. 7. Itm, you are to make more allowance for your quyermen for the better advancement of Godes servyce, excepte you can allege a good reason to the contrarie. 8. Itm, you are to place the comunyon table, at the end of the quyer, in a decent manner, as also to make a fayer rayle to goe crosse the quyer, as is vsuall in other cathedrall churches. Na: Brent. The following replies are written on the same paper: V. 16 January 1634 (new style, 1635). The answere of the said Deane and Prebendaries of the said Cathedrall Church, which they in canonicall obedyence, and with all humble submyssion, doe make and tender to the said direccons. 1. To the firste we answere, that Mr Chapman and Mr Whitinges places are well supplyed, as is requyred, and that Mr West doth supplye his place verie duelye when he is not in attendance at the courte, and Mr Cotton, Mr Stephens, and the said Mr West have bene dyvers tymes required by vs to provyde able men to supplye their places in our quyer, whoe have alwayes answered, that the deane of his MatIeB chappell did assuer them, that by his Matles services there, they were discharged from the servyce of all other quyers, where they had places, but now in obedyence to his Grace's direccon, we will presentlie signifie the same vnto them all, requyring them to provyde able men for supplying their places, with intymacon that yf they shall not forthwith doe the same, then we will provyde them and allowe them 52 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 some reasonable meanes oute of their stipendes, which shall accordinglie presentlie be performed. 2. To the second we answere, that the deane doth vsuallie vse his square capp in the cathedrall church, and soe doe dyvers of the prebendaries which resyde here, but now order is taken that from henceforth all shall doe soe likewyse. 3. To the third we answere, that at our last audite we tooke order for performeing of both those thinges menc5ned in this direccon, and that the glasse windowes which were lefte vndone last yere, shaU presentlie be gone in hand with, and the bells likewyse soe soone as the season for felling of timber, for that purpose wiU permytt. 4. To the fourth we answere, that howe to seperate our churchyard from the towne churchyard we cannot possiblye devyse, for the only place which admitts a seperacon, is the onlye footewaye which leadeth as weU to the Lord Bps paUace, dyvers of the prebendaries howses, and all the petticannons, and free schoole, as alsoe to the whole streete of St. Margarett's ,but we will presently take order to make our passages to yt soe strong as there shalbe noe prophanacon on our partes of yt, hopeing that the maior and corporacSn wiU doe soe for their partes, which yf they shall refuse to doe, we will acquaynte his Grace therewith. 5. To the fyveth we answere, that the thinges therein requyred are exacthe performed by vs in all poyntes, and soe by God's grace shalbe hereafter. 6. To the sixth we answere, that the deske17 is alreadye gone in with, and for our church bookes we conceave that noe church in England hath never or fayerer, for our great church bible and aU our servyce bookes being bought not above one yere synce, or little more, and all our pricksong bookes have bene pricked oute new and trewe, and fayerlie bound within the same tyme, to the great change of the church. 7. To the seaventh we answere, that our aUowance to the clerkes is tenne poundes p. annu. and to the petticanons twelve poundes, and their howses kepte weU and sufficyentlie repayred at the churches charges, beside at our audyte we geve them, by waye of guyfte, twentie shillinges a man, 17 This desk was very probably made of brass, to stand in the quire for the reading of lessons. A ' Brazen Deske, w"1 God's holy worde thereon ' was given to the church of Wells in 1660, and still stands in the nave. Another, dated 1686, is in the nave at York. 53 ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL IN 1634 and at other tymes other gratuyties, and we conceive that it is the greatest aUowance geven by any church of soe smale revenewe, our prebendaries proporcons not exceeding twentie poundes p. annu, and many yeres we have noe fynes for leases, our charges of reparacons of the church and church buyldinges with our ordynarie payements being soe great that many tymes they are not defrayed withoute the parteing from some of our ordynarie stypendes and proporcons. And besides, our quyer, as they doe assuer vs, is verie weU satisfied with our aUowance. All which we humbhe submytt vnto his Grace's good consideracon, and will conforme our selves to his Grace's dyscrecon herein. 8. To the eight we answere, that before we receaved theis direccons from his Grace we had resolved on the thing requyred herein as by a chapter acte made for that purpose may appeare; our onlye scrupple is, that it cannot be done at the end of the quyer with any convenyencie, because it is soe farre distant from the place of divyne servyce, as noe one word of the second servyce18 can possiblye be heard from hence, but we had resolved to sett a particon crosse at the place where the comunyon table did vsuallie stand, and the second servyce vsuallie is sayd, of such a convenyent hight as should not hynder any of the light which cometh in at the great windowe (sic) which is at the east end of the quyer. We humbhe desyer to knowe his Grace's pleasuer herein, which we praye may be signyfied to vs by his Grace's viccar generaU, or otherwise, soe soone as may stand with his Grace's good leysuer. Wal. BalcanqnaU. Robert Cheke. George Smyth. Christopher Dale. Edmund Jackson. Joh. Lorkin. Endorsed by Brent: The answeare of ye Dean & Prebendaries of Rochester to the directions lately giuen them in Dec. 1634. 18 (The Communion Office.) 54