Bishop Jewel's works [1] (especially the controversy with Harding) ; also a book for entering the names of strange preachers. A pair of organs was desired but not required. Some churches might indeed rise above this standard [2] ; but none was to fall below.
It will be remembered that in 1519 there was much decay, neglect and irreverence in Buckinghamshire, about forty years before the acces- sion of Elizabeth ; but this was nothing to the neglect and irreverence that prevailed about forty years after her death. Perhaps we may see in this the last halting-place of the extreme party of reform within the Church.
Not many cases from this county were referred to the Court of High Commission ; only a few which were quite deserving of punish- ment, such as flagrant irreverence and evil living.[3] There was a consistory court established however at Leighton Buzzard, which gave great offence in the neighbourhood[4] though Sir Nathanael Brent said there was more complaining than proving [5] ; none of its acts have been recorded. The ordinary archdeaconry courts were held at Aylesbury, Buckingham, Stony Stratford, Little Brickhill, etc. In 1642 the Civil War began, and Buckinghamshire was found for the most part on the side of the Parliament.[6] The county town
- ↑ The Churchwardens' Book at Wing notes the purchase of ' Juels booke ' in 1569 (f. 72) and again in 1600 (f. 104). In the visitation of 1612 to which allusion has been made, it is often noted that ' Jewel and Harding ' is missing. Jewel's works are ordered, wherever they are missing, in this visitation of 1637. They were probably read sometimes in the place of a sermon or homily.
- ↑ A few other ornaments were undoubtedly possessed by some churches at this time ; e.g. at Maids Moreton there was a ' costly desk in the form of a spread eagle gilt,' whereon the rector used to lay Bishop Jewel's works ; but there is no trace anywhere in this county of any possessing such things as altar crosses or candlesticks. An inventory (taken 6 December, 1638) of Winslow Church, at this time in the hands of a vicar of the Laudian school, is still in existence among the records of the Archdeaconry of St. Albans ; it is perfectly simple and contains only what is mentioned above ' a communion table decently railed- in ; a fair communion cloth with silk fringe ; another old cloth of satin ; another linen cloth and a nap- kin ; a communion cup of silver with a cover ; a pewter flagon ; one press with three locks ; a large Bible, common prayer, and Bishop Jewel's works ; a book of Homilies and the Canons ; a cloth and cushion for the pulpit ; a ring of five tuneable bells, a sanctus bell and a clock ; a bier and hearse cloth of satin ; a surplice ; a fair register book.
- ↑ One was a marriage case (Richard Wright of Stone) ; another a pew dispute (Amy Haynes of Turweston), involving disturbances in church : a third, the case of Zachary Allnutt of Ibstone, who had been guilty of much profanity and of unclean living ; inter alia, he had an old half-witted man shaved on one side of his head, and brought into the church to make the boys laugh. He was fined 500, and had to make public submission in the court and in the church (see Cal. of State Papers Chas. I. 1634, from the book of Acts of the High Commission Court, vol. ccxci. ff. 126, 69, 315). John Ames of Olney, in February 1640-1, complained to Parliament of fines and imprisonment which he had suffered in con- nection with this court (Hist. MSS. Com. iv. 49).
- ↑ The parishioners of Haddenham brought in a complaint at the visitation of 1635 (S. P. Dom. Chas. I. ccxcvi. 17).
- ↑ At the metropolitical visitation.
- ↑ The few remaining recusants of the county took the king's side, so far as can be discovered : e.g. Sir Robert Throckmorton of Weston Underwood and Lady Digby of Gayhurst had their estates seques- tered by Parliament (Lipscomb, History of Bucks, iv. 283). The head of the Dormer family, Lord Car- narvon, died on Newbury field. He had been brought up an Anglican, being committed as a child to the wardship of the Earl of Montgomery (Cal. of State Papers Jas. I. Ixxxix. 67) but probably returned at the hour of death to the faith of his childhood (see Dict. Nat. Biog.). His mother and her younger sons remained Romanists ; Robert Dormer of Great Missenden and his wife being returned as recusants in 1635 (S. P. Dom. Chas. I. ccxcvi. 17) ; as well as many persons of no note at Wing. Dr. Smith, Bishop of Chalcedon, who had jurisdiction over the English Romanists about this time, stayed frequently with Lady Dormer ' at Wing or Ivinge or at Chanders a house in a wood near Aylesbury ' and her son Anthony entertained him at Great Missenden (ibid. xcix. 19).
