The Popes brief: or Romes inquiry after the death of their Catholiques here in England, during these times of warre

SIR,

ACcording to your desire, and my promise, I now send you the state of our present Chapter, together with such Patents as will be necessary for the filling up thereof, with a parti∣cular of how many thereof are dead, and with such a note (as up on so short a warning could be gotten) of names to fill it up a∣gaine, as have been by those of the Chapter in London reflected on, for such was your desire.

The Copies of the Patents are such as Master Lovell left me, and I snall desire that you will cause them to be kept there in safetie, lest those I have here should in these troublesome times miscarry. I could wish you had also there other Copies of things most ne∣cessary, which I find here handsomely recorded in Bookes by Ma∣ster Lovell, God rest his soule; but truly I am so ill, I cannot my selfe transcribe them, and to trust them out of my hands in the•••• times to Scribes, I dare not, and spare the Booke I cannot, so I must hope God will protect them and us his servants, whom they concerne.

You will perceive by the Copie of the Catalogues of Vicars and Archdeacons which Master Lovell left, as I now send them to you transcribed, that there have bin two divisions of the Counties, in the first there appeare 55. in the last but 53, Counties of 〈◊〉〈◊〉

distributed unto the care of 7. Vicars Generall, and of 23. Arch∣deacons out of which number of Archdeacons you must deduct but 7. forasmuch as the 7. Vicars Generall not being (as Vicars) of the Chapter were made each of them Archdeacons purposely to render them Chapter men also, so that how are the number of Archdeacons be 23. yet deducting 7. out of that number, as ap∣propriate to the 7. Vicars you will find remaining only 16. Arch∣deacons, I meane such as are purely Archdeacons, and not Vicars to boote; And yet by the Note of Master Lovells at the end of the new Division, me thinkes there was an intention to have only 22. Archdeacons in all, or to speake perhaps more properly to the Bi∣shops intention, but 22. Chapter-men. Yet I find that either you must increase the former districts of some Archdeacons, of else you will not exhaust the Counties in the distribution thereof, for you shall not find the Counties of Nottingham nor Darby appropria∣ted to any Archdeacon, unlesse you resolve the number of 23. shall stand good. An perhaps that number was reduced to 22. only in the last Division upon reflection that the seventh Vicar viz. Ma∣ster Norton was not made Archdeacon, that I can find upon any Record, and I send you all I have of this nature, so that my Lord and you of the Chapter there, must please to resolve whether there shall be any Vicar Generall without the Title of Archdeacon, and so let the first number of 23. Archdeacons stand good, or whether all the seven Vicars shall be Archdeacons, and then the last Divisi∣on of Archdeacons into 22. to remaine. It seemes here most con∣sonant to reason, to make each Vicar Generall an Archdeacon, but what you there resolve will be here allowed of, but you shall doe well to appropriate such Counties to each Vicar and Archdeacon, as may be most convenient for them to repaire unto, which will be ahard matter to determine in these unsetled times.

And hence you will perceive that by the Addition of Canons to the Chapter, which you know were added but lately, that with∣out filling up the places of the old Chapter-men deceased, you will have as great a number almost of Chapter men now living to choose a Coadjutor to the Deane (which is the present affaire in agitation) as would have been if all the dead persons vacant pla∣ces were filled up before the Election of this Coadjutor, so that if

the desire of filling the Chapter proceed out of a feare that there will want a competent number of Chapter-men to make this Ele∣ction, considering the late Addition of Canons to the Chapter with power of voting in all affaires of the Clergy, there will be no want of almost as full a number as ever were of the Chapter since it was first erected.

For you see there never were above two or three and twenty at most of the Chapter, and albeit most of them that were Vicars and Archdeacons be dead; neverthelesse those that are living to∣gether with the Canons lately added thereunto, amount to the number of twentie, as I wrote you word last weeke; onely I for∣got then to tell you, that one of the six whom I reckoned upon to be in Paris, viz. Master Laborne, is neither of the Chapter in ver∣tue of Vicar, Archdeacon, or Canon, that I can find upon any Record, but this I impute to an Accident of his being out of the way at Tame when the Canons were made, and so I reckon upon him as if he were a Chapter-man, the rather because he was, and is still one of his Lordships Consult, which may perhaps ipso facto, give him that quality,* 1.1 in regard the whole Chapter hath the na∣ture of his Lordships Counsell.

But now to come unto the particulars, who are dead of the Chapter, and who now living thereof, that so you may see cleerely in the particulars what I tell you of our Chapter in generall, you may please to understand, that of the Vicars Generall who were at most in number but seven, there are five dead, viz. Master Colleton, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Boswill, Mr. Broughton, Mr. Norton, so that you must thinke of Constituting five Vicars, for however Master Muscot was made coadjutor to Master Colleton, yet he is now in a charge by the Popes command incompatible with that office of Vicar Generall in Master Broughtons place, whose resi∣dence he possesseth, yet I doe not conceive that hee was ever made Vicar Generall by Patent.

Now for the Vicars actually living, you will easily see they are but two, viz. Master Iackson, and Master Trollop, who had need of a Coadjutor, being himself grown unable to travell as you all know,

As for the Archdeacons, there are dead five in the five Vicars, and of such as were purely Archdeacons and no more, there are

dead besides Master Muscot (whose place is vacant though he bee living) ten, viz. Master Pits, Doctor Wright and his successor Brabant, Master Strickland, Master Heines and his successor Doctor Lovell, Master Hanmer and his successor Mr. Guin, as also the in∣tended successor to him, Master Robert Hughes lately, Doctor Brit∣ton, Master More, Master Martine, Mr. Tushenor and his succes∣sor Mr. Aston, and Mr. Worthington.

I doe not accompt Mr. Shellyes, nor Mr. Merricks places va∣cant, by reason Mr. Lane and Mr. Hide (surviving both) doe sup∣ply them, but whether by Patents created Archdeacons or not I cannot say, or whether by Deputation only they execute the same, which in effect I account is all one.

So that here are undoubtedly to be de novo, created ten Arch∣deacons to fill up the places vacant by death, and more to supply Mr. Muscots place yet living as abovesaid.

Now for the living Archdeacons they are in number two, in the two Vicars above, and foure that are purely Archdeacons by Pa∣tents undoubted, viz. Master Redman, Master Button, Mr. Hughes, and Master Manger, whereunto if you adde the suppliants (at least) living, Master Hide and Master Lane, then are there six Archdea∣cons living.

As for Canons there were Created (as I remember) nine at the first, and they are all living still, viz. Master Blaclo, Master Har∣rington, Master Holden, Mr. Fitton, Master Clifford, Master Morgan, Master Curtes, Master Gage, and Mr. Herbert; for I have now no convenience to come at such Records as doe shew this, perhaps your memory will tell you this better then mine, or else then Ma∣ster Hide was made Canon, and not Master of which you shall know the certaintie ere long; but however thus you see what with two Vicars living, six Archdeacons, and nine Canons, and the Deane, there are eighteen persons of the Chapter now li∣ving; or take the Deane and at least five Archdeacons, and nine pure Canons, supposing Master Hide to be no Archdeacon, they will in all amount to the number of seventeen persons, whereunto adding the three Suppliants for Archdeacons, who have as vet ne∣ver had Patents viz, Master Barlo in Warwickshire, and Master Stevens in Hertford, and Master Thomas Greene in Suffolke, by the

old Division Norff. by new; you see we may accompt upon just nineteene or twenty Chapter-men now actually living, whereas at first Erection of the Chapter there were never more (as you see) then twenty two or twenty three at most: And thus you have the exact account of the Chapter as now it stands, wherewith if you rest not satisfied, but desire either to make more Canons (as my Lord seemes to doe) or to fill up the number of those that ale dead, Wee can suggest unto you for the present only these that follow for that purpose, because we cannot have an exact accompt from all the Shires what men are now residing therein, much lesse can we make any probable conjecture how to six any one man in any one County of England, as times now stand, to officiate therein, and so we should not at this time have thought of filling up the vacant places yet because you there have that cogitation, and desire to know whom we here in towne thinke fitting for that purpose, wee have reflected on these under-written.

For Vicars Generall.

Master Blaclo Mr. Holden, Mr. Harrington, Mr. Fitton, Mr. Her∣bert, Mr. Hide, Mr. Drury Mr. Clifford, Mr. Laborne, Mr. Barquer.

For Archdeacons.

Master Iohn Berrington, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Barlo, Mr. Edward Hughes. Mr Green, Mr. Coffin, Mr. Sands, Mr. Laurence, Mr. Bru∣arton, Doctor Bloudston, Mr. Faulconer, Mr. Ireland, Mr. Iennings, Mr. Curtes, Mr. Cattericke, Mr. Clampit, Mr. Woodward, Master Cheake.

For Canons.

Master Carleton, Mr. Everard, Mr. More, Mr. Knightley, Master Warham Mr. Polewheele, Mr. Carre, Mr. Todhill, Mr. Bradshawe, Lassels, Mr. Warnford, Mr. Hall, Mr. Worthington, Mr. Marten, Mr. Lutlo, Mr. Turbervile, Mr. Ellice, Mr. Weekes, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Page, Mr. Skinner, Mr. Sale, Mr. Totty, Mr. Tustall.

Above all things you must recommend secrecie if you resolve upon Master Herbert, that his Lady come not to the notice of his being chosen into any Office that will require resort to him, or his going abroad.

Master Carre however not in England, is a man so considerable, that above all others not already of the Chapter, it were fit he were made one thereof, and however I put him amongst Canons only, yet if his continuall absence admit of higher place, surely his mer∣rits will claime it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The whole Chapter in the nature of a Counsell to Doctor Rich. Smith titular Bishop of Chalcedon and Ordinarie of England and Scotland by Commission from the Pope.