Volume II 1603-1660 - The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

INTRODUCTION. lxxxv
from Lambeth a memorandum to the two inns, in which, after
referring to the report of the lords, he proceeded to deal with questions
of ecclesiastical discipline not directly raised in the petition. The
king, he says, upon hearing this report, considered not only the
business of Dr. Micklethwaite and his maintenance, but also the
business of himself and his government, both in church and in
temporal affairs. " He presently apprehended of what consequence
it is, not only that such men as serve them should be learned and
able to preach well, but also discreet and very obedient to those
ecclesiastical laws which are settled by authority in this church and
kingdom, foreseeing that almost all young gentlemen spend part of
their time in one or other of the inns of court and afterwards when
they return to live in their several countries, steer themselves
according to such principles as in those places are preached unto
them. His Majesty therefore has commanded me," the archbishop
continues, " to signify to the benchers that although he will not
infringe any of their just and antient privileges, nor does he wish me
to take it on me by ordinary jurisdiction to intromit myself therein,
yet he requires them to take order that their minister do every
Sunday and holiday in his surplice and hood, morning and evening,
read the whole entire service before the sermon as it is ordered in
the common prayer book, and that the preacher do also, once at least
in every quarter, read the whole divine service in his surplice and
hood, as is before required of the curate, for his Majesty is resolved
that no one of those places shall use any pretence of privilege against
government, civil or ecclesiastical. And as often as the place of
curate or preacher shall fall void, they are not to make choice of any
but men qualified." This last instruction, which prima facie seems
reasonable, was directed against the appointment of lecturers. These
did not necessarily take part in the performance of divine service,
and were not always qualified to administer the sacraments, but,
entering the pulpit after prayers, preached or lectured usually in the
spirit of puritanism, and, as such, antagonistically to the views of
Laud and the king. An instance of the inconvenience of this
" State Papers, Dom. Car. I.," vol. ccliv., No. 49. Dr. Abbot, Archbishop of
Canterbury, died in August, 1633, and Laud was his immediate successor, being
translated in September, 1633. Whether he sat as one of the lords to whom Dr.
Igicklethwaite's petition was referred does not appear.