would appoint some time that he might preache before his wor[ship], and yf he should accepte of him, he would request his wor[ship] to be meanes unto my Lord of London that he may be licenced to preache.” 1591).  W.H.  Overall and A.J.  Waterlow, St. Michael’s, Cornhill, (London) Acc’ts (1869), 176 ("Paide to Mr. Sadlor for avoidinge one excommunication for suffering a Preacher to preache in o[u]r Churche, being unlycenced, iij s. viij d.” 1587-8).

[160] In 1585 the wardens of Pittington (Durham) are “commanded to bye for everie person in our parish a booke ...” Surlees Soc., lxxxiv, 19.  Examples taken promiscuously from the wardens accounts of the day are:  “paid for three prayer books for the good successe of the French Kinge;” “paid for a prayer of thankes gevinge for ye over throwe of the Rebelles in the North.”  In many accounts occur items for books of prayers “for the Earthquake,” or “against the Turke,” or “Omelies against the rebells,” or “in plague tyme,” etc.

[161] A number of ballads dating from the reigns of Elizabeth and James have been very recently (Oxon. 1907) published by Mr. Andrew Clark under the title of Shirburn Ballads.

[162] One of the earliest orders of the High Commissioners preserved dates from 1560 and directs the Wardens of the Stationers to stay certain persons from the printing of primers and psalters in English and Latin, for which printing one Seres had obtained a monopoly.  C.R.  Rivington, The Records of the Worshipful Company of Stationers in London and Middlesex Archaeol.  Soc.  Tr., vi, 302.

[163] “A writing of the bishops in answer to the book of articles offered the last session of parliament anno reginae xxvii [etc.].”  So called by Strype, but assigned by Dr. Cardwell to a date later than 1584.  Cardwell, Doc.  Ann., i, 426.  “Excommunication” in the act-books and elsewhere almost invariably refers to the lesser excommunication.

[164] Thus he could not receive communion, be married, stand as godfather, etc.  Burn, Eccles.  Law, i, 252-3.  Compare Antiquary, xxxii (1896), 143 (Penance and heavy costs for a man who “being excominecated ... ded preseume to marye before ... he was absolved.” 1583).  Also Hale, Crim.  Prec., 223 (Presentment of an excommunicate for marrying. 1600).

[165] See Hale., op. cit., 198 (Archdeacon’s instructions to a curate in 1589). Ibid., 200 (Minister stopping service as an excommunicate would not leave. 1590). Hist.  MSS.  Com.  Rep.  Var.  Coll. (1901), 78 (Complaint by a vicar to Wilts quarter sessions that an excommunicate tried to remain at service. 1606). Associated Architectural Soc.  Rep., (etc.), xxxiii, Pt. ii (1897), 373-4 (Device of procuring an excommunicate to enter church and interrupt service so certain youths could continue their morris-dancing, 1617).  Chelmsford Acc’ts, Essex Arch.  Soc., ii, 213 (Item for “carrying Roger Price out of the Church, he being exc[mmunicated]...” 1632).