1571
8th. June Friday
There
was an enquiry into the state of the Collegiate Church by Archbishop Grindal,
held 8th June, in the Chapter-house. Some curious evidence was given of the
habits of the clergy and condition of the church. Two of the Collegiate body
went about the town with a handbell, moving the people to works of mercy; while
the choiristers fetched the dead to the church from their houses with handbells
and singing. There were pictures in the church which the churchwardens had never
defaced, and the old shrines were not removed. One of the Fellows was accustomed
to go to an alehouse in sermon time in his surplice, and even kept an alehouse
himself. There had been no change of churchwardens since the beginning of
Queen Elizabeth’s reign. (MS. Report, in the hands of
Mr. J. E. Bailey.)(7)
1571
Sir
Richard Hall,
one of the Fellows of the Collegiate Church, “ministered a dormatory” to divers
persons, who all died after taking the same; and the same fate followed those
whose veins he cut. “When he should serve God, he runneth abowte his phisicke
and surgerye, and ys altogether unlearned.” This individual added to his other
employments that of Bursar to the College. (MS. in Mr. J. E. Bailey’s
hands.)(7)