J. WILSON. 349 preach without a license. This excellent minister was thus exercised with tribulations in the south, as wellas in the north. At length, our divine finding that the highcommissioners, with Aylmer and Whitgift at their head, were anxious to apprehend him ; that they had issued several warrants for this purpose; that aprinted order was sent to all the churches in London and its vicinity, that noneshould preach without a license; and that his name, with several others, was par- ticularly mentioned,* he wisely concealed himself for a season, and retired into the north. Towards the close of the year, he returned to London ; and after his arrival, Mr. Glover and Mr. Weblin, two of his cordial friends living in the parish of Alhallows, waited upon Archbishop Whit- gift at Lambeth, soliciting his favour in behalf of Mr. Wilson. They had no sooner mentioned his name, than his lordship asked, " What that factious fellow who intruded himself into the church in Cornhill, and there delivered a seditious sermon ?" " Yes," said 'Mr. Glover, " that is the man ; but he hopeth to clear himself of all faction, intrusion, and sedition." " Let him then come to me any day after to- morrow," said the archbishop, " and I will say more about him." Therefore, December 1st, Mr. Wilson and his friends a The worthy divines whose names accompanied this order, were Mr. Wilson, Mr. Davison, Mr. Barber, Mr. Wigginton, Mr. Gifford, Mr. Carew, and some others. The order itself, dated August 16, 1587, being descrip- tive of the spirit of the times, was the following;_" Whereas sundry " ministers, preachers, have lately come into the city of London and " the suburbs; some of them not being ministers, some having no suffi- " cient warrant for their calling; and others having been detected in " the country, have taken upon them to preach publicly in the city, to the great infamy of their calling: and some of then; in their preaching, " have stirred up the people to innovation, rather than soughtthe peace of " the church. These are, therefore, in her majesty's name, by virtue of her high commission for causes ecclesiastical to on and others directed, ". strictly to enjoin, command, and charge, all parsons, vicars, curates, and chnrch=wardens, of all churches in the city of London and the suburbs thereof, as well in places exempt as not exempt, that neither they nor " any of them, do suffer any to preach in their churches, or to read any "lectures, they not being in their own cures- but only such whose licenses they shall first have seen and read, andwhom they shall find to be licensed thereto, either by the queen's majesty, or by one of the univer- " sities, or by the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, or the Bishop of London, for the time being. And that this may be published, and take the better effect, we will that a true copy thereof shall be taken and " delivered to every curate and church-wardenof all the churches afore, " said. Signed, " JOHN CANTERBURY, ED. STANHOPE, " JOHN LONDON, Itle. COMM." " VAL. DALE, NS, Register, p. Sae. VW"
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