82 - 31 May To the dean and chapter of Canterbury

Summary

Salutem in Christo.

After my harty Commendations etc.

I have not yet had tyme to consider of all the Answeres, which you made to the Articles in my Visitation, for which worke I must needs stay till my Vicar Generall his returne. But to one Passage of the Answere to the 15^th Article, I fynde necessity to make a present Replye, by reason of a particular Answere given in by Mr Casaubon who is Treasurer of the Church for the time being. The particular is, concerning quarterly Payments to all such as eyther by Custome or Statute of the Church have been used soe to receyve it, and it seems the Church is come soe farr behinde hand (by whose default I know not, but certainly by some) that the Treasurer is not able to make these Payments; and if he were, yet that is nothing, for you doe but paye your selves when Rents or Fines come in, that waye to make your selves whole, but leave the Church still in the same state of Arreares, which certainly must not be. And that you may the better understand Mr Casaubons Answere, and see that I have not mistaken it, I here inclosed send you a Copye of it, and by himself.

The State of the Church being thus, these are to will and requyre you, that upon the comming in of the next Fynes, you fayle not to sett the Church right, and to paye all dues unto it, that the publike Officers thereof may be able to paye you, without bringing it into any new Debt, or suffering the old to continue any longer upon it. And you shall doe very well, when any extraordinary occasions fall upon the Church, which must be of necessity undergone, to take in such a yeare less Divident to your selves, untill some Publike Stocke may be raised, rather then put the Church into Debt, when such Accidents happen.