Francisco: la conversión misionera del Pueblo de Dios

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organisations were not yet completed under the new reign. Edmund Grindal, however, as Bishop of Lbndon shewed himself determined to admit no impediment to his plan for filling the church with as many of his fellow exiles as might wish to enter it. During his exile there had been a period when he had despaired of ever being able to return to England so that he had journeyed to Wassel- heim and Speyer especially to learn German in order that

"his voice might be heard in the German churches, if

nowhere else", and already he had appointed Thomas Huick, D.G.L. brother of Henry VIII's physician and once an

exile in Geneva as his Vicar-General.^ This zeal for reformation, coupled with his delight at being home once more, set him upon an extravagant course that was even­

tually to lead to his suspension when he

was

of Ganterbury. As early as December 28th 1559 he began his ordination of the returned exiles, and on that day was admitted Thomas Jeffreys, Deacon, newly returned from Strasburg. And thus, before Archbishop Parker's proclamation forbidding the ordination of those who could

claim residence in one place for more than three years Grindal had ordained twelve more exiles on January 14th 1) Parker Soc. Grindal Remains III note 6 and Lamb. Pal. Parker Reg. f. 12r. In 1561 Thomas Wattes and John Mullins became Grindal*s chaplains to be joined in 1562 by Thomas Bickley. (Parker Soc. Parker I 209.)

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OP 25til. The Archbishop's proclamation, however, did nothing to deter Grindal from his enthusiasm, for upon March 24th and 31st, and April 25th, he admitted a further nine into the ministry, besides ordaining Per- cival Wiborne as priest, whom he had only admitted as deacon at the end of «January,^ Parker then wrote him a letter of stern disapproval, directing him "to for­ bear ordaining any more Artificers and others that had been of secular occupations; that were unlearned",^

and although he ordained at this time two more exiles, - Thomas Turpin and Thomas Acworth - both of them were educated men. Thomas Turpin, a gentleman of Calais, member of a rich Leicestershire family, had been an im­ portant member of the little exiled colony at Aarau

whilst Acworth, probably a brother of the more famous George, had graduated B.A. at Trinity College, Cambridge

1553-4, and was one of those who, whilst abroad, had

especially continued his education with a view to enter­ ing the ministry.Yet in spite of this it must be

1) Strype,Life of Grindal 1710 ed.pp.36,37. These men were Thomas Spencer, Thomas Wilson, Robert Harrington, Percival Wiborne, Richard Tremayne, Theodore Newton, Peter Marwin, Adam Holiday all deacons and V/illiam Porrege, Roger Kelke, John Blake (Blage?). John Fox, all priests.

2 ) Ibid. pp. 38,39, March 24th, Thomas V/atts, priest, March 24t P. Wiborne priest March 27th, Thomas Horton, Richard Proude, priests,March 31st,V/illiam Betts,Thomas Upcher,Walter Kelly, Richard Langherne, John Woo It on, Robert Joyner, deac one, 4dl 251 3) Ibid. p.40.

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admitted that in Parker's

own

for neither of these men could claim domicile in England during the required period of three years, and. there

is no doubt that authority, at this early stage, although prepared to accept a few previously tried ministers,

was unvfilling to take the irrevocable step of ordaining men who had fled abroad without holding ecclesiastical

office previously. Indeed this policy is reflected also

in the appointment made to the strength of the High Commission in the Southern Province, for of the sixteen exiles who sat as members of the Commission at one time or another only six - Sir Anthony Cooke, Richard Cox,

Edmund Grindal, Sir Francis Knolles, Alexander Nowell and

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Thomas Wattes - did so before 1672, and all of these , save Wattes, had held positions, of importance under Edward VI, whilst the latter rose to eminence under

Elizabeth by virtue of his patent ability and trustvforth- iness.

In the same way there is no doubt that some exiles who were already in orders before their flight found no difficulty in obtaining livings at a very early date after their return. . In fact Alexander Nowell, presen­ ted in February 1559/60, even had time to consider his 1) R. G. Usher, The rise and fall of the High Commission, Oxford 1913, pp. 345 et seq. and p. 367.

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situation sufficiently to submit his resignation from the rectory of Saltwood, near Hythe, as early as Dec­

ember 17th 1560.^ Indeed, since no reason is given for this resignation, it is difficult to decide why he had originally accepted the living, unless it reflects the state of mind of the returning exile uncertain of his reception, and only too willing to grasp at any form

of livelihood until the religious situation should be­ come more settled. That this fear of unemployment after their return had occupied their thoughts abroad, there

is no doubt ; many of them had lived in extreme poverty during their exile and they must have awaited with much anxiety a chance to return to a competent living.

V/e are. told that William Cole, the first married presi­ dent of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, who so mismanaged that office that his Bishop, Robert Horne, threatened

him with deposition, saved himself by poignantly demanding of his fellow-exile.: "What, my good lord must I then

eat mice at Zurich a g a i n ? T w o exiles at least, were lucky enough to have been promised patronage whilst still abroad, it seems; for upon November 19th 1559,

1) Lamb. Pal. Lib.' Parker's Reg. I f.227v and 340v. John