A HISTORY OF NORFOLK conformable to the orders of the church, &c., but this only to the eye ot the world. They have gathered up among good people 200 fi, which they have sent up to 'our proto-trustees ' in London, who will pay to one Bridges,* an absurd, turbulent fellow, by the way of Christian usury, 2ofi per cent, yearly. That which they call at London spiritual preaching he calls preaching by expressions. An instance of the way the system worked occurred at Yar- mouth, where Mr. George Burdett was appointed lecturer by the Council I January, 1633.^ The bishop had to settle a dispute between Dr. Matthew Brookes, minister of Great Yarmouth, and the lecturer, George Burdett, by 19 March, 1633.' His settlement was eminently impartial. He ordered that minister and lecturer should each read prayers before his sermon ; that all fees should go to the lecturer ; that the lecturer should preach on all the scarlet days as they called them, and the minister should give the blessing to their fishing yearly, which they called the fishing sermon. On Wednesday the lecturer to begin his sermon at ten o'clock in the morning, but if there happened that day a christening, marriage, or funeral service, or churching service, the lecturer to begin his sermon at eight o'clock in the morning. Before this, in January, 1632,* a commission had been appointed to settle a dispute between the dean and chapter of Norwich and the town of Yarmouth, and between Mr. Brookes, minister there, and the same town. Mr. George Burdett* finally brought himself under the censure of the High Commission Court, and withdrew to New England, ' since which time there hath been no lecture, and very much peace in the town.' The request of the dean, Dr. Hassall, i April, 163 1, to Secretary Dorchester, for his coat-of-arms,' is accompanied as an explanation by the <iescription of an interesting custom. He writes that the bishop of Norwich has the same power of calling preachers to the cathedral as the bishop of London has of summoning preachers to Paul's Cross. He describes the solemnity which attends these sermons, which are preached in the winter within the cathedral, and from Easter to Michaelmas in a place called the Green Yard, where stands a pulpit very like Paul's Cross. This pulpit, being lately re-edified, is to be beautified with the arms of the king and three or four of the prime nobility ; and the request to the secretary to send down his coat-of-arms for insertion, by the next week's carts, is made because the work is being done while he is high steward of the church. This re-edification was part of that persistent effort to restore a standard of seemliness and dignity in public worship which was so dear to the heart of Charles. And a letter was sent, 23 March, 1635, to the mayor and corporation by the king requiring their constant attendance at this sermon preached every Sunday morning either in the cathedral or Green Yard, and that they shall be there at the beginning of the service after the manner observed in the city of London, none to absent himself unless allowed by the bishop. At a court held 25 July, 1636, it was ordered that this should be done, and the manner of assembling for the procession was arranged.^ It ' Mr. Bridge subsequently held, in addition to his lectureship, two cures, the rectories of St. Peter Hungate and St. George Tombland. He added non residence to plurality by withdrawing to Holland and remaining there rather than conform. He returned in 1642, but was ejected at the Restoration. ' Ca/. S.P. Dom. 1631-33, p. 507 Mbid. 557.
- Ibid. 1631-33, p. 259. ' Blomefield, xi, 370-72.
' Cal. S. P. Dom. 1631-33, p. I. ' Blomefield, iii, 379. 282
