Page:The History of the Church & Manor of Wigan part 2.djvu/228

predecessors have ever done since they came to our Quire service, until, upon hearing of both sides, other order be taken, or if you please to command me, upon my peril or pain of censure, to see things ordered as may, in most likelihood, prevent tumult or confusion, I will be accountable unto you herein, whensoever you shall please to call me to it. My aim is only to cast water on that fire which is already kindled, or leastwise that none may get a stick from this place to increase the flame, our citizens being already too sensible of that punishment which they justly and lately received for Prynne's entertainment."^[1]

To this letter the bishop received the following reply from archbishop Laud:

"S. in Xp̃o

My very good Lo:

Aboute a month since I receaved a Lr̃e from your Deane. In w^ch I finde he is somewhat sensible of the losse y^t will come fr. the Prohibition sent in his Ma^ties Name to command y^e not renewing of Leases into Lives, and p'ticularly y^e not letting of anie p^t of the close at Chester to Brewer or Malster. But yet he promises all obedience, and I hope will performe itt. And if your L^p gaine anie Health and content^mt by itt I shall be heartily glad to have beene an Instrument in procuring itt. I hope the Deane takes noe inward pett at this, nor labors to distemper the goverment there, or cast a Bone between y^e church and y^e citty, thereby to discontent you. For if I should finde this he should heare of me in another way. Yet I must confesse I am afraid there is something that makes the man forward. And that he should doe it at this tyme, & by such meane Instruments as sub-sextons, and that after a Discreete Major had brought the Citty to the Cathedrall agen after a long discontinuance from it, and especialiy w^thout so much as acquainting your L^p w^th it, seemes to me full of Indiscretion.

My Lo: you know I have not Jurisdiction there. And yet rather then I would suffer anie Distemper to increase I have made bold privatly to acquaint his Ma^tie w^th itt; who is not well pleased w^th the Action, especially att this tyme; and hath therefore commanded me to write unto you, that you forth^wth speake w^th the Deane, as also w^th the Major and his Brethren that this Difference be composed; and that the Major

1. Cal. State Papers, Dom. Ser., 1638, 1639, p. 141, vol. cccciv. 5.