ff [1–1v ] (7 August)
A godlye order or remedye for the abolishinge of diuers abvses tending to the prophanation of the lordes Sabaoth & christian religion mayd and Set forth by the most reverend father in God Iohn by the providence of god Lord Archbishope of yorke primate of Ingland & metropolitaine The Right honorable Henrye Earle of huntington Lord president of her maiesties Counsell established in thes north partes with the advyse of the Iustices of assise for this circuate & other yer llordships associates the quens maiesties comissioners vnder named for causes eclesiasticall within the province off yorke the vijth daie of August anno domini 1592
fforasmuch as we are crediblye geven to vnderstand yat ther are
diuers & intollerable abvses and Disorders vsed and practised within
the cytye of yorke and generallie through the hole province of
Yorke tending to the prophanation of the lordes sabath & christian
religion/ namelye yat a great number of evill disposed
persons of the yonger sorte have not onelye neglected theire dewtifull resorte to
the church vpon Sondaies & holidaies wheare divine service & administration
of the Sacramentes have beene vsed duelye celebrated & the word of
god sincerelye preached and expounded But beinge led awaye with vaine &
phantasticall delightes (much more lyke Infydelles then christians) have verye often &
yat by great troupes mayde yer repaire eyther to
Rushbearinges Burkes/ may powles/ may games/ morrisdances/ gilldalles/
Somergames/ with other pypinges & daunsinges
bulbaytinge bearebaytinges or to some other vnlawfull or vngodlye
pastimes frequentinge allso feastes/ drinkinges/ Stage plaies/ rydiculus
shewes/ wakes/ flours of the well & other ethnicall & unchristian
metinges & conventicles wherebye the Sabaoth hath been vsuallie
prophaned/ The resort to the church greatlie neglected And sermons & Cathechizinge (the
foode of the soule) highlie dishonored/ Vnderstandinge allso by lyke Information
yat theire are diuers churches & chaples within the said
province not yet throughlie purged from Superstitious monumentes picturs
and Reliques of Idolatrye and that yer is a generall abvse at burialles
not onelye by excessive Ringing of belles but allso by a rydiculus devyse and
popishe custome of tyinge a Superstitious crosse maid off napkins or other clothes vpon the
beare ouer the dead corpes and burienge a staffe or metwande together in the grave
with the dead bodye As well yerfore for the repressinge off thes
ethnicall pastimes & synfull assembles in the one/ as for the abolishinge & rotinge
out of all popishe superstition in the other We do earnestlie require & in hir
maiesties name (so farefurth as we may lawfullie by vertue off
hir highnes commission for causes ecclesiasticall to vs & others directed) commande
‸⸢all⸣ you the parsons and vicars &
curates off every church & chapell within the cytie dioces
& province off yorke together with the churchwardens off every such
church & chapell respectyvelie for the tyme beinge That ye Immediatelye vpon the
receypte heareoff do publishe and effectuallye admonishe all & singuler ye parishoners
within your seuerall parishes & chappelries aforesaid
utterlye ffrom hencefurth to abandon all & singuler the games & pastimes above
recyted other traphicke off byenge & Sellinge of any waires or victualles &
whatsoeuer prophaine exersice be yt off pleasure or profytte
vpon the lordes Sabaoth esspeciallie in tyme off divine servic,
chathechisinge & Sermons/ And lykwysse utterlye to abstaine from yer excessive
Ringinge & supersticious ceremonye off lyenge & making crosses as aforesaid/ &
off barieng A rodde together with the dead bodies of christian men and
women And in caise | yff anye parson or parsons
shall heareafter contemne this your admonition or willfullie refuze to
obey the same in any respecte Then we lykewyse require you the said parsons vicars
Curates & churchwardens yat true certificate be maid off the names
& Sirnames of such contemptuous & obstinate parsons & off the daye
& place of yer said misdemeaner to be subscribed by the handes off the
minister & churchwardens of the perishe or Chapellrye where he or they do dwell And
yat the same certeficate be returned to us and other our said associates
or three off us to the cytie off yorke within one forthnight next after
such contemptuous mysdemeaner by him or them mayd or committed. And we do further
by auctorytie aforesaid require you the said parsons vicars proprietories fermers
& churchwardens of everye parishe & chapellry aforesaid that
before the tuesdaye next after trinitie Sondaie now next cominge you do certifye lykewyse vnto vs whether
they (to whom yt appertaineth) have removed or caused to be removed out off your
churches & chappelles respectivelie all and singuler monumentes of
Superstition poperye & Idolatrye namely Allters Roodeloftes ymages & picturs of
Idolatrye & esspecialle the picture of god the father whether the same be in stone wodde
or glasse or in anye other mettall or stuffe whatsoeuer/ And whether that you the
sayd parsons vicars/ proprietaryes & farmers for the chauncell and the
churchwardens for the bodye off the bodye off euery church and chappell to be beawtyfyed
whyted and comlye paynted with the commandementes and other godlye
sentences of holy scriptures fytt for the edification of the people before the sayd
tuysdaye after Trynytye Sondaye next or not To thintent yt such further
proceedinges may be againste such as shalbe defectyve in the premysses as
by the lawes statutes ordinances and iniunctions of this Realme and
province may be prosecuted or inflycted against them.
°Iohannes Eboracum Henry Huntyngton°
°I saulge Ralph Rokebye°
John Piers (1522/3–94) was archbishop of York from 1589–94 (Claire Cross, 'Piers, John (1522/3–1594),' ODNB, accessed 2 January 2021). Henry Hastings (1536?–95), twentieth earl of Huntingdon, served as president of the Council of the North from 1572 until his death in 1595 (P&P). Sir Ralph Rokeby (c 1527–96) of Marske-by-the-Sea was the head of a prominent recusant family; he served as a member of the Council of the North and as JP in 1603, but the family lost much of their wealth and land in payment of recusancy fines (Wilfrid Prest, 'Ralph Rokeby (c. 1527–1596),' ODNB, accessed 2 January 2021). On 1 January 1615 Sir Ralph hosted the Simpson company at the start of their tour (Boddy, Players of Interludes, p 110; see also Quarter Sessions Records, 1614/15). William Hilliard (d. 1608) served as recorder of York from 1582 and sat for the city in 1586 (HPO, 'Hilliard, William (d.1608),' accessed 30 December 2020). William Paler (c 1532–97) was recorder for Beverley from 1576 to 1597 and Queen's attorney for the north from 1589 to 1597 (HPO, 'Paler, William (c.1532–97),' accessed 30 December 2020). John Moore (1536–97), a York lawyer with close connections to the Council of the North, was recommended to succeed William Paler but died shortly after (HPO, 'Moore, John I (1536–97),' accessed 30 December 2020). William Palmer (1538/9–1605) followed Edmund Grindal to York on the elevation of the latter as archbishop in 1570. Palmer worked regularly for the Council of the North, and was frequently sent by the Council to undertake conversations with Catholic prisoners (Clair Cross, 'Palmer, William (1538/9–1605),' ODNB, accessed 2 January 2021). It has not been possible to identify Edmund Parkinson, though he may very well be a member of the Parkinson family of Blindhurst Wood, Lancashire, for whom Edmund was a common Christian name. His signature on the document would indicate that he was a lawyer, possibly Edmund Parkinson (1533–1604) or his son Edmund (1555–?) ('Edmund Parkinson,' GENi, 'Edmund Parkinson,' accessed 7 January 2021).
Record title: High Commission Order for the Suppression of Entertainments
Repository: Yorkshire Archaeological Society
Shelfmark: DD56/S
Repository location: Leeds
7 August 1592; paper; 2 leaves, folded; 300mm x 206mm; unfoliated (f [2] blank); 'The ordr for ryshe | berynges may games &c.' written on f [2v] in a contemporary hand.