1 These totals of the four columns and their sum are in a different handwriting to the rest of the document. 24 } 3901 Here men and wemen, beinge seruantes with sondrye inhabitantes of this towne, and others not beinge householders [Addressed.] [Endorsed.] marin[er] To the righte honorable the Lordes of ye Quenes most honorable Prevye C. Certificat of Gr.t. Yermouth, touchyng straingers resydeng there. II. THE LETTERS PATENT ISSUED BY JAMES II. FOR THE FOUNDATION OF THE FRENCH CHURCH IN JEWIN STREET, LONDON, WITH REMARKS UPON SIMILAR LICENCES ISSUED BY HIM. The terms of the licences to found churches issued to French Protestants by James II. well exemplify the increasing weakness of his hold upon the throne towards the close of his short reign. In those issued immediately after his accession he insisted upon the refugees conforming to the ritual of the Established Church, while in the later licences they were allowed to conduct their services in their own fashion. Altogether four of these grants are now known to us. The earliest, dated July 30th, 1685, in the first year of his reign, was a warrant authorising the erection of the Fourth Foreign Church of Dover. Though the preceding foreign church at that port had been nonconformist, Mr. Minet has told us that the members of this new congregation were only permitted to assemble on condition of their making use of the service of the Church of England according to the rubrick' as was done at the Savoy Church in London. In case of this injunction not being observed, the authorities of the town were 'to shut up the church dores, and suffer them to meet no more.' However the matter appears to have been considered of little moment, for the licence ended with the simple warrant, and did not pass through the various subsequent documents culminating in letters patent usual with grants of importance. The next licence of the kind was of much more consequence and did reach the final stage of letters patent. It was issued on June 16th, 16862, in the second year of the King's reign, and authorised Peter Allix, clerk, and such others as from time to time should associate themselves with him, to build a church in or near the city of London for the use of French Protestant refugees who, in the mean time, were permitted to assemble for worship in a 'tabernacle or house' in Jewin Street, without Aldersgate, or in any other convenient place. Here, too, the French version of the Church of England liturgy was to be followed in the services, but the words directing its use are not couched in the peremptory tone of the Dover warrant. It followed therefore that the French pastors would 1 Proceedings Vol. iv, p. 96. 2 Patent Roll, 2 James II., Part 7, No. 3. BURN, in his Foreign Protestant Refugees, p. 153, says July 16th, 1686, but this is an error. |