No. 1 . DIOCESAN RETURNS OF RECUSANTS FOR ENGLAND AND WALES. 1577. , Domestic, Elizabeth , Vols. 117 , 118, 119 . Record Office The CONTRIBUTED
BY THE REV. PATRICK RYAN, S.J.
On the 21st of June, 1577, the following letter was sent by John Aylmer, Protestant Bishop of London, to Mr. Secretary Walsingham. A Catholic reaction was beginning; perhaps a dozen seminary priests had come over from Douay ; the counter-Reformation movement was beginning to pulsate in Flanders and France .
John Aylmer, Bishop of London , to Secretary Walsingham , 21 June, 1577. R.O. Dom. Eliz., 114, n. 22. haue to After my hartie Comendacons unto yor Honor, crave both yor advise and aide in a matter of great moment , conserninge both the Church and the state of this Realme, wherin besech you to advise me friendlie, and to deale with hir Maiestie carefullye , as you shall see the case earnestlie requireth . So is haue receaved right Honorable my Lord of Canturburie and from divers of or brethren , Busshoppes of this Realme, that the Papists do marvelously increase , both in number and in obstinate withdrawinge of them selves from the Church and service of God. For the remedie wherof the manner of imprisoninge of them, which hath bin used hertofore for their punishment , hath not onlie little avayled, but also hath bin a meanes , by sparinge of their howsekeepinge, greatlie to enrich them ; and such as here upon seute haue bin enlarged, and upon hope of amendment sent in to their Cuntries, haue drawne great multitudesof their teanantes and frindes into the like maliciouse obstinacie . Wherfore , with Conferencehad with the rest of or Colleages , we have thought good to forbeare the imprisoninge of the richer sorte, and to punishe them by round fynes, to be imposed for contemptuose refusinge of receavinge the Communion, accordinge to or order & Commandmentes. For, we should directlie punishe them for not comeinge to the Churche, they have to alleadge that the penaltie , beinge alreadie sett downe by statute (which is xijd for every such offence) is not by us to be altered nor agravated . This maner of fininge of them will procure the Queene a thowsand poundes by yeare to hir Coffers: whatsoever doe more , it will weakne the enymie and touch him much nerer, then any paine heretofore inflicted hath done. In conferringe with hir Maiestie about it , ij things are to be observedfirst, that hir Maiestie be geven to understand, that it is mente hereby aswell to touch the one side as the other indifferentlie, or els you can gesse what will followe ; secondarilie, if hir Maiestie, by im-
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