105 - 28 July To John Bridgeman, bishop of Chester

Summary

Salutem in Christo.

My very good Lord

I thanke your Lordship very heartily for your Letters, and all the paines you have been att concerning the Colledge of Manchester, which his Majestie is now goeing on with by way of a new Foundation. And I shall take care, God willing, to putt your Lordship and your Successors the Bishopps of Chester into your ancient right of Visitation. I hope your sonne is come well to you into those partes, and I assure my selfe he is very mindfull of my busynesse there concerning Whaley. I pray tell him, he may safely trust and conferre with this bearer Mr John Griffith about any thing that concernes it.

Att this present I heere send your Lordship Letters from his Majestie to command sequestration of soe much of the profitts of Whaley, as may enable the severall Curats to doe theire dutyes upon the Place. For I am enformed and that very credibly, that divers of the Chappells are lett runne to ruine, and put to base, and unworthy uses and the People altogether left destitute of all Christian instruction, and the very Prayers of the Church seldome, or never read unto them. Upon these Considerations, I desire you to sequester soe much of the Profitts into safe hands, as may pay the severall Curats respectively, according to such moderate proportions, as you in your wisedome shall thinke theire persons and services may deserve. When this is done (of which I desire you to make noe delay) I shall then advise with myself and Counsell what course I shall ho﹛l﹜d with my Tenant Sir Ralph Ashton, whose cariage towards the Church I conceive is noe way answerable, to the great Profitt which he hath reaped by it these many yeares. For any other particular Concerning that Rectory, or other busynesse of mine in those parts, I referre you to this bearer whome you may safely trust with those busynesses that Concerne me. Soe att this time, haveing not further to trouble you, I leave you to the Grace of God, and rest,

Your Lordships very loveinge Freinde and Brother.