PARLIAMENTARY ABOLITION OF THE CATHEDRAL SERVICE.
In the Egerton Papers, lately printed by the Camden Society, there is a document which we extract as confirmatory of our statement that the Cathedral Choirs were originally corporate bodies, having and holding lands of their own. This property, as we said, has been long since grasped and held by Deans and Chapters ; but the corporate capacity and legal claim of the Choirs is now, and only now, destroyed. The " greedy persons" of those times were not those reverend functionaries, but a set of rapacious courtiers, who, under pretence of seeking out what they called "concealed lands," the affirmed property of the Crown, committed many acts of in- justice, under the warrant of a royal commission. Like modern Deans and Chapters, they tried, though with less success, to rob the Vicars Choral of a Cathedral : but ELIZABETH, EIS BURGHLEY well knew, was not a person to countenance a theft of this kind.
" To nay eerie lovinye frendes, JIr. Atbwnie General! and Mr. Solicitor, or either of them.
" After my eerie hartic commendations.—For that her 7%116o-tic is pleased to eonfirme unto the Vicars Choral of the Churche of Hereford the graunt of their landes, which bath been songlit by divers greedie 1,ersons to have been gotten from them as conceled, a Gish would have served to the subversion of that Churche, whereof her Ili0111(..”: bath gracious consideration ; and therefore I pale you, as youre leisures male better serve you, to ',ruse their former grannte,, and to draw a noire book of emdirmation to pa–w from hie Majesty,
according to her Majestie's goal meaning, for their goie:la hereafter. Aed
an I eerie bartilie bid you farewell. Fro .:V. estminster, this second of
September 15Hi.
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