The Royal Visitation of 1559

Elizabethan survey of the state of religion after Marian reverses in the dioceses of York, Durham, Carlisle and Chester.

Introduction covers Royal Visitations of 1535, 1547 and 1559, with details of visitation procedure for both clergy and laity. Queen Elizabeth required the Visitation of 1559 to check on the damage caused to Protestant reforms under Queen Mary. The Act Book, State Papers 12/10, covers the dioceses of York, Durham, Carlisle and Chester and was originally two volumes. The first is here transcribed in full, the second calendared. Mostly Latin, though the churchwardens' presentments, the text of the recognisances and verbatim reports are in English. Provides detailed information about every aspect of the church in English society at this critical period.