Now! Then! William Ireland fails to become Rector of Harthill (South Yorkshire) because of his abysmal ignorance

28 May 1574: William Ireland fails to become Rector of Harthill (South Yorkshire) because of his abysmal ignorance

John Strype. 1821. The History of the Life and Acts of the Most Reverend Father in God, Edmund Grindal, Vol. 1. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Get it:

Excerpt

Archbishop Grindal showed his faithfulness in his inspection over his church, by taking what care he could that none but men of some ability and learning might be admitted to the cure of souls. And for this purpose he provided that such as came for institution to any living should be first well examined, and such as were found unlearned he rejected, notwithstanding their presentations. One instance of this happened this year, which I shall mention the rather to observe what gross ignorance sometimes such as pretended to serve God in his church were in these times guilty of. One William Ireland was presented to the rectory of Harthill, who, coming to the archbishop, was examined by the archbishop’s chaplain. In his presentation were these words, “vestri humiles et obedientes,” which the chaplain required him to construe to understand his ability in Latin. But he expounded them, “Your humbleness and obedience.” The chaplain asked him again, “Who brought up the people of Israel out of Egypt?” He answered, “King Saul.” And being asked who was first circumcised, he could not answer. Wherefore the archbishop rejected him.
[(1) “Yours humbly and obediently.” (2) Moses. (3) A group led by Abraham, aged 99 (Genesis 17:23-26).]

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

The Latin original provides the date as well as a couple more quiz questions (Purvis 1948). Elizabeth I thought Grindal dangerously keen, and she and clerics like William Irlande are satirised by Edmund Spenser in Mother Hubberds Tale (Spenser 1908/2010):

For, read he could not Evidence, nor Will,
Ne tell a written Word, ne write a Letter,
Ne make one Tittle worse, ne make one better:
Of such deep Learning little had he need,
Ne yet of Latin, ne of Greek, that breed
Doubts mongst Divines, and difference of Texts,
From whence arise diversity of Sects,
And hateful Heresies of God abhor’d:
But this good Sir did follow the plain Word,
Ne medled with their Controversies vain,
All his care was, his Service well to fain,
And to read Homelies on Holy-days,
When that was done, he might attend his Plays;

And:

‘To feede mens soules,’ quoth he, ‘is not in man:
For they must feed themselves, doo what we can.
We are but charg’d to lay the meate before:
Eate they that list, we need to doo no more.
But God it is that feedes them with his grace,
The bread of life powr’d downe from heavenly place.
Therefore said he, that with the budding rod
Did rule the Jewes, All shalbe taught of God.
That same hath Jesus Christ now to him raught,
By whom the flock is rightly fed and taught:
He is the shepheard, and the priest is hee;
We but his shepheard swaines ordain’d to bee.

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Original

[Archbishop Grindal] shewed his faithfulness iņ his inspection over his church, by taking what care he could that none but men of some ability and learning might be admitted to the cure of souls. And for this purpose he provided that such as came for institution to any living should be first well examined; and such as were found unlearned he rejected, notwithstanding their presentations. One instance of this happened this year, which I shall mention the rather, to observe what gross ignorance sometimes such as pretended to serve God in his Church were in these times guilty of. One William Ireland was presented to the Rectory of Harthil; who coming to the Archbishop was examined by the Archbishop’s Chaplain. In his presentation were these words, vestri humiles et obedientes; which the Chaplain required him to construe, to understand his ability in Latin. But he expounded them, your humbleness and obedience. The Chaplain asked him again, Who brought up the people of Israel out of Egypt? he answered, King Saul. And being asked, who was first circumcised, he could not answer. Wherefore the Archbishop rejected him. And one Hugh Casson was presented to, and obtained the said benefice of Harthil, and lived to the year 1624. And so was Rector there fifty years.

219 words.