these [_p]sons whiche Haithe bene Babticed Maryed
and Buried at Pickeringe sence the firste yere of O^r Sou'ange Ladye
Elizabeth by the grace of god Quene of England ffrance and Ireland
defender of the ffaithe etc. Anno dni 1559.

There are no entries of any particular interest belonging to this period;
the unusual occurrences belong to the seventeenth century and are recorded
in the next chapter. Kept with the registers of Pickering parish there is,
however, a book containing the records of some Elizabethan visitations
made between 1568 and 1602. The entries, which have been transcribed by Mr
T.M. Fallow, are in a mixture of Latin and English and some of them are
exceedingly interesting. The following describes a curious scene in
Pickering Church.

"Item they saie that vpon Sondaie being the iij of November 1594 in tyme
off evynnyng praie [sic] Richarde Haie being parishe clerk of Pickring and
begynnyng to rede the first lesson of the saide evynnyng praier, Robert
Leymyng did close and shutt the byble to geither whereupon he was to red
at, and so disturbed him frome reding it, and therevpon John Harding redd
the first lesson. And so hindred and disturbed the saide Richard Haie
parishe clerke who was readye and abowteward to rede the same/ And the
saide John Harding did likewise disturbe and hinder the saide Richarde
Haie vpon All Saynts dais last when he was to haue helped the vicar to
saie devyne service and so hindred him being commanded to the conrye[1] by
the churche wardens, and having the admission of the saide Richard Haie
openly redd with a revocation of the former granted to the saide Hardyng.
wherebye he was commanded and enioyned to surcease frome execution of that
office."

[Footnote 1: This word is doubtful, but is perhaps "conrye," for
"contrary."]

[Illustration: The Pre-Reformation Chalice that formerly belonged to
Pickering Church.

It is now in use at Goathland Church, which was formerly included in
Pickering Parish.

(_Reproduced by permission of the Society of Antiquaries_.)
]

In 1602 when Edward Mylls was vicar of Pickering, complaints were made of
him "that he for the most parte, but not alwaies dothe weare a surplesse
in tyme of dyvyne service / they present there vicar for that they ar
vncerteyne whether his wif was commended vnto him by justices of peace nor
whether he was licenced to marrye hir according to hir Maiesties
iniunctions/" This vicar was deprived of the living in 1615, fo