The Canterbury Walloon Congregation from Elizabeth I to Laud

Abstract

On 29 June 1561, two Jurats rode from Sandwich to London to see their counsel, Roger Manwood, to draw up Articles for the strangers ‘that be mynded to come and Inhabit within this Toune of Sandwich’. It appears that the invitation to the foreigners came from Sandwich. The warrant under the great seal, dated 26 July 1561, directed the Mayor, Jurats and Commonalty of Sandwich to receive certain ‘men of knowledge in sondry handy crafts’ belonging to the Church of Strangers in London. The settlers were to be such persons whom the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London deemed suitable to go there:

for the exercise there of the facultie of making saes, bay and other cloth which hath not been used to be made in this our realme of Englonde, or for fishinge in the seas, not exceeding the nombre of twentie or five and twentie householders, accompting to every household not above tenne or twelve persons, that they and every of them may savely repaire to our said towne of Sandwich, and there by our consent and order inhabite and take houses for their habitacion, and to have as manie servants as shall suffice for the exercise of the said faculties there not exceadinge the number above expressed.¹