Archbishop Bancroft to Dr Francis James, his principal commissary in Bath and Wells diocese:

Salutem in Christo. Mr Doctor James, I have made choyse of you to be a commissioner in this my visitation within the diocesse of Bath and Wells wherein there be divers things of waight to be considered, the burthen whereof I must speciallie laye upon you, for albeit I doubt not but the rest of the commissioners wilbe readie to ioyne with you as occasion shalbe offered, yet I must looke for an accompt of these thing at your hands alone, beinge speciallie appointed for the orderinge and censuringe of such misdemeanors as shalbe presented unto you accordinge to the tenor of my commission: and therefore as I doe desire that you should have care to see all the canons and constitutions published by his maiesties authoritie to be carefullie and diligentlie observed; soe in perticuler I doe require you to see that the 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, the 59 and 74 canons be trulie and thorowlie put in execution, all of them concerninge the increase of the preachinge of the word of God, the catechisinge and instructinge of the younger sort in the principles and grounds of Christian religion, the sober and discreet carriage of the ministers and preachers, and the meanes to meete with and prevent that soe much spoken against nonresidence, the defects whereof you knowe have bynn often and soe violentlie complayned of in parliament. And therefore I much desire that these things which are nowe soe well ordered and setled by authoritie maye with all diligence be put in execution, and soe I doubt not but it will give full satisfaction to all men of moderate and reasonable affections. And yf you and others whom it concerneth, will doe that herein which is fitt, I shalbe the better able to answeare for us all in parliament, when occasion shalbe offered.