It was in the first year of the reign of Elizabeth that the registers of Pickering were commenced.  The yellowish brown parchment book is in fairly good preservation, and commences in the usual manner with this carefully written inscription.

“The Register Boke of 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, for omitting to preach sermons and for not properly instructing the people and as will be seen in the next chapter he appears to have been a most reprehensible character.