Any glergyman, whether curate, rector, vicar or other, had to satisfiy THREE bodies before taking a living. He had to satisfyy the "owner" of the advowson, the Bishop, and he also had to have permission from the university that gave him his degree, if it was his first appointment. On top of that, the King, as head of the church could have final say.

And nobody got to be a curate unless he had satisfied the university of his competance to hold a clerical post.

If there were bad apples, then the whole of society was to blame, it seems! ;-)