The Elizabethan Parish in its Ecclesiastical and Financial Aspects Part 6

[112] Hale, _ibid_., 187-8.

[113] 1 Eliz., c. 2, sec. iii, _ad finem_.

[114] See 23 Eliz. c. i, sec. iv (Forfeiture of 20 for every month's forbearance from church attendance). Cardwell, _Doc. Ann_., i, 406 (Whitgift's _Articles of 1583_; minister and wardens to diligently observe those absenting themselves for the s.p.a.ce of a month, according to 23 Eliz. [_supra_] in order that they may be presented as recusants to the justices at quarter sessions). See also in _Roxburghe Ballads_ (1871), i, 118, a ballad written _circa 1620_ which tells us: "There be diuers Papists, That to saue their Fine, Come to Church once a moneth, To heare Seruice Diuine. The Pope giues them power, As they say, to doe so; They saue money by't too, But I know what I know." Cf.

_Canterbury Visit_., xxv, 27 (Presentment "that he is a negligent comer to our Parish Church, being not able to pay the forfeiture."

1597). _Ibid_., xxvii, 223 ("John Wilkins be slothful in coming to the Church, and because he is a poor man we cannot take the fine of twelve pence." 1578). Also _ibid_., xxvi, 46 (Humphrey Watts coming sometimes but once a month to church).

[115] _Canterbury Visit_., xxvi, 18 (One Deal presented for keeping a schoolmaster, "and also being a victualler, suffereth him to remain in his house and not frequent Divine Service on the Sabbath Day." 1580).

[116] _Warrington Deanery Visit_., 191 (One Motley "married not known where"). See other visitations, _pa.s.sim_.

[117] _Warrington Deanery Visit_., 192 (Four persons presented from Wigan for marrying without banns); 189, _et pa.s.sim_.

[118] _Ibid_. 184 (A child not baptized at the parish church); 189 ("A child christened, and not known where"); 190 (Same). Hale, _Crim.

Prec_., 216 ("Keeping her child unbaptized a whole moneth." 1597).

_Ibid_., 183 (Curate of Blackmore, Ess.e.x, suspended from the celebration of the rites because "there was tow children... which died unchristened by his necligence." 1584).

[119] _Warrington Deanery Visit_., 189; 190 ("His wife churched not known where"). Hale, _ubi sup_., 167.

[120] _Warrington Deanery Visit_., 185 (Office of judge against James Woswall: "His children come not to bee catechised"). See Canons of 1571 (Parents and masters to be presented for not regularly sending children or apprentices to learn the catechism), Cardwell, _Syn_. i, 120.

[121] See _Queen's Visit. Art. of_ 1559 in Cardwell, _Doc. Ann_., i, 211. Hale, _Crim. Prec_., 226 (One Robinson presented for not going to his minister to be examined in the principles of religion of which he was ignorant). _Barnes' Eccles. Proc_., 122-3 (An offender "lackeinge the catechism dyde thrust in amongest others and receyvid ..." Another was "repulsed from the Communion because he coulde not saye the 10 commaundements, in whome we can perceyve no towardnes to learne them"). Also Hale, _ubi supra_, 146, 159, etc.

[122] Presentments for not receiving are numerous in the act-books. A few references are, _Dean of York's Visit_., 219 ff. _E.g._, at Goathland 20 persons are presented by name. See also Hale, _Crim.

Prec_., 163, 171, 176, etc., and the other act-books heretofore cited.

Also canons, injunctions and visitation articles of the time, _e.g_., Canons of 1571 (Vicars, etc., to present all over fourteen who have not received) in Cardwell, _Syn_., i, 120. Grindal's Inj. for York, 1571 (All above fourteen to receive in their own churches at least three times a year), Cardwell, _Doc. Ann_., i, 336.

[123] See Heywood Townshend, _Proc. in the Last Four Parl. of Eliz_., Debates, _pa.s.sim_.

[124] J.E. Foster: _Ch'wd'ns Acc'ts of St. Mary the Great_, Cambridge (1905), 225 (Item for paper book to write in all names of the parish at Easter. 1590-1). _Ibid_., 202 (Item to a scribe for writing names of communicants). Thos. North, _Chronicle of St. Martin, Leicester, Ch'ivd'us Acc'ts_, 171 (Item same as above. 1568-9).

[125] E. Freshfield, _Vestry Minutes of St. Christopher-le-Stocks_, Append., 71.

[126] _Ibid_., 7. For similar vestry orders see _Vestry Minutes of St.

Margaret, Lothbury_, London (also edited by Dr. Freshfield), pp. 1 (1571) and 15 (1583). Also G.W. Hill and W.F. Frere, _Memorials of Stepney Parish_, 43 (1602), and 51 (1605/6).

[127] Burn, _Eccles. Law_, i (ed. 1763), 274, _sub voce_ Church, says: "And if any of the parishioners refuse to pay their rates, being demanded by the churchwardens, they are to be sued for, and to be recovered in, the ecclesiastical courts, and not elsewhere."

[128] _Memorials of Stepney_, 51. Cf. _Acts of the Privy Council_ (ed.

Dasent), xxii, 482-3 (A tenant refusing a customary payment for church repair, presented by "the generall consent" of the parishioners of Lewesham to the commissary's court. He removes the cause to Star Chamber "to the extreame chardgis, trouble and hinderance" of one of the wardens, to the encouragement of like offenders, and to the "utter ruin and decaie" of the church. 1592). The source last quoted hereinafter cited as A.P.C., xxii (etc.).

[129] Besides the order just mentioned, the Stepney vestry had three years before ordained concerning their wardens that these were "to shew how they haue p[re]sented them [old dues in their books], Otherwise the said churchwardens shalbe charged to pay those Arrearages as shall remayne so vnpaid and not p[re]sented by them."

_Op. cit_., 43.

[130] Art. xxi, Cardwell, _Doc. Ann_., i, 326.

[131] _Leicest. Archit_. (etc.) _Soc_., iii, 204.

[132] J.H. Butcher, _The Parish of Ashburton in the 15th and 16th Centuries_ (1870), 42. See also _ibid_., 40 and 49. Also H.J.F.

Swayne, _Acc'ts of St. Edmund and St. Thomas, Sarum_ (Wilts Rec. Soc.

1896), introd., p. xxv, and p. 317.

[133] Hale, _Churchwardens' Prec_., 4-10, 5th to 8th March, 1607-8.

Cf. _ibid_., 16.

[134] Hale, _op. cit_., 109-110.

[135] _Canterbury Visit_., xxvii, 218. Authorization to tax the land is not asked for in express terms, but seems to be implied. In other cases it is clear that a warrant was given for the a.s.sessment of lands, _e.g_., Hale, _Churchwardens' Prec_., 4 (A warden of Chelmsford, Ess.e.x, to appear in court "for a warrant for sea.s.sment of the landes." 1584). Sometimes the rates made were offered in court to be confirmed, Hale, _ibid_., 8 (A rate "offered" to the judge at Stratford at Bow. 1607). _Canterbury Visit_., xxv, 14 (A rate, subscribed by the boards of the parishioners, "and certified under Mr.

Doctor Newman's own hand." 1613).

[136] _Canterbury Visit., ubi supra_.

[137] Hale, _Churchwardens' Prec_., 90-1 (1603).

[138] _Canterbury Visit_., xxvii, 223 (1569). Cf. _ibid_., 214. Also _ibid_., xxvi, 18 (Three persons presented who will not "pay to the poor mens' box." 1574).

[139] Hale, _Crim. Prec_., 149 (1566). Cf. _ibid_., 176 ("Detected for beinge an uncharitable person & for not gevenge to the poore & impotent..." 1583). _Ibid_., 208 (One Crisp detected for not paying his accustomed "offering" for himself and wife to the minister at Easter. 1593).

[140] _Dean of York's Visit_., 229 (1595). _Ibid_., 214 (Similar presentment, 1570). _Ibid_., 335 (_Same_. 1600). _Ibid_., 223 (Bellman's wages).

[141] _Canterbury Visit_., xxvi, 22 (1598).

[142] _Ibid_., 20 (1592).

[143] _Ibid_., 21 (1596), 44. _Op. cit_., xxv. 32 ("We do suppose that [name] ... doth keep back from us a certain sum ... given by will to the use of the Church ... and we know not how we may come by the same, unless your Worship's aid be ministered unto us in that behalf."

1581). _Ibid_., 22, 23, 26 etc.

[144] _Op. cit_., xxvii, 219 (1569). _Op. cit_., xxv, 14 (Keeping church ewes and not paying rent for them. 1613).

[145] _Op. cit_., xxvi, 33 (1605).

[146] _Ibid_., 39 (1600). _Ibid_., 31.

[147] _Op. cit_., xxvii, 224 (1584).

[148] _Op. cit_., xxv, 13 (1600).

[149] _E.g._, Hale, _Crim. Prec_., 221 (1599).

[150] _Dean of York's Visit_., 333 (Church house. 1601). _Ibid_., 214 (Churchyard fence. 1570).

[151] The higher n.o.bility excepted.

[152] Cardwell, _Syn_., i, 128.

[153] _Barnes' Eccles. Proc_., 19.

[154] See, _e.g., op. cit_., 42-45 (5 schoolmasters mentioned by name at Allhallows, Newcastle; 4 at St. Nicholas). In Durham city "_sub-pedagogi_" are also spoken of in the various wards.