The Elizabethan Parish in its Ecclesiastical and Financial Aspects Part 8

[191] Though they were reestablished in 1660 they were forever shorn of their ancient glory.

[192] The names of some of these broadsides, pamphlets, etc., have already been given. To these may be added, _The Spiritual Courts epitomised in a Dialogue betwixt two Proctors, Busie Body and Sc.r.a.pe-all, and their discourse of the want of their former imployment_. Others will be found in Mr. Stephen's _Catalogue_.

[193] That is, a portable stone altar which had been consecrated and could be set up anywhere for ma.s.s.

[194] See order of the Wilts justices issued against such offenders, Oct., 1577. _Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. on MSS. in Var. Coll_., i (1901), 68.

[195] See indictment of an Ess.e.x jury at quarter sessions in 1585 against one Gla.s.sc.o.c.k who spoke lightly of the ceremony of baptism, and rent out of a prayer book certain leaves where the ministration of baptism was set forth. _Hist MSS. Com. Rep_., x, Pt. iv, 480.

[196] Presentment to the Wilts justices, _loc. cit. supra_, 69 (1588), For excessive zeal of the justices of a.s.size in Suffolk see _State Papers Dom. Eliz_., 1591-4, P. 275 (Address of Suffolk gentry to Privy Council in 1592. They complain of indictments against ministers on very trivial pretexts). For the answer of the Council to this pet.i.tion see Strype, _Ann_., ii, Pt. i, 268-9 (Lords write to judges to consult the spirit not the letter of law, and add their own suspicions that informers are mainly to be blamed if justice has miscarried).

[197] _State Pap., loc. cit_.

[198] Indictment of Ess.e.x jury, _Hist. MSS. Rep., loc. cit. supra_.

[199] _Ibid_.

[200] Information of the Wilts justices against one Dearling, parson of Upton Lowell, _loc. cit. supra_, 68 (1585). Cf. Chelmsford Acc'ts, _Ess.e.x Arch. Soc_., ii, 212 (An item paid the clerk of a.s.sizes for framing the indictment of Chelmsford Hundred "against Puritisme."

1592).

[201] These would be--to cite the princ.i.p.al--the ordinary upkeep of the church with its services and all its appurtenances whatsoever (see previous chapter); the finding of clerk and s.e.xton; the care of the poor; maintaining of the local roads and bridges; purchasing and repair of parish armor, and mustering of parish contingents; contributions for prisoners and maimed soldiers; the keeping of the parish b.u.t.ts and the stocks; the destruction of frugivorous birds and animals (the statutory "vermin"), etc.

[202] The act-books are full of "detections" for being an "uncharitable person," for "not giving to the poor," etc. See pp. 41 ff., _supra_.

[203] Reference is here made to the occasional seizure of parish lands or funds by the Queen's commissioners for concealed lands. See Strype's strong language in his _Ann. of the Ref_. (Oxon. ed.), ii, Pt. i, 310. He speaks of the unjust oppressions of courtiers and other griping men, 'harpies' and 'h.e.l.l-hounds,' who, under the pretense of commissions, "did intermeddle and challenge land of long times possessed by churchwardens, and such like, upon the charitable gifts of predecessors ... yea and certain stocks of money, plate, cattle and the like. They made pretence to bells, lead [etc.] ..." Strype's words are none too strong, being amply confirmed by much evidence _aliunde_.

See, _e.g_., the determined attacks in 1567 and subsequently on the Melton Mowbray school lands in _Leicest. Archit_. (etc.) _Soc_., iii (1874), 406 ff. Thanks to powerful neighbors the Meltonians won their case. Less fortunate were the parishioners of St. Mary's, Shrewsbury, the revenue from whose lands supported church fabric, the poor, etc.

For proceedings against them, and the vain appeal by the parish to the lord chief justice in 1572 ff., see Owen and Blakeway's _Hist. of Shrewsbury_, ii, 350-2. For confiscation of parish gild property and parish lands on a large scale, see examples given in _Cambridge and Hunts Arch. Soc_., i (1904), 330 ff. We are here told that during Elizabeth's reign at least twelve commissions for concealed lands were sent down into Cambridgeshire (p. 332). See also _ibid_., 370 ff. for a sale of forfeited lands to Jones and Grey in 1569. The list of lands is very long and only a sample of many such. For attacks (1587) on All Saints, Derby, lands, whose revenues went to church repairs, etc., see J.C. c.o.x and W.H. St. J. Hope, _Chronicles of All Saints, Derby_ (1881). For informers involving Lapworth, Warwick, in a suit about its parish lands see Robt. Hudson, _Memorials of a Warwickshire Parish_ (1904), 104. The churchwardens acc'ts occasionally allude to the Queen's commissioners, _e.g_., the Great Witchingham Acc'ts, where they are dubbed by the right name: "for my expenses when I was before the quenes inquisitors for lands and goods" (1559). _Norf. and Norw.

Arch. Soc_., xiii, 207.

[204] Jas. Copeman in _Norf. and Norw. Arch. Soc_., ii (1849), 64. The Loddon Acc'ts cover the period 1554-1847, some of the donations, or endowments, being made in the 16th and some in the 17th centuries.

[205] Robt. Dymond in _Devon a.s.soc. for Advanc. of Science_ (etc.) _Tr_., xiv (1882), 407. These acc'ts run from 1425-1590. For a list of parish properties in 1565, see pp. 460-1. Their yearly rent then amounted to 9 14s. 2d.

[206] Sam'l Barfield, _Thatcham, Berks, and its Manors_ (1901), i.

121.

[207] R.W. Goulding, _Records of the Charity known as Blanchminster's Charity, Stratton_ (1898), 64-5.

[208] In 1562 it is said to have contained only 48 families. John Amphlett, _Churchwardens Acc'ts of St. Michael's in Bedwardine_ (ed.

for _Worcester Hist. Soc_., 1898), introd., p. iii.

[209] _Op. cit_., 142-3. See _ibid_., and for the year named, the receipts from these properties. Thus 4 is paid for one and a half years' rental of parish land lying in Severn Stoke parish; 44s. for two years' rent of parish houses in St. Peter's parish, Worcester city, etc.

[210] _Op. cit_., pp. x.x.x-i.

[211] Hudson, _Memorials_, etc., 85 ff. Consult Mr. Hudson's map of the parish lands.

[212] _Notes and Queries for Somer. and Dorset_, v (1897), 94.

[213] _Somerset Arch. and Nat. Hist. Soc. Tr_., xxiii, Mr. Pearson's introd., p. iii, and _op. cit_., vol. xxvi, 106-9. Cf. A.G. Legge, _North Elmham_, Norfolk, _Acc'ts_ (1891), 5-6 (Long list of lands managed by wardens in 1549). Also J.H. Butcher, _The Parish of Ashburton_ (Devon), 49 (1580). Owen and Blakeway, _Hist. of Shrewsbury_, ii, 342 (St. Mary's parish lands with 32 tenants and rental of 6. 7s. 8d. in 1544. The churchwardens were here called "Lady Wardens" as managing the "Rentall of our Lady").

[214] _St. Michael's Acc'ts, op. cit_., vol. xxvi, 129. The wardens of this parish record among their expenditures many items for the repair of the parish tenements and other property. In early times they received 12d. as a salary for management. Later this was changed into an honorarium of varying amount "_pro bono servicio suo." Op. cit_., vol. xxiii, intro., p. ii.

[215] Thus at Lapworth, Warwickshire, a trust of parish lands was re-created in 1563 with twenty-two feoffees; and one Collet in 1567 enfeoffed seventeen men of a field of only three acres, fourteen perches, to parish uses. Hudson, _Memorials_ (etc.), 85-6.

[216] _E.g._, the Gra.s.swardens of St. Giles, Durham, who managed the common lands of the parish, and accounted yearly for them. They made disburs.e.m.e.nts for many parish expenses which elsewhere churchwardens usually paid out (_e.g_., for bridges, houses of correction, poor prisoners, armor and musters), yet were themselves distinct from the churchwardens. See _Surtees Soc_., xcv, I ff. Cf. the bridge wardens of Loughborough, Leicester (W.G.D. Fletcher, _Hist. of L_., 1883, pp.

40 ff). Also the townwardens of Melton Mowbray, _Leicester Archit_.

(etc.) _Soc_., iii, 61-2, _note_.

[217] Hudson, _Memorials_, etc., 88.

[218] That is (apparently) holdings returning 4 of rent annually.

[219] Pasture.

[220] _Surtees Soc_., lx.x.xiv, 15.

[221] Editor's (Mr. Barmby's) introd., _ibid_., 4.

[222] (Dean) G.W. Kitchen, The Manor of Manydown, _Hants Rec. Soc_., 1895, 171. For other examples both of parish cows and sheep: see Hale, _Crim. Prec_., 221 (40 parish sheep of Billericay, Ess.e.x, for the relief of the poor. 1599). Littleton, Worcestersh. Acc'ts, _Midland Antiquary_, i (1883), 107 (Purchase of cow for parish in 1556).

_Ibid_., 108 (Wintering of a church heifer). Morton, Derbysh., Acc'ts, _The Reliquary_, xxv, 17 (Same as above. 1593). Owen & Blakeway, _Hist. of Shrewsbury_, ii, 342 (St. Mary's had in 1544 ten cows and three sheep renting for 1 1s. 8d. yearly). Rotherfield Acc'ts, _Suss.e.x Arch. Coll_., xli, 26, 46. St. Michael's, Bath, Acc'ts, _Somerset Arch_. (etc.) _Soc_., xxiii, introd., _et pa.s.sim_. Great Witchingham, _Norf. and Norw. Arch. Soc_., xiii, 207 (Cows in 1604).

Hartland, Devon, Acc'ts, _Hist. MSS. Com. Rep_., v, Pt. i (1876), 573a (Custom _circa_ 1601 for poor to leave sheep to church by will).

Hudson, _Memorials_, etc., 106-10 (Parish meeting about renting out of cows. Surety bonds given by hirers in 1580 ff.). Many other examples will be found in the wardens acc'ts and elsewhere.

[223] See Hudson, _op. cit., supra_, 106. In 1595 two cows were bequeathed to Lapworth to be rented out at 20 d. yearly. The proceeds of one to mend a certain parish road, of the other to support the poor (_ibid_., 109).

[224] Art. xxv, Cardwell, _Doc. Ann_., i, 189 ff. So in the Visitation Articles of the same year (_ibid_., 213) we read: "Item, whether the money coming and rising of any cattle or other movable stocks of the church [etc.] ... have not been employed to the poor men's chest."

[225] In North Elmham the term "office land" seems to have been used for lands set apart for the remuneration of parish servants. See A.G.

Legge, _North Elmham Acc'ts_, 81, _s.a._ 1566: "It[e]m for office Land of the ten[emen]te fost[er] ... vij d." Cf. Mr. Legge's _note_ (p.

129). He cites other examples in Norfolk parishes, viz., "Constable Acre" in Stuston, "Constable Pasture" in Fralingham, "Dog Whipper's Land" in Barton Turf. Cf. J.L. Gla.s.sc.o.c.k, _Records of Bishop Stortford_, 55 ("s.e.xten's meade," 1563). In an early year _temp_.

Henry VIII one Jesop left two tenements to Mendlesham, Suffolk, "to ye fyndyng of a clarke to pley att ye organys for a p[er]petuite." _Hist.

MSS. Com. Rep_., v, Pt. i (1876), 596a. See also _Shrop. Arch. and Nat. Hist. Soc_., iii, 3rd ser. (1903), 315 (26s. and 8d. and 12 bushels of rye issuing annually out of Idsal rectory for the poor and the maintenance of a clerk). E. Freshfield, _St.

Christopher-le-Stocks' Acc'ts_, 38 (Bequest of a perpetuity of 20s.

annually for clerk and s.e.xton. 1602).

[226] Swyre, Dorset, Parish Acc't Book in _Notes and Quer. for Somer.

and Dorset_, iii (1893), 293 (Lands allotted by parish for support of a blind man).

[227] _E.g., St. Christopher-le-Stocks' Acc'ts_, 38 (Yearly perpetuity of 3 4s. in bread and money to poor. 1602). _St. Michael's in Bedwardine Acc'ts_, 99 (House left to parish, 12s. of whose rental to go to poor, and 1s. to the churchwardens. 1590).

[228] Butcher, _Parish of Ashburton_, 46 (Land given to buy shirts and smocks for the poor. 1575).

[229] T.P. Wadley, _Notes on Bristol Wills_ (1886), 230 (20 for a stock of money to remain for ever "in the howse of correction" for the maintenance and "settinge on work of such people as shalbe therevnto co[m]mitted for their mysdemeanors." _Thos. Kelke's will_. 1583).

[230] _Wills and Inventories_, Pt. ii, _Surtees Soc_., x.x.xviii, 83 (Keyper school of Houghton and its endowment of 240. 1582).

[231] Examples among many are the Edenbridge, Kent, lands. These bridgewardens held lands in three parishes. _Arch. Cant_., xxi (1895), 110 ff. Also Burton's Charity lands at Loughborough. The "bridgmasteres" here in 1570 collected 33 18s. 6d., and disbursed 16 12s. 11d. Fletcher, _Hist. of Loughborough_, 41-2. Also Hayward bridge lands, _Notes and Quer. for Somer. and Dorset_, iv (1895), 205-7.