“For the future,” he says, “we will and ordain that the parishioners be bound to provide all the following: Legend, Antiphonal, Grayle, Psalter, Tropary, Ordinale, Missal, Manual, Chalice, the best Vestment with Chasuble, Dalmatic and Tunicle, and a Cope for the choir with all their belongings (that is, amice, girdle, maniple and stole, etc.): the frontal for the High altar, with three cloths; three surplices; a rochet; the processional cross; a cross to carry to the sick; a thurible; a lantern; a bell to ring when the Body of Christ is carried to the sick; a pyx of ivory or silver for the Body of Christ; the Lenten veil; the Rogation Day banner; the bells with their cords; a bier to carry the dead upon; the Holy Water vat; the osculatorium for the Pax; the paschal candlestick; a font with its lock and key; the images in the church; the image of the patron Saint in the chancel; the enclosure wall of the cemetery; all repairs of the nave of the church, interior and exterior; repairs also in regard to the images of the crucifix and of the saints and to the glazed windows; all repairs of books and vestments, when such restorations shall be necessary.” All other repairs, Archbishop Winchelsey adds, “of the chancel and of other things not the object of special custom or agreement, pertain to the Rectors or Vicars, and have to be done at their expense.”
PAX
It did not, however, require any very great rigour on the part of ecclesiastical authorities to enforce this law. The various churchwarden accounts and the church inventories prove beyond dispute that the people of England were only too anxious to maintain and beautify their parish churches, and that frequently between neighbouring churches there was a holy rivalry in this labour of love. To take some examples of this. The inventory of the parish church of Cranbrook, in Kent, made in 1509, gives the details of all gifts and donations, in order that the names of the donors and the particulars of their benefactions might be remembered. The value of the presents varies very considerably, but nothing apparently was too small to be noted. Thus we have a monstrance of silver gilt, which the wardens value at £20, “of Sir Robert Egelyonby’s gift.” In regard to this donor the inventory says, “This Sir Robert was John Roberts’ priest thirty years, and he never had other service or benefice.” And it adds, “The said John Roberts was father to Walter Roberts, Esquire.” Again, one John Hindley “gave three copes of purple velvet, whereof one was of velvet upon velvet, with images broidered;” and, ad perpetuam rei memoriam, adds the inventory, “he was grandfather of Gervase Hindley of Cushorn, and of Thomas (Hindley) of Cranbrook Street.” And again, to take another example of these entries, it is recorded that the “two long candlesticks before our Lady’s altar fronted with lions, and a towel on the rood of our Lady’s chancel,” were the gift of “old moder Hopper.”
In the same way, the churchwardens’ accounts of Leverton, a parish situated in the county of Lincoln about 6 miles from Boston, evidence the same voluntary effort on the part of the people to adorn their church. In 1492 William Murr left money for work at the Great Crucifix and to several of the altars. In 1495 a great effort was made to procure another bell, and we find the expenses for preparing the bell-chamber, for the carriage of the great bell, and for the hanging of it by one William Wright, of Benington. All the parish apparently contributed, and the parson promised 10s. 8d. towards the expenses; but when he came to settle, it was found that some one had paid for him. This was the above-named William Wright; and as the clergyman’s name was John Wright, perhaps the kindly thought which prompted the payment came from some bond of relationship. Three years later it was determined to build the steeple, and the parishioners were eager for the work. The owner of a neighbouring quarry gave leave to take whatever stone was required. “A tree was bought at Tombe Wood,” and a carpenter was engaged for the scaffolding and timber work. The tree was sawn into boards; lime was purchased to make the mortar, and tubs to mix it in. Later, another tree was bought and cut up for scaffolding purposes. All was entirely the work of the parish, and the ordering of everything was done by the wardens the people had chosen, whilst each one took a lively and personal interest in the common work.
In 1503 another bell was made, and a deputation of the parish went to Boston to see it “shot.” The local blacksmith, Richard Messur, made all the necessary “bolts and locks,” and attended professionally to see it hung, although the chief responsibility rested upon John Red, “bellgedor of Boston,” who had the “schotyng” of the bell, and received £3 6s. 8d. for his work. At the same time the parish paid for a Sanctus bell, which was made by the local plumber, and the young men of the parish formed themselves into a school to be taught how “to toll the bells.” In the same year a new font was made for the church at Freeston, about three miles away, and a committee of the parish made two journeys, one to look at the progress of the work and another to pass and approve it.
BRACKET WITH SUSPENDED DOVE AND COVER
For some few years the expenses were normal; but in 1512 the desire to possess more bells again came upon the parish. In the same year the people purchased “a pair of censer chains, when the parson was in London,” and they renewed the device “for hanging up the Sacrament” over the altar. In 1516 the bells evidently did not ring well, and a man was brought over from Boston to set them right. In the same year there are entered expenses for hanging a lamp and for making “a lectern in the choir.” The following year the north side of the church was found to stand in need of repair, and there are expenses for propping the wall up during the work. This year, also, the parish purchased a new vestment and a chalice; and in 1519, after the repairs, the bishop came to reconsecrate the church, and the people paid his fee of 40s. for doing so. In 1525 an item of expense is of interest: “To Isabel Frendyke for marking all the lynen clothis: St. Thomas’ with a mark of black sylke +, and O. Lady’s with a M.”
