After this, prayers were asked for all workers and tillers of the earth; for the fruits and for proper weather for them; for those in “debt or deadly sin,” that God may free them; for the sick and for all pilgrims; and “for women that be in our ladyes bondes, that Almighty God may send them grace, the child to receive the sacrament of baptism, and the mother purification. Also ye shall praye for the good man or woman, that this daye geveth bread to make the holy lofe, and for all those that fyrste began it, and them that longest continue.”
The priest then turned towards the altar for the Pater and Ave with the psalm Deus misereatur, etc., and these being finished, he turned once more towards the people and said—
“Thirdly, ye shall pray for your frends’ soules, as your father’s soule, your mother’s soule, your brethren’s soule, your sister’s soul, your godfather’s soule, your godmother’s soul, and for all those souls whose bones rest in this church and churchyard, ... and above all, for those soules whose names be accustomed to be rehearsed in the bederoll as I shall rehearse them unto you by the grace of God.”
Then followed the reading of the names from the bede-roll, one specimen of which has been preserved by the antiquary Hearne, and which, he says, is drawn up on a large octavo leaf of vellum, and contains merely a series of names, at the end of which is the formula: “God have mercy on these souls and of all Crystyn soules.”
This catalogue of names, sometimes called the “Dominical Roll,” was the shortened form for ordinary occasions, but on certain days, such as “All Saints’ day,” there was in the case of benefactors a longer form, which set forth the individual reasons why the people should specially remember these dead in their prayers. For entering the names on this roll, a fee was paid to the parson by the parish; thus at Laverton, in 1521, there is the entry in the churchwardens’ accounts: “Fee to William Wright, the parish priest, for entering the names of Thomas Greste, Agnes his wife, and John and William their children, on the bede-roll.”
As examples of the longer form of proclamation may be given an entry already cited on the bede-roll of St. Michael’s, Cornhill, which runs thus—
“You must pray—for Richard Atfield, sometime parish parson of this church, for he with the consent of the Bishop ordained and established Matins, High Mass, and Even-song, to be sung daily in the year 1375.”
Or the following from the Laverton account—
“The suit of red purple velvet vestments were given by Sir John Wright, parson, son of William Wright and Elizabeth, for the which you shall specially pray for the souls” of the above, etc., “and for all benefactors as well as them that be off lyve as be departed to the mercy of God, for whose lives and soules is given heyr to the honour of God, His most blessed mother our Lady Saynt Mare and all His saints being in Heaven and the blessed matron Saynte Helene—and they to be usyd at such principal feasts and times as it shall please ye curates, as long as they shall last—for all these souls and all Christian souls ye shall say one Pater noster.”
In many instances it was apparently the curate’s duty to read the parish bede-roll, and the stipend he received for performing this service was part of his benefice. In other cases, a fee was paid to the parson on the day when the roll was read. Thus at St. Mary-at-Hill, in 1490, there is a payment by the wardens, entered as follows: “Item. To Mr. John Redy for rehersyng of the bederoll, 8d.” One purpose served by thus keeping the memory of the good deeds of parishioners who had passed away, before the memory of their successors, was that it stimulated the latter to emulate the example of these benefactors. Bishop Hobhouse is obviously right when he says that popular bounty was undoubtedly elicited by hearing the names of the doers of past generous deeds read out in church on great days. All, in pre-Reformation days, appear to have been anxious, according to their means, to find a place on this roll of honour.