CHAPTER PAGE
[I. OLD-TIME CHOIRS AND PARSONS] [1]
[II. THE ANTIQUITY AND CONTINUITY OF THE OFFICE OF CLERK] [16]
[III. THE MEDIÆVAL CLERK] [31]
[IV. HIS DUTIES OF READING AND SINGING] [48]
[V. THE CLERK IN LITERATURE] [63]
[VI. CLERKS TOO CLERICAL--SMUGGLING DAYS AND SMUGGLING WAYS] [79]
[VII. THE CLERK IN EPITAPH] [90]
[VIII. THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF PARISH CLERKS] [104]
[IX. THE CLERKS OF LONDON: THEIR DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES] [115]
[X. CLERKENWELL AND CLERKS' PLAYS] [130]
[XI. THE CLERKS AND THE PARISH REGISTERS] [140]
[XII. THE CLERK AS A POET] [154]
[XIII. THE CLERK GIVING OUT NOTICES] [169]
[XIV. SLEEPY CHURCH AND SLEEPY CLERKS] [179]
[XV. THE CLERK IN ART] [195]
[XVI. WOMEN AS PARISH CLERKS] [201]
[XVII. SOME YORKSHIRE CLERKS] [206]
[XVIII. AN OLD CHESHIRE CLERK AND SOME OTHER WORTHIES] [225]
[XIX. THE CLERK AND THE LAW] [245]
[XX. RECOLLECTIONS OF OLD CLERKS AND THEIR WAYS] [255]
[XXI. CURIOUS STORIES] [306]
[XXII. LONGEVITY AND HEREDITY--THE DEACON-CLERKS OF BARNSTAPLE] [318]
[XXIII. CONCLUSION] [333]
[INDEX] [335]

CHAPTER PAGE
[I. OLD-TIME CHOIRS AND PARSONS] [1]
[II. THE ANTIQUITY AND CONTINUITY OF THE OFFICE OF CLERK] [16]
[III. THE MEDIÆVAL CLERK] [31]
[IV. HIS DUTIES OF READING AND SINGING] [48]
[V. THE CLERK IN LITERATURE] [63]
[VI. CLERKS TOO CLERICAL--SMUGGLING DAYS AND SMUGGLING WAYS] [79]
[VII. THE CLERK IN EPITAPH] [90]
[VIII. THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF PARISH CLERKS] [104]
[IX. THE CLERKS OF LONDON: THEIR DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES] [115]
[X. CLERKENWELL AND CLERKS' PLAYS] [130]
[XI. THE CLERKS AND THE PARISH REGISTERS] [140]
[XII. THE CLERK AS A POET] [154]
[XIII. THE CLERK GIVING OUT NOTICES] [169]
[XIV. SLEEPY CHURCH AND SLEEPY CLERKS] [179]
[XV. THE CLERK IN ART] [195]
[XVI. WOMEN AS PARISH CLERKS] [201]
[XVII. SOME YORKSHIRE CLERKS] [206]
[XVIII. AN OLD CHESHIRE CLERK AND SOME OTHER WORTHIES] [225]
[XIX. THE CLERK AND THE LAW] [245]
[XX. RECOLLECTIONS OF OLD CLERKS AND THEIR WAYS] [255]
[XXI. CURIOUS STORIES] [306]
[XXII. LONGEVITY AND HEREDITY--THE DEACON-CLERKS OF BARNSTAPLE] [318]
[XXIII. CONCLUSION] [333]
[INDEX] [335]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

[The Parish Clerk.] By Thomas Gainsborough, R.A. [Frontispiece]
From the original in the National Gallery
[The Village Choir.] By Thomas Webster [8]
From the original in the Victoria and Albert Museum
[The Mediæval Clerk: The Clerk In Procession] [18]
From old engravings
[The Clerk Bearing Holy Water And Asperging The Cook, And Others] [28]
From old engravings
[The Old Church-Houses At Hurst And Uffington, Berks] [42]
By permission of Messrs. G.J. Palmer and Sons
[The Clerk And Priest Visiting The Sick And Administering The Last Sacrament] [46]
By permission of the S.P.C.K.
[Old Beckenham Church.] By David Cox [60]
From the drawing at the Tate Gallery
[Old Scarlett] [98]
From "The Book of Days"
By permission of Messrs. W. and R. Chambers, Ltd.
[Entrance To The Hall Of The Company Of Parish Clerks.] [104]
[The Master's Chair At The Parish Clerks' Hall] [106]
[Portrait Of William Roper, Son-In-Law And Biographer Of]
[Sir Thomas More, Benefactor Of The Clerks' Company] [110]
[The Grant Of Arms To The Company Of Parish Clerks] [111]
[Stained Glass Window At The Hall Of The Parish Clerks']
[Company, Showing Portraits Of John Clarke And Stephen Penckhurst] [112]
[A Page Of The Bede Roll Of The Parish Clerks' Company.] [114]
[The Organ At The Parish Clerks' Hall] [121]
[A Page Of An Early Bill Of Mortality Preserved At The]
[Hall Of The Parish Clerks' Company] [122]
[Interior Of The Hall Of The Parish Clerks' Company] [126]
[Portrait Of John Clarke, Parish Clerk Of The Church Of St. Michael, Cornhill] [128]
[Old Map Of Clerkenwell] [130]
[A Mystery Play At Chester] [132]
From a print after a painting by T. Uwins
[The Descent Into Hell] [136]
From William Hone's "Ancient Mysteries"
[The Sleeping Congregation.] By W. Hogarth [182]
From an engraving at the British Museum
[The Clerk Attending The Priest At Holy Baptism] [196]
By permission of the S.P.C.K.
[The Duties Of A Clerk At A Death And Funeral] [198]
By permission of the S.P.C.K.
[The Vicar Of Wakefield.] By W.P. Frith [199]
From a photograph by Messrs. W.A. Mansell and Co.
[Portrait Of Richard Hust, The Restorer Of The Clerks' Almshouses] [200]
[The Church Of St. Margaret, Westminster] [210]
After an engraving from a photograph by Messrs. W.A. Mansell and Co.
[William Hinton, A Wiltshire Worthy.] Drawn by the Rev. Julian Charles Young [239]
By permission of Messrs. Macmillan and Co.
[Sunday Morning.] By John Absolon [270]
From a photograph by Messrs. W.A. Mansell and Co.
[The Parish Clerk Of Quedgeley] [280]
By permission of Miss Isabel Barnett
[James Carne, Parish Clerk Of St. Columb Minor, Cornwall, The Oldest Living Clerk] [32]0
From a photograph by Mr. R.P. Griffith, Newquay

[The Parish Clerk.] By ThomasGainsborough, R.A. [Frontispiece]
From the original in the NationalGallery
[The Village Choir.] By ThomasWebster [8]
From the original in the Victoria andAlbert Museum
[The Mediæval Clerk: The Clerk InProcession] [18]
From old engravings
[The Clerk Bearing Holy Water AndAsperging The Cook, And Others] [28]
From old engravings
[The Old Church-Houses At Hurst AndUffington, Berks] [42]
By permission of Messrs. G.J. Palmer andSons
[The Clerk And Priest Visiting The SickAnd Administering The Last Sacrament] [46]
By permission of the S.P.C.K.
[Old Beckenham Church.] By DavidCox [60]
From the drawing at the TateGallery
[Old Scarlett] [98]
From "The Book of Days"
By permission of Messrs. W. and R.Chambers, Ltd.
[Entrance To The Hall Of The Company OfParish Clerks.] [104]
[The Master's Chair At The Parish Clerks'Hall] [106]
[Portrait Of William Roper, Son-In-LawAnd Biographer Of]
[Sir Thomas More,Benefactor Of The Clerks' Company] [110]
[The Grant Of Arms To The Company OfParish Clerks] [111]
[Stained Glass Window At The Hall Of TheParish Clerks']
[Company, ShowingPortraits Of John Clarke And Stephen Penckhurst] [112]
[A Page Of The Bede Roll Of The ParishClerks' Company.] [114]
[The Organ At The Parish Clerks'Hall] [121]
[A Page Of An Early Bill Of MortalityPreserved At The]
[Hall Of The ParishClerks' Company] [122]
[Interior Of The Hall Of The ParishClerks' Company] [126]
[Portrait Of John Clarke, Parish Clerk OfThe Church Of St. Michael, Cornhill] [128]
[Old Map Of Clerkenwell] [130]
[A Mystery Play At Chester] [132]
From a print after a painting by T.Uwins
[The Descent Into Hell] [136]
From William Hone's "AncientMysteries"
[The Sleeping Congregation.] By W.Hogarth [182]
From an engraving at the BritishMuseum
[The Clerk Attending The Priest At HolyBaptism] [196]
By permission of the S.P.C.K.
[The Duties Of A Clerk At A Death AndFuneral] [198]
By permission of the S.P.C.K.
[The Vicar Of Wakefield.] By W.P.Frith [199]
From a photograph by Messrs. W.A. Manselland Co.
[Portrait Of Richard Hust, The RestorerOf The Clerks' Almshouses] [200]
[The Church Of St. Margaret,Westminster] [210]
After an engraving from a photograph byMessrs. W.A. Mansell and Co.
[William Hinton, A Wiltshire Worthy.]Drawn by the Rev. Julian Charles Young [239]
By permission of Messrs. Macmillan andCo.
[Sunday Morning.] By John Absolon [270]
From a photograph by Messrs. W.A. Manselland Co.
[The Parish Clerk Of Quedgeley] [280]
By permission of Miss IsabelBarnett
[James Carne, Parish Clerk Of St. ColumbMinor, Cornwall, The Oldest Living Clerk] [32]0
From a photograph by Mr. R.P. Griffith,Newquay

PREFACE