[108] Blomfield's Norfolk, vi. 317.
[109] "Several congregations find themselves already very much straitened; and if the mode increases, I wish it may not drive many ordinary women into meetings and conventicles. Should our sex at the same time take it into their heads to wear trunk breeches, a man and his wife would fill a whole pew."—Satire on Female Costume. Spectator, No. 127.
"At church in silks and satins new,
And hoop of monstrous size;
She never slumber'd in her pew
But when she shut her eyes."—Goldsmith.
"He found him mounted in his pew,
With books and money placed for shew."
The Lawyer's Pew, Butler's Hudibras.
"A bedstead of the antique mode,
Compact of timber many a load,
Such as our ancestors did use,
Was metamorphosed into pews;
Which still their ancient nature keep
By lodging folks disposed to sleep."
Swift's Baucis and Philemon.
[111] European Magazine, 1813.
[112] History of Pues, p. 77.
[113] "1617. Barnham contra Hayward Puellam.—Presentatur—for that she being but a young maid sat in ye pew with her mother, to ye great offence of many reverent women: howbeit that after I Peter Lewis the Vicar had in the church privately admonished her to sit at her mother's pew-door, she obeyed; but now she sits with her mother again."—God's Acre, by Mrs. Stone.
[114] Whittaker's Whalley, p. 228.
[115] "We have also heard that the parishioners of divers places do oftentimes wrangle about their seats in church, two or more claiming the same seat, whence arises great scandal to the Church, and the divine officers are sore set and hindered; wherefore we decree that none shall henceforth call any seat in the church his own, save noblemen and patrons: but he who shall first enter shall take his place where he will."—Quivil, Bishop of Exeter, A.D. 1287.