[47] Canterbury Visit., xxvi, 21.

[48] Ibid.

[49] Ibid., 32.  In 1599 the wardens of this parish inform the archdeacon that both church and churchyard need repairs “which we mean shortly to do.”  The next year, too, they make a report in almost identical words. Ibid., 33.

[50] See p. 15 supra.

[51] Dean of York’s Visit., 341.

[52] Numerous other presentments at visitations for failure to supply the requisites for worship besides those adduced in the text will be found in Hale, Crim.  Prec., 173 (A warden failing to supply the elements for communion, 1579-1580) Ibid., 154 ("The rode lofte beame, the staieres of the rode loft standinge, the churche lacketh whittinge to deface the monuments.” 1572), etc. Barnes’ Eccles.  Proc._, 115 ("The Degrees of Mariage” and “the Postils” lacking. 1578-1579). Warrington Deanery Visit., 189 ("Cloth for the communion table.” 1592).  Visitation of Manchester Deanery in 1592 by the Bishop of Chester in Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Soc.  Tr., xiii, 58. (Communion cup lacking). Ibid., 62 ("Noe fonte,” and christenings in “a bason or dish").  This source hereinafter cited as Manchester Deanery Visit.

[53] Hale, Crim.  Prec., s. a. 1587 (21st June).

[54] Manchester Deanery Visit., 66 (1592).  Cf. Canterbury Visit., xxv, 23 (1600).

[55] Hall, Crim.  Prec., 13 (1598).

[56] Warrington Deanery Visit., 189.

[57] Manchester Deanery Visit., 69.

[58] Ibid.  Then as now the ale-house was the strongest rival of the House of God.  A very common class of offenders were those who would not leave their ale cups to go to service (see authorities cited, passim).  Men were also great gossipers ("common talkers”) in the churchyard, as a number of presentments show.

[59] Order of the archdeacon, Essex Archdeaconry, to the wardens of St. Peter’s and of All Saints.  Maldon, in 1577, Hale, Crim.  Prec., 158.  For refusing to keep her seat in church according to this order Elizabeth Harris was presented the next year, Hale, loc. cit., 171.

[60] The vestry of St. Alphage’s (G.B.  Hall, Records of St. Alphage, London Wall, 31) grew highly indignant in Aug., 1620, when the business of seating the parishioners came up for discussion, that a Mr. Loveday and his wife should presume to sit “togeather in one pewe and that in the Ile where men vsually doe & ere did sitt; we hould it most ynconvenyent and most vnseemely, And doe thinke it fitt that Mr Chancellor of London be made acquainted w[i]th it [etc]...”