The Elizabethan Parish in its Ecclesiastical and Financial Aspects | Page 5

"hathe done nothing of
that which he was apoinnted by your worshipp at Mydsomer to do, for
the churche yarde lyeth to commons and all other thynkes in the
churche is ondonne.... I praye you dele w[i]t[h] hym so yt he maye be a
presydent for them that shall have the offyce; for they wyll but jess att
itt, and saye it is butt a mony matter: therefore lett them paye well for
the penaltie whiche was sett on theire heads." Continuing, the writer
states that his reason for writing is "that you be not abewseid in youre
office by there muche intreatyng for themselffes, for Jesper Anderkyn
stands excommunicated."[40]
Sometimes for failure to perform the ordinary's[41] injunctions a whole
parish was excommunicated or a church interdicted.[42] Thus in the
Abbey Parish Church[43] Accounts we read under the year 1592 how
troublesome and how costly it was "when the church was interdicted"

to ride to Lichfield and there tarry several days seeking absolution. For
this 20 shillings was paid, a very large sum for the time, not to mention
a fee to the summoner, travelling expenses and the writing of letters on
the parish's behalf.[44] The wardens of Stratton, Cornwall, had a
similar experience "when the churche wardyns & the hole p[ar]ysch
was exco[mu]nycatt" in 1565. Among the expense items relating to that
occasion is a significant one: "ffor wyne & goodchere ffor the
buschuppe ys s[er]vantt[s] ij s. viij d."[45]
So close is the supervision of the ordinary over the churchwardens, so
effective the discipline of the church courts, that we seem to hear
occasionally a sort of dialogue going on between judges and wardens,
the former directing certain things to be executed, the latter replying
and reporting from time to time that progress is being made on the
work to be performed, or that the missing objects will be soon supplied.
Accordingly, at the archdeacon of Canterbury's visitation in 1595, we
find the wardens of St. John in Thanet (Margate) reporting: "The
chancel[46] is out of repairs, for the repairing whereof some things are
provided."[47] Two years later they state to the court: "For repairing of
the churchyard we desire a day."[48] At the same visitation the wardens
of St. Lawrence in Thanet (Ramsgate) present: "Our Church is repaired,
saving that some glass by reason of the last wind be broken, the which
are [sic] shortly to be amended."[49]
As a final illustration on this score may be adduced the report of the
conscientious wardens of Kilham, Yorkshire, who certify to the judge
of that peculiar, August, 1602, "that there churche walles ar in suche
repaire as heretofore they have beyne. But not in suche sufficient
repaire as is required by the Article[50] for that effect ministred vnto
us."[51]
But the upkeep of the church and its requisites[52] was only one of the
churchwardens' many tasks. They had to look to it that the people
attended church regularly; that the victuallers and ale-houses received
no one while service was being held or a sermon was preached; that
each person was seated in his or her proper place, that each conducted
himself with decorum and remained throughout the service.
Accordingly the act-books tell their interesting story of ministers on
beginning service sending wardens and sidemen abroad to command
men to come to church. The churchwardens and their allies have all

sorts of experiences: they break in upon "exercises" or conventicles;[53]
they peep in at victuallers' houses or at inns where irate hosts slam
doors in their faces and give them bad words on being caught
offending;[54] they come across merrymakers dancing the
morris-dance on the village green during Sunday afternoon service,[55]
or they surprise men at a quiet game of cards at a neighbor's house
during evening prayer.[56]
When admonished by the wardens to enter church, some merely gave
contemptuous replies, such as "what prates thou?";[57] others, when
the wardens approached, took to their heels and ran away.[58] Once
inside the church the wardens' task was by no means ended. They had
the care of placing each one in his or her seat according to degree;[59]
according to sex;[60] and, in case of women, according as they were
old or young, married or unmarried.[61] Finally, as has been said, the
wardens were expected to keep watch lest some one slip out before the
service was over or the sermon ended.[62]
But while they have one eye on the congregation lest they offend,
wardens and sidemen must keep another on the minister while service
proceeds or the sacraments are administered, in order that the rites be
duly observed and the Rubric followed. The curate of Theydon Gernon
(Essex) is presented by wardens and sidemen "_quia non fecit suam
diligentiam in dicendo preces_, viz. the communion and Litany";[63]
while the rector of East