Parish Priests and Their People in the Middle Ages in England

The writer has also to express his thanks to the Rev. Professor Skeat, Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Cambridge, and to the Rev. Dr. Cunningham, formerly Professor of Economic Science, K.C.L., for their kind replies to inquiries on matters on which they are authorities; and to some others who kindly looked over portions of the book dealing with matters of which they have special knowledge.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. OUR HEATHEN FOREFATHERS.

The land only partially reclaimed, 1--The Anglo-Saxon conquest, 2--Civil constitution, 4--Religion, 7--Structural temples, 8--Priests, 11.

CHAPTER II. THE CONVERSION OF THE ENGLISH.

Conversion of the heptarchic kingdoms, 14--Its method, 16--Illustrations from the history of Jutland, Norway, etc., 17--The cathedral centres, 20--Details of mission work, 21--Mission stations, 24.

CHAPTER III. THE MONASTIC PHASE OF THE CHURCH.

Multiplication of monasteries, 28: in Kent, 29; Northumbria, 29; East Anglia, 31; Wessex, 31; Mercia, 31--List of other Saxon monasteries, 33--Constitution of the religious houses, 35--Their destruction by the Danes, 37--Rebuilding in the reigns of Edgar and Canute, 37.

CHAPTER IV. DIOCESAN AND PAROCHIAL ORGANIZATION.

Character of the new converts, 38--Coming of Archbishop Theodore, 40--Union of the Heptarchic Churches, 41--Subdivision of dioceses, 41--Introduction of the parochial system, 43--Northumbria made a second province, 49--Multiplication of parishes, 50--Different classes of churches, 53--Number of parishes at the Norman Conquest, 54.

CHAPTER V. THE SAXON CLERGY.

Laws of the heptarchic kingdoms: of Ethelbert, 57; of Ine, 57; of Wihtred, 57--Council of Clovesho (747), 60--Laws of Alfred, 65; of Athelstan, 66--Canons of Edgar, 66--Laws of Ethelred, 72--Canons of Elfric, 74--Privilege of sanctuary, 75--Tithe and other payments, 78--Observance of Sunday and holy days, 79--Slavery, 81--Manumission, 81.

CHAPTER VI. THE NORMAN CONQUEST.

Foreign bishops and abbots introduced, 84--Parochial clergy undisturbed, 85--Papal supremacy, 85--Separation of civil and ecclesiastical Courts, 86--Norman cathedrals and churches, 87--Revival of monasticism, 90--Appropriation of parochial benefices, 91.

CHAPTER VII. THE FOUNDATION OF VICARAGES.

Mode of appropriation of parishes, 95--Evil results, 97--Ordination of vicarages, 98--Its conditions, 99--Not always fulfilled, 108--Abuses, 109.

CHAPTER VIII. PAROCHIAL CHAPELS.

Chapels-of-ease for hamlets, 110--Some of them elevated into churches, 110--Rights of mother churches safeguarded, 121--Free chapels, 123.

CHAPTER IX. THE PARISH PRIEST--HIS BIRTH AND EDUCATION.

Saxon clergy largely taken from the higher classes, 127--The career opened up by the Church to all classes, 129; even to serfs, 130--Education of the clergy, 131--The Universities, 136--Schools of thought, 136--The scholastic theology, 137--The contemplative, 138--Oxford: its colleges, 140--The students, 141--Ordination, 144--Institution, 146.

CHAPTER X. PARSONAGE HOUSES.

Like lay houses, 149--Examples at West Dean and Alfriston, Sussex, 152--Descriptions of: at Kelvedon, 154; Kingston-on-Thames, Bulmer, Ingrave, 155; Ingatestone, 156; Little Bromley, North Benfleet, 157; West Hanningfield, 158--Hospitality, 158--Smaller houses, 160--Dilapidations, 162.

CHAPTER XI. FURNITURE AND DRESS.

Sumptuary laws, 164--Disregard of them, 167--Contemporary pictures, 169--Extracts from wills, 172--Introduction of sober colours, 174--Wills, 175.

CHAPTER XII. FABRIC AND FURNITURE OF CHURCHES, AND OFFICIAL VESTMENTS.

Grandeur of the churches compared with domestic buildings, 184--Furniture of churches, 187, 190--List of necessary things, 189--Clerical vestments: pallium, chasuble, 191; stole, maniple, amice, dalmatic, 192; cope, surplice, 193; amyss, 194--Fanciful symbolism, 196; a bishop in “full canonicals,” 198.

CHAPTER XIII. THE PUBLIC SERVICES IN CHURCH.

Matins, mass, and evensong, 200--Sunday attendance, 201--Communion, 200--Laxity of practice, 204--Week-day services, 205--The Bidding Prayer, 207--Bede Roll, 211--Chantry services, 212.

CHAPTER XIV. PREACHING AND TEACHING.

Not neglected, 214--Manuals of teaching, 214; Archbishop Peckham’s, 216--Helps for preachers, 223--Analysis of sin, 226; Arbor Virtutum, 229; Arbor Viciorum, 230--Types and antitypes, 231.

CHAPTER XV. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARISH PRIESTS.

Analysis of a book of that title by John Myrk, 232--The personal character and conduct which befit a priest, 233--A parish priest’s duties, 234--Non-communicating attendance at Holy Communion, 235, _note_--The “holy loaf,” 235--Behaviour of the people in church, 236--The people’s way of joining in the mass, 236--Behaviour in churchyard, 238--Visitation of the sick, 239.

CHAPTER XVI. POPULAR RELIGION.

Education more common than is supposed, 241--Books for the laity in French and English, 242--Creed and Vision of “Piers Plowman,” the tracts of Richard of Hampole and Wiclif, 242--“Lay Folks’ Mass-book,” 243--Primers, 249--Religious poetry: Cædmon, 250; “The Love of Christ for Man’s Soul,” 255; “The Complaint of Christ,” 256.

CHAPTER XVII. THE CELIBACY OF THE CLERGY.

Object of the obligation, 258--Opposition to it, 259--Introduced late in the Saxon period, 260--Endeavour to enforce it in Norman and later times, 261--Evasion of the canons, 268--Legal complications, 270--Popular view, 271--Disabilities of sons of the clergy, 273--Dispensations for it, 275.

CHAPTER XVIII. VISITATION ARTICLES AND RETURNS.

Visitation of parishes, 279--Visitation questions, 280--Examples from returns to the questions, 285--Popular estimation of the clergy, 289.

CHAPTER XIX. PROVISION FOR OLD AGE.

Assistant chaplain, 290--Coadjutor assigned, 291--A leprous vicar, 294--Retirement on a pension, 295--A retiring vicar builds for himself a “reclusorium” in the churchyard, 295--Parish chaplain retires on a pension, 296--Death and burial, 296.