Page:VCH London 1.djvu/324

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A HISTORY OF LONDON shriving-pew,^" and in i 5 1 1 some pews were put up in the rood-loft.'*' A churching-pew was set up in St. Margaret's Westminster in 1498.'*^ Lock- up pews were not unknown.'" The shriving pew or confessional, though probably not frequently found elsewhere, was common in London churches.'** The usual list of lights can be drawn up, such as the great paschal candle, which stood on a tall candlestick or was hung in a basin on the north side of the high altar, and was lighted with much ceremony on Easter-Eve, to burn at all the principal Easter services ; the hearse-light, used at Mattins and Tenebrae in Holy Week ; tapers carried in procession at High Mass or on special occasions ; '*^ torches used in the Corpus Christi processions ; large standing tapers placed round a corpse ; tapers burning before images ; and a candle used at baptisms." The Judas candle, the cross candle, and the Jesse candle are also mentioned.'"^ In some cases the body of the church was lighted for the morrow mass and other early morning services with candles or a candle lantern.'" Oil lamps were also used. Instances of churches possessing clocks occur at an early date.'"* In the tower there usually hung from three to six large bells and the sanctus bell.*" In Lent a veil was hung before the high altar, and there were veils for crosses and images at the same season.'"^ Every church had one or more hearse-cloths (palls), and notices occur of burial crosses (to be laid on the body),'" and of a bell for use at funerals.'"' The London churches were well supplied with vestments, many of which were very elaborate and costly. In St. Martin's Ludgate one complete suit, six single vestments, and three copes were of cloth of gold.'°^ St. Margaret's Southwark owned three copes of cloth of gold, and a number of gold-embroidered vestments.'^" As has been stated above, most London parish churches in the 1 5th and early i6th centuries possessed one or two organs ; '*' and the majority had also something in the way of a permanent choir,'^" led by one or more ' conducts.^' The parish clerk was expected to be able to sing and sometimes played the '"Accts. 1499 ; so at St. Margaret Pattens c. 1 510 {The Sacristy, i, 259), and at St. Christopher's 1524 {Vestry M in. 72^), where it is called the 'shryvyng hous.' The ' shryvyng pew' at St. Michael Cornhill was taken down in 1548 {Chwdns.^ Accts. ed Overall, 69). J. T. Micidethwaite suggests that 'this was a new fashion then lately introduced, and that it was not allowed time to spread very far' ; Arch. Journ. xxxv, 381. "'Accts. 15 1 1. '"Accts. 1498. '" St. Andrew Hubbard Accts. 1530 ; St. Alphage London Wall Accts. 1535. In parish churches these pews were frequently chantry chapels, arranged for private services at their own altars, and for use as pews during public worship ; Arch "Journ. xxxv, 379. See St. Andrew Hubbard Accts. 1488. "* Micklethwaite, Ornaments of the Rubric (Alcuin Club), 47. "' See Rec. of St. Mary at Hill (Early Engl. Text Soc), 16. '^' Par. Rec. gen. ; Sharpe, Cal. of If ills, passim. '^' St. Stephen Walbrook Accts. 1474-82. The last probably means a branch candlestick made in the shape of the Jesse Tree. See Lee, Glossary ofLiturg. and Eccl. Terms, 168. "' St. M.trgaret Westm. Accts. 1464-8 ; St. Botolph Aldersgate Accts. 1464, 1468, 1492. "' St. Alphage London Wall Accts. 1528 ; St. Botolph Aldersgate Accts. 1468 ; Rec. of St. Mary at Hill (Early Engl. Text Soc), 71 (ann. 1429) ; St. Andrew Hubbard Accts. 1454. '^ Sharpe, Cal. of Wills, ii, 417 (ann. 14 1 9) ; St. Andrew Hubbard Accts. 1466-8. '" Par. Rec. gen. Par. Rec. gen. "' St. Margaret Westm. Accts. 1474. "' St. Martin Ludgate Inventory, n.d. in Vest. Min. Bk. '" Inventory, n.d. in Vest. Min. Bk. **" Inventory, 1485. '*' St. Peter Cheap Accts. 1433 ; St. Margaret Southwark Accts. 1447 ; St. Michael Cornhill Accts. 1459 ; St. Andrew Hubbard Accts. 1460 ; St. Botolph Aldersgate Accts. 1464 ; St. Margaret Westm. Accts. 1466; St. Martin Orgar Accts. 1469; St. Stephen Walbrook Accts. 1481 ; St. Andrew Holborn Rec. Bk. 1518 ; St. Margaret Pattens Accts. 1525 ; St. Alphage London W.all Accts. 1530 ; &c. &c. "' St. Andrew Hubbard Accts. 1458, 1528 ; St. Stephen Walbrook Accts. 1525 ; St. Margaret Westm. Accts. 1536, etc. '" Par. Rec. gen. 242