69 A HISTORY OF LONDON one fixed against the wall and the other movable. ^^' As well after as before the Reformation it was usual for men and women to have separate pews,^** sometimes marked with the names of the seat-holders.' In some cases special seats were also provided for the children of seat- holders,'^" for girls and unmarried women,"' for boys,'"- and for servant- maids.'" Knights, ladies, and burgesses also had their special pews.'^* In 1601 a pew was constructed in the church of St. Martin Orgar for the lord mayor, and one for my lady in the body of the church.'" Difficulties some- times arose amongst the seat-holders. The vestry of St. Margaret's New Fish Street, in 1597, ordered 'that no man or woman should be placed in any pew of the church without the special liking and consent of six of the Ancients of the parish being at home.' If the six were equally divided the parson was to have the casting vote : ' and then if the parties to be removed will not be ordered, they shall pay to the poor man's box 20s., if it be a man or a widow ; and [if] she be a man's wife and will not be ordered, then she shall be removed out of all pews, and have no place in the church.' '" Pew rents were graduated according to the position of the pews ; those nearest to the chancel paying the most.'" At St. Andrew's Holborn seats for the poor at the lower end of the church were first made in 1578."* Towards the end of the i6th century it became customary for the pews of the aldermen and richer parishioners to be lined, padded,' trimmed,' and provided with hassocks.'" At St. Margaret's Westminster the vestry, in 1592, decided that no pew-holder convicted of any notable crime should be allowed to retain his seat.'*" Order was kept in church during service by the clerk, sidesmen, and churchwardens.'^' The clerk of St. Margaret's New Fish Street was instructed, in 1606, to ascertain ' what servants do sit with their caps on, or do sleep during the sermon,' to admonish them, and ' with a wand to correct their stubbornness.' '^^ There were, however, more serious offences against reverence and order than these. For example, in 1595, the vestry of St. Olave's Southwark decided that for the future no sexton should inhabit the church, and that the present sexton should be told to remove his family therefrom.'*' In June 1576 one John Peacock was ordered to clear away '" St. Stephen's Walbrook Chwdns.' Accts. 1565-7 ; St. Alphage London Wall Accts. 1579-80 ; St. John's Walbrook, Accts. 1595-6 ; St. Andrew's Holborn, Rec. Bk. i+, 25 Eliz. At St. Andrew's Holborn a movable font or basin was in 1572 substituted for the old stone font, and the churchwardens were cited before the bishop for making the change ; Rec. Bk. 14, 20, 22 Eliz. "* St. Peter's Cornhill Vest. Min. 1580; St. Olave's Southwark Vest. Min. 1567; Chwdns.' Accts. 1585-7 ; St. Margaret's New Fish Street Vest. Min. 1582, &c. '*' St. Olave's Southwark Chwdns ' Accts. 1587-9. "" St. Margaret's New Fish Street Vest. Min. 1598. '" St. Peter's Cornhill Vest. Min. 1580 ; St. Margaret's New Fish Street. Vest. Min. 1594, 1608, &c. "* St. Botolph Aldersgate Chwdns.' Accts. i 571-2, 1596. "' St. Margaret's New Fish Street V^est. Min. 1594. In St. Margaret's only four pews were allotted to servant-maids, and there is a note, ' All the rest of the maids [to stand] at their mistress's pew-doors.' In 1599 four deal boards were laid in the body of the church for the maids to kneel upon (Accts. 1599). The servant-maids at St. Saviour's Southwark stood in the aisle (Vest. Min. 1610). '^' St. Botolph Aldersgate Vest Min. 1601 ; St. Margaret's Westm. Chwdns.' Accts. 1596-8. '"» Vest. Min. 1601. '" Ibid. 1597. '" Ibid. 1582, &c., &c. "» Rec. Bk. 20 Eliz. '"St. Martin's Orgar Chwdns'. Accts. 1601-2 ; Vest. Min. 1592 ; St. Stephen's Walbrook Accts. 1577, 1583, 1591, &c. '*° Vest. Min. 1592. '*' St. Margaret's New Fish Street Vest. Min. 1606, 1612, &c. For interesting rules about behaviour in church, see St. Botolph's Aldersgate Chwdns'. Accts. 1595-6 (D. and C. Westm. Lond. B. pt. ii). '*' Vest. Min. 1606. '*' Vest. Min. 1595. In St. Margaret's Lothbury in 1585 the widow of the late clerk was living in the vestry ; Vest. Min. 1585. Washing &c. was carried on in the churchyard ; Vest. Min. 1584. 320
