ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY churches." As a result of these proceedings the Communion rails were removed from various churches/" whilst a wholesale destruction took, place of all such ornaments as were considered to savour of popery/'* For example, the vestry of St. Pancras Soper Lane decided that the picture over the font, any inscriptions on gravestones tending to superstition, all the crosses set upon the walls and on the candlesticks by the pulpit, and the sacred mono- grams by the Commandments should be demolished ; and that the images over the church porch should be removed and destroyed. The silver flagon was to be put aside, the marks on it (i h s and a cross inclosed in a circle) being superstitious and Jesuitical."^ Ultimately the marks were erased and the flagon once more brought into use."* Two surplices and a tippet, put aside in 1641, were sold, together with the altar rails, in 1644."^ At St. Laurence Jewry some of the stained-glass windows containing figures were removed and plain glass substituted."* These windows were probably broken up , but those belonging to St. Peter's Cornhill, which contained figures of Moses and Aaron, were kept by the glazier who took them down, and were replaced in 1660."' At Christ Church Newgate the pulpit-cloth and certain superstitious vestments were put aside and finally sold." ' The Jesuits' arms' were removed from St. Mary Abchurch in 1644.^" Meanwhile the excitement in London was intense, even women taking part in petitioning Parliament against ' superstitious bishops ' and popish practices.'^ The ' Protestation ' in favour of the reformed religion was introduced in May 1641 into the Court of Aldermen, where it received willing assent.^ The lord mayor ordered a house-to-house visitation throughout the City for the purpose of inducing all the inhabitants to sign it.'^* The apprentices received it with enthusiasm,'" and its subscription in the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle was the signal for a riot in the church, the Communion rails being torn down and burnt, and the parson threatened with death should he dare to use a surplice.'"^ Similar scenes occurred in the churches of St. Saviour Southwark, St. Olave Southwark, and St. Magnus ; the rails were destroyed, communicants insisted on having the Sacrament adminis- tered to them whilst seated, and the clergy were threatened with violence.'" In November 1 641 Westminster Abbey was attacked by a mob of apprentices, who '" Commons' Journ. iii, 57. '" St. Botolph Billingsgate Vest. Min. 1640 ; St. Mary Magdalen Milk Street Vest. Min. 1641 ; St. Mar- garet New Fish Street Vest. Min. 1642 ; St. George Southwark Chwdns.' Accts. 1641-2 ; St. Pancras Soper Lane Vest. Min. 1 644 ; Hist. MSS. Com. Ref. vi, App. 90. "' St. Benet Paul's Wharf Chwdns.' Accts. 1643 ; St. John Walbrook Accts. 1643 ; St. Mary Abchurch Accts. 1643 ; St. Mary Magdalen Milk Street Vest. Min. 1645 ; St. Swithin Accts. 1645 ; St. Ethelburga Accts. 1644 ; St. Michael Crooked Lane Accts. 1643-6, &c. '"Vest. Min. 1 64 1. "° Ibid. 1642. The flagon at St. Michael Bassishaw was similarly treated ; Chwdns.' Accts. 1643. »" Vest. Min. 1642. "» Ibid. 1641. '" Ibid. 1643, 1660. "» Ibid. 1645. "' Chwdns.' Accts. 1644. "* /^ true copie of the Petition of the Gcnlkzvomen, &c. B.M. Pamphlets, E. 134 (17) ; Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. V, App. 6. '" Corp. Rec. Repert. Iv, fol. 133. "' Corp. Rec. Journ. xxxix, fol. 203/J ; xl, fol. zb ; Letter Bk. QQ, fol. 3. Lists were made in some parishes of the parishioners who had signed ; see St. Margaret New Fish Street Chwdns.' Accts. 1645 ; St. Pancras Soper Lane Vest. Min. 1641 ; St. Mary Abchurch Vest. Min. 1 64 1-2 ; St. Katharine Cree Vest. Min. 1641 ; St. Mary Magdalen Milk Street Vest. Min. 1641. '" Trevelyan Papers (Camd. Soc), iii, 217. '^^ Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. iv, App. 80-1 ; Commons' Journ. ii, 194 ; LorJs' Journ. iv, 295. '" Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. iv, App. 73, 75, 89, 90 ; Lords' Journ. iv, 270-1, 277, 318, 321, 323. I 329 42
